Namikaze Naruto- The Unpredictable Shinobi

Chapter 46: A Birthday Revelation

October 10th- 14 years since the attack of Kyuubi in Konohagakure. Fox hunts were almost forgotten, but Naruto was yet to be loved and accepted by the entire village. Two thirds of the populace had either forgiven her or found her innocent of the crime. The remaining were impassive or neutral. A batch of drunks had tried to force themselves on the blonde before they were stopped by the other villagers. The positive interference of the villagers caused this birthday to be Naruto's best birthday ever.

She paid her respect to her parents and stayed in the Namikaze estate for a while, trying to familiarize with the house she would've grown up in, had things gone differently. That night, she threw a party, only for the closest of the people, in the most secluded part of Barbe-Q- one of Konoha's most popular restaurants. She had invited Hiruzen, Tsunade, Itachi and Shisui. She contemplated on inviting Kakashi. The man had been a brother sometimes, also he was like a son to her parents, but he didn't place much faith in her- it was clear during the chunin exams, and there was little difference after that. Her musings were put to a rest when Tsunade informed that he had gone out of the village for a mission. 

The five of them were sitting in their reserved spot. They were having fun. Conversations went as childish as possible, with Itachi being the most mature of all and Shisui being the least. Naruto warned Shisui beforehand not to tease her as she would inform something.

Shisui brought a birthday cake, few Katon scrolls and an offer to teach a jutsu as his present. Itachi gave a tanto; Tsunade gave some scrolls of Hashirama she personally had access to as his granddaughter; Hiruzen gave her Minato's Hokage cloak, repaired and good as new, and his belongings in the vault behind his portrait in the Hokage office.

Naruto teared up. "You didn't have to." she choked on her words. "Oh please! You deserve it. Birthday boys need their presents." Tsunade ruffled. Naruto bowed as much as one could when seated, "Thank you. Thank you very much." Shisui lifted her head only to smack it down. "Don't bother Naruto. You would've done the same for us, right?" Itachi said. "Yeah." Naruto nodded. "Tsunade-sama, when is your birthday?" 

Tsunade put a hand on her chin, as if remembering a forgotten subject, which it had been. "August the second." "Oh no! It's already over, and I didn't bring anything for you!" Naruto blurted. Tsunade flicked her forehead, "Don't worry Gaki. I don't celebrate it." "You will, from now." Naruto jumped. "If you don't want public parties, it shall be only occasional private parties, but a gift every year." 

Tsunade protested, "Naruto-" "Nee-san?" Naruto pouted widening her eyes cutely pleading. The others there knew Tsunade was fighting a battle already lost. She relented. "Alright, but rare parties. We need shinobi ready for any kind of emergencies." "Hai!" Naruto and Shisui mock-saluted. Itachi shook his head while Hiruzen laughed.

Naruto flashed home with her gifts and returned after storing them away. The five of them enjoyed moments that were rare in the dangerous life of a shinobi, before dispersing. Shisui went after Naruto to a stream in the better part of the training ground 44. It was a natural beauty that was exactly opposite to the rest of the dangerous training ground.

Naruto turned to Shisui. "Nii-san, I've told Sasuke the other day to face his problems and not run away from it. I would be a hypocrite if I didn't do so with you. I might not be able to say this one more time, so please listen to me carefully the first time." Shisui nodded.

"You know I'm the jinchuuriki of the village. My situation is different from the previous Jinchuuriki of Konoha. Either they were famous and revered like the wife of Shodai Hokage, or their identities were unknown like those after Mito-sama. In my case, the village was attacked moments after I was born. Everyone saw me as the Bijuu himself that destroyed the village. To keep the violence to a minimum, many measures were taken- some by the Sandaime and Yondaime, some by me. The little Mito you met all those years ago was a result of that. In fact, the me you all see is another disguise. The truth of my self is known only by the Sandaime, and an orphanage matron who died long ago. Now you shall know.