The Swirling Tides

Chapter 22: Apprehension

Uzumaki Compound | Konoha

Naruto felt his resolve crumble as Nina kept looking at him like a kicked puppy, and her shiny new violet eyes were not helping his case.

"You're going to leave me all alone? What will I do for the many long, long days that you're gone?" The redhead's lips trembled as more moisture gathered in her eyes. "And we just got to spend a single day together!"

A fair distance away from the two, Kushina and her daughters giggled at their clan sister's performance. They were carrying out the last minute checks on their inventory before leaving.

Kasumi elbowed her sister as she winked. "You see Natsumi-nee, I was right. Nina-chan really did need to get laid. She sure has opened up since then…"

Natsumi couldn't help but agree with the redhead. "Yeah, she seems much more comfortable around us now. I could never have imagined her doing something like that before."

They smirked when they saw their blond brother's resolve falter as Nina continued to play 'kicked puppy' with him.

Suddenly Natsumi's smile turned sad as an unpleasant thought struck her. "He cares so much about us all… We're likely Naru-kun's only weakness…"

Kasumi scowled as she grabbed her elder sister's shoulder. "Don't say that Onee-chan! We are Onii-chan's greatest strength, not weakness! We'll always be there to support him no matter what!"

A soft smile formed on the golden-haired girl's face as her resolve to get stronger cemented itself in her mind. "You're right… we'll always be there for him."

Both girls silently vowed to never become a burden for their brother. They knew he was going to be highly targeted for his special abilities, and they swore to help him get through any obstacles he had to face.

A few minutes later, their preparations were complete and they were all set to go. Naruto was in his usual black and gray ANBU style armor, which also contained all his weapons and other items in various storage seals embedded on it. The only exception was his sword that resided inside his summoning tattoo, ready for instant action whenever needed.

Kushina was wearing a crimson cloak that completely covered her form from the neck down, underneath which she wore her ANBU armor. Her nickname, Whirlpool's Red Death, was inscribed in glowing orange kanji on her back. The large orange symbols were actually serving the purpose of hiding the reinforcement seals meant to prevent her cloak from getting shredded or seared by any weak attacks, making it a sort of armor as well. Her long red hair cascaded down past her waist, and she had her beautiful red sword strapped diagonally across her back, its handle protruding out of her cloak for easy access.

Kasumi wore an electric blue dress that accentuated her curves and stopped mid-thigh. Her phoenix pendant was visible as she did not bother tucking it inside her dress. Naruto was a bit surprised that his twin was wearing the pendant like that. She was always hesitant to use her phoenix form for some reason. Even he had yet to see it.

Natsumi's attire consisted of a leather dress that hugged her body like a second skin. She had discarded any extra clothes like the white jacket she had been wearing. She now only had the leather skirt and top to cover herself with, leaving her toned belly exposed for the viewing pleasure of many. She also wore thigh high leather stockings and black leather gloves that went a few inches past her elbow.

Natsumi almost jumped as she felt Kasumi pinch her butt. "Ow… What was that for?"

The redhead smirked. "You're looking too sexy Onee-chan. Wanna get raped on this mission or what?"

The blonde girl snorted. "If anyone even thinks along those lines, Naru-kun will probably cut his balls off before mailing them to an Akimichi chef."

Kasumi almost gagged at the image. The Akimichi chefs were always running low on raw meat and vegetables due to the rather large appetites of their clan. They never wasted free meat, no matter where it came from. She knew what would happen to the balls sent to them…