Naruto - Wandering Brides (Patreon)

To marry someone is to show just how much another  means to you. Marriage itself holds many different meanings. To a  government, it could just be seeing someone as one person. To people,  however, many different cultures care about marriage in different ways.  Something for religion, something for family, something for culture. In  The Land Hidden in the Leaves, this holds true. Having a melting pot of  different clans together breeds different faiths and ideals. All the  more to see such an important ceremony differently. For Hinata Hyūga such a day that is usually happy, felt burdensome.

Hinata a young woman part of the Hyūga  clan's main family branch had felt pressured her whole life. She was  knocked down as head of the family by her younger sister because of her  lack of skills and motivation. Though when she was young it felt like a  blessing to let go of such a burden. However now with just two weeks  till her wedding day with Naruto Uzumaki she could only feel anxiety.  She had always been a shy girl crushing on her lover in secret. Though  now finally she was going to get married to him, doing so would normally  be happy but it carried so many burdens. Naruto wanted children, and he  also planned on becoming the next Hokage of the Leaf which was the  highest form of government within the village. Naruto’s time would  escape him, and the children Hinata would give birth to would have a  special bloodline used for who knows what if people knew about it.  Naruto was not thinking about such things but all Hinata could do at  night was think about it. “What do I do?” Even now the girl thinks about  it. Her eyes closed in thought her hair draped around her shoulders as  she lays back on her bed. Laying in the clan heads manor, what if her  children had to study the same way she did as a child? Hanabi Hyūga,  Hinata’s sister had no partners. If she did not give birth to children  herself it would fall on Hinata’s children to take over the clan next.  Maybe it was part of her father's plan, after all, Hyūga  and Uzumaki blood both have special properties, just like the Uchiha  clan or Senju Clan. “I can’t tell Naruto to postpone the wedding can I?  Do I even really want it?” Squeezing at her top Hinata sighs slowly, for  so long all she wanted was to be by Naruto’s side, but finally having  it left her a mess. “If I could just admire him again, maybe that would  be better… far away, out of sight. Why does everything… have to be such a  burden.”

The night air is cool, the breeze  subtly brushing through Hinata’s open window. As many questions as she  would like to ask nothing would be there to answer her. That was what  she thought at least. The shiver running down her spine however was not a  normal part of the night air.

“If you want to change things. You could always look for it. A place just under the hospital ripe with little secrets.”

Words,  words carried by the wind right to Hinata’s ears. It sounded like a  male’s voice, deep and looming as if right next to her. Yet sitting up,  and turning around, nothing was there. Just an open window letting in  that soft night breeze. “Wh-what?” Hinata brushes her hair over her  shoulder and slowly stands up shutting the window quickly. “That… that…  that wasn’t real was it?” There was only one way to know quickly. Taking  a breath the veins around Hinata’s eyes press against her skin. Her  eyes were special just like everyone in the Hyūga  clan, they could see Chakra. “It’s faint… but it looks like some sort of  chakra trail. I never heard of a Jutsu like this before.” Squeezing her  hand into a fist Hinata thinks over the best course of action. “What  did it mean… did it hear everything I said? Is there something under the  hospital? I know Lady Tsunade works there with Sakura from time to  time.” Thinking out things aloud, Hinata could only reason the person  probably wanted to steal from Tsunade. Regardless of the actual  intentions though she could not help but be curious. “At the very least…  I should follow the trail. If it goes out of the village, I’ll just  have to tell the guards about it. And then make sure Lady Tsunade’s  okay.” With a plan set, Hinata walks from her room and slips on her  shoes. She was just wearing some black shorts and a form-fitted purple  sweater top. It was more casual than her usual ninja gear but based on  her latest outfit. For better or worse it was warm enough for the night,  and she had no time to throw on her other gear. Sliding open the front  door she leaps over the front gate of the clan manor and starts  following the lingering chakra trail with her eyes.

Bang, Crash, Thump

Lady  Tsunade, a now ex-Hokage, pushes aside all sorts of different books and  scrolls from her desk. It was frustrating for her, sitting alone in her  lab under the hospital. Slowly she takes a swig from her flask and  sighs. “Why the hell am I even still here anyway?” Puffing up her cheeks  the woman blows some of her hair back as it falls. Her usually neatly  kept blonde hair was disheveled, her brown eyes a bit hazy from drinking  too much. “Heh, what’s the point of even drinking this much?” With  another sigh Tsunade lifts her hand and places it on the back of her  neck, glowing softly with a green chakra her eyes refocus. “I only get  drunk if I feel like it. Ah… research hasn’t been going that well.”  Scratching at the back of her head Tsunade stares at her desk littered  with papers about the first Hokage’s cells. “I wonder what he’d think if  he knew the Senju amounted to me messing with his cells? It’s been  helpful for prosthetic technology and more…” Sighing another long deep  sigh Tsunade grabs at more of the papers and starts wadding them into a  ball. “What the hell am I supposed to do now?! I already helped Naruto.  Kakashi’s being the seat warmer. Heh… it’s that idiot's fault I had  purpose again for so long. What am I supposed to do?” Tossing the ball  from her desk Tsunade leans back in her chair kicking up her feet. “If  only I was a bit younger, heh, that Hinata girl had the right idea going  after Naruto. I would’ve too.”

“So, how about you have that change?”

Tsunade  bolts up from her chair, a man’s voice lingering in her ears. “Who’s  there?!” Looking over her shoulder, under the desk, at the ceiling. No  one was around. “You gotta be kidding me… look I don’t got anything  you’d want. These cells can’t be used by just anyone.”

Clack, clack, clack

A  cane hits against stone again and again. It sounded close, yet not from  the hallway. Tsunade felt like someone was walking a circle around her.  “What is this…?” Asking the words aloud, the voice does not answer  back. Reaching out her hand to the source of the sound simply makes her  hand go through the air. “This isn’t the work of my idiot friend… who  the hell are you? What do you think you’re doing?”

The  cane clacking suddenly stops. Instead, the heel of a shoe twists  against the ground, and the voice once again greets Tsunade’s ear. “A friend.” Tsunade shivers at the words, certainly, a friend would never do—well one of her friends would. “But  you already know I’m not that friend. So who am I? Well, it doesn’t  matter today. Maybe in a sequel. All you need to know is… if you want  Naruto to be yours if you want your youth. If you want. Then simply  take.” Popping from the air in a poof of smoke a scroll drops to  the floor at Tsunade’s feet. Picking it up Tsunade unfurls the scroll  and eyes over it her body shivering again as she reads the contents. “Wonderful,  isn’t it? I bet you’re dying to try it already. If you don’t want to  use it… I’m sure someone else will. Have fun, alright?”

The  voice stops. Only the sound of Tsunade’s faint breaths linger on the  air. She felt nervous. “This scroll… it. With another person? I could… I  could never do that. Bu—” Squeezing at her own wrist Tsunade drops the  scroll and takes a few steps back. “It’s fake… no, the formula makes  perfect sense. I even feel like I’ve seen it before… but I know I  haven’t.” Squeezing at the bridge of her nose Tsunade slowly walks back  to her chair and sits down. “Didn’t I take all the alcohol out? I didn’t  think I was drunk…” Holding her hand to the back of her neck again it  glows a soft green but Tsunade’s expression does not change this time.  “I couldn’t have digested it that quickly… if I’m not drunk why didn’t  that guy set off any alarms? What Jutsu was he using to hide? Why come  to me with something like this?” Gritting her teeth in silence Tsunade  could only think over everything. Was it someone coming for her, or did  the person want her to have that knowledge for some other reason? “I  can’t know… I’ll have to gather the others and talk with Kakashi about  it too. If our security has gotten this bad I can only imagine what will  happen from here.”

Knock, knock

Tsunade’s  words seemed to tell the future. The lab only a select few knew how to  enter was being casually knocked on at night with no prior notice. “Of  course… it’s. It’s probably Sakura asking about the new project she  started.” Walking over to the door Tsunade places her palm on it and  runs chakra through. “Who is it?!”

A shy unexpected voice raises. “I-It’s Hinata. Hinata Hyūga!”  It was strange but Tsunade figured she could fight the person if they  were fake. Sliding the door open by undoing the chakra seal Tsunade is  greeted by the shy girl. It looked like her at the very least. “Lady  Tsunade…” Hinata swallows back some spit, she felt nervous enough coming  so late at night. Though she could also tell Tsunade was a bit mad  about something, or at the very least upset. “I… I followed an odd  chakra all the way here. It… It spoke to me in a weird way when I was in  my room. But I thought if I followed it I may figure out where it was  going, or hiding.”

It made enough sense but  Tsunade had not expected the shy passive girl to go out of her way to  follow a suspicious person. “Really you…” Shaking her head Tsunade  places a hand calmly on Hinata’s shoulder. “You’re about to get married,  you should have told your clan's guards about it if it seemed like only  your eyes could follow the trail… Or at least tell the guards about it  in the first place. I’m sure Naruto would be upset if you got hurt just a  few weeks before the wedding. We already had to deal with you being  kidnapped last year.”

Hinata does not comment,  instead, her eyes trail away from Tsunade and fall onto the scroll she  had tossed back to the ground. Anyone else would just see a scroll with  some writing on it. Hinata however could see chakra coming off the  scroll. For storage scrolls, it would not be unheard of, but the chakra  coming off it was not normal. The formulas on the scroll were different  than most as well. It could just be a forbidden scroll but it was the  same chakra the voice had left, the same she had been following. Go  figure it told her to go to the hospital and she ended up just following  him here anyway. “Lady Tsunade…” Hinata slowly raises her hand pointing  to the discarded scroll. “What… wh-what is that? It… it doesn’t seem  normal. Did something happen?”

Tsunade’s body  freezes up upon hearing the words. If Hinata could tell the scroll was  strange from the start then Tsunade’s fears about it were justified.  Crossing her arms under her chest Tsunade takes a few careful steps back  and nods her head. “That’s right… but what do your eyes see about that  thing? When I read it, the thing seemed pretty strange already. It  shouldn’t be able to work, but it also should…”

With  Tsunade out of the way, Hinata takes the chance to step into the room  like any good uninvited guest. Usually, she would be the last person to  do such a thing but it felt like the scroll was calling to her. The  mystery was not something she could just put aside. “Lady Tsunade.”  Hinata shyly pokes her fingers together looking down at the scroll  transfixed on it. “May I take a look at it? Like I said… a strange man  seemed to enter my room… they said to come here… and you said something  strange happened here as well. S-so is it okay to look at it? Maybe we  should report to Kakashi about this first?” Hinata was being cautious,  something in her wanted to pick up the scroll right away. At this point,  her words that sounded logical were just an excuse to have Tsunade give  her permission.

“Hmph.” Tsunade scoffs and  shakes her head. It seemed like she did not think the plan was a good  idea. Though they also knew nothing about the scroll. “Fine, just toss  it over to read it. Try not to hold onto it for long. I feel like it has  some sort of… pull to it. Maybe a genjutsu of some kind.”

Hinata’s  lips crease into a faint smile. Perhaps she thought too quickly.  Reaching out to the scroll she gingerly turns it over so she could now  see all of the writing across it. Fully unfurled and on the ground, it  was not a large scroll. The formula on it however was complex and long,  yet simple at the same time. The center was like a summoning circle so  all someone needed to do was infuse chakra into it by placing their hand  on it. “This scroll is… strange.” Hinata’s words mumble out faintly.  She wanted it to come off like she was giving a report. No, that was not  right, she was not acting. What strange thoughts were coming over her  that was the real question. “I… Um, this scroll seems to change  someone’s body, doesn’t it? It’s like a real transformation scroll, to  alter the body permanently.” Tsunade nods in agreement. They both knew  what the scroll had the power to do now. Hinata wondered quietly to  herself, why Tsunade was not jumping at it, why would she just let it  go? Why did she want it herself so badly? Did the man's words do  something to her mind? “I suppose your right, it does have some sort of  pull doesn’t it?” With another purse to her lips, Hinata finds her palm  pressing against the circle of the scroll.

SQUEEZE

In  only a second Tsunade was squeezing tightly onto Hinata’s shoulder  throwing her back just as quickly into the wall. “Uck!” Hinata coughs up  spit but her eyes keep on the scroll. It was just a little. A small  amount of chakra was all it took; the scroll was now active. Squeezing  the bridge of her nose Tsunade stares daggers at Hinata about to rush  the girl again but the scroll responds instead with a bright blinding  light.

WHOOSH

Everything  was dark for just a brief moment. Then it was bright, a blinding white.  Then Tsunade could see once more the scroll under her heel burning  itself away to nothing. Tsunade could not believe the sight. Her voice  falls into a sullen tone. “No… I can’t believe this.” Quickly the  woman’s eyes dart over to Hinata staring daggers at the girl once more.  “Are you some kind of idiot?! Do you realize what you’ve do—” Hinata’s  eyes looked transfixed still, she realized it perfectly Tsunade thought.  Though something else cut her off, the fact their bodies were still the  same. Looking at her hands Tsunade was still herself. “Did it not work?  Or is it something else… a delayed effect?” Squeezing the bridge of her  nose again Tsunade could only be beside herself in thought. Hinata  still seemed to be in some sort of hypnotic daze. “What’s going to  happen now… what am I going to do about her?” The last thought, of  course, was why could she let go of the scroll while Hinata was eager to  use it? “Really… I can’t understand her. If I had her life I wouldn’t  want to change it. What’s Naruto going to think if this ends up getting  you or us both killed?”

The night was one that many wanted to forget, the next day however came too quickly.

Hinata’s  head felt like it was pounding. Looking at the ceiling she could tell  she was in a hospital bed. All things considered, Tsunade probably  carried her to it. “Did it work…?” The first thing that came to Hinata’s  mind was her own body. Looking at herself everything appeared normal.  Trying to pat herself down, looking at her arms, and legs. Everything  was as it should be. “So, the scroll didn’t work? Does that mean I’m  really stuck like this?” Just saying the words makes Hinata chuckle.  “What am I even saying anyway? I… I really do love Naruto. It’s just…  it’s just my father… my clan. I don’t want to keep…” Brushing a hand  against the side of her arm she sighs. “I don’t want to be chained down  by the clan. Just because I want to have a happy life… this… this is all  too extreme, isn’t it? Or did I really want it?”

SLAM

The  room’s door slides open slamming itself in place. Lady Tsunade stands  proudly at the door her hand on her hip staring grumpily at Hinata. “I  see you’re awake.” She says the words with some concern but also  annoyance. “Nothings happened as I can see you’re aware. Disappointed?”

Hinata  lowers her head down sulking. She knew Tsunade was right, she was a  little upset nothing happened. “I… I don’t know what came over me.”

Rolling  her eyes Tsunade walks right up to the bed and presses her knee to it.  Hinata reels back surprised watching the grown woman straddle herself  over Hinata’s legs. “You understand what you did don’t you?” Tsunade’s  hands both press against Hinata’s shoulders pushing her back against her  pillow. “That scroll did not work, right now. Right now! That doesn’t  mean it won’t! We have no idea what the hell that thing will do to us.  Do you hate your life now so much that you need to come over and try to  steal mine?! Huh?!”

Hinata’s body tensed, if  this was some kind of punishment, she did not like it for sure. “L-Lady  Tsunade I—” Tsunade does not let Hinata speak more, she presses her palm  on the girl's mouth and shakes her head sternly. The monitors in the  room to monitor vitals were the only thing making a sound. Hinata was  not exactly set up extremely, just her finger was clipped in a device to  read her pulse. She wanted to speak up and say something, break the  awkward silence. Tsunade just kept staring at her, the woman’s palm  squeezing now and again at her lips. What did she want to say, what  words did she want to hear?

“Hinata.” The  woman speaks sternly a slow sigh passing her lips. “If you had so much  anxiety about how things are… why didn’t you just talk to us?” Closing  her eyes slowly, the woman seemed exhausted. Hinata on the other hand  felt like an idiot. She has plenty of people in her life, to reassure  her. Tsunade was not yelling now, but each word she speaks weighs  heavier on Hinata’s mind. “I know your clan can be a stick in the mud.  Though Naruto, your sensei… you have people you can talk to you know. I  know your life hasn’t been easy. But think about your actions before you  do them. Running away can seem easy, but consider the things you could  hurt by just running.”

“M-muhm” Hinata’s voice  cracks into Tsunade’s palm. She could not help it, tears start to roll  down her cheeks onto Tsunade’s hand. What was the right choice, and what  was the wrong choice? Whatever it was Hinata choose to use a strange  scroll without even thinking. Tsunade’s palm slowly lifts from Hinata’s  mouth and she slides herself off the bed. Without another word, she  walks out of the room sliding the door shut. “Wh-why…” It was not a  question Hinata was asking, but more a statement of her feelings. Would  anxiety drive someone to be so careless, would pressure from her family  make her forget the most obvious thing? “Wh-why would I do something so  dumb… when I-I ha-have people who love me, right here?!” Minutes turn to  hours, and Hinata did not look at how long it took her to calm down.  The vitals machine finally stopped beeping so much. Picking up a mirror  from the small table beside her bed she flips it over staring herself in  the eyes. “Wh-what?”

Crash, shatter

The  mirror breaks on the floor, but Hinata picks up a shard and stares back  at the reflection again. The eyes were a modest brown color. A normal  eye color plenty of people had. Tsunade included. “This…” Swallowing  back spit Hinata holds her hand up with her middle finger and index  finger extended. “Byakugan!” Saying the words aloud, holding the correct  sign, and flexing chakra correctly. Nothing happens, her veins do not  grow defined around her eyes. “Th-this… it actually worked? Wh-what…  what have I done?”

Crumple

Tsunade  once again sits in her lab balling up a piece of paper and tossing it  to the ground. “Hmph.” Scoffing under her breath she crosses her arms  under her chest and closes her eyes thinking. “I can’t believe her…  honestly it just all puts a bad taste in my mouth. We even offered  therapy after the war. Instead of figuring out the problem she just  bottled it up and did something stupid… Naruto deserves better.” Slowly  Tsunade opens her eyes back up seeing darkness. Darkness was not the  exact word though; it was like the world around her had several blankets  over her eyes. She could see things around her but they were not  defined. On the other hand things with chakra, she could see as clear as  day. “What the hell is this?” Touching a hand to her face she feels  veins. Tsunade was not dumb she could put two and two together. “I have  Hinata’s eyes now; is that it?” Biting at her lip she stands up from her  chair and dusts off the front of her pants. “So does that mean it takes  time to fully activate? If we’re really changing she probably is too  now… Is she just going to fully become me?” Walking slowly over to her  mirror Tsunade gently runs her fingers along her cheek. Her eyes were  just a grayish color now if she had to call it anything. Slowly the  veins vanish as well just by cutting the chakra flow to her eyes.  Luckily her chakra control was better than most people. “I can control  it… but will my age change too?” For just a brief moment Tsunade stops  her chakra flow going through her skin watching it wither and wrinkle.  Her real form was not something beautiful by any means. As Naruto had  said in the past she was just a grandma. Keeping herself young and  youthful with chakra control and medical techniques. If one lacked  proper control and knowledge though they would only look like some old  woman. “For her… it’d be better if she turned into a version of me that  never experimented on myself. Then she would at least look like my real  age instead of looking older than the Third. But now what?” Walking over  to her shelf of books Tsunade holds her index finger over the manuals  and books shaking her head at them. “No… no… we’ll have to figure out  something. How will I even explain all of this to Naruto?” With another  sigh, Tsunade walks to her lab door and exits. For now, she knew of no  real course of action. It seemed like a better idea to keep an eye on  Hinata instead. Walking back through the hospital people were going to  and fro. Eyes glare at Tsunade some confused but none stop her.  “Hinata’s probably getting the same treatment about now… I probably  should transform.”

SLAM

Bursting  into the hospital room once again Tsunade with hand on hip steps  through. “Hinata we—” Hinata however was nowhere to be seen. Only an  unmade bed greets Tsunade and an open window. “Did she really just  leave…?” Squeezing the bridge of her nose Tsunade groans fist clenching  into a ball. “That little brat!” Slamming her fist down on the night  table by the bed it shoots up into the air and fall in pieces onto the  ground. A letter gently sways in the air falling right to Tsunade’s  hand. “Huh? Did she  leave something?” Opening up the  letter Tsunade begins to read over the contents. “Lady Tsunade… I know  I’ve done something unforgivable. It would probably be better for me to  just run away now. You already know, don’t you? I don’t have your  knowledge, your chakra control. Becoming you, will make me an old woman  won’t it? Maybe after activating it… well if I’m going to change anyway.  I’ll just leave and not bother anyone else. You don’t have to look for  me. Just… tell Naruto I’m sorry. Maybe I can figure out some way to undo  this. Or at least make it better.” The letter ends there, with no  proper goodbye, it seemed like she wrote it in a rush. “Really I swear…  she’s just leaving now. She sure likes running away.” Looking down at  the ground among the broken table piece Tsunade notices the broken  mirror as well. “She must have been shocked.” Crouching down Tsunade  picks up a shard herself and looks into the piece. The changes were not  too fast but already her hair had those darkish purple streaks in them.  It was even getting a tad longer. “Heh, I look like I’m going through  some sort of rebellious phase. How long will this transformation even  take?” Doing as Hinata had done before Tsunade held up her index finger  and middle finger letting chakra slowly flow to her eyes. “Byakugan!”  Just as it had for Hinata before the veins on Tsunade’s eyes grow  defined and her vision changes to one perfect for seeing chakra. “I  don’t know if I could even find her… I haven’t used this before. I can  see her chakra trail. Would they even believe me if I told them what  happened?” Jumping out of the window herself Tsunade begins to leap from  rooftop to rooftop. Already she could feel her joints barely needed her  medical technique she was starting to feel healthier. Even just a few  years shaved off felt amazing to her. “To think a jutsu like this  existed.” Then her eyes see him, the yellow spiky hair and a dorky wide  smile. Her heel digs against the rooftop and she stops to stare. Naruto  was walking down the street all smiles. He had books in his hands for  the Hokage lessons he was taking. “Heh… just seeing him calms me down.  Is that Hinata’s mind-affecting me too? I-I mean…” Holding a hand to her  heart Tsunade could feel it. Beating, and beating loud, a pitter-patter  when someone sees something they want. “It’s just her body merging with  mine… or whatever this does. I don’t love him. I need… I need to find  Hinata.” Walking slowly forward Tsunade does not turn her head from  Naruto. Just a few steps and she stops cold. “Maybe I should wait for  the changes to finish… just. Just to see what happens. Then. Then I can  tell the others about it.”

SNAP

A  tree branch breaks and Hinata falls right on her butt. “Urk!” Her eyes  wince, and the pain felt sharp. Her back ached a bit more than usual.  “I’m changing more huh?” Brushing her fingers through her hair a few  strands of her purple hair fall right out. It was not thinning out,  rather it was getting shorter. “It’s even making my hair look like hers…  not just changing the color. Does that mean it’ll make me exactly like  her yesterday?” Scooting herself to a tree Hinata leans up against it  for support. “I already got myself out of the village… I. I should go  back for Naruto at least, right? Maybe if I explain… maybe we could run  away together.” Hinata’s eyes sullenly look down. “No… he wants to be  Hokage, he’s been studying so hard for it now. I can’t just destroy his  dream because of my anxiety.” Standing herself back up Hinata begins to  walk through the woods rather than run. “I don’t have to go far from the  main village… I could ask one of the clans if they could help with  this. N-no… I don’t really know anyone… I could just transform? But my  age… can I figure that part out? I caused this whole mess. Do I even  deserve anything else? Lady Tsunade must be feeling terrible…”

Beep, beep, beep

Tsunade’s  alarm sounds and her hand slams against it shutting it off. “Ugh…”  Pressing her arms against her bed she slowly scoops herself up watching  her long dark purple hair flutter around her. “I feel amazing. Best  sleep I’ve had in so long. I didn’t even need to get drunk.” Yawning  into her palm Tsunade stretches herself out and dangles her legs over  the side of the bed. “Shizue wouldn’t believe this… Should I even bother  to tell her? I…” Once again Tsunade’s thoughts wander, she knew what  she should be doing but her thoughts just linger on Naruto. “I wanna see  him…” Hinata and Tsunade’s chests were about the same size, her hair  had already changed and so had her eyes. “We’re both women, so I wonder  how much it’ll have to change… will my height actually change? I guess  my facial structure too. I still look like Tsunade… heh one that just  dyed her hair to look young?” Life was different already and only two  days had passed. Getting up from her bed Tsunade looks through the  closet in her lab. It was not really a closet and more a cupboard with  some clothes she stashed in it. Looking at the clothes though, none of  them spoke to Tsunade. Scoffing under her breath she grabs one of her  buttoned tops and pulls it on. Slowly buttoning it up she stops looking  at her bare chest. “Hm… I suppose if I want to go out shopping I should  be a bit more modest about hiding myself. My chakra control is still  fine… but trying a transformation last night didn’t work.” Taking a  sports bra, she had laying around Tsunade pulls that on letting it  compress her chest a bit. Then she grabs a pair of her usual capri pants  and makes sure they stay fitted over her butt. “Her body was structured  a bit the same, but her muscle was lacking. Loose in some places  squishy in others… Still, not even fully changed yet and I look like a  teenager. Even though she’s an adult still, I guess she is pretty young  looking.” Resting a hand on her chest Tsunade slowly buttons the rest of  the shirt and slips on her sandal heels. “A lot of things are changing  with fashion. Naruto probably wouldn’t mind if I tried out some of the  new styles righ—” Tsunade cuts herself off and walks out her door. The  thoughts were pretty clear. Though she did not want to fully admit it to  herself yet regardless of her acting on it.

Minutes,  upon minutes pass. Tsunade’s eyes dart over different vendors and  people. The Leaf village was changing a lot, it had been a few years  since Kakashi became the Hokage. The great nations were finally working  together to revolutionize technology. The Leaf Village now had a new  city slowly growing larger above the stone monuments. New building  styles, new screens to display ads, and clothes letting go of modesty to  be more eye-catching. Tsunade had been enjoying a lot of it already,  the new games at casinos of course were a lot of fun. Today though,  Tsunade’s gambling addiction did not feel as powerful. Her mission today  was to buy some new clothes. “Hello Miss! We’ll be right with you!” The  store clerk acts with a smile standing there in a pencil dress with a  small hat on her head. Uniforms for shops were still something Tsunade  had to get used to. The clothing store she was in now was rather popular  with women though. It was sadly covered completely in pink, something  that made Tsunade groan a tad. However, the clothing itself was hung on  racks, and dressing rooms to try them on are littered throughout.  “Alright Miss. I can take care of you now. Tell me are you looking for  anything certain?”

Tsunade thinks carefully  over the words. For some reason, her first thought is of her old lover  Dan. She was a regular blushing beauty around him. She wanted to marry  him, to have a life with him. Somehow she got to see him one last time  during the war. It was bittersweet, but it made her want to love again.  Hinata made a mistake, and now Tsunade wanted to take what Hinata was  running from. It sounded so selfish, she knew in her mind it was not  right. Though would Naruto not make her happy? “I-I…” Unintentionally  Tsunade’s words stutter out just like Hinata would have done. “I want to  impress a boy… so I was thinking… something more feminine. I. I don’t  wear girly stuff much.”

The shop clerk  enthusiastically claps her hands together and rushes right around the  counter grabbing Tsunade’s hand. “Oh, my dear I think we can make you  look lovely! Tell me, tell me, already dating? Want to freshen up the  style?”

Lowering her head Tsunade did not want  to say the words aloud, but given the situation, she had to. “We-well,  we're going to get married in another week. I just… figured—”

The  shop clerk pushes a finger to Tsunade’s lips. “Say no more! I  understand. At such an important time who wouldn’t feel their feminine  charms burst to max power!” Tsunade would not exactly call it max power,  it was more her body-altering completely. “Come I’ll find some clothes  for you. Just try them on… and—” The clerk pauses brushing her hand  through Tsunade’s hair. “The blonde highlights are a bit much sweetie.  You should probably just show your natural color for a wedding.” Tsunade  wanted to snort at the comment but she was right, blonde was no longer  her natural hair color. “Now come on, we have plenty to try on!” Tsunade  had not bargained for such attention but her afternoon suddenly became  filled with trying on different shoes, skirts, tops, and dresses.

Drip, drop, drip, drop

Hinata  stands in front of the husk of the divine tree. Water slowly dripped  from the long-extended roots. The tree had been broken apart and left in  pieces, more or less just a stump. “Morning already…” Rubbing at her  eyes Hinata yawns slowly into her palm. Already her body had withered  skin, despite being in the sun her skin looked grey. “It’s been a full  week now.” One thing that makes such a statement fact to Hinata, is that  her voice now was Tsunade’s. “I sound like her… my hair changed to  hers. I even have old scars. I’ve become her in every way, but my mind. I  don’t have her skills or knowledge.” With a soft sigh, Hinata stands up  from her sleeping bag and rolls it up. “I figured coming to the divine  tree… may help me find out something. Or even reverse this. I really… I  really do want to be with Naruto.” Biting at her lip Hinata holds back a  few tears. She had no time to wallow. Pulling on her backpack she gets  herself moving again looking at the roots of the tree. “I haven’t gotten  to look at everything yet. I wonder how Tsunade’s holding up… it must  be terrible for her. By now she’s explained the situation. I wonder if  anyone’s coming after me?”

“Bad deal?”

Hinata leaps in place her old body almost falling over itself from shock. “Wh-what?! Who is that?! Who’s here?!”

The  divine tree’s roots wiggle, and sway, they even begin to lift from the  dirt. The roots in front of Hinata were the size of her own body. It was  now looking right at her. The root had an eye at its tip. A human-like  eye, but the color was white and black almost like a shogi board. “So?” The voice from the roots comes out deeply. It sounded strangely familiar but Hinata could not place where.

Swallowing  back spit she speaks up to the root. “Yes… I… well no. I… I was running  from my problems. I wanted… I wanted to run away but I was being  stupid! What I really want is to be with Naruto! Even if the situation  isn’t everything I want, it doesn’t mean I should run away the first  chance I get! I get that now…” Biting the inside of her cheeks Hinata  lets out a shaky breath and continues. “I know… I know I made a mistake.  I want to be with him. I should have just talked to him. I should have  just talked to my friends… The thing I was always horrible at was just  speaking up. Running away and watching people was all I was good at. Now  with happiness in sight, I run away again too… I even caused someone  else problems.”

The root sways slowly like an  octopus tentacle wrapping itself right around Hinata’s leg. Normally she  would try and run but as soon as the tentacle touches her body all her  energy felt drained. “Girl. Actions have consequences.” Hinata bites at her lip harder hearing the words. “Hmph.  If you seek forgiveness, you won’t get any. Live with your  consequences. You make a mistake, you either fix it, adapt, or live in  sorrow. By running away you’re past the point of fixing it now. Are you  adapting by speaking to a tree trying to get help?”

Hinata  was unsure of what to say for several reasons. It was true she was too  willing to start venting her sorrows to a tree. Would a tree sympathize  with her? In the first place, she did not even know if the tree was  speaking to her or something else. She had no way to check now either.  “I just… If I have to live this way, I don’t want to die without even  living my life.”

The tree unwraps itself from Hinata’s body and lifts its root above her head. “Hah,  so you want to be your normal age. Fine. I can give you that much.  Though the question will be, is giving you this really a reward, or is  it just more torture? I’ll be glad to find out.”

Drip, drip, drip

More  water drops, but this time from the root tentacle. The eye that had  been watching Hinata was no longer there. Just the root dripping water.  Hinata could feel her nerves telling her all sorts of things but she  opens her mouth and positioned herself under the root. A drop to her  tongue, a drop on her skin. The water tastes amazing, like nothing she  had ever had before. Cold to the touch yet heavy like some sort of  mineral water. Each small droplet lightened Hinata’s skin. Each small  droplet removed a wrinkle. Hinata was becoming younger. Even with  Tsunade’s body, she did not have to die was nothing. Another drop and  scars are removed, another drop and her vision is no longer blurry.  “Amazing.” Hinata’s voice is no longer withered, instead, it is a  youthful-sounding Lady Tsunade. Hinata had never heard the voice sound  so energetic. “W-wait how young did I make myself he didn’t say how long  to do this!” Taking a quick step back from the drops Hinata looks at  her now loosening clothes. Her chest did not seem as large as normal.  The muscle she had even with the old body also seemed to be gone. She  had some but it was not as defined, it was more like what her normal  body had. “W-wait… I… her chest even smaller, did I turn into a  teenager? I don’t know when Tsunade hit Puberty…” Quickly going into her  bag Tsunade takes out a trap mirror, a mirror used to look for traps.  Looking into the reflection she is indeed younger. She had never seen  Tsunade look so young before. If she had to guess she was probably about  sixteen. “I think Sakura mentioned before… that she lost her brother  around this age.” Maybe it was some ironic justice Hinata thought. That  the water would make her the same age where Tsunade’s curse started.  Tsunade lost her brother, then a few years later she lost her lover. She  had not heard everything from Sakura but the curse that lingered on  Tsunade’s most were informed about through some form or another. “So now  it’s my time to be cursed…?” Putting the mirror back Hinata stands  herself back up and starts walking from the tree. “I don’t know what to  expect… But I’ll go back. I’ll talk to her again. With this body now…  even I can channel chakra through it.” Pressing her foot against the  dirt her shoe begins to distort the air with blue chakra circling her  feet. Then she bursts forward, it would take her another few days but  she would get back faster.

Pop

The  party poppers pop and once again Tsunade has a moment to herself. “Hey,  hey, great job Hinata I think we’re ready for the real thing now ya  know?” Tsunade has the moment though she was calling herself Hinata  lately. From the dark purple hair to some squishy parts instead of  muscle, to the clear eyes that could see chakra. Tsunade was now Hinata,  voice, skin, she was Hinata in every way but the mind. Naruto was  talking to her just like she was the real thing. He was so excited too  when Hinata was suddenly being a bit more bold and assertive. Louder  instead of shy. He liked a woman that could take charge, something  Tsunade did not mind giving. “A-and well.” He had his shy side too, his  whiskered cheeks getting rosy red. Tsunade thought it adorable but it  also made her heart race. “You look really nice today too Hinata… Haha.  I’m not used to seeing you wear that kinda stuff. It’s from the upper  city right? I guess a lot of girls are wearing different things lately.”  Shy, awkward, and cute, Tsunade just wanted to ruffle his hair and kiss  him.

“Naruto.” Tsunade clears her throat.  Since she was the acting Hinata now she had been trying to keep a bit  reserved in some ways. Speaking she tried to be more polite. In some  ways, it felt awkward to speak how she usually would with Hinata’s  voice. Still, Tsunade’s flavor of wording was there, mixed with her  newfound affection toward Naruto it created something new. “Thanks… I  wore it for you. I was hoping you’d notice.” A soft smile, some hair  pushed behind the ear, a cute sultry black pencil dress to be a bit  eye-catching. The dress was a bit more mature than many would expect  someone like Hinata to wear. It worked with the new personality though.  “Because of you I’ve gotten a lot more confidence, the least I can do is  show off a little. Hehe, so I hope you’ve enjoyed it.”

Blushing  darker red Naruto’s eyes try to focus on Hinata’s. Though he of course  glances at her chest now and again, he was still just a young adult  after all. “Y-yeah I mean really. Wow. You look amazing ya know? Ahaha  geez I got lucky a beautiful girl like you decided to put up with  someone like me!”

With a light scoff Tsunade  takes a few steps toward Naruto, her heels lightly tapping against the  ground. “Come on now. We both did good for this rehearsal.” Carefully  she places her finger on Naruto’s cheek sliding it along his jaw to the  center of his chin. The boy was squirming just from that, public scenes  of affection he was rather shy about too. All the cuter in Tsunade’s  eyes. The last few days were like a dream, getting a happy life, being  able to laugh, dress up, and have fun with other women joking around.  She finally got to be a girl, it was not about war, or worrying about  who was going to die. She could have romance; she could have fun that  was not just gambling and drinking her sorrows. No medical research  tying her down. “I do love you, you know that right? Stop being so  silly. It’s not luck.” Tsunade inches herself closer lowering her head  and closes her eyes. Their lips meet entangled in something Tsunade had  not felt in a long time. After everything that had happened that week,  just one more day and she would have her wedding. The final rehearsal  was just for Naruto since he was getting all nervous about what to say  and do. After everything though, Tsunade thought maybe Hinata would come  back. Naruto had tried to kiss her a few days before but she told him  to wait. Wait while she enjoyed some youth as Might Guy would say. It  was also to sort her thoughts and decide what she wanted. So the kiss  now was just her commitment. Naruto, she wanted to be with him, to  finally have someone that would no longer fall to her curse. To think  all it took was giving up her body, giving up Tsunade. Their lips slowly  part, and Tsunade drapes her arms around Naruto’s neck a soft smile  parting her lips. “It’s you Naruto. It’s not luck… It’s you.”

Naruto  clears his throat and tugs at the collar of his nice shirt. They both  were wearing nothing too fancy for the rehearsal but it was formal. The  actual wedding would feature them wearing traditional robes. Beautiful  for sure but a bit stuffy by Tsunade’s standards. “Um…” Naruto did know  how to squirm well in formal wear. “Yeah… I… I love you too Hinata. I  really do.” Maybe Tsunade should feel bad, about being called someone  else's name. Something about it though did not bother her at all. Was it  part of the jutsu’s doing or did she let go of worrying about such  morals after getting the taste of happiness? “But! I’ll be able to say  plenty to you after the wedding ceremony alright!”

Giggling  Tsunade covers her mouth. “Hehe, leave it to you. Of course, I’m not  going to be as shy when you’re the one getting all shy.”

Naruto  gives a laugh back rubbing at the back of his head sheepishly. “Hahaha,  oh come on, sure ya got me. I guess if it makes it easier for you to  open up it’s fine by me! Just try and not tease me too much!”

Pushing  at Naruto’s shoulder gingerly Tsunade rolls her eyes. “Come on, teasing  is half the fun. Now, why don’t you walk me back to the clan manor.”

Hand  in hand they walk, the night sky giving a starry moonlight. The walk is  quiet, but Hina—Tsunade did not mind it. Just being able to hold  Naruto’s hand in hers and walk so peacefully without worry. It was more  than enough. It only takes a handful of minutes for them to arrive at  the Hyuga’s manor but it felt far longer. “Hinata!” Naruto finally  speaks up his back straightening out. “I… I look forward to coming back,  to our home.”

A blush crosses Tsunade’s face  now, her home, her home with Naruto. They already had a location picked  out, the house was built and they even got things settled. They were  just waiting to get married to finally use it and spend the first night  together. It still felt all so dreamlike to Tsunade. “I look forward to  it too.” Though it was all real. Naruto waves and walks away, they had  plenty of excitement, and it was fine to leave things like that.  Tomorrow would be a big day for them though in a lot of ways. Tsunade  could feel her heart beating already. Turning toward the manor she walks  in. She slides open the door walks through the halls and walks into her  room. Hanabi, Hinata’s father that the real Hinata worried about so  much. They were causing her no stress. Laying down on her bed Tsunade  tosses her heels off and lets a content sigh pass her lips. “Finally… I  have something. Something… I won’t just let slip away… like Jiraiya.  This is mine.” Tsunade’s eyes slowly close, and her new life would  start, in just a matter of hours.

Uuuurrk

The  heavy thick gates of The Hidden Leaf open wide. Hinata finally made it  back and not a moment too soon. “If I explain everything…” Biting at her  lip again the girl shakes her head to herself walking past the village  guards who were raising an eyebrow at her. Her leaf headband was tied to  her shoulder so they did not stop her but they begin to speak to  themselves with a hand placed on their ear. “Of course, they’d find me  suspicious. Mmm, where should I even go, Tsunade’s lab?” Walking through  the streets people look Hinata’s way now and again. Her current outfit  had to be changed since the clothing did not fit as well. Now she just  had a white batwing top on with a red pencil skirt and fishnets on her  legs. Some of the trendy ninjas would wear outfits like this. “They all  really think I’m a teenager…” The clothing did not make her look mature  by any means. The most she could compare it to would be something Ino  would wear when she was younger. “Well… Ino may wear something like this  now.”

“Was it starting yet?” A crowd begins to  gather on the streets. The area was not too far away from where Hinata  had planned to hold the wedding. “The Hero’s about to be married right?”  More people talk and gossip, women, men, and young kids even. “To think  that brat Naruto would finally get hitched. Pretty girl, he found too  from the Hyūga’s.”

Hinata’s  heart sinks, and her palms being to get sweaty. “Wh-what…” Stepping  closer to the man that had just spoken she lightly taps at his shoulder.  “Excuse me, sir? What… what did you just say? Who’s getting married?”

The man rubs his beard and smiles proudly. “Our Leaf Village’s very own Hero, Naruto Uzamaki is getting married to Hinata Hyūga!  They should be finishing up the event soon I think. No one knows when  it started though, trying to keep it a bit hushed since so many came to  congratulate him!”

Quickly Hinata runs from the  scene jumping up the sides of buildings till she could see the village  from overhead. “This, this can’t be real. This isn’t happening. Why  would I be getting married still? Tsunade… Tsunade isn’t… she isn’t  right?” Reckless as it may be Hinata leaps from the rooftops heading  toward the venue. She could see it. A decent amount of people of  different shapes and sizes. Balloons and tables were set out for food  and drink. It was hers, was it not? “She didn’t right? They… they just  didn’t want the food to go to waste so they decided to still have a  party.”

Ding, dinnng, dinnnng

Hinata  parts her lips from Naruto’s. The bell of good luck chimes echoing  across the Leaf Village. Finally, the marriage had been made. Walking  hand in hand their friends hoot and holler some shoot party poppers and  more. Now was the time to eat and goof off. Even other Kage from  different lands came for the day the Hero got married. Hinata was  perfectly fine with eating with people she fought to the death with. Of  course, they did not exactly know that part. “We did it Naruto.” Hinata  gives a quick kiss to Naruto’s cheek making the man blush all over  again. “Hehe, talk and enjoy okay? We’ll have plenty of time together  when we get home.”

Those words make Naruto  blush even deeper but he nods giving a kiss back to Hinata’s cheek. “Of  course! Heh, and Gaara wanted me to cut up this huge fish with him  anyway! So I’m gonna do that, make sure you have fun too! Grab me if you  need me!”

So close and yet already parted.  Naruto was the man of the hour though, being the Hero of the world it  made sense. Hinata was fine letting him enjoy, at night she would take  plenty of time from him. “Hehe… I finally did it.” Walking over to the  drink table Sakura gives a few pats on her back. A smile of  congratulations. The other girls do the same, Ten-Ten, Ino, and Hanabi  too. It felt nice, to be around so many people all feeling the happiness  of the moment. “Thanks, everyone. Really—” About to say more Hinata  notices something. Her former self. Her old self, the version of her  that still had hopes and dreams. A young Tsunade waving her hand at her  from behind a tree. “Give me a minute everyone. I wanted to have a chat  with someone I used to know well.” Brushing some hair behind her ear  Hinata lifts the side of her robe and walks a bit quicker to the tree. A  crying Tsunade stands in front of her. “So. It really is you. Though…  why. Why are you so young? You’re even younger than me right now.”

Wiping  her eyes Tsunade lifts her head. Even if not fully grown Tsunade was  still the same height as Hinata even when younger. “Y-you.” Sucking back  some tears Tsunade does her best to calm herself down. “I can’t believe  this. You… you took over my life. You. You became me just to what? To  have Naruto? Naruto doesn’t belong to you, he doesn’t love you, he—”

Hinata  places her palm on Tsunade’s lips and shakes her head solemnly. “He  what? Loves someone who ran away. Loves someone who was willing to trade  their life with another without even trying to stop themselves?”  Tsunade freezes up looking at what used to be her reflection and staring  at her with disgust. “You found out how to make yourself younger and  decided to come back? Why? Does no more Hyūga  blood mean you’re not afraid to get married anymore? Was I supposed to  come to clean right away just to make everything perfect for you?”  Tsunade could not answer so Hinata grabs the girl’s cheeks to stare her  in the eyes. “You gave it up, I picked up the pieces. Do you know how  many I’ve seen die? Do you know how long I’ve lived with this curse of  constant unhappiness? I’ve always wanted to change things. I’ve wanted  help, I’ve wanted love. But nothing worked.” Hinata’s grip gets a bit  tighter, her furry clear. “I let go of the scroll back then. I could  have used it myself but I dropped the thing. Only for you to come in and  use it without a thought. And now you ask for things to go back to  normal? Now you want your wedding you ran away from? You could have told  everyone the truth yourself instead of burdening me with everything.”  Breathing a bit heavily Hinata turns her back to the teenager and  scoffs. “I’ve carried this village, I’ve carried people's lives so they  might live. I’m done carrying everything. For once in my life, I’ll let  myself finally be happy. If you really want to do something. Go make  your own life, instead of running from everything.”

As  Hinata walks away Tsunade had much she wanted to say. “But…” Though the  words would not come out. Hinata already was back at the party laughing  and talking like nothing happened. The only words on Tsunade’s lips  mutter out just enough for her to hear. “It was my life.” Squeezing her  hand into a fist. Did she really deserve it all? Was this her  punishment? “I shouldn’t just accept it… Right?” Turning around Tsunade  walks away from the party. “Am I just supposed to be Tsunade forever  now? If I go there… no one would believe me. Would they? The scroll  burned away… the only thing I have is my memories. Someone may believe  me… but what if she just tries to kill me?” Each step Tsunade takes  feels heavier than the last. For the youth she was granted, she got no  reward.

Floof

Hinata  presses her back against her bed, Naruto straddling her. The party went  well, the guests had a good time, and the ceremony was beautiful.  “N-Naruto…” Hinata’s words come out softly, submissive, yet sultry as  well. Finally, a moment she had been waiting for. Her heart was racing.  Her whole body felt hot. Things were different when it was not  meaningless. Loving someone and being so close changed everything.  “E-Eager to enjoy the night huh?”

Naruto smirks  back leaning close to Hinata’s neck. Gently his teeth nibble against  her skin, and slowly his lips suck at it bruising it. From now on they  would be together. Marking one another was just part of the experience.  “Well… I hope I do things right. But tell me if anything’s wrong ya  know?” His voice speaks carefully but his body was eager. Kisses down  her neck, a hand brushing along her skin. He was warm to the touch too.

Hinata  squeezes at Naruto’s thighs letting her nails drag along his skin.  Softly she moans feeling the tender kisses along her neck. “N-ngh.  Y-yeah right there… it-it’s good. N-Naruto!”

Knock, knock

The  gambler's den opens its door. It was supposed to be a private club. The  burly man who opened the door cocks an eyebrow in question seeing a  teenager standing in front of him. “What the hell do you want? Aren’t  you a bit too young to be around places like this girl?”

Tsunade  sighs under her breath and walks through the doors. “What’s it matter?  Just give me a drink. I have money.” Flashing a purse of yen coins the  man shrugs and lets her in. “What are you playing anyway? Deal me a hand  too!” It already sounded like she was drunk despite coming there for a  drink. A smell to her breath, cheeks red she looks between the men.  “Well? I’m not that drunk if that’s what you’re worried about. I can  still talk fine—HICC—Another drink and it’d be worse.” Waving at the man  with a line of bottles in front of him Tsunade smirks. “Sooo give me  another drink and let's get playing already.”

A  few of the men shrug and set down a cup with dice. “Fine girly, we’ll  be glad to take your money if your this down on your luck. Just don’t  come crying to us when ya lose.”

Tsunade shakes  her head and sits down in the gambling circle slamming some money in  front of herself. “Hah, like I’d lose! Come on give me all the snake  eyes! I never run from a good fight!”