The Cloud Over The Leaf

Most of the ninjas gathered around the arena started to head back to their posts or head home. 

Minato looked at Fugaku as he watched him burned Danzo's body into ashes. Hiruzen had already left, sent back to the Hokage office by Minato.

Fugaku just continued to pour chakra into the fireball, hoping to burn even the memory of Danzo into ashes.

Fugaku noticed Minato's glance, but kept burning the area Danzo died in for a few minutes more before stopping.

"Thank you for allowing my clan to get revenge,Hokage-sama!"

Fugaku bowed to Minato,showing his appreciation and respect.

"Don't be so formal, Fugaku-san! Comrades don't need to be so stiff with each other."

Fugaku nodded as he looked around at the leaving ninjas.

"I guess it's time for me to go as well. I'll pray to our fallen relatives so they can have peace."

Fugaku nodded once more before flickering away. Hiashi, who was nearby, also nodded and flickered back home.Minato sighed as he turned to face the others.

"Let's get the place patched up and ready for the next time we need this arena."

"Yes, Hokage-sama!"

Ninjas that stayed behind to clean up got to work as Minato walked over to Kaya and her family.

"Thank you for assisting us, Di-san, Riku-san."

"Ara ara~, it was no problem at all, Minato-chan! I've never liked that old fuck anyway!"

"Language, Riku."

"Hehe! Yes,dear."

Minato smiled as he watched them interact.

'It's been years since I first met them and they still haven't changed.'

Minato hoped Kushina and he could have the same style of relationship. 

At least with her not being too mad at him.

"Minato."

Speaking of mad, Kaya glared at Minato with her arms crossed.

"Y-yes?"

"You still haven't explained what that Wolf Biju is!"

Minato sighed and shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't know much about him either, but Akumu has assisted us with our investigation significantly. He only wanted the arm Danzo was having worked on as payment for all he did."

Kaya was still unconvinced, but held her suspicions at bay as she sighed in resignation.

'Let's deal with one thing at a time.'

Kaya turned to look at her parents whom she hasn't seen in a good while.

They looked just like they did before she left, but with a glaring change to the amount of limbs they had before.

"So? What the hell happened when I left?"

Needless to say, she was very happy, but concerned with this change. She had never seen them with all their limbs, so this was a fresh experience.

Riku put her arms around her daughter and gave her a hug.

"First off, it's good to see you too,Kaya. Secondly, we need to verify something with Minato before we tell you what happened."

Kaya wanted to say something, but she knew her mother had the final say on this. Her dad wouldn't bother with it unless it crossed some line he wasn't comfortable with.

"*sigh* Fine! I won't ask, for now. How is everyone doing?"

"Pretty good! Moya and Yozora are starting their Earth Style training, and Hii has begun his Lightning Style training with Dear. Henda is busy with orders and mastering Di's complete method of blacksmithing. We all missed you,though."

Di nodded his head as well, bringing a few tears to Kaya's eyes, but she kept them at bay. She had more work to do.

"Ok, I'll be done soon and head back home."

Kaya stood in front of Di as well, staring at the role model she always wanted to follow in the full glory she only heard stories about. 

He looked at her and the two stared at each other, until Di opened his arms wide.

Kaya ran into her father and gave him a big hug. She was happy he somehow got his arm back!

"*sniff* Minato, I'm going to go assist in cleaning up the root documents and checking on old man Hiruzen."

Minato nodded as Kaya flickered away as well.

Riku turned to Minato and her face became stern as she faced him.

"Minato, Akumu is related to Hii, correct?"

Minato was shocked, but he nodded his head in agreement.

"Haaaa. That brat. He hides his secrets really well."

Minato was confused until Riku explained how they got their limbs back was due to Hii and possibly Akumu.

"....That power is without a doubt useful, but the drawback is horrendous."

"We think so as well. It's even worse that the state he was in after he did it could've been much worse. I'm sure after seeing Akumu fight, there must be conditions for the techniques to work."

Minato thought hard about his interactions with Akumu and suddenly understood something.

"It only ever fought or appeared at night, or when there is no sun! Anything related to the moon may also assist it. I do remember on the day of the attack, the moon was full."

Di was shocked as he remembered something as well!

"Before we got our limbs back, Hii did check outside first before we went to bed."

The three nodded and looked in the direction Kaya left in.

"It might have helped Kaya as well. She never used that much power before when the Kyu, Kurama attacked the village."

"Kurama?"

Di asked, making Minato sigh.

"It's the actual name of the Kyuubi. Kushina told me once she got more familiar with him."

Now Riku and Di were shocked! They had their own fair share of encounters with Biju, but never knew thay they had names!

"Can you tell us a bit about what you learned from Akumu?"

Minato nodded before teleporting them back to the Hokage office to discuss what he knows.

*******

That was...different from what I thought. 

Haruka was a very nice lady. Too nice in fact. I could barely get away without her feeling like she wasn't a good host.

She had a lot of stories with Mom though. It seems like Mom would visit her every few days to see her.

Haruka seems to be sick with something, but I don't know what? Maybe Akumu would know?

I'm jumping across the rooftops, heading back home before more rain comes.

[Hii!]

I stopped on a building and looked around.

'Akumu?! What happened?! Why do you sound like that?!'

[I...need you to come over to me.]

'Where are you?!'

[Near the lake where you trained Water Style!]

I quickly changed directions as he moved towards the forest, ignoring everything around me as I rushed to Akumu!

[Wait!]

'No! You sound like you're in pain! I will not stop!'

[Behind...]

I didn't stop as he continued to go towards the lake. I definitely couldn't forget this place since I was water balled to high heaven here.

I came to the lake and saw Akumu laying on his side near the edge. I rushed up to Akumu and felt his furry neck. It's as soft as usual, but I don't see any wounds.

"What happened?! Are you hurt?!"

[No! Just... I really underestimated the 1st Hokage.]

Huh? How did the 1st Hokage have anything to do with this?

I looked at him from head to tail. He looks fine besides a bloated stomach.

"What did you eat?"

[The biggest, juiciest piece of Yang chakra I could find. I just didn't think it would be so hard to actually digest though. It even seems the eyeballs I ingested didn't help either.]

"Eyeballs? Who's eyes are you eating?!"

[Don't worry about that! Just... let me rest inside you.]

I nodded and watched as Akumu slowly entered my stomach.

I then felt....heavy? This never really happened before when he came back.

I'll talk to him about it later.

I stand up and dust myself off as I get ready to head back home.

And then I froze. I made eye contact with someone who followed me.

She came out from the trees and landed right in front of me. 

I feel a deluge of cold sweat come off my back. 

She stood before me with caution and anger on her face.

"Hii? Where did the black wolf go?"

Mom looks really,really pissed.

I step back, and she steps forward.

[I... tried to tell you.]

'Wish you made that more clear, buddy.'

I have no other choice! I'll have to use the family technique Dad taught me!

I immediately drop to my knees and bow my head to the floor!

"I'm very sorry, Mom!"

I dare not look up, in case it isn't effective.

I heard nothing for a short while, then I heard a sigh.

I feel a hand rubbing my head gently, but it only subsides my fear slightly.

"Don't sit in the mud, sweetie. It's not good to get your clothes dirty."

Mom lifts me up and drains the water from the mud. She dusts me off and looks me right in my eyes.

"Now, about that wolf."

.....Guess it didn't work.