Chapter 347   - Ch347. Leaving Takigakure

Needless to say, neither Shibuki nor Fuu was prepared for Tsunade's statement.

The difference between the two was that while Shibuki, for the first time since Rei met the boy, dropped all pretenses and outwardly freaked out, his head snapping towards Tsunade with a wide-eyed look full of bewilderment and disbelief, Fuu seemed to totally blank out.

"What? You don't want to be adopted?" Tsunade mock-frowned at the utter lack of reaction from the jinchuuriki.

Contrary to everyone's expectations, the perpetually cheerful girl actually became quiet instead of instantly jumping at the offer.

Shibuki would have never thought he would see Fuu being silent. He, however, did note that the girl threw him a brief questioning, and much to his chagrin, almost hopeful look as if asking what to do. It was obvious from the longing in her eyes that Fuu wanted to cheerfully exclaim acceptance but Shibuki also understood that Fuu of all people knew how painful it would be if this hope of hers was betrayed.

That... and the girl probably did have at least a small measure of loyalty, if not to the village, then to him.

"Fuu... it's fine." Shibuki reluctantly assuaged the girl's worries in a weak tone. He knew he would be losing his jinchuuriki today anyway and he already gained some deals so there was no real need to make this more painful and longer than it needed to be. "They are really here to offer you a new home."

"A home where you won't be discriminated against because of being a jinchuuriki." Tsunade pipped in before Fuu could process what Shibuki told her and come up with her own doubts.

Fuu's expression scrunched and the gears in her head were visibly turning, if a bit slowly at that admission.

'Did I perhaps misread the girl? She looks similar to Naruto so I went with the reckless knuckleheaded approach but...' Tsunade was starting to worry that her blunt blurting out what was going to happen was not working as intended but...

Fuu's pondering expression suddenly eased up and a small listless smile appeared on her face, "I... is there really such a place?" She carefully asked, trying to muster up her usual facade of cheerfulness, fidgeting from nervousness.

"Yes." This time it was Rei who answered, "You will even have some people in a similar situation like you to help you get settled down in Yozora."

Tsunade's eyes slightly widened and gained a subtle calculating glint as she wondered why he revealed that while Shibuki's eyes snapped towards Rei as the revelation they had other jinchuuriki hit him like a train. His mind started quickly going through the information available to him, trying to find out which. He only managed to guess they had Nibi but Rei sounded as if there were 'people' as in multiple.

With the corner of his eyes, Rei noticed how deep in his thoughts Shibuki was and inwardly smirked, 'That should force him to investigate. And we all know that a small-time village such as Takigakure is shit at covert investigation considering their spy infestation problem. All Five Major Hidden Villages will know about this in less than a week which means Akatsuki will get the memo in under a week and a half. Let them waste their time looking into Yozora. Less possibility of them interfering in the upcoming conflict this way.' He chuckled, wondering to what extent his little ploy would work.

Well, it was just a few simple words. It certainly didn't hurt him uttering them so even if it had a minuscule effect, he won't be losing anything.

Hearing Rei's words, Fuu's face brightened. If there really were others with the same problem as she, then she really might find some friends!

"Then, I want to go with you!" She exclaimed, eyes sparkling with expectations.

...

It didn't take long for Fuu to pack her belongings, which were in no way plentiful, and after she said her goodbye to Shibuki who was practically the only person in Takigakure with some level of care for the poor girl, she was off with Rei and Tsunade.

Fuu was... perplexed.

This entire thing just happened too fast.

From getting a message to come to Shibuki's office to being offered to be adopted and then being told to pack her things because they are leaving in an hour...

She surmised her mind just didn't catch up to all the implications yet.

A part of her was on the edge, thinking this might be a trap while another part of her was berating her for being silly, that Shibuki would never allow her to leave with them if it was indeed so. A quite big part of her hoped it was all true while another, more realistic part was skeptical after all her experiences in Takigakure.

As they were walking on the road, getting further and further away from the place where she spent her entire life, the distraught Fuu decided to once again make sure this was not just a dream, "Are you really adopting me?" She asked with some difficulty.

It was a... ridiculous concept. Fuu was almost thirteen, meaning almost an adult according to the ninja rules. She didn't need to be adopted! And yet, she craved a family. This was important to her.

It wasn't the dark-skinned woman who answered her, however. "Don't worry," The man, Rei, smiled at her, causing her to duck her head a bit, "While Nadetsu doesn't intend to adopt you herself, " And that was apparently not the correct thing to say judging by how Fuu stiffened, "there are two people, jinchuurikis of two and three-tailed beasts, who are quite eager taking you in." He finished and chuckled at the deer in the headlights expression Fuu was giving him.

"They recently had a small firecracker of a daughter so you will also have a younger sister if you accept becoming a part of their family." Tsunade interjected, making Fuu double as speechless as before.

"Is it really fine?" Fuu eventually muttered in a quiet and worried tone, "I wouldn't want to be a bother."

Since it was not really a question but a small mutter under her nose, neither Rei nor Tsunade deemed it important to answer Fuu's quiet pondering. Nothing they would tell the girl now will reassure her. Only experiencing it for herself would alleviate her worries.

To be honest, they didn't really need Fuu for her combat potential or her bijuu. Having Nibi and Sanbi was good enough considering that Ichibi, Rokubi, and Kyuubi were basically under their command too. Getting Nanabi was not required.

The only reason why Tsunade and Rei went to Takigakure was indeed to have a nice date. Tsunade just remembered her threat to Takigakure as she was planning the date and it spiraled from there, resulting in the current situation.

Well, giving the pitiful girl a family could be counted as their good deed for the year so there was that.

As they walked on the road, both Rei and Tsunade suddenly stopped, causing Fuu who was caught in her thoughts to bump into Rei's back with a startled yelp.

"Come out." Tsunade lazily said, aiming her eyes at a particular tree on the side of the road. "I'd grade your hiding eight out of ten but you guys are not really that good."

Four figures appeared in front of them in the middle of the road. Both Tsunade and Rei instantly recognized them and when they saw the annoyed scowl the redheaded boy was sporting... let's just say they got this urge to mess with him.

"You are our escort?" Rei asked and got three sets of deadpan looks in return that clearly asked if he was being serious. He knew them. They knew him. The answer was obvious. Alas, his question was not aimed at the owners of these three pairs of eyes but at the clueless redhead.

"Yes. You are late." The redhead stated in a monotonous voice, causing Rei to feel almost sorry for him as he saw Tsunade's lips twitch.

Tsunade amusedly snorted before rolling her eyes and saying, "Bitch, please. We are your clients. We decide if we are late or not."

The redhead almost popped a vein.