I, Your Father, Carry a Big Stick

"On the subject of girls that might join our family, have you talked to Kaia, Ino, Sakura, and Hinata yet? I'm sure Kaia would be more than happy to become your bride." Shaking his head, Wu asserted, "While I'm sure she would want to be my woman, her loyalty lies with the Inuzuka. Besides, if she were the type of woman who would abandon her path for sexual gratification, she wouldn't be my number one subordinate..." Since she had only spoken to Kaia a few times, Tenten didn't question Wu's understanding of the exceptionally spirited Inuzuka. Instead, she asked, "And what about the others? I know you spoke with Hinata before you left last time. Things have calmed down a bit between them, but her relationship with Naruto remains...tenuous." Shrugging his shoulders, Wu revealed, "It will either be her or her sister. The 'powers that be' within Konoha still want to tie me to the village, and the only prominent Clan with two female members of significant status is the Hyuga. As for Ino and Sakura...unless the former forfeited her status as the Yamanaka heiress, she can't marry me 'or' Sasuke. Whoever ends up with her would need to be adopted into her Clan, so she's in a pretty sticky situation, politically speaking." "And Sakura...?" Suppressing a chuckle, Wu mused, "Sakura is Sakura. She let herself be wrangled into Ino's antics, but her obsession with Sasuke is clinical. She was bullied due to her hair color and enormous forehead, and Sasuke just happened to be the first boy to tell her she was cute. Since then, she has effectively brainwashed herself into loving him..." Smiling wryly, Tenten remarked, "Yeah...it would take something pretty drastic for that girl to give up her obsession. I just figured I would ask. You know, considering the things the four of you did together..." Making a very 'meaningful' gesture with the fingers of his right hand, Wu teased, "Just say the word, and I'll expand your horizons broader than you could have ever imagined..." Though a faint blush colored her cheeks, Tenten rolled her hazel eyes and remarked, "Yeah, yeah. Considering your skills, not to mention your ability to alter your size, I'm sure you're a little monster in the bedroom. I'll judge your performance when you're rewarding my efforts. I'm not just going to ask for it, and you shouldn't get too carried away while 'playing' with other women." Nodding his head, Wu replied, "I'll keep that in mind." before eating a few pieces of grilled meat and asking, "What do you have planned for the rest of the day? I still need to speak with the old man, but I can come over to your place once everything's been wrapped up." Adopting a smile, Tenten gave Wu the impression she was going to say yes, so he was a little surprised when she said, "I don't think Gai-sensei would mind, but we're supposed to be practicing coordination as a Team right now. I want to say yes, but it would be pretty selfish of me to skip out on a prior commitment." Instead of being bothered by Tenten's words, Wu returned a smile and playfully remarked, "Yet another reason I chose you over everyone else. Relationships might be a compromise, but compromising your integrity to pander to someone else leads to moral decline. You're making the correct decision." Rolling her eyes, Tenten gave a playful retort, inadvertently embarrassing herself as she responded, "Gee, thanks, dad...I'm 'so' happy to have your approval..." Narrowing his eyes in amusement, Wu waited for Tenten to go completely red in the face before sending her over the edge as he whispered, "I don't mind if you call me Daddy..." Fortunately, they were in a private, decently soundproofed room... ... .. . Preempting Hiruzen's summons, Wu made his way to the Hokage tower with a bit of pep in his step. As paradoxical as it sounded, the more time he spent 'away' from Konoha, the more it felt like home. At the very least, he had good food and an even better woman to welcome him back upon his return. Since they could tell Wu was headed to the Hokage's Tower, none of the ANBU that had been keeping an eye on him bothered to interfere with his walk. Instead, they gave him a wide berth as, shortly after the rumors of Saiko Dadi began to circulate, Hiruzen placed an S-Rank information block on all information related to Wu. As such, he now had a status comparable to a Jinchuriki within the Village Hidden in the Leaf. And rightly so... Upon reaching the Hokage's Tower, Wu didn't have to wait long before the middle-aged receptionist informed him that the Hokage was ready to see him. This time, Wu entered through the door proper, briefly stunning the elderly man before he quickly composed himself, adopted a grandfatherly smile, and said, "Welcome back, Wu-kun. Based on the numerous rumors circulating about, I take it you thoroughly enjoyed your trip outside of the village?" Returning a smile of his own, Wu replied, "There were a few hiccups here and there, but, overall, it was pretty fucking awesome. The Two-Tails was a bit of a disappointment, but Raikage was a lot stronger than I expected. I ended up giving him one of my peaches after blowing a hole through his chest and lung. A twenty-year one." Though his left eye twitched when Wu casually mentioned giving one of their greatest enemies one of his peaches, Hiruzen didn't chastise or try to lecture him. Wu was the only one who could cultivate the mystical fruit, so the only person who had any say in who he gifted them to was himself. With Wu's consent, he had given his own peach to their R&amp;D Department, but the mysterious fruit ended up shriveling the moment they pierced its skin... With a noticeably wry smile, Hiruzen gestured across from him, saying, "Please, take a seat. We have much to discuss, and I'm sure you'd prefer to get it over with quickly." As instructed, Wu took his usual perch atop empty air before recounting everything Hiruzen 'needed' to know about his journey outside the village. This included the information related to Orochimaru, the invasion, and the fact that Tayuya was working as his double agent. What he didn't disclose were the specifics of his encounters in Kumo, the headway he made with the Kazekage's daughter, and his ever-expanding ambitions for the future. After hearing everything Wu had to say, Hiruzen needed a few minutes to process everything, his silvery-grey eyes staring off into the distance as he softly inquired, "Have you reconsidered your decision about whether or not you will accept the Hokage position? You're still young, but I can think of none better suited to wearing the hat..." Shaking his head, Wu reminded, "We had an agreement, old man. You let me do what I want, and I make sure that Konoha's enemies pay the price if they have aspirations for the village. If you're really desperate to be rid of the hat, give it to the melon girl. Considering I saved her from being an infertile husk, she owes me&mdash;you cheeky little monkey." Seeing the glimmer that flashed across Hiruzen's eyes the moment he mentioned the last of the Senju, Wu's gaze narrowed as he asked, "Don't tell me that woman finally 'came to her senses.' Besides, is she the apple of your favorite apprentice's eye? Jiraiya gave me some excellent...advice when I was younger. Even I would feel a modicum of guilt if I snatched up the woman he had been aiming at for forty years..." Though he gave a sagely nod, Hiruzen pointed out, "That's the issue. It's been forty years, Wu-kun. Twenty-five since Tsunade's lover, Kato Dan, was killed in battle. At this point, both Jiraiya and Tsunade need to move on with their lives. Tsunade has proposed donating her egg cells, but the political ramifications of such an act...I get a headache just thinking about them..." Shrugging his shoulders, Wu asked, "So, what do you want me to do? Try and seduce a woman more than four times my age? She might resemble a teenager in her true form, but she's still a temperamental granny hellbent on wiping her ass with the legacy of the Senju." Exhaling a sigh, Hiruzen turned his chair to the side, once again staring off into space as he softly asserted, "You're the only one I can trust with this matter, Wu-kun. The Council is well aware of Tsunade's 'revitalization' and have been pressing for the emergency enactment of the Clan Restoration Act. There is nothing they can do to force the matter, but I'm certain that Tsunade feels at least some obligation to restore her Clan...if she is going to be forced into a decision, I would rather he be with the one responsible for her revitalization than someone hand-picked by the Council..." As it didn't truly matter to him, Wu decided to get to the heart of the matter, asking, "So, instead of permitting me to create a Clan of my own, you want me to marry into the Senju? That would certainly achieve your goal of 'tying' me to the village, but there are just a few major problems with that..." Understanding what Wu was referring to, Hiruzen remarked, "The other girls you have set your sights on..." Nodding his head, Wu appended, "Tsunade is a proud woman. Even if she feels indebted to me, do you genuinely believe she would accept being in a harem? It might make things easier for her, but I can't really imagine her getting along with women half or even a quarter of her age." Though he could see where Wu was coming from, Hiruzen responded, "I have considered that. That takes me back to what I said previously, about Tsunade willing to donate her egg cells..." Realizing what Hiruzen was getting at, an understanding, "Ah..." emanated from Wu's throat. If Tsunade simply donated her eggs and permitted their implantation into surrogates, the fate of the Senju would fall squarely into the hands of the Council. That wasn't necessarily a bad thing, from a purely objective point of view, but it was virtually guaranteed that some of Tsunade's eggs would go 'missing.' The autonomy of the surrogates would also need to be restricted as it was only a matter of time before potential successors of the Senju began clashing over their birthright at the behest of people who would see them as puppets... Understanding Hiruzen's intentions, Wu remarked, "So, what you're really asking me is to 'protect' Tsunade and the legacy of the Senju by allowing her to use 'my' women as surrogates. That way, she wouldn't be forced to marry, and she could essentially live as she pleases while others bear the burden of her legacy...not a terrible plan." Feeling gratified by how quick Wu was on the uptake, a smile developed across Hiruzen's face as he replied, "I'm glad you think so. However, there is one thing you're overlooking, young Wu..." Seeing Wu raise his brows in suspicion, a mischievous twinkle appeared in Hiruzen's eyes as he elucidated, "You will need to marry Tsunade, making you the de facto Patriarch of the Senju. She might be resistant to the idea at first, but now that her body has reverted to that of a teenager, she will doubtlessly have 'needs.' Tsunade isn't a promiscuous woman. Once you marry, you become the only person she can depend on to 'alleviate' such urges..." Unable to contain himself, a wolfish grin developed across Wu's face as he remarked, "You perverted monkey. Just how much time have you spent thinking about your female disciples getting it on? You better pray I never catch you spying on us with that crystal ball of yours..." Though he might have tried if Wu was an 'ordinary' Shinobi, Hiruzen was being sincere as he said, "I would never. Tsunade is like a daughter to me, and I regard you as my grandson. Once this arrangement has been made, I have no intention of meddling in your personal lives. I would, however, like to see at least one successor to the Senju bloodline before I breathe my last..." Since Hiruzen's death would inconvenience him quite a bit, Wu had no qualms about giving the man a thumbs up and saying, "Leave it to me. I still have no intention of accepting that hat, but I can promise you'll have more 'grandchildren' than you know what to do with." As he had no doubts about Wu's 'capabilities,' Hirzuen exhaled one final chuckle, saying, "Thank you, Wu-kun..." before eventually releasing the ever-dependable boy from his office... ... .. . (A/N: You guys have no idea how long it took to come up with a 'proper' justification for Tsunade being a potential member of the MC's harem xD...)

With Tenten informing him she would be busy the rest of the week, Wu intended to get some serious training done back at the Sarutobi Estate. The morning after his meeting with Hiruzen, however, the front gate and walls of the estate were punched through by a 158cm tall blonde with a ponytail, prominent bangs framing her face, brown eyes, and a massive rack, shouting, "Sarutobi Wu! If you don't get out here right this instant, this whole house is coming down...!" Emerging from the manor's interior, Wu had his brows raised as he asked, "What's up?" despite knowing full well why the deceptively young-looking woman was present. Instead of answering Wu's question, Tsunade attempted to grab him by the collar, failing several times in a row before shouting, "Stand still so I can grab you...!" Raising his hands in a gesture of mock surrender, Wu allowed Tsunade to grab his collar. He also permitted her to drag him to a secluded section of the estate, an unperturbed expression on his face as he looked up at the sky and remarked, "Quite the weather we're having..." Planting Wu on his feet, Tsunade glared at him with all the ferocity of a cougar, her right eye twitching as she asked, "Care to venture a guess as to where I just came from?" Without missing a beat, Wu replied, "All things considered, you're either returning from a meeting with the old man or a significant losing streak at the gambling quarter. Either way, I'm not sure why you're angry with me, of all people." With an 'are you serious' expression on her face, Tsunade suppressed the urge to bury Wu into the ground, proclaiming, "You're a real piece of work, you know that? Why didn't you refuse when the old man asked if you were willing to inherit the duties and responsibilities of the Senju Clan? You're young enough to be my grandson...!" Spreading his hands in an expression of helplessness, Wu retorted, "We wouldn't be having this conversation if you had grandchildren. As for why I refuse? It's because the arrangement benefits everyone, you most of all. You don't want the responsibility of having children, but you also-" Interrupting Wu's explanation, Tsunade began massaging her forehead as she muttered, "Of course, it's like this...you always were the type that put too much thought into everything..." Exhaling a tired sigh, Tsunade met Wu's gaze with a serious expression as she asserted, "Listen, brat. I know you're trying to 'help,' but you did more than enough by giving me that peach. You don't need to involve yourself in this matter any more than you already have. Just enjoy your youth, and have fun, okay? You'll only understand how precious it is once it's gone..." Though he 'appreciated' the sentiment Tsunade was trying to convey, Wu crossed his arms and adopted a serious expression of his own as he flatly replied, "I refuse." Blinking in surprise, Tsunade tilted her head slightly to the side and asked, "I beg your pardon...?" in audible confusion. Maintaining his stance, Wu asserted, "You're a good woman. I wouldn't have agreed to the old man's proposal if you weren't. If I have the choice between letting you fall into the hands of another man or claiming you for myself, even if it's just on paper, I would be a fool to choose the former. I understand fully that you only see me as a 'brat,' but I'm sure I can prove otherwise, with time." Before Tsunade could fully process what he was trying to convey, Wu's expression hardened further as he said, "Senju Tsunade. Please become my woman." Taken aback by Wu's words and 'intensity,' Tsunade found herself at a complete loss. She believed Wu was making a 'serious' mistake, but, at the same time, she knew he wasn't the type that just jumped head first into an arrangement. Thus, even though she really should have shut him down then and there, she remained silent, a contemplative frown marring her face. Estimating that Tsunade just needed a slight push, Wu left her at an even greater loss for words as he abruptly took a knee and repeated, "Please..." in a serious, sincere, and ostensibly hopeful tone. Feeling a mixture of giddiness and frustration, enough to cause her lower jaw to tremble, Tsunade grabbed the sides of her head and shouted, "Ah, geez! Why do you have to be so fucking serious and responsible, you little shit!? How am I supposed to let you down gently when you're like this...!?" Without missing a beat, Wu adopted a wry smile and 'graciously' pointed out, "You don't 'have' to let me down..." Feeling even more conflicted, Tsunade released a groan of frustration, pulling on her bangs as if she were trying to yank out her hair. One of the downsides to having her youth restored was an increase in the production of various hormones. Tsunade hadn't felt this frustrated since she was an actual teen, so she eventually shouted, "I can't deal with this right now...!" before storming off in an irritable huff, taking one final wall with her as she stormed out of the estate... ... .. . Following Tsunade's little 'tirade,' Wu returned to his training as if nothing was amiss. He had pushed Tsunade as far as he could without risking the rapport he had built with her over the past year. All he could do now was let the old man work his magic while he considered how he would explain the situation to Tenten. Assuming Tsunade said yes, Tenten's position as the de facto 'head' of Wu's harem would be jeopardized. Tenten had looked up to Tsunade her entire life, actively striving to become like and eventually surpass her idol as a legendary Kunoichi. Her respect and admiration for Tsunade were so great that Wu wouldn't be surprised if she were the first to volunteer her womb if the former couldn't 'stomach' the responsibility. Imagining Tenten giving birth to one of Tsunade's children while the latter assisted the delivery, a wry smile developed across Wu's face. He usually wasn't affected by such sentiments, but even he could see how...peculiar his circumstances were. Before his encounter with Hiruzen, he had largely excluded Tsunade from his plans. Now, he would need to revise almost all of them 'around' her. It was kind of exciting...reminding him of the way he felt after his initial encounter with the Raikage... Sensing someone intruding upon his training field, Wu's gaze sharpened as he muttered, "I swear to all the Gods in Heaven..." Swinging his staff, Wu uprooted the reinforced wooden post, sending it crashing through the surrounding trees, narrowly missing the person who was attempting to spy on him. After dodging Wu's 'attack,' a middle-aged man with long, spiky white hair and an outfit resembling a Kabuki performer jumped out, hands raised as he said, "Whoa, now. Cool your jets, kid. I just stopped over to ensure you weren't in the same condition as the front gate." Shouldering his staff, Wu pretended to be surprised, asking, "Jiraiya...? I didn't expect to see you here. Did the old man recall you for the Chunin Exams?" "Right..." As he had always been skeptical of Wu, questioning his credibility as the 'Child of Prophecy,' Jiraiya narrowed his eyes slightly before remarking, "I heard about the arrangement proposed by the old man. I might be a little biased, but aren't you a little young to be engaging in village politics? You should be-" Narrowing his eyes into a half-lidded expression, Wu revealed, "I initially took your side in the discussion with the old man. However, he was right when he pointed out that you've had forty years to sway Tsunade's heart. I don't mind giving you a peach, but you're mistaken if you think I'll back down after coming this far. I don't make decisions rashly, and I always try to follow through on what I've decided." Losing his usual smile, Jiraiya asserted, "Tsunade suffered a lot during and after the war. It broke my heart anew every time I saw her like that, but I also respected her decision when she snubbed my affections. I can never express how truly grateful I am for you giving her a second chance, Wu-kun. However, I can't approve of this situation...the Senju had already become a defunct Clan by the end of the war. Reviving them now will only cause tensions between the villages and place a disproportionate burden on Tsunade. If you genuinely care for her, you would permit her to live her life in peace..." Regaining his severity, Wu insisted, "That's precisely what I'm doing. The only person that can make a decision in this matter is Tsunade herself. All I'm doing is giving her the option of shifting her burden onto me, someone who isn't afraid of how the other villages might react..." Punctuating his words, Wu tossed a pale pink and white peach at Jiraiya, explaining, "That's a twenty-year peach. I would give you a fifty-year one, but I'd rather not test to see if it would return you to your infancy. Do with that what you will. I intend to do the same." Instead of immediately consuming the peach, Jiraiya slipped it into his pocket, saying, "This doesn't change anything. However, so long as you don't attempt to pressure Tsunade into accepting the arrangement, I'll drop the matter here..." Finished with what he had to say, Jiraiya turned away and used Shunshin to 'flicker' away at an impressive speed. In the wake of his departure, Wu just rolled his eyes before attempting to return to his training. Fortunately, his next guest wouldn't arrive until later that night. Unfortunately, it just so happened to be a drunken Tsunade, busting into his room and forcing him to drink alongside her as she complained about everything from his age to his hair color while simultaneously talking about herself as if she were the most incredible thing to happen to the Elemental Nations in the past fifty-one-years... ... .. . With Tsunade having kicked him out of his room, Wu spent much of the early morning relaxing in the hallway, lying on the ground with his hands behind his head. He planned for her to 'discover' him when she eventually woke up, so he was passing the time tracking the Chakra signatures that entered his range. He couldn't help rolling his eyes each time he sensed Jiraiya stopping by, but he also couldn't blame the man for his obsession. Tsunade didn't have the best personality, but her power, appearance, and, most notably, her breasts were near the pinnacle of what a woman could achieve without 'external' assistance. Recalling all the breasts he had come into contact with throughout his life, a faint smile developed across Wu's face. He had never understood the appeal of bulbous meat sacks danging from a woman's chest when he was younger, but his perspective had gradually shifted after an 'incident' with Ino. Just as he had asked Hinata to use her Gentle Fist Technique against him to increase his resistance to having his Tenketsu, Wu had permitted Ino to practice her Mind-Body Switch Jutsu on him. Having his mind invaded and body hijacked was, as could be expected, very unpleasant. However, as it was possible to break free from such techniques with adequate willpower, Wu proactively goaded Ino into using it against him. He even resisted it a few times, prompting the nettled blonde to practice in secret, fooling him into believing she had reached a bottleneck before surprising him several months later with a 'complete' takeover. After that...Wu learned quite a bit about the 'vengeful nature' of women and the unfettered curiosity of pubescent girls... ... .. . (A/N: O_O...)

After reaching Otogakure, Wu, Guren, and Tayuya made their way over to Orochimaru's throne room. Guren had already reported the Rasa's slip up, so, despite appearing as her usual self from Wu's perspective, Orochimaru resembled the man in the Bingo Book as s/he said, "Welcome back, Dadi-sama, Tayuya-chan, Guren-chan..." in a raspy tone. Showing no signs he cared about being 'deceived,' Wu raised his hand and offered his standard, "Yo." while Guren and Tayuya gave comparably polite/respectful responses. Though he had expected Wu to ask at least 'some' questions, Orochimaru managed to stay on topic, asking, "How was your visit to Suna? I've been informed that you and the Kazekage's daughter hit it off remarkably well. As expected of the 'splendiferous' Dadi-sama..." Nodding his head, Wu mused, "She's a good girl. With a bit of polish, she'll make an excellent woman. Speaking of which...I didn't see Kagero. Where is she?" Believing 'Dadi' was concerned about one of his 'pets,' Orochimaru gave a knowing smile as he assured, "Worry not, Dadi-sama. If I had to guess, I would assume your little mayfly is currently waiting outside of your room. Since I knew you would be returning today, I elected to give her the day off so you can...gauge her progress." Amused by his own insinuation, Orochimaru snickered for a few moments before catching Wu a little off guard, asking, "So, where will your travels take you next, Dadi-sama? Iwa? Kiri? I would ask you to participate in the upcoming Chunin Exams, but your face and name are already recorded in the Bingo Book. 30,000,000 Ryo from Iwa, Alive Only. It would appear old man Oonoki has taken an interest in you. Ufufufufu~" Shrugging his shoulders, Wu adopted a cheeky grin as he asked, "Can you blame him? I'm pretty fucking amazing." Without trying to refute Wu's claims, Orochimaru mused, "Indeed you are, Dadi-sama. That's why I would like to invite you to accompany me on the day of the Chunin Exam Finals. As one of the people who will rule over the region in the wake of Konoha's ruin, it's only natural that you would have a first-row seat..." Though he had the creeping suspicion that Orochimaru had uncovered his identity and was fucking with him, Wu smiled brazenly and replied, "Count me in. I had always imagined Konoha would become my seat of power, so there's no way in hell I'd miss out on such a 'festive' event. Hell, it may as well be my very own coronation ceremony." Grinning like a demon, Orochimaru's voice carried a hint of excitement as he said, "Very well said, Dadi-sama. I always knew you had tremendous potential. At this rate, you may even be able to 'unify' the Continent in the future. Then, with my research prowess and your power, we can create a world in which everyone can reach their full potential...!" Surprised by Orochimaru's sudden 'vigor,' Wu opened his eyes in genuine shock. He and Orochimaru appeared to have more in common than he previously thought. It was almost unfortunate that he happened to be a man of his word... Offering an authentic smile, the look in Wu's eyes became serious as he stated, "It appears we speak the same language. I'm looking forward to seeing how things pan out...Orochimaru-sama..." ... .. . With only Guren being held back for an after-mission debriefing, Wu and Tayuya made their way to his bedroom, the latter staring at his back with an especially serious expression on her face. The discussion between Wu and Orochimaru had left her thinking that he may have changed his mind about murdering the amoral snake. Fortunately, just as they rounded the corner and spotted a much healthier-looking Kagero sitting on the ground, embracing her knees with a faint smile, Wu softly whispered, "I am a man of my word..." before walking away without turning back. Though there was a chance that Wu was deceiving her, Tayuya found herself exhaling a sigh of relief. The serious effort he had put into making her exercise should have been enough proof to show that he was serious about 'claiming' her, but it was still a relief to hear him affirm his intent. At the same time, a firm conviction was born into her heart as she hurried to catch up to Wu's back, falling into step beside him... ... .. . After spending two days idling about in the underground compound of Otogakure, Wu exchanged brief farewells with Tayuya, Kagero, and Guren before ascending into the sky. His purported destination was Kirigakure to the South-East, but his actual destination was Konoha in the South. Though Wu had every intention of visiting Kiri and Iwa in the future, there was less than a month left before the start of the Chunin Exams. Wu had no plans to partake in the actual exam, but there was much he needed to prepare before the Finals. Thus, after a quick two-and-a-half-hour flight, he slipped through the gap in Konoha's barrier and immediately made his way toward...Yakiniku Q. The food in Suna hadn't been too bad, nice and spicy, but he had missed eating veritable mountains of meat on Hiruzen's dime... Making his way into the establishment, Wu returned the greeting of the waiting staff before making a beeline toward a group of familiar figures. Two wore green jumpsuits, bushy eyebrows, and bowl-cut hairstyles, one had a perpetually constipated face, long dark hair, and the characteristic eyes of the Hyuga Clan, but the most important person present was the only female within the group, a dango-haired Kunoichi Wu regarded as his girlfriend. As he was approaching from behind Tenten, Wu managed to elicit a fairly adorable reaction from the dango-haired cuttie as he raised his hand and said, "Yo, long time no see, Guy, Lee, Ne-" Before Wu could finish his greeting, Tenten bounced to her feet and gave him a big hug, exclaiming, "It's about damn time you came back, Wu! You had better be home for more than a few days this time...!" Reciprocating the bubbly girl's hug, Wu earned himself a 'warning look' as he gave her pert bottom a light pinch and replied, "No worries. I'll at least be sticking around until the end of the Chunin Exams." Beaming with a radiance that could rival the sun, Tenten stated, "That's great to hear. Guy-sensei gave us the month off to prepare for the Chunin Exams, so let's train together." Hearing Tenten's words, Rock Lee, a strange but sincere-looking boy with glossy black hair and thick eyebrows, exclaimed, "That's a most excellent idea, Tenten! Please, allow me to join you and Wu-kun in your training! Let us experience the flames of youth together...!" Piggybacking off his young protege's words, Might Guy, resembling an older version of Lee despite being completely unrelated to one another, gave a toothy smile and a thumbs-up as he added, "Well said, Lee! But you've forgotten one key detail...!" Exhibiting an expression of shock, Lee exclaimed, "Oh, no! Please, Guy-sensei, endow me with your wisdom...!" Rising to his feet, Guy gave Tenten and Wu one of his best smiles, a faint glimmer reflecting off his brilliant white teeth as he said, "Young Wu here is Tenten's boyfriend. While it is youthful to want to train together, there are times when you should take a step back and allow youth to blossom naturally! Now, go, young ones! Go and experience your Spring-" Unable to bear the antics of her teammate and Jonin-sensei any longer, Tenten dragged Wu to the other side of the restaurant with a crimson hue coloring her face. She didn't mind their antics all that much when they were out and about as a Team, but she could barely tolerate them when anyone whose opinion she cared about was nearby. Though he actually got along well with Guy and Lee, the result of their earnest training ethic, Wu allowed himself to be dragged by Tenten until they reached one of the private booths on the opposite side of the restaurant. Each booth cost quite a considerable amount of Ryo to rent, but Tenten was aware of Wu's arrangement with the Third and knew he could very easily afford it. Breathing a sigh of relief, Tenten attempted to across from Wu before the latter abruptly pulled her onto his lap, asking, "Where you are running off to~?" in a teasing tone. Regaining her blush, Tenten gave Wu a light smack and softly exclaimed, "Jeez, Wu! Not when we're in public...!" Raising his hands, Wu allowed Tenten to liberate herself from his lap, this time sitting next to him before she exhaled another sigh and asked, "So, how was your trip? Meet any cute girls while you were away...?" As he had already made his intentions 'very' clear to the dango-haired girl, Wu didn't hesitate to nod his head, answering, "You'll meet them soon enough. As for the specifics, we'll discuss them once I've had a chat with the old man. Things could change drastically depending on what he has to say on the matter, and I don't want to provide you false information." Though she nodded her head, Tenten couldn't help asking, "Can you at least tell me how many? Two? Five? Ten...?" Shrugging his shoulders, Wu revealed, "It really depends on what the Third had to say, but I can guarantee at least five people will be joining our house once it's established. If everything goes according to plan, it will be closer to ten, but I doubt it will exceed it. Even five women seem like a hassle, but it's necessary for my ambitions..." Nodding her head, Tenten was sincere as she said, "I understand." She still had a lot of doubts about the future, but she also believed in Wu. So long as he remained the same boy she had fallen in love with, she could endure sharing him. At least, that's what she kept telling herself the past two months Wu was absent. Preempting one of Tenten's future questions, Wu grabbed her hand and said, "I never crossed the line...even when the opportunity was literally staring me in the face..." Adopting a marginally more prominent smile, Tenten exhaled a light sigh through her nose before squeezing Wu's hand in turn, saying, "I always knew you were a man of your word. Still, if it gets too difficult, don't hold back on my account. Just try not to get anyone pregnant. I want at least one of your firsts, and having your first child is pretty up there in terms of important firsts. Promise me 'that' little right, and you're free to cut loose as much as you want." Narrowing his eyes into an affectionate stare, Wu was being fairly sincere as he asserted, "I knew choosing you was the correct choice, Tenten...my only question is, when do you 'want' to have a baby? Because if it's in the distant future, I'll need to restrain myself so that certain individuals don't get too stressed. There are quite a number of women who will be wanting my children..." As she had thought about it 'a lot' over the past two months, Tenten only hesitated for a moment before replying, "If waiting until I'm a Jonin takes too long, I'm willing to start trying at sixteen. I would prefer to wait until we're twenty, but eight years is a pretty long time to wait considering the things you have in mind..." Catching Tenten a little off guard, Wu unhesitantly replied, "Sixteen it is. I know at least one fiery-tempered redhead who will protest, but I can use her 'frustration' to promote her growth further. Until then, we should work to increase your strength as much as possible. Some of the women I have met on my journey possess incredible talent and Chakra Reserves. I won't allow them to look down on you." Seeing the fiery conviction in Wu's eyes, the sense of longing that had waned a bit over the past two months was promptly rekindled in Tenten's heart. One of her secret apprehensions was that she would be among the weakest members of Wu's harem despite being the 'first' woman he chose to stand beside him. Thus, even though she knew she was probably going to suffer a bit in the month to come, she smiled excitedly and replied, "'We' won't let them," placing heavy emphasis on the 'we.' ... .. . (A/N: To those of you who are 'concerned' about the lack of lemons, know that there will eventually be quite a few. I just want to avoid the backasswards nutjobs who point fingers and accuse people of some of the worst things imaginable just to make themselves feel vindicated.)

Chapter 49: Family Planning