Naruto: reborn as an Uzumaki

Kana stood up, brushing off her clothes with a soft smile. "We should at least dress up for the party. It's not every day we celebrate something like this. And it wouldn't hurt to take our time, right?" She turned to Kenshin and motioned for him to follow her. "Ken-chan, come with me and help me get ready."

Kenshin nodded, standing up to follow.

Akane crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. "I need his help too."

Yukari chuckled as she rose from her seat. "I think I'll get ready on my own. I wouldn't want to interrupt." She offered a polite bow and left the room.

Kenshin sighed, creating a shadow clone. "There. Happy?" he asked, gesturing to the clone.

Akane smirked, grabbing the clone's hand. "Perfect!" she said, already pulling it toward her room.

Before she could get far, Kana's voice rang out behind her. "No funny business, young lady. You're only to have him help you get ready—nothing else."

Akane groaned dramatically. "I understand, Mom! I'm not gonna try anything."

Kana nodded, satisfied, and led Kenshin to her room. Once inside, she slipped out of her kimono, leaving it neatly folded on a nearby chair. She opened her closet, and began sifting through the clothes. "What do you think would suit me, Ken-chan?"

Kenshin scanned the options before selecting a deep burgundy and gold outfit. "This one."

Kana paused, her expression softening with nostalgia as she took the outfit from him. "This... This was the first outfit you bought for me, right after your first mission. Even though I couldn't get out of bed because of my illness, you helped me put it on. I still remember how happy you looked..." Her voice trailed off, and her eyes welled up with tears, but she quickly wiped them away.

Kenshin smiled warmly. "It's a fitting outfit for my mom's big party."

Kana's lips quivered into a wide smile, but her composure broke when Kenshin tilted his head. "Mom... you're not wearing any underwear. Put some on."

Kana laughed, covering her mouth with her hand. "Oh, I forgot!" She quickly rectified the situation, slipping on undergarments before holding out the outfit for Kenshin to help her.

With practiced care, Kenshin helped her into the elegant ensemble. Once she was dressed, he gestured toward the dresser. "Sit down, Mom. Let me do your makeup."

Kana giggled as she complied, sitting with a regal posture. "I feel like an actual princess, Ken-chan. Having you dress me up and do my makeup like this..."

Kenshin chuckled softly as he worked. "You are the 'princess of the Uzumaki clan'. And a princess deserves to be treated appropriately. Though by that logic, I should be the prince."

Kana smiled, shaking her head. "You're not the prince—you're the head of our clan."

Kenshin froze for a moment, confused. "Shouldn't you be the clan leader? You're the oldest one here. And you're the granddaughter of the previous head."

Kana shook her head, her tone thoughtful. "The clan leader is usually the oldest male descendant of the previous leader, or someone elected by the entire clan. Besides, I'm not the type of person suited for that position.

I heard from Yukari that many of our clan probably escaped the Hidden Whirlpool's destruction just like her. They're likely scattered in border towns near the Land of Fire and the neighbouring countries.

If we can find them, we can rebuild the Uzumaki clan. And for that, we need someone like you, Ken-chan. Someone who will take care of them like my grandfather once did. Not someone like me, who needs to be cared for."

Kenshin listened intently, his hands pausing mid-stroke with the makeup brush. He set it down and knelt beside her, his expression hesitant. "Mom, I don't know... you know I'm more of a family man. I don't think I'm suited for all the politics and stuff."

Kana placed a hand on his cheek, her expression stern but loving. "Ken-chan, who else will do it if not you? When the time comes, you can and will step up. The Uzumaki aren't like other clans. We're more of a family than an organization. And a 'family man' is exactly what we need."

Kenshin stared into her eyes for a moment before letting out a soft chuckle. "I'll deal with it when the time comes," he said, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. "Right now, it's your big day, and you need to look the part for the party."

Kana's smile widened as Kenshin picked up the brush again. "Let's get back to your makeup... your highness," he teased with a grin, earning a playful laugh from her.

Kenshin worked slowly, ensuring every stroke of the makeup brush highlighted Kana's natural beauty. Even though this was just a family celebration with Yuki, Maki, and the Hokage, Kenshin wanted her to shine.

When he was satisfied with her makeup, he moved on to her hair, gently combing through the vibrant red strands.

As he worked, he noticed how much healthier her hair had become since they arrived in the Leaf two months ago. It was smoother, thicker, and had a brilliant sheen. Kana met his eyes in the mirror, smiling. "Ken-chan, do I look pretty?"

Kenshin paused, smiling back. "Mom, you've always been the prettiest lady in the world to me. It was literally my first thought when I saw you for the first time as you held me after I was born. I remember thinking, 'Wow, she's so pretty!"

Kana chuckled at his remark. "I'm not that pretty, Ken-chan. And wouldn't it be better if you saved that compliment for your sister? I think she'd appreciate that coming from the boy she loves."

Kenshin shook his head firmly. "I love Akane, but that doesn't change the fact that you're still the prettiest lady I've ever seen. In both my lives."

Kana gave him a playful look. "Stop flattering mommy."

Kenshin stopped combing for a moment, confused. "I'm not flattering you. I'm just stating facts."

Kana didn't reply, only smiled softly as she watched him continue combing her hair. After a moment's thought, Kenshin decided to braid it. Her hair was long and radiant, and a braid would highlight its beauty.

When the braid was complete, Kana admired herself in the mirror, smiling warmly. "You've gotten so good at this, Ken-chan."

"It's because I have the best model to work with," Kenshin said with a smirk.

Kana swatted his arm playfully as they left the room and headed downstairs. When they reached the living room, Akane and Yukari were already waiting.

Akane's eyes widened as she took in Kana's appearance. "Mom! You look... unbelievable!"

Yukari smiled kindly. "Kana-sama, you look very pretty."

Kana's face flushed slightly, and she waved a hand at them. "Don't stare at me like that. It's embarrassing."

Akane grinned. "Well, I already sent a shadow clone to the restaurant to make the reservation. Sensei and Maki will meet us there."

Kenshin nodded. "I invited the Hokage, too."

Akane tilted her head curiously. "Why the Hokage?"

Kana answered with a soft smile. "Because she's family. Her grandmother was my grandaunt, which makes us cousins."

Akane blinked in surprise. "Wow, that's... really nice. I didn't expect we'd be related to the Hokage."

Kenshin leaned in slightly, smirking. "Just because she's family doesn't mean you should expect any special treatment."

Akane shook her head. "I'd prefer if she didn't treat me differently. It'd be super weird."

Kenshin clapped his hands together. "Alright, it's getting late. Let's head out."

The group left their home and began making their way to the former Senju clan area, where the restaurant was located. Akane led the way, while Kana attracted surprised and envious glances from villagers they passed.

Many women eyed her with a mix of jealousy and caution, marveling at how beautiful she looked.

Kana leaned closer to Kenshin, her voice low. "They're staring... It's kind of unnerving."

Kenshin chuckled. "They're probably wondering how someone can look so stunning, Mom. And I don't blame them."

Kana rolled her eyes but couldn't hide the small smile on her lips. With Akane leading the way, they finally arrived at the restaurant, where Yuki and Maki were waiting outside with smiles on their faces.

Yuki and Maki both froze for a moment when they saw Kana, stunned by how radiant she looked. Yuki stepped forward first, embracing Kana warmly. "You look amazing, Kana. Congratulations on today."

Maki followed with a smile. "Kana-san, you look so good. And I think I'll have to start calling you Kana-sensei from now on since you're a full-fledged Jonin now."

Kana nodded approvingly, clearly enjoying the compliment. "Yes, Maki-chan. I think you should do that from now on."

Yuki chuckled, crossing her arms. "Well, if you're a sensei now, maybe you should stop calling every kid you meet 'chan.' Your own team might not appreciate that."

Kana considered this thoughtfully. "Hmm... in that case, I'll save it for my children's friends. It's only fair."

Kenshin smirked, gently guiding the group forward. "Alright, let's go inside. The Hokage's probably busy but should arrive soon."

They entered the beautifully decorated restaurant, a cozy yet elegant space in the former Senju compound. A waiter quickly seated them at a large table, and they ordered their meals. Kana took a moment to thank Kenshin for choosing such a lovely place, and Kenshin waved it off with a smile.

"It's nothing, Mom. It's the least I can do for you."

As they waited, Kenshin noticed Tsunade's absence and created a shadow clone to fetch her. The clone arrived at the Hokage's office, finding her engrossed in paperwork.

When he asked if she could attend, Tsunade waved him off. "You all go have fun without me. I'd rather stay and finish this."

The clone didn't give up easily, insisting she join, but Tsunade refused again. Finally, he resorted to bribery. "The booze is on me."

Tsunade froze mid-writing, then stretched her arms casually as if the workload wasn't a problem. "Well, this isn't that urgent. Shizune, I'll deal with this later." She smiled at the clone. "I'll be there in a few minutes."

The clone nodded before dispelling, and Tsunade soon arrived at the restaurant. She congratulated Kana warmly, and the group began their dinner. The lively conversation, excellent food, and soothing music made the atmosphere perfect. As the night wore on, the drinks started flowing freely, and Kana, Yuki, and Tsunade indulged themselves.

Kana was the first to get completely wasted after five drinks, her laughter loud and uninhibited. Yuki followed shortly after a few more drinks, while Tsunade, a seasoned drinker, continued without any noticeable change.

Yuki took a seat near Kenshin, who glanced at her cautiously, memories of her last drunken incident flashing in his mind. Not taking any chances, he quickly moved to sit beside Kana instead. Yuki gave him a confused look before shrugging and asking for another drink.

Kana, however, was far past tipsy. She dramatically wrapped her arms around Kenshin, pulling him close. "Ken-chan, you've grown up so much... just like your dad. Strong, smart, caring... even rough in bed, huh?"

The table fell silent as Akane's and Kenshin's faces turned crimson. Yukari quickly spoke up, her tone calm but firm. "Kana-sama, maybe it's best not to talk about such things."

Kana pouted, her words slurring. "But it's true! Ichiro-san was the same... and now I'm all lonely. Fifteen years... nobody cares about me being lonely anymore!"

Kenshin buried his face in his hands, regretting letting her drink. Even Maki, who usually enjoyed such chaos, looked awkward.

Kana leaned in and kissed Kenshin's cheek playfully. "You've really become just like him, Ken-chan. I love you."

Shortly after, Kana passed out, her head falling against Kenshin's shoulder. Yuki followed soon after, her face planted on the table. Despite the awkward moments, the party had been enjoyable for everyone.

As the night ended, Kenshin asked Akane and Yukari to take Kana home while Maki and Tsunade helped with Yuki. After settling the others, Kenshin went to pay the bill.

When he saw the total, his jaw dropped. The food was a reasonable 50,000 ryo, but the liquor cost over 100,000 ryo.

He questioned the receptionist, who replied smoothly, "We couldn't serve cheap liquor to the Hokage, so we brought out the best."

Sighing, Kenshin wrote a cheque and left the restaurant, catching up to Akane and Yukari, who were carrying the unconscious Kana. As they walked home, Kenshin silently vowed to keep a closer eye on his mother's drinking next time.