The world was finally at peace. After years of war and suffering, Naruto Uzumaki was enjoying a rare moment of calm. He was lying in his bed, the window ajar letting in a gentle breeze from the Konoha night. However, a strange sensation troubled him, like an imbalance in his chakra.
Lying down, his eyes half-closed, he murmured:
— Hey, Kurama, do you feel that too?
In his mind, Kurama, comfortably nestled in his usual cage, opened a lazy eye.
— Yes… It's like something is stirring in your chakra. Nothing dangerous, but it's unusual. Maybe it's your grafted arm causing interference.
Naruto sighed, arms behind his head.
— Yeah, maybe… But it gives a funny feeling, like someone…
Before he could finish his sentence, a white glow illuminated the room. Naruto sat up with a start, his eyes widening as he saw a female figure materialize in front of him.
An unexpected presence
The light faded, revealing a woman he knew all too well: Kaguya Otsutsuki. But she wasn't exactly as he remembered. Her form seemed younger, almost frail. Her horns, once imposing, were smaller, and her once overwhelming divine aura had become a faint, flickering glow.
Naruto, frozen in surprise, stammered:
— K-Kaguya?! What are you doing here?!
She opened her eyes slowly, staring at Naruto with her piercing gaze. Her voice, though less imposing, remained icy.
— This… is unexpected.
Naruto pointed a trembling finger at her, his voice rising an octave.
— Unexpected?! Unexpected?! You're supposed to be sealed away for eternity in another dimension with your whole failed world domination plan! And now you show up in my room like nothing happened?!
She blinked, puzzled, as if trying to understand the situation herself.
— It's not voluntary. I'm not here by choice, human.
Kurama, suddenly alert in Naruto's mind, growled.
— Naruto, what's going on? Why do I feel this presence? It's her, right?
Naruto, still trying to calm himself down, answered inwardly:
— Yeah, that's her… But she looks different. Not threatening, just… weird.
Kaguya, noticing Naruto's lack of immediate response, frowned slightly.
— Stop mumbling. Explain to me where we are and why my power is so weakened.
Naruto raised his hands as if to calm a situation that already made no sense.
— Okay, first of all, you're in my room in Konoha. Secondly, how am I supposed to know what happened? You're the one who appeared here!
She looked away, as if trying to remember.
—My essence… My power was sealed, but some of it must have bonded to you at the last moment. That… light I saw before the seal.
Naruto blinked.
— Wait, you mean you're stuck with me now?
A shared shock
Kaguya clenched her fists, her expression remaining stoic but her tone betraying slight irritation.
— That seems to be the case. A situation that doesn't suit me... But that I will have to accept.
Naruto, unable to hold back a nervous smile, scratched the back of his head.
— Well, at least you're honest... That's a change, huh?
She didn't answer, just looked at him with a coldness that made one feel uncomfortable. Finally, she said:
— You must not tell anyone about this. If your clan or your kind discover my presence, it will put your life in danger, as well as mine.
Naruto raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms.
— Oh, because now you care about my life? That's new.
She hesitated for a moment, as if considering her answer.
—It's not you I care about, human. It's the preservation of my own existence.
Naruto burst out laughing, holding his sides.
— Seriously, you're really not good at saying thank you.
Kurama mentally interjected, his tone gruff:
—Naruto, this is not the time to joke around. If she's here, it could cause serious trouble. And you, Kaguya, don't even think about taking control. I'm watching you.
Kaguya slowly turned her head, her gaze seeming to pierce the space where she perceived Kurama's mind.
— An insignificant creature like you has no authority over me.
Kurama snickered.
— You're not in your divine form anymore, so don't brag too much.
Naruto sighed, raising his hands to calm the two.
— Hey, calm down! If we're going to live together, we might as well not start fighting on the first night, right?
Forced cohabitation
Kaguya eventually sat down silently, observing the surroundings of the room as if discovering another world.
— This place is… rudimentary. How can you live in such a limited space?
Naruto shrugged with a smile.
— Hey, this is my home. No need for palaces or fancy stuff. Just a bed, instant noodles, and it's heaven.
She looked at him as if he had just said the most absurd thing she had ever heard.
— Humanity is definitely primitive.
Naruto, smiling despite the absurd situation, let himself fall onto his bed.
—And you, what are you going to do now? Sit down and judge everything I do?
She remained silent for a moment, before declaring in an icy tone:
— I will observe. And if I judge that you are useless, I will find another way to survive.
Naruto stared at her, looking serious.
— Well, welcome to my head, Lady Tsundere. I hope you like noodles, because you're stuck here for a while.
Kaguya frowned, but a slight flicker of confusion crossed her face.
— Tsundere?
Naruto turned around, pulling the blanket over himself with a satisfied smile.
— Oh, nothing. I can't be bothered to think of a solution now to trap you here. Good night Kaguya.
Kurama sighed inwardly.
— Naruto, you really just provoked a goddess. Well done.
Thus began the unlikely cohabitation between the hero of Konoha and the former fallen queen of the Otsutsuki.