After True Friends Truly Believe. /s/3953609/1/

Disclaimer; I don't own

What are we?

Ino was walking through the village. It was a warm day. She didn't feel like enjoying it for the moment. She was worried.

"Kyuubi was sealed inside me when I was a new-born by the Fourth Hokage."

She shuddered. They had all been told about the nine-tailed fox in school. He was a monster of the worst sort. He attacked the village for no reason, killing many before the Yondiame gave his life to destroy him. But he wasn't destroyed, was he. She stopped and realized she had been walking towards the Nara house out of habit. Knocking on the door, she was met by Shikamaru's mother.

A strong woman, Ino and her got along just fine. Both shared an affinity for yelling at the boys in their life and still getting things done with their lazy butts. Shikamaru got most of his looks from his father, no doubt, but his eyes came from his mother. So did his passion. Ino knew his father cared a great deal about the village but it didn't show, unless you tallied all the mission he had done for the village. His mother, on the other hand, was exceedingly set on helping the village out. Shikamaru got his determination, as slight as it was, from her. Ino was glad he had some, elsewise it would be impossible to get him to do anything.

Ino waited as the woman screeched up the stairs for her son. He came, grumbling all the way. When he saw Ino, he nodded and they left. It was habit. They would collect Chouji and head to where-ever they needed to be, except today was their day off. Ino had gotten out of the hospital yesterday and wasn't supposed to be doing much. Shikamaru didn't seem to be complaining. He probably already had figured she wanted to talk. He just wandered a foot or so behind her, generally following her. Ino led him to a bench next to their normal training grounds. She sat and sighed. She really didn't know what was wrong. She looked at Shikamaru. He wouldn't start a conversation until the sky fell.

"So...what were your guys' plans for the day?" Ino nearly winced. It sounded weak, but she didn't know what to say. Shikamaru just shrugged. So much for conversation. She sighed and decided to see if she could talk her frustration out. "Have you guys spoken to Naruto recently?" Shikamaru looked at her.

"I stopped by his hospital room yesterday to give him the update on the status of the enemy. He was irate so I didn't stay long. He doesn't seem fond of hospitals. How troublesome." Ino smiled faintly at that.

"He really is energetic." She was struggling now. She saw Shikamaru look at her weirdly. Finally she burst out. "He has the nine-tailed fox! Kyuubi! The terror of our childhood! The thing that killed Yondiame! Killed many of our villagers! Iruka's parents! Shin's parents! Dozens of people died! How can we be friends with that...that...that creature?!" Shikamaru just stood there waiting until she had finished. After she was done with her tirade her shoulders heaved as she tried to regain control of herself. Shikamaru spoke in a careful tone.

"So, do you think we should not be friends with him?" He looked at her steadily. Then he glanced to her right. "Kiba-kun? You? And you Lee? Neji? Ten Ten?" as he named them they come over from where they had been walking, or hiding in Kiba's case. They looked slightly guilty but overall concerned. Kiba was the first to speak up.

"What if she's right though? Hinata-chan really likes him. What if he loses control?" Shikamaru looked at him. He looked at them all. Shikamaru had figured long ago that whatever the reason was, that more than half the village didn't like him, it had to have been big. Not this big, but he had imagined big. He had looked at Naruto as a whole at that point. To not see such a large part of someone meant he was in for a surprise, and he didn't like that. So, before he even knew about Kyuubi, he had decided that Naruto was Naruto and those people blaming him for whatever, whether or not it was his fault, were missing a good asset to their village, and a great friend.

"Do you think Naruto hasn't thought of that? Furthermore, do you think the other shinobi in this village haven't thought of that? Lee?" The tai-master looked at him.

"I don't think Naruto will let Kyuubi win. He is the spirit of youthfu-" He was cut off as Ten Ten smacked him on the head.

"Be serious a moment. Ino brings up a valid point. We were taught to hate Kyuubi and everything he stands for, so why did we support Naruto?" She looked at Neji questioningly. Neji looked at her a moment, then back at the group. He understood their confusion, but he refused to share it.

"Tell me. You look back over our knowledge of Naruto; what he's done, what he says, how he acts. Tell me, can you imagine the future without that?" He was looking at all of them. He remembered what he had seen at the chuunin exams. It had scared him, but Naruto just looked at him and said those words, in that voice. That had been the Naruto they had grown up with. That was the person Neji wanted to keep around. Shikamaru looked at Neji and just held his eyes. They understood each other and agreed, but what about the rest? Did Naruto lose some of his friends when they found out?

"I don't want to put the village in danger, but..." They looked at Kiba. The inuzuka looked confused. "What if he does lose control some day?" Neji looked at him, slightly sad. Shikamaru was the one to voice the answer.

"We will kill him to protect Konoha." They all looked at Shikamaru. Lee looked most upset.

"But he's our friend!"

"Yes, and a Konoha shinobi. Could we kill him?" Ten Ten's question rang in the silence. Ino looked at Shikamaru.

"It would be because of those reasons." Lee looked up.

"He wouldn't want us to let him hurt this village." Shikamaru nodded.

"Most likely, he already knows. He knows that everyone in the village knows a way to kill him should he lose control. The question is, has he accepted it." He received nods from all around. They all envisioned it a moment.

Neji saw a vision he had seen in his mind's eye during the beginning of their chuunin fight. Naruto, lying on the ground, unconscious and bloody. He saw Naruto's empty eyes and saw the stillness of his chest. Suddenly there was a hole that hadn't been there last time he had thought of the vision. It started in his chest and spread to his throat and gut, making his heart race and stomach nauseous. His mind was frozen on that scene. It was horrifying. But then he saw Naruto, glowing red, claws out, striking at the village. He didn't look like Naruto anymore, he was something else. Like an actor wearing a mask. As if his skin was a costume and something was inside it. He knew then, Naruto would never forgive any of them if they let any enemy destroy part of Konoha, even if it wore his skin. He was willing to die for Konoha just like they were, they were Konoha shinobi.

Lee looked at his teammates. Naruto was the last in his class just like Lee. They couldn't do things that the others could, but they kept going. Lee remembered the frustration and determination. He remembered asking himself the reasons behind putting himself through everything. Naruto must have asked himself this hundreds of times. Lee thought he might have found the same answer Lee himself had determined. He did this to be himself. He wanted to show people that he cared and that everyone should care. And he wanted to prove that he was worth something to this village. He knew now that if Naruto attacked the village, he would rather kill his friend then let him try to live with the knowledge of the destruction he'd caused.

Ten Ten Looked at Lee and Neji. Both were close to Naruto in different ways. They would be impossible to console should his death occur. Then she thought of herself. She actually didn't know him that well. However, she did know what it was like to want to protect and to be continuously told it would be impossible. She had been small and weak all her life. Her speed and accuracy were her strong suits, but that was missed when people saw what she lacked in physical strength. Naruto had showed the people who had doubted him that he could do it, without losing to the Kyuubi. He had gone against other's doubts just like she wanted to. She thought, best give him a chance and see where it goes.

Shikamaru had already made up his mind. Just the idea that Naruto would be around to liven up this dull-fest was enough. He loved this village and the people in it. Shikamaru would do what he could, within reason, to keep Naruto that way.

Ino looked at Shikamaru as he observed that others. She was pretty good at reading him now. He had made up his mind. Naruto was a friend, loyal and brave. He had saved the village and fought for the people in it many times. Naruto was fun and sincere. Ino realized with a start that she had accepted it. The second she realized Shikamaru had accepted it, so did she. His reassurance was all she needed. She smiled. That was why she liked being on his team. He was the smart one. Good, time to move on to keeping Naruto the way he was.

Kiba was fiddling with Akamaru's fur as he thought. He had been scared when he had initially found out. But they had been on a mission, so he had pushed it to one side. He was still unsure. Kyuubi had killed his uncle and cousins. He had been brought up to hate it...and Naruto. The blonde had come near his home once when he was really young. Kiba remembered his mother screeching profanities at Naruto. His sister had to go and grab his mother. He had never understood what had happened that day until a few days ago. She had been scared of him, and angry that Kyuubi had lived. Why hadn't he been killed as a child? He supposed Sandiame had something to do with that. But still...

Neji's eyes widened when he felt his cousin walking around nearby. Locating her, he recognized the chakra near her. They were quite far away from the village but when he looked their direction with his Byakugan, he thought he knew why. Nudging his teammate he started towards them. All of the others followed, Kiba a hair behind the others. They rounded a corner to see Hinata watching as several dozen Naruto went poof as they were hit by each other. Naruto stood panting in the center. Lee was about to shout a greeting when it died in his throat. Naruto's chakra suddenly sprang up orange. He was growling and down on all fours. In an instant, Kiba was next to Hinata and Lee was in front of Naruto. Naruto, who appeared startled by Lee's sudden appearance, stopped what he was doing and looked at him.

"Lee? Yo." All his orange chakra disappeared immediately and he stood there, normal as Naruto ever is. Lee was confused.

"You were orange, my friend." Naruto chuckled slightly.

"Yeah, foxy's chakra is like that. The problem is I have to be tired to call on it still." He looked around at Ino, Shikamaru, Neji and Ten Ten. He saw Kiba standing by Hinata. Great. They've been talking. Wonderful. His mental voice sounded sarcastic, even in his own mind. He waited to see what they had decided. Lee was the first to talk.

"Are you stronger when you use His chakra?" Only Naruto was legally aloud to talk about Kyuubi by name. Naruto looked at him.

"Not sure. See, I can't seem to use it when I have enough strength left to move my arms and legs that much, so it's only been used for Ninjutsu. Hinata asked to see what it looked like with her Byakugan and I wanted to try to draw it out again." Kiba spoke up.

"And what if it got lose." Naruto looked at him warily. Kyuubi was chuckling in his head. Boy's got his priorities straight. Naruto ignored the kitsune and answered Kiba.

"Not gonna happen. First, I'm not pulling enough chakra that I need to open that seal or tamper with it. Second I am not gonna let that old fox win and third cuz I said so!" Naruto gave him a thumbs up. Kiba just stared at him. Lee however had a great idea.

"Let's spar!" Naruto looked at him. "You with your new chakra. Let's see the glory of youth and demon-carrying!" Neji shook his head. Both Gai and Lee had started making up words for their silliness years ago and it hadn't stopped. Naruto smiled and nodded.

"Yeah! I'll show you what I can do!" They both looked so pumped at it that Ten Ten had to giggle. Neji heard it and looked at her. He hadn't heard that sound from her before. Interesting. They watched as Lee got into a stance and Naruto bent down slightly. Neji could tell when he started calling on Kyuubi because he could see the eyes glowing again like they had in his chakra system last time Naruto had called on Kyuubi. The others watched in awe as Lee leaped at Naruto only to miss. Naruto sped around Lee to land a kick on his back.

Lee flew through the air to come to a halt some feet away.

"You are speed, my friend. Now let our sparkling inner light shine through!" With a great shout he leaped at Naruto. Neji and Ten Ten sweat-dropped as Ino giggled. Shikamaru watched with interest as the two hard-headed dropouts showed their great mastery and eternal love for the sport. It was refreshing to see them having fun.

Kiba watched quietly. This was Kyuubi's chakra. It wasn't destroying things though. He was confused.

"Kiba-kun?" Hinata stood in front of him. He sighed.

"I was always told that Kyuubi was evil and should have been killed eons ago and nothing came from demons but death and destruction. I don't know..." Hinata smiled.

"Yes, Kiba-kun. We have been told a lot of things. Some true, some not, and some were as true as they could make them. But we are becoming adults now Kiba-kun." She looked over at Naruto. When she had seen her friends all fight hard. She realized it was time she became the person she wanted to be. She still didn't know how. But she would try.

"Ano, Kiba-kun. My grandmother had a saying that she would tell me when I was uncertain as a child. 'Children are told what to do and believe because they lack the ability to think of it themselves'." She looked back at Kiba. "Maybe, its time to think for ourselves and decide who and what we are going to believe the Nine-tailed fox is?" Kiba looked at his shy teammate. She always had a way of suprising people with her intelligence due to her not speaking much. She also had a point. He looked at Lee and Naruto, who had been join by Ten Ten, Neji and Ino, who had pulled on Shikamaru, and they were now in a general free-for all, with Naruto in the middle. He was smiling the biggest, brightest smile in the universe and he dodged and punched and kicked. Kiba chuckled.

"It is hard to be mad at him long." Still chuckling, he jumped in the middle of the group. Hinata smiled softly as she watched. Someday she told herself, someday, I'll be brave enough and good enough to join.

The quote Hinata used came from another author off of mediaminer. I fudged it a bit but same idea. If you want I can give you the story. It is a rin/sesshomaru story from Inuyasha, quite well done too.

This story was written after Last week but takes place before In The Past. It is a short about how they all become used to the idea of Naruto and Kyuubi.

Ja Ne

9/21/08-re-proofed.

The next story in the series is "In the Past" Where Naruto's past comes to light to his friends.

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