FEAR NOT MY READERS! Yes, it is I, ME. Lady Luck fickle lover that she is has not yet deemed to lead me to my end just yet, and I have returned with another chapter for your reading enjoyment. Well, I enjoyed writing it, so I hope you enjoy reading it.

Well my intro out of the way, welcome one and all to the new chapter of Haiburiddo Shinobi. Here we see direct aftermath of Kurama's meddling upon the world, or at least a few people so far.

I shan't hold anyone up any longer so for I simply say: ON WITH THE CHAPTER!

Chapter Two: Aftermath

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TRYING TO PULL HIRUZEN?!" The cry was practically that of a berserker and shook the walls of the hospital its originator was standing in. Said origin was a man six and a half feet tall and sporting a wide frame of rippling muscle beneath his dark skin. His face was a model in fury with dark eyes glaring into the impassive face of the Sandaime Hokage. "YOU INVITE US FOR A SECOND TIME AND AGAIN YOU BETRAY THE TRUST WE SHOW!"

"I have done no such thing," the elder, and shorter, of the two was a picture of opposites compared to the man before him. One boiled with rage just waiting to be unleashed like a fire on the edge of running out of control. The other stood seemingly at ease, hands clasped behind his back and expression neutral as he turned to look through a window in the door next to them. "Neither of us know what happened because the young lady has been asleep since we both got here." He turned to meet the glare once again and his voice when he next spoke oozed a chill that could have made an iceberg jealous. "Before you think of doing something foolish I suggest you get your composure and cease making such baseless accusations."

"Baseless?!" the angered voice dropped below a shout but was still far above the appropriate inside level. "Your village has already proved to be untrustworthy when proposing peace." A meaty finger was jabbed at Hiruzen's face though it seemed to barely phase him. "Your Hyuga leader murdered one of my men and the only reason I considered going along with this farce is because my Daimyo ordered it! And it's those same orders that are the only thing staying my demand of retribution."

Hiruzen blinked once…twice…and then a heavy pressure fell over the hallway. The air stirred around the man and he seemed to grow before the younger counterpart. "Do not take that tone with me A of Kumogakure." Despite the shift in atmosphere the man heralded by many as the Professor did not raise his voice a decibel above what he had used for the entirety of the earlier conversation. The cold manner seemed to lance straight through the rage of the Raikage and forcing him to take an involuntary step back. "You and I both know what your shinobi was doing in the Hyuga compound that night and I only put up with that stupid cover story of yours because I did not wish to go to war after the devastation of both the last one and the later attack of the biju. Before you go about making threats I urge you to consider your location and consider that your continued breathing within my city is at my own order."

The aura of power vanished from around the man and his tone returned once more to its neutral state as he continued without giving the meathead a chance to reply. "Now then, one of my best trackers has begun following young Mabuti's scent back to the scene where…whatever happened to her happened. I had come here to tell you of that and await their report. Once we hear the information we can decide where we go from there."

A took his turn to blink, but when he seemed ready to bow up and shout again Hiruzen turned to walk a few steps away, stopped to put his back to the wall and stared at the opposite wall never once looking to his fellow Kage again. This was something A had not experienced since his father if he bothered to remember. The Yondaime Raikage had a reputation that made him seen as impulsive and loud as the boar his large golden buckle was fashioned to resemble. His aids would attempt to placate his infamous temper and some even matched it giving him an outlet. But his father had two responses, pound the rambunctious son into submission or ignore him in order to do whatever work he was working on at the time.

It was off putting to be so dismissed and actually stole a lot of wind out of the irate man's sails from whiplash. The pause this gave actually provided the time for what Hiruzen had said to reach the not as exercised part of his mind that provided logical thought. We are in the middle of Konohagakure, it whispered to him. Not only is their own leader right next to me, I have an unconscious youngling, plus her team and my bodyguards. Strong we may be, but even a kage would eventually fall.

No matter how much it rankled his need for an outlet, A forced himself to breathe deeply and let it out. He would keep his temper in check for the time being. But if he even got an inkling that Hiruzen had ordered some sort of betrayal as retribution for the twist he'd tried last time then it would mean war. With a growl he moved to lean against the wall.

For a time, they stood in tense silence, most of the staff avoiding the area save when necessary to complete their duties. Into this tense atmosphere stepped a young nurse from the room A's kunoichi was being kept in. She nervously stepped to her village's leader. "She's stabilized Hokage-sama," she began looking down at the clipboard clutched in her hands. "She wasn't hurt but we ran some blood tests and found a sedative in her bloodstream along with a muscle relaxant and what appears to be a mild hallucinogen. We administered antidotes for the last one and the other two just need time to wear off. It appears she won't suffer any negative reactions from them and just needs a few hours rest though the doctor may wish to keep her overnight just to monitor her in case something unexpected happens."

Hiruzen nodded, the tension from his body disappearing like it had been whisked away by a strong wind and his lips curling into an almost grandfatherly smile. "Thank you, Kimiko," he replied. "Are we free to enter the room now?"

"Yes Hokage-sama."

"Very well, continue about your duties we will be sure to call if assistance is required." She nodded and walked away. Hiruzen watches her leave, ignoring the Raikage as he steps into the room with a huff and leaves it open behind him. Neither saw the smiles drop as a flash of emotion shot across his eyes before schooling his features and looking into the room. A had moved next to the bed, his large frame looming over the sleeping girl and his back to the doorway as he seemed to be deciding what to do. He stood there a few moments longer before the tension seemed to ease before shaking himself and moving to let his massive frame drop into a chair not nearly large enough to match his size. The creaking wood seemed fit to collapse, but fortunately managed to hold firm.

Hiruzen was pulled from his observations by the sound do movement, looking out the corner of his eye as a new figure moved to join him in the hallway. "Hokage-sama," the dog-masked Anbu began whilst kneeling before his leader.

"Inu, Report."

"I and the pack investigated the site as ordered," he began without looking up. "The scents were greatly muddled due to the burning of the bodies. We did find the smell of a great beast though it does not match the smell of anything they recognize."

The veteran frowned, beginning to stroke his beard as he pondered the information. He was also well aware of A watching as subtly as the man was capable so considered his words carefully. "Were you able to track the creature?"

"Yes sir, the trail leads toward the forest to the north. We are following it now."

"Then stay close," he ordered what he now knew to be a shadow clone. "Let me know as soon as you have a report." Inu acknowledged the order with a nod before stepping into a guard position next to the doorway while Hiruzen stepped through. He shared a nod with the other conscious occupant and moved to sit in the other available chair. They continued in mostly silence, broken only by the occasional clearing of a throat and the constant beeping of the heart monitor, waiting for further news.

XXXXX

The original Inu leaped from the wall's apex and into the branches of the closest tree. All around him the eight members of his summoned pack landed, looking to him for further orders. "Basic tracking formation," he ordered from behind the mask. "Spear Maneuver and stay within sight. We don't know what we're hunting so be ready to act."

To those unfamiliar with the nature of summoned creatures the pack would appear to simply be a group of animals dressed in varying clothes. But the smallest of the group, a pug with a permanently serious expression due to the nature of his snout, nodded and opened his mouth. "Got it."

The pug leaped forward, the dogs falling into an arrowhead formation with Inu moving a few feet behind. Behind the holes in the mask, mismatched eyes scanned the area and his escort team, searching for any signs of warning from the canines but found none. They traveled in this manner for several minutes before the brown pug spoke again.

"Scent is changing," he called back to his summoner.

"Changing how?"

"The wild predator traces are getting weaker," this time it was one of the others, resembling a greyhound in appearance, that answered. "It's more subdued but still carries undertones of danger."

"It's also a lot stronger," the dog to his left called out, the oval sunglasses perched on his nose seemingly stuck to his face as he bounced from branch to branch. "We're getting close." Their pace increased and at some unknown signal split off from Inu save for the pug who leaped high, falling down at just the right moment to land on his summoner's shoulder.

"Straight ahead," he groused in the silver-haired man's ear. "Judging by the scent's potency approximately three hundred meters." Inu nodded and put on the speed, crossing the distance in no time. But all forward momentum was stopped when he locked eyes on the clearing where the scent ended.

It was a small space, maybe large enough to fit a cottage if one were to think of building here, but instead of a small flowered haven or just leaf-strewn gap in the trees he found a massacre. Squirrels, rabbits, deer and even one of the large boars that called the forest home lay scattered about the space. Hides ripped open by claws or teeth and blood pooling around the cold husks of former living beings. But that was not what held Inu's attention so completely.

No, his eyes remained solely locked upon the one human body that lay in the clearing. Sprawled out face down, a main of wild blonde hair stained with the dark red of dried blood he lay in, the newcomer onto the scene was just barely able to make out the three dark marks spreading across the one visible cheek of the sleeper from the distance between them. The Sharingan hidden by his mask was able to pick out the slight movement of the hairs and grass next to his face moving in the gentle breeze of steady breathes which confirmed for him that Naruto was, indeed, merely asleep.

Inu didn't move to approach, instead raising one hand and snapping twice. He waited three seconds and then made a wide sweeping motion with the same hand. As his pack had many times before he knew they were moving unseen in the brush around them, establishing a protective perimeter while also searching for any other foreign scents. Instructions being given his head turned slightly to the one canine still with him. "What've you got Pakkun?"

The pug lifted his nose and breathed deeply. "It's the fox boy alright," he reported. "Now that we're closer I can smell the chakra mixed with his own but that's the only thing normal about it." There was a pause, as if the dog was trying to find the right words to convey what he was sensing. He smells more heavily of canine but not like a fox, more like the big wolves we clashed with in Mori no Kuni. The wild of the forest, but it's mixed with…pheromones."

Knowing what pheromones were to animals this intrigued the shinobi. "What are the pheromones making your instincts say?"

"Alpha," he replied, entire body going tense. "Not just any alpha, he's a fledgling apex." Eyes widened behind the expressionless dog visage on the mask. "Yeah, this kid…whatever happened last night woke something dangerous in him. If we weren't a more intelligent breed I wouldn't be able to come anywhere close to this place once I smelled him. It'd be the equivalent of disturbing a sleeping dire bear."

Hearing the name of the creature they had encountered on a mission in Kumo only multiplied the unease the human felt for the whole situation. Still, he needed to check on the boy and so decided his next move. "Withdraw to the perimeter," he ordered. "Send Bull to me, I may need the muscle."

Once his primary tracker and messenger leaped from his shoulder to disappear into the branches to the right, Inu raised one hand, extending the index and middle finger while flaring his chakra. There was a pop of displaced air and smoke erupted next to him. It vanished seconds later to reveal an identical copy of the caster crouched in the exact same position. The copy was the one to drop to the ground, feet touching and making almost no sound at all just as a bulldog half Inu's height at the shoulder stepped out of the shadows. Neither said a word, simply sharing a nod between them before moving out into the clearing.

Bull kept some distance from the boy while Inu approached. The muscle of the ninken team moved to the other side of Naruto, crouched and ready to strike should the blonde make any sudden aggressive movements. Inu's clone nodded again, drawing the tanto strapped at his shoulder and holding it ready while the left hand reached out to place fingers against his target's neck. It didn't take long to find the pulsing of blood under the skin and a quick poke didn't stir or cause any twitching. He was alive, and he wasn't faking sleep to draw in an enemy.

The copy waved to his creator, who nodded and moved to join them. The rest of the pack stepped into visual range, facing their sides to clearing so they could turn to look either within for further orders or without in case of sudden threats arriving. Inu didn't hesitate once reaching his occasional charge's form, stooping low to pick him up and throw him over a shoulder before nodding to the clone and giving a sharp whistle as he turned to begin retracing his steps back to the village.

The dogs moved as the well-oiled team they had become, falling into the same arrow formation around their summoner. The clone was at his side in an instant, only dispelling once they reached the wall and his creator opened one of the hidden passages through the large barrier created specifically for departing and returning black operatives. Each of the pack received a scratch behind the ears and a promise of food when his shift ended before the summoning was dispelled, sending them back to the homeland of the Inu Summon Tribe and then the clone vanished in a puff of smoke identical to the one that had birthed it, sending its information back to the clone at their commander's side.

Said clone stiffened as the rush of knowledge surged into his consciousness and he turned to address the other men in the room. "Hokage-sama, Raikage-sama, I have a report. The pack followed the scent to a clearing far outside the village's walls. They found the remains of forest animals scattered around the area and a civilian well known among the populace was lying among them middle naked and unconscious. The animals appeared to have been killed for food, as their bodies were missing large chunks. The civilian is being brought to the hospital as we speak and should be arriving in a manner of minutes."

Hiruzen nodded. "And the beast?"

"There was no sign sir, and no trail of the scent leaving the area could be found."

"Very well, go find one of the nurses. Have them prepare one of the rooms next to this one to receive a patient. Then send word for Inoichi Yamanaka. His shift in the department has ended so he should be on his way home. He is to report here and examine the civilian's memories as soon as possible."

"Understood sir." The clone stepped out, offering a small bow to the village leaders before closing the door and moving to do as bid.

Keen ears of the veterans picked up the sound of movements in the next room minutes later. Muffled voices giving and acknowledging orders, feet against tile, equipment moving and finally the sound of another heart monitor declaring a new patient was being treated. Hiruzen looked to A. "I will meet Inoichi in the hallway and we will see what the civilian knows. Please wait here, one of the nurses will be coming through to offer some refreshments. Would you like something to read while you are waiting?"

The mountain of muscle and attitude shook his head and with a flick of his wrist an object was launched from the inside of his sleeve. Hiruzen tensed momentarily, but his eyes widened when the object was caught in the large hands of its owner and was revealed to be a book. A small book bound in an orange cover that the fire shadow knew very well.

"I don't get that many chances to read it at home," A explained with the smallest of smirks towards his counterpart. "Mabui's mother—" he nodded toward the girl still asleep in the bed "— is my secretary and isn't a fan of the series' author, so I try not to have it out around her lest I suffer the paperwork she would rain down on my head."

An identical copy of the book was drawn from Hiruzen's robe. "I see we might just get along when all this is done afterward A-dono," he said. "After all, we both seem to have great taste in literature." The two shared a chuckle, welcoming this small break in the tension that had hovered between them since first exchanging words this morning. Things were far from settled between them, but it seemed to be a step in the right direction at least. He returned the book to its special pouch and left the Raikage to his reading, closing the door as he stepped out.

Seeing the hallway was empty, he bowed his head and frowned. The forward point of his hat cast a shadow over his eyes but if any had seen him now they could tell by the shift in his stance that something was off. His shoulders squared, muscles tensed and fists clenched as he finally allowed the rage that bubbled in his heart a moment to flow freely…and then it was gone. Like a candle's flame it was snuffed out and the neutral expression returned as he turned and moved down the hallway. He stopped at the door to the next room where he could see the patient, and his eyes widened when he recognized the bed's occupant but that was his only physical reaction.

After ordering the nurse to send word once the Yamanaka patriarch had arrived he continued on his original path. Taking a stairwell to the next floor down he slipped out without a word and moved to the nearest vacant room. Pressing his ear to the door allowed him to hear the subtle movements inside and with his suspicions confirmed he wrenched it open, stepped inside and slammed it closed.

Within the room the nurse that had reported to the kage before was lying unconscious upon the bed and a figure had just spun from where he stood over it. The man bore no mask but was dressed in the clothing of an Anbu. Without the hood they all wore to cover their hair to obscure it his auburn hair was plain to see, and even though he had most definitely not been expecting this sudden turn of events there was no fear or surprise in the auburn eyes that stared back into Hiruzen's own nor did his facial expression change.

Hiruzen, on the other hand, was a study in cold fury. A haze of light blue chakra drifted off his skin and his clothes fluttered as if caught by a light breeze which should have been impossible given their was no open window in the room. "I see Danzo has once again neglected to follow orders when they are given," his voice as he spoke was almost nonchalant as he spoke. The man made no sound or gave any indication he was intending to respond, simply remaining on guard for any aggressive movement. However, he did not even see the kage move before he felt a vice clamping around his throat, another hand smacking the flat-tipped tanto out of his hand as he was lifted into the air.

"I allow your owner to operate in the shadows because such a thing is necessary if we are to avoid being stabbed in the back," his captor spoke in a seemingly calm manner. With dismissive ease his free hand moved again, plucking all weapon pouches from his prisoner. It then reached into the folds of his armor and withdrew holding a pair of glass vials containing a dark red liquid. "An evil I am loathe to acknowledge but truth is not always an easy pill to swallow."

Wrinkled fingers curled around their prize, and then an angry red and orange light danced from within the cracks between them. When they opened again, a blackened husk of melted glass covered in soot fell to the ground and bounced away across the tile. "I gave express bloody orders that the delegates from Kumo were to be left alone," the voice became a growl as he drew in the young man to glare directly into his eyes. In that moment, Hiruzen saw the first flicker of true fear as the light struggles he gave to his capture grew just slightly more intense. "And that old fool decided to disobey me yet again. Deliver this message to him for me Fu Yamanaka. Tell him these exact words. You have overstepped your bounds old friend. Tonight. Alone. We will discuss more then. Is that understood?"

The grip loosened just enough to allow the man to draw a much-needed, and appreciated, breath. It was not enough to allow him to speak. Nodding was the only option available to him and he did so. Hiruzen let his grip relax completely and Fu dropped to the floor in a heap, scrambling to his feet and without so much as a glance to his discarded gear he bolted to the window, threw it open, and jumped out into the sunlight.

Hiruzen watched him go before wiping the hand he had used to hold the operative against his robes and moving to check on the nurse still lying on the bed. A brief touch to her neck revealed that her pulse was even, she was simply unconscious after being used as a host for the Yamanaka technique, something he had seen often enough to diagnose. Knowing she would have no recollection of what had recently transpired he closed the window and stepped back out into the hallway from where he began his return to the floor above to check on the boy that had been like a grandson to him and was currently occupying the room next to the kunoichi from Kumogakure.

He recognized that shade of blonde hair immediately, but what was unfamiliar about it was the fact it had grown quite long. If the boy were standing he would suspected it would reach to the point between his shoulder blades in the middle of his upper back and it was now streaked with hints of red. Eyes the color of obsidian narrowed as that last point was recognized by his mind, red on Naruto in any form made him instantly suspect the beast inside of him. Next, they settled on the marks across his cheeks, making note of the fact they had grown broader and easier to identify, while any signs of baby fat had vanished from his features, leaving him with strong jaw and cheekbones.

The last thing he noticed was that his body was longer, meaning he had experienced some sort of extreme growth spurt. He would easily be considered the tallest in his class from now on. He left off any other observations for the moment to look up and examine the heart monitor. What he found left him concerned, the rate his heart was beating didn't seem right.

The doctor that had been going about his business when Hiruzen stepped in nodded when the point was made aloud. "I have gone over his medical charts Hokage-sama," he began. "Uzumaki has always possessed a higher heart rate than others his age, along with a metabolism that is high even for someone living a shinobi lifestyle. Now his heart is like a machine and we'll be needing to change his IV bag a lot sooner than we expected."

He handed over the clipboard for the leader's perusal while continuing his report. "We've taken a few samples of blood to the lab. Inu reported having found him around a few animal carcasses and he was covered in blood when brought in, so we want to make sure there aren't any diseases he may have caught. As things appear he is only suffering from a case of severe physical and chakra exhaustion. His IV has been laced with the usual chakra recovery supplements and nutrients so that will be taken care of with time and a little rest. Would you like to wake him?"

Hiruzen had nodded along with the man, eyes moving from the clipboard to Naruto and back again several times as he processed both the written and spoken words before handing it back and stepping over to the chair at the bed's side. "No, let him rest for now. Inform the Raikage in the next room where I am before returning to your duties." The doctor nodded and stepped through the door. Only then did the shadow in the corner move and Inu stepped out into view, kneeling next to his commander. "Go to the Inuzuka and Aburame Clans," he ordered. "Create a tracking team and return to where you found Naruto. Find any clues you can. I want answers."

The dog summoner nodded and left without a word, leaving Hiruzen alone save for the unconscious host of a malevolent being of pure chakra and the beeping of a heart monitor. With a sigh he pulled out his own orange book and began to read, hoping it would help him to relax since there was no smoking allowed in the hospital.

XXXXX—XXXXX

Naruto had grown accustomed to waking in strange places in his short time among the living. After being kicked from the orphanage he had taken shelter wherever he could, often times in the forest away from the disease and grime of back streets and such, and after deciding to become a shinobi he had taken to training his body beyond the point of exhaustion and collapsing where it finally gave out. After waking he would hunt down some form of food wherever he could find it and go right back to the grind, either that or playing pranks as a way to break up the monotony a little.

So, when he finally came to and found himself half submerged in a layer of dirty water over an even more soiled tile floor, his first thought was that he had done something similar again. Flickering lights in the walls cast a pale yellow glow on the hallway, contrasting against the shadows to create a truly hopeless sight.

Naruto ignored most of this for the throbbing in his head as he sat up with a groan and pinched the bridge of his nose. "A sewer?" he questioned aloud but shook his head after sniffing the air. "No, it doesn't smell like one and there's no lights down in Konoha's anyway." He couldn't see any windows and all he smelled was damp earth and mildew…maybe hearing could give him a clue. Let his eyes close he focused on his ears, trying to find any sound beyond the dripping of water. It took time, but eventually he was able to discern a low sound like moving air through a confined space above his head. Opening his eyes to investigate he found two pipes bolted into the wall.

However, unlike the rusted pipes he expected of such an area…these were made of what appeared to be glass. And through that glass he was able to see two different energies rushing along their length, setting them with such an eye-catching glow he couldn't believe he had missed them until just now.

The thinner of the two glowed blue a few shades lighter than his own eyes and moved like the wind through its transparent prison. In the seconds he watched it, Naruto could also see a few bands of heavier purple moving among the lighter strands. In contrast to its partner, the larger contained a thick red miasma that moved like slow flowing water.

A glance to the left wall showed a mirror pair of pipes. However, while the contents of the right side flowed away from where Naruto still sat on the waterlogged floor…the left side moved toward and beyond him. Curious he stood to examine them closer…but something seemed strange. He raised a hand to shake off the water droplets he expected to be there after just leaving the water only to find it completely dry. There was not even a lingering coolness from the recent contact with the liquid.

"That's odd." He could still feel the water pooling around his ankles and lifted one foot from the water. No droplets left his sandals to rejoin the water, once again it was as if they had never touched each other. "Really odd."

He let the foot drop and began examining the walls again, looking for any sign of direction. He found none. There were no lines on the floor like in the hospital to make it easier to find different sections, no signs hanging on the walls or from the ceiling pointing where a certain place could be found. Nothing but a hallway that was eventually swallowed by the darkness in front of and behind him that he couldn't pierce no matter how far he tried to look or long he watched either direction.

A sudden sound from behind made the student turn, crouching low to the ground to limit his silhouette and looking for danger. It came from deep in the darkness beyond him, bouncing off the stone walls in an echo that shook the ground, a deep, rumbling growl that burrowed through the reason and thought of the blonde and triggered animal instincts he wasn't even aware of having before this very moment.

"Come," the growl transitioned into that one word, a command he found his body moving to obey even before his mind could recognize it. Finding himself standing he ground his teeth and halted himself from taking another step. "I am tired boy," the voices source seemed to have sensed his hesitation. "Come here so I can at least keep you from getting yourself killed when you wake up and then I can finally rest."

Instead of following the directions of this strange voice Naruto made to turn and run the other direction, put as much distance between them as he could, only to run face first into a wall that had sprung up without sound or any other indication of its moving. "I do not have much control here beyond my position, but I have enough to get the point across," the voice called again. "Now. Come! HERE!"

The world jerked, and Naruto stumbled. He reached out to steady himself on the new wall but found it gone. In fact, the entire hallway was gone. Righting himself he looked up, seeing a doorway set into a far wall with a hall similar to where he had just been leading further away, but he was now in a wide open space…and he could hear what appeared to be the breathing of some massive creature not far behind him. Not seeing any choice now, he turned fully to face whatever lay in waiting.

What his eyes found was a pair of barred doors like those befitting a prison cell, but much taller than any he'd ever seen. So tall that he found himself wondering if the Hokage Monument could have been moved through there if someone had managed to find a way to do so. Behind these doors a black void stretched, blacker than night on a new moon and he was unable to pick out anything…until he looked farther up.

Burning like the coals of a fire were two massive eyes, each taller and longer than his height and boasting narrows slits for pupils. A new glow began to appear soon after he noticed the eyes, spreading in a mixture of crimson and burning white to reveal a mouth of sharp teeth in a grin that chilled the human's blood as he watched them come into view.

"Finally," the beast growled, shifting to lay down on crossed paws Naruto was only just seeing as the soft red light began to travel out from its facial features and revealing more of its body. Movement far beyond the creature caught his eyes and they widened to the size of dinner plates upon finding himself staring at nine impossibly long tails writhing like snakes to disappear further into the darkness. "Pay attention boy."

Once again, the two locked gazes as what he now realized was a massive fox continued to speak. "Yes, before you start going into a panic attack I am what you humans have taken to calling the Kyubi. I am sealed inside of you on the night of your birth and if you want I'll explain more of that stuff later. I don't want to spend much more time awake because I have spent the equivalent of decades ensuring our survival not to mention making sure your body didn't break down last night."

The Kyubi was forced to pause when the irresistible urge to yawn overtook him, stretching his mouth wide and showing off a view Naruto would forever claim to have been happy to never see again. "Ugh, it seems I am more tired than I even realized. Alright…I think I have a way to make this easier for both of us. I am going to put you into a deep sleep for twelve hours. That time will allow both me and your body the rest we need to recuperate after the ordeal. When you wake again, you will most likely be in the hospital as I felt your body being moved earlier. Once you get some sense of bearings you are to find that grandfather Hokage of yours if he isn't in the room with you. Explain to him that you met me, and that I am willing to allow a member of the clan of mindwalkers to bring him in here so that I might explain. It's too complicated to pass on through you and if we give him the wrong impression it just might lead to your memories being sealed and my own bonds increased to even worse levels."

"WAIT!" Naruto waved both hands in front of his face before pinching the bridge of his nose. "Hold on a second please. This is…what the hell is going on?"

"I told you I don't have the energy to go into a full discussion about this," the fox growled in obvious irritation. "Chakra wise I may not be having difficulty, but my concentration is shot from the work I put into your body." Closing his eyes, the fox gave one last parting comment. "I have established a mental link between us meaning I'll be able to speak to you without dragging you in here. Just in case you're as daft as your memories leave me believing you to be that will allow me to reiterate the points I made earlier. Now go to sleep."

Quicker than Naruto could react one of those long tails shot out, enough of its length reaching just far enough to tap the blonde's forehead. There was a pulse of energy and a warmth against the flesh where contact was made, and then the mental representation of Naruto's consciousness vanished from the mindscape as his mind was forced into the deepest sleep he had ever experienced. The Kyubi was not long behind his host, closing his great red eyes and allowing himself to relax in the first time in years, it would be some time before either of them were fit to speak with anyone.

XXXXX—XXXXX

The sun was just beginning to set when Hiruzen finally left the hospital. The girl had woken some hours earlier and what she told both leaders had only served to pour oil onto the fire that raged behind the stoic expression he forced his features to outwardly show. Inoichi Yamanka had been present and with a quick scan using his clan's techniques showed there was no traces of illusions altering her perception of the events, which served to only further increase the unease the Sarutobi Patriarch had felt. His acting hadn't fooled A who had confronted him away from the room where Mabui, as he had learned the girl was named, was still resting.

"You know who did this." It was not a question, nor was it spoken in the same aggressive tone he had used earlier that morning. It seemed the way Hiruzen had acted in the face of such attitude had garnered some respect from the meathead.

Realizing such, Hiruzen saw no reason not to give him at least a certain level of honesty. "I do. I had thought their commander to be sensible about his decisions but doing something like this has left my confidence in him greatly shaken." He turned to look at a nearby window. "He was already on thin ice and now doing something like this…no matter." He shook his head. "I find myself needing to distract myself from the dramatic turn this day has thrown into my life. I remember seeing a particularly stubborn weed in my garden earlier, if you'll excuse me I would like to solve that little issue before it spreads even farther."

A had nodded. "Let me know if you need help taking care of the stray." With that last parting comment he let the elder go without asking any other questions, simply returning to the room where Mabui was going to be kept overnight. Using tricks of stealth learned from decades at his chosen profession, Hiruzen reached the training grounds specifically designed for use by the Hokage without any escort. The privacy barrier was raised, meaning his guest had been courteous enough to arrive before him. A quick handsign opened a hole in the shimmering dome which he stepped through and allowed to seal itself once again once on the other side.

His gaze immediately fell upon the man standing not far from his entry. Around the same height as himself when standing straight, he was in much worse physical appearance. One eye covered in bandages, slightly hunched shoulders and leaning on a cane with his one visible arm, Danzo Shimura was not the picture one might have envisioned if one were asked to imagine a spy master. But to the few who truly knew him, he was a dangerous man who played on misdirection and other such trickery to have just that very effect. Those who found themselves on the opposite end of any sort of battlefield were doomed should they underestimate him simply on appearances alone.

"You summoned me Hokage-sama," his voice was rasped, as if he did not speak often.

"Yes Danzo," Hiruzen clasped his hands behind his back and regarded his old teammate with a stern gaze. "Would you care to explain the reason behind committing treason?"

Instead of tensing or acting defensive like many would have expected from such a statement, the old councilor tilted his head to the side and frowned. "Treason?"

"What else would you call deliberately disobeying the orders of your commander?"

"Plausible deniability." No sooner had the words left the man's lips before he had to tilt his head to avoid being stabbed by the kunai flung by the Hokage. "I take it you do not agree."

"I realize the kinds of advantages we could gain from studying and obtaining that girl's clan techniques are a tempting prize…but I ordered you specifically that no actions were to be taken toward any members of the party from Kumogakure. The only reason I am not disposing of you and putting someone more capable of listening when given orders is because I do not have the time to bring them in on the shared secrets we have right now."

The frown Danzo had worn for most of his life deepened. "Something else happened didn't it?"

"I have already made it known I have no patience for playing coy old friend, it is in your best interest to stop doing so."

"Fine, what is it you plan to do about the werewolf?"

"We don't even know if that was a true werewolf or someone using some sort of transformation technique to stir up trouble. We already established with the few tribes left in existence that our territories are off limits which most likely we means we have a stray." He sighed. "You most likely have already begun to investigate so I am simply ordering you to keep me informed. If you find proof that it isn't a stray, if there is a rouge pack breaking the accords then you have permission to deal with it."

Hiruzen's eyes narrowed. "Deal with this covertly Danzo. Last thing we need is the daimyo finding out about such things. We've kept the leaders of countries in the dark for a reason." The bandage-wrapped man nodded and turned to leave when Danzo called out again. "Trying to steal the Sharingan in Kakashi's head, the Uchiha Massacre and don't think yourself so clever to think I don't know about what you've done to yourself."

The aura that fell upon the war hawk's shoulders made what A experienced seem like a summer breeze and it made the blood in its target's veins run cold as ice in the dead of winter. "You have officially tried the last of my patience with this recent insubordination and defiance Danzo. I only spare you now because of this incident's results and the history we share. Do not test me further."

The aura vanished like the flame of a candle before a strong gust of wind and Hiruzen dismissed the barrier with a flick of his hand. Without a word he vanished in a blast of flames, leaving his spy master alone to stare into the night, a single bead of sweat trickling from his brow to fall into the cloth of his dark robe to vanish as if never existing. Yet, despite being threatened Danzo couldn't help the slight smile as a sense of nostalgia settled over him. "How long has it been since you let that side of yourself out old friend?"

Receiving no answer from the world, the old shadow of Konohagakure vanished into the night as well. The hunt was on.

Hiruzen returned to the hospital where he found A once again standing vigil over his once again sleeping kunoichi. He had been joined by another dark-skinned man with a white mane of hair and lazy expression on his face. While not as bulky as his commander, he still sported a rather obvious muscle build in his crossed arms and the large cleaver-like blade attached to his back was obviously not for show. The shadows shared a nod before Hiruzen turned and left the room to step into Naruto's where he collapsed into a chair and rubbed his eyes.

Settling in for a long night, he waved his hand in yet another silent command to his watchers who moved into their positions in the area. They would stand guard, slowly being cycled out one by one when shift changes were required and keep anyone in the area safe should the need arise. Ready for the day to be over he let his eyes close and drifted off to sleep.

His dreams were fitful. Memories of the first time seeing the creatures his teacher later told him of, learning of the treaties signed with various tribes in order to keep the humans unaware and avoiding all out war between the different species. Worries that had plagued him on various times when he had to explain mysterious disappearances during missions to other countries where the treaties held no authority.

Suddenly, through the raging torrent of images a sound pierced with a harsh clarity. A high pitched tone at a steady whine…and realization tore him from slumber into alertness, because it was the sound of a heart monitor flatlining. Hoping he was wrong he wrenched his eyes open and found the child that was his grandson in all but blood sitting up in the bed where he was placed, in the middle of pulling the needle out of his arm.

Tossing it aside he rubbed the area he pulled it from and looked around, meeting Hiruzen's gaze and sending a new kind of dread through his future commander's soul. This dread was sparked from the fact that Naruto's eyes had changed. What had once been the deep blue that reminded him of the ocean and the eyes of his former successor and predecessor rolled into one, had become a deep amber that almost seemed to glow in the dim lighting of the room. Catching the light was a faint ring of crimson around the edges of the iris and framing pupils that had become even narrower than before. These features combined with the boldness his whisker marks had gained as well as his longer mane of golden hair highlighted in occasional streaks of red formed an ensemble Hiruzen couldn't help but think for a moment would make for quite the intimidating sight when he grew older. But for now, the only thought he could focus on was unintentionally transferred to his lips without his mind able to filter it thanks to the sudden jolt to his senses.

"Well…I guess I found our stray."

XXXXX – And Cut – XXXXX

Well what'd you guys think?

Feel free to speculate and review to your hearts content, my ego is fragile, and I require boosting from you. Flames will be ignored, constructive criticism will be met with eager discussion.

Now then, Naruto is twelve. I'm going to be addressing adult themes in this as is made kinda obvious by the fact I've got Naruto being part incubus, which means seduction is going to happen. For this reason the setting is that Naruto is twelve, his first attempt at the academy's first year happened when he was ten and he repeated second year at age eleven and this will be his third attempt.

Naruto has four years to train and grow used to his abilities at which point he will be turning sixteen.

I saw at least one reviewer named C'Riverblade ask about his age and I figure where one actually brings it up there are others wondering what is going on. With that being the case I figured it would be a good idea to go ahead and address that here.

For those hoping for a skip to graduation I am going to have at least one or two more chapters addressing his growth and how this will change the world of Naruto. Gotta do some world building if I want this to make sense.

Also, Kamen Rider and I have some plans pairing wise, but I won't say or confirm names for both spoiler reasons and because I want to hear from y'all about suggestions. They can be older or same age just give me a name and a legitimate reason to bring them in and I'll be willing to consider them.

That's all I've got for now, hope you enjoyed and see you next time. This is Yurei King signing out.