Naruto had kept it to himself, but since the fight with Haku and Zabuza, Naruto had been having regular conversations with Kyuubi. Somehow it seems that the outburst he showed in the Land of Waves unlocked a way of speaking to the Nine-Tailed whenever he felt like it. Still he wouldn't have known about it if the Kyuubi hadn't "contacted" him first. At first Naruto only tried to overlook it and shush it down, but the clever fox had often tricked him into speaking anyways.

Tonight was one of the nights when the Kyuubi spoke to him again. It had become such a regular thing by now that Naruto, though he would never admit it, almost respected it.

So, boy, have you thought of my words?

"What am I still lying around for, really?"

A thump noise was heard from the room in which Jiraya should be sleeping. Clearly he wasn't sleeping yet.

That's why. Are you sure you've got it all planned out?

"Yeah, I've got everything sealed up in storage scrolls that are hidden with henge as a branch of a tree. Unless anyone goes around checking every tree in that forest it should still be there."

Good, but are you mentally prepared? I can feel hesitation coming from you

"….If you know that much you should also know that I've waited for this chance throughout the last year. The only thing keeping me back was that Ero-Sennin, always watching me. Also I was pretty sure he had something to tell me, but I've already guessed most of it now."

Yes, that old fool is still persistent about saying nothing about your past. Holding you back by making you walk around pointlessly. As soon as you get out of here I will show what could have been done in all that wasted time.

"I'm sure you will and that's why I'm leaving. Just don't believe that you will be set free at first occasion."

With a half-angry growl Kyuubi went silent.

The night embraced Naruto with a beautiful stream of moonlight through his window. Ero-sennin should be sleeping by now.

Naruto got out of the room just to meet Jiraya's angry face.

"This isn't a time for young growing ninjas to stay up! Get back to bed!"

"Doryuu Taiga (Earth Flow River)" The ground under Jiraya's feet started to sink and become mud, the surprised Sannin just barely got away by jumping up into the air.

Naruto scowled at Jiraya "A convenient technique, right? Wonder why you never thought me things like this… Well, let me show you a jutsu more familiar to you!"

While speaking he had formed the seal for Kage Bunshin. In mid-air behind Jiraya appeared two clones, forming the twirling blue ball that had been passed from student to teacher and back to another student. Jiraya was not prepared for any of this, but his exceptional skills as a ninja didn't fail him. With a low level Fuuton technique he had spun himself around in mid-air and been able to grab the clone. Just as Jiraya's feet touched ground again he swung the clone back at the first Naruto. The seemingly original just smiled as it went up in smoke.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I said you'd need that technique didn't I?

Naruto just listened to the Kyuubi's ranting about the only technique he had ever showed Naruto. From this day on it would become much more need for learning more like it. Seeing as he now could call himself a real missing nin.

The forest gave out a cold breeze and the further in Naruto got the darker and more overgrowing the forest became. Here and there rays of moonlight shone through; all in all it balanced out as an okay escape route.

The ninja made his way towards the meeting place. Surely the trip would take all night long so he decided not to think that much of it. This because he knew that he'd get too agitated to keep a reasonable speed towards the target.

Naruto gasped as he passed the same tree for the fourth time. The thing that shocked him the most was that he'd actually thought he was going nowhere. He had even made a mark to satisfy his paranoia and when that mark showed up there was no doubt.

Genjutsu!

A voice came from literarily everywhere: "Finally you notice. Sure took some time"

Naruto grabbed a kunai "Who's there?!"

A hand grabbed Naruto's shoulder. In reaction the blonde twirled around trying to slash up whoever it was. Not to his surprise, but more to his irritation there was nobody there.

"Ahahaha, it seems you are really lost inside my little world" the voice taunted at Naruto.

If only that pervy sage had taught me anything useful for situations like this. Naruto bit his lip half in anger, half in a reaction to thinking of a way out.

A.N: Well I decided to try out making a short chappie at the same time. Tell me what you think of it. I can't really think of something to continue this with at the moment. I'm sure something'll pop up in my head. Well who do you think Naruto is going meet in the meeting place and where will it be. Try to guess who the assailant is (I think I know whom I'll use :P) and so on.

Well I'm done writing for today. Maybe reading some will get the wheels in my brain to turn again. I don't mind recommendations for things to read either.