Naruto…is an odd ninja, Kakashi had concluded. After all he was having a mid-life crisis before he was even out in the field. Something had happened; the most likely conclusion was that he had a mask for most of his life. Kakashi couldn't help but feel regret at not seeing something like this sooner, the pain he saw in Naruto's eyes were confusing and no less heart breaking, they were the eyes of someone who had seen a comrade die, someone who's seen a war. Kakashi had half a mind to ask him to introduce himself again or have a spar; the responses would be no doubt interesting.
However as Kakashi observed him, he could see the hesitance to train, the uncertainty when picking up a kunai, maybe Naruto was regretting becoming a ninja but it didn't make any sense. Kakashi was starting to get stressed when thinking about anything Naruto related. All his observations of Naruto that he scrounged up were intriguing but were like puzzle pieces from two completely different jigsaws. Naruto is still stubborn but just in the fact that he doesn't want to wear shoes. Sometimes he sees the old Naruto in his eyes when he's happy or at peace. The first time we went to see the Hokage as a team he smiled a genuine one, and then he proceeded to say hokage-sama instead of jiji. It was the most mixed display he got, everyone seems confused about him, Kakashi had had to relay everything he noticed to the Hokage.
He drew out a long sigh as he sat on the tree watching his genin wait for him. All Naruto did was lay around even more than Shikamaru Nara, nor does he even consider working with his teammates being more quiet than Sasuke during d-ranks.
'Right today I'm going to have to push the team work" sighing again Kakashi hopped down to his genin.
"Yo" Kakashi said, appearing with a poof of smoke. Naruto got up from cloud watching and dusted off, only to look up at Kakashi and see a gleam in his eyes. That made Naruto pause as he could easily tell something was up. Naruto narrowed his eye's at Kakashi who just smiled.
"Teamwork is important, so to build our teamwork you are to bare truths while I ask some questions about each of you. Then I will have you tell your weaknesses and strengths for your teammates to determine what you should work on. To work as a team we need to know what everyone is good and bad at so you can incorporate it in missions. Trust your comrades with your information"
Naruto stilled, of course he would want to test him now that he's so drastically changed, Naruto smiled, he would work with this team when he needed to but they are still young and naïve, no matter how much of an ass Sasuke was when older he was better than this arrogant kid. This could work in his favour though…
Sasuke and Sakura could all but look on in confusion at the exchanges between their sensei and teammate.
"So first off, what was your purpose in becoming a ninja?" Kakashi eye-smiled at them, "Sakura?"
Sakura looked confused, she wanted to go where Sasuke went of course but.. why? Sakura was shaken, she had no idea what to do.
"I-I don't…I-" Kakashi interrupted her, "Sakura people become ninja's for a purpose of their own, one that means something deeply to them. It is best that you find what you're fighting for instead of what you're eyeing" Kakashi was completely serious and Naruto couldn't agree more, "Being a ninja is a dangerous path, looking good on the field will only get you and your teammates killed" Kakashi knew he hit something so he continued on to the next genin.
"Sasuke, why are you a ninja?" "To gain power" was the immediate reply, Kakashi nearly sighed again at this; Sasuke would be a tough one while Sakura just needed a little push Sasuke might need a knock to the head.
Naruto decided to intervene, "Power isn't everything, it can't fill the whole in your heart nor can it distract you for very long from the original hurt, it'll only make it worse in the end when you have the abilities but not the dream" Sasuke just looked over at Naruto with a frown.
"What would you know dobe" he spat but immediately stiffened when Naruto looked up from the ground he was glaring at, Naruto's pain filled gaze settled on him.
"What would I know…" he paused while slowly turning his body, "I know that in a world full of hate, when one takes a clouded vision of vengeance, he is only going to spawn more hate, it is an unstoppable cycle of hate, pain, vengeance. No peace can be attained." Sasuke was about to retort coldly when Naruto interrupted.
"Kakashi- sensei, I wish to tell them, tell them of the S-class secret" Kakashi was shocked, he wanted to tell them? Kakashi only nodded slightly in response, it was Naruto's secret to tell after all.
"What secret?" Sakura said confused while Sasuke leaned forward interested now.
"The Kyuubi, he couldn't be killed then and there, he is too powerful as a body of chakra so instead he had to be sealed" Naruto looked down to use his hair to shadow his eye's.
"The history is a lie to anyone who doesn't know the truth, the kyuubi was sealed into a child that had to be born that day, because only they could get used to the immense chakra. The child chosen was me"
Kakashi watched as Sakura and Sasuke recoiled, Sasuke looked incredulous at first but saw Kakashi shake his head at them before they could accuse.
"When the kyuubi attacked it had a reason, some shinobi had hurt it, and in turn for vengeance the kyuubi hurt the village. People had family and friends who died in the attack they also wanted vengeance. Hate is a powerful but useless thing, because of hate I have suffered, I am not the kyuubi, I am the cage but they can't see that. Sasuke, mobs attack me, shop keepers sell me overpriced junk, people glare at me in the streets and tell their children to stay away"
Kakashi sighed and shook his head again, the villagers are very naïve, and he hoped Naruto could get through to Sasuke better than him.
"In the end I could hate this village, I have more right to hate it than anyone else but it won't get me anywhere to destroy it over something I couldn't control, it won't fill the hole in my heart"
Sasuke was dumbstruck, 'no wonder Naruto is alone', so he decided to ask one simple question that Naruto was waiting for.
"How come..how come you don't hate the village?" Naruto smiled.
"Oh I sometimes do even when you can see the good in everything you can hate but.. just one tidbit of information about the Kyuubi attack was all I needed to stop. I suggest you too find some information Sasuke" Kakashi was surprised, Naruto knew much more than he let on, he hinted that there was more to the massacre and that something about the kyuubi attack stopped him from hating.
Naruto of course was lying about the tidbit, he never hated the village, he was a little hurt at first but never could he hate his home, the tidbit of information was a cover-up. If push comes to shove he could admit that he knows who his father was and that he understands why he put the kyuubi inside him. Naruto was also hurt the first time he met his father, the exact same one that sealed the kyuubi into him, but Naruto could never hate.
"Are you saying there's more to the massacre!?" Sasuke looked offended. Naruto didn't answer instead he looked at Kakashi. Kakashi sighed and scratched his head.
"We should move on I guess, Sakura… truthfully tell me what your strengths and weaknesses are"
"Umm, I'm a-average at shuriken throwing and good at genjutsu, I barely know any jutsu but I understand a lot of the theory" Kakashi nodded before walking over to a tree.
"Sakura climb this tree with only chakra under your feet; like this" Kakashi showed her what he meant before letting her try. She managed to nearly climb to the top, confirming Kakashi's thoughts.
"Sakura I'm going to give you a training regime for your body and I have something in mind for your profession, with control like that you could be a great medic" Sakura beamed down at them, she was extremely happy for some reason to have done something for herself.
Kakashi turned to Sasuke and observed him for a second before he asked for his own strengths and weaknesses.
"I am well practised in taijutsu and ninjustu and as soon as I get my sharingan I can improve on genjutsu. I am adept at the standard weapon throwing" Sasuke shrugged, he was interested in what Kakashi would have in store for him. Kakashi tilted his head in thought.
"Show me your katas in taijutsu" Naruto wondered where this was going, it seemed Kakashi had something in mind for us last time after all, Naruto was concerned at what the jonin had in store for him. He hoped he wouldn't have to reveal any more things today.
Kakashi watched Sasuke's katas that are based mostly for the sharingan. He pulled out a sealing scroll and proceeded to summon a training katana.
"Sasuke this may interest you as it can fit your Uchiha style of taijutsu, most Uchiha used a weapon of some kind in their kata's" he handed over the katana to Sasuke who looked on in awe, not realising the chances before.
"I suggest you also learn some other taijutsu katas and types so that you can create your own style, like most do" He turned to Naruto then, who fought back a gulp.
Kakashi crouched in front of Naruto who looked suspiciously at him.
"Naruto I'm sure that you would like to learn something special, your mother she was an Uzumaki and the Uzumaki were proud of their sealing arts even if such formidable arts brought them down. I only think it right that you take on their legacy" Naruto looked surprised at that, Kakashi thought he could take after his mother?
No one had ever said that to him before, Jiraiya had never said something like this either, he just taught him some of the basics.
"My mother?" Naruto couldn't help the small tear that came to his eye. Kakashi eye-smiled,
"Sure, she was a powerful kunoichi and very fierce, your father was formidable in the arts too but your mother was the most…creative" Naruto smiled at that, he never doubted that his mother was just as brash and tricky as he was, using sealing in the most creative ways for pranks most likely.
"Kaa-san was a prankster?" Kakashi chuckled, "She definitely was, caught your dad a few times" Kakashi scratched his neck, he never thought Naruto would figure out the reasons his mother used the arts, but maybe it would help lighten Naruto's mood to let him prank.
"Naruto I'm sure she had her sealing arts and books somewhere, I can ask Hokage-sama if you want." Naruto was shocked; he never thought that his parents stuff could still be around somewhere.
"Yes, thank you Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto said as he involuntarily hugged the jonin around the waist. Kakashi smiled and patted Naruto's hair, which he noted was quite soft,
"Alright Naruto I'll get back to you, but first" Naruto looked up at him confused.
"Strengths and weaknesses" Naruto scratched the back of his head at this.
"Eheh, ummm I'm okay at taijutsu because I have the power behind it and my stamina is great, my genjutsu is terrible also my jutsu arsenal could need expanding and my weapon throwing is okay I guess…" he trailed off, it was basically the truth, he just had other special abilities that didn't need much mentioning.
"Well then, try the tree walking exercise first to get more control of your immense chakra and then practise a couple of different types of taijutsu that might suit, I'd say..an unpredictable one would fit" Naruto laughed at that, unpredictable was correct. Kakashi smiled and pulled out a chakra paper.
"Channel chakra into this" he said as waved over the other two to give them a piece too.
Naruto knew what his was but he indulged anyway. Sasuke easily got fire and lightning while Sakura got earth. Naruto's split in half and then half again which surprised Kakashi.
"Naruto you've got a very strong wind affinity, anyway stick to your training regimes and meet here tomorrow" Naruto called to Kakashi before he left with the others.
"Kakashi-sensei can you tell me more about Kaa-san?" he asked nervously, everyone else before avoided the question and he only got what she was like from meeting her in his mind space.
"Of course Naruto, come on let's get food"
"Your mother's name was Uzumaki Kushina and was known as the Red Hot Habanero for how fierce she was and for her long red hair" Kakashi smiled at the awed look on Naruto's face that he tried to hide.
"She came from Uzishiogakure for the academy, she had quite the personality, very brash but fearless, she was eccentric and stubborn; much like you" Kakashi said endearingly as he looked at Naruto's bare feet, Naruto blushed at that.
"She grew up a bit like you to, she was foreign and was a jinchuuriki of the nine-tails before you" he said seriously causing Naruto to pause at that, Kakashi was doing something again, he could tell from the gleam.
"She hid most of her nervousness behind a mask and the trait tick of 'dattebane'" Kakashi looked at him at that. Naruto could see that he was trying to figure out his sudden change.
'Mask huh?' Naruto smiled giving no confirmation at the use of a mask. Kakashi sighed and proceeded on as Naruto ate some dango.
"Your mother had a special ninjustu type that I wonder if was passed to you, it was a type of moulded chakra that formed chains so formidable they could hold down a kyuubi if one wanted to, she could create very strong barriers with them" Naruto was very interested, he hadn't got much of his mother's jutsu or techniques but he had never tried moulding the chains.
"I will have to try to learn that sensei" Naruto smiled. Kakashi paused, he needed some answers as it was grating on him. If he didn't get any he might end up a zombie by the end of the week with no sleep.
"Naruto, why did you become a ninja? I forgot to ask before" The answer was an easy one for Naruto.
"To protect my precious people, sensei" he answered quickly. Kakashi nodded at the humble and slightly mature purpose.
"But Naruto, are you having trouble with becoming a ninja? Are you sure you can handle picking up a kunai?" Naruto paused. 'ah' he didn't want to go back to being proficient at killing so soon, he wanted to be at peace for a little while. Wars can be taxing; this answer will need to be a half truth.
"Ahh Kakashi-sensei" Naruto said awkwardly as he scratched the back of his neck. "I don't want to, kill, to save my comrades, I would but I don't want to fall, to needlessly kill" Naruto said, slightly downtrodden, Kakashi regretted asking but he had wanted to know. It seems he has cheer-up duty.
"Naruto, killing is a part of shinobi life but I can agree there are times where you don't have to kill, instead you can capture or just injure or let someone else deal with them even if it doesn't feel right leaving it to someone else." Kakashi paused in thought as it clearly wouldn't be enough.
"How about this;" Naruto looked up at him in interest, "I promise that so long as I'm around, I will stop you from needlessly killing, if it happens i'll help you stop and I'll put you back on track, because I will be by your side and I won't let you fall, okay?"
Naruto had tears in his eyes by the end of it and quickly nodded before hugging him again tightly. Patting Naruto's head Kakashi could see the love for his comrades from Minato and the hesitancy to kill from Kushina, Kakashi was glad he had these traits because as Naruto had said before he had every right to hate the village.
"Your mother didn't like to kill either, when she had to she mourned after her mission, she wrote her sorrow's in a journal or talked to her best friend and stood at the memorial stone, she was a very compassionate person" Naruto looked interested, his mother had a journal?
"Who was her best friend sensei?"
"She was best friends with Mikoto Uchiha; she very much hoped you'd be best friends with Sasuke you know?" Naruto chuckled at that.
"I don't know if he's my friend or rival sensei" Kakashi just smiled and patted his hair, both annoying Naruto and making him miss the feeling.
"Alright Naruto go home and rest up and I'll go do some errands, see you tomorrow"
"Thanks Kakashi-sensei" Naruto called as he ran off, leaving the bill to Kakashi.
I am very much loving this story, i really wanted to get the improvements of Sasuke and Sakura out of the way so they can be useful later. So sorry about that.
Thanks for the many fav's and follows its amazing :3. Later~