Evolving Bonds

by pain17ification

During Naruto and Jiraiya's trip, they make one last stop to the city of Altomare! There, Naruto discovers a species the Elemental Nations have never even heard of and bonds with a certain red eon! See what happens when she decides to go to the Elemental Nations with him and what surprises lay in wait for Naruto upon his return! Pokémon aren't the only things that evolve, y'know!

3. Chapter 3: The Return

Hello FanFiction! This is pain17ification with the next issue of "Evolving Bonds"! I hope you all enjoy the chapter!

Please Note: I had a poll placed up concerning Naruto's elemental affinity, and the end result for it was Storm Release! So, Naruto will have Water Release, Lightning Release, and Storm Release chakra!

Another Note: This story only goes as far as the Sinnoh Generation in terms of Pokémon breeds/species!

Disclaimer (aka: pain in the ass): pain17ification doesn't own anything except for the story idea

"Speech"

'Thoughts'

Techniques

Bijuu

Radio/TV

"Telepathic"

[Scene Shift]

Chapter 3: Revelations, Discovery, and Return

Leaning against the railing of the ship's main deck was a certain redheaded Jinchuriki, staring across the ocean and towards the horizon with a longing gaze. He was facing the direction of the distancing city of Altomare, the city where he met his two Pokémon companions, his new friends, and felt a sense of acceptance and belonging. His first partner, Yurei the Haunter, floated beside him while Gojira, the Larvitar and his second partner, carefully sat on the railing.

Naruto sighed as he stood in silence. He already missed his new friends and he honestly was having mixed feelings about returning home. He knew he had a duty and responsibility to the Leaf, but was it so bad to have a selfish desire every now and then; especially one for his own happiness?

He was brought out of his internal questioning when Jiraiya approached him from behind and stood next to him. He turned around so that his back was leaning against the railing as he crossed his arms and closed his eyes. There was brief silence before the elder of the two spoke.

"It's not easy is it; leaving a place like that?"

The Uzumaki shook his head as he kept leaning forward on the railing. "No… It's not." He turned to his teacher and asked, "How did you know about that place anyway? You have a Pokémon too, so you had to have been there before."

The man chuckled as he remembered his first time in that part of the world. "Oh, I've been to many parts of that side of the world during my travels. I've met many intelligent people who refer to themselves as Professors of the Pokémon species, seen many different breeds of Pokémon, and even participated in a battle or two. I met Gama when he was just a Poliwag; the lowest form of his breed."

"How come you never told anyone?"

The Sage expected this question and answered, "I didn't want to have hundreds of ninja interfering with the lives of the people in that part of the world. We would have ruined their peaceful way of life. However, I do plan to introduce the Pokémon to our part of the world; or at least our village for now."

"How do you plan to do that?"

"I've got a plan," he replied cryptically, making the redhead raise a brow suspiciously.

"Whatever you say," he said. "Anyway, there's something else I wanted to ask you."

"Shoot," replied the man with a small smile.

After a slight pause, Naruto queried, "Who was my mother?" Jiraiya's smile was quickly wiped off and turned into a look of seriousness. "The fox mentioned her during the whole debacle in Altomare and told me that she was his previous Jinchuriki while Mito Uzumaki was his first. Who was she, Jiraiya?"

The man sighed at this, knowing the younger shinobi was serious about this due to the use of his name instead of the nickname he's usually called by. "Your mother…was named Kushina Uzumaki, and she was a member of the Uzumaki Clan that hailed from the Whirlpool Village. She was sent to the Leaf before her village – and her entire homeland – was lost during the Second Great War. She was also the wife of one of the Leaf's greatest shinobi."

Naruto was already reeling about the information about having a clan and losing both it and their home. "Who was my father? You talk about him like you were close to him."

At this, Jiraiya gave a sad smile as he answered, "Of course I did. He was my student after all…"

"But wasn't your…student…?" began Naruto before he stopped and had his eyes go wide in realization. His gaze jerked to meet Jiraiya's, and the man nodded in confirmation. "M-My father was the-?"

"Yep… Your old man was my student Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage."

"But… But why did he… Why did he seal the fox into me?!" exclaimed Naruto in shock and slight hysterics. It was understandable to the Toad Sage. The young man had grown up in a negative environment with no idea who his parents were, and finding out that one of them was partially responsible for the life he lived…

Well, he understood how the Uzumaki could be slightly hysterical.

"Minato sealed the fox into you because he couldn't ask anyone else to give up their child; not to mention the fact that the only living beings that could withstand the sealing of Kyuubi were the Uzumaki. Their chakra was unique enough to hold it without much issue. He was out of options and he didn't have time to search for another solution when the fox was still destroying the village."

Naruto shook his head in despair as his Pokémon watched on with worry. His hands gripped the sides of his head as he tried to process all of what was told to him. "My father… He sealed the fox and…and left me alone…" He then turned to Jiraiya with a fierce glare and asked, "What about my mother? Did she die or just leave me?"

"No! Your mother didn't leave you, and you should feel ashamed for ever thinking that!" growled out the man, making Naruto instinctively back up. "Your parents loved you, and they would never do this unless there was no other choice!" He took a breath to calm down and continued, "Yes, you lived a harsh life as a Jinchuriki, but your parents trusted you with the fox and left their Will of Fire to you. They believed in you Naruto and they loved you very much."

Naruto just stood there as tears fell from his eyes and he tried to hold them back with his sleeve to his eyes. His shoulders shook with his sobs before he felt three hands grab him in hopes of consoling him. He moved his sleeve from his eyes and saw Jiraiya grabbing his left shoulder, Yurei grabbing his right shoulder, and Gojira placing her small appendage on his leg and looking up at him in concern.

He couldn't stop the smile from forming on his face as he wiped away the rest of his tears and nodded to them all in thanks, making them smile at him. He then turned to Jiraiya and asked, "You really think I could live up to their expectations, Pervy Sage?"

The man rolled his eyes at the nickname and nodded. "Of course I do. It's one of the reasons I chose you as my apprentice, as well as the fact that you're my godson. Before we continue though, I need you to know that I'm so sorry for not coming back to the village to help you sooner. I had other responsibilities, but that's not much of an excuse of years of not seeing or helping you. I promise that I will do everything I can to make it up to you, Naruto."

Surprisingly, the redhead shook his head with a small smile. "You already did make it up to me. You've practically taught me everything I know, treated me like family from the beginning of this trip, told me the one thing I always wanted to know, and even brought me to the one place that I truly found something I enjoyed." His smile turned into a grin as he rubbed his head in embarrassment, making Jiraiya think of the many times Kushina did the same thing. "To be honest, you became the father figure in my life, and I'm grateful for that. So…thank you Jiraiya…for everything."

The man chuckled at that and clapped a hand on the young man's shoulder. "No problem, kiddo. I'm just glad I was able to do something for you after being away for so long." Naruto nodded and he continued, "Now, I think it's time we resumed your training in fuinjutsu. We'll work on the- What in the world are you gaping at?" he asked after seeing Naruto's jaw drop and his eyes bug out and look behind him. He turned to see what the fuss was before he too slowly gaped.

Approaching at high speed was a massive wave that seemed to be split down the middle. It was coming up fast and the man doubted the crew on the ship would be able to respond in time.

However, both shinobi felt a tug on their minds before they both heard a mental cry.

"NAAAAAAARUUUUUUTOOOOOO!"

Both men blinked in surprise at the familiar voice heard in their heads before a sudden sonic boom was heard and a white-red blur slammed into the redhead.

"OOF!" he grunted out as he fell on his back onto the deck with a certain Dragon Pokémon hugging the life out of him. Meanwhile, the wave created from her high speed flight continued its momentum before it crashed back down behind the ship and shot it forward a few miles until it slowed back down to its original speed.

"Thank Arceus I caught up to you!" happily exclaimed Latias as she continued to hug Naruto tightly.

Naruto couldn't help but chuckle at her actions as he hugged her back. "Not that I'm against it, but what are you doing here?"

She finally let him go as Jiraiya and Naruto's partners came up to them. "Brother told me that I should come with you and that he could watch over the city. He knew that I wanted to come, but I wasn't sure if I could leave him until he told me it was alright. So," she then transformed into the human form she had come up with before Naruto left with her arms open wide and a smile on her face, "here I am!"

Naruto grinned happily at her as Yurei and Gojira greeted her with pleased smiles. Jiraiya couldn't keep his own smirk down since he had a feeling that Latias would have a very positive influence on Naruto's emotional state.

It didn't hurt that he knew she had some slight interest in the Uzumaki that was stronger than just friendship.

He stepped up to them and said, "Well, we're glad to have you aboard, Latias. I'm sure you'll enjoy the Leaf Village and the people there."

Latias was about to agree wholeheartedly in her excitement before the viewing of Naruto's memories reentered her thoughts. Latios had shown just how the people of his village treated him, and it hurt seeing the loneliness and bitterness in the younger Naruto's face.

Still, she politely replied, "I'm sure I will too, Jiraiya-san."

"I'm glad you're here, Latias," Naruto added with his grin still in place, making her give off a faint blush. "I can't wait to introduce you to Grandma Tsunade and Shizune and everyone else."

"That's all well and good, kid," began Jiraiya, "but she needs some form of identity for our part of the world. Not to mention that we need to help her learn to speak vocally since speaking solely with her telepathy might draw unwanted attention to her. Sure, it could be a great boon in the future, but she needs to learn how to speak anyway."

"Okay, I get that. But how are we supposed to give her an identity?" asked the redhead.

The grin Jiraiya gave him made him raise a brow. "Why you are gonna name her, my apprentice! After all, you've given such fitting names to your Pokémon. Why not do the same with her?"

The Jinchuriki scratched his head thoughtfully as he looked to Latias, silently asking her if she was okay with it. When she smiled with an eager expression, he got his answer.

"I told you before, Naruto, that I'm very interested in what you would come up for me in terms of names. Don't you remember?"

He nodded at that. It was true that she said that when she first led him to the hidden garden of Altomare. Humming in though, he cupped his chin with his fingers and slowly paced the ship while the others waited patiently.

After some time, he asked the transformed dragon, "What was that item you and your brother protected?"

"The Soul Dew," she answered.

"Right… I think…I might have something. One other question though, Pervy Sage." When the man nodded, he continued, "I need to give her a last name too, right?" The Toad Sage nodded again, and the Uzumaki slowly had a grin form on his face. "Alright then; how about Akarei Alto? The first name gives reference to both her color and what she and Latios protected while her last name gives tribute to the city she lived in and watched over."

Jiraiya rolled the name off of his tongue quietly while Latias did the same before she smiled happily and hugged him once again. "I love it, Naruto!"

Naruto smiled in relief at that while Jiraiya and the other two Pokémon laughed lightly at the newly named Akarei's excitement. "Alright then!" he announced. "Welcome aboard once again, Akarei."

"Thank you. So, how long until we reach the nearest port?"

"The one we set off from was in The Land of Water near the Mist Village," Naruto answered. "It took us about a month of full sailing to reach Altomare and we only stayed for about a week."

"So, we can safely assume that it will take another full month," continued Jiraiya. "This should allow plenty of time to teach you how to speak at a decent level and also check on a few things."

"What do you mean?"

"What I'm saying is that we need to see just what kind of power Naruto here absorbed during the whole episode with those two thieves. He harnessed a very dark energy before he passed out and I need to see what exactly happened."

"Oh, I can answer that for you. He absorbed poképower, the energy we Pokémon use for our attacks and techniques. I already deduced that he has Dark poképower; however I'm unsure of the other one. He would have to call upon it to use it."

"And…how do I do that?" asked Naruto with a slight tilt of his head.

"I suggest you try and draw it out; just like with any other energy source from within. Feel for it and try to let it engulf you." The Sannin then turned to Akarei and asked, "I'm guessing his Dark power is associated with negative emotions such as anger or rage?"

"Not necessarily… It's instinctual for us Pokémon to draw on our poképower, but I've never seen a human call upon such abilities. So…it's possible that his powers may be associated with his emotions. Either that or they have merged with certain aspects of who Naruto is as a human being."

The man hummed in thought while Naruto sat cross legged and tried to search for his power. Akarei sat beside him and placed a delicate hand on his shoulder, letting her mind meld with his so that they both entered his seal; the representation of his mindscape.

The Kyuubi cracked one eye open from his rested position as soon as they entered and snorted. "Finally back, huh? And what do you know; the little dragoness is here as well…"

"Nice to see you too, fox," sarcastically replied Naruto. "We're here to figure out what the new pipes represent and how to draw out the power."

"I know that, whelp. I've been listening in from here and already took the liberty of trying to feel out the powers myself."

"And what did you find, Kyuubi-san?"

"You were correct in a sense when you said that the powers merged with certain aspects that make the brat who he is. However, exactly what aspects they connect with remains to be seen. My guess is that they've become associated with his blood and ancestry."

"Ancestry? Who could possibly have been my ancestor, fox?"

"The hell if I know, brat. You'll just have to figure it out yourself. I'll reign in my power so that it doesn't interfere; but it's only because these new powers you've obtained have tweaked my interest."

Akarei smiled and gave a slight bow in thanks while Naruto rolled his eyes. Stepping up to just beneath the pipelines, he raised his right hand and stretched it up to reach for the Dark pipe. It responded in kind to his reaching and released some power into his awaiting hand. He took it in and allowed it to flow freely through his body, not doing anything to hinder its path.

Strangely, the power seemed to focus towards his head and into his brain before it latched onto certain nerves. These nerves lead directly to his optical receptors and merged with them, resulting in sudden pain in the Uzumaki's eyes. He cried out in surprise and furiously rubbed at his pain filled eyes.

Akarei tried to help calm him down while the Kyuubi watched on with his eyes narrowing slightly. He suddenly perked up and turned his gaze to the pipes before he noticed the Dark pipe merge with his internal chakra pipe and darken the color from bright blue to a navy blue.

The young man's heavy breaths brought the fox's attention back towards his host, only to have his eyes widen in shock and slight anger at the familiar sight of the very eyes he despised so much.

Staring back at the Kyuubi was a pair of Sharingan eyes.

"Those eyes! Why do you of all people have THOSE eyes?! It shouldn't be possible! You're not a damned Uchiha, so WHY?!"

"Naruto," Akarei said in a hushed tone, "your eyes are red…and they have two strange black markings in each one."

"They what?" asked Naruto as he looked to his reflection in the water at his feet. He stared into his reflection's Sharingan eyes and gaped in shock. "H-How do I…? How did this happen?"

"I don't know. Maybe Jiraiya-san has an answer."

"Yea…maybe," agreed the Uzumaki in a still stunned tone. It was to be expected with the newest discovery.

"Both of you…GET OUT!" roared the fox, a blast of wind hitting the two as he did so. "I need to think on this!"

The two were suddenly ejected from Naruto's mind and the two opened their eyes to the sight of Jiraiya sitting in front of them with a small notebook out while Yurei and Gojira were leaned against the cabin of the ship sleeping. The man looked up from his notebook when he heard the two gasp awake before his eyes widened at the sight of his apprentice's newest features.

Groaning and holding his head, Naruto muttered, "Damn fox… He didn't have to blast us out like that."

"That was quite rude of him," agreed Akarei as she rubbed her own head. "Although, he did seem worried about your eyes if his yelling was anything to go by. Unfortunately though, we weren't able to see what your Dragon pipe gifted you with."

Jiraiya then spoke up. "So, his Dark poképower brought out a Sharingan? That shouldn't be possible unless he had Uchiha blood in his veins, and as far as I know, he has no such blood."

"The Kyuubi mentioned something about how the two poképower types became associated with aspects of his blood and ancestry. Couldn't it be possible that Naruto has an Uchiha ancestor?"

That question made the Toad Sage give pause and think for a few moments. "It…might be possible, but it's slim at best. We'll have to have Tsunade give you a blood test when we get back home, kid."

"Great," groaned the redhead sarcastically. "Not like I enjoy hospitals, let alone having my own blood taken out of my body."

"Ah, man up you whiner," teased Jiraiya with a dismissive wave of his hand, making his student glare at him while Akarei giggled behind her hand. "Now then, I believe it would be best if you kept your newest…gift a secret for now. The Leaf Elders won't hesitate to try and either use you for your eyes or try to take them from you." Naruto nodded, allowing the man to continue, "For the next month, we'll work on helping Akarei learn how to vocally communicate while you refine your fuinjutsu studies, train with your partners, and get used to your new eyes."

"Alright, but I think Akarei would be best to help me train with Yurei and Gojira. You can help me in sealing while I personally work with the Sharingan." He sighed and added in an afterthought, "I still can't believe I have them… I wonder why though…"

"We'll find out when we get back home. One last thing, kid." Naruto returned his attention to his teacher as he finished, "Have at least one clone work on your bloodline. So far you've only gotten the basics from what that Darui guy taught you."

Naruto nodded as I far off look appeared on his face. "Geez… How long has it been since we visited the Cloud Village, anyway?"

The man shrugged and answered, "About half a year. I'm still surprised that Ay was so willing to help us out. He's usually as stubborn as an ox."

Naruto gave an "oh well" gesture at that. "No sense questioning our good fortune. I mean, he only helped us after that Bee guy vouched for us; though I still wonder why he did. I'm just glad that Darui taught me the basics."

"Me too, kid."

[One Month Later (Hidden Mist Village)]

"Thanks again for lending us a ship, Boss Lady," thanked the redheaded Jinchuriki as the Fifth Mizukage saw him, Jiraiya, and Akarei off at the village gate.

Mei Terumi, the Mizukage, was a beautiful and young looking woman with a slender figure that had plenty of development; much to a certain pervert's delight. Next to her were her personal guards Ao and Chojuro.

With a small smile at the young man's exuberant nature and overall bright attitude, she replied, "Any time, Naruto-kun. It's the least I could do after you and Jiraiya-sama helped us finish off the Civil War. I just wish we knew where Yagura went."

"If we see him, we'll be sure to have his brought back to your village," assured the Toad Sage.

"I appreciate it. And I hope to hear more great things about you, Naruto-kun." She winked at him as she added, "You've got plenty of potential, and I have no doubt you'll be as famous as your teacher one day."

Naruto scratched his whiskered cheek in embarrassment while Jiraiya chuckled and Akarei smiled. "I'll do my best, just like I've done with everything else."

The trio then turned to leave and made their way down the path that led toward the Land of Fire. Along the way, Akarei and Naruto continued the transformed dragon's vocal lessons. She had made great headway during the month on the ship and was able to speak in small sentences, so now they were refining her speech so that she could hold more complex conversations.

Naruto would never forget what it was like hearing her voice speak his name for the first time. It was amazing and beautiful, like the wind hitting a wind chime at just the right angle. When he absently complimented her voice, the two had turned so red that Jiraiya laughed as he was reminded Kushina's blush as a young woman.

"So," began Akarei slowly and vocally, "do you think that Tsu…Tsuna…Tsunade?" Naruto nodded, making her smile a little brighter. "Do you think that Tsunade will let me join your nin…ninja forces?"

"I don't see why she wouldn't," answered the redhead. "Your PokéMoves are so much like jutsu that you can pass them off as such without much issue. Though, you may have to start off as a Genin if she does."

"I'd say that's about right," Jiraiya stated, adding his opinion to their talk. "You'd be put in the forces as a Genin, but you should be able to be promoted fairly quickly after a brief probationary period that allows us to see how beneficial you are."

"Well, she shouldn't have to worry then," exclaimed the younger male with a grin. "She's definitely helpful and she could pass off her Psychic powers as a bloodline."

"True, but that may backfire on her, kid. You remember what I told you about bloodlines in concerns to the village, right?" Naruto cringed, making the man give a slightly grim nod. "It might be best to label her power as a personal skill; much like you and I with the Rasengan and Kakashi with his Lightning Blade."

"Alright," Naruto agreed, not wanting to put his newest friend in a bad spot right away. "How much longer until we get home, anyway?"

"If we keep our current pace, we should be able to get home within the next week or so."

Naruto nodded while Akarei got an idea. "Which way?" she asked, making both males turn to her.

Jiraiya was the one who answered. "We need to keep heading west."

She nodded before she suddenly transformed into her natural form and instantly hid herself from sight with her down feathers. Using her Psychic power, she lifted both shinobi into the air and the three of them rose up into the sky just above the natural mists of the Land of Water.

"Brace yourselves," she warned before she – and by extension them – shot off at high speed to the west.

Both shinobi were amazed at the pure speed at which they were travelling, the land below passing by like a blur. Jiraiya turned to his apprentice only to give a small smile as he saw the redhead facing forward with his arms stretched out like wings and a bright grin on his face. He had a feeling that Akarei would be great for his emotional state, and he was proven right by the total calm and happiness that radiated off of the young Uzumaki.

'You should've always been this happy,' he solemnly thought as he let himself relax in the Psychic grip.

It was about an hour later when Jiraiya told her to stop and land in a nearby forest clearing about a mile away from the Leaf. Akarei resumed her human form while Naruto excitedly complimented and praised her ability to fly and how it felt to experience it. She was blushing up a storm at the constant compliments while Jiraiya merely chuckled at how his apprentice could be so excitable.

The trio resumed their walk to the village before the gates finally came into view. With a nostalgic tone, Jiraiya stated, "There it is; the Leaf's main gate."

"It's…quite large," commented Akarei as she looked upward to see the full height of the large wooden gates.

"If you're impressed by just the gate, wait 'til you see the Hokage Mountain," said Naruto with a small smile at seeing his home after so long. The three were currently walking down one of the villages main streets towards the Hokage Tower where they would see Tsunade, the Fifth Hokage and one of the Sannin like Jiraiya.

Akarei took in the atmosphere of the village with a joyful expression. It was nice seeing the many happy villagers and carefree children going about their daily lives while the occasional shinobi or kunoichi wearing the Leaf Headband would pass by her sight. However, she couldn't shake off the memories of Naruto's life that reminded her just how cold these people could be to one of their own.

Naruto took notice of her joyful mood sobering and asked, "Everything alright, Akarei-chan?"

She looked to him with confused eyes as she asked lowly, "How were you able to be so optimistic with how you lived?"

Seeing where she was going with her question, he gave her a reassuring smile and put a hand on her shoulder. She had the faintest of blushes at the warm feeling his touch left. "It was my dream of becoming Hokage and showing them that they were wrong about me that helped me get through some of it. But most of it was thanks to the people who accepted me."

She smiled at that, remembering the many people that supported the Uzumaki from his memories that Latios showed her. "That's good to hear, Naruto…"

"Hey you two," interjected Jiraiya, "we better hurry up. Tsunade isn't really known for her patience."

Both men shivered in memory of her famous strength from rage while Akarei tilted her head and blinked in confusion. Both of them shook off such thoughts and picked up their pace slightly while Akarei followed and resumed looking around at the village.

Unknown to them, a pinkette woman had been walking by and took notice of the familiar color of her old teammate as he walked down the street. With a smile, she quickly began to follow.

When the trio reached the Tower, they were allowed upstairs by the receptionist and they made their way to the Kage Office. After Jiraiya knocked, they heard a woman's voice giving them permission to enter before the Toad Sage opened the door and revealed Tsunade Senju seated at the Hokage Desk with her student/assistant Shizune Kato standing to the side with her pet pig, Tonton in her arms.

With a grin, Jiraiya greeted, "Hey there, hime! Miss me?"

"Jiraiya!" exclaimed Tsunade, surprised at his arrival since he wasn't expected for at least a week or so. And if he was here, then it meant that… "Nice to have you back, brat," she continued with a smile having taken notice of Naruto standing next to his teacher.

He looked so different in her eyes, and yet he also looked the same as ever. His bright red hair had grown longer and had become quite bushy over the years while his crystal blue eyes gave off the same warmth that they gave her years ago. Gone was the brat in that that horrid jumpsuit as well and, while still having some orange, a professional looking shinobi stood before her.

She then moved to the lone female of the group and she was surprised at how comfortable she seemed around the young Uzumaki. She was quite pretty with her white hair, amber eyes, and forehead marking. Her white, red, and black outfit just seemed to add to her cute appeal and she gave off a pleasant smile.

"And who might you be?" asked Tsunade.

"This is Akarei Alto, Granny," Naruto said with a smile. "We met her during our travels and her brother let her come with us back here to the Leaf!"

While quite annoyed at being referred to by that insufferable nickname that she had been given years before, she couldn't keep the small smile from forming on her face at Naruto's happy expression. "Well, you two have certainly been busy, haven't you? I hope that all that travelling didn't hinder his training, Jiraiya."

"You think we'd be back without any results? You wound me with you lack of faith in me, hime!" exclaimed the Toad Sage with an overdramatic expression of hurt on his face as he gripped his chest above his heart.

The Hokage rolled her eyes at that while Naruto picked up the conversation. "Akarei was hoping to join the Leaf's forces. I think she'd be a great addition and she could fill in the spot in Team 7."

The woman rested her chin on her interlaced fingers over her desk. "Do you now? And what makes you so sure of her, Naruto?"

Before Naruto could answer, his friend placed a hand on his shoulder with a silent message to let her talk. Relenting, he kept quiet while Akarei stepped forward. "I'm confident in my abilities to let me join your forces, Lady Tsunade. I believe I may surprise you with what I'm capable of."

Tsunade hummed in thought, absently noting how much of an effect the girl had on her surrogate brother with how she was able to calm him down. "Well, perhaps a test may be needed to allow you to show me just what you are capable of. I'll have it conjoined with the test I plan to give Naruto that will show me just what he's learned over the years."

Smiling, Akarei bowed slightly and said, "Thank you for the opportunity, Lady Tsunade."

"Don't thank me yet," warned the woman. "You still have to pass after all." She then turned to the Uzumaki and said, "Your test will be held tomorrow and-"

A knock on the door interrupted her and Sakura Haruno, Naruto's old teammate stepped inside the office. She smiled at the sight of Naruto as everyone turned to her before she ran up to him and hugged him. "I knew it was you I saw!"

While surprised, Naruto hugged her back lightly. "Long time no see, Sakura," he greeted.

While happy to see him again, the pinkette couldn't help but note the absence of the "chan" that her redheaded teammate had always added to her name before. She got a better look at her three-year-senior teammate and smiled. "You look so mature, Naruto. I can't believe you changed so much in just three years." She then gave a small blush and nervously asked, "Do you think I've matured too?"

He smiled politely and answered, "Yes, you have. You definitely look more confident in yourself, Sakura. It's good to see you again." He then gently grabbed Akarei's arm and pulled her closer to his teammate as he said, 'This is Akarei Alto. She's gonna take a test with me to see if she could become a kunoichi of the Leaf. Pervy Sage and I met her during our trip and she came with us."

Sakura took one good look at Akarei and instantly felt slightly jealous of how pretty she looked and how comfortable she was around her old teammate. Over the years, she had come to truly appreciate just how good of a friend and person was to her in the past and she resolved to give him a chance by accepting a date whenever he would ask. However, seeing Akarei and how happy Naruto looked standing next to her put a damper on that plan.

Still, she gave a polite smile and stuck out her hand. "Nice to meet you, Akarei-san. I'm Sakura Haruno, Naruto's old teammate."

The transformed dragon took the pinkette's hand and shook it with a kind smile. "It's nice to meet you too, Sakura-san. Naruto has told me about you during the trip here. I hope we can get along and become friends."

Sakura simply nodded with her smile just barely straining. Tsunade decided to get back to what she was saying and cleared her throat to get their attention. "Before I was interrupted, I was going to say that Sakura will be tested alongside you and Akarei, Naruto. You three will be tested as a single unit and your tester is currently outside."

Following where the woman jabbed her thumb, Naruto opened the window and saw a familiar man seated on the roof reading a just as familiar orange book. "So, Naruto…you went and got all grown up, huh?" greeted the man before he turned to the redhead and gave a lazy wave with his single exposed eye crinkling in a smiling manner.

Naruto smiled back and greeted, "Glad to see you too, Kakashi-sensei. It's been a long time."

The man stood up and Naruto stepped aside so that he could climb into the office. After greeting the Toad Sage (along with getting an early release of the man's latest work) and getting introduced to Akarei (with a smile at how close she and Naruto seemed to be), he stood behind the three people he would test while Tsunade gave the time and place.

"Tomorrow afternoon, Kakashi will test you three as a single unit at Team 7's old training field. He will not be holding back during this test so that all of your skills may be seen and graded, so don't restrict yourselves. Understood?" At their nods, she dismissed them, though Naruto and Akarei stayed. "Something you needed, brat?"

Naruto looked unsure of what to say and turned to Jiraiya, making the man sigh at what was to come. "The kid needs you to administer a blood test on him."

"What for?" asked the woman as Shizune looked worried for the redhead.

"Something…came up during the return trip home and we need you to look into something for us. However, it requires a blood test."

While looking obviously annoyed at the vague response, she also had a look of concern on her face. Without a word, she stood up from her desk and motioned for Shizune and the others to follow her to an emergency operation room she had installed into the Tower. She had Naruto sit down and took out a needle and vial to take some of his blood. It amused her slightly at seeing such a brave young man flinch at the sight of a needle, but she didn't tease him. She carefully stuck the needle in and took a couple of vials of his blood before handing them to Shizune.

The woman placed them a machine that was meant to scan and show the genetic DNA within the blood on a computer screen. After a few minutes of waiting, the results showed up on a screen and the Sannin compared them to important families within the Leaf in alphabetical order with Shizune's assistance.

When she got to the "U" section, she paused as the young man's blood chart showed a slight match to the Uchiha Clan. Confused, she commented, "I'm not sure how, but you have some Uchiha blood in you, Naruto. I suppose that makes you a distance cousin, but why did you need me to check this?"

Naruto sighed and looked to Jiraiya, making the man nod in permission. Closing his eyes and taking a small breath, Naruto reopened them to reveal his Sharingan eyes to the Slug Princess and her apprentice, making both women gasp quietly at the sight. Both eyes had two tomoe in each orb and they looked completely natural compared to Kakashi's implanted one.

"Those eyes… But, how did they awaken within you, Naruto?" asked the Hokage. "These things don't just awaken by coincidence, and your Uchiha blood is diluted compared to your Uzumaki blood."

Jiraiya took charge this time and explained to the woman about their trip to Altomare. He told her everything; the city, the Pokémon, the thieving sisters and their plan, Naruto's actions and their results, and even Akarei's true status. The transformed dragon helped prove it by assuming her natural form before she returned to her human transformation.

The Sannin was quiet for a few minutes, though it felt like hours, before she spoke. "No one…is to know about this. This is a very delicate situation we have here and with the Elder's opinions on Naruto already, the revelation of this could create some serious problems." Naruto and Akarei nodded as the woman continued. "In concerns to your Pokémon partners, it'd be best if you played them off as personal summon creatures. It's not that uncommon for some creatures with higher intelligence to form personal contracts that only affect them. Akarei's natural form could be played off as a bloodline if it is ever discovered, so she should be safe for the moment."

"I believe that the Pokémon may be beneficial to our part of the world, hime," Jiraiya stated. "I have an idea on how to introduce them, but I need to run it by you and privately."

She nodded at his request. "Alright, we'll discuss it at a later date. For now, just keep quiet about this. And Naruto, I'm allowing you access to the old Uchiha Compound so that you can look for anything to help you understand your dojutsu. I also plan to inform Kakashi so that he can help you train with them, but I'll do it discreetly."

Naruto once again nodded before a thought came to him. "Hey, do you know what side of my family the Uchiha blood came from?"

Tsunade was surprised she didn't mention that before she double checked. "It's from your mother's side. That also explains why it was diluted so much."

"Any idea on who I was related to?"

The woman shook her head. "Not at the moment. I'll be sure to look through Kushina's old family records." She paused and then asked, "You do know your parentage by now, right?" The young man nodded, though he frowned at being left in the dark for so long and she picked up on that. "You have to understand Naruto; we kept quiet because you were in danger. Your father is hated by the Hidden Stone Village for his actions in the war. Since he's dead, the next best thing for revenge is you. So, Sarutobi-sensei, Jiraiya, and I kept quiet to help protect you. Now that you know, it's important that you keep quiet about this too until you know for sure that you're strong enough."

Not entirely liking it, but still understanding the reasons, Naruto reluctantly nodded. "Okay, I'll keep it to myself. I'll see you tomorrow when Kakashi-sensei tests us."

With that, he and Akarei left, leaving the two Sannin and Shizune alone. "That boy… He just keeps surprising me," Jiraiya commented with a small chuckle. "To think that he has the Sharingan of all things…" He then cupped his chin in thought as he wondered aloud, "I wonder if his mother's legacy was inherited by him too…"

"If it was," Tsunade began, adding her own two cents, "the Naruto will be one of the few people in the world capable of fully subduing, and possibly even controlling, the Bijuu…"

"Amazing…" Shizune whispered, imagining the idea of Naruto standing over the Bijuu with his Sharingan active and a certain ability being present.

"In any case, I'm looking forward to seeing him, Sakura, and Akarei perform tomorrow," the Hokage stated as she made her way back to her office. A warm smile appeared on her face as she finished, "Things are looking up for our home."

(End Chapter)

So, what did you guys think of the third chapter? I hope it turned out well and made you all eager for more!

Reminder Note from Above: Naruto has the Storm Release affinity due to popular vote on my poll.

Now, I'm sure you guys have plenty of questions or concerns. If you do and would like them answered, please PM them to me and I will get back to you as soon as possible! Also, be sure to review this story guys! Please and thank you!

Unrelated Note: If anyone has played the Ratchet and Clank Future series, I'd like to discuss an idea of mine with you! Please PM me if you're interested!

Next Time: A test of skill, an attack on the Sand, and a search for answers! Stay Tuned!

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