I own neither Naruto nor Negima! Magister Negi Magi/Mahou Sensei Negima (take your pick of the name). These are the property of Masashi Kishimoto and Ken Akamatsu, respectively. Likewise, I do not possess any characters from other stories or other mediums of storytelling that may or may not be referenced in this fictional piece.

Thanks to weixuan18 for Beta-reading this chapter.


Chapter Four:

Almost Human

The door closed silently behind Zazie as she approached the boy. He was sleeping, and none too happily; he tossed and turned on the couch, and slight moans escaped from his half-opened lips.

He was having a nightmare. Zazie brought the tips of her fingers to her lips and ran her tongue along them. She gently touched the fingers to the blonde's eyelids, closing her own.

What good was a Nightmare Circus without nightmares?

After only a moment's connection, Zazie jerked her hand back, like it had been burned. No expression crossed her face, but even so her eyes welled up with tears as she looked at her hand, and blood dripped from her fingertips onto her clothes. She staggered back from the sleeping boy—who she now knew was Naruto—and to her bed. She whimpered, cradling her hand to her breast as she curled up on top of the sheets.

"It… hurts…"


Winters in Konohagakure were cold.

Naruto had never understood why they lived in a country named after fire when it could get so cold. But he only did that when he was warm—when he was cold, he couldn't think. When he crouched outside his apartment after being kicked out and shivered as snow fell about his form—when he woke from a pained sleep to find ice improbably sheathing his body—he could hardly think anything at all.

People were going passed him as he aimlessly stumbled forwards. They were garbed in furs and coats, and their faces were covered by hoods. "Why are you cold?" they seemed to say as they passed him. "A demon can't be cold."

He fell away from them onto the snow-covered street. But it wasn't snow, not anymore—it was ice, broken and jagged, and Naruto cried out as his hand cut open upon touching it. The blood that came from it froze as soon as it emerged, turning the sharp pain into a dull and incessant ache.

Staggering to his feet, Naruto began to lurch forwards again. With every step, the sharp ice slashed at his feet. He tried to scream, but his lips were frozen shut. He didn't know where he was walking, and when he tried to approach the warm, comforting houses lining the streets the doors slammed in his face.

Everyone suddenly began to go towards these houses. Naruto reached out towards one, a claw-like hand grasping at a man's arm. "Please," Naruto said, the ice across his mouth cracking and slashing at his face. Tears fell from his eyes, but froze soon after; his eyes were forced open and the ice, like a perfect lens, forced him to watch as the man turned towards him. The hood fell from his face, revealing eyes that were burning red with malice. A mouth far too broad and toothy for a human stretched grotesquely across his—its—face.

Naruto cried and flung himself from the thing, which merely turned and walked into a house. He ran, as fast as he could. With every step, the ice ripped at him, and the wound froze into a much deeper, inescapable pain.

The ever-present Hokage Tower loomed over him. Naruto hadn't notice that he had approached it, but now that it was here he knew that this was where he needed to go. He rushed to its door, and the cold fled as he came near to it. The door opened without him needing to touch it, and he fell into the room in relief.

He was in the Hokage's room, but somehow that he would appear there directly from the front door only made sense. The Hokage himself sat before his desk, his hat falling onto his face as he leaned back in his chair to rest.

"Jiji! Please, Sarutobi-jiji, the landlord, he—"

Naruto fell silent as Sarutobi stood. He straightened his hat, showing Naruto the face that so often comforted him. Naruto rushed forwards to hug the old man, and the old man's bony arms wrapped around him.

Naruto wriggled inside the Hokage's grip. "That's too tight, Jiji."

But the Hokage's arms simply grasped at him harder, crushing him. "You left me to die, Naruto," a soft and pained voice whispered into his ear. Naruto froze. "You ran away, and left me to die." Naruto tried to pull away, but the crushing grip around him wouldn't permit him to.

"You killed me." The hands of the person Naruto most admired were made of bone as they wrapped around his throat, while the voice in his ear hardly rose above a whisper.

Naruto struggled to get air to his lungs, to say something, anything to stop this. "J-Jiji—"

"Don't say that! The monster who killed me could never call me that!" Sarutobi screamed, spraying spittle into Naruto's face. But it wasn't spittle—it was blood. Naruto could only watch in horror as a great crack appeared on the Hokage's face. Crimson gushed forth, and the crack widened as his face fell away, revealing a blood-covered skull. But the eyes remained, and danced about in madness in their sockets as the skeleton fingers pierced Naruto's windpipe.

"You killed me!"

Dark red fell from Naruto's throat, and as he fell from consciousness he could hear the shadows covering the wall laugh at him. The wild eyes in the skull before him turned red with the blood that began to seep from the ceiling, and the pupils in them turned to angry slits as they glared at Naruto.

"Demon!"


Naruto screamed as he scratched his way to consciousness—or tried to, at least. His windpipe had been pierced through, and all that emerged was a thin and airy whistle, accompanied by the bubbling of his blood.

He rolled off of the couch, the lacerations across his body screaming protests as they rubbed against the fabric. But soon enough, they disappeared—the wounds inflicted upon him by the Kyuubi itself were always far quicker to heal than those he got otherwise.

Trembles wracked his slight frame as Naruto curled up on the floor, wrapping his arms about himself. Even if the injuries were gone, the memories remained—and he still felt so cold, like it was seeping into his very bones. He held his eyes open until they watered, afraid that if he closed his eyes he would once again see Jiji's face tear apart.

The sound of encroaching footsteps shook him from his catatonic state. 'I-I can't let them see me like this. I can't!' He was at that school—the person coming could only be his roommate. Zazie Rainyday, Negi had said her name was. That didn't matter—he couldn't let anyone see him like this, after his dreams.

Naruto couldn't show that sort of weakness. He already had in front of that Takamichi, and that he hadn't suffered for it was a miracle. Letting anyone see him when he was weak was tantamount to suicide.

He couldn't help but groan as he pulled himself up from the ground. A quick glance across the couch and floor showed that there was no blood. Naruto supposed that it was easier to just put the crimson fluid back in his body than it was to make more of it. He couldn't think of another reason there was rarely any of the stuff around when he woke up.

The door creaked open, revealing a girl with skin darker than any he had ever seen before—almost as dark as the people of Kumogakure were said to be. Her hair was wet, and clung about her head and shoulders in long silver strands, brushing against her uniform. A damp towel was draped over her shoulder.

"…?"

'What… did she just say something?' Naruto gave a wan smile at who he could only assume was Zazie Rainyday. Negi had said she wasn't very talkative, but wasn't this sort of extreme?

Naruto didn't know how to respond to her, so he decided to just ignore whatever she just did. "I tried to look for you yesterday, but I didn't know how to find you. My name's Uzumaki Naruto! I'll be your new roommate for now on." Naruto tried to make his smile look more natural. He didn't want to make an enemy of the person he would be living with, even if it was only until he could find a way out of staying in the dorms.

He gave a half-bow. "Please take care of me." It had been surprising to find that introduction was used here in Japan, even if it did have different words. But relieving, too, even if it wasn't something he had any experience using.

Zazie closed the door behind her as she entered the room. Naruto didn't think that she looked much happier with the idea than he did. Her face didn't change at all as he spoke—although from what Negi and Takamichi had said she might always look like that.

"…Zazie…" If Naruto's hearing had only been at the level of a normal human's, he would never have heard her. Her lips hardly moved, and her voice was so soft and quiet that even he could hardly hear her speak her name.

'What an odd girl,' Naruto thought as she turned away, seemingly finished speaking after only a single word. The silence was awkward, although Naruto seemed to be the only one who thought so; Zazie didn't seem to be phased in the least. 'Why is it that it feels so uncomfortable to not say anything? I never felt like I had to speak to anyone when I was back in Tanzaku.' Perhaps Negi and Takamichi were to blame for this, engaging him in their damnable conversations for so long.

The dark-skinned girl tossed the towel on her shoulder into a basket of what Naruto assumed were dirty clothes, although he didn't think they looked very filthy at all. Maybe he didn't know her very well, but he didn't think she was dangerous—although something was just plain weird about her. He could feel it somehow, in his gut.

Naruto, caught up trying to determine what was so wrong about her, almost didn't notice Zazie pick up a bookbag. Almost being the key word—as she grabbed it, he felt the blood drain from his face. He was supposed to meet with the Headmaster today! His eyes darted towards the wall as he looked for a clock, his features pale.

He couldn't afford to mess up here! He had an actual bed here, and he could get food; if he messed this up then… Naruto shook his head to clear his mind of such thoughts. They didn't do him any good.

Naruto finally found the clock, hung on the wall above her bed. At least, he thought it was a clock—it didn't look like any he had ever seen! It had two arms, and only went up to the number twelve. Twelve! How was he supposed to know what time it was on such a bizarre-looking clock?

He had to go. He didn't have any idea if he was late or not—their freakish clocks had two arms, so he hadn't the slightest idea what time it actually was. Naruto spun about to leave, but a quiet cough stopped him. "What?" Naruto asked as he turned around to look at her, the irritation in his voice obvious. "Look, I've really got to leave! I'm supposed to meet with somebody now." Well, Naruto didn't actually know if he was supposed to meet them at that minute, but it was as good a guess as any.

Zazie simply pointed at him. He cocked his head to the side in confusion. What did she want? He had already introduced himself, and he didn't think that there was anything else that was important when you met someone new. Maybe his clothes were messy? He looked down—and immediately saw the problem.

He was still in his pajamas. Naruto's face burned with embarrassment that he had forgotten that he was still wearing them. He had even introduced himself with them on! If he had worn these to meet with the Headmaster, he might have gotten thrown out!

He looked around, but his clothes were nowhere in sight. Naruto looked at Zazie, and tried to ask if she knew where they were—she knew the room better than he, after all. He had collapsed on the couch as soon as he had arrived. But before he could say anything, she raised a slender arm to point towards a small dresser.

As Naruto pulled a drawer open, he was surprised to find his clothes neatly folded within. He only remembered flinging them off before he fell onto the couch. Speaking of which… when had he changed into pajamas? He didn't even remember bringing the pajamas over with him, so how did he get in them?

Naruto quickly dismissed such information as unimportant as he pulled out his clothes. He was struck by how empty the small piece of furniture was. Having an entire drawer dedicated to a single set of clothing was a waste, and Naruto couldn't help but feel a bit sorry for the dresser, built to hold things but with hardly anything to do. It reminded him a little bit of his wallet—poor Gama-chan was usually just as empty. Inanimate objects had it rough.

Naruto pulled off the top of his pajamas, but as he had it halfway off he remember something that was ever so slightly important. There was a girl in the room!

He blushed a deep red as he yanked his top back down. Naruto silently thanked every god that existed that Zazie was busy putting her schoolbooks into her bag. Gathering his clothes, he quietly slipped into the restroom to change.


"Did you hear about the new teacher, Asuna?"

Kagurazaka Asuna rolled her eyes at the inane statement. "Of course I did! Jeez, Konoka, you were with me when she told us."

Konoe Konoka giggled. "Yeah, but you were busy ogling Takahata-sensei when Class Rep came to tell us about it."

"I-I wasn't ogling him! I w-was—I'm painting him in Art Club, and I was just checking—"

"Just checking out his body?" Konoka finished, smiling innocently.

Asuna's cheeks flushed pink at Konoka's insinuations. "That's not it!" she shouted in embarrassment—an embarrassment that only grew as everyone else running to class stared at her.

The daily dash to school at Mahora was an incredible thing to see. Thousands upon thousands of students and hundreds of teachers rushed to get to their assigned classrooms, while the food stands lining the routes to school called out to the hungry students. It was a massive flood of people—and even running as late as Asuna and Konoka tended to, there was more than enough of a crowd to make Asuna's blush reach a remarkable shade of crimson.

She was thankful Negi wasn't here—she would have died if he had been here to help Konoka's teasing. She would have just died. After she killed him, of course.

Speaking of which... "Hey, Konoka," Asuna asked, turning her head to look at the other girl as she ran, "where'd Negi get to? I didn't see him back at the dorm."

"Negi-kun had to go to the school early today to fill out some papers for my grandfather. You had already gone out to your part-time job by then," said Konoka. Her skates rasped against the pavement as she rolled beside Asuna. Asuna had once thought the repetitive sound was annoying, but she had gotten used to it.

Like she had gotten used to Negi, come to think of it.

"Humph. Figures that the old geezer would give a kid work before class even starts." Asuna had wanted to talk to him before class started, too—but if he was busy then she wouldn't get the chance.

Asuna noticed that she was just barely starting to pull ahead of Konoka, and slowed down to match her speed. She really needed to ask Negi what else happened with that Pactio thing. Ever since they performed the Pactio—something that she still couldn't think about without flushing red—she'd felt better than she remembered ever feeling before. She'd almost blown past Konoka when they headed out the door this morning, and she finished her paper route so quickly that she had to wander around town so it wouldn't look suspicious when she came back early.

Konoka nudged Asuna with her elbow to get her attention. "What's that kid doing here? Wasn't the stop for the elementary school a stop before here?

The boy in question was only fifteen feet ahead of them, dressed some one of the most jarringly orange clothing Asuna had ever seen. She didn't understand how she hadn't noticed him already—it felt difficult to pull her eyes away from that painfully orange shade of… orange. The only reason she even noticed his gold-yellow hair was because it was as vibrantly colored as his clothing.

Konoka started to pull away from Asuna to go over to the boy, but Asuna grabbed her by the arm before she could get far. "Just let the kid go. He probably has to see the Headmaster. Remember when we were in elementary?"

Konoka giggled. "Hope his grades aren't as bad as yours were back then." Asuna glared at her roommate, something that Konoka was, as usual, completely unaffected by. It didn't help that Konoka had a point about the grades; Asuna was doing positively marvelous now compared to elementary school.

"Funny Konoka, really funny. C'mon, let's get to class." Asuna began to go faster, forcing Konoka to push herself to keep up, even in her roller skates. Konoka wasn't as fit as she was and Asuna bet that she'd be a bit sore by the time they got to the school building. She'd have to think of something scathing to tease Konoka about later.

It was hard to focus on that though, what with all the thoughts of the new teacher. Maybe Takahata-sensei would be coming back? That would be perfect, but even Asuna had to admit that it wasn't going to happen; Class Rep would have just said that sensei was returning, rather than saying they would get a new teacher. Why were they getting a new teacher? Negi came back late last night, and didn't have time to say very much before going to sleep. Did the Headmaster decide that Negi wasn't good enough to handle it by himself, or was this just to make things easier for someone who was, in the end, only ten years old?

A quiet cough caused Asuna to glance to her far left. She was surprised to see Chao Lingshen, the usually punctual student, running as late as she and Konoka did—and she looked a bit ill, too. Asuna wondered if it had something to do with how upset she got when Class Rep told her about the new sensei. She had no idea that Chao was so fond of Negi; she had shut down Chao Bao Zi for the day as soon as she was told about it, and Asuna had never seen her look so disturbed before.

Asuna and Konoka soon passed her, just as Izumi Ako pulled up beside Chao. The nurse's assistant was doubtlessly going to bug Chao about her health, something that didn't surprise Asuna in the least. Ako was always trying to help others out, and with Chao sick of all people, it would be more of a surprise if Ako didn't badger her into visiting the nurse's office.

'Honestly, since when does mad scientist Chao get sick? I think this is the first time I've seen her so much as cough the entire time she's been in 3-A. I bet it's because she goes to that Chinese Medicine Club all the time.'

"Asuna, did you see what happened to that kid? I didn't see him leave," said Konoka, a frown upon her face (well, as much of a frown as Konoka could manage, which isn't much of one). Asuna turned to look behind them, as they should have already passed him by now, but didn't see him anywhere.

Come to think of it, she didn't remember going pass him at all. Which she should have; that shade of orange wasn't something she could just ignore, no matter how hard she tried, like some sort of eye-magnet. "He probably just got off at the wrong stop, and decided to go back to the train," Asuna said.

Konoka looked unsure, but didn't respond as they reached the stairs to the school proper. Asuna didn't think that she was correct though, even if she was the one that said it. The boy had looked like he knew where he was going, and there was just something about him.

Perhaps he was…

No. No, of course he wasn't. After all, they already had Negi in their class—surely one child-teacher was enough for the school. The bells in Asuna's hair rang as she shook her head to rid herself of the thought. It was a ridiculous one, after all.

There was no way that kid was going to be their new sensei.


"Hello, my name is Uzumaki Naruto, and I am going to be your new sensei. Please take care of me."

SLAM!

The sound of Asuna bashing her head against the table resounded throughout the classroom.


Danzō, Godaime Hokage, stood statue-like within the headquarters of Root as he looked upon the unmasked member before him. He had not spoken since the agent had entered the room, and he was pleased that the shinobi had not moved from his kneeling position the entire time, or looked anywhere but straight ahead after entering the room. His concerns of the agent losing his touch while undercover had been baseless after all.

At last, Danzō stirred, rising from his seat of stone to address his shinobi. "You have gone by the name of 'Sai' during this assignment." It was not a question, yet his voice demanded a response. His stony gaze stared into Sai's black eyes, as though attempting to stab into the shinobi's soul.

"That is correct, Danzō-sama." Sai's voice was almost completely absent of emotion, colored only by the tinge of his dry humor. Danzō was pleased by this; it had taken effort to add that small hint to his voice, to make him sound more ordinary. Learning to act as though one had emotions was necessary for Root members infiltrating an enemy organization.

"Stand and come with me. I have a temporary assignment that requires your expertise." Sai rose to his feet without comment, and followed Danzō as the leader of Konohagakure strode down the rock hall. The torchlight flickered as they walked down the hallway, until Sai raised his voice in question.

"It was unusual to be told by my handler to come back. I had been told that my mission would continue for much longer. If I disappear for a great length of time, I may be unable to return to my current trusted position."

Danzō turned his head to stare into Sai. "You will not be gone for long. They ordered you to retrieve supplies for their rebellion, correct?" At Sai's nod, he continued. "This mission will be a short one. I will give you the necessary provisions immediately upon its conclusion."

"But Danzō-sama, would that not simply further empower the rebels? They are already a threat as it is." The sound of Sai's voice did not change, but Danzō could tell that his agent was concerned over the decision. But he did not see the big picture as Danzō did; that was why he was the Hokage, why he led Konohagakure.

"Perhaps it will, but if you do not give them the supplies they will simply find them elsewhere. Handing them over will put you further in their good graces, which in turn gives you access more important information." Danzō watched as Sai nodded, but he was certain that his shinobi continued to feel disturbed. No one else would have noticed it, but Danzō had perfected the Root training program that the Nidaime Hokage had begun. He had made his Root agents what they were, and they were as open books to him.

"You said that they already posed a threat. Elaborate," Danzō ordered. He had, of course, read the reports Sai had sent, but he had been brought in several days before his next report was due; had the situation changed to make them more dangerous since then? They had been a concern before, yes, but not truly a threat.

Sai cleared his throat before beginning. "The Konoha rebels have contacted Kumogakure. I have heard nothing of the results, or even if they achieved any, but Hatake Kakashi and Morino Ibiki spoke with several ambassadors from Kumo for several days. Other shinobi were not permitted to approach the pavilion from which they conducted the negotiations, and I was unable to reach them with my ink techniques."

"An unfortunate alliance, should it reach its conclusion." Although it could be used for his advantage, should they truly become allies. The rebels were by and large composed of missing-nin; should Kumogakure align themselves with them, it would provide him with the perfect excuse to commence invasions into Kumo. No other nation would be able to call foul play, which could avert another Great Shinobi World War.

"What was their involvement in the disappearance of the jinchuuriki? There were shinobi present beyond those that I sent. Do you have names?"

"The leaders of the rebellion discovered the location of Uzumaki Naruto shortly before you began your operation to retrieve him. A small group of ninja—no more than two or three teams—were sent to locate him and bring him in, doubtlessly to use him as a weapon against you." Danzō watched in silence as Sai attempted to remember more details. Further memory training would be necessary before he returned to his undercover assignment. "No important shinobi were sent on the mission; they believed that the jinchuuriki would be easily obtained, and did not send any shinobi of appreciable skill, lineage or renown. However, I do not know who went for the retrieval."

Danzō frowned. "A foolish mistake," albeit an understandable one, Danzō thought. 'Especially since the negotiations of those traitors with Kumogakure are not concluded; should they chose not to join forces, Kumo may attempt to capture the rebels to improve their relations between us.' If that were the case, then keeping a strong force would improve the probability of a successful alliance between rebels and Kumo. It would do them no good to obtain the jinchuuriki if they had no forces to wield it.

There was one last thing he needed to know before they reached their destination. "Do they know anything about how it disappeared?"

"No. They know that he was not captured, but not know how he escaped, nor do they know his current location."

The grim look on Danzō's face showed nothing of his relief to find that his worries were groundless. So they did not have a high-ranking spy in Konohagakure as he had feared. If they had, they would surely have learned about the Lacus ad Orbii Alii, and would already be hunting for a second of those miraculous pools, as he was.

"How ironic," Danzō whispered with a voice too low to hear, "that the scroll you found would allow me to capture the jinchuuriki. Your actions have again resulted in your loss, Sarutobi." It was rare that Danzō permitted himself time to reminisce, but the rest of the walk was done in silence.

Danzō held up a hand to signal Sai to stop, for they had finally arrived. Before them stood a metal door, unbarred and covered in lightly glowing seals. He gave a satisfied nod; the light was a signal to show that the one within had not left the room. Danzō reached out to open the door, but the door slid open before he touched it. As he expected, considering who resided within.

The girl in front of him had always been slender and waif-like, but the days without sleep or food during her vigil had made her seem almost fragile. Her long black hair hid her face as she knelt before him.

"Stand, kunoichi of Root." The girl rose to her feet, her hair parting to reveal veins bulging around pearlescent eyes. "It is time for a mission. You will take the name 'Hanabi' for the remainder of the operation."

Itachi's slaughter of the Uchiha clan had an unexpected secondary benefit. The Hyūga had seen similarities between one of their own and the Uchiha's prodigy. They were fools, of course; a child as young as Hanabi had been was incapable of decisions like that, but her own natural talent had scared the elders of her clan. They wanted to be rid of her; Hiashi could always find another wife and produce another child.

When Danzō had offered to take her off of their hands, the panicked council of Hyūga elders handed her over with hardly a second thought, all to Danzō's benefit. It was only later that they realized what they had done to their clan, and how little political influence they now had. They gave him an unmarked female of the main branch; with Orochimaru's assistance, her ova could be extracted and used to recreate the entire clan as Danzō desired. The Hyūga could be replaced now, and they were willing to do whatever he desired in order not to be. Hiashi had opposed it from the beginning, but once his only living daughter was in Danzō's hands there was nothing he could do but to obey.

He had molded her into a warrior of Konohagakure, as every shinobi and kunoichi in the village ought to be. "Two days have passed without food, water, or sleep, and your Byakugan has been active the entire time." It was not a question, and she responded accordingly, staring blankly ahead as she awaited orders. "You will rest for a day before heading out on your mission. Bring soldier pills to make up for whatever inefficiency you may have from your vigil."

Hanabi's veins receded as she deactivated her doujutsu. "I will not be impaired from only this level of strain, Danzō-sama," she responded. Her voice was hollow and emotionless; his training had served her well.

"Very well. Sleep now, for tomorrow you will go on the mission. Sai will accompany you," Danzō said, waving a hand towards the silent agent at his side, "and will inform you of the details of your assignment en route." The small girl stepped back into her room and slid the door shut. Silent and efficient, as she had been taught.

Danzō turned to his subordinate. "As she will need all the rest she can get until the mission, I will leave her debriefing to you. The two of you are to hunt down and she is to kill the jinchuuriki of the Yonbi no Saru, known as Rōshi of Iwagakure. Details about his abilities, and those of his demon, are waiting in your room."

"She is still a child. I doubt she's older than the Uzumaki boy is. Is she actually capable of defea—" Sai would have continued, but was cut off by Danzō.

"You question my decision?" Danzō asked, his voice quiet, but inundated with barely restrained violence. Sai quickly shook his head in the negative, shying away from Danzō's glare. After the affair with the jinchuuriki and the rebels was over, perhaps he would need to be… corrected. He did not tolerate questioning from his tools. "She is uniquely suited for this mission, as no other agent of Root could be. Never assume that I make a mistake again, or you will be replaced."

Sai nodded, restraining an instinctive urge to shudder before the killing intent oozing from the leader of Root. "U-uniquely suited, Danzō-sama? How so?"

"She is a Hyūga. We have trained her to look past the chakra network, and directly strike the connections between host and demon. We have had few subjects to work with, but Hanabi has successfully separated host and demon in each case." Danzō turned to stare into one of the torches as he remembered the process. Actually being in a demon's presence, even a weaker one, had not been pleasant. "Once this is done, the demon will be set free, killing the host unless the connection between the two is weak."

Looking Sai in the eye, Danzō continued. "Once the demon has been set free, but before it can fully materialize, Hanabi is to seal it within an object. Hanabi's sealing lessons have not been intensive, but she is able to replicate an existing seal easily enough. You are to bring the container with the bijuu back to Konohagakure."

Sai showed emotions that he was not supposed to, again displaying concern. Danzō did not let his disapproval cross his face. Retraining was necessary before he was permitted to return to his undercover assignment; he would schedule it as soon as Sai returned from this mission. "How will we bring it back? I know little of seals, but I doubt any object could contain the Yonbi for long."

"Hanabi has been given four containers to place the demon in, each specially prepared to hold the Yonbi for as long as possible. She will doubtlessly go through all of them returning it here. I will have a child prepared to seal it into when you return." Whose child, however, he had not yet decided.

The mission would be a short one, so any newborn may be sufficient to contain the beast. Perhaps the newest Sarutobi would be best; Sarutobi (formerly Yūhi) Kurenai would give birth soon, and Danzō thought that Asuma suspected his role in Hiruzen's death. Making Asuma's child into a jinchuuriki would provide him with an additional hold over him, and his loyalty would not be permitted to waver. Perhaps he would even let them visit their child, should they do well in their missions.

He turned his attention back to his subordinate. "We used what was left of your stash of special inks to paint designs over her body. We have not yet had the time to imprint her with the Root seal, so you will be sent along with her to ensure that she does not attempt to run or reveal information about Root."

"Is this a common problem? Would it not be better to wait until she is fully loyal to Root?"

Danzō scoffed at the notion. "No one is permitted out of this building unless they are 'fully loyal to Root'. She occasionally suffers from flares of anger, but she is still young. No, you are there simply for the worst case scenario."

Danzō left unsaid that he was not certain that a demon as powerful as a bijuu could be completely restrained by the seal-covered boxes given to Hanabi. The Yonbi had been known to actively possess humans before, immediately after being let out of a prison. Should it choose to do so Sai would be able to kill Hanabi's body easily, as she would already be covered in his ink. Then its rampage would be in Iwa's territory; regardless of the outcome, the result was in his favor. If it remained in the kunoichi, her mind may influence it into choosing to attack Konoha, even if only because she was loyal to it. There was no end to the spite of demons.

"Return to your quarters. You will need to read the scroll within to learn about the fighting style of the Yonbi's jinchuuriki."

Sai bowed. "Forgive me, Danzō-sama, but if you used my ink stores I will need to get to get supplies to make more, or I will be of little use during the mission."

Danzō simply walked away, granting permission through his silence.


Sai was surprised by how little Konoha had changed in his absence. In the rebel's camp it seemed that there were drastic changes on a weekly basis. Moving to new camps, rearranging the present ones for new volunteers; always new. It seemed that villages were much more stable.

He didn't think that he would remember how to get around the city again so quickly after returning, but soon enough his feet were leading him to his contact.

Kakashi-sensei's instruction had been harsh, but Sai was glad for it now. Without Kakashi's chakra tricks, Sai doubted he would have been able to pick up what Danzō-sama—'no, not Danzō-sama, not anymore. Simply Danzō'—had said. Perhaps it meant nothing... but he suspected it was important, too important to let get away.

He could afford to take risks now; no doubt Danzō-s—Danzō had noticed that his conditioning was slipping. Sai needed to do what he could before Danzō decided he was a liability and either killed him or subjected him to reconditioning. That last option would be much worse, because if he was dead he couldn't hurt anyone; if he once again became a puppet of Root, the rebellion would suffer, and he could not permit that.

'I will need to mention what may happen to me in my report to Kakashi-sensei,' Sai thought. It would be best if their leader knew that he would probably be his enemy after this mission if he still lived. Surprises like that were rarely conductive to a long lifespan, and Sai wished for his sensei to have a very long one indeed.

Sai gave an absentminded nod to two patrolling Anbu, his mind focused elsewhere. Specifically, on that Hyūga girl Danzō had in his control. 'This will not make Hinata-san happy at all. Particularly if she actually is her sister. I do not envy her the pain of fighting her own sibling.'

Another thing he would have to inform Kakashi about. Even if they obtained the Uzumaki boy, if the Hyūga was able to nullify a jinchuuriki then they would need to take care to keep the two far from one another. Perhaps Hinata could be taught the same technique—it would make any headway Danzō gained towards reclaiming Uzumaki Naruto less of a loss for those truly loyal to the ideals of Konohagakure.

A warm and homey scent wafted by Sai's face. He must have arrived there already; he should have been more alert. He silently made note of his lapse, for later analysis and correction. If he lived long enough to correct, that is.

"Hello, welcome to Ichiraku Ramen! What can I get you today?"

Sai smiled at the elderly man. There was no one else in at the moment—that was good. "I heard that your Konohagakure Special was worth trying, so I came to see what it is like. How much is it?"

Sai was impressed at how little Ichiraku Teuchi reacted. He wouldn't have noticed Ichiraku's shock if he hadn't been looking for it. Old age must have taught him a thing or two, even if he didn't have any ninja training. "For a shinobi of Konoha, it's free. Just give me a moment to whip it up for you, and you'll be full in no time." The old man walked to the back of the shop to cry out to his assistant. "Ayame! We'll need extra fishcake for a Konohagakure Special!" There was a crashing sound from the back of the shop. Sai supposed that the girl was more reactive than her elder was.

Ichiraku was quick and efficient, as expected, and Sai's ramen was ready in short order. Sai took no particular pleasure in the act of eating and this ramen was no different, although he could tell it was well made. Food was of secondary import at the moment. "I heard your daughter was leaving soon to travel the world before taking over your shop." He gave one of his false smiles to the ramen chef as he spoke. "That is a noble thing to do, learning more about the world before settling down. But are you sure it is safe her to leave? There are bandits, highwaymen—even rebels! It would be horrible if they got their hands on her."

Concern flashed in the old man's eyes at Sai's words. Sai didn't understand the cause behind it—concern for family, perhaps? Such things were beyond his understanding. Even so, Ichiraku's voice didn't waver as he responded. "It would be more dangerous to leave her here. I've seen boys sneaking into her room at night, and I don't trust the kids around this part of town."

Sai let his eyebrows rise to show his 'surprise'. "Oh? When does this happen? If it is at night, wouldn't the patrolling shinobi catch these boys?"

"It's just after curfew. The patrols aren't as heavy then, so someone can sneak in and out with none the wiser."

He stood to leave, but decided to give the old man some helpful advice before he left. One good turn deserves another, after all. "If paying for an escort is too much for a chef's wages, perhaps you could speak to the Akamichi clan? I heard that they often provide aid to those in the food industry in need. One of their own recently came back from a mission, in fact—Chōji by name. He may be able to ensure that your daughter is protected on her trip."

Sai gave Ichiraku another meaningless smile as he walked away, heading towards the Hokage's Tower. He would need to visit Ichiraku Ayame at curfew then. Akamichi Chōji would be able to guide her safely to a rebel pick-up spot, where she could give Kakashi-sensei his report. His last report.

It briefly crossed his mind to join her, to escape from the village, but Sai quickly dismissed the thought as foolish. It was one thing for a young chef escorted by an Akamichi to leave; a member of Root was something else entirely. Leaving would be particularly foolish now; Danzō had gift-wrapped a weapon against the jinchuuriki he was hunting.

It would be impolite not to take advantage of that and kill her when she was so neatly presented.

But there would be ample time for that during the mission. Before then, he needed to research. Danzō had spoken of a scroll—or at least, Sai thought that he had. With such a quiet voice it was difficult to tell. From the context in which he spoke of it, Sai had little doubt that it was connected in some way to the disappearance of Uzumaki Naruto.

Sai strode purposefully past the guards on each side of the entrance to the Hokage Tower. If he would find the information anywhere, it would be within the Hokage's secret library. In retrospect, it would have been better for Danzō to have sent a different agent to sneak in there to confront Mizuki all those years ago. Sai doubted that Danzō had considered how it would come back to hurt him.

Shortly before reaching the Hokage's office, Sai ducked into an empty room. It was used for filing minor papers, those not important enough to be classified. It wasn't frequently visited, making it the perfect location for his purposes.

He reached into the pouch by his side to pull out a small scroll. A quick motion and it was unraveled, showing one of his incomplete pieces. A simple outline of a man, it awaited completion. Sai pulled out a brush and a small vial of his ink, but paused before brush touched paper.

Sai closed his eyes, dredging forth every detail he could remember from his recent visit with Danzō. The way the bandages covered his body, the thickness and wildness of his hair, the faint bulge of muscle visible even beneath his clothing—no facet of Danzō's features could be forgotten.

Brush slid across the scroll as he opened his eyes. He moved quickly and precisely; imitating the form of another through ink techniques was far more elaborate than a mere Henge, and required finesse and precision. Every thirty seconds he paused to glance towards the door—he couldn't afford to be caught here.

There had been one close call, but the stacks of paper in the room were high enough that he could safely duck behind one. Completing the work to his satisfaction took the better part of half an hour, but it was finally finished.

Sai placed the scroll upon the ground before clasping his hands together. He took a single long and deep breath, before his hands began to blur through the hand seals to the jutsu he created with Kakashi-sensei. Eyes closed, he reached out towards the portrait with his chakra; it resonated, as it ought, and he channeled his will into it as the jutsu reached its completion.

"Sumi Henge no Jutsu!" Sai whispered under his breath. Chakra-inundated ink poured from the scroll to envelop his body. For a brief moment, he appeared as a black-and-white picture brought to three dimensions; only a second later, he clasped his hands together into the last seal of the technique. His form rippled as it gained color and realism, until at last his appearance was that of Danzō.

Were he cloaked in a normal Henge, the Root guards protecting the library might have discovered him; but the Sumi Henge was far superior to a mere illusion. He would get in.

Sai stepped out of the room, careful to put the slightest hint of a limp into his stride as the Godaime Hokage did. If all went well, the rebellion would learn where to find Naruto within the week.


"Where are you from?"

"From, uh—"

"Do you die your hair?"

"No, it's—"

"Wow, are those whiskers tattoos?"

"Oh, well, um—"

"How did another kid become a teacher? I bet you're really smart!"

"What—"

Naruto was rapidly being backed into a corner by the merciless onslaught of the students of Class 3-A. They looked somehow… hungry. Did the teachers here feed them properly? What did schoolgirls eat, anyways? He couldn't help but notice there were only thirty students here—what did they do to the other ones?

He was saved by Negi. "E-enough! Naruto-sensei doesn't need you crowding him on his first day!" 3-A being 3-A, he was of course ignored. Coming in right after the field trip to Kyoto and Nara was announced might not have been a smart move. "You'll scare him away!"

More drastic measures were needed. "Pop quiz!"

It was incredible how two simple words can quell even the most ferocious and wild of classes. Naruto watched in amazement as the girls scurried—the most fitting word he could find—back to their desks. He sighed in relief when his personal space was, once again, his.

Had he been like that in school? Iruka was a saint. A genuine saint.

"Naruto-sensei, would you hand these out to the class?" Negi asked, holding out a thick sheet of papers—the quizzes, Naruto would assume. He sighed as he grabbed the papers from Negi's hands and began to walk down the aisles, trying to ignore the whispered questions from the students.

When he completed his task he returned to the front of the room to stand behind Negi, who again had something for him. "This is the class roster—please try to remember all the students names."

Naruto took the folder from the other boy and flipped it open. Ah—so there were thirty-one students, not just thirty. Two of them looked like they were twins—must have been because of that. Although he did notice one small problem as he looked through the folder.

He didn't know how to read Japanese.

Naruto forced a smile on his face as he occasionally glanced up from the pictures before him to the class, trying to make it at least look like he was trying to connect names with the students. What would he do now? He couldn't read more than a few words in the first place, how was he supposed to learn Japanese? What good was a teacher who couldn't read?

He shuddered at the thought of the Headmaster finding out about it. There was no way he'd be able to keep this job if the Headmaster knew that his sudden understanding of Japanese hadn't spontaneously taught him how to read.

It would be best if he could hide that little tidbit of information, but Naruto doubted that he could keep something like not being able to read hidden in a school, of all places. He cast a glance towards Negi, who, armed with red ink, was waging furious battle with his students' homework.

Negi seemed trustworthy enough, although they had only had met yesterday. Naruto normally wouldn't even think about approaching someone else about something this important, but this was a whole new world. There was no Root here, no Anbu. No one was hunting him here.

What a peculiar idea—that he would not have to hide anymore. He felt laughter well up, but squashed it before he began to laugh like a madman before the class.

No one was trying to capture him. What a strange thought. Perhaps things were finally going to start looking up.


"The alterations have been completed then, Kabuto?" a voice whispered, a hardly audible sound emerging from the bandage-wrapped figure upon the bed.

The white haired medic looked up from his work as he carefully removed the last IV from his lord's body. "This is the last injection, my lord. But please, do not strain yourself! Your body won't complete the changes for days, and even then it will take weeks for you to fully acclimatize to the—"

"Do not lecture me, Kabuto." Orochimaru of the Sannin pulled himself into a sitting position as he spoke. Dark and sibilant, his voice seemed to violate the very air it moved through. "I created the Fushi Tensei, and I have been in enough new bodies to know the limits of the transfer." The menace layering his voice was unmistakable, and Kabuto made no reply as he set to work.

Orochimaru smirked as Kabuto shied away from him even as he pulled the bandages from his lord's form. Each layer of cloth removed showed more skin—pure, white, and pristine flesh, carefully grown over the original skin of this body.

"Orochimaru-sama, does it still work? We haven't tested the chemically induced changes on this manner of kekkei genkai—we might have altered the body's chakra pathways too greatly for it to work." He found the false concern in Kabuto's voice amusing.

"Kukuku… you sound so worried, Kabuto! Did you not think to question that possibility before the transfer?" He laughed aloud as the medic's face grew pale. "Fortunately, I am more farsighted that you seem to be. I altered the solution beforehand—no precaution is too great to ensure that this body transfer was successful in every way."

He pulled his hand into a fist when Kabuto finally freed it from its restraints. Too weak—he had trained his host well, but it was not equal to his previous one physically. A danger, he supposed, of taking on a young and inexperienced human as a host. But he could not afford to wait—Danzō may foolishly believe Uchiha Itachi to be a loyal servant, but Orochimaru refused to believe that the damned Uchiha would be content serving one such as the leader of Root. That accursed Tsukuyomi was too great a danger to not take steps to counteract.

But now… now, Itachi would be unable to oppose him and survive. A feral smile crossed his face as he ran chakra through his body. The pain he felt did not deter him; every new body tried to reject his chakra in the beginning. It was merely an unfortunate side-effect of his immortality. A sharper pain brought his attention to his arm, where the seeping blood showed that the symbol of his contract with the Snake Summons had attached itself properly to his new body.

But there was still one thing left to do.

Glancing towards his servant, Orochimaru voiced the all-important question. "What news of Uzumaki Naruto? The facilities are prepared for experimentation, but have samples C-3 and F-27 remained stable? We will need them to limit his regeneration enough to make headway in the surgeries."

Kabuto glanced down, avoiding Orochimaru's gaze. "I'm… afraid that won't be possible, Orochimaru-sama. He escaped from the Anbu sent to capture him. They claimed that he fell into a pool of water before disappearing from their view. Danzō was… most displeased. However, he has compensated for losing Uzumaki with a Kekkei Genkai-gifted prize."

Orochimaru did not respond verbally. But when the air about the Sannin grew thick with malevolence and repressed rage, Kabuto was quick to leave. He knew his lord's moods well enough that he had no desire to stay by the man, if the Sannin could be called such. But Orochimaru called out to him before he could leave.

"Send in two servants. I will have need of their assistance." Kabuto hastily nodded as he backed out of the room.

The moment Kabuto left, Orochimaru calmed. To succumb to such rage here would be a waste of his time and energy. The sooner the hormones were flushed from this body, the better—their grip on his emotions was interfering. Humanity was such a pathetic state, so fragile, so controlled by their bodies and emotions. That had been amongst the first things he had discarded on his quest for power.

A Kekkei Genkai was valuable, yes, but it was not compensation for the loss of the jinchuuriki! Of his jinchuuriki, Danzō's claims aside. He had claimed it, and it was his. Orochimaru would accept nothing less. So many plans, layered atop one another—and that child the keystone that would support them or let them fall to the earth.

The servants entered soon enough—simple villagers, and nothing more. They were, however, sufficient for his purposes. "Kukuku… I appreciate your coming. There is something I need you to do for me."

Orochimaru sneered as the commoners cowered before him. The fear of ordinary men was not worth savoring. So drab, so weak, so… pathetic. "Wh-what do you desire, m-my lord?"

"I need you to die."

It was amusing, how long it took them to comprehend what he had said. Confusion crossed their face, and he could see the dawning realization and horror enter their eyes—but by the time they turned to run, it was too late. He reached to the stand beside his bed, grabbing the scalpels Kabuto had left behind. They were ungainly, not meant for throwing, but that was alright—they were sharp enough to pierce the jugular. His skill more than made up for their flaws.

Orochimaru sighed as they bled out onto the floor. They weren't even able to fight back. How boring. Ordinary people truly were little more than mild entertainment. But that was of no real import—he set the thoughts aside as the focused his will on matters more worthy of his time.

He gathered his chakra around his body, preparing to fling it into the black abyss. "Kuchiyose: Edo Tensei!" The power of the jutsu pulled his chakra into the great darkness of death, and Orochimaru smiled.

What power! Every time he delved into the void that was all that crossed his mind. Things fled from his chakra—dark things, foul and hungry. They had tried to hunt him, when first he used the Edo Tensei. The thrill of crushing those formless and deathly beings had been more than he had ever imagined.

But he was not here to play games with the never-born. No, he was here for a purpose, but without preparations it took time to find things in this darkness. It would take—no, it would take no time at all, for he had already found them. Together, as expected. They had better contain the information he desired—he had no desire to waste his time searching through the minds of the countless dead.

He grasped at them, and pulled. They resisted, of course—the dead were loath to return to life, even those that missed it. But even the dead cannot eternal lie—willpower was what it took to pull them into the corpses he had made, and when it came to will none could compare to the great Orochimaru.

His eyelids snapped apart just in time to see the bodies before him get enveloped by coffins, rising to stand on end. There was silence for a long and tense moment—he almost began to entertain the ridiculous notion that he had failed, before he saw movement.

With a tremendous grating crash the doors of the caskets fell to the floor, revealing two people he had seen often since he had killed them.

"Again, Orochimaru? I hadn't thought that you would call us back after the last time. You drained us dry—we have no secret techniques left to teach you."

"Of that, Tsunade-hime, I have no doubt. Perhaps I simply wanted to reminisce?" Orochimaru laughed—a real laugh flavored with humor rather than malice. It was a disturbing sound.

"We don't believe you," said Jiraiya, scoffing as he looked over the snake before him. "A new body? Again?" A smirk crossed Jiraiya's face, although it did not touch his eyes. "Your 'immortality' seems to be quite costly. Have you considered dying? I would just love to… talk… with you at great length about what you've been up to since we died."

Orochimaru shook his head. "I am not here to banter with you, Jiraiya-kun. No, you are here for something much more important. Something has gone missing, and I intend to find it again" He pulled forth a pair of red paper tags, each marked with an intricate seal. "I believe you know what I'm talking about—it is your godchild, after all." Jiraiya and Tsunade stared at him in horror, but were unable to move as he set the tags upon their bodies. Color flowed into the two and for a brief time they appeared as though they were once more alive; but unlike in life, they were now forced into obedience to his will.

Tears dripped from their eyes as they were compelled to speak, as they revealed to Orochimaru how to find their godchild. The knowledge of the dead was so much greater than what they knew in life, and their attempts to follow Naruto from beyond the veil now, in cruelest irony, worked against them.

Orochimaru stared at them without blinking throughout their explanation, slowly spinning Sharingan eyes displaying an inhuman malevolence to the world.


Author' Note:

Thanks for reading!

Lacus ad Orbii Alii: "Pool to the Otherworld". Orbis alia (the words change slightly due to them being in a different case) is the Latin name given to the Celtic concept of the 'Otherworld', originating from Marcus Annaeus Lucanus's (better known as 'Lucan') writings on druids. The Otherworld is another world that the Celts believed could be accessed across the sea, or could be found underground , or even reached through pools of water. Many of the smaller islands in the British Isles were considered to be a part of or were connected to the Otherworld. It existed alongside of, but apart from, the normal world. It has alternatively been called Tir na nOg (the 'o' is capitalized), Mag Mell, or Avalon; however, these have also been said to be places within the Otherworld, rather than the name of the Otherworld; mythology being what it is, the tales can differ wildly from place to place. Because I could not find a word for the overall concept of the Overworld in those Gaelic languages I could actually find dictionaries for, I decided to go with the Latin name for it.

Sumi Henge no Jutsu: "Ink Transformation Technique". A technique I created for this story. It is superior to an ordinary Henge in that the ink used in the jutsu covers the body, giving the image more realism. The ink changes color upon the completion of the technique, becoming indistinguishable from reality. Due to this, there is no actual illusion used; techniques to dispel a Henge or genjutsu have no effect on the Sumi Henge.

Henge no Jutsu: "Transformation Technique". Showed up in the first chapter of this story. As in many other stories, it creates an illusion (albeit not a particularly powerful one) around the user, making them appear to be someone else. Naruto's use of the Henge results in him actually physically changing due to the influence of the demon fox; fox-spirits in Japanese myth (and many other cultures as well) are often particularly skilled at disguising themselves as others. This technique is slightly changed from the one used in canon Naruto; there is nothing in the actual manga to suggest that the transformation is only an illusion, despite how it is used in fanfiction.

Fushi Tensei: "Living Corpse Reanimation", or "Immortality Jutsu". The technique created by Orochimaru to allow him to take over another's body, consuming their mind and soul and replacing it with his own. Orochimaru gains the memories of the person whose body he enters with this technique.

Kuchiyose: Edo Tensei: "Summoning: Impure World Resurrection", or "Summoning Jutsu: Reanimation", depending on the translator. This technique (created by Orochimaru in this story, not the Nidaime Hokage) allows the user to pull forth the soul of a dead person from beyond the grave. The technique, empowered by deathly energies, requires the death of another to use. It reshapes the body and chakra to match that of the dead person, allowing them to be as efficient as they were in life. A special seal is required to achieve control over the summoned; however, the seal is also necessary for the dead to actually use their body beyond simple speech.

As you can see, I've made a few minor alterations to the techniques for this story, but nothing too major.

Zazie, in this story, is a type of dream demon—I was inspired by both the Nightmare Circus and her twin sister's artifact in the manga. The type of spirit will not come directly from any particular myth, but will be inspired by baku, nightmare/nightmara, and alps, plus some of my own imagination.

Hm… can anyone guess what I'm using to decide the names of chapters?