Gomen minna-san! I was late on my update again! Now I have a good reason for this. School is so hectic! And I was obsessed with Jade Valerie's new album, Bittersweet Symphony. I command you all to listen to it after you finish read this chapter!
Disclaimer: Itachi is dead and Sasuke has his eye abilities. Would I ever do that? No. Guess I don't own Naruto!
Flipping through the journals that laid in front of him, Naruto dipped his head into one of them, skimming through it, looking for a certain entry. His mother's journals held an endless amount of knowledge, but he never went to search for the knowledge before. As the first page of the first journal that he had read as a child had said, knowledge is power. Naruto never went looking for the knowledge, not wanting to live with the power that came with it. Whenever he needed to know something, his blood would bring him to the books. However, this time he was searching for knowledge, making it harder to reach his destination.
"Naruto-kun, if I may ask, what are you doing?"
Naruto looked up from his seat to see the Sandaime smiling softly behind him. Placing the journal he was holding back upon the desk, he turned the chair around and looked back up at the Sandaime. "I was looking for any information that may help me on Hatake-sensei's test tomorrow."
"Hatake-sensei? You do not wish to become close to him?"
Naruto looked at him, his eyes flashing black. The Sandaime nodded with understanding. "The Kagegan, I believe, as your mother called it. It's close to activation?"
"Hai, although I don't understand what's going to happen to me after the activation. These journals refuse to tell me anything. And they refuse to tell me about Hatake-sensei's idiotic test!"
The Sandaime looked at Naruto, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "With Kyuubi-san's training, I expected you to keep your emotions in check. Isn't that one of the requirements for the Kagegan?" Naruto nodded, his face once again rid of all emotions, his eyes hiding behind a black glass. "And Kakashi's test is fairly simple, although I believe that you would fail on purpose just to get away from your teammates."
"As much as I hate them, Sandaime-sama, I can't do that. I promised Itachi-nii that I would become a genin and I wouldn't give that up. Now, if you would leave me alone, Sandaime-sama? I wish to visit okaa-sama."
"If that is what you want me to do, little one," the Sandaime replied, reverting to the nickname that he had called Naruto as a child. He left the room quietly and Naruto smiled, grateful that there was someone in the village that would respect his wishes.
"Sandaime-sama, can I speak with you for a moment?" Kakashi asked, standing in front of the Sandaime's desk.
The Sandaime turned around in his chair and looked at Kakashi. "What can I do for you?"
"Who are the parents of Uzumaki Naruto?"
The Sandaime chuckled. "The heart of a legend and the blood of sight lie in him. That is all I can tell you without betraying his wishes of keeping his parentage a secret. Is there anything else I can do for you?"
Kakashi inwardly sighed, not having received the answer that he wanted. Nodding to the Sandaime, he said, "Why does Naruto hate snakes?"
"A snake tried to harm his weasel. He cares deeply for his weasel and hates snakes for trying to harm him," the Sandaime answered with a secretive smile. No more was said and Kakashi was forced to leave.
"Zurui, I don't hold the answer to your question. And even if I did, I wouldn't give it to you. You are too agitated," Kyuubi's voice roared through his mind. Naruto was at Training Grounds Seven, after being forced to eat a breakfast that consisted of six pieces of toast, two omelets, and a glass of orange juice, courtesy of Hinata. She had somehow found out that he wasn't going to eat breakfast under Kakashi's orders, so she had appeared at his door before dawn, claiming that if he didn't eat his breakfast, he would retire as a shinobi and become a model for her clothes.
'Gomen, Kyuubi-sama. But something about this test feels off,' Naruto's calculated reply came, not releasing one emotion into his thoughts.
"Zurui, your entire team feels off. But there is nothing that you can do about it. If you keep acting this way, you will not activate the Kagegan, which means that your mother will stay in that comatose state for the rest of her life until her body gives up."
'I understand that, Kyuubi-sama. But until this day is over, this feeling won't leave me.'
"If that is what you believe, then believe that. But despite your blood, you have the power to control your feelings, to not let your feelings control your actions. I won't contact you again unless you are capable of doing that," Kyuubi's final response came before the link between Naruto and Kyuubi snapped, disappearing into the seal.
Naruto reached into the inside of his trench coat, opening a pocket and retrieving one of his mother's journals. Despite the fact that they wouldn't tell him the information he needed, they would still tell him about the things that he needed to know. Opening the small black book to a random page, he started reading about one of the things he was looking for all along - the Kagegan. Without lifting his head out of the journal, fearing that the words would disappear the minute that he looked away, he walked towards the nearest tree, jumped up, and settled on a branch, waiting for his team to arrive.
Sasuke and Sakura had been waiting for three hours and Kakashi was nowhere in sight. To them, Naruto was missing, as well, and they hadn't bothered to look for either of them.
"Sasuke-kun, you're so awesome!" Sakura exclaimed, hoping to start a conversation with Sasuke. However, she was ignored, as Sasuke seemed to believe that talking to one of his fan girls was more dangerous than going up against Itachi.
The duo waited in silence for another hour. Sakura was about to speak again when a puff of smoke appeared in front of them.
Standing in the smoke was Kakashi. "Yo!"
"YOU'RE LATE!" came Sakura's scream.
Ignoring his pink-haired student, Kakashi looked around and asked, "Where's Naruto?"
"I'm right here, Hatake-sensei," Naruto replied jumping down from the tree branch he was sitting on. He was still reading from the journal, his eyes never wandering from the page.
"Well, seeing that everyone is here, we can start the exam!" Kakashi replied, pulling two silver bells out from his pocket. "The goal of this exam is to get a bell from me. Those who don't get a bell will be sent back to the Academy."
At those words, Naruto began walking away. "Where are you going, Naruto-baka!?" Sakura screamed after him.
"Haruno-san, it would be easier to walk away than to fail poorly. Those who do not understand that some things cannot be accomplished are pathetic idiots who cannot face the true reality. The only way to obtain those bells from Hatake-sensei would be to directly engage him in combat and none of us would be able to harm a jounin. We are just genin," Naruto stated as he continued to read. "As this book states, the purpose of this test would be to test our teamwork, and since I don't enjoy working with others except for those that I trust with my life, we would fail this test anyway, right Hatake-sensei?"
Kakashi looked at the boy, astonished. "And how do you know this?"
Naruto shrugged. "I spend a lot of time with Sandaime-sama. He tends to tell me stories about the days he had a genin team and this was the same test he used on them. Please be more creative, Hatake-sensei, and don't use the tests of others. One day you will be discovered by a student who already took the test."
Sasuke looked at Naruto, wondering how the dobe of the class could know so much in such a little amount of time. Before he could say anything, Sakura walked up to Naruto and attempted to hit him. He caught her hand and pushed her to the ground. "Why did you just attempt to hit me?"
"You were acting cool! Only Sasuke-kun is allowed to act cool!" she yelled.
"Doushite? Because he's the last Uchiha? He's not the last Uchiha, anyway, because Itachi-san is still alive. And he's been pampered all his life, he deserves to be outclassed once in a while," Naruto replied, closing the book and slipping it back into his pocket. Turning to Kakashi, he then said, "Hatake-sensei, may I know what we shall be doing now? If you have another test, please give it to us. If you don't, it would be best to fail us."
"Well Naruto, I think I'll be passing Team Seven. Your team intrigues me. However, Naruto, would you come with me to see the Hokage?" Kakashi asked.
"If that is your wish, Hatake-sensei."
"Very well. We'll be meeting tomorrow here at 4 A.M. to start your training. Team Seven is dismissed!" Kakashi then started walking towards Hokage Tower, Naruto following not far behind.
"Hokage-sama," Kakashi said as he stood in front of the Sandaime.
"Kakashi, you're not back to bother me again, are you?" the Sandaime asked, not noticing Naruto.
"Actually, a little fox told me that you were telling him about the bell test, ruining my chances of not having a team this year."
"Hatake-sensei, you could have just failed us. That would have been easier," Naruto replied. The Sandaime looked up at him, a grandfatherly smile gracing his lips. "Naruto-kun, were you dragged here by Kakashi?"
"Iie. Hatake-sensei requested my presence and my blood decided that I should come. And so I came."
"Naruto-kun, would you mind waiting outside for a few minutes? I have to discuss something with Kakashi."
"Of course not, Sandaime-sama. I will be with my mother when you wish to see me again."
The Sandaime nodded and Naruto disappeared, jumping out the window.
Turning back to Kakashi, the Sandaime's smile left his face. "What is it that you really want? Why did you pass them if Naruto revealed the test?"
"Naruto intrigues me. Despite the fact that he is the Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi, he seemed calm and collected, although a bit emotionless. Overall, he is the perfect shinobi," Kakashi said.
The Sandaime sighed once more. "Naruto isn't training to be the perfect shinobi. If he had to, he would betray Konoha. He only listens to the words of his blood, his mother's journals, and the Kyuubi."
At this, Kakashi's eyes widened. "What do you mean by the Kyuubi? Is he controlling him?"
"According to what I found out from his mother, the Kyuubi was an honored being in her family. For her son to have him sealed in him was a great honor. The Kyuubi, however, does not control Naruto. The Kyuubi would be more of a mentor to him, though I fear later in life it would grow to more. Nevertheless, Kakashi, you will not speak a word of this to anyone or you will be killed under my orders. Is that understood?"
Kakashi nodded, afraid to speak. The killer intent the normally kind Sandaime was emitting was powerful and he knew at that moment that Naruto meant a lot to the Sandaime. Harm him and he'd die. Put him in danger and he'd die. Not that that mattered, anyway. Kakashi didn't want to kill off his student. What he wanted was to test his capabilities and help him become great, traitor or not.
Just as he was about to leave, the Sandaime said, "I know the counsel ordered you to train Sasuke. What will you do?"
"I'll train him, if he understands that he must train without using his Sharingan. Itachi was a prodigy, not only for activating his Sharingan at such a young age, but being able to master jutsus without the help of the Sharingan. If he wants to defeat Itachi, then he must understand that he must gain power the same way that Itachi did." With that, Kakashi used the Shunshin to escape, fearing that the Sandaime would question him more.
The Sandaime just laughed at the fear he instilled on one of his most powerful jounin.
"Okaa-sama, please guide my actions. Your blood is my blood, your journals my tools. I will forever remain in your debt, no matter what happens, and my promise to you will forever stay true - I will awaken you from this coma."
"Little one, do not fret," a soft voice said, its voice filling the room.
Recognizing the term of affection, Naruto hesitantly called out, "Okaa-sama?"
"Hai, my child. Kyuubi-sama is allowing me to have some time to speak with you."
"Kyuubi-sama? Is he the reason why you are in this coma?"
"Hai. But do not worry about me. When your Kagegan awakens, I will awaken. And always trust Kyuubi-sama. He is more to you than he seems," she said and Naruto felt his blood respond to her words, agreeing with them.
"More, okaa-sama?"
"Hai. And please stop referring to me as a lady, little one. I am your mother first, a lady second. Okaa-san is more than enough."
"Kyuubi-sama raised me to speak like that, with Itachi-nii's influence, of course."
"Uchiha Itachi-kun?"
"Hai, okaa-sama."
"Where is he? I would like to speak with him."
"Okaa-sama, you do not know what happened to him?"
"I only know what Kyuubi-sama deems important enough for me to know. I only knew that you were watched by Itachi-kun."
"Itachi-nii killed his clan, leaving only his younger brother, Sasuke, alive."
"Really? Did he tell you why?"
"Iie, okaa-sama."
"Well then, little one, Kyuubi-sama's power is disappearing. Awaken your Kagegan soon and I'll awaken as well. Ja ne, my child."
Naruto felt a presence leave the room and smiled. Looking around the room, he noticed the vase, which had once held wilting sunflowers, now held a dozen yellow tulips. Tied to the stem of one of the tulips was a small scroll. Walking towards the vase, Naruto leaned forward and gently removed the scroll. Smiling once more at his mother's body, Naruto left the hospital room quietly.
Naruto slipped into his apartment quietly. Nobody knew that he lived here and he would prefer to keep it that way. Once he reached his bedroom, he walked in and sat on his bed. His bedroom had no windows, which made it easier for him to hide. It was a gift from Itachi on his seventh birthday, and at that time, he was extremely happy to have the apartment, despite the fact that his bedroom had no window. Now, on the other hand, he appreciated that small detail.
Placing the scroll on the bed, he checked to make sure that there was nothing wrong with it that could harm him in any way. He found nothing and opened the scroll, finding a note written inside:
Naruto-kun,
Today should be the day that you are tested by your jounin sensei, if it isn't base the time around which you found this scroll to the time I state I will return. I will be coming to see you two days after your test. I will be waiting in your mother's room. Do not inform Sandaime-sama of my coming. I will be waiting in Kushina-sama's room all day, until dusk. When dusk comes, I will leave. I will be there at dawn, though, so it is your choice as to when you wish to see me. As for the reason to why I'm coming now, not when you are thirteen shall be explained to you later.
Itachi
Naruto reread the note a few times, knowing that something was wrong. Something was dreadfully wrong.
Kage: Hoped you liked this chapter! The next chapter will be fun, very fun! Muahahaha!
Also, I have decided to do a rant because I hate the way some of the manags that I am reading are going. Beware of spoilers:
How could Itachi die! And Sasuke, why does Sasuke have his eyes techniques! And what's the point of perfecting the X-Burner if you're going to end up killing Tsuna, Spanner! You make no sense! And Kohane, why is your mother so important to you that you would want to make her happy? She uses you, uses you! And what's this with that time freeze and people melting everytime you change something! And now you're her ancestor, Kaname! First her saviour, then her brother, now her ancestor!? What is going on in that manga!
And for anyone who understood that, I'm sorry you had to read it.
Karone-sakura: Hey ya'll! I would first like to apologize with Kage. It is as much my fault as it is hers. Things have been crazy for us both and that's my only excuse. Lol. See I could have pushed her harder into updating sooner but it just wasn't working out for the last two weeks. Any ways I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter as much as I did. As a personal question that will not affect the story but more my own curiosity. Which pairing could you see the story leading into? It could be Naruto/female or Naruto/male. It has to fit into the story. Leave it in a review because I do take a peek at them after each update. See ya all at the next update! Ciao for now.
Now that you have read, please review!