A/n While my last chapter was the most commercially successful aka hits, it was the least critically. I think that was because I left a lot of you guys out of the loop. I did that for two reasons. One that was like a part one to this one's part two. Second, it let Naruto's plan unfold with much more cunning and charm, especially when all three turned out to be clones. Kind of kewl, if I do say so myself. But still, it wasn't my best work, and so like chapter 5 this is my redemption. As an added bonus, the person who reviews first, will get a shout out on my next chapter. SO review kiddies. Anyways, since I'm a sucker for one worded Titles, I present to you: Friend.
Disclaimer: I don't Own Naruto and I Never will. DON'T SUE ME PLEASSE!?!
Tales of An Uzumaki-Chapter Seven
While Naruto's shadow clones slaved away at his plan, Naruto without tire, trained at section 23. He was often drawn here, whether to think, or to train, or to plot his devious plans like he did today. Right now though, he was working through his frustration and anger with hard work, even beyond what he would normally do. Where normally he would warm up with 50 today he would do a hundred push ups. And where usually he would run 10 laps around the forest, today he ran 20. The strain on his body kept his mind off of things. He felt guilty for not going to Iruka's funeral, but he promised he would go tomorrow. He figured time didn't really matter, once your dead. As long as the respects got paid, would Iruka really matter when.
Besides, this was important. This was his sanity at stake. He hadn't wanted to have made that deal, but it was that or risk losing control tonight. And that was something he couldn't have. For tonight was the night of the Full Moon, the night the Kyuubi was strongest. In Naruto's weak emotional state, he wouldn't be sure he could hold him off. So he had made a deal with him. A deal with the devil.
He wondered even now, what the Kyuubi wanted with Sasuke.
Or he would have, if he were not doing one handed push up's while, a clone was standing on his back, laughing at him. That occupied the mind, quite nicely, that it did. So Naruto worked, and Naruto sweated, and Naruto drenched. He even worked on his chakra control for a while, seeing a ninja walk up a wall and trying to replicate it. If, you had seen him, you would have even thought he would have been having fun. Which would have been hard to believe, since it would be almost inhuman to enjoy the torture he was putting himself through.
But Naruto did bear through it all with a grin on his face. Because a thought couldn't help but escape his mind. No matter what happened tonight, it would be interesting. Which was good, because more than anything Naruto hated being bored. When Naruto was bored, he started to get sort of crazy and wild. Out of control being the best term for it. Even knuckleheaded.
And he couldn't have that tonight, he would have to keep his cool, if this was all to pool out the way he wanted it.
Just as he thought that, the first shadow clone popped himself away. Naruto grimaced. He hadn't wanted the clone to have been either so revealing or sudden, but it would have to do. He couldn't have people looking for him and setting up missing posters because he wasn't eating ramen anymore. That just wouldn't do.
That's when he realized something. Something quite obvious. He had the clones memories.
Naruto literally said out loud "I am an idiot."
In this case, he was probably right. Nevertheless, he now had valuable information on this new technique of his. They could be very valuable in scouting and reconnaissance, with his chakra, as well as perimeter defense.
Interesting. Many uses, so many possibilities, the more I use this shadow clone, the more I like it. Well then I guess I won't even have to wait and hope Sasuke comes. I'll know ahead of time.
It will be interesting to see both the teme's and the villagers looks, when I pull this off.
And with that thought he had the memories as first the second clone, and then the third clone popped themselves.
By the looks of it Sasuke was entranced, and will most likely come, but it's impossible to tell for sure, Naruto thought.
Then, after that moment of stupidity, Naruto had a moment of genius. If I create 50 shadow clones and we all fight each other on our taijutsu, we'll all see what were all doing wrong. What I'm doing wrong in other words.
"It's just crazy enough to work" Naruto told himself.
So with the proper hand signs, and the an ample amount of chakra, Naruto, created the prescribed amount of shadow clones.
Let me tell you, they all looked pissed. Like Dobermans, who just had their food taken away, they were ready to kill
Naruto decided, with just a hint of fear, that it was a good thing they were so far away from the village, otherwise this could be a problem. That was another reason why he was at section 23, it was so far away, no one would notice anything, not even the Kyuubi's chakra.
Then one of his clones came charging and screaming at him in what was obviously going to be a punch to the face.
So Naruto ducked and launched and uppercut under the clones guard. After the satisfying 'poof' Naruto had to quickly launch a spin kick to take out 3 clones trying come behind his rear.
By then, another four had already jumped into the air, like mad men, with blood lust in there eyes. Naruto grabbed the leg of the clone coming down first, and threw him into the other clones, destroying all four.
Naruto had not a moment's rest as he was surrounded by eight clones from eight sides. All of them had a sort of smug look on their face, as if they couldn't wait to beat him up.
The first two come at him from different angles, one high and one low. Naruto decides, to let the one coming low hit him, and use his momentum to take the clones out. The clone looses its smirk, as Naruto times his jump right as the clones blow lands and runs his feet over the second clones face for more momentum, landing on the first, low clone. After both pop, the other clones are no longer smirking.
So then the remaining 40 clones try one last maneuver.
Screaming "Mob the Boss," all forty clones either jump into the air or charge at the real Naruto with all they got. If Naruto had been watching from a 3rd point perspective, it would have been almost comical.
The unlucky first clone to arrive at Naruto had a poor stance, and his arm was to easily caught by Naruto. After this happened, he was put into the better use of being thrown into a couple of his clone brothers
But the rest were still coming at him with tenacity and ferociousness. This, Naruto noted, is where he could use a wide-area jutsu.
Still, he could only work with what he had and he didn't have any wide-area jutsu's, plus, this was supposedly to improve his taijutsu. So he probably, wouldn't use any jutsu, even if he knew it… probably.
Back to the matter at hand, Naruto had to block a brutal kick that sent him back a couple feet, only to get kicked in the back. Naruto quickly recovered, jumped into air somersaulted and ended up with his foot on a clone's neck a few feet away. After, the poof he quickly launched a quick combo and few clones, including one brutal punch to a poor former clones face.
As someone tried to counter him, he dived behind another clone, grabbed him and used him as a club on about three or four clones.
Now there were only 20 clones all lined up. 'Perfect' Naruto thought charging his way into the clones.
Surprised by his offense the clones slightly paused, and that's where they made they're fatal mistake. For by then Naruto had already gotten into the middle two clones grabbed them by the neck swung them around and threw them into the other 18 all lined up into two trees, almost too perfectly lined up for the destruction of his clones.
And the great Naruto bash was over, and our hero was victorious once more.
Just as Naruto was going to get ready to rest he looked at the time. Already, the full moon was high in the sky and soon Sasuke would be here. Naruto would only have time for a quick wash on his face at the river, and that would be all.
So setting up his clones, incase Sasuke did indeed, come Naruto left, to prepare himself for what was to come.
Sasuke had been nervous all day. The village had calmed down, and for everyone, meaning most of the population, that hadn't been there they played it off as one of Naruto's pranks, and by the sounds of it, is greatest yet. But those who were there claimed different, like Sasuke, they noted something had changed, something was darker, much more… diabolical. He wasn't yet sure what that was, maybe it was Iruka's death that had changed Naruto, but obviously, he was going through the same pain he was, the loss of a loved one(s), and for that they were the same. Plus he had a power that could help him in his quest to kill Itachi. Finally, there was his eyes. Those eyes, were even more powerful than even the Mangekyo. Naruto carried a hidden power, and he wanted to know what doujutsu he had and whether it could be put to use against Itachi or not. So for all this, he would offer Naruto an alliance.
He had no doubt the dobe would accept, because obviously he was just dying for human companionship. Naively, Sasuke thought that this would be as easy as pie. But still, he couldn't shake that feeling of being nervous. For someone to have changed so dramatically overnight, there must be something more.
Another part, that worried him was Section 23. Why pick a place so far from the village, and so late at night. And what was so important about the Full Moon, why not the New Moon? Sasuke didn't understand. This was rare, as he almost always picked things up on the first try, never even having to study.
The clock ticked so slowly as he hated for Midnight, not even training could occupy his thoughts, as he was always looking at the clock. And it was always moving so slowly. Nothing he could do would make it go any faster, not even the beating up of his Itachi doll. Not even, the learning of a new jutsu.
Troubling, very troubling, but then he tried a new tactic. Stop waiting, and let Midnight come to him. In other words, he simply stopped looking at the clock.
Like a miracle, midnight came before Sasuke even knew it. So like a ninja, Sasuke left a little early, and swiftly, and expertly, escaped the guard of the village, who were more looking for outside threats, than inside escapees.
The forest was so different at night. Where at day it was full of both light and life, tonight, it was dead and the moon's rays, only illuminated that fact. Not a sound was made as he worked his way over to section 23.
Until he found a waiting Naruto there, with his back turned obviously waiting him.
"Hello Sasuke, I'm glad to see you came." Naruto said, voice as dead as the forest.
"Naruto, why did you go through so much trouble to get me here. And what was up with your doujutsu?" Sasuke asked
Naruto ignored him "Sasuke, did you know this is where I took my first life, where I killed Mizuki, where Iruka gave up his life to save mine?" Naruto said while turning to look at him, eyes as red as they were this morning.
Sasuke shocked but would not be shaken from his cause, continued, "Naruto… How did you get that power, is that a doujutsu?"
Naruto looked down, "No, Sasuke, it's not a doujutsu."
Sasuke brightened, "So, then it's not a bloodline, you can teach me how to have that power?"
Naruto looked pissed, "YOU WANT THIS POWER SASUKE?"
Then Naruto seemed to collect himself "If I could give it too you, I would…but… you don't want this power Sasuke."
Sasuke looked unsure, so Naruto decided to tell him, "Sasuke, did you know that for 12 years the only birthday present I got was a punch in the face."
Sasuke unsure of how to respond just answered with a simple "No."
Naruto looking straight at him smiled with no mirth "Well, its true, because my birthday October 10th, 12 years ago, was also the day the fourth Hokage couldn't beat the Nine-tailed Fox."
Sasuke looked wided eyed as he started to connect the dots.
"That's right Sasuke, if he couldn't beat the demon, then he would have had only one option, to seal him, and the only baby born that day was me, to seal him, into me!"
Sasuke was completely at a loss for words, but Naruto wasn't done shocking him.
"And he wants to talk to you, take it away fur-ball" And just like that, the boy with red eyes, became more demonic, with red chakra surrounding him, in the form of one tail behind him. His nails grew into claws, and his birthmarks became actual whiskers.
"Puny mortal, I am the Kyuubi, and I only have a short while so I'll make this quick and easy." the Kyuubi told Sasuke.
Meanwhile, Sasuke at the sight and sound of the Greatest demon ever, even in Naruto's body, was scared into silence.
"I value my freedom boy, but you are not strong enough to bring about that and never will be. But there is one thing I do value more than my freedom, and that is my life. And that is one thing you do have the power to end. In this weak mortal shell you call Naruto I am quite weak, for he is quite weak. You are a threat to him, as Uchiha have always been to there friends, as I see you might possibly become with him. So I only have this to warn you, if you try to end my life, I will end your pitiful existence, and your stupid crusade will become pointless. Do you understand?" the Kyuubi stated.
Sasuke gulped wondering how it knew so much, but it was an immortal, so it was best not to question it's authority and just say "Yes, I understand."
"Good, then pray, you never see this form again, I take my leave, pitiful human." the Kyuubi said as it relinquished control back to Naruto.
"So what did he say, anything good?" Naruto asked.
"You mean you really don't know?" Sasuke questioned bewildered.
"Nope." Naruto just stated simply.
"Well it doesn't matter, I guess." Sasuke said.
Then thinking about what he originally came here to do, plus the added benefits of this demonic power, he obviously couldn't not ask Naruto to not join him in an alliance. There were just too many plusses, and he was obviously a powerful ally to have, someone not to make an enemy of, if the Kyuubi was anything to go by.
"So Naruto, umm, I don't really know how to ask this so I'll just go out and say it, how would an alliance sound to you?" Sasuke said sort of shyly.
"An alliance?" Naruto asked bewildered for the first time tonight.
"Umm yah, your obviously strong, and I'm obviously strong, so I was thinking we could maybe be strong together or something." Sasuke finished lamely.
"So in other words we would be friends?" Naruto questioned.
Thinking about the Kyuubi's warning, but also realizing that this might quite possibly seal the deal, Sasuke grinded his teeth and let out a "Hn."
With a smile for the first time in a long time full of mirth Naruto quickly agreed "Sure, an alliance doesn't sound so bad. Yah let's do it."
Sasuke already walking away said "Great, meet me at my place tomorrow at 6 a.m., were going to go through some pre-team analysis and training, including you showing me that trick you pulled off this morning."
"Whatever you say Sasuke, I'll be there." Naruto responded, happy for the first time in a long time.
A friend he thought. Who would have thought, that a demon like me, could have a friend, and he even knows about the demon. This could get interesting.
A/n Man that was fun, bunch of hardcore revelations, a prolonged fight scene, and a fight scene. Don't expect Naruto to be completely happy once more though. And also a little tease, don't expect him to get away with what he did at the funeral^^. Also for those of you wondering where I got the "Kyuubi is strongest on the full moon part" I got that from the episode where Gaara goes on the bloodlust under the full moon, so I don't really know if it was because of the full moon, or if the Kyuubi would also act like this under an emotionally distraught Naruto, but it was kinda fun to do for a fan fiction so I did it. As always, read and REVIEW.
