Chapter 7 – the plans of an immortal

As sleep laid claimed to Naruto three men picked up the last scroll off their respective desks, one held a contract, one a letter, and the last a report. It was indeed going to be a long night for Naruto he just didn't know it yet. The shinigami sat behind his desk, his office darkened to near blackness; the only light in the room came from a single lamp on the desk. The desk its self was carved from a single large slab of blood stone the craftsmanship was that of a craftsman not seen in centuries. Hidden beneath the darkness a soul kneeled shackled to the wall, his body thin showed signs of decay, his ocean blue eyes lacked any of the fire that had made him the man he was in life. Around his neck a large shackle and chain held him within half a foot of the wall at all times just out of reach of the light, forever torturing him with the faintest of hope he would see his family once again, and that he would somehow be delivered from the hell he brought upon himself. This man was none other than Minato Namikaze. The sound of a scroll being unrolled disrupted the cold silence, Minato looked up from his place on the wall to stare at the light, surly the end of days was upon him, the world would have ended and he would be allowed to hold his wife and son once more in the afterlife.

As the shinigami unrolled his great scroll he began to read.

The binding of Uzumaki Naruto, and the Kyuubi no kitsune

Terms to be upheld

The kyuubi no Yoko will be imprisoned within the human child uzumaki Naruto until his natural death.

Upon his natural death the kyuubi no kitsune would be stripped of its power and be cast once more into its native realm.

The seal binding the pair will allow all negative emotions and experiences of the host to be felt by the imprisoned.

The imprisoned's power will be slowly converted and drained, allowing a permanent exchange of chakra between the vessel and the imprisoned.

The seals integrity will forever be maintained and guaranteed by the shinigami while the function will be controlled by the hosts will.

Compensation,

The soul of Minato Namikaze will be held until the end of days or an irreparable breach of contract guidelines.

Rolling the great scroll closed once more the shinigami smiled, for far too long this contract had interfered in the great plan, soon it would all start to repair itself once more. Opening the top drawer of his desk the shinigami removed a large ornate silver key. Long had he waited, plotted, screamed, he would be rid of the soul within his space. Getting up from his desk the shinigami walked towards the darkness.

As Minato strained his eyes to see the faint light it suddenly disappeared, a shiver ran down Minatos back, he was alone, trapped in a void between life and death truly this was hell...

The sounds of clattering chains, and the smell of sulphur bombarded Minatos senses. Being dragged to his feet Minato braced for the pain he knew would come but the pain never came. "Your contract has ended mortal," spoke the shinigami coldly, "your son died last night."

"Naruto," murmured Minato as his feet found themselves placed upon the floor.

"Why are you releasing me?" questioned Minato fearing the answer.

"I realise you because your son did not die a natural death," said the shinigami the voice level.

"What of Konoha? What of our home?" asked Minato franticly worry dripped from every word? Had the kyuubi been released, had it survived? Was all his family sacrifices for not? These thoughts raced through his mind as the shinigami formed a portal of pure energy behind him.

"You will see should you ever find your way out of your new prison," spoke the shinigami coolly a smirk etched in his face.

The last thing Minato felt before the cold embrace of stone consumed him was the shinigami pushing him backwards into the swirling vortex of energy behind him.

Mean while Sarutobi sat at his desk, the scroll in his hand recently delivered by Kosuke. With a nod from Sarutobi the small goggle wearing toad vanished in a small cloud of smoke, "secure the room," commanded Sarutobi. At his words the hidden anbu from around the small office vanished from there concealed points to secure the office from all methods of infiltration. As Sarutobi unrolled the scroll in his hand he began to read.

Sensei

I have disturbing information to relay to you.

Tsunade had a run in with a pair of NE operatives the night before last. I think it's about time we pay the head a visit, I will return to the village after securing Naruto's location and receiving a report from the source we discussed.

Hope this finds you well.

Jiraiya

Scowling Sarutobi rolled the letter closed before burning it with a small katon jutsu. Opening the bottom drawer of his desk Sarutobi withdrew an old tasselled pillow upon it rest a great cloudy crystal orb, the toads tear. Forming a quick series of seals the cloudy crystal cleared, with in it's an image of Naruto blazed into life allowing Sarutobi to gain a glimpse of Naruto's transformation. With a frown Sarutobi began to write a reply to Jiraiya, all the while taking glimpses at the ever changing picture of Naruto. "Something has happened to the seal" thought Sarutobi as he pressed a button on his desk, "Sharon would you send a runner for kakashi I have need of him," requested Sarutobi before releasing the button.

Fifteen minutes later a knock came at Sarutobi's office door, "enter," said Sarutobi as he draped a small silk cloth over the toads tear crystal. Moments later the office door opened and kakashi appeared being dragged by the caller by a purple haired anbu with a cat mask, "I have retrieved kakashi lord hokage," said the anbu bowing slightly. "Thank you Neko you may leave us," said Sarutobi a slight smirk on his face by the look of despair on kakashi's face from being dragged into his office. After a slight nod of the head neko vanished in a swirl of leaves, leaving kakashi to try and recover what little dignity he could. "How may I be of service lord hokage," said kakashi his hands firmly placed in his coat pockets. "Deliver this scroll to the enclosed location," said Sarutobi. "Don't open the scroll until you're a day from Yu," instructed Sarutobi his voice serious, you are to stay with your charge until your relief arrives." "This will be recorded as an A rank escort mission, any ninja without the enclosed information are to be terminated immediately," said Sarutobi grimly, "do you understand?"

"Yes lord hokage," replied kakashi, "I will leave immediately."

As kakashi vanished from the office Sarutobi removed the silk cover from toads eye crystal, the sight that the crystal contained was confusing to say the least, a platinum blond fox sat in the ball. The small fox was shaking its head as if to say spying on people is wrong, before the clouds reformed and blocked the small fox from view.

Sarutobi formed the seals to activate the toads tear again, nothing happen. Forming the seals again Sarutobi thought of Jiraiya, immediately Jiraiya came into view sitting a dimly lit table writing something onto his note pad.

Releasing his view of Jiraiya, Sarutobi once again tried to see Naruto only to have the clouds remain within the center of the great crystal obstructing him form view.

"What could this mean for Konoha" thought Sarutobi as he watched the sun slowly set.

Somewhere hidden within the walls of Konoha, a meeting was underway. Hidden a mile beneath konohas great streets an underground citadel contained a legion of ceramic masked men and women, sitting in a great marble throne Danzo waited his hands interlaced while he waited for the last of his agents to arrive.

As the last empty gap is filled by a masked ninja Danzo rising to his feet, "The great tree has forever been protected from the ever present storm by the strength of its roots," spoke Danzo. "Tomorrow shall mark a new ring in our great tree and for every new ring a new root must be laid," continued Danzo plainly, "the hunter teams will continue their search for the entrance to the great den."

With that more than half of the ninja vanished until there next summons, the remaining members all had numbers smaller than 50 under there right eyes.

"Recruitment continue to gather the best and brightest of the young for our continued strength,"

Numbers 21-40 vanished, "training division will continue there directive," numbers 41-50 vanished.

"Sealing division report," commanded Danzo.

Mask number 11 razed his head from his bowed position before speaking, "the sealing team is confident should the kyuubi manifest itself we will be able to seal it into one of the available children my lord."

"Good," spoke Danzo, "sealing division is dismissed." Numbers 11-20 vanished leaving.

"I have a special mission for the group of you," spoke Danzo, "one of the hunter teams found a small child matching the description of our deceased jinchuriki in a small village by the temple of eternal fire."

"Confirm the presence of our jinchuriki and retrieve the bijou for resealing in one of our members, if he isn't a suitable candidate" commanded Danzo.

"Yea Lord Danzo" the group echoed before vanishing like they were never there.

Turning to walk back to his private office Danzo couldn't help but chuckle at his good fortune, long had Sarutobi forbid him form claiming the boy for his root division, but if he's been declared dead Sarutobi might as well have given the boy to him.

As Naruto's mindscape slowly formed around him he found himself in a frightening environment, gone was the lake, his house, everything he once knew. He was in a great cavern, its muddy red covered in small tunnels and indents, the floor seemed to be made of polished and smoothed bed rock. Taking a few cautions steps Naruto looked around his new environment. The great cavern was absolutely empty but each of the tunnels or indents contained portions of his previous mindscape. It was only after finding his memory library he noticed what had happened, the library was infinitely larger, countless shelves lay in great rows, closing his eyes he reached into his mind trying to locate the legacy seal, when he opened his eyes he found himself back in the main chamber the entire cavern floor was consumed in a great swirling seal the number ablaze in the center 32. "What the hell," murmured Naruto, "how did this get undone?"

"That's one of the things we need to talk about," spoke a voice from inside one of the many tunnels.

Turning his head to face in the direction of the voice Naruto found himself staring into the sapphire blue eyes of a platinum blond four tailed fox. "Kyu?" questioned Naruto.

A slight smile graced her face as she answered, "yes Naruto its kyu."

"But you were red, I thought you had nine tails, weren't you bigger?" rambled Naruto as he stared at his friends sudden change of appearance.

With a sigh kyu lay down on the smooth floor before, "When you forced yourself upon the blade of the shinigami you broke the seal and the contract binding us together," said kyu sadness in her voice, "I held you as the little remaining life drained from your body, for all intensive purposes you died that night."

"If I'm dead how is it were having this conversation," questioned Naruto before panic kicked in, "I didn't kill you did I?"

"No you didn't kill me Naruto," soothed kyu concern in her voice, "unfortunately our freedom came at a great price."

"What happened kyu?" asked Naruto trying to remain calm?

"I used a forbidden technique to bind your soul back to your body, a body that I revived with four of my tails, last night you died and we became one being all that you were all that I was became blended, shared without limit without restraint," explained kyu, "you became kitsune last night Naruto."

"I shared in your humanity and understanding, something I lost long ago, you shared in my pain and hate, you will see my countless memories and experiences as I will yours," continued kyu.

"You will see all of my secrets, and I will see all that you held close to your heart and shielded me from," said kyu a sad smile on her face. "while I am no longer sealed within you our souls are forever entwined," said kyu a single tear ran down her nose, "we will forever be able to feel what the other feels, to call upon the other in a time of need with a simple thought, I returned to the great den your mindscape should show you the way there when the time is right."

"I finally understand what it means to say this," said kyu her eyes showed happiness that couldn't be measured, "I love you kit."

Placing a hand on kyus head Naruto looked into her eyes searching for the deception he had experience by every other person to say that to him, to his shock and euphoria discover they held none.

"Love you," said Naruto drawing the small fox into a hug, closing his eyes Naruto saw a flash of a great 8 tailed fox laying within a great hollow. ""Taisen,""murmured Naruto his eyes flashed as he spoke the name, "I'll kill you for what you've done."

Feeling the negative emotions building in her love and partner kyu brushed a single tail under his chin before speaking, "you're feeling emotional feedback from the exchange," whispered kyu, "it will be a few days before it balances." "Please don't do anything you will regret when the emotions stop fluxing," pleaded kyu, "Taisen, is an 8 tailed kitsune and one of four males in all sono kyousei hora."

"Four males," questioned Naruto as his mind searched through all the knowledge he had gained, "there are only three males in sono kyousei hora."

"Taisen, eight tails, highest tail count in the den, master of elemental manipulation" "Seikitai, six tails, one of 6 white furred kitsune, master of the art of illusion," "Houten, two tails, the keeper of law and history," "who's the fourth?" questioned Naruto.

With a smirk gracing her lips kyu snuggled into Naruto's embrace, "uzumaki Naruto, maelstrom, four tails, most unpredictable," answered kyu her smirk bursting into a full blown grin as she finished.

Naruto was shocked, he forgot he was kitsune, making a mental note to look through his knowledge of sono kyousei hora over the next few nights; he looked towards the seal on the floor, "what happened to the seal kyu?"

When we blended the force of my chakra aged your body by about 4 years since a large portion of the seal is time delayed it unfolded and placed the knowledge of your family in your mind," explained kyu

"our time is running short," said kyu, I will start searching for a new home in sono kyousei hora for us."

"I will arrive when I understand all I have become," said Naruto as the feeling of a small tug on his body graced him.

"Will I see you when I sleep?" asked Naruto the silent plead unmistakeable in his voice.

"We sleep together always, replied kyu her voice softer then it had ever been before, "your friends are waiting, remember I'm only a thought away."

As Naruto faded from view kyu looked around there shared mindscape, "looks like I have my work cut out for me," kyu mused as she concentrated on transforming the main room into something more personal...

Rolling onto his back Naruto flexed his fingers and wiggled his toes. "Good morning said Jiraiya an odd cheeriness in his voice. "Morning," replied Naruto sitting up his now crimson hair had grown to just under 3 feet in length over night and shielded his face from view. "So you said you would explain when you woke up? Said Jiraiya, turning his chair around, taking a seat his arms resting on his back he asked the only question on his mind, "what happened?"

Pulling the blanket from his body Naruto placed his bare and clawed feet on the floor before brushing the long crimson hair from his face with a equally clawed hand, "I died last night," stated Naruto plainly.

Jiraiya face was blank no emotion or even thought was present in his expression; "you died?" repeated Jiraiya scepticism thick in his voice.

"I was impaled on the blade of the Shingamis himself," stated Naruto calmly.

Jiraiya stared blankly into Naruto's crimson eyes for a moment before he spoke, "if you died at the hand of the Shingamis, how are you still alive?"

"A deal was broken, a contract was violated and my life was left at the mercy of my tenant," said Naruto bitterness evident in his voice.

Jiraiya eyes narrowed, "what happened to the seal?" questioned Jiraiya.

"The seal," spat Naruto anger starting to boil to the surface, "of course the only thing that is of real concern here." Rising to his feet Naruto placed his hand on the door handle before fixing Jiraiya with a firry glare, "the seal is gone your presence here is no longer required," stated Naruto malice dripping from every word. Ripping the door open Naruto exited the small room, leaving a gobsmacked Jiraiya sitting with his jaw on the floor.

"Naruto?" said Tsunade as she tried to sit up from her place on the futon.

"Not now god mother," said Naruto as he reached the door to the hallway.

As Jiraiyas mind finally stopped spinning the slamming of the room's door on stone rocked the temple. Springing to his feet Jiraiya open the door to be hit with a look of disgust from Tsunade, "WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO!" yelled Tsunade.

"All I did was asked what happened to the seal?" stated Jiraiya.

"Of course you did, I should have known you would do something so stupid," berated Tsunade, "hell, that's all he has ever been to anyone, form that accursed village, your precious jinchuriki, your weapon and trump card."

"Stay here," commanded Tsunade as she reached the door, "I have to make sure my god son is alright," her words were icy and struck Jiraiya as a knife would a heart. As Jiraiya watched the door close all he felt a wave of guilt wash over him, ever since they left he had done nothing but confirm the condition of the seal and shielded Naruto's body from harm when able, of course it would seem like he didn't care, his field was responsible for the whole mess to begin with. Making a silent vow to try harder to get to know Naruto for who he was, taking his trusty notebook from his pocket Jiraiya started to write everything he knew about Naruto down within its great pages.

Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze

Age nine and a half

Sex: male

Hair color: crimson red over 2feet in length

Eyes, split pupil red

Height: 4'8

Weight: 80-85 lbs

Likes: ramen...

Dislikes...

Dreams...

It was at this point Jiraiya realized other than being the jinchuriki of the nine tailed fox he knew nothing about his god son, how could he know nothing about his god son? Was he really that bad of a god parent? Had his dedication to the village been so strong he sacrificed what family he could have had?

The questions raced and the more he thought about it the more he realized he failed the only family he ever had.

"How dare they!" Naruto fumed, as he stormed down the hallway towards the main hall and the great doors that shielded this holy place. "Why did I expect anything different from them," cursed Naruto as he reached the great hall. "of course there only worried about there precious seal," kicking the door with what felt like a small portion of his strength the door swung wide with ease. "The last fucking legacy of the Fourth," spitting the fourths name as if it was something taboo Naruto stood at the edge of the great cliff face and looked towards the lake and streaming lava below. How easy it would be to jump and shatter their hopes and dreams on the rocks below, thought Naruto with a grim sneer, but that won't help me or my family.

Taking a short walk down the trail Naruto's forced calm broke, drawing his fist back he struck the side of the mountain with everything he had cursing his father with every word in his now considerable vocabulary, "I Pray your soul be Condemned to the deepest pits of hell for your sins against your own blood, I swear should I meet you in this or the next life you will be truly sorry you ever decide you would sacrifice my life for your victory." Withdrawing his hand from the crater he created in the side of the mountain Naruto felt the ground tremor as the normally steady stream of lava pouring from the mouth of the volcanic mountain gushed with new vigour.

As Tsunade ran down the corridors towards the main hall the mountain shook, the great walls creaked, and the tapestries along the walls swung, bracing her between one of the great stone archways Tsunade held her breath waiting for the tremor to pass. As the tapestries slowed and the creaking stopped Tsunade continued her way to main hall, the sight that met her was terrifying, one of the great doors hung loosely form its hinges, and on the cliff face standing on the very cusp of the cliff, Naruto.

"Naruto," yelled Tsunade, turning his head Naruto looked her in the eyes he stepped off the cliff to vanish from sight. "No…"gasped Tsunade before running towards the cliff face, Diving to the edge of the cliff arm out stretched as if to grab Naruto before he fell to his doom all she could do was looking over the edge and see nothing except rising clouds of steam from the rocky lake below. Tears poured from her eyes as the grief and sadness of losing another family member, a charge, and the son she never had within a week of leavening the village crashed down on her, all of the death the sadness, the emptiness threatened to consume her, "no," thought Tsunade getting to her feet placing both feet on the edge of the cliff and taking one final look to the lake below, "I'm sorry…" murmured Tsunade before she too took a step off the edge. They say you never really know what you've lost and what you had until it's all taken away or an irrevocable action is taken, as Tsunade fell towards the lake below she gauged her distance 100feet, "Dan ill see you again soon," 80feet "Nawaki there going to do it, if only our friend would have be taken care of," 60feet "Shizune… I'm sorry I'm just not strong enough" 40feet "Naruto I only wish I'd had a chance to get to know you before you were gone," 20feet closing her eyes Tsunade asked, "why are all those I love taken from me?"

The crash never came, opening her teary blood shot eyes Tsunade felt a pair of arms around her waist, "you should through what is truly precious away for not," said a quiet voice form behind her

Fear, terror, despair, these were a few of the things that raced through Tsunades mind as she felt the arms leave her waist, looking to her feet she could see she stood at the edge of the cliff exactly as she had before she had stepped off.

Turning slowly Tsunade looked into the face of the person whose arms were until moments ago wrapped around her waist, Naruto stood not even a foot behind her the kanji for hope burned in his left eye. Taking a step forward Tsunade pulled Naruto into a fierce hug, "I thought you jumped," whispered Tsunade into the top of his head.

"I know," whispered Naruto his voice empty, "I would have thought that you of all people would have been happy to see me go."

Pulling Naruto to arms length so she could look into his newly formed eyes, "why in Kamis name would I want you to leave us?" exclaimed Tsunade tears once again forming in her eyes, "you're my god son I only wish I had been here sooner."

A single tear passed from Naruto's eye, someone cared, someone who he had hurt cared? How had he hurt her? What had he done? Naruto's mind raced trying to identify the memory that now plagued him, he stood in the center of an ashen creator, a burning village lay behind him and many dead men and women lay at his feet.

"I have destroyed many lives, and many more were lost in my capture?" said Naruto looking up into Tsunades eyes. "Your capture? You're not the fox Naruto, you never were," replied Tsunade

"That's where your wrong," said Naruto sadly as he moved back from Tsunade, yesterday I died, everything I was everything she was added together and divided fifty fifty you could say I gained half her sins and she gained half of mine," smiling a weak smile Naruto closed his eyes and waited for the blows to begin, for the hate he was sure he deserved to be thrust upon him once more, but the strikes never came, the hate filled words never graced his ears, and the feeling of emptiness didn't consume him, as a pair of arms wrapped around him once more and tears fell upon his crimson hair.

"you will always be my godson Naruto, whether your hair is red or blond, whether your happy or sad, whether you contained or contain the fox, I will always love you because you're the last of my family our great grandmother and grandmother respectfully would have said that, "while we are all capable of great evil we are also capable of great compassion,"" a smile graced Naruto face at the words of his godmother he was loved unconditionally and he would treasure her love eternally.

Well all there's another chapter took a little longer then I had planed but I hope you will all enjoy it none the less

Duze