Chapter Seven ======= ======= =======
Konoha Hospital, Morning ####### ####### #######
The reception desk at a hospital was usually busy at all times. Sure, the hospital was well-funded and had all its needs met, but there was also a large flow of work to be done, filing paperwork, registering visitors and patients, and the like. The people who worked in administrative or clerical functions rarely enjoyed their work, even if they took pride in it. However, it was at rare times like these that bureaucrats enjoyed what little power they had when enforcing rules and regulations on people undeserving of pity or leeway. The reception desk girl who managed guest flow lifted her eyes from the desk, spying the orange menace walking in the main door. The demon brat. He was asking for permission to visit a young genin who had been hospitalized earlier that day whose condition was an A-rank secret. Inwardly, she smirked while doing her best to keep her professional impassive face.
"Hinata-sama is not allowed any visitors."
"What the hell?!"
Ha. Serves him right. Even if it was well within the rules to deny the brat entrance, she took a small amount of vindictive pleasure in seeing the brat frustrated. The monster that had killed her cousin shouldn't be allowed to have his way so easily.
"Naruto, don't be so loud in the hospital." Kakashi's reprimand would have been stern, if it hadn't been delivered tonelessly.
"Kakashi-sensei, Sasuke!"
"Hey, when are you going to give me some training?"
"Not now, Naruto. I'm busy taking care of the rest of the team. I'm here right now to have Sasuke checked."
"Huh? You're still feeling sick?"
"Yeah," Sasuke replied. "My fever is mostly gone, but I've just been so tired. Kakashi thinks that Orochimaru guy might have poisoned me."
"Snakes are known for their venom, after all…" Added Kakashi.
"Oh." Naruto's exuberance deflated. Seeing his friends being hurt really put a damper on his spirits.
"Well, you can always train with Ebisu-sensei while I'm not available."
"I guess…" Ebisu was a fine teacher in Naruto's opinion, but he wanted more attention from his jounin-sensei.
"Well, we'll be off."
"Don't be sad Naruto," Sasuke said reassuringly. "I'll get better soon. Whatever it is, the medics will take care of it in a pinch, so cheer up."
"Right." Naruto smiled a little as Sasuke was led away by their jounin-sensei to see a doctor.
"Oya? Naruto-kun, fancy seeing you here!" Turning to the new voice, Naruto immediately recognized his newest friend.
"Kabuto! What are you doing here?"
"Oh, I come by here often to train. I specialize in medical ninjutsu, so I work here as a medical intern. That way, I can improve myself while also helping the hospital."
"Woow! That's so cool!"
"Haha. To be honest, I might have focused too much on my support abilities. If I'd been a better fighter, I wouldn't have had to drop out of the exam like that." Kabuto explained, his body language leaking embarrassment.
"Well, I think helping people is great, even if it takes you a while to get to Chuunin. I'm sure you'll make it someday! You're just too awesome not to get promoted."
"You praise me too much, Naruto-kun."
"Hey… um…"
"What is it, Naruto-kun?"
"Do you think, maybe you could teach me some?"
"Teach you medical ninjutsu?"
"Yeah! I hate seeing my teammates getting hurt, and I wanted to do something about it. Learning some healing would definitely be cool."
"Hmm. I wouldn't mind sparing some time to run you by the basics."
"Really? You're the best! Thank you! So when can you train me?"
"Actually, I'm not very busy tomorrow. I just have to check in with some business at the hospital briefly. We'll at the town center in the morning. We can have some breakfast together and then I'll see where you stand on chakra control. How does that sound?"
"That sounds great! Thank a bunch Kabuto-nii." For a fraction of a second Kabuto's face froze, but recovered before Naruto could notice.
"See you later then, Naruto-kun."
Naruto dashed off to find Ebisu so he could learn as much chakra control as possible before meeting up with Kabuto. With Naruto gone, Kabuto relaxed his smile and stared emptily at the boy's back as he sped off. Kabuto-nii… Kabuto shook his head. Naruto was indeed an interesting character.
Hot Spring Baths, Noon ####### ####### #######
The air was heavy with warm mists and gentle giggles as the women gossiped while they bathed. Every once in a while, a splash of water could be heard as a lady dumped a bucket of water over herself, its cold contents hugging her figure smoothly.
Naruto shuddered in pleasure as individual drips of water accumulated and fell from the full and succulent shape of her-
"Naruto!" Ebisu cried indignantly. "That's the women's bathing area. I won't allow shameless acts. Come here now!" He dragged his charge away from the beautiful sight.
No longer led astray by feminine distractions, Naruto asked the question that had been on his mind ever since they entered the neighborhood.
"Ebisu-sensei, why did we come here to train? Are we gonna take a bath before training?"
Ebisu smirked as he adjusted his glasses with one hand.
"No, we will be training here at the hot springs. You will walk… atop the hot spring water."
"Huh?"
"I've heard from Kakashi-sensei that you've already done the tree-walking lesson. This is a variation of that. Instead of just expelling chakra from the feet to make them stick to a surface, you will have to expel enough chakra to match your weight and make yourself float, and then do this continuously to stay on top of the water, but without expelling too much or else the water will be made unstable." Ebisu then demonstrated, moulding chakra around his feet, and then effortlessly walking upon the water as if it were solid. Naruto whistled.
"It looks like Jesus'll have to up his game before impressing any Shinobi." (A/N: Dammit Naruto, Jesus doesn't exist in your universe.)
"Alright, so all I have to do is express a set amount of chakra! Easy!" Naruto took one step and promptly fell into the water in one big splash. "Ouch! HOT!"
Ebisu smirked.
"I forgot to tell you that the hot spring waters are at a temperature of 60 degrees. If you continue to fail like that, you'll be turned into a boiled egg."
Naruto hurriedly swam to the edge of the pool and clambered out to try again.
"Damn it! I'm definitely going to succeed at this!"
After just a few minutes, Naruto could make himself float on his two legs while ankle-deep in the water. By the end of the hour, Naruto could walk on the water, though about as well as one could on quicksand. After another hour of alternating between Ebisu lecturing and explaining and Naruto refining his practice, he could perform a convincing water walk just fine.
"Naruto, this looks good enough for now. We haven't had lunch yet, right? How about I treat you to celebrate your new skill?"
"ALRIGHT! Can we have ramen?!"
"... If you'd like, I'm fine with that." Well, at least paying for his meal will stay cheap that way… Ebisu thought to himself wryly.
"Let's go! I'm starving!" Naruto stomped off ahead energetically, despite the hours of normally exhaustive chakra training. In his excitement, Naruto was too busy thinking about what kind of ramen he would order to notice the other pedestrians in his way.
"Hey! Watch it kid!"
Noting the great mane of white hair, Naruto decided to play nice with the senior.
"AH, sorry old man!" He apologized cheerfully.
Nonplussed, the old-timer returned to plunging his face in his little book, giggling in a most unbecoming high-pitched and perverted manner.
"Gihihihi…" Naruto couldn't help be notice that he was headed in the same direction they came from, namely the women's bathhouses.
Following behind Naruto, Ebisu let his disapproval be heard.
"Tsk. Tsk."
"Don't pretend you're any better, closet-pervert."
"Don't call out the one who's paying for your meal." Ebisu retorted.
"Teehee…"
Konoha Hospital, Earlier ####### ####### #######
"Well?"
Sasuke, dressed in simple white hospital kimono, sat up on his bed. The small group of doctors that had been assembled filed out of the room to whisper among each other before one told Kakashi their verdict. Kakashi, standing arms crossed in the corner of the room, sighed.
"Does that mean… it's bad?" Sasuke's grip on the bedsheets tightened.
"Not exactly. The biggest problem is that we don't know what's wrong to begin with. It doesn't look like any trace of normal disease could be found, so my best guess is poison. Luckily, a resident expert on Orochimaru was in town, so I called him in to take a look at you."
The door to Sasuke's room flung open, revealing a man in a great green robe with a red over-jacket, shinobi headband reading "oil", palm outstretched having just blasted open the door, striking a pose with a wide stance.
"I am Mount Myoboku-Gama's Holy Master Sennin, also known as Toad Sennin! Remember it!"
Sasuke's eye twitched.
"Well, I guess we should tell a nurse that one of the patients from the psych ward is loose."
"What are you calling me?! I'll have you know I am not a senile old fool! I am Jiraiya the Gallant! And who might you be, you disrespectful brat?"
"My name is Uchiha Sasuke. Pleased to meet you." Sasuke ground his teeth but did his best to prove the geezer that he could indeed address people properly. The old man seemed content with this and nodded in satisfaction.
"So, Kakashi, why summon me on this fine day better spent outdoors enjoying the beauty of nature?"
Kakashi's eyebrow rose. I'm sure by 'beauty of nature' you mean spying on the women's baths… but whatever.
"Ah… It's about Orochimaru. During the Chuunin Exam, this boy was attacked by the snake and has been ill ever since. I suspect poison, but the doctors here have found nothing as of yet."
Jiraiya's face hardened into a more professional expression now that he heard how serious his business was.
"That man is known for his poisons… however, recently my sources say he has been very interested in fuinjutsu."
"Indeed. At the same time, my other student, Hyūga Hinata, has been given the Cursed Seal."
"Hrmm. Then I think it's possible that the nature of his poisoning was not toxic or chemical but rather chakra-based. Let's examine the boy with that in mind."
"Very well."
"Sasuke, I want you to mould chakra."
"Okay." Sasuke did as he was told while Jiraiya stalked towards his bed and swept aside the sheets, sliding his hand under Sasuke's robes in one smooth motion, placing it on Sasuke's bare chest. He closed his eyes in concentration.
"It's faint, but I can tell there is a foreign presence. Are there any injuries that could be identified as points of entry?"
Sasuke raised his left arm, pulling back the robe sleeve to reveal a scar that indicated a closed wound. Jiraiya inspected it further.
"As I thought. You were very unlucky. It seems Orochimaru's poison that placed the Cursed Seal in your teammate accidentally made it's way into your bloodstream via the artery in your left arm that goes directly to your heart. The dose was small, and it looks like most has already been flushed out of your system, however for the near future your body will continue to be affected by it. I could try to come up with a counter..."
"What about my training? I'm going to participate in the final stage of the Chuunin Exam..."
Kakashi stepped in, announcing a new situation.
"Since it looks like you'll be hanging around Jiraiya a lot for your recovery, then there'd be no point in having two jounins for just one genin at the same time, right? How about Jiraiya takes over your training until he is back to normal?"
Jiraiya didn't take to this too well.
"What? But what about-"
"I'll take care of the rest." Kakashi reassured.
Grumbling, Jiraiya made to leave the room. Before walking through the door he stopped to give one last parting shot.
"You'd better not disappoint me, kid."
"Good luck with your training, Sasuke." Kakashi said before leaving the room in Jiraiya's wake.
Hospital Roof ####### ####### #######
"You knew I was supposed to be here to train Naruto. Why are you pushing the Uchiha kid on me?"
"You're the only one who can help him with his condition. There's no point in him having two instructors. Too many chefs ruins the soup, you know?"
"So instead of passing on your precious sharingan techniques, you get to focus on the little girl?"
"Their situations are different. She needs the doujutsu training and no one else will do it. There is no lack of experienced Sharingan users who Sasuke could turn to. I'm sure Fugaku-san would be pleased to have some quality clan training time with his son."
"And what about Naruto?"
"He is in capable hands. Does the personal tutor of the former Lord Third's grandson sound good enough? Besides, he has also made a new friend. Trust me, things will work out even if you have to wait a bit longer before passing on your legacy to Naruto."
"I hope you are right. Just don't let me regret this."
"I won't."
"In any case, I still want Naruto to begin learning to control the Kyuubi's chakra immediately. If Ebisu is all he's cracked up to be, then surely he could supervise the training in my stead."
An image flashed in Kakashi's mind, showing him the gore-painted bridge.
"Hmm. What about the danger of the Kyuubi's power going wild?"
"That's what the Sharingan is for, right?"
"I have my doubts. Only one man in history is recorded to have actually succeeded in reigning in the Kyuubi using a Sharingan."
"Beggars can't be choosers. The Sharingan is what we have, so that's what we'll use. That was the Hokage's idea."
"So, what are you going to do about this?"
"I'm going to have a chat with the Uchihas. If it's time to train Naruto, then it's also time to tell Sasuke about his role in this matter."
"Very well. His Sharingan is still new, but he's a fast adapter. Hopefully he'll live up to our expectations."
"I think you meant 'hopefully his eyes will live up to our expectations' ha! Well then… since Sasuke needs more rest tonight and can't train yet… I'm off to the baths! Seeya!" And with that, the famous perverted hermit sage disappeared into the crowd below. Kakashi sighed.
Ichiraku Ramen ####### ####### #######
While it was true that ramen as an individual dish was cheap, what it lacked in quality Naruto made up for in quantity. Ebisu feared for his wallet after watching Naruto pile up bowl after bowl. Why did I promise such a foolish thing as paying for this bottomless pit's meal? I don't care if he has a heart of gold; he's a monster I tell you, a monster!
"Pops, another!"
"Alright!"
"Ugh…" Quick, I have to find something to distract him away from eating more food! "Say, Naruto, come to think of it, you probably haven't heard many stories from senior shinobi, right?"
Naruto halted in mid-slurp to turn to Ebisu.
"Mnh.."
"So, how about I share some of my mission stories. Wouldn't you like to hear 'em?"
Nodding vigorously, Naruto swallowed his food before swiveling in his seat.
"Yes, Ebisu-sensei!"
"You know how your first C-rank mission went and became an A-rank halfway through? Well, that's actually not uncommon. There's rumors of a "C-rank curse" that most genin's first C-rank mission turns into a real mess of at least B-rank, usually higher! For my first C-rank mission, we were assigned a routine escort mission for a merchant vessel making its way to the Water Nation…"
Ebisu easily slipped into his role as the story-teller. It was one of the reasons for why he chose to become an educator, he always did like teaching the youngsters of Konoha, and this one was no different, on the edge of his seat for the whole experience, soaking up Ebisu's words. They sat for a long time.
"... and I swear to this day, that crocodile is still ticking away with that clock in its gut!"
"Bwahahaha!"
"Oh, looks like it'll soon be sunset, better go back home, Naruto."
"Yeah. I had a really good day today, Ebisu-sensei!" Naruto ran off, trailing dust towards a practice area instead of his apartment. That kid… I wonder how far he'll go.
Konoha Hospital, Morning ####### ####### #######
Today was a special day. It was rare indeed for the ever-so-busy Hokage to take time out of his duties to visit the hospital. But this was no ordinary occasion, as the patient in question was none other than the Hokage's beloved younger brother. The Hospital staff whispered to each other excitedly, gossiping over the Hokage's surprise visit. The men beamed and the womens' cheeks flushed before his handsome glory as he passed through the halls. It was to this setting that Uchiha Fugaku found himself while trying to visit his youngest son. Bemused at the hubbub, he did not guess that everyone was in cahoots over a suprise appearance of their favorite celebrity - his first son. Fugaku, usually stoic and grave in all situations, with the exception of the private company of his wife, found himself uncharacteristically surprised to find the rest of his family already in Sasuke's room, with Itachi at Sasuke's bedside.
"Father!" Sasuke was excited to see more of Fugaku, and was very pleased when his distant father visited him at the hospital every day since his admittance.
"Father." More reserved, though probably out of fatigue, his eldest son greeted the ageing man. His smiling wife, who had been sitting on a chair on the far side of the room, rose to greet him as well.
"Hello dear."
"Ah… good morning." He gave his wife and eldest son a meaningful glance. "It's time."
Itachi rose and cleared his throat before speaking.
"Sasuke…"
"Yes, nii-san?"
"Tonight you will deemed healthy enough to no longer be confined to bed. When you are, you will be immediately summoned to the Hokage Tower."
Fugaku took his cue and brought to Sasuke a set of documents.
"What's this?"
"A non-disclosure agreement."
Sasuke's head swam at his brother's words.
"Non-disclosure…?"
"If you sign it, you will be trusted with knowledge vital to national security."
Sasuke's eyes flicked between his brother and his father. His father nodded his head.
"I highly recommend that you sign it."
"… Is it alright to trust me with this? Does this mean the clan is… recognizing me?"
"You have completed the right of passage and awoken your Sharingan. The time to understand what it means to be a true Uchiha draws near." As always, Fugaku spoke in terms of significance for the clan. Itachi couldn't help but add an amendment.
"This isn't just for the Clan, but for Konoha as a whole."
After taking a moment to consider, Sasuke steadied his voice.
"Whatever duties the village asks of me, I will accomplish."
Fugaku and Itachi shared a nod and both grunted their approval before turning to leave. Stopping in mid-step, Fugaku turned to drop once last announcement.
"Oh and, for the next few weeks I'll be taking time off work to teach you clan jutsu."
"Yes father!"
Fugaku sighed and fell back into step beside Itachi as they left the hospital, not paying any attention to the dreamy stares being directed towards the Hokage.
Though… I pray to the Gods that you'll never need them, Sasuke...
Meanwhile, Outside Konoha Hospital ####### ####### #######
"Good morning Naruto-kun. Ready to start your training?"
"You bet!"
"That's good. Let's go."
"Huh? We won't be working at the hospital?"
"We can't have an inexperienced kid like yourself getting their hands on human beings. That could end terribly. No, we'll be going to the market. Besides, I just finished my early morning duties here."
"Oh. I was hoping I could see Sasuke…"
"They should be allowing him visitors soon. You might see him when we get back."
"Alright, then…" They made off towards the town, stopping at a fish vendor who had a large aquarium for his specimens.
"Fish?"
"We need a couple of live ones, so that they're fresh. Then, you'll accumulate your chakra and expend it in just the way I show you, and you'll revive the fish. Do this enough, and you'll learn how to heal an animal's living tissues. It's the classic starting point for apprentice med-nins."
Naruto took a fish and began applying his chakra to it. It died quickly and after a few hours was a hopelessly lost case.
"Oh well, everyone messes it up on their first few tries, just keep at it until you can sense out its organs."
It was a long day for Naruto, and although many fish were sacrificed, Naruto's progress quickening as learned to improve his chakra control.
"You made good progress, today Naruto. I've heard that you were abysmally bad at chakra control, but you're not that bad when you put your mind to it!"
"Though I didn't revive even one fish…"
"Don't worry, you'll get to that level eventually if you keep practicing."
"Thanks for all the help, Kabuto-nii."
"No problem."
"See ya later!" Naruto dashed off, eager to get in more training with Ebisu again.
Later That Day ####### ####### #######
Far out beyond the outskirts of Konoha, Ebisu decided they'd come far enough away from the village. A thin stream warbled nearby as the water rushed, leading to a natural rock pool, where, unaware to the two boys, a half-dozen half-naked women were at play. A real shame too, they were such beauties.
"Naruto. You know that people have chakra within their bodies, right?"
"Un."
"Well, you are special. You have two chakras in your body."
"Hmm. Now that you mention it, there were times when my chakra suddenly got really strong. I Don't remember it really well, but it felt different from the normal chakra I release. If I put in terms of color, I'd say mine is usually blue but the other felt red."
"That 'red chakra'... it belongs to something that isn't you, but lives inside you." Ebisu explained.
Naruto rubbed his stomach with one hand. "The Demon Fox's?"
"Exactly. What I want you to start learning is how to control the Kyuubi's chakra."
"But, I've only ever felt the red chakra when I got really angry or really scared."
"I know. We're going to try and see if you can call on it voluntarily, and make use of it."
Naruto scrunched his face.
"I don't really understand, but if you say so…"
"Try releasing the red chakra."
Naruto brought his hands together to mould chakra, but nothing happened.
"It's just my normal chakra coming out."
It looks like personal danger and heightened emotions are the key to releasing the Kyuubi's power… Ebisu noted to himself, formulating a plan.
"Naruto, I hear you've made friends with that Kabuto guy, right?"
"Yeah! He's really nice and is teaching me medical ninjutsu!"
Ebisu smirked to himself.
"Well Naruto, I'm going to teach you a technique that require much more than your normal amount of chakra, so we need you to be able to pull out and use the Kyuubi's chakra that's sleeping inside you. This special chakra can become your most powerful weapon. Not using it is a huge waste. Each person has things they are good and bad at. You will someday develop your own style. Up until now, you training was mostly focused on releasing a set amount of chakra. But, since you have so much stamina, you can afford to work on control instead of power. That way, you can activate and use advanced techniques more suited to your natural chakra levels. You have two types of chakra and don't tire out easily, so you should focus on being able realease the highest amount of power possible. When you can do that, there are tons of techniques and jutsu you can use."
"Such as?"
"Chakra infusion."
Naruto tilted his head, a confused look on his face.
"What's that?"
"It's a technique where the user pours chakra into their body, raising their abilities. To put it shortly, when you enhance your muscles with chakra, you can run and punch harder and faster, right?"
"Yeah."
"Now imagine augmenting your entire body, so not only do you move faster, but also respond faster. Combining speed, strength, and reflexes are the base to more advanced jutsu such as Body Flicker and Chakra Armour. But for now, I'm going to teach you a simple one: HM.06, also known as Rock Smash."
"What's Rock Smash?"
"You put your chakra through your body, and deliver one punch that can pulverize anything!"
"Wow! That sounds pretty awesome."
"With this, plus your huge chakra, you could easily become the strongest man in Konoha."
"Alright! I want to learn this and become the strongest! That'll make it easy for me to become Hokage after that! Hurry up and teach me!"
"First, I want you to exhaust all your normal chakra."
"What? Isn't that dangerous? I could die!"
"You won't because then you'll be forced to use the other chakra."
"Hrmm."
"Anyways, just make as many Shadow Clones as you can. It's a high-level technique that you already know, and getting in some practice when you can won't hurt."
"Okay."
Naruto brought his hands together again and concentrated hard.
"Multiple Shadow Clone no Jutsu!" A hundred Naruto clones popped into existence. "Okay boys, spread out! I need more space!"
One hundred voices thundered in response.
"Roger!" The Narutos darted off into the forests. Some short ways away, the Bikini-clad women screamed in shock as dozens of identical boys suddenly swarmed their pool party.
"Multiple Shadow Clone no Jutsu!" Naruto roared again, resulting in a second wave of Naruto clones spreading out.
Ebisu's draw dropped.
"Multiple Shadow Clone no Jutsu!" This time much fewer clones appeared -only about thirty more, but Ebisu couldn't help himself from reeling in shock. He really can summon that many? Most jounin couldn't even do ten!
"Multiple Shadow Clone no Jutsu!" Ten clones. Naruto was sweating hard. He had already been scraping the bottom of the barrel.
"Multiple Shadow Clone no Jutsu!" Three clones.
"Multiple Shadow Clone no Jutsu!" Only one clone, and an unstable one at that. Naruto's knees wobbled. In the span of a few minutes, he'd created almost two hundred and fifty shadow clones.
"Well done, Naruto. I must say, that's one of the fastest I've ever seen someone completely exhaust themselves. Let's get to work."
Naruto nodded weakly.
"Now that your normal chakra is gone, when you try to mould chakra you'll have no choice but to draw out the other chakra."
Naruto tried, and punched the nearest boulder.
"Ouch!" Hissing, Naruto withdrew his fist. There wasn't even a mark on the rock.
"Again."
"Gah!"
"Again."
A Few Hours Later, Konoha Hospital, Afternoon ####### ####### #######
The doctor smiled brightly as she gave one final check-over on her clipboard.
"Well, Uchiha-sama, it looks like you've recovered enough to be discharged. If you'll follow me, I'll lead you to a changing area so you can get back into your normal clothes."
Nodding, Sasuke swept up the bedsheet in one motion, quickly jumping out of the damn bed that had trapped him for two days.
Following his orders, as soon as he was dressed and had retrieved his belongings from storage, he made his way to the Hokage Tower. Having signed the nondisclosure form, Sasuke couldn't help but become nervous at the prospect of having to keep a high-level secret. Then again, it excited him too. This was what being a ninja was really about, after all. If I do well in this, father will have to recognize my skills as a shinobi. A few roof jumps later, Sasuke leapt down onto the dirt road below, ready to walk through the main gate that separated the administrative center of Konoha from the rest of its buildings. The guards took one look at him and then let him pass without raising so much as a finger. He made his way through the halls, and up various staircases. Effortlessly blowing straight through security checks didn't help his nerves. Finally, he came to the final door separating himself from the private office of the Hokage. Taking a second to gulp and build his resolve, Sasuke knocked on the wooden door. From inside, he heard the muffled but unmistakable voice of his elder brother.
"Enter."
"Pardon the intrusion."
Itachi smiled.
"No need to be so polite, Sasuke."
"Well… We're in your workplace, so…"
"Don't worry about it. Between us, we're still brothers."
"Right." Sasuke allowed himself to smile.
"So. You are here reporting for your special assignment."
"Yes."
"This is a top-secret missive directly from the Hokage. As said in the nondisclosure form, you are to speak of this with no one except the ones I explicitly name as insiders.
"Yes. What are your orders, nii-san?"
"You are to go with father to the Nakano Shrine, where you will start a special training regimen to strengthen the power of your Sharingan, specifically to contain the power of the Nine Tails."
"I thought the Nine Tails died years ago?"
"While it is true that it was defeated, it was not killed -merely sealed. A human vessel was needed to contain it, but human vessels are fallible. We cannot allow the tragedy of 13 years ago to recur."
"How is the Sharingan supposed to help?"
"Father will explain at the Shrine." Itachi waved his hand, signaling Sasuke to depart.
"Understood." Before turning to leave, Sasuke asked one last question. "So, where should I find father?"
A deep voice answered from the unseen balcony.
"You don't have to find me. I'm already here, Sasuke."
"Father."
"Let's go."
Shortly Afterwards, Nakano Shrine ####### ####### #######
"Isn't this place only used for important ceremonial clan gatherings and festivals?"
"Well, it's true that that's what we use it for these days… But in the old days the Uchiha would convene here regularly for meetings, both official and secret."
Together, the walked through the open front gate and into the compound. Once inside, Fugaku led Sasuke to a brightly lit prayer room.
"We're not here to meditate, are we?"
Fugaku smirked.
"Not quite."
Sliding his fingers under one of the tatami mats, Fugaku revealed a hidden trap door, which opening up leading to a staircase. It looked rather deep, and the light from outside did not penetrate very far. Sasuke shivered.
"This is the most sacred of the Uchiha clan's hidden shrines. Within it is contained our greatest treasure. Climb down the stairs."
"It's dark…"
"Fear not the darkness. The Uchiha must learn to walk amongst it."
Swallowing hard, Sasuke led the way down the dark passageway. After a minute of walking, the steps stopped and the ground became flat again. Two torches lit up, revealing a large engraved stone wall, with a large ovular stone block sitting in front of it.
"What is that?"
"The Uchiha stone tablet. It is a monument that details the greatest secrets of the Uchiha clan. Only someone possessing the visual prowess of the Uchiha may read it."
Sasuke, responding to his father's words, activated his Sharingan and stepped forwards into the dim firelight to read the tablet. He gasped as the floodgates were opened, and horror after horror entered his mind. What does all this mean? Our ancestors would kill each other on purpose to awaken higher forms of Sharingan? I don't believe it… He went on the next passage.
"The Demon Fox… It says the cursed eyes can control it…"
"Only one man has ever controlled the Kyuubi with Sharingan. He was our ancestor Uchiha Madara."
"Only one man has ever done it? Then, how do we know any Uchiha alive right now can repeat it?"
"While he was an exceptional individual even among a clan of geniuses, we are not discouraged by his accomplishment for the reason that ever since his time, no one else has tried. You see, ever since the founding of the village, the Kyuubi was kept in a human container -a Jinchuuriki. Since the Jinchuuriki were under the control of the Senju Hokages, the Uchiha were kept clear from fear of interference."
"Why didn't they let the Uchiha help control the monster like how we're trying now?"
"It wasn't always this way between the Uchiha and the village… There used to be a lot of mistrust between us. Back then, after the Founding, the treason of Uchiha Madara was still fresh in popular memory. The Senju feared that the Uchiha would use their eyes to take control of the Jinchuuriki for themselves. That's why we were kept away, and that's why the tragedy of the Kyuubi attack occurred." Fugaku's eyes hardened. "It wasn't until only recently that the village began trusting the Uchiha…"
"Ehh? Was it thanks to nii-san?"
Fugaku's eyes pointed in Sasuke's direction, yet were looking somewhere far away.
"Indeed. If it weren't for Itachi… I don't know what would have become of us."
"I don't even remember all this."
"You were a bit too young for clan politics at the time. Perhaps I'll tell you the full story sometime when you're older."
After some silence, Fugaku changed the topic.
"So, after reading the table, do you think you understand?"
"Somewhat. Nii-san mentioned training? What are we going to do?"
Fugaku grinned.
"Foxhunting."
The Next Morning ####### ####### #######
For some reason, the image Sasuke had in his mind of well-dressed horsemen following baying packs of hunting dogs was soon dashed as his father ordered him to gather normal shinobi gear as they prepared for an extended outing. That and the old man weirdo was with them, writing something in his small notebook, before looking Sasuke up and down with a critical eye.
"Say, you have a fairly pretty face, for a guy." The old man suddenly said.
"Thank you?"
"Heh heh. A pretty boy like you I could use as a lure… for my research materials!"
Not wanting to know, Sasuke turned back towards his father.
"So how is this foxhunting going to work?"
"We will travel to the Tea country, where foxes are widespread. You will learn the insides and outs of foxes, and once we are in a position to catch one, your job will be to create opportunities for eye contact. Once you ensnare their gaze, you will compel them into actions of your own design. Orders should be something like 'Sleep', 'Jump', or 'Bow'. They should be easily distinguishable from natural fox behavior so that we know it was you causing it, not just a chance coincidence." Fugaku instructed.
Looking at the map, Sasuke wrinkled his nose.
"It'll take at least a day or two of walking. What will we do in the meantime on our way there?"
"I'll teach you some clan fire jutsu, and you'll practice your Sharingan on any animals we pass by. Having experience using your powers is important for when you use it in a real-life situation."
Though his smile was reserved, Sasuke preened on the inside. Finally, I get one-on-one jutsu training from father!
"Be careful not to tire yourself. You just got out of the hospital, after all…" The old hermit added, off to the side."
"Got it. Let's go."
One Week Later ####### ####### #######
After a day of walking, Fugaku and Sasuke came upon a small farming town off the side of the dirt road.
"Let's see if they have an inn there."
"Yes father." Sasuke was relieved that they could find a place to stop. While he could manage the walking just fine, using the Sharingan was tiring, and his throat was parched from all the flame flowers he had spat out. A nice glass of water seemed very much in order.
"Ohoho! I do hope that they have mixed bathhouses!"
Fugaku narrowed his eyes but held his tongue before the honored Sannin. Sasuke grimaced. On top of being a spaz, he's a pervert too?
"Oh and, don't worry if I go on without you. I'll be doing some… ah… research, gehe!" He probably means peeping on naked ladies… Sasuke thought dryly. "So dinner will be just you two!"
Later That Night ####### ####### #######
The little room in the inn had space enough for three futons. Sasuke was already sound asleep, his soft breaths penetrating the silence as Fugaku changed out of his light nightrobes, putting his fatigues back on. Stepping out of the inn, Fugaku turned towards the part of the street illuminated by a lamp. Waiting in the nearby shadows was Jiraiya, hands crossed over his chest.
"It looks like I was able to get a hold of my informant." Jiraiya stated in his deep professional voice. Fugaku nodded.
"Well, come to the inn for now. You can continue our mission once you've had some sleep."
Ignoring this, Jiraiya continued speaking.
"Tomorrow will be big day. I have our first fox, out in the woods to the East."
"Good to hear."
"While you two are out, I'll break off to pursue the secondary goal."
"I still think the Fox Scroll is just a myth."
"At any rate the locals disagree, and Hokage-sama wants every lead pursued. Got to hand it to your boy -the kid is thorough." Jiraiya noted with smug smile.
"I will never be thankful enough for Itachi's wisdom." With those words, Fugaku ended the conversation, and they went back to the inn.
The Next Morning ####### ####### #######
Head peeping from the bushes, Sasuke carefully stalked towards the small red animal. His father was not far behind, keeping an eye on the situation. One close enough, Sasuke imitated the mating call of a duck. This drew the attention of the wild fox and it its eyes drifted towards Sasuke's direction. Now!
"Sharingan!"
The fox froze. Sasuke stood and stepped out from the bushes. Still, the fox did not respond.
"Bark three times."
"Yip yip yip."
"Close enough… um… wag your tail and bob your head up and down."
Fugaku sweatdropped. "You know, you can give more intelligent orders than that."
Sasuke pondered for a moment before being struck by inspiration.
"Bring me to your burrow."
The fox turned around and pointed in a direction with its muzzle before stalking off. Sasuke followed. After covering a fairly long distance, the fox stopped and pointed at a thicket of roots, which were shaped into the form of a tunnel.
"Looks like I have to go down there. Father?"
"I think I'll stay here. That hole is too small for me."
"Wait for me, father." Sasuke said as he excitedly dashed into the burrow entrance. By making the fox bring him back to a burrow, it raised his chances of encountering more foxes. What he didn't count on were the hours he spent weaving through roots and dirt underground. I hope I'm not making father wait too long. Just how far does this fox-hole go?
His answer came soon afterwards, when the dirt passage gave way to a cave. He found it surprisingly light, and realized he'd come back up to the surface. The sight before him astounded him. There were wooden columns and torii everywhere, as if the place were an ancient shrine. Foxes lounged in every corner. Sasuke released his guide from the Sharingan as dozens of foxes turned their heads towards him in what he could only assume to be surprise. The surrealism of the scene increased a notch when he saw one of the foxes approach cautiously. It was wearing clothes. A jacket, in the style of those worn by nin animals, and a miniature turban, of all things, on its head.
"What is this place?"
"This is the Fox Den, Uchiha kit."
"You've heard of the Uchiha?"
"Indeed. Yours are a despicable kind… especially that Madara…" The fox spat with a tone of distaste. "I cannot even fathom how you found this place."
Sasuke pointed at his guide fox.
"This one showed me the way…"
"Hmm. That is interesting…"
"Um… Well I just wanted to say that Madara was from a long time ago. The Uchiha are really nice people now."
The fox wrinkled its nose.
"You stink of cat."
"What's wrong with cats?"
"They are felines. We foxes are canines. They are enemies."
Sasuke pouted at this.
"That doesn't sound like a real reason to dislike a whole group. Why can't everyone just… get along?"
The fox took a few steps forwards and gingerly sniffed Sasuke more deeply before bursting out into laughter.
"Bwahaha! You are indeed a pure child!"
"I'm not a child! I'm a ninja!"
"My name is Mamori. What is yours, child?"
"Uchiha Sasuke."
The fox looked him up and down and then nodded in satisfaction.
"You've done well to make your way here, Sasuke. This place resides in the dimension of the fox spirits. Few have ever succeeded in seeking out the foxes. As a reward, I will grant you the Fox Summoning Scroll." The fox produced hand seals with its paws, resulting a puff of smoke.
"Summoning Scroll?"
"You're heard of nin animals, right? This is no different. The one who has a blood contract with the foxes may depend on our strength in battle."
"I don't know if I'm ready to make a contract with foxes… but I will accept this. Thank you very much." Bowing, Sasuke extended his hand forward and received the scroll. "I have to go back now, goodbye Mamori-san."
"Farewell, young Uchiha…"
After another hour of running through the fox-hole back the way he came. Thankfully, his father was still waiting on the other side.
'Father!"
'Sasuke! Took you a while. What happened?"
"I met the Fox clan, and they gave me their summoning scroll."
Fugaku did a spit-take.
"Wha- summoning scroll?! Wait here!" Pouncing off, Fugaku summoned an eagle and furiously scribbled a message which he attached to its leg. Not too long afterwards, the Toad Sennin came barreling through the forest.
"Jiraiya? What's the big fus?"
"Hand over that scroll!" His old voice commanded. After a minute inspecting it, he turned an incredulous face towards Sasuke. "This is an incredibly rare animal summons scroll. How did you get a hold of it?"
"I was looking for foxes and followed one into its den."
"I can't believe it. To think I've been searching in the wrong places this whole time..."
Sasuke snatched the scroll back from the Sennin hands.
"So, why do you want it?"
"For Naruto."
"You were going to teach Naruto the Summoning no Jutsu?"
"Indeed."
After a moment of calculation, Sasuke suppressed a conniving smile and wore his best poker face.
"Teach me one as well."
"What?"
"The foxes gave the scroll to me. Unless you offer me equivalent compensation, I'll just make a contract with the foxes myself. Teach me jutsu."
Jiraiya dithered.
"Um… well, you see… "
Fugaku gave Sasuke a confused frown but stepped back and did not interfere when Sasuke made eye contact with him.
"Don't you Uchiha have your own summons?"
"No. As a clan, we have a special relationship with the Bakeneko, but have no blood contract. Were you planning on teaching Naruto both Toad and Fox summoning?"
"... Yes."
"Aren't summon animals usually particular about their contract humans not having multiple contracts?"
"Well, with some convincing…"
"Look at it this way, if Naruto and I stick together, then it won't matter which one of us has which summons. So even if Naruto doesn't have the Toad contract himself, he might still make use of it, and things will go over more smoothly with the summoned animals if the contracts and split between him and me."
"Alright, alright… I get it. I'll teach you the Summoning no Jutsu." Jiraiya pulled a great scroll strapped to his back off and laid it down on the forest floor. Unwrapping it, Naruto could see columns filled by names written in blood, starting from the right side. Most of the names were ancient and unknown, but the last two caught his eye. Jiraiya himself, and then a Namikaze Minato.
"The Fourth used the Toad Summons?"
"Good eye. That's right. On the night of the Kyuubi attack thirteen years ago, the toads were a great help in repelling the beast from the village."
Sasuke took a kunai and stabbed his own thumb, using the blood to write his name on the parchment. Jiraiya tapped Fugaku on the shoulder.
"Well, we should best be leaving now."
"What? But I'm about to use the Summoning Jutsu for the first time!"
Fugaku smiled.
"That's exactly why we want to take some distance, Sasuke."
Sasuke gulped.
"Just remember, put your everything into it."
"Yes father."
Letting the two walk away to stand very far back, Sasuke wondered with apprehension what kind of a jutsu required such a dramatic safe distance to observe it from. He would soon have his answer.
.
"Summoning no Jutsu!"
The ground shook, and smoke enveloped entire area. Sasuke stumbled, finding himself on uneven footing.
"Whoah, what?!"
"What the hell? What'cha doin on my head, squirt?!"
"A giant toad?"
"What is Jiraiya thinking, summoning me like this and putting some kid on top of me. Its been a while since I've gotten fresh air, too."
"Hey, I'm the one who summoned you."
"What? A brat like you? You shouldn't tell lies!"
"I'm not lying. My name is Uchiha Sasuke. Pleased to you meet you."
"Piss off, Uchiha!"
"Umm… no. I summoned you. Come on, tell me your name."
"I am Boss Toad Gamabunta, an' I sure as hell ain't recognizin' you as my summoner."
The giant toad bucked and flicked his head, trying to forcibly dislodge Sasuke, but using chakra on the bottoms of his feet, Sasuke did not yield.
"I'll stay right on your head until you recognize me."
"Damn you brat!"
The toad leapt a great distance, flattening an entire section of forest in the process.
"Get off me dammit!"
He swung back and forth, but no avail, for Sasuke's grip held steadfast in the monster-sized rodeo.
After several hours of fruitless forest carnage, the exhausted toad settled on a pile of wood pulp for a breather. A scroll came flying down, unraveling at the toad's feet. On the summoning scroll was the clearly written name of the boy.
"Well I'll be damned. This kid really did summon me… Has some good chakra too, for a kid. A determined one, I'll give him that."
"Heh… told you…" Sasuke fainted, and fell of the toad's head. However, Gamabunta caught Sasuke with his tongue. The giant toad deposited Sasuke on the ground in front of his father before dispelling himself.
"Well, I suppose that's mission success. Let's bring him back to the village." Jiraiya announced.
Picking up his son and carrying him on his back Fugaku nodded.
"Indeed."
One Week Later, Late Morning ####### ####### #######
"Well, this time the boulder is cracked and a little piece of rock chipped off, so that's progress, right?" Naruto tried to reason with Ebisu.
"No matter how you look at it, even if there is progress it's too slow. This won't do…" Almost three weeks have passed. It'll only be a couple of days now before the final part of the Chuunin Exam.
"So, then what?"
"Naruto. Are you ready for a new level of training? An exercise more radical than you have ever done before? One you are willing to risk you life on in order to master this jutsu?"
Naruto gulped, but nodded.
"I'm not going back on my word. I'll definitely be learning this!"
"Good. We'll do it tomorrow. I have preparations to make. In the meantime, Naruto..."
"Yes?"
"I want you to live from the rest of today until tomorrow morning like it's the last day of your life."
Not really understanding, Naruto followed his sensei as Ebisu led the way back to the village.
"What kind of food would you want to want to eat before dying?"
"Ramen probably."
"Do you want me to treat you to some ramen?"
"OHH! Sure!"
Noon ####### ####### #######
In between slurps and gulps, Naruto thanked Ebisu for the meal. However, Ebisu did not respond, keeping a serious face the whole time.
"Naruto."
"Yes, sensei?"
"Do you have a girl you like?"
"Wha-?" Naruto blushed at the unexpected question. "Um… well… not really."
"No one from the Academy?"
"No…" Naruto sighed.
"Oh well. So much for that."
"What now Ebisu-sensei?"
"We'll finish the training tomorrow, one way or another.
The Next Day ####### ####### #######
After returning to the training ground, Ebisu waited for Naruto to expend himself.
"Be sure to create as many clones as possible to exhaust your chakra."
"Right."
Naruto got to work, and several dozens of clones later, Naruto gave one final yell.
"Multiple Shadow Clone no Jutsu! YAAAH!"
A final whisp of smoke was the final sign.
"Ugh…" Naruto collapsed.
"Finally…"
One Hour Later ####### ####### #######
Naruto's eyes hurt as he suddenly sprang into consciousness. The sunlight momentarily blinded him, and his body felt sore. What happened?
"Naruto. The training ends here. If you don't want to die, then figure it out for yourself."
Naruto's eyesight adjusted in time to see Ebisu sensei flick him in the forehead, sending him tumbling back, where he careened over the edge of a large pit and fell in. Naruto bounced off the soft earthen walls on his way down, preventing him from orienting himself for an escape.
"Naruto… Show me that this power truly does belong to you."
"What the-?!"
A shadow passed over him. Looking up in horror, Naruto realized that a giant stone boulder was hurtling down the well shaft. In fact, the shaft was perfectly sized for the boulder, leaving no space for escape, but no friction to slow it down as if fell straight towards Naruto.
There's no time to dig my way out, if they boulder reaches me… I'm going to die! Quick! I have to do something to stop that from squashing me! At this rate I'll seriously die! Die...
Naruto opened his eyes in a start. Feeling very wet, he realized that he was laying down in water. Not just a puddle, but a flooded hallway in what could only be a concrete basement. Naruto stood and decided to find his way out. A large deep rumbling base trembled through the walls. It was very large and powerful, but too irregular to be a machine. It was organic, like breath. This feeling… It's that chakra. Making his way to investigate the noise, Naruto followed the pulses of air until he rounded a corner and found a giant bare concrete hall.
At the opposite end stood a massive gate, with a paper glued on the central crack between the main gate pieces, bearing the word 'seal'.
A mass of red flaming chakra made itself known on the other side of the gate, its form or distance indistinguishable. A booming deep voice rumbled forth.
"Kid… Come closer."
Naruto obeyed mindlessly, slowly walking forwards. Suddenly, the gate crashed and Naruto stumbled back, barely avoiding a set of giant claws that slammed against the barrier, tips slipping through the bars.
"I want to kill you and eat you… but this gate won't open… curse this infernal seal."
"You're… the Nine-Tailed Fox!"
"For you to approach me… What business brings you here? Hm?"
"Hey you stupid fox! Since you're staying in my body, as your rent, lend me your chakra!"
"He-hahaha! After all, if you die, I die as well. That's some impressive courage for threatening me!"
Red chakra filtered through the gate bars, swirling and grabbing Naruto's body.
"Very well. As a reward for making it this far… I'll give it to you!"
Naruto opening his eyes back to the real world with a clarity of mind surpassing any he had felt before. He faced the falling boulder head on and channelled his chakra. This is the feeling!
"CHAA! Rock Smash no Jutsu!"
Chakra exploded out and he jumped up, fist smashing into the boulder. It exploded with force, and Naruto burst through the smoke and debris, the momentum of his jump taking him well over the lip of the well hole. He landed ungracefully in a pile.
"Well done!" Ebisu cheered.
"I did it! Yay!" Naruto jumped up and down in unadulterated joy.
Meanwhile ####### ####### #######
Haku's hand trembled. At first, it was just bemused curiosity as he felt an unexpected wetness in his bedsheets. Curiosity turned to alarm as he lifted the blanket and was instantly greeted with the scent of blood. A hand probed the wetness. It was warm. And red. I'm bleeding. How? Frustration and powerlessness sent turmoil through Haku's heart. I thought I was recovering. They didn't lie to me to give me peace of mind, did they? My injuries should have been too great, so perhaps I am dying after all. Maybe the surgery didn't go well? Haku shivered at his own mortality. Danger had never really felt so real until that last battle. Death had never seemed that horrible until after he'd seen his master wear such a stricken expression. Zabuza, help me! Before Haku could call out, he could sense activity in the halls as someone made their way towards him. Oh right, the heart monitor. In his panic, his heart rate had flared, probably alerting Zabuza just like when he first woke up in the hospital bed.
"What's wrong, Haku?"
Haku turned his upraised palm, showing the blood.
"Zabuza-san…" Haku's eyes glistened. " I'm sorry." Dammit, why I tearing up right now? I've never been this emotional.
Zabuza was instantly tearing up the sheets, looking for the problem. He stopped when he found where the stains of blood were originating from. Relaxing, Zabuza exhaled calmly. Haku's anger rose. What are you doing? Why are you stopping?
"Well… What is it?"
"Uh… I think I'd better call a woman... Konan should do."
"Huh?"
After a minute, Konan had joined them.
"Ah! Haku-chan." She smiled demurely.
"What's happening to me?"
"Don't worry one bit Haku-chan, this is perfectly natural, though you are a bit later than usual."
"Late?"
"Considering your high-stress lifestyle and diet…" She cast a glare at Zabuza.
"I've been feeding him properly!"
"Well, Haku-chan could also just be a late bloomer."
Haku stared blankly at Konan.
"Congratulations, you're a woman now."
Soon Afterwards ####### ####### #######
In the too-empty large barracks mess hall, a single table of people in black cloaks ate a curry dish together. Even for an organization of psychotic elite murderers, gossip was a staple of interaction.
"So I heard that fine kid Zabuza brought along was actually a girl this whole time! Un." Deidara exclaimed.
"Zabuza justifies himself saying that it was easier to travel unnoticed with a boy rather than a girl. He might have a point. Little boys receive less unwanted attention, especially in our line of work, right?." Kisame said.
"Indeed. There was no more hiding it now that her first menstruation created some fuss at the clinic." Kakuzu added in a low disinterested voice, paying more attention to his peas.
"Kukuku. Already of that age, huh? A bit too old for my tastes…" Orochimaru licked his lips.
"You're a sick bastard, salivating over sodomy." Deidara countered.
"And your obsession isn't sick, right?" Kisame said with humor. "I feel bad for Hanabi-san when you're around..."
"Shut up! My love is pure-hearted! Hanabi is my angel, my muse. My femme fatale! Un." He held his arms out dramatically. "When she speaks to me, my heart feels like it will make a beautiful explosion! Un." He nodded his head, as if agreeing with himself.
"Not that I care about stuff like sexual harassment in the workplace, but if you keep annoying me by pointlessly asking her on dates, I will kill you, you know." Kisame jokingly threatened.
"For someone who gets off on teamkilling, you sure are protective of our Hyūga lady." Sasori grumbled.
"Enough jabbering." Pein tersely interjected, giving a glance towards the only woman at the table, who did not rise to any of the comments, but kept to her own food as if nothing had happened. "Your constant teasings of each other are not conducive for proper esprit de corps. If we are to be a front-tier organization in this world, cooperation and coordination is key. Do not make me discipline you."
"Yes, leader-sama." All grumbled sarcastically.
"Humpf." The God of the New World Order pouted at the insubordination of his members.
End of Chapter Seven ======= ======= =======
A/N:
Rock Smash: May be used to remove obstacles from the adventurer's path such as boulders and cracked walls.
Some academic basis for my pronoun game, if you're curious:
wiki/Gender-specific_and_gender-neutral_pronouns#Generic_he
