Hey there everyone! First things first. I have an announcement about the update schedule: Right now i am on vacation, so while this chapter is still on time as the chapter of the week, it's a little late considering its usually out on tuesday or wednesday right? Anyway, please take into consideration that this . . . and perhaps the next chapter . . . will be the last chapters that come out on that weekly basis i had set up for this summer. I am a freshman in college now, and i need to focus on that. So chapters . . . will come as they will. Sorry, but i CAN promise a wait no longer than . . . two, two-and-a-half months. Sucks but, what can you do? School . . . . and work, come first.
DISCLAIMER: I own nothing of Naruto, it belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. Also, i don't own any songs, either english or japanese.
Chapter Nine
Step in Shadows, Uzumaki Naruto!
Minato and Kushina woke earlier than everyone else, but instead of getting up, they decided to lie in bed for a little while longer and think about what this story meant exactly not only for them, but for their son.
"He's such a good boy, even with his . . . quirks." Kushina murmured, her voice still husky with sleep as she stretched leisurely in Minato's arms. Minato brought her body even closer to him, nuzzling into the silky long red waterfall of her hair.
"Mm, yes, but . . . that makes our task all the more difficult." He spoke just as quietly as Kushina, the hushed atmosphere and Kushina's warmth almost lulling him back to sleep.
Kushina turned her head, looking at him over her shoulder. "What do you mean?"
Minato kissed the top of her head, thinking of how best to explain himself. "He's gotten so far without us . . . basically with just Katsu and her grandmother, not to mention the other parts of the family he's created. So, when we change our fate, and live . . . he won't be the same Naruto we read about will he? Will you be fine with that?" Blinking as she wriggled in his embrace, Minato lifted his upper body up on his elbows to look down on his girlfriend, who had now turned on her back to glare at him.
"Stupid, how can you say that about our son?! Are you saying he won't be as sweet with people there to love him from the start, that he'll be some spoiled brat?!" Kushina's voice had raised, though not enough to disturb anyone else outside their room. They still hadn't figured out the rooms were soundproof.
"No, that's not it; we'll make sure of that, right? Plus, we've already agreed to pretty much take Katsu in. No, I meant that . . . will we find ourselves looking at him, and thinking of the 'other' Naruto? The one we're reading about now, and compare the two?" Minato hastened to explain himself, but wishing he would just shut up already as Kushina's face grew darker.
The minutes ticked by, and Minato grew steadily more nervous as Kushina kept glaring at him. Then after what seemed like an hour, something flickered in Kushina's eyes (Minato's own eyes narrowed as he deduced it to be laughter) before her face lightened up to an understanding, if somewhat amused, expression.
"Well, I suppose your concern makes sense. But, you know, it seems to me like he's just a naturally sweet kid. He's playful, a prankster to be sure, and probably very sarcastic— but a sweet kid. No matter how he turns out, he will still be our son. That fact alone is enough to secure my love for him. Isn't that enough for you?" Kushina asked him, staring up at him with her big, round violet eyes. Minato looked stunned for a second, before closing his eyes and chuckling.
"Yeah, of course it is." Minato assured her, leaning down to give her a short, sweet kiss. Kushina successfully kept a blush from her cheeks as she smiled cheekily up at him.
"Great! So . . . get up." With both hands on his chest, she pushed Minato off to the side of the bed, giggling at his disgruntled look when he flopped over by her side. Rising up from the bed, she scooted over to the side of the bed and rose up, stretching one more time.
"I'm going to go and take a bath, and then I'm cooking breakfast. Want to help?" She offered him her hand as she turned to him, which he took with an all too innocent smile.
"Sure, I'd love to help you bathe; I know it's kind of tough to wash your back alone, right?" He answered her, cringing in mock pain when she smacked the back of his head.
"Pervert! Don't come in!" She said fiercely, and really, her blushing face was so cute that he felt that he had gotten an even trade as he backed down with his hands raised in surrender. So they took their baths separately, and then they both left the bedroom and walked through the living room into the kitchen. They stopped just inside the kitchen however when they saw a shimmying, humming Obito flipping flapjacks at the stove.
"If it hadn't been for Cotton-Eyed Joe, I'd been married long time ago! Where did you come from, where did you go, where did you come from Cotton-Eyed Joe!" Obito sang, though the lyrics were a little difficult to make out as he kept cackling while he was singing.
"Cotton-Eyed Joe? That is . . . seriously old." Kushina said, stifling some laughter. Obito yelped, whirling around to look at them with wide eyes, though he still hummed the song. He kept on dancing though, and eventually the laughter grew too much inside of him as he threw his head back and laughed freely.
"I know! I just like the chorus, you know, it's just so much fun!" Obito whooped, flipping the flapjacks onto a plate as he jumped around the kitchen.
Minato laughed at is student's antics, and laughed when Kushina joined in and they belted out a rousing 'Kung Fu Fighting.' The noise eventually woke the others up, who trooped into the kitchen fresh from the shower but still a little sleepy, glaring at the dancing-and-cooking duo.
The glares and half-hearted grumbles soon crumbled to light laughter and teasing as they filled themselves with food. They were so full off breakfast that they decided to forego the snack tray and just took a pitcher of lemonade that was just there in the fridge this morning, along with some glasses, as they moved into the living room.
Settling into his seat, and pulling Kushina into his embrace, Minato once again took up a job as mediator. "Okay, so, Jiraiya and Kushina have already read, so who will be the reader this time?"
"Actually, why not you this time Minato? This has been following the pattern from last time, but it was Obito who went after Jiraiya. Let's mix it up a bit." Tsunade suggested, picking up the book from the coffee table and offering it to the blonde man.
A little surprised, but happy nonetheless, Minato took it with a gracious nod of his head.
It was two days later when Kakashi returned to consciousness, much to the relief of everyone. In those two days, Tazuna had decided to stall his forays to the bridge in order to let the others watch over Kakashi, something they were all grateful for. Well, except perhaps Sasuke who wanted at least the excuse of guard duty to get away from an increasingly worried— and therefor increasingly annoying and clingy— Sakura.
"Well she probably just needs to be around someone she's comfortable with after that scary situation." Rin rationalized, feeling sympathy for the girl.
"An Uchiha that's comfortable to be around . . . he is not." Obito said slowly, as if trying to make a child understand. Rin shrugged.
"To each her own." She said simply.
Naruto would watch their dealings with a mix of amusement and exasperation. Progress, no matter how slow, was still progress, so Sasuke had better be lucky she wasn't imagining their future together as much anymore.
Naruto noticed Kakashi's awakenings first, as he had been in the room where Kakashi slept at the time, to check on his bandages and in order to get a breather from Sasuke and Kiba's battles for dominance— never mind that Kiba knew already who was dominant (Him!), so perhaps he was fighting for second-in-command? — when he noticed a hitch in Kakashi's breathing. Curious, Naruto shuffled closer on his knees to a slowly wakening Kakashi, who seemed to be feeling the pain of his last battle.
"Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto called out quietly, placing a firm hand on the man's shoulder when he made to get up. "That would be unwise, it might set your recovery back." He chided the man.
Kakashi opened his eyes with a pained grunt, persisting even as the light of the room assaulted his sensitive eye. Blinking a few times to clear his vision, he looked around the room. He assessed that they had made it to Tazuna's house— when, he was unsure of— and that the genin were likely going a bit stir crazy, if the frenzied pacing and unrestrained growls were anything to go by. He looked to his side and up, seeing a mildly amused Naruto looking down at him with bright blue eyes. Ignoring the ghost of a memory trying to meld with his vision, he smiled cheerily at the boy.
"You were suddenly remembering the times Minato-sensei was there when you woke up from overdoing it at training, aren't you?" Obito said slyly.
"It's not my fault; maybe he shouldn't look exactly like sensei." Kakashi justified with a haughty sniff.
"Well, hello Naruto." He greeted.
"Hello yourself, sensei. I'll just alert the others." Naruto stood up in one smooth motion to open the door of the room, and call down, "Guys, Kakashi-sensei is up— geez don't run over each other."
He walked back to Kakashi, leaving the door open for the rushing genin who had restarted their race as soon as he finished speaking. With a wry, faintly apologetic grin, Naruto settled himself down by Kakashi's side again just as Sakura and Kiba burst through the door. The other genin and Tazuna followed at a more sedate pace, even as Sakura sat down with a whirl of red and pink, shouting in relief, "Sensei, you're alright!"
"Yes, I'm fine Sakura." Kakashi chuckled, still trying to struggle up into a sitting position even as Naruto started to dig his fingernails hard into the man's shoulder, willing him to stay down.
"So you keep your stubborn habit of not waiting fully to heal, huh?" Minato chided the boy, spearing him with a look of warning.
"Sensei, the sharingan is incredible, but if it takes that much out of you then maybe you shouldn't use it?" Sakura said with concern, green eyes picking out the places where she knew there were bandages.
"Oh no, you fell out after a battle, better throw in the towel Sharingan Kakashi." Obito said sarcastically.
Kakashi just smiled, controlling the urge to let out a bark of laughter. He'd had this eye longer than she was alive, and she was chiding him on overdoing it. His kids were just so cute.
"It'll be fine, I just need to rest a bit more." He assured her.
"A chakra pill wouldn't be unwelcome either, would it, Kakashi?" Kurenai said with a smirk as she walked into the room. He snorted with laughter, nodding, as she sat down by Hinata.
"Hmm, I wonder . . ." Kushina murmured, looking wonderingly at Kakashi.
"No." Kakashi cut off her thoughts with a blunt denial.
"No, what? I didn't say anything." Kushina said innocently.
"So, what'd I miss?" Kakashi decided to get the ball rolling, since everyone else seemed content to look at him like he had just been crippled.
Sakura, ever the informative one, piped up. "Sensei, Zabuza had an accomplice! It was a . . . well someone about our age, and he was really strong, we could tell straight away, and he just took Zabuza, who is still alive! Don't you remember all that sensei?"
"I'm sorry, Sakura, I was kind of tying to fight off chakra exhaustion for as long as I could, but how dare I miss the details!" Kakashi scolded himself.
"It's coming back to me." Kakashi grunted, looking up at the ceiling in thought. "Ok, so what else?"
Hinata spoke this time in her quiet, shy voice. "Ano, K-Kakashi-sensei, you collapsed, and so Tazuna-san carried you back to his house. That was two days ago, a-and since then . . . we've just been guarding the house, since Tazuna-san decided not to go anywhere until you woke up."
"Why thank you Hinata." Kakashi smiled at her— she thought he was smiling, at least . . . – some part of him feeling surprise that the village-renowned girl for being the shyest little Hyuuga to ever live actually got through all of that without stuttering twice. Hinata gave him a tentative smile in return.
"The day she no longer stutters, we party." Obito declared quietly, grinning with Rin.
"Kakashi, we're going to have to give these kids as much training as we can in such a short time. Do they know the tree walking exercise?" Kurenai brought his attention back to the matter at hand.
"For those in the know: Did you get strong-armed enough by Katsu to train your kids, Kakashi?" Kushina snickered, sticking her tongue out when Kakashi turned to glare at her.
"Ah, well, I had only taught it a few days before our C-rank, so I think that will still occupy them for the duration of our time until the rematch with Zabuza and his little friend." Kakashi said.
"Just how long do you think we have?" Naruto asked his customary politeness and affability falling away to a more serious side.
"I'd say . . . a week, perhaps a week and a half, he's about as banged up as me and that's how long I will need as well." Kakashi figured.
"Sensei, how are we supposed to train if you're bedridden?!" Sakura asked the man, giving him a look like he was crazy.
"Please, this is Hatake Kakashi. Injury is mind over matter for this mofo." Obito informed everyone, fist bumping with a smirking Kakashi.
Kurenai waved a hand up, smiling. "I'm right here too Sakura." She pointed out to the girl, who blushed cherry red and muttered a sorry.
"At any rate, I don't need to do much to train you, if I can get a crutch then that's all I'll need." Kakashi assured his students.
"BAM! Efficiency." Jiraiya shouted out, carrying on Obito's joke.
"Excuse me, everyone, but this man still needs to rest, and dinner is ready so you can all head on down." Tsunami said firmly with her hands on her hips.
Kakashi smiled at the woman, and greeted her. "Hello, you might be . . . ?"
Tsunami smiled at the man, brushing back ebony hair behind her shoulders. "I'm Tsunami, this drunkard's daughter." Said drunker put a hand to his chest as if he was offended.
"Why, I never!" He grumbled, though his hurt wasn't enough to stop him from taking another swig of sake from the bottle in his other hand. The Konoha team sweat dropped, but all eyes flickered to the door when a creak sounded from just behind it. There, peeking into the room was a small and solemn-looking boy, half of whose face was cast in shadow by his hat and decked in overalls.
"Oh, Inari!" Tazuna cried happily, arms opening up to beckon the boy into a hug. The boy turned away from them with his dead looking eyes, to rush into his grandfather's arms, small hands fisting into Tazuna's shirt.
"Oh, so he's the grandchild." Tsunade said to herself, feeling like this child was a piece of the puzzle this mission had become.
"Inari, be polite and greet these nice ninja. They will make sure jiji is safe while he's building his bridge!" Tsunami told the boy kindly, but the sad look in her eyes as she gazed at her son was at odds with her tone.
"But kaa-chan, they're all going to die!" Inari said, his voice stating the unsaid: that this was simply a fact, and they were the ones who were too stupid to realize it.
"Thanks for that vote of confidence, really does my heart good." Kushina deadpanned.
"Why are you even taking the words of a little brat seriously?" Kakashi countered.
Naruto suddenly understood that boys look a whole lot better, and so instead of feeling offense just felt a deep sense of empathy and sadness for such a young child hurting.
"Such a sweet boy." Rin cooed, clasping her hands together in the sweetness of it all.
"Kiba felt no such connection, and made it known.
"Watch it, brat! No stupid, greedy money grubbing bastard like Gato is gonna kill any of us!" he snapped, shaking a fist at the boy, who was unfazed by his passionate declaration. With an irritated sigh, Naruto's fist crashed into the back of Kiba's head, whose face crashed into the hardwood floor. With a moan of pain, Kiba got up quickly, rubbing his face.
"I didn't think you needed to be told that using such language in front of ladies is terrible, as well as shouting so rudely to a small child. Have you no restraint, Inuzuka?" Naruto berated the boy in a cold, quiet voice.
Team Minato flinched, recalling memories. "Sensei . . . scary." They whispered faintly. Minato heard anyway and shook his head in mild amusement, lips twitching.
If that wasn't enough to shake Kiba, Naruto's eyes that darkened to a cold and hard Persian blue surely made him snap his mouth shut with an audible click. The others also were silent, leading to a rather awkward moment in the room.
Unfazed by the now awkward turn the mood had taken, Naruto looked up to Tsunami with a smile. "You say that dinner is ready? Please allow me to assist with setting up the table."
"He went from cold and commanding to perfect guest in a split second." Tsunade murmured with an amused huff.
"Oh, no, I couldn't Naruto." Tsunami tried to turn down the boy's offer, but Naruto wouldn't hear of it.
"I insist, it would be rude to make you do everything." Naruto maintained, rising up and walking down the stairs with Tsunami to the kitchen. The others who had been left behind in the room all gave each other looks. Kurenai was especially curious as to why Kiba had capitulated so quickly, even if Naruto had shown an unexpectedly scary side. As a rule, Inuzuka only obeyed those that they considered the alphas of their pack, or at least someone dominant . . . was Naruto more dominant over Kiba?
"Oh, was he too obvious?" Kakashi said with an mocking, innocent tone.
"Well, don't just sit around, and let the food go cold. Someone bring me up some food too, I'm good enough now to sit up for a little." Kakashi prompted, snapping them all out of their shocked stupor. Everyone except Inari, who went to his room saying something about the ocean, went downstairs to have their meal.
Dinner was a mostly quiet affair, barring the occasional compliments Tsunami received for her cooking. When dinner was done, both Naruto and Hinata volunteered to help clean up with Tsunami, who blushed and thanked them for being such polite and helpful young kids. As was quickly becoming habit, there was a fight over who got to bathe first, which once again Naruto settled in an expeditious manner— girls first, youngest to oldest, followed by boys in the same manner. Kiba was still too shaken by his last reprimand to argue more over it, and Shino and Sasuke didn't care one way or the other.
"A natural leader." Jiraiya muttered, smirk tugging at the corners of his lips.
"And he doesn't want to be Hokage?" Minato sighed in mock regret.
That night Kurenai said there would be no need for the genin to continue their sentry duties, as both she and Kakashi didn't believe Zabuza would try anything in his weakened state, and they would need their strength for training tomorrow. Naruto wondered if that was a good idea— who said Gato wouldn't try something. But he kept it to himself for now; this was beneficial for him anyway.
"He shouldn't keep it to himself, it's a good point to bring up." Tsunade said, as if scolding the boy.
"Well, he might not be as much of a team player as he plays, but it's there when it counts." Rin justified.
"Besides, this Gato doesn't seem to be one to do things in a proactive manner. He waits for a plan, if it fails he moves on to the next one." Minato said, getting Gato's personality in one shot.
That night they all headed to sleep, not bothering with splitting boys between girls— it would hardly be fair and there wouldn't be enough room for the boys to sleep in the room along with Kakashi. So, it was a team to a room, and they all fell asleep.
The moon was high in the sky when Naruto crept out the room and down the hall, leaving through the window.
Kushina tsk'd and shook her head. "Foolish! Did he forget the perfectly healthy accomplice?" She muttered heatedly.
He was naught but an inky shadow melding with other shadows as he slunk through the forest, making sure not to get too far from the house. Finding a suitable tree, he walked up it and nestled into the bend created by a few sturdy branches, shaded by the leaves. Naruto had something he wanted to try . . . really, he'd been waiting since he was eight, but if noting was happening on its own, then he'd have to make it happen! With that single-minded determination, Naruto rested against the tree, closing his eyes. Searching, slowly, leisurely deep inside himself he took slow, even, deep breaths.
"Is he . . . meditating?" Kakashi asked with raised eyebrows.
"It seems to be the case." Jiraiya muttered, also confused.
In . . . out . . . searching a little deeper.
"What is he searching for?" Obito wanted to know.
Kushina paled as she thought of what he might be searching for. "Oh, please . . . don't tell me he's going looking for the Kyuubi?" She whispered, but everyone could hear her as shock overcame their features. Minato hurried to read on.
In . . . out . . . the breaths were now coming naturally, as he sank deeper into his meditative state . . .
In . . .
Out . . .
Naruto opened his eyes. There was no black forest, no glowing white orb hung in crystal clear night. There was a tunnel, made of some sort of smooth, black stone. It would have been pitch black if not for a strange red glow that he couldn't see the source of lighting the hall dimly; casting sinister shadows, and showing the ankle-deep water in the tunnel that he was standing in. Strangely though, when he lifted his foot out the water his feet and pants were completely dry. The water itself was warm and dark.
"Where is he? Kushina?" Minato asked his girlfriend.
"I . . . don't know. That's not how I would describe the place where I hold Kyuubi." Kushina answered, nose crinkling as she thought hard about her own mindscape . . . wait.
"Could this be . . . his mindscape?" Kushina put her theory out there.
Is this . . . what my mind looks like? Is this what they call the mindscape? Though he can't say it was unexpected, Naruto still felt a twinge of sadness that his mindscape was a sewer.
Rin's nose wrinkled at the very word. "Gross . . . why is his mindscape a sewer? Is it because the Kyuubi is there?"
Kushina looked about ready to cry as she shook her head. "No, if that's the case, my mindscape would be a sewer too."
"So, there's a reason for it being a sewer? I'm guessing it's bad." Kakashi realized as he took in both Kushina's sad face and Tsunade's tensed one.
"Yes. Your mindscape is a reflection of your . . . mental state? That's as close as I can make it . . . at any rate, seeing as how Naruto's mindscape is a sewer; it seems he has a lot of psychological trauma. Though, if it helps, the fact that the sewer seems to be well kept, and more like a dungeon than anything, means that it isn't irreparable." Tsunade explained in her professional, objective medic-nin voice.
"How terrible." Rin said softly.
He couldn't imagine it being a very comfortable place to be in. Perhaps, if things went well, he would see about redecorating soon, if it was even possible, of course. Naruto felt something pulling him, some deep instinct guiding him down the tunnel. He followed it, down the winding sewer through many turns. He wasn't worried though, he'd always find his way to where he needed to be in here.
The pull was insistent now, as he felt like he was nearing the place he was supposed to be in. He turned around one last corner, and came into a room— large, vast; he couldn't really see a ceiling. Just the chains and glimpses of dark, rusted pipes that was most likely connected to it. He looked around at the pipes leading up to the ceilings on the walls, the same smooth black stone as the rest of the place. But, the most obvious thing in the room was directly ahead of him— a large iron-barred door, with a slip of paper on it that said, seal.
"Shut behind a cage? How interesting . . . in my seal, he's chained down on a slab." Kushina commented, gaining interested looks from Minato and Jiraiya.
It was the Kyuubi's cage. It was also the very thing he'd been looking for.
"It seems crazy to me to seek out the very monster that ruined your life." Rin said thoughtfully.
Without pause, Naruto walked up to the cage, examining the bars, gaps large enough for two-people to get through.
Tsunade's breath hissed between her teeth as she gasped. "Should he really be so close to that cage?" She fretted, looking to Minato and Jiraiya.
"I'd exercise some extreme caution at best." Jiraiya said with a heavy frown.
He examined the simple slip of paper that held the door locked shut, deceptively simple in comparison to the seal on his stomach. Then, he peered through the bars as he leaned on them, into inky blackness, where something breathed. The slow, deep and even breaths of someone in deep slumber, and wasn't planning on waking up just yet. Even as he stood there, he felt the gentle breaths of the Kyuubi whoosh around him, his hair gently swaying with each inhale and exhale.
Naruto sighed in disappointment. "Just how long do you plan to sleep?" he asked softly, still looking into the darkness as if he could see the massive form of his prisoner. Honestly, he could understand that the sealing was traumatic and painful, but to sleep for twelve years?
"Why on Kami's green earth does he want the beast to wake up?" Obito said incredulously, seeking some sort of explanation from Kushina.
"It could be that . . . the Kyuubi is his only shot at answers to the questions he has pertaining to his role as a Jinchuuriki." Kushina said dubiously.
"Like that evil thing would tell him anything." Kakashi scorned the fox.
Kushina frowned, feeling strange as she tried to justify both her words and the fox itself. "Maybe not evil . . . Does he really have to be evil for hating humans?"
"Are you siding with the beast that destroyed your life?" Jiraiya gawked at the Uzumaki princess.
Kushina flinched. "No definitely not, but . . . it's just sort of sad for him. He really has no choice to keep the world at bay, does he? Likewise, I had no choice but to keep him at bay."
As the others puzzled over her words, Minato considered the words, but decided to leave them for another time. They were heavy with a deeper meaning that he surmised not even she knew, but now it was about their son, and his encounter with the demon fox.
Making a tsk noise, he turned around to leave. He made it halfway to the entrance when he both heard and felt a movement from the cage. He paused, wondering if perhaps the Kyuubi had just shifted in his sleep. The theory was shot down when a rumble came from the cage, one that spread ripples across the water, and seemed to echo in his bones. With curiosity plain on his face, Naruto turned around to stare into the half-lidded eye of Kyuubi no Youko, the strongest of the nine bijuu.
The eye blinked once, carmine and with a slit pupil, though any expression he might have seen in it was carefully guarded and placed behind malice as the eye focused on him.
"That was interesting wording." Minato said, confusing the others.
"What are you talking about?" Tsunade asked first, one eyebrow raised.
"Whatever else the Kyuubi might have felt was hidden behind anger and hatred. Like the Kyuubi is wearing a mask." Minato explained, and noted as they all mulled over it.
"I wonder what it could all mean . . ." Jiraiya wondered.
"So, my jailor comes to visit me at last." That voice . . . Naruto withheld a shiver. It was deep, smooth with a hint of roughness— if that made any sense, he snorted to himself— and filled with unpleasantness as it snarled. Perhaps that was just how it spoke, in nothing but snarls? The thought made Naruto's lips quirk up as he took a few steps closer to the cage.
"Brave or foolish?" Obito murmured, feeling butterflies erupt in his stomach for the kid.
"I vote foolish!" Tsunade gasped, one hand reaching out to clench around Jiraiya's vest.
"What do you mean, at last? You just woke up yourself. Actually, I'm quite surprised, it seemed as if I had another couple years to wait before you were ready to wake, Kyuubi." Naruto shot back sociably, smiling up at the slowly emerging form of the Kyuubi.
Hmm, there's something you don't see every day. He mused, observing the massive form before him. The Kyuubi had orange silky-looking fur, the only markings being the black kohl-like ones around his eyes that connected to his long, rabbit-like ears. His hackles were raised in, what Naruto assumed to be a customary, snarl. His front paws, well they weren't really paws, and they were indeed human hands with opposable thumbs and all. So, Naruto would say that his top half was humanoid, but the rest was just like a fox, barring the nine, long, ever swaying tails in the back— like a fire, Naruto compared.
"He makes the Kyuubi sound . . . terrifying . . . but magnificent." Obito spoke his thoughts out loud.
"Magnificent?" Rin queried, looking at her teammate like he was crazy.
"Yes, haunting in its glory . . ." Obito muttered on, ignoring her disbelief.
"Oh, and I suppose you were waiting for me to awaken?" Kyuubi chuckled blackly, looking down at his container with hatred and contempt clear in his eyes, even as he smirked.
"I was." Naruto said truthfully. Kyuubi didn't like that answer, it seemed, as it growled threateningly.
"And what were you waiting for me to wake up for exactly? To use my power? You could do that whether I was awake or not." It growled.
"There's no danger . . . unless he's preparing for that fight?" Kakashi asked.
"No. The Kyuubi's chakra is an immediate thing." Kushina shot his idea down.
"I have no desire for your power, nor do I hope any need for it. I simply wished to . . . introduce myself properly. Our first meeting was rather unorthodox, I'd hate for it to color the rest of our interactions."
"Whoa, whoa— wait. Did he just . . . is he trying to . . . ?" Obito floundered for the words.
"Make a truce with the Kyuubi?" Kushina breathed out, her disbelief as palpable as the others.
"That's a . . . novel idea." Minato said positively, and continued to read.
Naruto replied with amusement, the smile not dying from his lips even as he leapt away to halfway back to the door. The spot where he had been previously now being covered by a large furry hand, water sloshing as it slammed down.
The Kyuubi roared its rage, glaring daggers at Naruto. "And just what makes you think I want to speak to some pathetic mortal bag of flesh?! There is nothing I wish to waste my breath on telling you! Yondaime be damned for this cage, I'd have your flesh rent from your bones without it already!"
"Fat lot of luck negotiation is going to be, it seems." Tsunade snorted with anger towards the Kyuubi for trying to hurt the child.
"On the contrary, Kyuubi. There are many things you could tell me, and I dearly wish to know. Besides, you and I . . . are the only ones here. Might not it be a bit lonely in here, locked away? Even with the fires of your hatred burning white hot for me, even that won't stop you from trying to get some information on the outside world from me, if you were desperate enough. Sleeping can only do so much." Naruto countered gently, taking slow and careful steps back to the cage as Kyuubi withdrew his hand and arm through the bars.
"He's persistent." Kakashi muttered.
"He's level headed. I think it's a good idea for him to try and form a relationship with the Kyuubi. That way if he ever needs its chakra, he won't be hurt by it." Minato countered.
"Heh, trying to bargain with me boy? What will you get out of it, assuming I even care to hear of the outside world?" Kyuubi sneered, body shuffling back as his head lowered to the ground, turning to look Naruto eye-to-eyes.
Naruto sighed, managing to hold back his irritation quite well at the entity in front of him. Kyuubi couldn't really be blamed for his attitude toward humans, he knew, but honestly.
"That's sort of like what you just said, Kushina." Jiraiya realized.
"Yeah . . . but he's taking it farther than I imagined." Kushina said, almost dumbstruck be her son's decisions.
"There is no bargain. No tricks, catches, or anything of the sort. I was merely genuinely curious about the stories that you hold inside you . . . the countless centuries you roamed free, what you must have seen, must have experienced . . . I'd like to ask you for them all, if time were not the natural enemy of humans! More than all that though . . . I simply wished to have a better relationship with you than our . . . pasts would suggest."
"Stories?! All he wants is a storyteller?!" Rin choked out.
"Actually . . . that's an interesting notion. Can you imagine the things the biju have seen, things no man could remember, or that was never recorded?" Minato mused, interest growing as his passion for learning was ignited.
"Perhaps those stories will be put in here." Kushina coddled with an amused smile.
Kyuubi considered the boy, head rising to rest on an open palm. "Our pasts? You were a mere hour into this world at the time of our meeting."
Minato and Kushina flinched in unison, their previous amusement dying as swiftly as a candle in a storm.
"Only . . . an hour? That's all the time we had, and even then . . ." Kushina whispered, distraught. Minato hugged her, hoping to comfort her and remind her that this was only a possibility.
"I, the village pariah and scape goat who is condemned by the people for something I could never have controlled . . . for holding you. And you, Kyuubi, the strongest biju done in by a mortal man with the ingenuity and determination to defeat you as best as he knew how, and succeeding. I should hate you, but I don't. You hate me . . . and that's understandable, hence my wish to be civil with you. We can be better than what our circumstances would have us be."
"It makes sense." Jiraiya murmured, tapping his chin with an idle index finger. "They're both against a rock and a hard place, no need to make it harder by fighting each other."
"That's still unfair to him, though." Rin protested feebly, though even she was beginning to see the wisdom of Naruto's decision, if not the genuine wish behind it.
"How very mature . . . well, you've caught my interest. Heh, you've explained to me why you would entertain me, but what do I get out of this civility? Besides some stupid bits of news, I mean?" Kyuubi questioned the boy, claws tapping out a sharp staccato rhythm with his unoccupied hand.
"Well, I don't know what you'd want. Certainly, I would refurbish your . . . accommodations. No one should be forced to reside in a sewer, after all. If I can, that is."
Kyuubi chuckled, teeth glinting sharper than Ten-Ten's weapons as he considered the question. "Well, what I want . . . if I get to hear about the world, then I want to really hear it. Let me connect with your senses— it won't affect you or this seal negatively. And, you can control it, so you can cut it off when you choose too. That, for now, shall suffice. But, let me make this very clear to you, Uzumaki Naruto."
"We will never be friends. I will never see you as more than a pathetic mortal, though if you care to notice, it's an improvement over pathetic bag of flesh. If I could, or if I ever get the chance, I will rip out of this seal faster than you can blink." Kyuubi stated this with all his anger, the very hatred and acid in the tone making Naruto feel like it could melt his flesh from his bones.
"Oh that's nice." Kakashi muttered.
"Somehow though, when I really go through this conversation . . . it's like. Kyuubi really does have his own reasons for hating all humans, especially his containers. I just don't know what they are." Obito said quietly, casting a brief, searching look to Kushina.
"You're seeing something that I've yet to catch on to." Rin said, Jiraiya and Tsunade nodding in agreement.
"Never say never, Kyuubi. Before we really get into this, let's just think about the offers being made." Naruto smirked as Kyuubi gave him a curt grunt of agreement, giving a two-finger salute as he made to leave. Just before exiting the room, and his meditation altogether, he turned to look at the Kyuubi from over his shoulder.
"Kyuubi." An inquiring growl. "How much time is needed to pass before it is deemed appropriate to learn your name?"
"Name? Isn't Kyuubi its name?" Kushina asked, surprise coloring her tone.
"Kyuubi, has a name of its own? Just who named this demon?" Tsunade muttered, recalling no such information from her talks with her grandmother and the first jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi, Uzumaki Mito.
Kyuubi narrowed his eyes at the boy, voice low as he returned his question with another question. "Have not you been using my name from the start? Am I not Kyuubi?"
"Kyuubi is what you are, just as I am a genin of Konoha, and the jinchuuriki of . . . well, you. Neither is who I am, just as the Kyuubi no Kitsune, is not who you are. You have a name; I would be glad to know it." Naruto said with certainty and sincerity.
"I've never even though of it like that . . ." Minato trailed off, eyes turning glazed as he thought about the seemingly small piece of information— which just might have the most important value of anything so far for their future.
Kushina sighed, chuckling. "I don't need to worry about him anymore. He's doing even better than I ever could. Really, I wonder if he'll even need me this time around."
"He may be onto something here, but a child always needs their parents." Kakashi reminded the older woman with a small smile. Kushina smiled back at him.
"Then you must know that regardless of time, I will not willingly give such information to you unless you earn the appropriate amount of respect. Names are power after all, Naruto." Kyuubi told the boy in no uncertain terms, and with his last word he rose up and retreated further into the cage, disappearing into the black abyss.
Naruto smirked, and closed his eyes as he left the room. When he opened them again, he was back in the tree surrounded by a considerably lighter forest. More time had passed in the outside world than he had anticipated when he sunk into his meditation. Fortunately, the meditation proved just as restful as actual sleep as he felt as refreshed as if he had slept deeply and fully. Perhaps he had, how long could one meditate before actually falling asleep?
"Hour, hour and half . . . it's all relative." Jiraiya joked with a shrug.
The forest was just waking up itself, the greeting chirps of the birds to the new morning sounding all around him. Naruto smiled, pushing up from the trunk of the tree to stretch, arms raising overhead and through branches as his fingertips attempted to touch the sky.
"What a productive night. My day is surely counted for a lucky fortune." He murmured in content, hopping off his branch and falling down to the ground. Chakra buffered the fall, and he hit the ground lightly and soundlessly, smiling in satisfaction when he moved away and saw no visible footprints where he had landed.
"Such an optimistic child." Rin commented, smiling at his happiness over the smallest of things.
That satisfaction was immediately taken from him when he turned around and let out a strangled, quiet yelp as he leapt away from Kakashi's serious face.
"Kakashi, no stalking my child." Minato scolded the boy, face dead serious even when Kakashi's jaw dropped and he spluttered out denials. A grin did crack his face however when Kakashi growled and lobbed a pillow at him.
"Ohaiyou Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto half gasped, half laughed. "What seems to be the trouble? You're far too serious for so early in the morning. Hey, you're not even supposed to be up!" Naruto suddenly recalled his sensei's injuries, as he glared at the man with evident disapproval.
"I don't recall your chakra being able to heal you so fast." Minato said with curiosity, looking to the boy.
Kakashi shook his head. "It isn't; the Hatake bloodline only allows for healing that's above average for a human, yet still not as fast as a jinchuuriki or even an Uzumaki. I'm still totally trashed."
"Kurenai and Tsunami-san were nice enough to fetch these crutches for me. I was merely curious as to why you opted to sleep in the outdoors when you had a perfectly nice futon in a cozy room?" Kakashi's voice was deceptively light.
Naruto considered telling sensei the truth, but more than likely it'd lead to some unwanted attention and concerns. "Oh, I guess I just wanted a bit more room. Trees can be mighty comfortable to sleep in." he said with a sheepish grin.
"Oh that was just sad." Kushina said sadly, shaking her head.
"I see. Now, let's get on to another subject . . . your stupid stunt with Zabuza." Kakashi's voice suddenly took on the impression of steel.
"Oh . . ." Rin and Obito drew out, hands to their mouth like school children.
"Ah." Naruto said lamely.
"Ah, yes. Now, I can consider the fact that it was more prudent for you to jump up then get down, even if my reasoning stretches a bit concerning you jumping on the blade. But, asking your enemy for his autograph? That was fucking stupid."
"Ow!" Kakashi winced at Minato's light slap upside the head. "It was future me!"
Minato nodded. "I know. That's why it was only a light slap."
Naruto went on the defensive, even if his face and tone didn't show it. "Hey now, it's not every day your enemy is so . . . acclaimed. I had to take this opportunity!"
"Did you really want his autograph so bad you left yourself open for decapitation or some other such fatal injury several times?"
"OK, no, I didn't really want his autograph. I did, however, want him from his sword. It just . . . happened? I only meant to help out. And didn't Zabuza without his famed sword help out?" Naruto gave Kakashi a knowing look, who took a moment to make sure his lips wouldn't twitch, as he continued to try and lecture Naruto. No wonder the Sandaime gave up on doing so after a while.
"Naruto, as good as that plan turned out, you must realize it could have taken a turn for the worse at any moment. It was too risky, and you were reckless in trying it." Kakashi said reprovingly.
Naruto ducked his head, feeling faintly apologetic. "I know . . . I am truly sorry for any vexation I might have caused you, sensei."
"Vexation?" Kakashi snorted, sighing in defeat when Naruto grinned up at him. "Go on and get back to the house you little brat." He sighed, bopping Naruto on the head. Naruto refrained from pouting or trying to deny the statement; he had more dignity than that.
"That's no good Kakashi, you didn't scold him properly!" Rin laughed, patting the amused boy on the back.
"You have to scold him in place of us, Kakashi!" Minato and Kushina whined in unison, wagging a disappointed finger at the now sniggering Kakashi.
When they returned to the house, Tsunami was just getting out her pots and pans, and the ingredients for breakfast. Naruto moved into the kitchen to assist Tsunami while Kakashi limped upstairs to wake the others.
"I wonder if perhaps he just loves cooking, rather than it being a fair responsibility at his house." Obito pondered.
"Well cooking's not a bad thing to take up, and it makes a usually tedious chore fun when you begin to enjoy it." Rin said knowledgably, nodding her head in agreement with herself.
"Can I help, Tsunami-san?" Naruto asked the bustling woman, who turned and smiled happily at him.
"Yes, since you proved to be such a good helper, as well as a good cook!" Tsunami invited the boy to stand beside her at the kitchen counter. As they worked, Tsunami asked Naruto what made him become a ninja, and some of his fonder memories of the job so far. When Team Eight and the rest of Team Seven came down the stairs, they were greeted by the sight of Tsunami holding her stomach in laughter while Naruto clutched at the counter's edge to keep standing.
"Oh my goodness, what a horrible cat . . .'' Tsunami gasped, wiping away a tear as she straightened up, and finally caught sight of her guests. "Ah! Come, sit down and I'll serve you your food."
"So, he was telling her about Tora?" Kushina asked, sweat dropping.
"The pain of Tora is amusing to everyone but the ones who have to catch her." Minato laughed.
The genin were just about to do that, when Kurenai cleared her throat pointedly, and the genin stopped to look at her. "Don't trouble yourself; these children can manage for themselves. Everyone, get the food and put it on table for serving. Hinata, Sakura, you leave that to the boys, while you two get some plates."
"Naruto's the role model for his generation." Jiraiya snickered, leaning on the arm of the couch.
"Good quality to have for the son of the Yondaime." Minato grinned, as Jiraiya burst with laughter, high-fiving the older man.
With sheepish blushes, they did as they were told. Tsunami opened her mouth to insist they sit down, but a hand on her arm made her turn around. Naruto was shaking his head with a smile, and so she left it alone. Breakfast was rushed by certain eager genin wishing to just get training right away. They helped clean up, and with a bow of gratitude to Tsunami, they headed out into the forest for training.
"High ho! High ho! It's off to work we go!" Kakashi, Obito, and Rin sang, with tortured expressions on their faces, before looking at each other and laughing.
"Complaining, my little students?" Minato's voice was pleasant, but that promising glint was anything but. The three students of his gulped, feeling fear settle into the pits of their bellies.
"OK, teams as you know we are still training chakra control." Kakashi addresses the genin as they stand in the middle of a clearing. "Sasuke, you've yet to get to the top of the tree, so work on that. Sakura, your chakra pool is still very small, so keep running up and down the tree until you get tired, rest, and then start over. Before you offer to help, Naruto, you've already helped these two enough back home so it's time to start you on water walking. Kurenai tells me that Hinata and Shino have already mastered this exercise, so you two will be working with Naruto on water walking as well at the bridge."
"Kakashi will be staying behind to help the genin here, while I go with Tazuna to guard him at the bridge. Tazuna will be leaving his house right about now, so let's get started." Kurenai ordered. With a sullen look to Naruto, Sasuke started on his tree (Naruto noted that the stare was sullen, not a glare, that's progress!) next to Kiba and Sakura.
"His optimism knows no bounds." Obito noted, thinking of his yet-to-be-born dull cousin.
Kurenai along with Naruto, Hinata, and Shino, walked not quite in the direction of the house, but to the road that started from the property to town. There they met up with a yawning Tazuna, who gruffly greeted them, and then they all walked to town.
Naruto had never seen a town so full of people so dead before.
Lining the streets some huddled in alleys and others slumped over on stoops, were people. Defeated, hungry, and sad people. The smell of desolation and defeat burned Naruto's nostrils with its acrid smell.
"Jeez, sounds like that Gato's doing a real number on the people of Nami." Kushina spoke in a low voice.
"They made the right choice to continue the mission." Rin said, sympathetic to the plight of Nami no Kuni.
"That remains to be seen." Jiraiya murmured, his more realistic experiences with the world lending him experience to good intentions and bad results.
"Tazuna-san." The man turned his head to the side, seeing Naruto sidle up beside him. With a small smile, he offered his ever present bottle of sake, and chuckled softly when Naruto took it with a grin and drank a mouthful.
"What happened to no liquor before noon?" Tsunade questioned, smirk tilting pink lips as she exchanged sly glances with her teammate.
Ignoring the disapproving glare of Kurenai, when the bottle was returned he answered the boy. "The town's depressing you isn't it?"
"They've all just given up." Naruto gave Tazuna a sad look, who just nodded in bitter resignation.
"You just don't know the hold Gato has on us. This bridge will be our only road to hope . . . our last salvation. Without it, we all die." Tazuna muttered, looking around at the dead town with sad eyes.
"That's so sad." Obito whimpered, eyes watering.
"Suck it up, Obito." Kakashi warned him.
Nothing more was said as the more somber group travelled to the bridge. Once there, Tazuna got to work with the rest of the crew, calling out greetings and jokes to each other. Kurenai took the genin to the shoreline at the bottom of the bridge. Whereas the genin stopped at the banks, Kurenai continued on, sending chakra to her feet as she stood atop the still water and walked on a little further to where the water got deep. She turned around to face the kids, and allowed herself a small smirk at the amazement on Hinata's face, and Naruto's impressed claps. Shino was, of course, still pokerfaced.
"So it's all senseis that showboat, not just ours." Rin murmured in a moment of 'a-ha.' Obito and Kakashi murmured assents.
"Hey!" Minato cried, looking offended.
"This is a more advanced form of chakra control, the way to do it is the same as tree walking . . . in a way." Kurenai's confusing explanation and mischievous smile fired up Naruto's determination.
"Dattebane!" Kushina muttered, throwing up a victory sign.
"No longer at odds with your verbal tic are you?" Minato asked the grinning redhead, smirking.
"Don't be discouraged if it takes you even longer to get this than tree walking." Kurenai cautioned them, walking back to the shore and starting up to the bridge, beginning her guard watch over Tazuna.
The three genin walked out into the lake after rolling up their pants legs. The water was shin deep where they stopped.
"So . . . how should we approach this? Any ideas?" Naruto asked the other two. He knew that the Aburame and Hyuuga where considered something of chakra control prodigies, if only because of their family techniques.
"Lucky for him he learned early on that teamwork can be applied to all aspects of training." Obito chuckled, recalling disastrous memories of his team in its early stages. Kakashi and Rin snorted, thinking along the same lines.
"Start off slow, would be my suggestion. Like with tree walking, Hinata and I tried first one foot, and when that foot was secure the other was added." Shino answered, adjusting his glasses on the bridge of his nose.
"A sensible approach." Jiraiya nodded. "Though, I would have just jumped in and hoped for the best." He admitted sheepishly.
"Hey, don't be ashamed, me too." Kushina sympathized.
"Yes, that would be the b-best approach . . . rather than just jumping in and hoping for the best." Hinata joked. Naruto laughed, as all three as one put one foot hovering over the surface of the water, and applied chakra.
"Wow I feel stupid." Kushina and Jiraiya said together with pitying glances to each other.
Shino was the first to get it, Hinata second, and by the time Naruto had one foot firmly on the water, Shino was already anchoring a second foot. However, about ten minutes later Shino had to stop in order to rest. The catch to his family's stupendous chakra control was almost shamefully small chakra pools due to their kikaichu constantly feeding on it.
"Huh, I had no idea." Obito said in surprise.
Hinata and Naruto were able to make it onto both feet, no matter how shaky or short a time it was, just before Kurenai called them up to return to Tazuna's house. Tired, yet satisfied, the group made their way through an even sparser town and to Tazuna's home in the dying sunlight of the day's end.
Dinner was a livelier affair than before, now that Team Seven needed to worry about Kakashi. Though, Naruto was careful to note that the little boy, Inari, still had an air of gloom and defeat about him. It tugged at his heart strings to see one so young hurt so badly.
"Aww, Naru-chan is so cute!" Rin squealed, holding her face in her blushing hands as she wiggled happily on the couch.
Perhaps, he might show the boy something fun . . . ? A child, no matter what, was always cheered up even the tiniest bit by something new and exciting.
Speaking of something exciting . . . Naruto had an interesting idea in the making, one he intended to run by Kakashi-sensei before they all turned in. Now, how to get the man alone?
"Ooh, an idea? Coming from a Namikaze-Uzumaki? How fun, I can't wait to hear it!" Jiraiya enthused with an evil-sounding chuckle.
"Namikaze-Uzumaki?" Minato repeated, looking at Jiraiya.
"Well, you two are the last of each clan . . . instead of ne dying while the other survives, why not fuse the two?" Jiraiya explained.
"That . . . is actually a really good idea." Kushina praised, a jubilant smile stretching her mouth. Though she was turned around and could not see it, the others saw the euphoric expression on Minato's face, and hastily concealed chuckles and teasing jeers that threatened to escape them.
"Where are you going Kakashi?" Kurenai asked the man as he was standing up, snapping Naruto out of his thoughts.
"Oh, just getting some fresh air." Kakashi smiled.
"Liar! You just want to read your porn but Tsunami-san won't let you in the house!" Sakura called him out loudly.
"So dedicated, Kakashi-chan." Jiraiya sniffed, sending the near-gagging boy a look of pride.
"Kami, why?" Kakashi grumbled, running a hand roughly through his spiky silver locks.
"Heh, you got me." Kakashi had no shame, Naruto mused as he laughed at the enraged expression on Sakura's face.
But, this was the perfect opportunity, he realized as Kakashi walked outside to the back of the house. Before rushing after his sensei though, Naruto made sure to help in the clean-up effort that Kurenai was now making sure the other genin participated in as well, to the delight of Tsunami. While the others were arguing over what constituted as the fair share of the responsibilities, and after he'd done his due, Naruto slipped out to the back. Kurenai saw this from the corner of her eye, but she had seen Naruto looking at Kakashi with a thoughtful expression, and correctly surmised it as being something between student and sensei.
Naruto closed the screen door behind him with a quiet 'clack', looking around for the form of his sensei in the darkness. He spotted the man, not reading as he'd thought, but just looking at the night sky reflected perfectly on the still waters of the ocean a little ways off from the house. Naruto made no noise as he moved to Kakashi's side, but he knew that his sensei knew exactly who it was that was next to him, just by the chakra signature.
With a sideways glance, Kakashi's lazy drawl asked, "What's on your mind Naruto?"
Naruto gave the man a respectful nod, before leaning against the opposite side of the post Kakashi was on, looking up at the sky directly.
"Oh, he didn't just come out and say it." Tsunade noted quietly.
"That means that whatever he wants must be something important indeed." Jiraiya chimed in.
For a couple minutes, the two just resided in silence. Kakashi was content to wait until Naruto spoke, if he even wanted to. Naruto was taking one final moment to go over his proposal and make sure there were no flaws or holes in his reasoning.
"Oh, it must be really good." Obito alleged.
"Kakashi-sensei." Kakashi turned from the ocean to look into the near glowing blue eyes of Naruto.
"A confrontation with Zabuza will be unavoidable, will it not?" Naruto asked.
"He knows this." Minato murmured, eyes narrowing.
Kakashi raised a lone eyebrow. "Yes, but you know that Naruto. We have no choice but to fight Zabuza and his masked accomplice if we want this mission to be a success."
Naruto saw his chance, and had to work hard not to rush it. Calling upon the patience he had worked hard to build, and the lessons on etiquette drilled into him by Juu-sensei and Kai-sensei. "Confrontation; does that automatically mean a fight?"
"Just like sensei." Rin giggled.
"Always wanting to use diplomacy." Kakashi snorted.
"When all you really want to do is just kick some serious ass. God, what a joy kill." Obito groaned, finishing up the trio's sentence.
Kakashi, had he been anyone else might have grown a bit irritated at his student asking almost the same thing as before, and might even have wondered if his student was chickening out. But he wasn't, and Naruto hadn't asked the same thing as before. The wording of that question . . . there was a deeper thought behind this.
"You make it sound as if a fight can be avoided. I will tell you now Naruto that men like Zabuza cannot be swayed from their goal. You will learn as you go on in life that not all things can be solved with a silver tongue and genuine intentions." Kakashi may have delivered his talk with his same nonchalant nature, but the lecture was still there.
"Is that what you really feel Kakashi?" Minato asked, shoulders shaking with laughter.
"Since you're dead, Naruto is the closest one I can vent on." Kakashi said, grinning.
"That does not mean diplomacy cannot still be an option." Naruto argued.
"Diplomacy, eh? Well, take a look at the background story behind this. Do you know why Zabuza is a missing nin? He planned a coup d'état and tried to assassinate the Yondaime Mizukage. What were his reasons? Well, you can think that he did it because of the Mizukage's decision to purge bloodlines in his country, but I wouldn't put such noble beliefs to Zabuza's name. Unfortunately for him, the coup failed and he was labeled a missing nin, to be hunted by bounty hunters and ninja looking to collect on both his bounty and the fame of killing a man like Zabuza.
"A bloodline purge? The Yondaime Mizukage is insane." Jiraiya spluttered, hands holding onto his knees tightly.
"That will hurt their forces like nothing else." Minato said, shaking his head at the folly of the Mizukage.
"He's working for Gato now, any guesses why that would be?" Kakashi had an inkling of where the boy was trying to go, and wasn't sure whether to discourage him or not. For now, he'd see how far Naruto thought this through.
"It can be for nothing else but money." Naruto stated with assurance. "Gato is a man who hides behind those that are stronger, ruling the weaker and cutting their legs out from under them, if Wave is anything to go by. Also, I doubt he's a trustworthy sort, even in business ventures. I couldn't think what Zabuza would need the money for, but now I know."
"He's working so hard just to avoid fighting those two . . . why?" Tsunade asked to seemingly no one.
"Well, no doubt a part of it is his admiration for Zabuza. But, he probably hates needless violence." Kushina told the older woman with a sort of dreamy air.
"Oh? So you had already correctly assessed the pulling factor in this situation." Kakashi's eyes held the praise his voice would not give, and that was somehow more rewarding in Naruto's mind.
"Aw, you're a good sensei after all Kakashi." Rin cooed, reaching over and pinching cloth-covered cheek. Kakashi jerked his head away with a grunt, rubbing the abused cheek.
"I think my sochi just about adores you Kakashi." Kushina giggled.
"Pulling factor?" Naruto was obviously confused, so Kakashi explained.
"Missing nin aren't the type to trust with promises or contracts either. So, let's assume the untrustworthy Gato might try and cheat Zabuza of his money. Zabuza won't fulfill his end of the bargain if he suspects that. At least, he won't if he has any pride as a man left. Working for a guy like Gato, it makes you wonder. I digress; the point is that the money is the payoff for Zabuza."
Kakashi admitted, to a small part of himself at least, that he was enjoying himself right now. His still new genin was actively seeking the finer points of espionage and, if he was right, assassination. It was almost like old times at ANBU— and it was for that reason he had to be careful. It would be too easy to slip into that old ANBU persona . . .
"Someone's getting excited." Obito snickered.
"Don't let your excitement cloud your judgment Kakashi. Naruto might not be ready for what he's trying to do." Minato warned, both as a sensei to another future-sensei . . . and as a worried (probably overprotective) father. Kushina's dark stare backed up Minato's words.
"Well, let's see what I decided then. Keep reading, sensei." Kakashi did not back down from their warnings, instead doing something possibly foolish and challenging them.
"So, then there might be a chance for diplomacy." Naruto murmured, now drawing himself up and away from the post. Kakashi did the same, facing his young student with a hard look in his eye. This was a serious thing Naruto was trying to undertake, one Kakashi wasn't sure he wanted him, or any of the others, to undertake.
"What is it you want Naruto?" Kakashi's question was more like a demand.
"Kakashi-sensei, allow me and two of the others to do a . . . reconnaissance of Gato and his headquarters. If we could find evidence of Gato going to betray Zabuza . . . or even a way to take Gato down himself . . . it would not only save us the trouble of dealing with Zabuza, but it would do Wave and perhaps the entire Elemental Nations a world of good." Naruto was firm and unrelenting, the fires of determination swirling in sapphire pools. Kakashi had never been so proud.
"He's not just talking about spying . . ." Tsunade's shocked voice slipped past worried lips.
"He's suggesting an assassination attempt." Kushina hissed out, fingernails digging into Minato's arm that was wound around her and slowly constricting in his tensed state.
"You and two others?" Kakashi repeated the "stipulation" in Naruto's request. "Funny, I would have thought you would want to do it yourself?"
"Don't encourage him!" Kushina hissed.
Naruto did not smile, or even laugh as Kakashi thought he might have done. Instead he never faltered from the serious and professional demeanor, just as a ninja should, and that cemented Kakashi's belief in Naruto's plan a little more, even if it was not complete.
"You sound like you're giving the all-clear for this." Obito frowned, turning to a stoic Kakashi.
"Of course not sensei, this is something that cannot be done solo . . . at least, not for me at the current skill level. There are areas I am weak in that the others might show sufficient aptitude in to undertake this endeavor." Naruto answered.
"No genin would be prepared to do an assassination, regardless of whatever skill set they might have." Jiraiya argued.
"That's why they won't be the one to do it." Kakashi's voice was deadly silk.
"Naruto, you really want to do this then? You might be forced to kill some of the hired hands." Kakashi warned.
"You're going to agree. I cannot believe you Kakashi." Minato growled, spearing the young boy to the couch with an arctic glare.
"Whoa, lower the killer stare Minato." Jiraiya suggested. "I may not agree with his choice, but I can guess his reasoning."
"Sensei." Minato sighed angrily, about to say something but then returning to the story.
"Hopefully it won't come to that, if not for my moral opinion on killing unnecessarily, then because killing his men at this stage will lead to suspicion and him making a move we might not be prepared for." Naruto said.
"Reasonable." Tsunade grunted reluctantly.
"Logical." Jiraiya one-upped her.
"He's really going to do this." Kushina muttered with an evil look at Kakashi.
He never let it show, but his knees were almost shaking, he was so relieved. His plan had been received favorably, he could tell by the interest now coloring the normally lazy jounin's tone. Along with the overwhelming relief was a sudden surge of excitement. If all went well, Kakashi would really let him do this!
"Naruto, you really thought this out. The thought you put into this is incredible for someone not just of your rank, but even for your age. As such, and because I'm your sensei, I have full faith in you to do this. As a matter of fact, I'll even allow you to come up with the two genin you want with you, though bear in mind I have the final say. I want your answer by tomorrow evening. If all goes well, we can put your plan into action in three days' time." Kakashi informed Naruto.
"You're basing this . . . on faith?" Minato sibilated with a soft undertone of death. He didn't show it, but Kakashi knew that for all intents and purposes, he was probably hanging onto life by a thread.
"He would need to learn this eventually." Kakashi argued.
"When he's applying for jounin! He is a young boy Kakashi!" Rin took up Minato's side, rounding on Kakashi with a glare.
"I knew as much at ten, younger than he is now." Kakashi maintained.
"But he's not you Kakashi. Times are— or, they will be different. Kids shouldn't habe to learn things like that . . . not for a while at least. Not in peace times." Obito called Kakashi's attention as well as Minato's dangerous softness with a quiet and understanding voice. He understood what they were saying, but . . .
"I stand by what I will decide. You were all so impressed by his determination to be diplomatic, but now when you see what he must do to keep the diplomacy . . . suddenly, you lose faith in him? Minato-sensei . . . Kushina . . . don't you have faith in your own son?"
"Don't test me Kakashi." Minato snarled, startling everyone, even Kushina who had been about to go nuclear on Kakashi. "I have complete faith in that boy, even enough to make him the new jinchuuriki, you know that. I just don't think he should be undertaking such a thing when he's only just begun to learn water walking!"
"Maybe your right . . . but I want to believe in him . . . believe he can do great things, as great as what you probably believed he could do when you sealed the Kyuubi into him. Besides, he won't be alone. I will be with him and the other two genin to help guide them . . . think of it as learning on the job, some things are best learned hands on, right?" Kakashi appeased the older man, chuckling sheepishly.
Minato stared at the boy for a long while, before sighing in defeat. Kakashi let out a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding, feeling relief and a new appreciation for life . . . for now. Kushina looked between the two of them a few times, before huffing a laugh through her nose.
"You've been properly convinced, Kushina? Funny, I thought it would have been harder to convince you." Jiraiya noted with a small smirk.
"Well, if Kakashi could convince an angry Minato . . . then it's enough for me?" Kushina laughed sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head.
Naruto couldn't stop his face from morphing into a starry-eyed one of excitement. "Arigatou, sensei." He murmured, still somewhat shell shocked.
Kakashi saw this and smiled warmly, and ruffled sunshine locks in fond amusement. Naruto grunted, but didn't outright protest. "Go get some sleep Naruto, you've done good work today." Kakashi spoke happily, patting an overjoyed Naruto on the back as the boy turned around to go back in the house.
As the door closed, Kakashi turned back to the mirror-like ocean, gazing at the twin moons, above and below. "Here I was thinking being a jounin sensei would be boring. It makes getting out of ANBU worth it if there are plot twists like this." He mumbled, turning his back on the picturesque sight with a happy hum as he too retreated into the bright warmth of the house.
"Who's going to have more fun with this? You or Naruto?" Tsunade asked with amusement, looking at the silver-haired boy.
"Heh. I wonder . . ." Kakashi smirked, not revealing anything. Tsunade clicked her tongue in annoyance, looking away from the smirking boy, lest she . . . slip with her finger and perhaps, I don't know, flick him on the forehead into the opposite wall?
"So, one more chapter before bed?" Obito asked the group, looking around.
"I doubt the infiltration will be in the next chapter, but . . . yeah, I want to read more." Kushina affirmed, the others voicing similar sentiments.
OK! So, how was that guys? Reviews are both welcomed, and adored. So . . . click that review button. Click it. CLICK IT. NOW! Ahem. i mean, please do so at your conveniance.
Love,
Blood Velvet ~3
