Disclaimer: I own nothing

AN: Opted just to polish this up and give it a title, new chapter will follow as normal, hopefully soon. Also, for those that noticed that this is a re-post, in addition to taking it down for polish, it was pointed out I had a segment from a video game in it almost exactly, I didnt know that at the time, having gotten it off of a star wars web site with the permission of that site's owner. But the bit was so fitting I didnt want to loose it totally, so I made some changes and left it in, it's not longer exact, but it does keep the same feeling I think. Beyond that, after some digging, I think it's ok to use that small amount under the fair use act, but if people make enough waves I'll try and fix it again.

That said, with this storm continuing to grow, if it gets to bad I'll likely be joining my fellows over at YourFanFiction or Dev Art, some place where folk have better security, or at least are more accepting.

EDIT: Special thanks to Vandenbz for some proofreading, helped with several mistakes ^_^


Shards
Chapter 9: Awakening


"...he stepped into an ever grander world… I wonder where that will take him"

Tia Harribel


The blond teen was currently seated atop one of the large stones overlooking a training ground and the valley beyond. Truly it was a breathtaking sight that the 'duo' had enjoyed as they simply sat, watching the clouds roll in like waves to settle about the peaks before the sun rose fully and burned them away. Naruto had never seen the ocean, but this was, to a point, what he imagined it to be.

A moment more to hold that image in and he turned inward, walking down the dusty streets once more, noticing that the large vines that connected the buildings had swelled even further, the plants seeming to thrum with energy in time with his heartbeat. Even as he moved down the streets, heading to the outskirts of 'town' he felt Harribel fall into step beside him, the two walking in a comfortable silence before finding a clearing with a few trees, all wrapped with rope to use as striking targets.

"Naruto, this leg of your training will undoubtedly be the most...unique. The reason is simple. This training has nothing to do with the physical, or even the mental. It lies solely in the spiritual. Are you prepared?"

"Yes, Tia-chan."

"Very well. Find a place that feels...right to you...then make yourself comfortable, we will be meditating." It didn't take him long; after all, this was his own mind. "Now, feel beyond your own mind, back to the training grounds in which you sit."

Slowly he allowed his mind to drift, coasting past the pained whimpers of the Kyuubi, now growing so faint...past the dark recesses of his own mind, before he felt the gentle touch of the breeze on his skin...the soft rustling of leaves on the wind, the sharp prick of the rough stone on his legs. Beyond that he could...feel...Harribel's words, her very thoughts and feelings washing over him like a lover's caress.

'Feel the world about you, Naruto. The way that all things are connected, and need one another to survive. To thrive.'

'It is like a current that passes through you, and carries you to all the places it touches.'

'It is as the clouds, the mists that drift from creature to creature, to all things, set in motion by the currents and eddies of our lives.'

'It is the calm within chaos, the passions of all living things turned into song, chorus.'

'It is the rising swell at the end of life, the promise of new territories and new blood, the call of new mysteries in the dark.'

'This is the feeling that one must strive for to truly connect with all things, both the mundane and the fantastical. The physical and beyond, and what one must find to be able to call forth my friends and allies. What you seek, is the essence of life and nature, the spirit of the Jinn.'

Naruto's breathing deepened with every phrase, his mind starting to drift with the breeze that caressed his skin, slowly stretching out to feel beyond the training grounds. There...two heartbeats of what had to be the ANBU that were watching him, he expected as much, it would be foolish to allow a foreign nin to wonder about without supervision. There was a small nest of squirrels just above them; he could almost feel the intent as the mother moved in on the duo.

Then he paused, and pushed deeper.

There...the trees...the grass...while it didn't have a true heartbeat...somehow he could feel the life within plants, a dull throb as the fluids flowed within, the all-consuming warmth of the sun on their leaves.

Still, it wasn't enough, he had to go further, he felt his chakra start to swirl about him, first cycling through his own coils before dancing down through the rock before a pulse raced through the earth, the grass bristling even as a small wave of dust washed over the area.

With the rush, wind, earth and chakra raced with his own consciousness, ever expanding.

Searching.

Then a voice...faint...so very faint...

'ar...ou...Na..to...'

'Who...'

'...Naruto...'


As the pulse of chakra began to flow back to him it seemed to draw those around him closer. The ANBU moving slightly towards the blond even as four others watched from the edge of the training grounds.

"Cool..."

"What...what was that? It's like his chakra tried to take over my own..."

"That's not possible! Did he put us all in genjutsu! Kai!"

"I bet he did! I bet he's trying to use it to take over all our minds! He's going to turn us all against each other then walk out of here with all our secrets!"

Three sets of eyes could only stare at their fourth with slight ticks on their foreheads, "Omoi..."

The young man turned to his red haired teammate, "Ya Kar-"

He suddenly found his face meeting the dirt, "BE SERIOUS!"

The other two could only look to one another and let out tired sighs, "Yugito-sensei, who is that...I've never felt chakra like that..."

The eldest of the group could only give a slight shrug, "Your guess is as good as mine...I've never seen him in the village before...he could be from that Konoha delegation that arrived yesterday."

"Did anyone say he could use our training ground!"

The curvy blond only rolled her shoulders a bit, getting a slight tick from the redhead, "Just be cool Karui, he couldn't have known...and get Omoi up, we'll go kick him out and get to work."

"I don't know...it's not usually a good idea to wake people up that are meditating that deeply...Remember what Bee-sensei said?"

"Yes, but we have little choice, we have to get some practice in before our mission. Just be careful, we don't want to cause an international incident."

Three voices rang out, though one was still a bit muffled from dirt, "Hai, Yugito-sensei!"


Four heartbeats approached, causing him to rapidly come back to himself, losing that faint voice almost instantly as he stiffened, 'Harribel-chan...what..who was that..and who are they?'

A great feeling of pride welled up from the blond Espada as she helped guide him back to consciousness, 'That was the first step towards contacting the Jinn, you cannot know how proud I am of you right now Naruto-kun. These are the first steps into true understanding of the world around you. As to the others...I don't know...but one feels...not unlike you...'

A slight twitch of the brow, 'Kumo is said to have two other containers...perhaps one got curious...we will need to be cautious...'

His answer was a slight nod before they returned to the real world. Naruto turned to regard the four approaching him, though his movement made them draw up short, "Good...' He took note of the sun before chuckling slightly, 'Afternoon, it would seem. What may I do for you?"

The taller of the group stepped forward, inclining her head slightly. She was a rather attractive blond with her hair pulled back and bound in cloth, making a long ponytail, though it was fairly loose looking, letting it fall into her eyes slightly, a black turtleneck with a pale vest of sorts that seemed like it could double for armor, beads wrapping up her left arm with a matching red sash. Black pants finished the look, but the whole of it hugged her body closely, giving a professional, yet enticing look at the same time.

It seemed most kunoichi enjoyed these distraction tactics. One more reason he was thankful to have someone like Harribel with him, otherwise he could be in trouble...

Harribel could only nod in agreement, she'd seen it happen before. A foolish male being distracted by the flesh, then meeting her blade or foot for his trouble.

"You may not be aware, but this is my team's training ground..."

She made note of the teen's eyes widening slightly, "I see, forgive me. I will depart." He rose in one smooth motion before dropping to the ground.

"You don't have to ask for forgiveness. You are one of the Konoha team, correct? You couldn't have known."

A slight, almost invisible nod of the head was her answer, "You are correct, I am Naruto Uzumaki, a pleasure to meet you."

"Yugito Nii, these are my students, Omoi, Samui and Karui."

He gave a set of nods to each of the teens behind her before turning back to Yugito, "I won't keep you and your team any longer, though if I may, do you know of a place that I may meditate in without further incident?"

With a gesture she called over her team, "Perhaps...if you would be willing to tell me what that pulse was..."

That caught all involved by surprise, "You can't honestly expect me to reveal my training methods..."

A feline grin was his answer, "You can't blame a girl for trying, it never hurts to ask, does it?"

His eyes closed in silent thought for a moment before chuckling, the oddly hollow sound sending a chill up the groups spines, "You're correct, it never hurts to ask.' His eyes curled into a smile, 'But what would you offer me in return? You don't expect directions to be worth a training method..."

To the group's surprise it was Samui that stepped forward, "Why not a lesson in the blade?"

"I already have a master for that art..."

"Yeah, right, there are no swordsmen in Konoha..."

Naruto arched a brow at the redhead's outburst, "None that you know of apparently..."

"Is that so...then what's his name?"

"She is not part of the Konoha roster."

That caused a few raised eyebrows, he wasn't being trained by a leaf nin? "So you're not trained by your own? Who are you actually loyal to then! Kiri? Iwa?"

Naruto could only look at the dark skinned boy with mild confusion, "You're not all there...are you?"

Karui's blade came free, "HEY! Only we get to make fun of him!"

Naruto rose slightly to the balls of his feet even as Yugito tensed, "There is no need for hostility...I will go."

"Karui..."

She flinched slightly at her sensei's tone, "B-But-"

"Karui, be cool."

"Samui-chan..."

"Enough, all of you. Uzumaki-san, I apologize for my team's behavior, there is a training ground a mile to the east that should be free for the rest of the day. Perhaps later on we will have a more...civil encounter..."

Much to their surprise the blond teen only chuckled, "Actually, from what I recall of history, this was actually a rather tame incident. Until next time." Without further comment he turned on his heel and jumped up to a tree before moving to the east, rapidly becoming a white speck, though still visible from their own grounds.

"Hmm...He kept his cool...you could learn from him..."

Yugito rounded on the three with a scowl, "Samui has a point. Karui, you will be sparing with me, and as punishment afterwards you will be doing one thousand strikes with the added weight. Be glad that he didn't take offence for your little stunt!"

"But he-"

"Spoke his mind, something you know quite well. You drew your sword against an unknown opponent and could have caused an international incident! There are repercussions for your actions!"

The girl seemed to deflate under her sensei's withering gaze, "Y-Yes sensei..."

"Now then. Samui and Omoi start with kata number four.' With a slow, hand she drew her blade, 'Karui..."


"Report."

"Raikage-sama, a strange chakra pulse was detected from the container at fourteen hundred, after which the team headed by one Yugito Nii had a confrontation with the boy. Reports state that genin Karui drew her weapon against him after a comment made about her team mate, however it did not escalate further as the jinchuuriki, after a few more words, moved off to an unoccupied training ground to continue his meditations, however there were no other pulses felt from him after the initial occurrence."

The elderly leader steepled his fingers as he considered his options...the best chance he had was to lure the teen into a false sense of security..."Send for Yugito's team. I have a mission for them..."

"Yes sir." The silver haired attendant quickly sent for the requested team even as Zeta called for one of his hidden guards to come out.

"Send for the suppression team, I want an eighteen tag array ready for when we spring the trap. Have Bee and A ready to move against Gai, they will be more than enough to handle him."

"Sir!" with a shower of sparks the ANBU was gone.

The man didn't bother hiding the grin that spread across his lips, after the capture of the nine tails host he would be ready, his son and the boy would be perfect breeders to ensure a future bloodline for the village, while it was no byakugan the promise was still a solid one, especially with Yugito as the partner for the boy, he knew he couldn't force his son into fucking the little bitch, for some reason he treated her like a little sister, but the boy...

"One week...One more week and we will be well on our way to becoming the strongest nation in the world..."

His laughter was long and loud, and while it couldn't be heard beyond the tower, for one young blond woman, she couldn't help but feel the odd chill race up her spine.


"Where the fuck have you been?"

"Accomplishing our goal."

Not for the first time Nel cursed her lot in this life. While she was grateful for the new body, something about the pale man just made her skin crawl, though he had been nothing but kind to her. Still, after being locked away for so long in her own mask she had never expected to awaken with her body and mask fully restored. The odd man had even found a way to restore her spiritual power to her, something she had yet to encounter in this world thus far, and seemed to thoroughly fascinate the man to no end. So he felt the need to study her, and to that end he had appointed an...apprentice from his personal guard.

The red head though could really get on her nerves with her constant swearing...

"Wait, you found the ring! Already!"

"Of course, it was simple enough to find him, his speed was nothing special..."

"Damn..." For Tayuya, despite how much she may have wanted to deny it, she looked up to this woman. She was, without a doubt, the strongest woman she could ever imagine, even the great sannin Tsunade couldn't hold a candle to her. Why would she ever want to heal an injury when she could wipe out a mountain range? "So when are you going to show me some of the shit you do?"

"When you learn to calm down and stop cursing."

"Well shit..."

"Indeed."

"So who's the next target?"

"Orochimaru-sama suggested that I go after his former partner...the man uses...puppets?"

The red head seemed to be lost in thought for a moment before her eyes sparked with recognition, "Ah! That fucker, ya, Orochimaru-sama ranted about him all the time, something about not being able to get his hands on one of his puppets...if you want brownie points I suggest you bring that back with you."

"If there is anything left, I will do so. How is your illusion training?"

Tayuya smirked at that, "Great, the new flute is working perfectly. Say, you could at least show me how to fight with a sword, couldn't you?"

After a moment of thought the green haired woman gave a slight nod, "I could, though only the base style, I do not yet know if you can learn any of my...higher techniques..."

Both hands pumped as a mad grin spread across her face, "Fuck ya! I'm ready when you are!"

That brought a smile to her, "Patience, we need to find you a blade first."

"Damn."

"Heh...and it will have to be a unique one...if it wants to stand up to my Gamuza..."

"So where do we start?"

A single finger came to rest on her chin as she looked away, a rather innocent expression enveloping her, "The obvious choice would be to find the location with the best smiths."

"That's the Land of Iron!"

Nel blinked owlishly for a moment, there actually was such a place? A moment later her lips curled into a slight smile, "Alright, lead the way."

Tayuya could only grin savagely at the thoughts of her training, and the opportunity to put the others of the Sound Four in their place! She was looked down on for using her illusions, well in the end she would be the one with the last laugh, the strongest woman in the world was her sensei, and she wasn't about to squander this chance!

After all, who could be stronger than Nel!


Naruto lurched slightly as he made to grab his chopsticks, 'Tia-chan?'

Said woman discreetly wiped at her nose, 'Excuse me...'

'I didn't think you could do that in there...'

'What is the saying...perhaps someone is talking about me?'

'It's possible.'

'You need to apologize to that girl you know.'

The blond teen gave a small nod before turning back to his food, in an effort to find a midpoint he only had a single bowl of ramen as well as some of the local fare, namely a roasted rabbit and native vegetables, he knew that Harribel didn't care as much for the soup, and seeing as she couldn't order her own at the moment...However even as the first bit of food was picked up he saw the doors to the restaurant open before the object of his conversation entered, 'As though summoned by our thoughts...'

'Maybe it's a sign? Motion them over, it would be a good opportunity to...bury the hatchet?'

With an almost lazy wave the group gave a small smile before heading his way, well, two smiled, one was busy with his candy, the last looked almost asleep. "Well well, small world!"

He gave another of his odd nods, "Indeed. If you like, feel free to join me, it seems this place is rather popular tonight..." and it was, Naruto's rather large table being one of the only ones left when he was seated.

"Considering how we met, and how that ended, it's pretty cool of you to offer." She was a bit surprised to see the teen rise and pull out the chairs for herself, Yugito and Karui, though the last could only slump onto the table in exhaustion.

"It seems you were rather hard on her...for my part in it I apologize, this is my first time in another village, but it is little excuse to cause trouble. If I may make it up to you, let me buy you all dinner."

Omoi grinned as he crunched the last of his sucker quickly, "That's awesome! We haven't had a mission in a week! I was starting to think that I'd go hungry, you don't know what it's like having to rely on her cooking!"

Karui blushed hotly, but couldn't muster the energy to smack the boy.

That didn't stop Yugito though, "Baka, I've told you, stop speaking a sentence or two earlier, it would lessen your injuries! Naruto-san, thank you for the offer, but we can't impose o-"

He held up his hand once more, "No, I insist, and don't think that it will be an imposition to me,' his eyes curled in another smile, 'I'm on a mission, so it's all written off as expenses..."

That caused a round of laughter, even from the almost sleeping redhead who had moved to rest her head on crossed arms. The group quickly made their orders even as some settled more into the chairs, the blond with the pixie cut rolled her shoulders with a small grunt as she tried to use the chair back to alleviate the pain.

However, she was also keeping a keen eye on the teen across from her, and was a bit surprised to see he wasn't ogling her.

Not that she knew, but he had seen a woman with a more curvaceous figure.

'You could offer to help.'

That made him freeze, his food stopped half way to his mouth, his confusion so consuming he almost lost his henge, 'Sorry, I think I had some crazy in my ear. What!'

Inside he could almost feel her annoyance, it took a lot to knock him out of his new, higher, thought processes, but apparently she found the plateau. 'You heard me. Offer to help.'

'How?'

'Speaking from experience, large breasts are not the boon that men seem to think they are, they can cause a great deal of pain and discomfort, not to mention a lack of agility. Offer a back rub, and insist that her sensei be present to alleviate her concerns.'

He noticed the odd looks he got from the others and made to continue eating, a very slight tremble to his chopsticks as a mild panic began to settle in, 'And how in the nine hells would you suggest I approach such a subject, we all almost came to blows earlier!'

'Women, even the toughest of us, at times want to be pampered. Make the offer, worst case scenario she says no, she doesn't strike me as the type that would attack you for a genuine offer.'

'May I remind you I don't know how to give a back rub!'

'Listen to what I say, and you will succeed.'

'And why, in Kami's green earth, would you want me to even ask? How can we trust them?'

'Truthfully we cannot. However...I suppose I feel...sympathy for her...'

Naruto sat in silence for a moment, his hands moving mechanically to continue eating, 'Very well...I can't say no to you after all, Tia-chan.'

Inwardly she was glad she wasn't with him at the moment, as she was sure her blush managed to rise past her collar.

He let out a very real sigh as he steeled himself for what was to come, the act seeming to draw the attention of those at the table with him. Omoi had been taunting Karui with a dango stick even as Yugito was sipping at her sake'. Samui, on the other hand, had ordered a fried rice dish but had only picked at it, he had seen the rigidness in her movements and the twinge in her arms, it made her almost dump some of the rice in her lap, something she was silently cursing.

'Death comes to us all...' "Samui-san?' She cocked an eyebrow, 'Forgive me for asking, but are you alright? It seems like you are in pain."

She gave a small shrug, "It's nothing."

"It's not 'nothing' if it prevents you from eating."

She eyed him for a moment before letting out a sigh of her own, "It's my shoulders, by the end of the day they are usually sore, it's cool."

"I could help, if you like. My sensei has...similar issues..."

That put Yugito and Omoi on guard, big brother/sister modes kicking in, "Now wait just a-"

The platinum blond only narrowed her eyes, "You think that I would believe that?"

Naruto didn't answer, only bringing his hands up to slowly go through hand signs, making sure they knew he wasn't doing anything that would be seen as a threat, the henge was common to every village after all. With a puff of smoke half the restaurant was struck dumb even as Omoi was blown back with a nose bleed. Where Naruto once was now his sensei sat looking rather bored at the whole affair, before Naruto returned to normal. "I do not lie when I say that my sensei knows your pain. While I do not have to help her with her pain, as she knows a clone technique and can tend to herself should she wish, I think she would scold me if I didn't offer to help."

He could feel her chuckle in his head, 'Already did.' Though some part of her, deep down, took the 'should she wish' and married it with 'I can't say no to you'...

She hadn't considered that...

Samui was still looking on in surprise for a solid minute, only to be shaken from her stupor when Karui's soft snore distracted her. "I-I suppose I could accept..."

Naruto gave a small nod, "Very well. Yugito-san, would you care to accompany us? I'm sure she would be more comfortable with a friend there, and should you desire I could extend to you the same courtesy I am offering her."

The elder blond could only blink for a moment before smirking, "Alright, but you do me in the form of your sensei!"

Poor Omoi found himself on the floor once more at the mental image, meanwhile both Naruto and Harribel shared the same thought.

'Interesting...'


"What do you mean he's not here!"

"W-Well team nine had their mission out of the village, they left a little over two weeks ago."

"When will they be back!"

"Maybe...two more weeks?"

The raven haired teen could only scowl into the distance as he remembered his defeat. He hadn't even seen the dobe move! If he had improved that much in only a month then what had he been doing this whole time! Squandering his training? He knew Kakashi had been keeping him back after the practices for private tutelage, and while a part of himself felt bad about it he knew it was for a greater good, so he could find and kill him!

"W-Well...Sasuke-kun...I was wondering..."

"No."

The pinkette could only flinch at the cold tone before her gaze drifted to the memorial stone, her sensei's words flitting through her mind. "Sasuke-kun, I wasn't going to ask that...I was wondering if you wanted to work on our taijutsu...I could use some help..."

The boy beside her snorted before glancing at his 'teammate', watching her shift slightly under his withering gaze, "I suppose...but don't think I'll hold back on you."

Just as they were making to rise a swirl of leafs appeared between the two, "Yo!"

The girl managed to fight down the urge to jump before sending a death glare, "YOU'RE LATE!"

"Sorry, I had a meeting with a movie producer to make my life story."

"LIAR!"

Even Sasuke had to grumble at the poor excuse, that would be one of the worst movies ever made...three action scenes then a pervert reading by a stone...lame. "So, are you all ready for your mission?"

"But were missing one, where's Sai?" She may not have liked the creepy boy much, but he was still their teammate.

"Sai has business with his father today, so it will just be the three of us I'm afraid, but that's alright, we don't need a third for the mission I have planned."

The two teens held glares that could almost make his headband melt.

Sometimes it was good to be the teacher.

"Alright, were headed to the Higarashi Weapons Emporium, we're taking a store inventory for the owner, it seems his daughter is on a mission and she's normally the one that handles it."

Sakura deflated slightly even as Sasuke's eyes grew colder, when were they going to get a cool mission?