Author Notes: Welcome back. I love Thanksgiving… the food, the family, the food, the friends, the food, the games, the food, the fun, the food, the vacation, the food… did I mention the food? I began to realize how cheesy I was making all of the characters and have fixed most of the problems in this chapter. Here we go.
############!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!%%%%%%%%%%%%^^^^^^^^^^&&&&&&&&&&&&**********
Naruto and Kushina went to bed early that night in the Uzumaki Mansion. Naruto had been exhausted from his subsequent fights against Kakashi, Jiraiya, and Sasuke. He was not able to dream easily however, his nightmares clawing at his mind. "No, don't," he mumbled in his sleep.
Akatsuki stood in front of him again; but this time the leader held Sakura to himself with a kunai at her neck. "Just submit you filthy demon," the man said darkly. Every one of Naruto's comrades lay dead around him.
"Let her go!" Naruto roared in his half-demon voice. The man snickered. He lifted his face to reveal the Mangekyo Sharingan.
"Your fate is sealed either way. The only way you can save the girl is giving up." Madara laughed maniacally as Naruto fell in despair. Then the boy revealed his new eyes. Madara was stunned and partially afraid. "You wretch!" he yelled. Naruto took his fighting stance.
Then, everything became white. Naruto punched at the air as he woke up, his Kikánugan activated. His body had focused chakra in his arm, so the punch continued through the air and caused a loud thump on his ceiling.
Kushina ran into the room, wondering what had happened. Naruto was semi-conscious with an arm stretched out and his eyes full of sorrow and fury. She noticed his tears and the sheen of cold sweat that covered him. "Naruto?" she began hesitantly. His body made no response.
She sat down next to him in the bed. Naruto's eyes were focused on something Kushina could not see. She put his arm down and hugged him tightly as the boy came-to. "Are you alright?" she asked. Naruto was surprised and curious as to what happened. He then looked up at the small dent in the ceiling.
Remembering his dream, Naruto began shaking and tearing up. "No," was his response as he grabbed on to Kushina in a desperate want for comfort. Kushina rubbed his back and softly patted his head. His hair was soft despite the spikiness.
"What's wrong? Did you dream of the villagers attacking? Me hating you?" Kushina was especially worried about the latter. Naruto shook his head as he sniffled once and regained some composure.
"I saw everyone dead," he said flatly. Kushina had a look of complete sorrow as she hugged her son even more tightly. "It was Akatsuki…Madara." Now Kushina had a look of complete terror on her face. "The first time I dreamed this, everyone was dead, but he was slightly compassionate, saying he wanted to end my sorrow and pain. This time, he was cruel and was threatening to kill Sakura with a kunai to the neck. In both cases, I decided to resist, but this time I used the Kikánugan and prepared to fight. Then, the dream ended abruptly as I went for a punch."
Kushina had teared up from his story, knowing what kind of burden that must be on one's mind. "We won't let them win Naruto," Kushina said confidently. "We will end your nightmares concerning Madara. Your friends will be safe." Naruto felt reassured, but couldn't stop shaking. "Take a quick shower; I'll have breakfast ready by the time you come down."
Naruto went into his bathroom and shut the door behind him as Kushina went to the kitchen. He turned on the cool water to shake him out of his thoughts and woke Kyuubi up to talk to him. His body scrubbed itself down as he focused on his question.
"What is it Naruto?" the fox asked inquisitively. "I can't thank you enough for accepting the Kikánugan by the way. I feel much better after sleeping for so long."
The boy was slightly happy for the fox. "Do you share my nightmares?" Naruto began. "I could see every aspect of Madara clearly down to his eye pattern. It frightened me that I could come up with that much detail."
"We do not share nightmares," Kyuubi began calmly. "But we do share a slightly collective consciousness. That is why we can speak to each other without the use of a medium. What you saw of Madara is how I saw him seventeen years ago. I can tell you saw both his better and darker natures. Be assured, Madara is ruthless now. He won't give you a choice if it comes down to it. He will tear everything from you before he is satisfied with taking your life."
"I figured as much," Naruto said as he began to lather his hair. "You didn't answer my second question from yesterday by the way." Kyuubi raised an eyebrow.
"I know that the other tailed demons are very different in both features and personality. You've fought Shukaku, 'nough said," Kyuubi said flatly. "The Two-Tailed Cat, Nibi, is the closest match-up with me. She is a ghost of sorts. When she fully possesses someone, she doesn't harm them in any way like I do. Her goal is to protect things close to her. She is very kind, loving, and beautiful if you ever get to meet her."
"The Three-Tailed Turtle is the one I know the least about. Isonade is very docile and lives in the deepest lake on Earth. He stays hidden unless we call each other to a council, which is a very rare occurrence. There have only been two councils in our history where all nine of us were present without a jinchuuriki. We should make a summons if we are to defeat Akatsuki. Other than the fact that he is the cleverest of all the tailed beasts, I don't know anything about him."
"If you ever meet Sokou, the Four-Tailed Chameleon, treat him with respect. He is very wise and is a strong fighter. I have reason to believe he was captured though. I had a link established with him, and it has disappeared entirely. He's been sealed into an inanimate object of some sort because mine still exists inside you."
"Houkou is a loyal friend and is quite playful. He's the Five-Tailed Dog. My link with him has also been erased. That guy got me in and out of so much trouble. When we find him, you should get to know him."
"The Six-Tailed Weasel Raijuu is a treacherous demon who lures humans into his traps and then forces them into deals that hurt humans in the end. He conned me out of numerous things, the jerk."
"Kaku, the Seven-Tailed Badger, loves to collect various things he finds interesting. He had a magnificent home in the Snow Country until humans began hunting us for our power. He is very cunning, so never let your guard down if you end up fighting him."
"Orochi is the Eight-Tailed Ox. He has a great thirst for battle except that when he possesses someone, they don't become injured from the chakra output. When we find his jinchuuriki, you will most likely have to prove your strength before he will listen."
Naruto began drying himself off as he waited for Kyuubi to continue. "What about you?" he asked calmly. Kyuubi was a bit surprised that the kid was interested.
"I already told you my history with Madara," he began. "So I'll tell you about times before that. I'm the most powerful of the Tailed-Beasts, as you may have guessed. The number of tails determines a demon's power level. No ten-tailed beast has yet been recorded by my kind or yours. And I'm the only nine-tailed demon in existence."
"My name is Youko, but Kyuubi has stuck with me because it is both a title and a name. My favorite things to do were hunt and swim actually. That's why cold water doesn't affect you quite as much as it would with other humans."
"I think I owe you an apology Kyuubi," Naruto began as he dressed himself. "I called you a monster out of anger. You aren't evil like everyone believes; you're just a victim and a skilled hunter." Kyuubi was moved by this.
"Your life hasn't been easy Naruto, nor will it be until Akatsuki and all of its cohorts have been defeated. You have a right to be angry, even if I'm hurt by some of the things you say. I know that being ostracized and isolated has wounded you beyond measure; but it has made you strong as well. I should be the one thanking you for tolerating me all these years. I should be the one apologizing for the state you are in now. I'm sorry that things have turned out badly Naruto, I truly am."
Naruto had unconsciously walked up to the kitchen where his mother was finishing… was that homemade oatmeal? Naruto gaped when he saw pancakes, fresh bread, eggs, bacon, and the hot cereal all spread out on the table.
"Come sit down and eat Naruto," Kushina chimed. "I made this all for you. It's the least I can do for not being in your life for seventeen years." Naruto took a plate from the cupboard and also got himself a glass of milk.
"When did you buy it all?" he asked in astonishment.
Kushina laughed a bit. "I got it all very early this morning with the help of some shadow clones. I've been cooking since seven-thirty." Naruto looked up at the clock. 8:15!
Naruto showed his appreciation by devouring the bowl of oatmeal she set before him with a smile. He then moved on to the eggs which had been cooked perfectly for him. Pepper was cracked into them along with sautéed onions and peppers. Naruto was in heaven.
"Good thing I bought so much," Kushina said, making Naruto look up and then shy away slightly, not knowing whether or not he frightened her. Kushina frowned at this, knowing how hard her son was trying to think of everyone else first. "It's okay Naruto, I don't care that your eyes have changed." Naruto put on a small grin as he looked back at her.
"You eat like I do, a lot. You're also a growing young man. Although, you're taller than Minato and me already." They both laughed, knowing that it was the influence of the Kyuubi that had made Naruto grow so much so quickly.
Naruto sighed when he finished, signaling that he was in complete bliss. "I wish I could cook that well," he said jokingly. Kushina thought that might make for a good lesson at some point: teaching Naruto how to eat a balanced diet and how to cook one.
While they were talking, an ANBU knocked on the door. Kushina opened it and put on a curious look.
"The Lady Hokage wishes to see both you and Naruto as soon as you are available," he said emotionlessly. He looked over the boy with shock. This can't really be that brat right? he asked himself. When he viewed Naruto's eyes, he was shocked and took a small step back in fear. Naruto knew what was going on and simply turned his eyes the other way. Kushina looked angry and stared the man down in contempt.
"We are ready to go and will be there shortly," she said as she closed the door in the man's face. She rubbed Naruto's shoulder. "It's alright. This will take time." Naruto nodded before challenging her to a race. "No," she replied flatly. "I couldn't outrun you in a hundred years. We can go quickly though. I have a feeling Tsunade may want to talk about something rather important."
Naruto looked at her curiously. She knew something that he knew she wasn't letting on. They were at the Hokage Mansion in a matter of minutes, passing many villagers who both cheered and froze as the two came into distinguishable view. A thirteen-year-old kid had the nerve to chuck a shuriken at Naruto when the two went passed. Naruto caught it on a single finger before slowly turning to the boy with a completely passive face.
The boy froze on the spot, not knowing what the hell he'd gotten into. Naruto slowly walked toward him. "Get away from me Demon-Boy," he yelled, causing Naruto to pause for a second, his face remaining the same. Kushina watched closely to see how her son would handle this. The child pulled out two kunai and threw both at Naruto's head. Naruto knocked them away with his chakra before catching them. He then closed the distance between him and the kid, making the boy freeze and drain of color.
"My parents'll kill you if you so much as touch me," the kid said fearfully. Many villagers stood in fear at both the young child's foolishness and the wrath Naruto probably held. Naruto kneeled down, causing the child to fall on his behind after tripping. Naruto's eyes and the boy's met. The boy was petrified, but now held a slight amount of respect for Naruto. Naruto put all three weapons in one hand, making the boy recoil in fear of an attack. None came.
Naruto held the weapons out to the boy, offering them to him. "Kids shouldn't play with stuff like this; you'll hurt your loved ones if you don't use them correctly. Take them back and train before you do something you can't undo with them." The child's hand stretched forward slowly, making the villagers gasp. Kushina was very proud at the way Naruto handled the situation.
The boy looked back up to Naruto's face for reassurance. Naruto nodded his head with a small smile. The boy took them back and smiled before placing them away. He then worked up the courage to speak. "I think my parents are wrong about you. They said that 'the Demon-Boy is nothing but a burden and a threat to our lives; he doesn't deserve to even be alive, much less be happy.' They then told me that if I ever got the chance, I should kill you. Even if you are part demon, you're not like they say. You're cool by me."
Naruto turned back to the kid and smiled before disappearing in dust along with Kushina. The boy and everyone else stood in awe. He's so awesome, the boy thought to himself. I think I just made a good friend. He looked down at the three tools in his hand. That guy's been through a ton in his life if that didn't piss him off. I got off lucky.
"Naruto," Kushina began. Naruto looked over to her. "You handled that very well. I think you're starting to change everyone's minds about you." Naruto shook his head as he grinned.
"I'll be hated by someone for all eternity," he said flatly. "I just have to keep my friends close and convert who I can." Kushina frowned at his conclusion, but decided he was right. He's so mature about things. Naruto's practically already grown up without me, Kushina thought to herself as she walked in the door of the Hokage Mansion.
Tsunade: "That's right," she began. The ANBU around her were stunned with her suggestion. "Our alliance with the Wind Country is strong, but we will need the help of every nation if we are going to eventually destroy Akatsuki. I want an emissary sent out to the Land of Lightning and the Cloud Village immediately. I can handle the negotiations between us and the Mist Village myself."
The ANBU nodded as they left her room in silence. Naruto and Kushina had overheard the last bit of exchange between Tsunade and the agents and were worried. The door was open, so the two casually walked in. Tsunade's expression immediately flew back to cheeriness. "Oh hello you two," she said brightly. "I'm guessing you're here for a mission Naruto?"
His face was expressionless; Naruto then dared to ask, "when is Akatsuki coming Granny?" Tsunade's face fell; he knew. She put down the list of possible missions before looking back up.
"Twenty-nine days from now," she responded flatly. "I received the letter yesterday before I set off to gather everyone up. You know what this means, right?" Naruto nodded his head, but was still unsure of what all she meant. "You're going to have to master those eyes before they come. Every Jounin we have has been alerted to the threat and has been told to train and to watch for any signs of Akatsuki's movements."
"I think, since you are a jinchuuriki, you will have the best luck with negotiating with the Hidden Cloud Village. They have already lost one jinchuuriki to Akatsuki and are seeking revenge. Having you there may give us some leverage." Naruto nodded. Tsunade handed him both a map and what he assumed were the negotiation papers. Tsunade gave him a serious look. "Those papers are not to be seen by anyone's eyes but the Raikage's."
"We understand Tsunade-Sama," Kushina stated confidently.
"You have ten days Naruto," Tsunade said. "Otherwise we'll have to abandon the effort of getting their help in time." Naruto nodded swiftly as he put the envelope into the backpack he had on. He put both a protection jutsu and a seal onto the letter to make sure nothing ruined it, and no one read it without his consent. "This will be your first S-Rank mission Naruto; be careful, be smart, and come back alive. Don't act with your usual disrespectfulness, and don't provoke anyone into an unnecessary fight."
The two spotted Shikamaru before they left. He seemed annoyed. "What a drag. Hey guys," he said as he waved to them. Naruto gave him his old trademark grin. "The Hokage's got me going to the Hidden Stone Village to negotiate a temporary treaty. They won't listen; she knows that. But she's sending me anyway. Good luck with whatever you're up to. I'll see you in ten days' time." Then they were all off.
Sasuke and Kakashi trained all day along with every other ninja in the village. Some were irked that they had to waste their time on helping Naruto, the scourge of the village, but it was the Hokage's order. The two forced themselves to exhaustion before finally resting.
Ino was learning from her dad so that she could handle more powerful opponents. Neji and Hinata sparred with each other as well until both of them couldn't move their arms. Kiba and Akamaru also trained harshly. The entire village echoed with the sounds of training ninja. Even Tsunade got in a session before personally leaving for the Land of Water, leaving Shizune in charge while Jiraiya went off to various smaller countries.
Naruto and Kushina had made it to the border in a single day. They discussed how to handle things once they actually got to the village. The Hidden Cloud Village still held a grudge against the Leaf and might attack them. Naruto was confident, but Kushina was a bit worried. This village held the largest number of Jounin-Ranked ninja in the world; it wouldn't be easy if they got into a fight. They went to sleep after Kushina erected a barrier and a genjutsu in case anyone snuck in.
They awoke with a start as six Cloud-Village ANBU surrounded their tent. "What business do you have here?" the leader asked. "Come out slowly with your hands where we can see them, or we'll simply kill you now." Naruto was the first to walk out, frightening the lot of them. Kushina quickly followed. One of the six recognized Kushina.
"It's the Demon of the Jade Sand: Uzumaki Kushina!" he yelled pointing a finger at her. The other five gasped, knowing what a dangerous foe the woman was. Naruto raised his hand, signaling them to stop and listen.
"We've come here to negotiate with the Raikage, not cause trouble," he began calmly. The six of them snickered. "Trust me; it won't end well for either of our countries if we're killed here. The reason we have come concerns the jinchuuriki."
The six were stunned. They then noticed the nature of his eyes. "You are one of them aren't you?" the leader asked calmly. Naruto smiled, knowing he had made headway. "Then we will gladly take you to the Raikage in chains." Upon saying that, the other five drew out cleansing tags, ready to disable Naruto.
"You idiots," Naruto said flatly as they lunged for him. The tags flew toward him. Naruto blurred from their sight and delivered a knock-out strike to all five of his attackers. The sixth clapped his hands.
"Now that I know you aren't lying, I can take you to the Raikage peacefully," he said as he woke up his comrades. Naruto challenged the ANBU to a race, making them laugh. Kushina smirked as they took their starting points.
"Go!" she yelled before all eight of them made a dash up the mountainside. Naruto made it up first with ease, stunning the ANBU members entirely. All six of them were exhausted. Kushina was panting as well; although she had beaten the ANBU members up the slope too.
The entourage led the pair to the gate of the village. The whole city was enormous compared to the Leaf Village. Clouds hung above the city, hiding it from aerial view entirely. The guards at the gate let them pass, but whispered to each other when Naruto and Kushina passed them.
They quickly went to the Raikage Mansion. When they entered the room, Naruto noticed that it was very dimly lit. He could still see though. There were ten hidden ANBU, the Raikage, and one more ninja with him. "What is the meaning of this, Leaf Ninja?" he spoke up.
"Why have you brought them before me?" he asked towards the six next to Naruto and Kushina. Naruto was the one to answer his question. He began reaching into his backpack for the letter. All ten of the hidden ANBU made there presence known and had knives bared at the boy's neck and heart.
"This is a letter from the Fifth Hokage," Naruto said after stopping his arm. "You can put down your weapons; you wouldn't be able to hit me anyway." As he began pulling his arm out again, the ten lunged, making Kushina gasp. The blades appeared to have pierced his body, but he faded in dust from their sight. He was now only a couple feet from the Raikage. The ninja who was close to him gasped at the display of speed and audacity. Naruto was frightening indeed.
"Here," Naruto said as he held out the letter with both hands. "These are negotiations for at least a temporary alliance to confront a looming threat to the ninja world." The Raikage laughed at the boy's statement; the ninja near him did as well.
"What could possibly threaten the entire ninja world enough to make us consider an alliance with you scum?" he asked rudely. Naruto felt the ninja stir just a bit.
"If you do not trust us, I will divulge that this involves the jinchuuriki," Naruto said flatly. Everyone in the room froze; the Raikage gasped. The ninja in the corner attacked Naruto at the mention of jinchuuriki. He was stopped dead by Naruto's iron-like body. He winced as he drew back his arm.
"Calm yourself Killerbee, my brother," the Raikage said darkly. "How do you know of the jinchuuriki boy?" he asked sternly. He opened the letter before allowing the boy to continue. The message shocked the man to his core.
The boy before you is a jinchuuriki, Uzumaki Naruto. The reason we have sent him is that we know your brother is one as well. Naruto holds within him the Kyuubi. We believed sending him would be able to break the tension more easily and maybe get you to hear us out. This negotiation for an alliance is a pressing concern for all countries. Akatsuki, an organization of rogue ninja, has asked us to give the boy up peacefully for them to extract the bijuu and kill Naruto. We have no intention of giving in to their demands, but they are all S-Class criminals with extraordinary abilities. They are led by Uchiha Madara and his subordinate Pein of the Hidden Rain Village. Our problem in this situation is clear. We do not possess the military strength to defeat them. This is why we are requesting at least a temporary alliance to help defeat an international problem. It is our hope that you can aid us because you can sympathize with our situation. We hope for a swift response.
Fifth Hokage of the Leaf Village,
Tsunade
The Raikage put the letter down as he considered how to handle the situation. Should he trust and aid his old enemies in a common cause, or should he simply send the emissary's heads back on pikes? "I cannot trust you without proof," he declared flatly. "I know of the threat that Akatsuki poses; although I did not know the leader was the infamous Madara of the first ninja wars. I thought he was dead. If you are truly a jinchuuriki as this letter implies, my brother will be able to tell when you fight him."
Naruto was annoyed that this had to be settled in a fight, but he had no choice, as was made obvious by the sixteen ANBU surrounding him. "Let us go to the lake," the Raikage said with a slight smile. "This match should be interesting if you are who you say you are. No one other than me has ever defeated my brother Killerbee. I hope you know how to heal yourself."
They were at the giant lake in a matter of minutes. Naruto's captors lowered their weapons and pushed him towards the open arena. Killerbee wore dark goggles and stood a hundred yards away. "Be careful Naruto," Kushina said sternly. "If he's anything like you, he won't be an easy opponent to defeat." Naruto nodded, even though he knew that the man's strength and speed were nothing special.
"Hehe begin," the Raikage said flatly. Killerbee launched himself at Naruto.
"Get ready to feel pain little baby!" he roared. He punched straight into Naruto's abdomen, causing waves to rise around them. Killerbee was stunned; Naruto looked as passive as when he was talking with the Raikage. "I'm impressed, but you're still not all that powerful. I can tell. It's just an Iron-Skin Jutsu, which means you're an Earth-Chakra type. That means you're as good as beaten!"
He backed off a ways before drawing a single sword and imbuing it with lightning chakra. Naruto simply stood watching. This attack came with more speed, but Naruto's eyes could see every step and the obvious path that the man was taking. "Eat this!" Killerbee roared before bringing the electric blade down on Naruto's shoulder.
Boom! The Raikage smirked, knowing the boy was probably dead after taking a hit so powerful. A wall of water had been launched high into the air, blocking the result from view. Killerbee's sword had broken upon contact with the boy's skin. He then noticed a small glow of Wind Chakra on the line of impact. His arms were jarred, so the man dropped the grip into the waters.
"How the hell did you block it so easily?" he asked in astonishment.
"It would appear that I'm more finely tuned with my bijuu than you are," Naruto said calmly. Killerbee was taken aback by the comment until he examined the boy's eyes.
"Those eyes are good at tracking I suppose." Naruto nodded. "I bet they can't follow me once I step it up though." The boy wondered what he meant until Killerbee's chakra more than tripled in intensity.
The wall of water finally fell back, revealing to a stunned Raikage that Naruto had taken no damage whatsoever and that his brother's sword blade had broken off from the impact. It lay bent and cracked upon the shore. "What the hell is he?" the man asked in astonishment. "Brother, quit fooling around and finish him off. He's making a fool out of you!"
Killerbee nodded before holding his arms in front of his body. He became enveloped in a similar form of chakra to the Kyuubi's Cloak. Naruto was worried for the man's health; although the chakra didn't seem to be harming him at all. Killerbee launched himself at Naruto, throwing a punch into the boy's forehead to wipe that look from his face.
Naruto's body was forced back a ways, but he was otherwise unresponsive. "If that is all you have, I don't need to fight you with the Kyuubi's power," Naruto said confidently as he put his arms in an offensive stance. The Raikage was shocked at the display. He began to wonder how it was even possible.
Killerbee then drew all of his remaining swords. There were six. He had one in his mouth, two in one hand, one in the other, and one held behind each knee. The stance he went into confused Naruto greatly. Naruto was surprised when Killerbee launched himself at Naruto faster than before. Each of his swords was emitting lightning. That's dangerous, he thought to himself.
Naruto easily avoided the forward attack. Killerbee smashed into a rock, destroying it. He then sprung back towards Naruto. This time, when he neared the boy, Killerbee launched the two swords held with his knees into the water. Naruto, sensing the danger, jumped high into the air while keeping an eye on the jinchuuriki.
Killerbee launched himself upwards and began swinging at the boy. Naruto nimbly dodged most of the attacks and blocked those he could not with his chakra. Then Killerbee made one giant swing, all four blades coming from one side. Naruto stopped them with one arm, sending a shockwave through the air. He then delivered a half-powered punch into the man's abdomen. His muscles were strong from intense training, but they gave out under Naruto's unbelievable strength. Killerbee was flung into the forest.
Naruto dived underwater and retrieved the two swords Killerbee had launched into the water to stun him. The craftsmanship was excellent, and they absorbed a person's chakra type. These were perfect weapons for a wind-user like Naruto. He put them on the shore before the humiliated Raikage. Then Killerbee walked back onto the lake with a bit of blood on him from where the trees gouged him in the side.
"I knew you weren't done yet," Naruto called. Killerbee threw his swords passed Naruto to where the other two were sitting. More tails formed from his cloak until there were eight. He then transformed into his full form, a giant ox. Naruto woke Kyuubi up to see this for himself.
"I knew he was still out and about," Kyuubi said with a grin. "Apparently his jinchuuriki is nothing special Naruto?" The blond nodded. "Although, he seems to be the one in control, not Orochi. Hrm…I know you won't like the idea Naruto, but show them the cloak in the first tail form."
"No times a thousand," Naruto retorted as he dodged one of the ox's tails. "I can show off your normal chakra though. Let it flow for a bit." Kyuubi allowed the boy to borrow his chakra in hopes of awakening Orochi from his sleep.
The Raikage and Kushina were both surprised when red chakra began to swirl around Naruto. Even with his new chakra, Naruto could not communicate with the actual tailed beast. Kyuubi was finding it hopeless and finally took over Naruto's body.
"Hey!" Naruto yelled. "We had a deal you traitor. Give me back my body."
"Quiet down, I'm gonna try using my voice first before I use cloak-exchange to get him to talk. And I guarantee I won't go further than the first tail. The appearance of this cloak is unique enough without all nine." Naruto still tried to regain control, but Kyuubi had him down.
"Oy Orochi!" Kyuubi yelled in his own voice. "You in there you old goat? Your jinchuuriki is making you look weak!" Killerbee stirred and began focusing an orb of black chakra in front of his mouth.
"If I'm so weak, then survive this!" Killerbee roared as a black beam shot towards Kyuubi. It barely has a quarter of the strength. I can block it with my bare hands, Kyuubi said to himself. Naruto was worried that he was overconfident.
The beam was halted and repelled by Kyuubi, sending the giant ox back a ways. "Looks like I'm not getting through Naruto," Kyuubi said with concern. "I promise this will be over quickly though."
The Kyuubi's chakra thickened and turned into the recognizable cloak. Kushina was frightened and yelled out, wondering if Naruto still had control. A single tail sprouted from the end of the cloak. Kyuubi noticed that his chakra was doing absolutely no damage to Naruto's skin and alerted the boy.
"It's actually safe for you to fight in this state if you ever have to Naruto," he said, surprising the boy. "I'll pull Orochi out of bed real quick and see if we can't put an end to this pointless duel."
Kyuubi dashed up to the ox's head and placed his hand upon it. He willed for the chakra to flow into the colossal beast carrying a wake-up call. Orochi responded with a big yawn as Killerbee lost control.
"What the hell is this?" he asked drowsily. "Kyuubi?" he began. "Is that you? You're so small now. Got yourself sealed up? You must be mad that you can't use your true power in that form, right?"
Kyuubi smirked before he removed his hand and hung in midair. "Yes, it's me Orochi. Long time, no see. Uchiha Madara betrayed me and sent me on a rampage in the Leaf Village. The Fourth Hokage put me in his son, Naruto at the cost of his own life. The kid's lived a pretty miserable life, but we're very synchronized." Kyuubi let go of the cloak and his own chakra flow entirely. He stood on the ox's shoulder, no change in appearance whatsoever.
"That's impressive. It must have cost much of the boy's lifespan though," the ox chuckled.
"Not at all actually, except for those crazy ninja slicing him open and using those cursed tags on us. Some people just cannot drop a grudge. They developed two really bad ones which had Naruto unconscious for a while. We almost died. But we have a more serious matter to attend to. I'm sure you feel it, the other tailed-demons have been sealed into an inanimate object together."
The giant ox nodded as he dispelled his own cloak. He used Killerbee's body to listen. "A group known as Akatsuki is behind it. Madara leads them." Orochi was stunned. "We came here to negotiate an alliance between these two lands so we could better fight against them. Killerbee's brother made him duel with Naruto to see if he is truly a jinchuuriki, which is how I got in touch with you. Could you convince Killerbee so we can move on?" Orochi nodded before allowing Killerbee to resume control. Kyuubi let Naruto take control back as well.
The two came back to reality with a start. Naruto was more used to it though.
"So you really are a jinchuuriki, kiddie?" Killerbee asked rudely.
"I'm seventeen, and I'm taller than you, shrimp."
The Raikage called the two over and declared Naruto the winner because he didn't even need to use his powers to defeat Killerbee, saddening his brother. "I'm sending Killerbee with you back to the Leaf. Meanwhile, I'll handle setting up an agreement to help defeat Akatsuki. You can teach my brother a few things while you're there," the Raikage said cheerfully. Kushina hugged Naruto and asked about what had happened during the fight.
"A couple of friends met after not seeing each other for a while," Naruto said with a grin. The Raikage gave them supplies for their return trip and wished them good luck. "So, Killerbee was it?" Naruto asked as he walked. The man in the goggles nodded. "How did you get the Eight-Tailed ox? Your village seems to respect you. Mine would jump for joy if I died."
Killerbee froze, unable to believe his ears. "Yo, that's not cool bro," he said surprised. Naruto asked himself what? "Your village actually hates you?" Naruto nodded.
"That's part of the reason my body is this strong," Naruto began. "A revenge-driven Jounin named Renodan lost his arm when the Kyuubi was unleashed on my village seventeen years ago, so he had no sympathy for me. His group trapped me, chained me up, and used various painful cleansing tags on me. Then they hauled me out and put me on display so that everyone in the village could watch me die and him become a hero. My mom here, along with the Gaara, the Kazekage and my friend, rescued me."
Killerbee was stunned at the boy's story, but Naruto had more to tell. "During the whole thing, Kyuubi was trying to heal me with his chakra, but the tags prevented him from being successful. While we were fighting for dominance over my body, his chakra began enhancing my muscles, and it apparently made me grow taller too. The downside is that these claws, eyes, fangs, and this skin are permanent. I barely look like my old self at all. I then made a deal with the Kyuubi for a bloodline trait so that he wouldn't possess my body forever."
Killerbee had to slow him down and process the information. "So you were nearly killed, your body has been strengthened by your bijuu's chakra, the effects are permanent, and now your moving on to your bloodline trait I haven't seen yet?" he asked, managing to get everything straight. Naruto and Kushina both nodded. "Dang your life sounds fun!" Naruto's jaw dropped, and Kushina was mortified.
"Trust me," Naruto began. "My life has been nothing but hell for these past seventeen years straight. The few friends I made were the only thing keeping me going up until this point. I didn't even know my parents until a couple of days ago." Killerbee was shocked. The kid had to grow up without his parents? That's harsh. He scowled as he looked toward Kushina.
"Don't get the wrong idea. My parents loved and my mother still loves me. My father, the Fourth Hokage, was the one who sacrificed his life to seal the Kyuubi in me. My mother was a prisoner of war until about two weeks ago. I've only known her for a few days, but her voice is like a song that my heart knows while my brain does not. I can hardly remember her from when I was a baby." Killerbee had teared up. This kid's a trooper, he thought to himself. Acting all cool through his young life with all dat hatin and not even knowin his own parents. He knows pain. He knows it like I'll never know, and he can still walk proudly with a smile. Dis kid's no joke. He's seen everything and come out stronger for it. My heart's out to you kid. Killerbee beat his chest twice before forming the peace sign and patting Naruto on the back.
"Thanks," Naruto said, his expression brightening. "About the bloodline trait… Kyuubi promised he would let me stay in control only if I received one from him. I was apprehensive at first, not wanting to steal from or harm anyone to get the supplies needed for the transference. I let Kyuubi handle the sneaking and stealing. When he was confronted by one of my friends, I panicked. I still wasn't sure if I could trust him with my body and my loved one's lives. He was merciful though and simply knocked my friend Shikamaru out."
"We went to my old training grounds for the ceremony, where he set up. There was a large jutsu written on the ground for the chakra to stay in the blood. Since my body had already undergone the change, my body wasn't burned when I had to scoop up my own blood from the bubbling pot. I drank three cups-full before falling unconscious and gaining the trait now known as the Kikánugan."
Killerbee barfed when he heard that the kid had to drink his own chakra-infused blood. Dat's not right yo, he thought to himself. Naruto showed him his newly acquired eye technique. "Whoa!" Killerbee exclaimed. "Those are tight. I want one."
Naruto continued with his story after deactivating his Kikánugan. "I woke up in the hospital to the sight of my friends all standing around me frightened," Naruto began as the sad memory returned. "I went to rub my eyes and noticed that my body was still red and that everything was still the same. I screamed and ran into the bathroom. I was horrified when I looked at myself in the mirror."
"I ran away from everyone with the intention of never causing them burden or harm again. But my friend Sasuke stopped me when he found me in our Hokage Monument. He and everyone else was frantic and tried to find me. When he found me, I was frozen in fear, waiting for them to kill me. I was foolish. Sasuke kept inching towards me inside that cave as everyone watched in anticipation. I broke down crying when he finally got to me and hugged me. It sounds childish, but he was my closest friend, and I couldn't think straight enough to realize the real reason they had tried to find me until I was reassured by Sasuke."
Killerbee didn't think he was childish at all. He had suffered far too much to not be afraid after a change so drastic. He just looked at the boy in awe. Killerbee enjoyed a very easy life for a jinchuuriki. "After all of that," Naruto began again with a smile. "The Hokage began testing my strength. I fought against my own friends who are specialists of every kind. I crushed them all easily; I didn't kill them, but my body was simply too strong. You know what I mean from when we fought and your punches did nothing."
Killerbee remembered quite well what happened, along with what happened to his sword. "I then had to fight my senseis, including the Hokage herself. I met my mom before I began the second day of assessment. Kyuubi told me I had parents and that he had seen her both in the hospital and at the bloodline trait ceremony. After I met her, we did some catching up and then resumed my duels."
"I fought against the copy-ninja Kakashi, Yuhi Kurenai-Sensei, Jiraiya the Toad-Sage Sannin, my own mom, and my best friend Sasuke whom I rescued after he defeated his brother, the rogue Uchiha Itachi. I defeated all of them. Some of them were very difficult, especially Kakashi-Sensei. Then I was sent on a mission to help gather allies to fight against Akatsuki. Now I'm here with you, the last remaining jinchuuriki. All the other bijuu have been sealed by Akatsuki to further unknown plans. Uchiha Madara, the only other remaining clan member along with Sasuke, leads them. He's the most powerful ninja in history next to the First Hokage, the one and only user of Wood-Element Ninjutsu."
Killerbee was surprised when he heard that they were the last two of their kind, the last two jinchuuriki on earth. "I'd heard that Yugito had been defeated and disappeared," Killerbee began. "But are you serious? We're the last jinchuuriki on earth?" Naruto turned to him with a mournful look and nodded.
"Kyuubi told me his connections to the other beasts have been eradicated. Even if they were sealed into humans, the bonds would remain. They have been sealed into something inanimate, something that can surpress their wills. When we defeat Akatsuki, we'll release them from the idol. My friend Gaara was once a Jinchuuriki, but Shukaku was extracted from him. The village elder Chiyo revived him at the cost of her own life. So, in actuality, there is a third living person who has shared our experiences."
Killerbee was stunned when he heard that Naruto had yet another friend who was a jinchuuriki other than himself. Before the three knew it, they had entered the Fire Country's territory. They set up camp and fell asleep. Naruto kept having visions about Akatsuki, about losing. Kushina woke him up.
Killerbee was also concerned. The boy was a strong fighter, but he was plagued by the worst mental tortures in existence. Naruto shook his head, trying to get rid of the vision he was having. "No! Don't kill them!" Naruto yelled. Killerbee forced his chakra into the boy with extreme effort, snapping the boy out of it. Naruto shivered and panted, his chakra thick in the air.
"Kid, are you alright?" Killerbee asked. Naruto simply sat there, staring into the sleeping bag. "Everything will be ok. We'll beat this Madara and the rest of Akatsuki. You don't have to worry." Killerbee was at a loss for words that could comfort the blond.
"The thing is," Naruto began. "What if we don't? What if we fail? Imagine what Akatsuki would do to the world if they possessed all nine of the tailed-demons. Madara is more than two-hundred years old. Just think how powerful he probably is. When you think about it, everything is up in the air right now."
Killerbee took a look from the kid's point of view. He had met members of Akatsuki before. They were ruthless and immensely strong. When he really thought about it, Killerbee understood the kid's pain. Losing one's friends and comrades without being able to do anything about it was a frightening prospect.
Kushina sang to Naruto in order to make him fall back asleep peacefully. Killerbee listened in awe. The woman had an angelic voice which seemed to calm the very earth itself. Naruto's eyes slowly closed as he smiled and drifted off to sleep.
"Rest Naruto," Kushina said softly. "How I wish you had known my voice long ago. I wish I could fix everything and quiet your mind." She stroked Naruto's hair and teared up. Killerbee put his hand on her shoulder, reassuring her.
"You can't blame yourself," Killerbee said softly. "The world is full of hurt, no matter where you go. The best thing you can do is smile and comfort him until the day of the battle. You need your rest too. You're exhausted."
All three of them drifted into their dreams until the next morning. Naruto was the first one to awaken, so he snuck off in silence to think. He thought that the best way to use his time would be to train. And train he did. He practiced forming his Wind-Style Rasengan with one hand. He couldn't get it to fully form, causing loud pops whenever one decompressed.
Kushina woke up to see Naruto not in his sleeping bag, but that everything had been packed up neatly. She was startled when a failed Rasengan went off. Oh no, she thought to herself as she sprang up to follow the noise. Kushina ran desperately toward where another explosion went off. She then spied Naruto sitting on a stump with a look of deep concentration upon his face.
Naruto finally managed to form a small Wind Rasengan. He wasn't pleased with the overall destructive power, but it would be useful to have something like this ready for a powerful, quick attack. He plunged the Rasengan into the ground under him, causing tremors to spread throughout the forest. Kushina jumped further back to avoid getting caught in the blast.
Twenty-six yards, Naruto said to himself as he eyed the size of the hole. The depth was a mere nine-and-a-half yards, but the widespread damage would make for a good way to break up enemy formation. Kushina was stunned at his prowess; Naruto only frowned. He then looked up at an awestruck Kushina.
"Oh, hey mom," he said casually. "It really isn't that impressive. My black hole technique is a lot more powerful." Kushina was surprised.
"No, your wrong," she said sternly. "The ability to create an Elemental Rasengan one-handed is amazing. You're already far beyond Minato's skill. You should be proud of yourself." Naruto smiled at her praise, but he thought to himself, but it won't be enough to defeat Madara. The guy can rip himself from reality if he wants to. I have to become stronger.
Killerbee stood back a ways, awestruck by the kid's ability. "You could learn a lot from that kid, Killerbee," Orochi said to him. "With his ability, it frightens me that his village would be requesting help to defend him. What kind of strength can Akatsuki possess?"
"I don't know," Killerbee replied. "But as things stand now, I would only get in his way during a fight. All I can do is watch and learn for now." Orochi nodded in agreement before going back to sleep.
All the way up to the Leaf Village, Naruto had one-hundred shadow clones up and working at completing a full-sized, single-handed Wind-Rasengan. Killerbee and Kushina were both dumbstruck that he could create so many clones. They were even more surprised that his chakra reserves could handle all of this for several hours.
When one ecstatic clone did it, Naruto dispelled them all, smiling lightly at the progress he'd made. Now I just need to be able to form that in a matter of seconds during a fight without the enemy being able to predict what is going on. He summoned another two-hundred before beginning this second phase.
"Naruto, you'll be completely exhausted if you overdo it with your chakra use," Kushina warned. "You may have nearly forty times the amount of chakra I have, even without the Kyuubi's, but this is nearing your limit, I can tell."
Killerbee's jaw dropped. Forty times as much chakra? He asked himself. He's gotta have more chakra than brother! Naruto simply blew Kushina off, putting his training first.
"I know I have limitations," Naruto began. "And I know that you're concerned, but I have to become stronger. I can't let my dreams come true… I can't let Madara win. I'll go on ahead a ways and set up camp for the night. See you in a couple of hours."
Naruto and his clones blurred from sight. "Oooooooo!" Kushina yelled. "You're twice as stubborn as Minato was. You and he are so much alike it isn't funny Naruto-Kun!" Killerbee laughed on the inside. The kid was no pushover. Killerbee knew how to bend rules to his liking, but he was never outright defiant to his brother, the only family he had left. Kushina turned to him in angry annoyance, making Killerbee afraid.
They continued in complete silence until they heard a scream and saw a man being thrown towards them. There was obviously a fight up ahead, but Kushina didn't know if Naruto was involved or not. When she saw a torn piece of a black cloak with a red cloud on it flying through the air, she became frightened.
Naruto stood in the middle of ten Akatsuki subordinates. No recognizable ringleader was apparent, so he wasn't worried. His clones were tearing the camp to shreds with the Rasengans they had been working on. Naruto swiftly took care of the ten surrounding him with his extreme speed before gathering his clones together.
Two of Naruto's clones brought back maps and what appeared to be a set of instructions for an invasion. Naruto recognized the maps for the Leaf Village and the immediate surrounding areas. Specific lines were drawn to show this group their route and invasion points. Akatsuki knows the village won't simply give me up, Naruto thought to himself. But for them to go this far….
A few clones had been successful with decreasing the amount of time required to create a Wind-Rasengan, making Naruto grin. He dispelled them carelessly, not preparing for the onslaught of work that would be pounded into him. His entire being shook before collapsing in the middle of the camp.
One survivor saw Naruto collapse and seized the chance to call to his superiors that the mission's target was practically in his hands. Shortly after he had sent the message, the man was no more than a pile of jade stones. Kushina had arrived none too soon.
Killerbee ran over to Naruto who was… sleeping? "Oy idiot!" he yelled. "Get up!" He tried to punch Naruto awake, only to find his own hand smarting from the impact. "You're gonna pay for that," Killerbee swore as Kushina walked over and dug her foot into the blonde's stomach, waking him up immediately.
Naruto coughed before yelling, "what was that for?" Kushina smacked him.
"For not listening and being a complete idiot," she said harshly. Naruto shrank back. "You were careless and didn't heed my warning. When you dispelled your clones after all of their work, your body collapsed from mental and physical exhaustion. You also let one enemy survive. He noticed that you had collapsed and sent a message to his superiors. Now you've blown our cover."
Naruto was horrified at the error he had made. He then noticed shuriken out of the corner of his eye. Naruto knocked Killerbee and Kushina out of the way before blocking the shuriken with his chakra. His body fell forward, unable to maintain stability with such little chakra.
"Kyuubi, problem!" Naruto yelled into his mind. Kyuubi awoke with a start, only to realize that Naruto was barely half-conscious. He willed his own chakra into the boy, restoring his reserves and reenergizing his muscles.
Red chakra swirled around Naruto as he got up, worrying Kushina and impressing Killerbee. He became drowned in fear as he spotted Kisame at the other end of the field. The man smiled at the boy's reaction.
"How perfect an expression for you little Naruto," he said mockingly. "Although I really can't say that anymore. You're much older and taller than when Itachi and I went after you those years ago. You're still depending on the demon's powers to fight though, which means that you're going to lose this time. Surely you remember Samehada, the sword that eats chakra?" Kisame asked as he unraveled said blade.
"Kid, that blade is about as dangerous as Kusanagi," Kyuubi said nervously. "You also don't have the strength to fight him right now; just run!"
"He's not an adversary that will let me do that," Naruto said grimly. "The best I can hope for is a lucky shot and then running."
"Fine, but you can't fight it with just chakra to block it. You need a base weapon." Naruto had that covered.
"Killerbee," Naruto began. "Give me one of those swords real quick. This guy is way out of your league. I've fought him once before; he's vicious." Killerbee complied and handed Naruto two blades. "Get to the Leaf Village, hurry. They won't seal me until they have Killerbee, that much I know."
"No Naruto!" Kushina exclaimed. "We can fight him together. There's no way you can take him on your own, not in your current condition."
"I know that damn it!" Naruto yelled loud enough for Kisame to hear. "I'll hold him here long enough for you two to find a good hiding spot, and then I'll shake him off. There's no other choice in this situation."
"But Naruto…"
"Just go!" With that, Kisame closed the distance between him and Naruto, bringing Samehada down upon one of Naruto's swords. Kisame was freaking strong. Naruto could hold him for eternity if he had to, but one good swing might end the battle if it landed. Naruto wouldn't let him have the chance.
Kushina pulled Killerbee with her as the shockwave went off from the swords colliding. She looked back from a tree to see that Kisame was grinning.
"Well, well," he began. "Trying to play the hero Naruto-Kun?" Naruto showed his disdain by swinging his other sword at Kisame's head. He ducked under the blade and pushed Naruto's main arm upward, exactly according to both of their plans. Kisame's plan was shattered when Naruto delivered a dizzying kick to the man's chin.
"Holy shit," he spat as he was thrown backwards and into the dirt. Naruto's kick was only at half power, but Kisame had little experience with taijutsu. "I guess this is the real power of the Kyuubi. I wish Itachi hadn't been such an idiot and died like that. Oh well. I'll just have to take care of you myself!"
Their swords began dancing, creating shockwave after shockwave. Kisame was the better swordsman, but Naruto could both track his movements and adapt. The longer the fight lasted, the more it turned in Naruto's favor. He knew he couldn't draw things out too long though, or another member might show up.
"Grr. Take this Demon-Boy!" Kisame swung the blade down faster than before, forcing Naruto to use his top speed to dodge it. His form disappeared in dust, shocking the sharkman. Naruto appeared behind him, already in mid-swing.
"Sorry, but I can't finish this now," Naruto said calmly. He raised his swords in an X and blurred downward, leaving Kisame bleeding in the air. Naruto sheathed both of his swords before speeding away, the red chakra fading.
"Damn…you…child!" Kisame wheezed as he stood up. Pant. Pant. "I swear to be the one to bring you down and watch as the life is sucked right out of you." With that, Kisame stormed off to join back with the other main members of Akatsuki.
Naruto had to rest for a while in a tree before he could get moving again. He really had pressed the limits of his body too far. He listened for any noise signaling pursuit. None came. Thank Kami, he thought to himself.
Leaf village Kushina: The two sped passed the gates, frightening the guards. Kushina had Killerbee follow him all the way to the Hokage Mansion. They burst through the door to Tsunade's office to find a startled Shizune and frightened Ebisu and his team.
Shizune immediately noticed the problem. "Where's Naruto?" she asked alarmingly.
Pant. Pant. "I'll give you the details later," Kushina said frantically. "Right now Naruto might be in danger. He's fighting with the Akatsuki ringleader Hoshigaki Kisame." Shizune dropped her inkpad and immediately followed Kushina with Team Ebisu in tow.
"Awesome," Konohamaru said enthusiastically. "I get to see the boss wipe the floor with someone from Akatsuki." Udon and Moegi were both shocked. Ebisu frowned at the boy.
"This isn't simply your everyday criminal Konohamaru," Shizune began. "Each member of Akatsuki has abilities that boggle the imagination. Kisame has extremely high chakra reserves and strength comparable to Gai-Sensei." Konohamaru's expression dropped.
"And Naruto is currently exhausted. He overexerted himself with training before we came upon an Akatsuki camp. Naruto barely stands a chance at fighting him right now. He sent us ahead knowing that. Wait, stop," Kushina commanded quietly. She formed several hand signs for a sensory jutsu. "Someone's here; be ready to fight."
Naruto: Naruto finally heard a sound of approaching ninja. There were seven of them. Damn it, he thought. I haven't recovered yet. I'll have to knock 'em all out fast. Naruto prepared himself before launching at his unknown pursuers with readied fists.
Kushina: "Be ready for a fight," she said sternly. All seven of them closed their eyes to better listen. They easily heard the rustling leaves and the press-off of feet. They all threw weapons at the blur coming toward them. A couple shuriken hit their mark, causing their opponent to wince and miss with his attack. He quickly pivoted on the ground and began throwing a punch at Shizune, only to stop just before contact. The figure in front of them was Naruto.
"Thank Kami," he said before collapsing once again. Konohamaru was stunned at Naruto's appearance, as well was the rest of his team, including Ebisu. He began pulling out the shuriken he had managed to hit with. They didn't go very deep at all, despite Konohamaru's well-improved skill with the tools.
"Why is the boss like this?" Konohamaru asked as he stepped back in fear. "How'd he get so big? And why is his skin all red? What on Earth happened to him?" Konohamaru screamed.
"What's important right now is that he's safe and not in Akatsuki's hands," Kushina said relieved. "I can explain everything after we get Naruto back to the village safely." Konohamaru nodded as they all started back. Ebisu was forced to carry Naruto, a humiliating task for him in particular.
"Who are you anyway lady?" Konohamaru asked flatly. Kushina was a bit reluctant to answer him. He clearly had a fondness for Naruto.
"Before you judge me, I'm going to say that I'm a victim of circumstance," Kushina began. Ebisu examined her more closely and finally figured it out.
"You're the wife of the Fourth," Ebisu said surprised. Konohamaru and his team were shocked. "You are Lady Kushina, Demon of the Jade Sand are you not?" Kushina nodded slowly. "That explains all but one thing. Where have you been all these years?"
Konohamaru was confused by what Ebisu said, but paid his teacher little mind. "I've been trapped by the Mist Village's attacks on the Sand. I've also been the captive of both the Hidden Rain Village and the Hidden Rock Village for the past fourteen years. Only recently was I released by orders of the priestess Shion. I departed for the Sand Village first to get some help in rescuing Naruto about a week ago from Renodan and the ANBU ROOT defectives."
"What are you talking about?" Konohamaru asked angrily. "What do you mean you rescued Naruto from this Renodan guy? The boss never needs rescuing unless it's from the Fifth or from Sakura-Neechan."
Note: I looked up the spellings for NIICHAN and NEECHAN. It's kneechan versus neighchan.
"This must have been what that commotion was about when we came back from our mission to escort that tradesman to the border," Ebisu said.
"Yes," Shizune replied flatly. "Naruto was in critical condition from being torn up by barbed chains and blood loss from the cleanse tags they were using. The 'Fire Purge Seal' tag and the 'Hellblood' did the most damage to him and nearly made his mind collapse. This was when we believe his transformation began."
Konohamaru was shocked by Shizune's story and wanted her to continue. "It is the Hokage's theory that the Kyuubi was trying to heal Naruto during that whole tangle. But the Kyuubi's chakra was the very thing that allowed the tags to do damage to Naruto in the first place. It couldn't heal Naruto's body, but the chakra was forced into every cell in his body, both reddening them and making them stronger. His eyes have permanently become red slits, and he has claws in place of fingernails and toenails as you can see for yourself. The chakra tried to use his hair as a weapon when it condensed, so it lengthened his hair to fit that purpose. Naruto is still himself personality-wise, but his strength is far beyond Lady Tsunade. We're all pretty sure that the prolonged exposure to the Kyuubi's chakra is why he has grown so much too. So don't worry Konohamaru. His appearance may be a bit frightening, but you can see passed that easily."
"Okay, I get why he's changed," Konohamaru said seriously. "But where do you come in in all of this Kushina-San? I know you're the Fourth Hokage's wife, but what does that have to do with Naruto?"
Kushina was going to answer, but Ebisu cut her off. "Give Kushina-Sama more respect. As per how she relates to Naruto is something you ought to have pieced together by now. Notice she has the same eyes and that Naruto… at least had the same hair as the Fourth's?"
"Yeah… what's your point? Are you just commenting on her eyes because you like the lady? You really need to make things clearer Ebisu-Sensei." Said man was agape at the boy's question and was angered when the other two giggled.
"She's his mother you lazy twit," Ebisu said angrily. "Naruto is the son of the Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato, and Lady Uzumaki Kushina who stands before you. Now give her more respect, like how much you have for your deceased grandfather the Third."
Konohamaru slammed face first into a tree as he tried to process the information Ebisu just gave him. "Ooouch," he said. He went down to the ground with the others after they had made it onto the main path to the village.
"You're kidding, right?" Konohamaru asked skeptically. "Naruto said he was an orphan and that he had no parents. How do you expect me to believe you're his mom when you haven't even talked to him for seventeen years?" Konohamaru was shouting now.
"How can you call yourself a mother when you didn't help him at all getting through his seventeen years? He lives a day-to-day Hell in this village; and he still smiles and works harder than anyone else. Do you have any idea just how much he was hurting inside when we lost Sasuke to Orochimaru? He blamed himself for being too weak! Every single time that I watched him when he wasn't with Sakura or his other friends, he was crying. He felt so alone, with no one to comfort him. The villagers have done nothing but shun, scorn, beat, and hate him for all these years. Where do you get off by calling yourself his mom, huh? Is this some twisted joke? How dare you say that after you abandoned him for all those years? How dare you even show your face here?" Konohamaru was enraged, tears of passion flowing down his cheeks. "How dare you?"
Kushina had stopped in front of him at the beginning. Now she was crying on her knees, broken by the boy's words. Ebisu was shocked by Konohamaru's display and had nearly dropped Naruto into the dirt. Shizune was very angry however.
"She told you she was rotting in enemy prisons for all these years Konohamaru!" Shizune yelled at the boy. The boy was stunned, finally realizing what a terrible error he had just made. "Even though Kushina's been locked up for so long, she had the will to face Naruto and tell him the truth. The point is that she is trying Konohamaru, not that she hasn't been here for most of his life. That wasn't her fault." Shizune turned to comfort Kushina, but was stopped by her.
"No, I shouldn't have taken that two-week vacation that Sarutobi-Sama offered me shortly after the Kyuubi was sealed," Kushina sobbed. "I should have been there to raise him at least a little. All I can do now is watch him suffer from his nightmares and comfort him how I can. He's already grown up and has surpassed me as a ninja. Naruto is his own legacy more than he is mine. I can't undo the damage done, but I can be there for him every day from now until I die."
Kushina stood up and wiped a final tear from her eye. "Come on; let's get Naruto back to the village so we can all rest a bit." Konohamaru nodded and followed quietly. Ebisu repositioned Naruto so he could better carry the boy.
To think all of this could happen so suddenly, he thought to himself. That is our world I suppose: the Ninja World. I still can't believe you're that same brat who I taught how to walk on water. How times are changing.
Author Notes: REVIEW! I'm not getting too many. I think this chapter was well done and didn't drag on more than necessary. Tell me if I used that emotional scene right. I'm taking a creative writing course, and this is what we are going over now. The challenge still stands for any East Amwellian freshman at HCRHS other than Amber and Lizzy. Just say Paradox to me in real life.
