Okay, sorry for the long wait, everyone. I've been having…let's say personal issues. A bit of a mess has been going on, and I haven't had the will to write.

that, and I kinda forgot my own UserName and P-Word for a bit. Aren't I special?

Anyway, onto the next chapter.

Disclaimer: Dunno why I'm doing this, but whatever. I own nothing from Naruto and Kingdom Hearts or whatever else I use, the only thing I own are my own ideas. Sometimes, not even those, though.


"What…how…how the hell did you DO that?" the gruff voice of Sarutobi Asuma rang out in the training ground. For the fifth time in a row, our blonde haired protagonist has managed to beat him in his own game of Shogi, somehow creating strategies on the fly and using moves that would be considered idiotic and…pretty much everything Naruto is. With eye twitching and teeth grinding, Asuma reset the board once more, intent on beating the spiky haired goofball at the game, all while wondering how the hell the kid was beating him in such odd ways.

"Dunno, Sensei. I just moved the pieces around and gotcha

This elicited a small glare from Sarutobi, which was quickly fixed by a drag on his favorite brand of cigarettes. For reasons unknown, this brand shall not be named, due to copyright infringements, unoriginality, perhaps some other things. But, that's not important at the moment

"Whatever it is, I'm going to find out, and then I'm going to kick your sorry little orange ass…" he mumbled, the cancer-stick burning away a little bit more with each breath. It was incredibly infuriating to lose five out of five matches to someone who hadn't even HEARD of the game until that day.

Ino and Chouji were still sparring, Ino attempting to not use her Shintenshin (Mind Body Transfer), and Chouji simply attempting to not crush her with his…big bones. He shall from now on be referred to as such by the author, simply because of the fact that the pain would be too much to handle otherwise.

But back to the main idea, here. With each piece that Asuma moved, Naruto made a random attempt and took out one of the ones that Asuma HADN'T moved. As the sensei's pieces started to dwindle, a vein started pulsing on his forehead, and he nearly bit the cigarette in half. Naruto's specialty was rather easy to recognize; Aside from having massive chakra quantities for his age and being able to master high-ranking jutsu with relative ease, he was also excellent at making strategies on the fly. Whenever it seemed like something was failing, the orange ball of energy was able to think up something new and completely screw up the counter-strategy. It was almost as if he was psychic. As it was, he had only lost three pieces so far. And by so far, we mean that he's only lost three pieces the entire time. All three part of a strategy to win. However, with a grin that said he was going to win this match, Asuma took one of Naruto's "key" pieces, and leaned back with crossed arms

"Good luck beating this one, kiddo. I've never lost with this strategy. Ever."

"Sensei, I think you should look at the board…"

And at that remark, he looked down, expecting to see some kind of silly error on his part. What he did see was infuriating, depressing, and joy-inducing all at the same time. The entire time that Asuma was working his strategy, Naruto had been placing his pieces in key points all around the board. Anything that the bearded Jounin attempted would result in his most vital piece, the Shogi equivalent to a King in Chess, would be taken out, thus costing him yet another match. With a cry of what could have been rage, could have been sorrow, Asuma flipped the board over and preceded to smash it to pieces with his foot, taking good measure to crush all of Naruto's pieces one by one. All this got out of him, however, was the standard Naruto laugh, making him seem like a fool for freaking out. But, who can blame him. He was beaten SIX times by the most idiotic shinobi in all of the Great Nations. And tricked too, apparently

At this time, Ino and Chouji came back to the clearing, Ino looking the worse for wear. Her "new" outfit was covered in rips and tears, her hair was a ruffled mess, and her face looked like someone had slapped it with a giant hand. From all this, we can gather that Chouji used his Family Skills to effectively "pimp slap" her when she let her guard down, thus ending in her defeat. Said healthily plump boy was simply munching away on his chips, even as Ino limped over to a tree and fell down against it, making a low pitched groan. Whatever else happened in that spar must have been rather painful for her, considering the way she was half-asleep. Well…asleep isn't the proper term. Let's use the term "unconscious." That's much more fitting.

Glancing at each of the Genin in turn, Asuma attempted to decide what to do. Originally, he had planned to have Chouji come in and take Naruto's place, then have the two blondes spar while he played Chouji…but that was not really much of an option at this point. First off, due to Naruto, he wasn't very sure if he ever wanted to play the damned game again. He had never lost that badly, not even to Shikamaru…which was saying something. Second, there was the case of Ino…with the condition she was in, another spar wasn't much of an option either. That also meant she wasn't in much of a condition to do…well, anything. No missions of any rank, no spars, hell, she'd be lucky if she made it HOME without passing out in the middle of the street. And with the things that go on in the village at times, that really wasn't a good idea. It didn't help that he had utterly thrashed his other two students in the game earlier...so, they wouldn't want to play again either…this whole day had basically gone to hell and back.


Enter- Naruto's Mindscape

For such a powerful substance, it had a surprising weakness. While the darkness seemed to feed off of negative emotion and bad memories, it was also weakened by positive thoughts and continued thinking. Once Naruto had started to play Shogi, it had started recoiling from the halls, chamber…even going so far as to retreat into the pipes, the cracks and holes disappearing entirely. The Kyuubi noted all this with a foxy smirk.

Kid, I think I'm going to be giving you some pretty bad headaches soon. Gotta keep that chimp-brain of yours active...keheheheh…"

Even as these thoughts flowed through the Kyuubi's technically non-existent mind, a small pair of beady, yellow eyes stared at him from a darkened corner of a room. The beast thought it could be laughed at…could be held back. Well, eventually, it'd get stronger…get stronger and stronger, until it eventually absorbed the very demon itself, became a God…it'd take the boy, make him into a suitable shell…and destroy everything…everything…everything…EVERYTHING!


Enter - Real World

Glancing around, whipping his head to and fro, Naruto looked confused.

"Uh…did any of you guys hear something really creepy?"

"Kid, I think you thought too hard…your brain is on the fritz now. No one said anything," Asuma replied, throwing away his old cigarette butt and lighting up a new one.

"But…but…I HEARD it loud and clear! It's like it was actually in my HEAD!"

Shaking his head with a mirthful smile, Asuma placed his hand on Naruto's head and gave his hair a tussle.

"C'mon, let's give that wet noodle you call a brain a rest and go get something to eat, my treat."

Of course, even as the overjoyed Naruto and Choji pranced around and chanted "Free Food" over and over, and Ino lay in a semi-conscious heap on the ground, the sensei's thoughts traveled elsewhere.

This…can't be good…is the Kyuubi contacting him? Is the seal…breaking? Tch…hate to do it, but I've gotta get Uncle Hiruzen to get some ANBU to watch him…can't have anything demon-y happening…

But, the thought never even made it to his face, a smile plastered on as he and the other three walked their way to the hibachi steakhouse that he usually treated his Genin squads to. And as you've come to expect by now, Ino wasn't walking…just being carried, by none other than Naruto, come to save the day. She wasn't on her fellow blonde's mind, at the moment, though. All he was thinking about was how much he would be able to get away with eating before Asuma made him stop, or the owners kicked him out. Either way, he was going to eat like a damn king, even if it killed him. But if anyone knows Naruto, that won't be happening any time soon.


Upon arriving at the restaurant of choice, both Asuma and Naruto expected immediate resistance at the door, only to be surprised when no one stopped them, and a young looking girl (most likely a new employee) welcomed them in with a warm smile and greeting.

"Welcome to Ryori no Osama. Feel free to take any seat; we don't have many people today."

The only abnormal thing about the greeting was the fact that she seemed to not even notice Ino hung over Naruto's shoulders like a wet towel. Then again, in a shinobi village, it could very well be a normal occurrence. But that doesn't really matter right now, does it?

Upon seating themselves, the four…well, once again, three…opened some menus, checking to see what exactly was available for food. Though Naruto did immediately look for ramen, he wasn't completely unsurprised to see that they didn't have any. It wouldn't be all that bad to order something else, considering Asuma was paying, but he was sure to ask the wait staff why the hell they didn't make the most delicious source of happiness and joy ever invented.

Sadly, he would never get that chance. Once he had ascertained everyone's wishes (sans Ino, of course), he had waved over a waiter. Due to the large man sitting on the outside of the booth, the waiter didn't notice Naruto until he made it to their table. However, the glare that WOULD have been able to melt steel was cut short by an intimidating glare on Asuma's part, one laced with killing intent. As the man took the orders, he quickly fled to the food storage area, his mind frazzled and his clothes barely saved from soiling.

"Ne, Asuma-sensei, why don't more places serve ramen? It's the most delicious thing on the planet!" the orange funball exclaimed, preventing himself from shouting and throwing his arms around. Even HE had manners, albeit slim. When ramen came up, he was almost a perfect expert.

"Well, Naruto, ramen isn't really a dish most restaurants would think to make. It's not very healthy, most people don't eat it every day like you, and sometimes it's more costly to make than selling it makes up for."

"Ohhh…but how can people not eat it all the time? It's so wonderfully delicious in every way!"

With a sigh, Asuma simply shook his head, rejoicing in the fact that his most energetic student's attention was dragged away by a new waiter coming and placing the various meats ordered in their respective places, the first servings on the grill in the center of the seating, and the others on a platter off of the grill, so that they could make more when they were done with the first.

Thankfully, the grills were powered with high-strength burners, making the meat (and vegetables, in Asuma's and Ino's cases) cook thoroughly and quickly. Since Ino couldn't eat, because of her current condition, most of the healthier stuff was for the "hard working" sensei.

Unsurprisingly, Naruto and Chouji lived up to their reputations as human vacuums, sucking up every piece of food they ordered and then some. It was almost as if they were in an eating competition, and Asuma nearly wept for his soon-to-be-empty wallet. They had already attracted the attention of numerous other people, who had come mostly because someone in the restaurant had gathered them for the one reason of watching this miraculous feat occur. The only surprising thing so far was that Naruto had actually managed to outpace the Akimichi by a little, slowly earning his place among the ranks of the clan…not that he really even knew it, of course.

By the time the two had even considered stopping, the waiters and waitresses refused to bring any more food, and Asuma was attempting to guard what was left of his poor, deflated wallet. As Naruto leant back with a bulging belly and a contented sigh, Chouji leant forward and placed his forehead on the edge of the table, wide-eyed at losing at eating, one of the few things the clan was well-known for.

"Haaaah, that was great, huh? I've never eaten so much in my life!" the spikey haired blonde boy said, unzipping his thick coat to reveal the normally scrawny body underneath.

"Uh-huh…I don't think I've ever spent so much in one place…"

"Can't believe I lost…so…much…meeeeeeat…urgh…"

Since it should be fairly obvious who these statements belong to, we'll just leave them alone, for now. At the moment, though, our main focus is on what's happening, and not what's being spoken of.

After a few minutes of digesting and lamenting, Asuma decided it was about time for the group to split ways for the day. He wasn't known for long team meetings, or even very good training sessions. For some reason, though, along with Kakashi and the others, he was one of the best Jounin instructors, able to produce Chuunin-capable and even Jounin-capable shinobi from time to time. Why Kakashi was considered one of the best he would never know, considering this year's team was the only one he's ever passed.

"Alright, everyone. I'm going to say that today was a success, though moreso for some of us than others," he said, an odd look sent in his shortest Genin's direction, "and it's about time we got going. Since Chouji seems to be having stomach problems, and I'm still grieving, it's up to you, Naruto, to bring Ino home. Understood?"

"Hell yeah, dattebayo!"

Satisfied with the answer, our gruff-looking Jounin and the fat- big-boned, sorry, Akimichi trudged out of the restaurant, as Naruto lifted Ino into his arms, bridal style. The glares that came from the other customers pretty much told the story of what they thought he was going to do with her, but none of them did anything. They knew what kind of protection he was under. However, as if to leave some kind of parting shot, or maybe out of true kindness, Naruto actually reached into his pocket, balancing Ino in one arm, and placed some money on the reception counter, before walking out. The girl at the entrance gladly took the money and placed it into the tip jar, fully aware of who the boy really was. Not everyone in Konoha thinks that the kid is a monster, you know.


The trip to Ino's home was rather uneventful, aside from the searing glares and the occasional "Demon!" or "Monster!" shouted from a far enough distance to avoid being identified. The only thing on Naruto's mind, at that particular moment, was how he was going to handle things once he got the girl to her home. If she didn't wake up and her father saw her, he'd most likely do horrible, horrible things. Mind-rape would not begin to describe it. The condition that Inoichi's little girl was in was bad enough, just looking at the tears in her clothes and scuffs on her skin. However, as he got within twenty feet of Ino's home, she stirred, eyes the color of the sky looking up at Naruto, with a dreamlike state in them…before her right foot planted itself firmly in his jaw, sending him sprawling along the road as she landed with catlike grace.

"The hell do you think you're doing? NO ONE can carry me like that, except…well, you know…" she started, slowly going off into that dream-state again, before Naruto snapped her out of it.

"I WAS carrying your unconscious ass back to your house so nothing bad would happen to you, but you can just forget it now, dammit."

"Wha…hey, wait, what? Get back here! Don't walk away…from…me…oh damn me," she sighed, limping the last ten feet to her door, "I'll apologize tomorrow…I think…I'll have to deal with my dear, dear father and all his strange fussing," He was more like a mother than her own mother was…and the opposite was true as well.


A few minutes after leaving Ino after her little fit, Naruto found himself leaning against a tree in one of the various training grounds, thinking about how he had reacted. While it was a bit harsh, he didn't know how else to respond. It was the same answer he gave anyone that yelled at him for doing a good deed.

Feh…don't know why I help anyone…all I ever get is shit…maybe I should just go away, so no one has to deal with me anymore…

Unbeknownst to the young protagonist, a black, mist-like substance was flowing off of his body, as his irises slowly started to become yellow. Darkness. The darkness feeding off of his thoughts, emotions, his weakened will. With each passing second, it grew closer to finally seeking its freedom, to finally acquiring the means by which to take the wo-

Naruto's attention was suddenly grabbed by the sound of a deep, solid "THUNK!" sound coming from a ways off, followed by the occasional grunt from what sounded like a girl. Even though most teams were usually split up by now, off doing their own things, it sounded as though someone around his age was still practicing. Finding the source of the noise, Naruto was amazed by what he saw.

The first assumption he made was right – it was a girl, and she was about a year or so older, making his age guess right. But that wasn't what had caught him. Quite rapidly, the girl was hurling weapons at several targets surrounding her, anything from shuriken to kunai to caltrops to anything else she had, the weapons just appearing in her hands. What was the big part was that this girl was hitting every single target dead center, and every human analogue training log in the places where vital organs would be located. Looking more closely at the girl, Naruto tried to get a glimpse of what she looked like. Chocolate brown hair, tied into two panda-ear like buns, smooth, even elegant facial features, deep brown eyes. Her body was slim, yet strong, indicating heavy training that pushed her limits, while keeping in mind her femininity. On this body was an oriental shirt, one that obviously wasn't from the country, and a pair of blue shinobi pants, the standard Kunai Pouch and Hip Pouches included, as well as the standard blue sandals.

"Woah…that's incredible!" the energetic and motor-mouthed blonde spouted, unaware of one of the most important rules of being a shinobi: surprise another shinobi, and expect to find yourself in a world of pain.

Nearly instantly, the girl "Eep!"'d in surprise, whirling around and hurling a handful of shuriken at the boy. With some insane flexibility for a boy, he dodged, the shuriken missing so narrowly that small nicks could be seen in his clothing.

"H-H-H-H-HEY! You could've killed me with those!"

But the girl wasn't listening. She was merely staring at him, an intense glare targeting the younger boy.

"That was the point…I NEVER miss…and you have the nerve to just come in here and make me miss?"

"But…but…you're practicing on still targets…I moved around them, you would have hit me if you practiced on moving targets…"

"…well…shut up! What's your name, anyway? It's rude to just sit there and be like that without giving a lady your name you know," the "mysterious" young girl said.

"O-oh, I'm Uzumaki Naruto! You'd better get that memorized, 'cause I'm gonna be the next Hokage! Dattebayo!" he exclaimed, his trademark fox-grin and squinted eyes declaring to the world that he meant every single word of what he was saying.

Naruto…so, this is the kid all the adults tell us to stay away from…he doesn't SEEM like much of a threat…he's…actually kind of funny. But…I think I can benefit from this… she thought, staring down Naruto like he was a piece of fresh meat. In essence, right now, that's what he was.

"Nice to meet you. My name is Tenten, weapons expert of squad ten. And I like that idea of yours, practicing on moving targets…and you're my new target…"

This came with an evil grin, as she held up her hands to her sides, her arms crossed across her body. In each hand were four kunai, each one held between the fingers.

"Wait, WHAT?"


And there you have it folks. New chapter, a little bit longer than usual, with some extra stuff in it. We get to meet Tenten for the first time, and don't worry, I'll be including Fatey as well. Eventually.

On that note, Ino and Hinata have gotten another vote each, though that means Ino is still winning. Yay, I think. Strangely enough, Sakura is still getting mixed feelings. Some people want her to just get killed, others want her to get beaten, others want things to happen that I'm not comfortable repeating. But, for the last time, she's GOING TO BE IMPORTANT. Though, I never said she wouldn't not be a freakin' bitch.

Read, review constructively, so on…and if you MUST yell at me for being a douche and not doing this for like, however long I was gone, PLEASE at least include some advice for the story so I don't have to bother reading the stupid two word reviews about me being a fail.

Peace, I'm out.