Of Foxes, Toads, and Ninja
A/N: Alright, chapter nine is here. I enjoyed writing this chapter almost as much as the last one. This chapter brings with it mostly character development, but I promise it's all important for the story. So, a couple people have asked me now why Jiraiya isn't a perve, Naruto isn't loud and obnoxious, and a few other things. I'm not disheartened at all, I appreciate all forms of criticism. What I want to say is that this chapter explains a little more into Naruto and Jiraiya's character differences, something I'm betting all of you will enjoy. So for now, kick back and read on!
Copyright Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor do I own any characters from said franchise. If I did…well I wouldn't be writing on here.
Chapter 9: Moving On
The next two weeks looking back felt like one really long day due to how busy the team kept themselves. Naruto had begun to work at the bridge with Tazuna, his shadow clones proving to be the best workers the bridge builder had worked with in a long time. Hinata seemed to enjoy Naruto working the bridge too since he constantly came home shirtless and sweat covered from a hard day's work.
Hinata spent most of those days in bed, recovering from her fight on the bridge with their newest ally. Despite Haku missing any vital spots on the girl, it still took a long time for her to recover completely. She wasn't completely frustrated though, as Naruto insisted he hold her as they slept every night, claiming it was to keep her from having any nightmares that would cause any further harm.
Sasuke and Haku had spent a lot of time to themselves over the two weeks they were there. Haku was only comfortable around the Uchiha, and even then she was still extremely sad from Zabuza leaving. Everyday Sasuke did his best to try and console her, and every night she always came home a little happier than before. He was also trying to convince her to spend more time around Naruto and Hinata, but progress on that front was slow at best.
Kakashi had multiple reports sent back to the Hokage, describing everything from how the mission had turned out to the turn of events with Zabuza and Haku. The most nerve wracking time for him during those couple weeks was waiting on an answer back about Haku staying with Sasuke and his mother. He had almost given up on hearing anything back when Pakkun, his ninja hound summon that had been serving as the messenger finally arrived on their last night.
"Good news everyone, I have just received word from the third Hokage stating that Haku is allowed to reside at the Uchiha residence as an "honored guest" of his family." Kakashi said, smiling under his mask as everyone at the table began cheering loudly for the girl. Even Sasuke, despite his normal calm attitude, let loose and cheered a few times, surprising everyone at the table besides Naruto.
'Ha, guy finally found a girl he can fight his heart out for, he looks at her the same way I look at Hinata' Naruto thought to himself, smiling as he saw the overjoyed look in his friend's eyes. That night felt like the longest as it continued late into the night, until the only people awake were Tazuna and Kakashi.
"You've got yourself a damn fine group of kids there Kakashi. I'm sad knowing that you'll be leaving tomorrow, but it also makes me proud to know that your team is going on to do bigger things than this, make a strong name for themselves." Tazuna said proudly, producing a bottle of Sake from a cabinet and pouring two glasses, Kakashi accepting his gratefully. "I've been saving this bottle since I started construction, told myself that I wouldn't touch a drop of it until the bridge was finished. I'm just glad I have someone to share it with." The old man said with a smile before the two downed their drinks.
"It's always better to drink with a friend. Your right though, this team is going to accomplish great things in the future. They all possess qualities that make them great, along with complimenting each other perfectly." Kakashi said before downing another drink, thinking back to a time when he had fought alongside an Uchiha. 'Obito, if only you could be here to see this' Kakashi thought to himself.
"Well, you won't be doing any great things in the near future if we keep drinking like this. Let's call it a night Kakashi, you and your team have to be up early tomorrow and I don't want to be so hung over that I miss it." Tazuna said before re capping the bottle of Sake and proceeding to his room.
'I suppose the old man is right' Kakashi admitted before going to his room as well. Despite how late it was, the silver haired jonin had trouble falling asleep that night.
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"All right, I see the village on the horizon! I bet all of you that I win getting there first!" Naruto yelled excitedly as he took off at a dash through the trees, the rest of the team chuckling as they watched the blonde go.
"I'll still beat you with a head start!" Sasuke yelled as he shot off, gaining on Naruto quickly. While the two boys hauled ass towards the village as fast as possible, Kakashi and the two girls were content to go at their own pace.
"I still don't understand what you see in him." Kakashi said jokingly to Hinata, the Hyuuga just giggling in response.
"Oh sensei, you can't get hung up on the loud mouth exterior he shows every now and then. The real Naruto is kind and caring, and that's what I see." Hinata said activating her blood line so she could watch the race.
"I totally beat you; don't even try to argue it!" Naruto said loudly while Sasuke continued to laugh to himself.
"Don't try to deny it, I pulled ahead last minute and you know it." Sasuke said calmly as the rest of the group caught up to them.
"Sorry Naruto, but I think Sasuke might have won this time." Hinata said, pointing to her eyes to show how she knew.
"But Hinata, you're supposed to be on my side!" Naruto said, trying to sound like a little kid while the rest of the group laughed at him.
"Enough fooling around, the Hokage is going to want a verbal report before we do any relaxing." Kakashi said, putting on a serious face as he led the team to the Hokage's tower.
"Sensei, didn't you already send him a bunch of reports? I don't see why we have to go." Naruto asked, annoyed that he wouldn't be able to get ramen now.
"Simple, we have to go because he asked us to." Kakashi replied, keeping the answer as simple as possible. 'Plus, he may have decided that now you should know about the fox, but that can stay a surprise' the jonin thought to himself, curious how the boy would handle the news.
"Relax Naruto; the ramen isn't going to go anywhere." Sasuke said, knowing exactly what his friend was after.
"You don't know that, what if something happened to Ichiraku's while we were gone?" Naruto muttered to himself, Hinata chuckling next to him when she heard it.
"If something did happen to it, then we'll just have to make ramen at your house." Hinata said to him, squeezing his hand affectionately. She knew exactly how to calm him down, watching as he finally relaxed. Now that he was calm, he seemed to be the only one able to ignore the stares coming from countless villagers they walked past.
"Sasuke, why do these people stare at him with such cold eyes?" Haku asked the Uchiha, walking closer to him in hopes to hide behind him.
"None of us know, and anyone that does know ignores the subject completely. Not even Naruto knows why, but he puts on a brave face and keeps his eyes forward." Sasuke said, feeling bad for his friend for constantly dealing with this. Haku could only look in awe at how brave he was, wondering how he had the will to keep going with his home village glaring at him.
"He truly is an inspiring person. Is that why your friends with him, because of his strength?" Haku asked, surprised when Sasuke just stared at the ground.
"I feel terrible about it, but when I first met him, that was exactly why I agreed to be friends with him. After a while though, I came to realize that there is a lot more to life than just becoming strong. You hang out with the kid for so long; you can't help but be friends with him." Sasuke said, his gloomy look slowly being replaced with a smile.
"Maybe there is a chance for us to be friends then. I only hope that your words hold true to everyone." Haku said quietly, guilt flooding her as she thought of her fight on the bridge with Hinata.
"Alright everybody, we're here." Kakashi said as they entered the Hokage's tower. His statement was more for Haku than anybody, but he wanted to make sure nobody had lost focus. The group proceeded up the staircase to the main office, knocking once before entering. "Team seven, here to report in." Kakashi announced as they all filed in, Sarutobi gesturing for them to take seats.
"Welcome back team, it sounds like you had quite the adventure out in wave country. Am I correct in assuming that you are Haku Momochi?" Sarutobi asked, gesturing to the newest addition to the squad.
"Yes Hokage, I am Haku Momochi of the mist. I am honored to be allowed in your presence." Haku said clearly before bowing deeply to the old man. Zabuza had taught her long ago that in the face of your superiors, you show confidence and clarity.
"Well, not only is she a powerful ninja, but she's extremely polite as well." Sarutobi said jokingly as he waved for her to go back to her seat. "Now that introductions are out of the way, I'm sure your all wondering why I called you here. I promise you it is for a good reason, it is also directly linked to you, Naruto." Sarutobi said, giving the young boy a look before proceeding. "Naruto is it true that you underwent a transformation at the bridge?" the Hokage asked calmly.
"Um yeah, the memory is weird though. I remember everything that happened, but it felt like I was seeing it through somebody else's eyes." Naruto said, confused as to why the Hokage was asking him about that.
"Well, I suppose that after an incident like that, it's time for you to learn the truth. Kakashi, you may leave if you like. However, I ask that you genin stay, I feel that as his team mates, you should be informed as well." Sarutobi said calmly as he lit up his pipe.
"If it's not a big deal, I'd like to stay as well. I feel I owe it to sensei to help inform his only son." Kakashi said in his usual cool manner, catching Naruto's attention.
"Wait a minute, you studied under my father?" Naruto asked, now even more confused than before. Not only did he have a sharingan despite not having Uchiha blood, but he was one of his father's students and didn't tell him.
"Yes, but like I told Sasuke, it's a story for another time." Kakashi replied, knowing that now wasn't the time or place to discuss his time spent with Obito and Minato.
"Fine, but don't think I'm going to forget." Naruto said, secretly praying that he didn't forget.
"As I was saying, you were born on October tenth almost thirteen years ago. Can anyone tell me what other significant event's happened on that date?" Sarutobi asked, not surprised when Sasuke and Hinata both raised their hands. 'Of course they know, the Hyuuga and the Uchiha have been allies with the Namikaze for a long time now' the third thought to himself. What did surprise him though was when Haku raised her hand. "Haku, please tell me what you know about that date."
"Hokage, I learned many things from Zabuza. One thing he told me was that every October tenth, he paid his respects to a powerful ninja from the leaf that had died to stop a monster. Whenever I questioned him further though, he merely stated that the ninja was known as the Yellow Flash, a man that is considered to be the fastest man to ever live." Haku said, saddened at the mention of her master. She maintained her composure though as she took a seat, Sasuke giving her hand a slight squeeze for comfort.
"Zabuza always was a man to respect though of great power, so it's not surprising that he paid his respects to a man that could kill faster than him." Kakashi said, thinking of days when his sensei could take down his entire team in seconds.
"This is interesting information; I'm glad that you shared this with us Haku. Sasuke, Hinata, how about you share your knowledge with us now." Sarutobi said, gesturing for the two children to speak. Sasuke rose first, seeming almost eager to talk.
"Well, it's been passed down through the family that on October tenth, a great ally of the Uchiha, the fourth Hokage, gave his life to protect the village. We kids were never told his name or what he defeated, only that his passing had been a terrible tragedy for the leaf village. As I got older and when I had much more time on my hands, I did some research, only to find that most information on the incident had seemingly disappeared." Sasuke said, still curious to this day why all the information was gone.
"You always were a motivated individual, even as a young child. As for why the information was gone, the specifics of that night were kept a tightly guarded secret by the elders of this village, hence why you were unable to find anything." Sarutobi replied, hoping his answer to be sufficient for the Uchiha boy. It was then that Hinata rose, her hand never leaving Naruto's hand.
"Hokage, my father passed down the story of what happened to me many years ago. He told me that a powerful ally and close friend of the clan had given his life to keep us safe by defeating the worst thing the village has ever seen. I always wondered why he kept the details vague, but I think I'm starting to piece things together. The great tragedy that struck the village, the fourth Hokage, and Naruto are all related somehow." Hinata said, desperately trying to find out what else they shared in common besides the date and the fact that the fourth Hokage was Naruto's father.
"Once again, the logic and problem solving skills that the Hyuuga clan possesses amaze me. Well, tonight I am here to clarify as much as possible. Before I begin though, what you are about to learn is not to be discussed with anybody that does not already know. Is that understood?" Sarutobi asked, his face containing a seriousness the genin had never seen before.
"We understand." they all answered in unison, Sarutobi taking a puff of his pipe before proceeding.
"Very well, I shall proceed. Naruto, the night you were born, the nine-tailed fox attacked the hidden leaf village. We were caught off guard, as there were no factors indicating an attack otherwise. We fought hard and we fought well, but the fox was too powerful. Eventually though, the fourth Hokage drove back the man that had summoned the fox here, using his special technique to teleport the fox miles away. The fourth, you know him as Minato Namikaze, your father. Jiraiya insisted that you know the truth about him from an early age so you wouldn't feel as though they left you on purpose. He did want to keep the truth about the fox from you though, at least until you made chunin. However, nobody had thought that something like what happened at the bridge would occur, so he agreed with me in telling you the truth now." Sarutobi said, pausing to let the blonde voice the opinion he had been holding in.
"What do you mean he kept a secret from me? Jiraiya always told me about how my dad sacrificed himself to destroy a great monster. He told me he used a seal to do it, although it was a seal that cost him his life. That story is one of the reasons why I want to master sealing so bad! My dad used a seal to save an entire village, which by itself should be enough to make anybody learn how to seal!" Naruto blurted out, some of his confusion being replaced with anger. Why would the old man try telling him that his godfather had lied to him?
"I'm afraid that he kept part of the truth from you, although you mustn't be too angry. He didn't feel that you were ready for it yet." Sarutobi said, wincing slightly at the fury that radiated from the blonde. "However, it was not only myself, but him as well that decided you learn tonight." The Hokage said, hoping that it would abate some of the kid's anger.
"Well, get on with it then!" Naruto nearly shouted, Hinata and Sasuke both surprised at how blatantly disrespectful he was being. The Hokage merely shook it off as he puffed on his pipe, breathing deeply before proceeding.
"Naruto, the seal your father used was one of his own designs, one that was so intricate that the only people capable of replicating it would be Jiraiya and possibly me, though it would be difficult. The jutsu he used in unison with the seal though was a forbidden jutsu, one that is lethal to both the attacked and the attacker. When the jutsu was finished, the fox had been sealed away in the body of a newborn child. You see, the fox's chakra is so massive that it needed an undeveloped chakra system to bind too, the seal acting as a means of channeling the fox's chakra throughout the body. Can you guess who that child was?" Sarutobi asked, Naruto suddenly realizing what he was implying. All of his anger faded in an instant, replaced by confusion instead.
"So, you're telling me that my father used a suicidal seal to turn his only son into a demon?" Naruto asked, his voice emotionless. Hinata, Haku, and Sasuke could only watch in shock, surprised by the sudden revelation about their friend.
"Not at all Naruto, your father sealed the fox inside you so that you could contain the beast and someday master its chakra. He had wished for you to be treated as a hero, as the one that would keep the demon at bay forever. Fate is cruel though, and I wish that things could be different. The villagers only saw you as a monster, their judgment clouded by fear. It was then that Jiraiya stated that he would raise you away from the village, returning when you were old enough to become a ninja." Sarutobi said, watching as the young boy took everything in. Finally, Naruto looked at him, a new determination in his voice.
"Hokage, thank you for telling me this, I feel like it explains so many things. I'm going to go find Jiraiya though; I have some questions for him." Naruto said calmly before leaving the room. Nobody attempted to stop him, they knew he wouldn't rest until he got at least some answers.
"Sarutobi, I'm going to leave as well. Team, I'll see you in the morning, including you Haku." Kakashi said before he disappeared in a puff of smoke, the jonin heading towards the memorial stone on the outskirts of the village.
"Well, now you know the truth about your friend. I cannot make you think anything, but I hope that you won't let this knowledge change the way you feel about him." Sarutobi said calmly, snapping the three genin from the daze they were in. Hinata was quick to speak up though.
"Hokage, there is nothing you could tell me about Naruto that would make me love him with anything less than my whole heart. I just wish that I could have known earlier, I would have been there more." Hinata said, her heart swelling with determination to stand beside her boyfriend no matter what. She turned around to see Sasuke and Haku standing as well.
"Naruto is my best friend, and knowing that he has this incredible burden to bear only makes me realize how strong he truly is. No matter what, I will always fight with him. Besides, I trust him with my back more than anybody." Sasuke said, hoping Hinata wouldn't be upset by his last comment.
"I do not know him well, but I have seen how fiercely he fights for those precious to him. I believe that were he actually a demon, he would be much different." Haku said, not knowing much else to say about the boy. She still didn't know him well, but she had learned through his actions that the blonde would give his life for his friends.
"It makes an old man proud to see the strength of character in you young shinobi. You are welcome to leave now, but I believe that you should wait to talk to your friend until tomorrow." Sarutobi said, signaling for the genin to leave. He was surprised when he noticed the Hyuuga girl made no move to leave. "Something on your mind, Hinata?"
"Hokage, I was just wondering why you think he transformed when he did? I can't think of anything that would trigger it, he hadn't been hit very hard or often during the fight." Hinata said, Sarutobi chuckling at what the Hyuuga couldn't see.
"Dear, I believe that you were what triggered it. The way he feels for you is so intense, that the thought of losing you drove him to the edge. He may seem blind when it comes to his feelings sometimes, but know that you are his greatest strength. I believe that keeping you safe is his biggest motivator to get strong." Sarutobi said with a smile while he watched the Hyuuga girl turn a deep shade of red.
"T-thank you, Hokage." Hinata stuttered out before taking her leave, shocked while at the same time ecstatic at hearing the Hokage's opinion. She waited to calm down a little before going home; preparing herself for the interrogation she was bound to receive from her father.
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"Jiraiya, I'm back." Naruto called out as he entered the Namikaze estate, the Sannin looking up at him from the seals he had been working on.
"I assume that you've talked to the Hokage then." Jiraiya stated calmly as he watched his godson sit down across the table from him.
"Yes, I now know about the fox and why my father died now. At first, I was really angry that you had kept something like that from me. Even now, I'm still questioning if that was the only thing you've kept from me." Naruto said, doing his best to keep his anger in check as he watched guilt flash across his godfather's face, confirming that there were more secrets he had been keeping from him. Before he could begin yelling though, Jiraiya spoke up.
"Kid, I wish more than anything that I didn't have to keep secrets from you, especially about your father. But understand that you weren't ready to know, not yet anyway. I do have a couple things I feel I can tell you now though, if you want to hear them." Jiraiya said, knowing that his godson wouldn't be able to resist the offer.
"Fine, but they better be good secrets!" Naruto said, trying to mask the excitement in his voice with anger.
"Their good alright, secrets I've been waiting to tell you until you knew about the fox. Now the first one is a technique that your father invented, which he later taught to me." Jiraiya said, holding his palm out in front of him. Naruto watched excitedly as a small ball of swirling chakra formed in the palm of his hand, spinning quickly in multiple directions while retaining its shape. "This is rasengan, a technique that is unique to Minato Namikaze and me. Normally, he'd be the one to teach you this, but you'll have to make do with the teachings of the mighty toad sage!" Jiraiya said loudly, his godson smiling at him in response.
"Alright, that looks pretty badass and all, but what's the second thing you wanted to say?" Naruto asked, excited to be getting an opportunity to learn his father's technique.
"Ah, that is something entirely different from rasengan. What I'm about to tell you about is what gave your father his nickname of 'The Yellow Flash'." Jiraiya said before pulling out an oddly shaped kunai that had an odd seal on the hilt. "This is one of the special kunai your father used, something very rare to find. This was one that he had given to me in case he ever needed to reach me quickly, but I'm passing it on to you. You see, what makes it special isn't the way it looks, but the seal it holds." Jiraiya said while he handed the kunai to Naruto, the blonde boy intrigued by the knife.
"Godfather, what's so special about the seal?" Naruto asked, seeing the characters but not understanding what they truly meant.
"I'll be honest with you kid, I don't know. Nobody but Minato was ever able to do the technique that seal is used for, The Flying Thunder God jutsu. I can teach you the hand signs, but unless you figure out how the seal works and how to replicate it, I'm afraid that kunai is just another knife." Jiraiya said, wishing he was able to help his godson more.
"Sensei, I'm very grateful for the knowledge that you have bestowed upon me. I'm sorry for getting angry at you over something that I shouldn't have. I…" Naruto said, only to be cut off by Jiraiya waving his hand at him.
"Kid, you had every right to be a little angry with me. When I first took you in, I had to make some decisions then that I knew would be to help better you as a person, keeping the nine tails a secret being one of many. Did you know that I used to not only drink heavily, but also whore around with beautiful young women?" Jiraiya said, smirking at memories long before Naruto where he'd get drunk and fool around with whoever he pleased, not caring about any consequences that might follow.
"But sensei, you always seemed so calm, almost shy whenever we'd travel through towns. That and I don't think I saw you touch alcohol more than a handful of times before we came here." Naruto said, shocked at what he was hearing.
"I was like that on purpose. You are truly the spitting image of your father, and with the title unfortunately come his enemies. I didn't do anything that would draw any more attention to us than necessary for a reason. Why do you think I constantly hammered you about not doing things like pulling pranks and being loud or obnoxious?" Jiraiya asked the blonde, his eyes opening wide as he realized how much his godfather had done to protect him.
"Did my father really have that many enemies?" Naruto asked, the question being the first thing that came to mind to ask.
"Kid, in earth country your father was labeled as an S+ ranked ninja in their bingo book. He had a retreat on sight order on his head, the Tsuchikage knowing he would need an army to take him down." Jiraiya said, laughing at the look on his godson's face. "Anyway, my point is that I made a lot of changes to my lifestyle to help you survive, along with raising you to be a better man. I felt that keeping a few secrets from you if it meant you staying alive was a fair price to pay." Jiraiya said, his face serious again.
"Godfather, I had no idea…" Naruto replied quietly, tears springing from his eyes when he realized how much the toad sage had done for him.
"I did what I felt was right, and I can honestly say that I don't regret any of the decisions I've made when it comes to you. Come on, let's go outside. I'll show you the first step to rasengan." Jiraiya said cheerfully as he walked out the door, Naruto following close behind.
"Jiraiya, thank you for everything. Words can't really describe how grateful I truly am, but know that I really do appreciate all that you've done." Naruto said, his tears replaced with a smile. Jiraiya smiled back before he showed him the trick to focusing chakra in his palm, the two now focused on the task at hand.
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"Alright team, I'm glad that you're all here. The Hokage has informed me that the C ranked mission to wave country was changed to an A rank, so you will all be paid accordingly." Kakashi said, pausing while his team cheered. "Anyway, the real reason I'm here is because you have all been given two weeks to do whatever you please. I would strongly recommend training at least a little bit. Let's just say that if things go my way, I'll have a nice surprise for you at the end of these two weeks." Kakashi said before disappearing in a puff of smoke, leaving the genin to ponder his words.
"Alright, two whole weeks off! You'd better believe that I'll be training my ass off!" Naruto yelled, excited at the prospect of having all that time to practice the rasengan. He'd learned the hand signs for Flying Thunder God, but the seal continued to baffle him.
"Yeah, I'm sure that whatever sensei has planned is going to be something worth training for." Sasuke said, his mind already running through possible scenarios that the silver haired jonin had planned.
"Of course we'll all be training, I figured that much. I think we should have some fun though while we have time. It's not often we get two uninterrupted weeks to do anything we want." Hinata said, winking at Naruto as she finished her statement. The blonde turned incredibly red at that point, finding the ground more interesting to look at than his lavender eyed girlfriend.
"Well, I for one would like to explore the village. Sasuke, would you show me around?" Haku asked, looking incredibly innocent and cute as she flashed a pair of big blue eyes at the Uchiha.
"Um, yeah, I can do that if you want…" Sasuke stuttered out, using all his willpower to keep from turning bright red. Despite his best efforts, he couldn't keep a slight blush from spreading across his face, something his friends noticed and planned on taking full advantage of.
"Hey Sasuke, you want to come train with me today? It's been a long time since we've sparred with sensei, and some guy time sounds like a great way to kick off the vacation!" Naruto said excitedly, saving his friend from further embarrassment.
"Naruto, you know I'm always ready to kick your ass training." Sasuke said with a grin before the two took off, the Uchiha silently thanking him.
"I swear, those two are going to be competing against each other until their too old to train." Hinata said, giggling as she watched her best guy friend and boyfriend sprint of towards the Namikaze residence.
"So this is normal for them?" Haku asked shyly, realizing that she had a lot to learn about her new friends.
"Yeah, at least as long as I've known them anyway. But since those two will be busy until at least sunset, would you like to come hang out with me for the day?" Hinata asked, hoping she could try making friends with Haku.
"I would like that very much Hinata." Haku said before bowing, Hinata giggling at how polite she was. "What do you find funny?" Haku asked, confused why she was giggling at her.
"Haku, you don't need to be so formal around me, I'm surrounded by enough formality at home as it is. When we're with friends, you can be comfortable." Hinata said as the two walked off towards the village, Haku taking in what she said with a serious look on her face. After a while, she finally spoke up, not wanting the silence to become awkward.
"Where are we going Hinata?" Haku asked, curious where the Hyuuga was leading her.
"I figured we could just wander around the village for the day, unless you wanted to do something different." Hinata replied, smiling at the girl as she tried to get her to feel more relaxed.
"No, that sounds just great to me, friend." Haku said, returning the smile as the two girls walked towards the village. Haku still didn't understand how Hinata was so forgiving, but she wasn't about to question it now.