See, I told you it'd be out fairly soon. I wanted to finish up the flashback as soon as I could, so here it is! Hope you all enjoy it!
Oh Naruto rights, where art thou? Certainly not bequeathed upon me! (Lol I hate Shakespear)
"Mom." Unlike with his father, Naruto couldn't hold back the tears from flowing down his face. Standing there for a moment, he dashed over to his mother and embraced her in a tight hug, one that she quickly returned.
"Hey there socchi," Kushina said with such a warm voice so filled with love that Naruto's heart wrenched inside his chest.
"I missed you so much," Naruto sobbed into his mother's shoulder.
"As much as I love hearing you say that socchi, I don't remember meeting you after I was taken from you when you were a baby." Kushina was very confused when she was brought out of the seal. For starters, the huge fox that was being kept in the seal was laying down peacefully, lazily watching the scene unfold in front of her, not fighting to get out of her container what-so-ever. Not only that, but they were in the middle of a grassy plain with the sun shining brightly over them with a few drifting clouds. But the thing that confused her most was what her son had just said to her.
Naruto stepped back from the tight hug with a content smile on his face. "Well I guess you didn't get to see my memories like dad could. That was probably because your chakra was sealed inside of the first layer of the matrix, while dad's was on the outer layer, to prevent me from removing the seal. So I guess he had access to my memories due to a hole in the array." Naruto had put his finger on his chin in his thinking pose. However what he had said thoroughly surprised Kushina. She didn't even know the reason, yet what he had said made sense to her.
"Heh, to think that my socchi knows so much about fuinjutsu. Makes a mom proud datebane!" Kushina exclaimed with a grin, holding her fist out.
"Well, considering that I've undone the seal earlier than I did last time, and that you didn't have to use any to keep Kurama pinned down, you probably have at least a day in here right?"
"Hmm. I think that's about right."
"Awesome! Then we get to spend the whole day together! I have so much to tell you!" Naruto said excitedly. Kushina just smiled.
"I'm sure you do. But first I'd like to ask our fox friend over here a few things," Kushina said indicating said fox with her thumb.
"Well actually, what I'm going to tell you will probably answer any questions you may have, but I'm sure Kurama wouldn't mind answering anything that I don't. Will you?" Naruto asked the fox.
"Eh. I suppose. But ask them at the end so you're not bothering me the whole time," Kurama said, closing her eyes to go to sleep. Naruto chuckled at her antics then sat down on the soft grass. Kushina soon joined him. Naruto looked at his mom as she sat down with him.
"You're hair's as beautiful as ever, datteboyo," Naruto said with a smile. Kushina gave a small blush at her son's words.
"Only one other person has complimented my hair."
"Dad I know. But he sure is right," Naruto said with a smile. "Well where to start. I guess I could start towards the beginning of my first life. But I suppose I should explain that first. So it's hard to believe, but this is what happened…"
Naruto then went on to tell his mother about his final battle with Kaguya, his meeting with the Shinigami, the god sending his memories back in time, his time with Minato, his early life in the village, the friends he made, the missions he had gone on, how he changed the past with his actions in this life, his growing friendship with Kurama, his, hopefully, soon to be girlfriend Hinata, among other things.
The two chatted like this for several hours, just enjoying each other's company.
"Wow socchi. I never thought we'd get to spend time together like this. It's pretty awesome dattebane!" Kushina said with a grin.
"I definitely second that," Naruto said, returning her grin with one of his own.
"Hey mom since we still have quite a bit of time here, you think you could teach me some jutsu? Like those cool chakra chains!" Naruto asked excitedly.
"Well, I suppose I could. Since there isn't anyone else that can do it anymore, it'll be awesome to pass a jutsu down to the next generation dattebane! But that being said, it is rather difficult to learn, and the only reason I can do it is because I have special chakra. I'm not sure if you can learn it or not."
"Don't worry about that. I'm sure I can come up with something," Naruto said with his trademark grin, radiating confidence.
"Okay then let's get started." With a final grin, Kushina stood up, Naruto soon following. "But just so you know, demonstrating these techniques could reduce the time I have in here."
"Eh, it'll be worth it. Training and learning stuff from my mom, I couldn't ask for a better way to spend my time." Kushina smiled warmly at this while Naruto just smiled away.
"Alright, so my 'chakra chains' as you called them, are actually called 'adamantine sealing chains', combining the use of pure chakra manipulation with fuinjutsu. You're already familiar with the first step, as you mastered your father's Rasengan, perfecting it with your added wind element. And as far as what I've seen and heard from you, you're already a master in fuinjutsu, just lacking in a few areas because of being mostly self-taught. So all you really have to learn is how to integrate the two, this is assuming your chakra can produce them." Kushina spoke in an authoritative, lecturing tone that had completely captured Naruto's attention, him hanging off of her every word.
After her short explanation, the red head materialized a single chain from her upper back and curled it over her head in front of her.
"It's purple now, but that's just because it's just a pure chakra manifestation. If you add fuinjutsu," Kushina trailed off, slightly focusing her efforts, while the chain began to glow gold. "This is the result, a sealing technique capable of neutralizing any chakra, including fur ball over there," Kushina said indicating Kurama with her thumb. The fox just growled softly in annoyance at the nickname that Naruto also had given her.
"That's so cool!" Naruto shouted, stars in his eyes. "I've got to learn this!"
"Well I'm glad you're so enthusiastic, but that's really all I can tell you about it. I had to learn this on my own as well because it's not something you can really teach, just like your Rassenshuriken. All I can do is tell you how it works and what it does, not how to do it. But you're my son so I know you can do it dattebane!"
"You better believe I can!" Naruto said, shoving his thumb to his chest with a grin. "So is there anything else? Like maybe some sealing techniques? You did say I was lacking in a few areas."
"I don't see why not. You think we could get some ink and sealing paper?"
"Leave it to me!" Naruto then went on to concentrate briefly, materializing the required items on the ground in front of him. "Pretty nice being in control of my own mind." Kushina giggled at her son, then sat down next to the new teaching materials.
"Okay, but first, evaluation!" Kushina yelled. Naruto face faulted at this.
"Come on mom! Can't you just show me what you know?" Naruto asked with a pout, wiping some dirt he acquired on his forehead from when his face abruptly met the ground.
"Oh suck it up. I can teach you anything if I don't know the full extent of your abilities." Naruto sighed at this as he sat down across from the redhead.
"Fine, let's get this over with."
Over the next few hours, Kushina gathered the full extent of what Naruto knew about fuinjutsu, and filled in the gaps as well as teach him some of the secret Uzumaki fuitjustu. Overall, Naruto came out of the experience knowing much more than he did before. His mom was incredible!
"Wow. I knew fuinjutsu was abstract and expansive, but that was just ridiculous. I had no idea you could apply fuinjutsu to offensive attacks using storing arrays on your body or clothes." Naruto had enjoyed learning since the Shinigami saw it fit to open his mind, so today had begun to turn out as the best day he'd ever had. He got to see his mom and dad, as well as learn some kickass jutsu.
"Well since I don't have much time, that's about all can teach you. Apply it well, and your creativity should take your fuinjutsu to new heights dattebane!" Kushina happily remarked. The pace that Naruto had picked up on what she had gone over was astounding. She had never seen such a prodigy in fuinjutsu. He could easily surpass everyone in Uzumaki clan history!
"Thank you mom, for everything. Not just for this time we've spent together, but for what you did for me when I was born, as well as being the best mom I could ask for." With the love pulsing from his words and his warm smile, Kushina couldn't help but shed a few tears. Smiling warmly at her son, she leaned over and embraced him in a hug that had all the love that she could pour into it.
"I'm so proud of you socchi. You've grown up to be a great man. I love you so very much. Never forget that." Naruto couldn't contain his tears either, as he had returned his mother's hug.
"I always love you mom, in this life and the next." Kushina chuckled at his clever remark.
"I sure hope you don't have to go back and do everything a third time." It was Naruto's turn to chuckle at his mother's words.
Pulling away, the two left the embrace, staring fondly into each other's eyes. "I don't have much time socchi." As she said this, she began to glow yellow. She then turned around to face the fox that had been resting a short distance away.
"You take care of my socchi now. Don't let him get into too much trouble since I won't be there to scold him." Kurama had lifted her head up slightly at being addressed by her previous container, giving her a simple nod.
Smiling at the fox, she turned back around to face the blonde, who was still teary eyed. "You be good now socchi, take good care of everyone, especially Hinata and Anko," Kushina said with a wink. Naruto blushed slightly at his mother's insinuation, but then smiled warmly as he watched the last of her chakra fade from existence.
Starring at the ground with a content smile for a few minutes, thinking over the grand experiences he just went though, he looked up at the now freed biju.
"Alright, I guess we should get to it then huh," Naruto said to the now fully awake fox, him putting on a determined expression.
Standing up, the fox faced the comparatively small human in front of her. "I'm not going to go easy on you. I'll be going all out. You better win too, 'cus if you don't I won't hesitate to escape your puny body," Kurama growled out with a smirk.
"Heh, I wouldn't expect anything less. Let's go wild Kurama."
As if a switched flipped, Naruto's eyes suddenly became orange with horizontal bars for pupils, chakra erupting from his body.
"I don't have any resistance seals in here, and I haven't tried going all out in sage mode yet, so this'll be interesting," Naruto said smirking.
"Give me a good fight Ningen!" Kurama shouted out at the boy in front of her, rearing to blast towards him.
"Ask and you shall receive." Naruto's form then blurred out of existence, appearing above the fox. Caught off guard by the speed Naruto had, barely keeping track of him, Kurama jumped back, spinning to whip the blonde with one of her nine tails. Once again blurring out of existence, Naruto dodged the incoming tail, appearing to the right of Kurama. Focused on the incredible speed Naruto was moving at, Kurama was almost too late to notice three other Naruto's on the opposite side of her, her only warning being the simultaneous shouting of all three of them.
"Sage Art: Massive Rasengan Barrage!"
Barely blocking the three massive orbs of rotating chakra with three of her tails dedicated to each, her attention was drawn away from the original Naruto. Instantly realizing her mistake, she jerked her her around to catch sight of the speedy Naruto, only to get a face-full of wind chakra.
'He didn't even call it out, and he moved so quickly it took almost an instant of me being distracted. Not only that, his clones dispelled as soon as their attack landed on my tails to form the Rassenshuriken. Just how fast is he!?' Were the thoughts Kurama had racing through her mind as the wind shuriken blasted her face back with the force of a meteor. Soon after landing, the shuriken shaped orb expanded, exploding in a white dome of millions of wind blades. Kurama was forced into the ground by the sudden expansion as well as on her back from the initial impact. Shortly after, Kurama felt the rest of her body being pounded by what seemed like hundreds of Rasengans. Getting aggravated that Naruto was so easily getting the best of her, the fox erupted in rage, sending a wave a chakra out, dispelling Naruto's sage clones that were so relentlessly barraging her as well as quelling the typhoon of wind blades assaulting her face.
Flipping over and jumping back in an incredible show of speed for a creature of her size, she opened her mouth and let out a deafening roar, sending out a shockwave of energy from the sound alone.
Naruto had thought that the fight had been going too well for him, and it was no surprise that Kurama countered his attack with such ease. Being blasted back by the shockwave caused by the fox's roar, Naruto landed in a three point position, skidding back several meters. When he looked up at his opponent, he couldn't help but grin.
"So she's gettin' serious huh. And here I thought I could do this before she could let one off." Staring at the growing orb above the fox's mouth, Naruto was quickly trying to think of a way to counter her attack.
'This Bijudama is one of my largest. It should knock that brat down a peg,' Kurama thought to herself as the blue and red chakra continued to gather into the center of the purple sphere. Rapidly growing to the size of a small mountain, Kurama then almost immediately compressed it into the size of a small boulder, clamped her jowls on it, and erupted a beam of destruction from her mouth.
Watching the Bijudama grow, Naruto had to think to himself that it was one of the largest he'd ever seen Kurama make on her own, and wasn't he surprised when she compressed it in a matter of seconds. Soon realizing his impending doom, Naruto paled as Kurama clamped down on the compressed orb.
With all of his might, Naruto jumped to his right, shattering the ground beneath him, causing a large crater, to avoid the powerful attack. When the orange beam of pure destruction erupted from the fox's mouth, it expanded to cover a mile radius, making it impossible for Naruto to dodge. Blasting into Naruto full force, the beam ripped into him, sending him flying.
When the smoke cleared, Kurama was huffing from the attack she just launched. It had taken almost all of her chakra to form such a wide scale attack. Looking at the carnage she had caused, she could see nothing but a huge rounded crater expanding mile in either directions and as far as her eye could see.
'Huh, may of overdid it a little. There's no way he's still conscious from that. Now where is he? Since he lost I might as well take his chakra and escape.' At that thought Kurama's mind suddenly halted. 'Wait that would kill him. With Madara still about I suppose that'd be a bad idea. But what is this other feeling? Like something inside me twisting in pain at the thought of this Ningen dying. Why am I feeling this way? What is this?!'
Distracted by her newfound emotions, Kurama suddenly felt her chakra being ripped away from her from one of her tails. She quickly spun around only to widen her eyes in shock, immediately forgetting her previous internal battle.
"Sealing Art: Eight Point Restraint!"
Then like a switch, she suddenly couldn't move. Observing the scene before her, her shock only grew. There stood nine Narutos in a half circle, eight of them with their hands on the ground holding the sealing formation, and one in the center pulling out her chakra.
"What did you think you got me in that attack? I'll admit is was impressive, but I just so happened to have a clone behind you for a substitution. Glad I did too. That attack would of probably vaporized me!" Naruto shouted with a strained grin. Even though the Kyuubi was physically restrained, she was still fighting hard to keep her chakra.
"But thanks to, that, attack, that makes, doing this, a little, easier!" Naruto said in-between grunts of exertion. Like a tug of war, the two fought for the right to the other's chakra.
'I can't keep, going, like this. I used too much, chakra,' Kurama stressfully thought, straining against her blonde opponent.
Sweat was pouring down all of the clones' faces that were trying their damnedest to hold up the restraint seal. It was difficult to hold down a giant fox with such power for very long with just an improvised seal.
The two kept struggling to pull the other's chakra out, when finally Naruto managed to pull some of it inside of him. Letting go of the red chakra, Naruto breathed out a sigh of relief, his clones dispelling before his lungs emptied the last remnants of air from them. He fell back on his rear panting. Kurama didn't look much better. She had collapsed on the ground as well, panting just as heavily.
"I guess, I win."
"Yeah, I suppose, you do. I never, thought, you'd be, that fast, in sage mode," Kurama uttered between pants.
"Yeah, it was kind of, a surprise, to me too." While sitting down, Naruto leaned back on his hands, and tossed his head back completely fatigued.
The two sat there for a few minutes catching their breath while occasionally glancing at each other.
"Well since I'm the victor, I guess that means we get to be partners again doesn't it," Naruto stated with a tired smile. Kurama smirked at him.
"I guess so. I haven't used that much chakra since our battle with the Juubi (ten tails)."
"Yeah that was one crazy fight. Even though I plan on preventing that battle, I hope we can still fight alongside Octo-pops again."
"Of course you do. I don't know how you stand the incessant 'rapping', as you call it, that the Eight tail's jinjuriki does."
"Eh, it's not so bad once you get used to it. After a while I just thought it was funny," Naruto said, chuckling at the memory of some of Bee's more idiotic rhymes.
"But man, having the seal opened sure is a great feeling though. I can spend all the time I want with you now! And I won't have a war to keep me distracted," Naruto beamed. Kurama just huffed at this, showing no other outward reaction. But on the inside of her was a different story. Instead of the painful feeling she felt before, now she was experiencing warmth, a kind she never felt before. Panicking internally at the foreign feeling, she just closed her eyes and curled up in her tails to take a nap so she wouldn't reveal anything to the blonde sitting in front of her.
"Whatever Ningen. Just leave for now. I need to rest a recover my chakra. Plus, I'm sure that Anko is getting impatient."
Naruto paled at this. "Shit! I totally forgot! I hope she isn't too mad for having to wait all night! See ya Kurama! I'll come back later!" Naruto worriedly yelled, quickly fading back out of his mindscape.
"Kami, what am I going to do with him. Making me feel all these strange things. I used to be the aspect of hatred! Yet, now…." Quickly shaking her head of her thoughts, the fox curled up once again to take her much-needed nap. 'This thinking is pointless. I'm just going to forget about it and sleep.' The fox thought to herself as she drifted off.
(Back outside in Naruto's training ground)
Naruto opened is eyes to see a familiar glow of orange surrounding him. He soon noticed a face dangerously close to his and flinched back from the intrusion of personal space. Anko frowned at this, but returned to her mesmerized look soon after.
"This is pretty fucking cool gaki! Is that the Kyuubi's chakra?" Anko asked, entranced by the golden chakra surrounding Naruto.
"Yeah, it is," Naruto said sheepishly, but quickly recovering. "Hey why are you so close to me! Couldn't you see it from where you were before!"
"So I wanted a closer look sue me," Anko said with a shrug. Naruto sighed and deactivated his 'new' chakra form. He received a pout from Anko almost immediately.
"Anyway what took so long?! I've been sitting here waiting for like, six hours! You owe me so much dango for this." Anko said with her arms crossed.
"Yeah, yeah. I'll treat you some other time. You cleared me out just last week!" Naruto complained.
"Fine then. But you still owe me and I never forget a dango debt!" Anko exclaimed, receiving a tired sigh from her blonde friend.
"Sorry for the wait. Thank you so much for helping me out too. I wouldn't trust anyone else to do it but you," Naruto said with a warm smile, bringing a light shade of pink to Anko's cheeks.
"Oh shut it. Save the mushy crap for someone who cares." Naruto chuckled her hard-headed nature. In reality though, Anko felt extremely happy that someone cared about her so much and was willing to trust her with so much.
"I'm glad you didn't have to use the seals though. Everything turned about pretty well. Great actually. Imma head home and rest though. You wouldn't believe how tired you get after taking on the strongest Biju. You gonna go with me?" Naruto asked the purple haired woman.
Still recovering from her blush from earlier, she nodded and stood up next to Naruto.
"I can only imagine. Yeah let's go," Anko said with a smile.
After that the two made their way out of Training Ground 44 and back to Naruto's apartment.
*End Flashback*
Sitting there thinking back on that day had Naruto smiling. He almost didn't notice a quickly approaching Mizuki. Shaking his head of his thoughts, he suddenly remembered something.
"Oh sorry Kurama! I was so wrapped up in reminiscing I totally forgot to come visit!"
'Don't worry about it so much. It's not like I care. I got to get another hour of sleep in without you pestering me.' The fox however was a little disappointed that she didn't get to see the blonde ball of energy for reasons beyond her understanding. Not that Naruto would ever know.
Mizuki soon landed next to Naruto on the rooftop he had been sitting on. "Hey there Naruto! I heard about the exam. Sorry that you couldn't pass. Iruka just doesn't understand real talent when he sees it," Mizuki tried to say with sadness. Naruto knowing his ploy, saw right through it though. But he had to play along if he wanted to do this right. He put on the best depressed act he could.
"Yeah, I really wanted to graduate this year too. It's just that stupid clone jutsu. I don't understand why I can't do it!" Naruto yelled out to the sky.
'Maybe because you're a worthless demon brat that's better off dead,' Mizuki thought.
"Yeah, but maybe you could still pass the secret graduation exam. I'm sure Iruka told you about it."
"Secret graduation exam?"
Mizuki feigned a look of shock. "He didn't tell you?!" Naruto just shook his head and looked at Mizuki expectantly.
"Man he wants you to fail so bad that he didn't even tell you that. Well, because I'm nice, I'll let you in on it," Mizuki whispered over at Naruto, his hand to the side of his mouth as if to prevent anyone from hearing. Naruto did his best at acting exciting, which was surprisingly difficult.
"Really?! You'd do that? Please tell me Mizuki-sensei pleeeeaaase!"
"Alright calm down now I'll tell you. All you got to do is learn a super hard jutsu from the scroll of sealing. It's in the Hokage's office in his safe. But because this is a secret graduation exam, no one can know that you're doing it until you show what you've learned to Iruka. Got it?"
"Yeah I got it! I learn all the jutsu that scroll of whatever has! Believe it!" Naruto inwardly cringed at his childish outburst. Did he really sound like that back when he was a kid?
"Good. Once you get it, the secret training location is just outside Kohona in the Northwest forest. I'll place a marker for you so you know you're in the right place," Mizuki said with a fake smile.
"Awesome I can't wait! I'm going to graduate! I'm going to graduate!" Naruto singsonged.
"Well then I'll leave you to it then. See ya later Naruto!" Mizuki then jumped down from the rooftop and made his way to make the necessary preparations.
'I can't believe that idiot bought that! Man that was so much easier than I thought! I'll have the demon brat do the dirty work, take the scroll from him, and do everyone a favor and off him!' he thought as he made his way towards his destination.
Naruto just stood on the roof and sighed. "Geez that was easier than I thought, though faking excitement is a lot more difficult than I thought it would be. Well, better go let the old man know what's up." With that, Naruto shunshin'd towards the Hokage tower.
Okay so I don't really know how the write 'shunshin' in past tense, so imma just go with that. Also to clarify, Kurama is not experiencing the romantic kind of love for Naruto, nor will Naruto even remotely pursue a relationship with her. She is experiencing however the love someone has through friends and family. Her being a chakra construct of hatred, it's a new thing for her. It's just another 'Naruto doing the impossible' that he was known for in the series. Anyway with that cleared up, I hope you enjoyed reading! Drop a review to tell me what ya think or if you have ideas where the story should go! (That's gettin' old isn't it.) Till next time!