Eleventh chapter
"A...Kage?" Kabuto couldn't decide wherever to throw his right fist in the air and exclaim something like *success*, or think it was all going too easily and that Anko was trying to make him slip. After all, why would the boy trust *him*, out of everyone else? Maybe it was because he seemed the wisest? Well, he was a bit happy to be put into such high regards, even by a boy who was looking at him with a serious gaze.
"Are you speaking about the…Hokage?" He couldn't believe the boy would be that stupid, really, being any normal leaf ninja, he'd have brought him immediately to the Hokage's office, possibly after having tied him up. Since he was, after all, Orochimaru's right hand man, and the one who had also given pointers to Naruto's exponential growth, he knew that *trying to tie him up* would equate for any normal Ninja of the leaf a nasty surprise. The boy wasn't *Genin* level. He was a misunderstood genius, like Kabuto himself was. Give him a book, and he'd memorize it in one day, coming back for an hour. He had once queried him on how he had managed that feat, but he had shrugged, saying that a hundred heads were better than one. Kabuto had nodded, until certain info had told him that the boy knew the technique of Kage Bunshins…and to produce a hundred more, well, that made the boy special, the fact he was the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki, and he hated Konoha, were all plus that made Orochimaru actually *laugh* when Kabuto referred the news…
He'd probably send him home, acting like nothing happened, and then later on he'd test his predisposition, but the boy was full of surprises, because he shook his head.
"No, the Iwa one," now that, that made Kabuto perplexed. Why the Iwagakure one? Because they were enemies with his *real* father? Yes, Kabuto knew, it wasn't difficult to find out, blood tests, blood correlations, and access to hospital as he himself was a medic-nin in training, at least in Konoha, it was clear: the boy was the fourth's father. All data pointed to it except the simple admission of Minato Namikaze.
"Iwagakure's Hokage? Why him?" Kabuto made his thought known, it did surprise him.
"Kage's are the strongest. Iwagakure's Kage is said to be the second strongest. Because in first positions there are…"
"Minato Namikaze and A, respectively the Hokage and Raikage," Now he kind of thought he was following a pattern there, "So you wish to prove your strength, directly at the Kage's level?" for a late night joke, it was strangely pissing Kabuto off, but he acted with a smile, he had to fake it being a child's prank.
"No…if I do that, if I kill him off, both Konoha and Kumo would get benefits." So maybe it was about earning recognition from them…maybe it was about…getting his father to recognize him? The poor scrawny thing! Really, it could either be that, or in truth all that Naruto wanted was training to kill his father, it could go both ways, but he had been smart in his words, Kabuto would give him that. He was saying the truth, when he said that the Iwa Kage was his objective, he hadn't lied at all. He just wasn't saying everything…a cunning one, one that Orochimaru would like him among his ranks…if he could pass over Anko Mitarashi's dead body, that is.
"Well…but you're just a Genin now, so…isn't your Oneechan going to be angry at you, if you stay out so late at night?" as Kabuto queried that, Naruto's face turned sorrowful, so there *was* a reason he had been disturbed so late at night, and it had to involve good old *Anko*.
"She left…she said she didn't want to be with me anymore," as he whispered that, Kabuto actually stared at the boy for a moment…he wasn't lying…completely, but he wasn't either saying the truth. He believed some part of it was the truth, like her leaving, but some other part wasn't. Anko Mitarashi, for all her displayed happiness and that Kabuto knew, wasn't liked in Konoha after Orochimaru's defection. She was called the snake whore, the snake bitch, she had her own *pets* killed and suffered some slight anger from the Jounin and Anbu-class ninjas. Obviously nothing like the Jinchuuriki container, but still, she wouldn't discard someone else who shared her same sufferings like that, there had to be a reason she did that.
"Oh…I'm sorry Naruto-kun, I'm sure she had reason however," Naruto shook his head, clenching his fists.
"It doesn't matter. She left, I'm alone again, it happens. Life Happens. I want to become stronger Kabuto-san, I want to become so strong that nothing will stop me from achieving my dream…nothing and no-one." The gaze he showed was one that Kabuto actually appreciated: one sided determination, it was the easiest to turn around towards Orochimaru-sama's purposes, all one had to do was find the right moment, and then good became wrong and vice-versa.
"Well, then I can surely help you. How about we make our usually weekly night sessions become one day yes and one no?" as Kabuto said that, Naruto nodded, eagerly.
"Yes Kabuto-sensei!" Kabuto grinned, maybe having a *pupil* wouldn't be so bad.
"Well, for tonight I think you've got a lot going on in your brain…so we'll start tomorrow night, be punctual, when the sun falls I want you knocking at my door, got it?" Naruto nodded once more, before turning out a fake smile, Kabuto thought it was because he had to act all cheery, not to look down and have the elder Genin pity him, and so, didn't give it much of a thought. Naruto on the other hand waved goodbye and left Kabuto's secret room and house, dashing through the dark alleyways, his gaze determined.
The first thing he did was to go to his old apartment. He actually felt relieved, entering to see a nice heartwarming scene. Kuro's younglings, as the older black snake called them, were all there, accounted for, as was also Couch-san, which did have his clothes. The apartment had probably been cleaned, and since he hadn't been in there for months, it now actually was still clean. There was…food, in the fridge, as if they expected *him* to actually comply. Well, he had, and after a nice dinner with the best looking food there was, he then washed the dished and sat on the *couch*, which said nothing.
"He stopped following," Kuro hissed from within Naruto's arm, and the boy, nodding, closed the door, the windows, and then sat down, in the center of the room, looking at Couch-san's sad gaze he realized that Anko had left him there without telling him anything, so he couldn't help but make a sad smile, and start scratching the big snake's head.
"I kind of wonder what tomorrow will bring, Couch-san." Naruto whispered, falling asleep on the bigger snake, without going to bed, he was more comfortable there, surrounded by the snakes that, his words, were better than half the population of Konoha.
The morning sun came with a slight shriek.
As Naruto slowly opened his right eye, yawning, he stood up, going to the entrance's doorway, where a coble of boa constrictors stood in wait of his orders, as a young frail-looking girl, that Naruto had never seen before, was there. He raised an eyebrow, looking at the girl who clearly didn't seem like a menace, and then dismissed his *security* that slowly slithered back to their hiding places on the ceiling.
"You are?" Naruto queried, perplexed.
"Yakumo…Kurama…" the girl had light brown hair and slightly golden eyes, and a sort of clearly big, but hidden by the Konoha's headband, forehead. She wore her hair long, shoulder-length, with a golden clip to the side, and was wearing a dark purple jacket with a tightly knit red fishnet underneath, not in the style of Anko, but more closed, and reserved.
"And you're here because?" Naruto queried once more, as he simply sighed, inviting her in as he went to prepare breakfast.
"I…I wanted to meet my teammates before going to the training ground. I knew you lived here, because yesterday, I talked to our Jounin-sensei, and then I was going to speak also with our other teammate, Sai-san, right? It's that the name of our other teammate, right? I'm not doing a mess, right?" Naruto sighed, why was the girl insecure now? Well, the snakes were doing their best to act *not scarily*, which meant they hid under the biggest one, that tried his best couch-like attitude, keeping his eyes closed, it kind of made Naruto chuckle, seeing a big bad snake tense up as the girl simply sat on one of its *arms*.
"What's funny? I'm doing it wrong, right? It's the first time I've got a team, I was self-taught at home, but now no longer, I'm strong enough now to walk out and so…" oh Kami not a sad story coming up.
"You had breakfast?" Naruto queried, looking at the girl who slightly blushed.
"Well…I'm still a young Kunoichi who has to grow, if I eat wrongly I risk getting fat, right? And if I get fat then I might have health issues and then I might be a liability and then I might have more problems so…" Naruto stared at the wall in front of him and decided that no, he wouldn't hit it with his head…yet.
"So you're having breakfast," Naruto decided, as he cooked the rice and scrambled eggs for two, he actually had done that on instinct, so, for once, he'd break his rule of *not giving food to random strangers who entered his house in the morning*.
"But I…If you say so, I don't want to be a problem, I'm not a problem, right? Because if I'm a problem I can…" Naruto's gaze was enough to make her quiet down, as she stood up from the couch and moved towards the table, as Naruto took the seat in front of her, and ate in silence.
"It's really good you know…" she actually kept talking, even with her mouth full. It was like…
"Kai," Naruto muttered dispelling the Genjutsu, to apply it in the blink of an eye? She was good. The fact she managed to keep talking while still eating, made him repeat the *Kai* another time, then a third one, finally, he relented.
"How can you do that?" Maybe it was some sort of law, like Kakashi could do the creepy *eye smile*, and she could talk with her mouth full.
"Do…what?" she queried, worriedly.
"Talk with your mouth full." Naruto replied.
The girl actually blushed furiously, before fidgeting with a strand of her hair, and muttering.
"Right you'd be angry if I ate and spoke at the same time, right, one normally doesn't do that, right it's not good manners, right, I'm actually wrong, right, I should have probably asked before…"
"Was it a Genjutsu?" Naruto cut short the girl, who, blushingly, nodded.
"So you're skilled in Genjutsu?" Naruto queried once more, and the girl actually looked at the boy for a moment.
"You…You don't know?"
"Don't know about what?" The blond haired boy was thinking, while he grabbed the empty platters, that he might just as well take it in strides, better not to query too much on the strange changes in his life in less than twenty-four hours. He knew life waited behind the corner to throw something at him, so better just take on whatever the *psychotic* girl was offering. He was sure the Hokage would have given him a team filled with troubles. He even sounded like *he* was the sensei, not *that* woman!
"The Kurama clan is infamous in Konoha," she muttered, looking at the boy who seemingly didn't seem to care at all, instead just slightly raising an eyebrow in a perplexed, but composed, way, before pointing at his right arm.
There stood the Kumo headband, tightly tied, while a bit down, at the wrist, stood the Konoha's headband protector.
"Strange place to put headbands, right? Why do you have two, right, is it because you're not from here, but if you were a missing Nin then you'd be reported right? So it has to be something else right, but what could it be, maybe it's someth…"
"Oh for the love of Kami: I've lived in Kumo for five years. I left Konoha when I was four. Tell me about your clan *infamy* and let's be done with it." Naruto rolled his eyes over sighing, as he scrubbed hard on a platter, Kami be damned all the psychos had to be attracted by him.
"We of the Kurama clan can make Genjutsus easily…and they're really hard to dispel…some are even born with the bloodline ability to make them actually real, but in exchange for that, they develop an evil personality and are taken down…but my family was spared that thanks to the fourth Hokage!" the platter broke, snapped in half perfectly. Now he understood what the damn bastard son of a…
Minato Namikaze, sitting in his office, sneezed thirty-two times, then one more, before finally stopping and staring at how the papers on his desk had now become the papers *flying* in the room, and even out of the open window.
As Naruto finished his colored mental rant, someone else voiced an opinion.
Kurama clan huh…what a coincidence.
What? Pretty famous when you were still free?
Bah, I might suspect they're descendants of mine.
You actually have descendants? Just how…no, Bee and Flowers can't work with *giant fox and humans*.
Well, I can, or better could, assume human form, it was so long ago I don't remember and I don't care anymore, it's just, she does have a peculiar name.
Oh, Kurama is your surname? So you're Kyuubi Kurama. K.K.
Abbreviate my name once more, and I swear I'll let you die of your next fatal wound.
Fine Kyuubi-chan!
Darn the day I told you my sex.
Naruto chuckled, sure, the fox was still waiting for a good chance to strike, *easing* him into believing she was going to behave…but it didn't matter. Through thick and thin, and at the very least, *her* betrayal wouldn't leave him alive. Morbid thought, maybe, but not so bad.
"You wounded yourself!" as Yakumo screeched that, standing up and running to his hand, which was, just slightly and already healing, bleeding, she grabbed a band-aid from one of her pockets, and applied it to his palm.
"You do understand it's going to close by itself." Naruto replied, as Yakumo stared perplexed at the boy removing the band-aid, just to point out how the blood had already stopped and the wound had disappeared, without even leaving a scar.
"I…I didn't know," Naruto rolled his eyes, obviously, "well, I'm Naruto. My regeneration power could pretty much be a bloodline by myself, I can eat Ramen non-stop, and this is my partner, Kuro." As from Naruto's right arm a black snake emerged, with blue eyes, Yakumo screamed before jumping backwards.
"What is it with girls and snakes…" Naruto whined, as he scratched his head.
"That's a snake right? A real snake right? Scales and all right? Poison right? Really poisonous? It's tame right?" as the girl actually breathed harder and harder, the boy simply looked at Kuro, and muttered.
"You know, let's get this all over with." Kuro actually nodded, and then, looking at the girl, he spoke quietly.
"I can speak. Yes, I'm just that awesome." With those words, Yakumo simply fainted on the spot.
"*I'm just that awesome*? Where did that come from, Kuro?" Naruto queried, as Kuro, had he had any shoulders, would have shrugged, but, not having any, simply stared at the blond-haired boy and hissed back.
"From my larynx boss," Naruto rolled his eyes: snake's humor was something horrible to actually hear.
When Yakumo came to her senses, she was laying on the couch, who was staring at her with his big bright eyes.
When she awoke once more, she blushed, because it turned out that Naruto was carrying her on his back, towards the training ground.
"You know, you should stop fainting." Naruto suggested that with a small grin, as, with a final jump, he landed from the branch he was on seconds before and onto the dirt of the training area.
Kushina Uzumaki stood there, waiting for her *team* with her son in, fidgeting, she was sure it wouldn't have gone easily, that Naruto would hate Minato more, and so on, she expected him to scream at her, to hate her for a brief moment before finally giving in to tears, what she didn't expect was him coming while carrying Yakumo on his back, who was slightly blushing.
So one of her students was trying to snatch away *her* son, that soon? She'd give that bitch in heat a lesson about stealing sons from her.
Naruto smiled, he made just a small smile in her direction, and already thoughts of butchering Yakumo, who was still one of her students, disappeared. Well, it couldn't be helped, her son was just that charming with girls, probably had his own fan club maybe. He gently let Yakumo get on her feet, before yawning and stretching for a moment.
A third boy, with really pale skin and dark hair, arrived on the scene moments later. He had a small Tanto on his back, and stood composed, as he neared the group.
"I am Sai," he simply said, making a polite bow.
"I am Naruto." Naruto mocked the tone of the pale guy, trying his best overly serious expression. Going as far as *adjusting* a fake tie around his neck.
"I am Kuro, Naruto's partner." The black snake said, appearing from Naruto's side of the jacket's neck, Sai actually didn't budge, while Kushina got her hand on a kunai and Yakumo made a small jump backwards.
"I…I should present myself right? Yes it's my turn and so…"
"She's Yakumo." Both Kuro and Naruto said at the same time, with a sigh.
"And I'm Kushina Uzumaki, your Jounin-sensei for today!" Kushina said in the end, trying a cheer and a smile.
Good, so she ended up with her adorable son, who still needed some motherly love to open up, a silent guy, and a nervous wreck of a girl who seemed willing to mate with her son, so she had to do something.
"Now, first rule: No love relationships in my team got it? It distracts the teamwork!" as she said that, Naruto rolled his eyes, was that actually needed?
Yakumo nodded, albeit she did blush a bit thinking about a Sai and Naruto relationship…slightly bleeding from the nose, and shaking her head to hide her flushed face.
Sai did nothing, not even trying to move his facial muscles.
"Second rule: Always obey my orders, I'm the Jounin-sensei, if I say run, you run, if I say duck, you duck, if I say anything, you do it." As she pointed that out too, the Genins nodded. Good, maybe she didn't have to neuter the bitch. Kurenai had *homeschooled* her for a bit, and that made Kushina at the very least a bit glad, because it meant she wouldn't be the *direct* type of girl like many fan girls were, and would simply act embarrassed, and keep to herself, most of the time at least.
"Third rule: We do not abandon teammates, or missions, unless they prove to be too much…the missions, not the teammates!" as she hurriedly said that, Naruto sighed.
"Fourth rule: Learn how to pack for weeks and months of travel! We will be doing D-missions for a while," groan echoing from Naruto's mouth, "but then we will do C-missions all around the land of fire! Dattebayo!" with that said, she raised her right fist in the air.
"H…Hai, sensei!" Yakumo said, trying to imitate the *rising* punch in the air.
"No." Naruto dismissed that weak punch thing with a movement of his hand.
"You do it like this." Then, after a brief cough, he yelled out loud assuming position.
"YOSH! Let the fire of youth burn brightly on us all!" as he yelled that sending his right fist up in the sky, a rising sun appeared behind him, as two green clad ninjas, somewhere, actually heard their spirits being rekindled, as they increased the rate of pushups.
"…" Sai said nothing, looking unfazed, but actually jolting down mental notes about the *target* strange behavioral patterns. Danzo-sama hadn't prepared him for this actually; he hadn't been prepared at all.
"I…I'm sorry, right…" Yakumo meekly whispered, as Kushina mentally noted to have Gai and Lee stir the hell away from her son, from that moment onwards.
"Anyway, normally, you'd have to do some sort of test, before becoming fully fledged Genins, but in your case, each of you has a valid excuse to avoid doing the test. Medical, Practical or Written by the Hokage himself." As Kushina said that, she kind of let her gaze go from Yakumo, to Naruto, to Sai as the last one.
Now Naruto narrowed his eyes, he kind of got the Hokage's message of the team he was in: one had been helped by him and thus was loyal, another was too, considering the written permission, and there was Kushina. He was surrounded by loyalist to the Hokage…Kami be damned.
"So, instead of doing that, today we are going to do some light training, to see what your strengths and weaknesses are to better…" as she spoke, Naruto's mind ignored her voice, concentrating more on the pale skinned boy. He had the distinct feeling that he had seen him somewhere, a long time ago…but where? When? His face…was familiar…
Root Barracks. Crying boy attached to another one called *Shin*, brothers.
"You," He said, pointing his finger at Sai, who looked back at him with a puzzled expression, as he had interrupted Kushina's discussion, "You're Shin's brother." As he said those words, Sai's eyes opened in realization that the boy had actually seen through his cover. This was going to be problematic, Danzo-sama had high hopes on him, yet it was to be expected, they still had each other's faces shown in the Root Barracks, but to recall his face? He had to have a pretty impressive memory: they were just four years old at the time!
"Naruto-kun, you know him?" Kushina had just asked the question, that her son smiled, with such a heartwarming smile that she just faintly blushed.
"Kushina-sensei, you mind if I spar with him?" oh well, maybe they were friends from somewhere else…during the months of staying in Konoha.
Sai on the other hand narrowed his eyes. He wasn't blowing up his cover, it meant only one thing: he wished to *use* him. He had to report that to Danzo-sama, but to do that, he had to survive the sparring, and he had to do that, without using ink techniques, that would give him away as the attacker of Naruto, months before.
"Well then…fine, sparring first, talking later, Yakumo dear, come with me and let's watch from the side…so we can talk about your tastes…" as Kushina said that with a kind smile that hid a clearly vile intention, Naruto stood in front of Sai, who stared back at the man…calling the other one *boy* was diminutive. Neither of the two was a boy, as both were root ex-trainee or trained members, both had kills under their belt and both knew what a ninja bloody path was.
"Kuro," Naruto whispered, feeling the snake tense, "Under the tree stands the hidden shield of the leaf."
"To rise to the skies when the enemies advance," Sai whispered back, no use denying it anymore.
"We are the Root." As both whispered that, the training words resonated, and Sai's seals on his tongue understood that it was another Root operative, and that it was training.
"Real level?" Naruto queried, as he dashed, right fist forward as Sai unsheathed his Tanto, hoping that a quick unsheathe would make the boy change course, but the other's left hand was already on that, with a small pocket knife, charged with wind chakra, making its blade stronger and longer than normal.
Sai's left hand went into composing symbols for a swift technique, before muttering.
"Suiton: Mizurappa!" as a wave of water dashed forward, Naruto sidestepped to the side, making a quick jump backwards, as a water clone emerged from the small puddle of mud, taking on Sai's form.
"Water affinity huh? An interesting way of saying you want to be fried alive!" Naruto exclaimed, as Kuro grabbed the combat knife of Naruto in his mouth, extracting the Ninjato that he was holding and exchanging it, as electrical chakra flew in the blade, Kuro swapped hands, readying himself.
This was their combo, after all.
As Sai's water clone dashed forward, the Tanto in hand, and Sai himself did trying to close him in between two fires, Naruto's left arm dashed forward, Kuro emerging from it and spitting two air-chakra enhanced pocket knives, aimed at the real one, while the water clone's blade hit an electrically charged Ninjato and dispersed, due to the voltage running through it.
"Wind and Thunder: KuroNaru combine!"
The two pocket knives had embedded themselves deeply into Sai's legs, as Kushina, watching the scene her mouth opened, ready to yell for them to stop, saw Naruto dash forward, his Ninjato swiftly going into Kuro's mouth as his right palm charged itself with electricity. The boy would stop right? He would stop before killing the boy.
Sai realized that without using Ink techniques, he'd die. Naruto was going with the intent of killing him, or he'd have taken the electrical blast, while the clone would have been pierced by the knives. He had a split second to decide. Ink and live for a moment, no ink and die.
He closed his eyes, he was sorry for Danzo-sama, but it was due time Shin saw his brother again.
Naruto's hand stopped inches away from Sai's face. A chakra chain stopping him, and sapping at his chakra, as Kushina, from the side, yelled.
"It's enough! You sparred well Naruto-kun but it's enough now! You did well too Sai-kun!"
Kyuubi, can you do it?
Let me try.
In an instant, the chakra chain destroyed itself from Naruto's right arm, as the boy stood quietly, feigning ignorance and smiling at Sai, helping him up.
So it works.
Seems like they can nullify each other…you're smart for a kid.
Better to be prepared for any circumstance.
Kushina said nothing, she had felt the chakra chains being destroyed, instead of her normally stopping the chakra flow through them, but Naruto seemed so ignorant of it, and was now smiling and helping his other teammate up…well, she turned to smile at Yakumo.
"Who do you want to spar against, Yakumo-chan?" Yakumo actually looked at the two boys…and then gulped.
"Right, sparring, I…I don't know I think it's right to say it's right that…
"Yakumo! Pick me! I'll be gentle!" as Naruto yelled that, waving at the girl, Sai meekly pressed a bandage against his wounds on his thighs: a couple of centimeters higher and they would have gotten a vein.
"I'm sure your boss wants to see me…behind Ichiraku's tonight at six pm." Naruto whispered at Sai, who stared perplexed at the boy…just when did Monster-kun suddenly wish to speak with Root operatives? This had to be a ruse…one he had to warn Danzo-sama about.
Yakumo blushed at Naruto's words, while Kushina slightly growled at the girl's blush. Naruto was a heart-stealer, fine, her son clearly had all the charms of his father and mother combined, but still, did he forget the first rule *she* had set?
Yakumo stood up, getting in front of Naruto while Sai sat next to Kushina, in composed silence.
Naruto smiled at Yakumo, before muttering.
"I know it may sound hypocrite of me but…I'll have to go all-out, okay?" Yakumo stared perplexed at the blond-haired boy, who suddenly removed his jacket and shirt, making her blush even harder as Kushina's silent growl became a fierce murderous glare.
Then, Naruto removed the weights, showing his abs, his toned muscles, the glistening sweat on his well- toned upper torso, and Yakumo, who had never even seen a male half-naked, not even her father, simply fainted.
"…That wasn't in my intentions." Naruto muttered.
"Y-Yes Naruto-kun, it's clear it wasn't." Kushina gritted her teeth, as she stood up, clapping her hands.
"Well, I know Yakumo is strong in Genjutsu, but weak in everything else. Sai, you've got water affinity, so you're pretty much set on your way to Chuunin, I understand why you got the written exclusion from the Hokage, while Naruto, care to explain what that technique with your *partner* was? Did you embed wind and lighting chakra in the same moment? I thought only a Kekkei Genkai could enable it easily."
"Oh…Kuro's a natural wind affinity snake-nin." Naruto replied.
"Your snake can do natural affinities?" Kushina queried, perplexed.
"I taught him," Naruto replied, "and he learned."
"Yep, I'm the slithering darkness of the night, the biter of the apocalypse, I am the great, the one and only, Kuro the wind snake!" as the snake actually slithered from one arm of Naruto's to the other, Kushina's right fist clenched. This had to be that snake bitch work, clearly. Naruto's love with snakes was just…wrong. She had to bring him back on the right path: Kittens, or Dogs, or Eagles…not snakes.
"And the one who makes me smile when all shit comes down." Naruto whispered slowly, as he made a small grin staring at the blue eyes of the snake, who actually closed a pupil to wink back at his *boss*.
"Well…" Kushina coughed, "that's pretty interesting. So, I say we could do some D missions, teach Yakumo how not to faint in front of half-naked Genins, have Sai learn some Kenjutsu and some Taijutsu, and Naruto…you can practice learning the Uzumaki Chakra chains if you want to." There, her ace in the hole, she was sure now that Naruto would actually…Naruto wasn't listening. He was kneeled next to the fainted Yakumo, holding her by the shoulders and giving her slight slaps to the side of the face, to wake her up.
"Yakumo-chan… you should wake up Yakumo-chan." As he whispered that, the girl slowly opened her eyes, staring with a red face at the boy, who still hadn't put his shirt or jacket back on, and as she blushed far more, Naruto's small grin sent her nearly to the fainting point, once more, it was too much, too much…only one day as a Genin and it was already too much!
"Naruto! While I appreciate that you're volunteering to *train* her into not fainting, could you please take it *slowly*?" Kushina was already trying to think wherever she had actually said her first rule or not, as Naruto seemed to go deliberately against it.
"I'm enjoying it, she's actually soft and has a nice smell," pointing that out seemingly in a normal tone, Yakumo already fainted once more.
Yes, cloistered girl. This one's out of the equation already.
You're actually as cunning as a snake.
What can I say? They want to break my resolve? I'm going to teach them that messing with the Raikage's son is messing with the wrong ninja.
Naruto put back on his shirt, and jacket, before being gently pushed aside, so as to let Kushina *handle* Yakumo's awakening, with maybe a stronger than expected slap.
"Wake up, rise and walk sunshine!" as she smiled that, Yakumo wondered why the Jounin-sensei was leaking a murderous glare at her. It wasn't her fault Naruto-kun was so damn…cute? Hot? Well, those things there!
"Well, for today it's all…we did everything in less than two hours, so we can go now, tomorrow, Hokage's office at seven o'clock, we're going on missions! Who wants to have a snack with ramen?" Yakumo actually felt the need to go lie down, while Sai said he had an important thing to do.
"So, Naruto-kun…ramen? My treat, first day of training, did I go well in your opinion?" as she asked that, making a smile as she stared at the boy's thoughtful gaze, she couldn't help but wonder why it seemed so off-tracked, so…out of him.
Was he a day-dreamer?
"Naruto-kun!" She clapped her hands, snapping him back into attention.
"Yes, Uzumaki-sensei?"
"You can call me Kushina-chan, when we're alone, and I asked if you wanted some ramen, Naruto-kun." As Kushina said that again, Naruto, actually, nodded.
I knew it! He's opening up! My plan *be a good sensei and make him alone until he can't help it but cry within my arms* is working!
"By the way," as she said that, she started walking towards Ichiraku's, "if you ever need a shoulder to cry on…you know I'm here…or just someone to turn to, to speak with…"
"Thanks, but I've got the Couch." Naruto replied, actually chuckling at the hidden meaning.
"The Couch?" Kushina was puzzled, why the Couch?
"SO you'd prefer the Couch over ME? Huh? You damn rascal!" Kuro snapped, faking offense as head-butted Naruto's cheek.
"Ouch, Kuro! Come on, you know that Couch-san listens…and doesn't speak."
"…it's another snake?" Kushina queried, already dreading the obvious answer.
"Yep, bigger than Kuro…but he doesn't talk, which makes him a good listener, I suppose."
"I see." So she even had to get rid of the furniture? That might be more complicated…
As they reached Ichiraku's ramen, they actually found Kakashi-sensei sitting there, alone, eating ramen.
"Kakashi-sensei!" The silver-haired Jounin froze for a moment, before relaxing, as it was Naruto, the only one who could actually call him *sensei* without sending his neck-hair upwards, and…well, the mother of one of the students he *still* had to test.
"Kakashi-san, have you already tested your team?" as she queried that, sitting down, with Naruto in between the two, the copy-cat ninja knew he had to think fast.
"Well, actually I was waiting for Naruto! Yeah, I needed him!" Grabbing the boy by the arm, he pulled him to him, throwing the money on Teuchi's counter, more than what he had eaten, but he was running for his life, after all, and he dashed off with Naruto, who had the ability to become a perfectly functional bag of potatoes when carried around.
"Kakashi-sensei…you actually don't need me, right?" as Naruto sighed that, after the silver-haired Jounin decided to let him walk on his own for the remaining meters, he stared ahead, where the three recently approved Genins stood.
"Heck, I didn't even tell them they were going to be tested." Kakashi replied with a chuckle, "Want to do the honors Naruto?"
"Am I the Jounin-sensei or are you the Jounin-sensei, Hatake-san?" Naruto muttered with a fake grumpy look.
"Come on, don't be so mean with me…where did the *Bro* Kakashi-san go?" Kakashi feigned being mortally wounded, as Naruto rolled his eyes, sighing.
Meanwhile, Sasuke scowled, seeing just how, no matter what, their sensei seemed to be fine with that boy, but cared not even to get there on time for his team. This was an insult on the Uchiha's family name! It was an insult that had to be cleaned with blood…when he got strong enough to challenge the brat and kill him, that was.
Sakura Haruno was angry at their sensei was being late, but at the same time was scared by the boy, who had so easily defeated her in straight ahead Taijutsu. Why was he here? Was he going to train with them? He didn't seem like he actually wanted to be there, so why did their sensei bring him along?
Katsumi was thinking just how cool it was going to be to train with her father's student, even though he *was* a couple of hours late. That was until she saw Naruto arriving. He had already done training for the morning with her Kaa-san? Well, then why was he here? She seemed to recall that Kakashi and him were *friends* if an old guy like Kakashi, (who was actually younger than her father, if one could believe it) could be friends with one like Naruto, then she too still had a chance!
"Kakashi-sensei, you're late!" she yelled, pointing at the silver-haired Jounin, who shrugged, grabbing an Icha-Icha book.
"Oh right, Naruto-kun, it's the bell test…remember that if they pass it…you have to start reading Icha-Icha." Kakashi said, with a small grin, as Naruto groaned…so that *was* the reason he had been asked.
"Bell test?" Sakura queried, what test? Why hadn't they warned her so they could have prepared early?
Naruto looked at the three, the bell test…what fond memories of mud, of stupid words, and more than all of him and Kuro getting it together.
"Well, fine," Naruto sighed, scratching the back of his head, as he grabbed two bells that Kakashi had thrown at him, "this test is easy: get a bell, you get a lunch. You've all come without doing breakfast, right?" as he queried that, the three Idio…ehm, Genins, nodded.
"Good, so we can say you're idiots. Now, as for the…"
"We're not idiots! And you're not our sensei! Why is he here actually, sensei!" as Sakura yelled, turning to face Kakashi, the Jounin stared back annoyed, and muttered.
"To test you in my place, He knows the drill, so either you follow him or give up and go back to the academy," with that, Kakashi returned to the chapter about the hot springs, and a *kitty-catty* next room that was meowing with pleasure towards a certain young *brother*…Jiraiya-san had really intelligent and original ideas.
"What does he…" as Katsumi tried to get an explanation, Naruto snapped in.
"So, two bell, three of you, three idiots who thought not to eat before coming for a test that you knew nothing about. We're already starting on the failure path, so let's get this over quickly. How many hours do they have, Bro?" Did the boy just call Kakashi bro? Kakashi looked at the chapter he was in, looked at the sun, and then raised four fingers from his hand.
"Four hours? You really want me to start reading that trash…"
"IT'S ARTISTIC LITERATURE!" Kakashi snapped back, before turning his gaze back on the page.
"Anyway, if in four hours you don't get a bell…" as Naruto said that, he attached the bells to his right sleeve, "you get no lunch, and will be sent back to the academy…on the other hand, if you do get a bell, then you pass, and you get a lunch…got it?" the three actually clenched their fists, for different reasons.
I'm going to catch up with you, and make you trust me, Naruto! Was Katsumi's general thought.
I can't go back to the academy without Sasuke! Sasuke-kun, love will triumph! I'm sorry Katsumi-chan, but you'll have to fail! Was the thought of the pink-haired girl, as she stared first at Sasuke with heart-like eyes, and then at Katsumi.
Sasuke…scowled.
"Well…begin." They didn't take him seriously. That was their first mistake. Had it been Kakashi, a Jounin, they'd have probably hidden and waited. It was Naruto however, they saw him in class with them, they didn't think he was *that* strong. Shino? Shino would have hidden. Kiba wouldn't have because he'd fight head-on, but he'd know the difference and wouldn't underestimate him. Shikamaru would have provided support. So, when the three all raised their right fists ready to punch the boy, Naruto made a sidestep to the left, rotating on his left leg, and then swinging his left arm at Katsumi's neck, sending her backwards as the hit made her lose her breath, before rotating to the right and kicking the girl straight in the stomach, sending her to crash against Sakura, with enough strength to push her back, with Sasuke having to sidestep too to avoid the falling girl.
The two girls stood down, trying to catch their breaths, while Sasuke, at the very least, jumped backwards, disappearing in the bushes.
At least he got it. Kakashi thought, as Naruto yawned, before starting to look at the clock.
"It's boring!" He muttered, towards Kakashi, who grabbed an Icha-Icha book from the inside of his flak jacket, the first one ever written by Jiraiya of the series, and said.
"Catch!" Naruto grabbed it, only for a volley of Kunai to plant itself on its cover, as Naruto used it as an improvised shield against Sasuke's hits.
"Damn…it was a limited edition!" Kakashi would have cried, but couldn't, because Naruto was making hand symbols with his left hand. Maybe he shouldn't have asked him to do it, he and Sasuke…well…he would stop them if things got out of hand. He hoped…as he turned to the next chapter, that had some tentacle ecchi goodness, so Kakashi dived into it, not wanting to lose a word.
It took a moment, first there was one Naruto, but then there were twenty, and as they all dashed in different directions Kakashi smirked...well: there was no rule against the bell guy to hide.
"I'm the last of the Uchiha," Sasuke muttered, "I can't fail to one my age."
"A pity you're a failure then." Sasuke had barely the time to duck, as the kick embedded itself on the branch he was standing on, snapping it in half, as the Uchiha jumped backwards preparing the signs for his signature flame jutsu.
The moment the flame ball enlarged itself, launching against the boy, Sasuke felt fear...as a Kunai hit him on the back, a fizzle going off.
Explosive Kunai! Shit! The explosion sent the Uchiha on the ground, face first, and rolling back towards the clear area in the meadow, where the three wooden trunks stood.
He stood down there, scared senseless, his heart beating like crazy. No, if it had been the real thing he'd be dead. He'd be…
"You'd be blown to smithereens." Naruto's voice said at his back.
"But I wasn't using a Kunai, and there was no sizzle." Sasuke tried getting back up, but his vision started to blur.
"I did however use my partner, and he enjoyed faking the sound of a sizzle…oh, he's poisonous, but nothing lethal." Naruto smirked, as a black snake emerged from his right sleeve, with a wide grin.
"Sweet dreams, loser." The snake even talked? That was enough for him, as he fell back down, his muscles tightening as the paralyzing toxin made its course.
"One down!" Naruto yelled, as he made his way towards the other two, throwing a kick to wake them up.
They both disappeared into a puff of smoke, as a set of explosive notes, real one, stood underneath. Thankfully he managed to Kawarimi himself with a trunk, avoiding the explosion. He turned his gaze to where Sasuke was meant to be, to find he had been taken to safety…this was bad. It meant they were starting to make group…
"Are my cute little Genins giving you trouble, Naruto-kun?" Kakashi smirked as he had seen the two girls use a henge, to camouflage two shadow clones, before hiding off and tacking the chance to grab Sasuke and bring him to hide with them.
"One's down, Kuro's poison is strong enough to paralyze him until the end of the time limit. That's probably why the two started working together…they know they can get the bell, by leaving Sasuke behind." Naruto pointed that out, as Kuro himself said out loud.
"Yup! I'm pretty sure that right now they're scared senseless!"
"THE SNAKES TALK!" Kakashi had a sweat drop appear on his forehead, as Naruto simply dashed towards the source of the noise, where the two girls had been hiding till then, and as he kicked on the bush, he felt…
*puff*
*puff*
"Again?" at that moment, a lace grabbed him by the right foot, sending him upwards, in the trap.
"Ah! You fell for it!" Katsumi, the real one, said, after coming out from a nearby bush, together with Sakura.
"You underestimated us!" Sakura added, as a grin on her face appeared.
"You know…why would I create a lot of shadow clones before-hand, and then go all out in person?" just as he said that, he dispersed in smoke. Kuro chuckling as he stood perched on top of the branch where the lace trap had been placed.
"Too late to run now!" from behind them, Naruto dashed forward, both hand, luckily, not charged with electricity, and sending the two flying and falling on the dirt of the training ground, back into the clearing.
"Don't break them! The academy needs them functional!" Kakashi said with a chuckle.
As Naruto stood there, sighing and shaking his head, he looked at the two in front of them.
"You…you're worse than trash," as Naruto said that, he pointed at Sakura, and, because of that, Kakashi narrowed his eyes…those words came with reason, what didn't he see from where he was, "you had a Kunai behind your back, ready to strike at Katsumi once you both got the bells," Kuro in the meantime got to the boy's leg and slithered back into his right arm, "probably to give it to that brat of an Uchiha who obviously doesn't even care about you, as he hid instead of trying and getting you two to safety."
Katsumi stared, clearly hurt, at Sakura, who couldn't hide the expression on her face, betraying that it was the truth.
"You will never pass this exercise alone. Thankfully, at the very least, academy won't get you killed…you think being a ninja is a fun game?" Naruto queried, as he sidestep to the side, neck-chopping Sasuke, while narrowing his eyes as Katsumi, and only her, dispersed.
"Smart move," He muttered as he turned around in time to see at least fifteen Katsumi, all aiming at him.
"We'll take the bells! For our teammates who can't! Dattebayo!" with that, she charged forward, their feet stomping the ground.
Naruto sighed, making the appropriate signs, before unleashing.
"Raiton: Electromagnetic murder!"
Maybe that was overboard, was the general thought of Kakashi and Naruto, as the clones dispersed except for one, who slowly fell on her knees, panting hard. Kakashi raised an eyebrow in surprise: well, he had dosed the chakra correctly at least. No need to intervene yet then, if the boy knew to hold back, it would be fine.
"I cannot fail…I will not fail…" Katsumi muttered, advancing slowly.
"Yeah, yeah…like it would…" he felt his legs being grabbed tightly by both Sakura and Sasuke, "hey, let go."
"No." Was their reply, Naruto groaned, why the team-acting right then? The next moment, Katsumi bit her tongue, she wasn't going to lose there, no, she had to give Naruto's her emotions through her fists!
As the girl charged forward, fist ready, Naruto raised an eyebrow, and then, calmly, dispersed at the right moment for the girl to send a perfect right hook at Sasuke's face, sending him on the ground, while Kuro had jumped straight into the hands of another Naruto, who emerged from the bushes.
"W…NO!" she yelled, falling on her knees, as even Sakura was of the same opinion…was he toying with them? They were at their wits ends and he was as fresh as a rose!
"I created *twenty* shadow clones. It's not the numbers that count…it's the quality." As Naruto pointed that out, he simply whipped out some rope, and began tying the three tired ninja, who had not even the strength to oppose, as they had tried, and failed, or they were too demoralized to try any more.
"Well…I say you can stay tied here till Noon, and then go back to the academy for another year." Kakashi sighed, as he looked at Naruto with a slight scowling eye.
Naruto got closer to Kakashi and sat down next to him, grabbing the *limited edition* of Icha-Icha.
"Well…I can have them stay there for a while, no?" Kakashi chuckled, as the boy, admitting defeat, since they did use teamwork, began reading his first Icha-Icha novel.
Kushina, after a good dose of ramen, decided to stroll by the training grounds her daughter was going to be, to assist to a scene that made her lose all semblance of calm.
Kakashi was reading his perverted books, and that was the usual. He was reading them with Naruto, next to him, who was doing the same, and he too had a slight blush, but seemed otherwise perfectly interested in them. The two of them had those same identical chuckling grins, and she…
The rattling of the chains was warning enough for Kakashi to take away his book, but not for Naruto, who got the book pierced and smashed and torn into smithereens by Kushina's chakra chains, while the owner of said chains stood, furious, looking at the two.
"Debased pervert…closet pervert…corrupter…I'M KILLING YOU!" as Kakashi started to run away, Naruto sighed, moving closer to the wooden poles, and untying the three Genins, of which only Katsumi was crying for her loss, Sakura was fine as long as she was with Sasuke-kun, and Sasuke was simply going to appeal to the Hokage about how impractical and unfair it clearly was…he was the last of the Uchiha! He had to pass!
"I'm sorry…" Katsumi muttered, "We couldn't pass this year…but next year, I'm going to catch up to you, Naruto-kun!"
"Yeah Katsumi-chan! Let's train even harder!" Sakura replied, raising her right fist, "and then, we'll have a rematch with you one day." Naruto raised a puzzled eyebrow in a perplexed look, and then turned to Sasuke, who rolling his eyes muttered.
"For what it matters…I'm going to train too." Naruto sighed: yeah…he had to buy Icha-Icha now.
"You all passed."
"huh?" Katsumi and Sakura queried, as Sasuke's eyes jolted in surprise.
"The purpose was not to get the bell," Kuro spoke slowly slithering out of Naruto's right arm, "the purpose was to work as a team," Kuro got on Naruto's head, standing up above the other three Genins heads, forcing them to look *up* to him, "to understand that those who abandon their mission are scums, but those who abandon their teammates are worse than scum. Alone, you stand no chances. Do you understand now? There was no two passing and one failing, as teams are made of three ninjas, not two. You'd either all pass or all fail…but you didn't know it."
"Then why no eating breakfast?" Sakura queried, she was on a diet too, meaning she didn't even eat dinner the night before.
"Because you need to see underneath the underneath," Naruto said, "it's easy to think directly, difficult to think in other ways, think about it: you're going for a fight and you go there hungry? No, only idiots do that, smart people inform themselves beforehand, find the true strength and weakness of their adversary and use it to their advantage."
"Naruto-kun…what level are you, in strength?" as Katsumi queried that, trying to see how high to set the bar, Naruto chuckled.
"There is no level in strength, Katsumi-chan," for once, the fact that he had used her name made her…slightly blush, "even the strongest of Jounins can fall to the weakest of Genins, depending on the advantages of the terrain, the luck factor, the skill, the affinities and so on…all without accounting that one might simply be caught by surprise by another. That's the point…*Gennin, Chuunin, Jounin, Anbu, Kage* are but titles, worthless if there isn't strength to back them up."
As he spoke, Kuro snickered.
"What?"
"You sound old."
"Ehi you…I'm trying to act Sensei-ish!" Naruto pouted.
"You'd be a great sensei…closet pervert." Kuro replied, chuckling and laughing out hard.
"Well, Ichiraku? I was kidnapped from there." Naruto replied with a grin, as he turned to move, being actually followed by Katsumi, Sasuke and Sakura.
It's all going according to plan.
You should give pointers to help others, you know?
What do you need?
I've got this really smart guy who doesn't want to set his bird free, the bird tried…
…stop it.
A fox can't dream huh?
Not when it means my death. If it can make you happier, I'll find a way that does not entail my death and I'll set you free.
…not joking?
If you try and make some ruckus in Kumo, I'll be kicking your ass back in place however.
Fine by me…deal?
Deal.
He actually ate heartily, not caring to enter the conversation of the other Genins, but noticing how Katsumi seemed to have something to ask of him, but always stopping moments before, as he left, to go back to his house and wait the right moment for his other *appointment*, he was surprised, when entering his apartment, he found Danzo, there, waiting for him.
"You actually came in person?" Naruto was puzzled, as to why Couch-san, nor the other snakes, had tried to attack him and where, instead, slightly snoring.
"I could have killed them," Danzo pointed that out, "But as I am willing to listen, I did not as a sign of good faith. So, Monster-kun, why didn't you blow up my operatives cover?"
"I want to make a deal with you, Danzo." The old man didn't move, as he lightly tapped on the wooden cane he had, what deal could he offer?
"What is the deal?"
"He can keep following me, and I won't rat him out, I'll also come up with a story as to why he can use *Ink jutsus*, don't think I don't know who he is, furthermore…I know you don't like the current Hokage…and that can change swiftly in your favor, if you want to." Danzo looked at the boy, slowly opening his one eye.
"How?"
"Knowledge is power…it's a sure-proof way to stir a beehive of epic proportions on the Hokage's desk, so big, in fact, that you'd be able to get the place in an instant, with your abilities."
"Hmmm and what do you want in exchange?"
"I'll take my leave from Konoha, become the next Raikage in due time, and keep up the alliance with the *new* Hokage of Konoha…but only if I leave during the Chuunin exams, with the Kumo ninjas."
"And what if A declares war soon afterwards?"
"He won't," Naruto replied, looking at the old man, "I'll stop him by claiming that my Konoha's friends are important to me and that I'll have to defend them…"
"You are playing a dangerous hand, with a dangerous foe, boy…"
"But I'm not the only one Danzo…the Hokage wasted no time in asking me about all your doings in Root, even those your scrolls didn't mention. I will not be talking to him about it…as long as I have your own word."
Danzo…Danzo actually chuckled. There were so many ways he could turn it into his favor, no matter what the boy do, what evil would it be to follow him?
"If I accept, I take it I'll get that news at the Chuunin's exams, right? When it would be too late to change anything, what's the guarantee I won't end up not getting anything?"
"You know full well the people's I care for, your operative knows them too…you'd claim them if I made a mistake, or try a diplomatic mistake on Kumo's part to start a war, there is also Suna and Oto in the examinations…you know that you've got ways to make me pay without me telling them,"
"Smart boy…the day Root lost you was truly a sad day," with that, Danzo stopped in front of Naruto, raising his left hand, the only working one, to shake that of the eleven years old boy.
But depending on the circumstances…I'll claim you back for my purposes…Konoha's perfect weapon.
As Danzo left the room, Naruto sighed in relief, sitting down on Couch-san who just then opened his eyes, the boy had kept his cool until the man had left, but now, now he was covered in sweat.
"I need a shower…" he muttered, as he slowly made his way to the shower, with Kuro slowly slithering to entertain some of the recently hatched *younglings* and narrating the best ways to eat mice.
The hot shower was a sort of Kami-sent, as he washed himself clean, before grabbing a towel to rinse himself off, and as he got back into the living room, he looked surprised, stopping and taking a couple of steps back. There was someone in his kitchen. Katsumi stared at him with a slightly nervous look, sitting at his table, clenching her fists.
"Yes, Katsumi-chan? I'm going out in a while you know?"
"You're the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki, right?" as she queried that, looking at him straight in her eyes, Naruto raised an eyebrow.
"Why do you say that?"
"Mizuki, I try to think at why you'd be in the forest, but I doubt you'd do it because you cared for me, so…you're the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki, the demon, the one that Iruka even taught…you're the Jinchuuriki."
Naruto shrugged.
"So?" he queried, earning a surprised look from Katsumi.
"So? Aren't you afraid I'm going to tell it around? N-Not that I will, but just…" she stuttered, as Naruto shook his head.
"All the adults in Konoha know, the kids don't, it's an S-class secret, you speak, you die, Hokage's orders," the boy said, spatting out the last part, "That's pretty much all there is to say on the matter."
"Well but…Kumo, Konoha…why did you leave Konoha?" Naruto raised an eyebrow.
"Excuse me?"
"Otou-san said that he had wished for the boy who became a Jinchuuriki that day that he'd grow up viewed as a hero by Konoha…why didn't you stay in Konoha?" as Katsumi queried that, Naruto felt the urgent, imminent, need, to slash her neck and bask in her blood.
He didn't, because he'd have to clean the kitchen, dispose of the body, and explain a perverse eternal grin on his face afterwards, so he simply gritted his teeth, and muttered.
"Why don't you grow up, you naïf girl…" he looked at her with a hardened glare, "you think people understand? People are shitty beings made of shitty ideals who half the time spew worthless shit made of even worse things, there is no way someone who lost his family to a monster like the Kyuubi would forgive its container, to him, they are both the same. I lived Four years of my life in the orphanage's cellar, growing up while defending myself from the rats, which were my only friends, and the kicks and the hits of the people around me. The Tenth of October, the day of the Kyuubi's defeat, while you probably had cake and celebrated your birthday, I was FUCKING BURNT ALIVE. Kicked on the ground, hit with rocks, kunais, mobbed by the same people that maybe met you on another alley saying *Oh my, hello there Namikaze-sama! Nice kimono you have there!*" Katsumi's eyes bulged, as they turned watery, placing a hand in front of her mouth to not let out a startled cry, "I had no name but monster or demon, that, to me, was my name, I learnt how to walk because of the rats in the cellar, and got shackled there because of it, when I got a bit of freedom, not much, ONE day of freedom, of a bath, of clothes, then it was taken away once more, for one year I was brutally trained into becoming THE PERFECT WEAPON to defend Konoha, I killed a boy I grew with in cold blood to kill my emotions, I was just FIVE, and then, then I got a mission, that's when a ninja group from Kumo intercepted me, and thinking I was just a civilian, carried me till Kumo, all the while trying to get me to say MY name, that couldn't be Monster, or Demon, NO! I had used my name three times in all my life, all in all, Naruto. Naruto was my fucking name…you know the fun thing? Kumo treats Jinchuuriki like any other normal people. It was nice, seeing the sky, the clouds, seeing people not throwing stuff at me, it took me years to get over all the mental conditioning I suffered through…and then…then on my first mission out of Kumo…your mother decides I'm being brainwashed and that I'm better off BACK IN KONOHA. So get out of here and don't you frigging dare come ever again inside uninvited, asking me a stupid question like that, ever again, DID I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR!"
Katsumi, crying, dashed out of the kitchen, leaving a really pissed Naruto to cool off, as finally, Kuro slithered out from his sleeve to pat, with his tail, at the boys cheek, that had tears running through them.
"It's all fine boy…I'm here, you can cry on my scales. Don't you dare clean your nose on them however!" as Kuro jokingly said that, Naruto nodded. Now wasn't the time for tears…now was the time for steeling oneself. He'd get back to Kumo, no matter the cost or the price.
He'd get back to his family, and he'd do anything, anything he could, to safeguard them all from harm.
As Naruto sat on the couch, drinking a warm cup of milk…his thoughts drifted to Yugito-Oneechan.
*On the road to Takigakure*
"Sensei…are we there yet?" a boy with very thick glasses queried, big castor-like teeth, and a tanned skin, his aspect resembling that of a mole, only boy-sized, with short cut black hair and...maybe he had eyes, but under the glasses it was impossible to see them.
"No, Mogura-kun." (mole)
"Are there now?"
"No."
"Now?"
"Mogura-kun!" a female spoke this time, with dark skin, blue eyes and bright blond hair, she was in the process of going through her nails one more time, "Stop pestering our sensei, she just might start her month…"
"Not another word, Hayari-chan." (fashion)
"Yeah…can we please just be quiet?" the last one, was a guy with dark blue hair, that stood up like a sort of porcupine, his emerald gaze and his fair skin made him a slight rarity in Kumo, since there were few who actually had *blue* hair. He stood tall, probably already done with his growth spurt, but just not quite yet.
"Thank you Shinkansen-kun," (bullet train), "at least someone knows when to speak and when not to," Yugito muttered. She could stand Naruto doing noise, but not the kids. If they made noise, it reminded her of Naruto, if it reminded her of Naruto, she'd start sulking. It wasn't the Genins fault: it was just her, probably, being delusional. It was clear that Naruto would choose Kumo…but what if he didn't? What if no matter what, Konoha managed to brainwash him subtly into accepting Konoha and not Kumo? What if they found some sort of way to force his hand? Like attempt assassination on someone he valued? What if *she* became the cause he couldn't come back home? No, she couldn't leave him alone. She *had* to know if he was really fine. The letter, she had made three carbon copies and kept the original in a box, protected. She made sure Naruto's room remained clean, but untouched, he was going to come back, maybe she'd just change the bed in case of a growth spurt, but that would be it.
As she stood there, lost in thoughts, the caravan she was protecting followed silently: Takigakure would get their supplies, as no bandits would possibly stand a chance against the Nibi Jinchuuriki, especially when in a foul mood.
*Konoha- Next day*
Naruto was lightly snoring, when somebody decided to knock at his door.
He slowly opened an eye and muttering curses to Kami went to the door to open it.
"Hey boy, how are you doing?" Jiraiya had a smile on his face, seconds before seeing the snakes moving around Naruto's house…in complete freedom.
"Fine Jiraiya-san…do you have a letter from Kumo!" Naruto's eyes sparkled with joy as Jiraiya actually was pulled inside by Naruto, just to admire how many snakes there were around.
He was the Toad sage…all this snakes, kind of unnerved him. Looking at the boy's gaze however…it was filled with joy and hope. He wouldn't become another Orochimaru, never.
"Well, yes…why are you here and…" he didn't say anything else, as the boy pressed his face against the old man, without uttering a word.
"Anko-san decided that she had enough of the boy," the voice spoke, it seemed to come from a snake, a black snake, who stood on top of an even bigger snake, who *feigned* being a couch, "so she left him."
"…" Jiraiya had no words, the woman didn't seem like the type to abandon the boy, but then again, the boy did have it tougher than usual.
"So…anyway, want to read the Kumo letter?" Jiraiya said, as Naruto nodded, drying his tears and putting back up a happy smile.
"Here you go champion!" with that, the Sannin handed over the letter to Naruto, "The Raikage also sends you over these things, since you spoke about having a snake called Shiro, he thought you'd like…" the words died in his mouth, as he took out two polished white armguards, which had small holes, to fit in the pocket knives and probably senbon needles too, with the Kumo symbol on it, "something matching…the snake is black however,"
Naruto, meanwhile, was reading the letter, cringing deep inside at what was written.
Son, everyone wanted to write you a letter, so, as Jiraiya was convinced by Yugito to stop, we all decided to write it on the same scroll, to make it easier.
First is your Otou-san, who's proud of you! Show them the pride and the honor of the Kumo ninjas, and accept no charity from the Konoha's. I must say I look forward to meeting this *Anko-chan*, to personally thank her for taking care of you. Be strong, my son.
Darui here…cool that you're fine. Keep doing Kenjutsu even without me around, remember…you have to pierce the enemy and then talk, not vice-versa. Stay safe.
Yo', B's got the microphone, I'm holding from rapping, and that's sapping, but I'll do it for my bro, so prepare to give me a fist-bro, cause if when I come around you ain't punching my punch around I'll be going mad I swear and something I'll have to tear! Keep up the rhyming bro!
Here's C. Remember that medical Ninjutsu requires excellent chakra control, without a proper teacher, it might require time and even then without someone who can point out mistakes it might take even more. Try and memorize first and foremost stabbing and burn treatments, as they are the most common. Remember to go around with first-aid kits.
Do you know how worried I am? Do you know it? Huh? You're making your Oneechan worried, you…you'd better be safe, because when I'm coming to Konoha I'm going to cuddle you to death and then slap you to death, stay safe, eat vegetables, be careful of stranger, if they're mistreating you know that I'm going to burn them alive and throw their ashes…whatever happens, stay safe, I'll definitively come during the Chuunin exams, don't worry, I'll be there, and we'll catch up, I promise, I swear. Be there…please be safe.
What followed were the signatures, and Naruto, carefully re-read the letter repeatedly, silently nodding that he'd be a good boy, and he'd be safe until they'd get to Konoha, that was his promise.
"Shiro died, protecting Naruto-san from being killed by an explosive tag thrown by *that boy*." Jiraiya's eyes narrowed down.
"Naruto…please tell me everything that happened…"
"Naruto-san cannot talk, some things are secret that he cannot reveal. I on the other hand am an animal…well, I could explain while Naruto-san goes to get his first mission from the *bastard*" Naruto nodded, in silence.
"Thanks Kuro, you're a friend!" with that, Naruto dressed quickly and left, while Kuro took his time to explain everything he knew, or had been told about in detail.
By the time he had finished, Jiraiya stood up, actually allowing the black snake to go on his shoulder, going against every principle a toad sage actually had, and then dashing like a hurricane towards the Hokage's office.
Minato looked at the group that had entered, his wife, his kid, the Yakumo girl he had helped by sealing away her evil demon, the boy that Danzo had required to be placed in the team with Naruto for safe-checking, and yet, as he handed out their very first D-mission, catch Tora the cat of the Daimyo, someone broke straight through the window, as a black snake flew into Naruto's arms, disappearing swiftly into his own jacket, and Jiraiya held Minato by the neck of his Hokage's vest.
"You…are coming with me, NOW!" Throwing Minato out of the window, Jiraiya turned his gaze to Kushina and yelled.
"I'm coming for you next, first I make your husband see reason, but then it's your turn!" with that, the toad sage jumped off the broken window, as cries and battle noises echoed thorough Konoha.
Naruto, with the most innocent face ever possible, whistled as he said.
"So…let's go catch the cat?"
Author's notes
…Another chapter rolls by…since it's filler (time skip is the next one) I hope you enjoy it never the less, as it's more light-hearted than the others.
Q&A
Asa usa&el frijolero: Update hath come.
Tamult: I portrayed Kurama as a sort of fidgety thing, but whose willing to discover new stuff, and I'm also joking on the fact that it holds the same last name as the name of the Kyuubi...(related? Who knows) Well, the Chuunin exam *is* going to be something to remember, trust me…dark clouds are rising.
Narutoisdabomb: Who knows, timeskip will probably be next chapter…probably.
Ezcap1st: I just went with Aniki=brother, though maybe I could have gone with Otouto…I think. Orochimaru never planned in canon to take over Konoha, just destroy it. As long as that's done…who cares about how? And yeah, it's psycho family time.
Dragonskyt: Shit isn't real yet, real shit comes in packs!
Lumpeyeone: Well, not with knuckles, two wind chakra enhanced pocket knives were fine? Can I ask why you almost stopped reading? Was it the sad plot, the writing or something else?
Angeldoctor: Loves knows no bounds…not even in madness! (Kind of like the…Yandere type, right?)
Therealroyboy: More like she's portrayed like a woman who *lost it* twice, lived with guilt of not being able to protect her son, and now has a second chance that not even Kami is going to take away from her, no matter what, who, or where. And Minato, I don't hate him, and it's not *bashing* him, it's just…I overexagerated his egoism, and the result was this. Hope I answered them all
MChief20PL: I don't actually know. Seriously, what my Muse, and the characters, decide, depends on their whims…I'm just the hand that taps on the keyboard the story, the rest is up to them…(I hate their fickleness too, trust me)
Gin: THHHAAANKKKSSSSS!
Narutorasatard: who knows…certainly it's going to be fun!
Mzr90: Action brings reaction, the law of physic is unchangeable…who knows what will happen…(though no, Kushina doesn't know about the *torture* part…yet.)
Ps: for the letter thing, Jiraiya took more time than needed to get *to Konoha* so that's why Kumo thinks he's going to get back with a letter *soon* when in truth it won't…(A Cat is going to be really angry)
The three Yugito's Genins *show-skill* will be seen in … the next chapter! Probably, unless death claims me for being a heart-rending bastard...