A/N: The third and last story I posted last minute to apologize for the lateness on this story. This is the last chapter before Naruto/Fu have their first encounter and the story can really take off. Enjoy everyone and again thank you for being patient and supporting it.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto (But if I did, I'm sure NaruFu would be an actual thing)


The sealing technique was more difficult to do first hand rather than how it read. The readings taught the basic way how to draw out the seal and how the chakra was to be fed into the seal itself but actually doing it seemed more troubling for the Jinchuriki to accomplish. The main key that was needed, something she lacked, was a form of calligraphy. The neat strokes and expert penmanship made seals that much easier for the chakra to flow through the ink.

Fu had been attempting to creating a container seal since her leave of the hospital. Her arm still wrapped up in a gauze sleeve but it didn't stop her in her attempts to further herself from her mission tomorrow, despite the warnings from Ichuru. Fortunately, she received good treatment from her teammate but it still proved hindering results to her training. Her left hand, despite being her dominate arm, was not as artistic as her right when it came to elegant strokes but her right hand was still numb from the special pain killer that doubled as an antiseptic to clean and dull the pain. Sealing techniques were proving themselves to being an eluding trick to learn in her current state.

"Gah, Chomei this is too hard," she whined. "Why did I even bother trying to pick this up on such short notice?"

"Because you want this Uzumaki to notice you right away, remember. Besides you have excellent chakra control, stunning jutsu that covers a wide field of elements, close to using a kekkei genkai level technique and lastly a Jinchuriki to boot. I think you should have no trouble with this guy."

"I just wanted us to have a technique in common. Even if mine is just the training level. I read in a book once good friendship bonds are made through learning something similar together."

"Not everything can be understood through books. Most things in life are learned through experience. This should be no different."

"And when did you become so wise?"

"I actually enjoyed talking with my brother Son Goku, the Four-Tails."

She would not give up learning this type of technique though. She put too much time and effort in to getting it, even though it was handed to her, to just give up and walk away. It wasn't her style to just leave things how they were and run from it. No, this technique would be hers before the Uzumaki arrived.

The sheets of paper littered the floor of her home so much that the wooden surface could be easily unnoticed by passersby, if Fū ever had any. All the papers having ink traced over them with similar patterns of circles with characters overlapping the ocular pattern, save the few with ink smears of some characters dragging along the page and splotches of excess ink, shredded papers piling in bins and crumbled balls stacking up in the corners of her home. The amount of patience required to do something that was to be so simplistic seemed to be on the verge of impossible for the young girl.

Any type of seal she thought to be perfect, would prove to be worthless when she would apply her chakra to the seal. At first nothing would happen because the seal had not been neat enough to flow into. Other times the ink would just drip off the paper from underneath due to being too heavy with the brush but now she was back at square one doing sad attempts with the sealing calligraphy. She would be lying if she said it was fun but she was getting closer to her goal. She knew it.

"Chomei, I finally got it down."

"Oh, this I have to see to believe."

"It took pain staking hours but I got the pattern down. Now I should be able to pump chakra into it."

"I honestly thought you already sealed something. That's what I get for overestimating you again."

"You say that now but if I got this right, then I'll be able to just pop something in here."

With the paper present, she placed her palm over the center and poured her chakra into to ink. Feeling it flow through like water down a drain invigorated the Jinchuriki as she felt it was a job well done. The ink radiated a calming blue but proceeded to grow brighter into a blinding white. The book did not cover what to do after the part of flowing chakra to it.

"Is it suppose to do this?"

"Get rid of it Larva, now!"

The seal was crumbled into a ball and thrown out the closest window Fu could see. The wad turned red and exploded in midair with an incredible shockwave to follow. It was both a beautiful but terrifying sight to experience.

"What the shit, these things can explode?"

"What did you expect? You're pumping chakra into it to work like a battery. To open and close the seal at will. Not enough chakra will prevent it from opening for use. Too much however and you'll over load it making it go boom. So, you have to put the right amount of chakra each time."

"Why didn't you tell me before I overloaded it?"

"I thought it would be a good learning experience."

A learning experience or not, it was something think about. One wrong more or even the tiniest bit of chakra could be dire, leading to serious injury, if not death. The fact that the Uzumaki had it down to an art fascinated her even more to have it down. Chakra usage was the key and her experience in summoning contracts made things slightly easier despite being in two different games. Summons require chakra depending on what is needed to summon. While sealing on the other hand needed chakra to open and close the door to release or place objects of any size or magnitude. At least control was something added to the list of requirements she was capable of.

"Hey Fu I know what I wanna bet?"

"About time. It'll give my hand a rest. What's the bet?"

"All of it."

"E-Excuse me," Fu stuttered. "What do you mean by-"

"Just that. All my chips are on the table. If you get one thing sealed by sunrise, then it's all yours. Now and forever, until the day you die. Pure chakra straight from the honeycomb."

"And if I can't?"

"Same rules apply. I get every ounce of your chakra. Now and forever. Until. You. Die."

The stakes of the bet were the very definition of drastic but were necessary to push her drive to its absolute limits. Despite the odds, she would take it for the near impossible goal of obtaining a close to infinite chakra supply. Not to mention that the chakra would always come freely with no strings attached. What Jinchuriki would turn that down?

"You're on."

Chomei chuckled to himself thinking about the possible outcomes of his decision. He slipped back into his space and let his mind roam to let his host practice in peace. All his thoughts though were of Fu. All of them from the difficult times they spent together, to the first time they had ever meant. Most of them were memories he treasured, although he would never admit it. The Seven-Tails recalled his very first memory with her.

-X-

The mentalscape the Seven-Tails resided in by force was no better than the last one. Dark with almost no visibility beyond his sealed cage. The floor flooded by water made it unbearable for Chomei to crawl around on the ground without getting water in his mouth. The water was also not very pleasant to taste either. No trees in sight to boot just ruble and rocky pillars. The silence wasn't inviting but instead almost maddening with only an echo to talk to. Sleep was the only thing to past the time he knew as eternity.

"Whoa you're big."

"Who's interrupting my sleep."

With his sleep now interrupted, he scanned his prison to spot a little girl. Probably no older than a six-year-old standing in water up to her waist. Her hair a light shade of green like mint, her eyes orange like fresh sap or honey. She was a fresh sight for the eyes despite being human.

"Me," said the girl. "I'm Fū and it's nice to meet you. I'm not dreaming though am I?"

"You're in your mentalscape. Where your inner thoughts and I, unfortunately, reside until the time of your death."

"Cool didn't know I had one of those. What's your name?"

"Get lost."

"Doesn't sound like a good name to have. 'Getlost.' Let's give you a better one. How about Bugsy?"

Chomei not being amused by the girl's antics, used his own chakra to overwhelm hers to force her out of the mentalscape. She fought it but it was in vain as the shockwave rippled through the water pushing her toward the darkness of the prison. As quick as the girl appeared before the Seven-Tails, she was out just as quick.

"Brat thinks she can insult me with pet names. Had this stupid cage seal not prevent me from doing so I would have eviscerated her."

"So, as I was saying do you like the name?"

The sudden reemergence of Fu wasn't something the Tailed-Beast wanted, let alone expected. Even his former hosts did not pop in and out once they were forced out by his will. So how did a child do it with ease?

"How did you get back here so easily?"

"Dunno. I just did what I did before to pop up here. If you don't like the name I can make hundreds more."

"Did I finally die? A way found to kill a Tailed-Beast? With this being my purgatory. To be forced to hear a child mock me 'til the end of time."

The days pasted and it was the same as all the others. Fu would return everyday around the same time. Well he assumed it was the same time as he had no concept of time within his prison. Although it did take some time, he was slowly warming up to her. He even knew how most of her stories went.

"Hey Seven-Tails, I'm back."

"Oh, goody what reveling tale do you have this time?"

"You're actually happy with my stories. I knew it."

"I was being facetious. Piss off."

"Don't be so moody all the time. You'll love this one."

"Let me guess. 'She went 'oh no' and he was like 'yeah' and everything went boom.' That about sums up your story?"

"My stories are nothing like that. My stories are-"

"Exactly. Like. That. I've heard. All. Of them. And they are all like that. Lie about your stories and spice them up a bit. I might even be more inclined to listen."

"Maybe if you had some exciting tales to share for once, it wouldn't be so one way. Then again I doubt you have ever had fun."

"Are you trying to attack my vanity? Get under my shell to entice a story?" He thought for a moment. "You know what, what the hell. I have a story or two. Just to show you how exciting a life is 'suppose' to be."

Over time he grew fonder of her company. Despite bothering him day after day, he was beginning to enjoy her presence. She was far more enjoyable than his last few hosts. More interested in his opinion in matters, would ask for his help in silly things to involve himself in her more personal affairs, but he was simply glad that this one hadn't shut him out like the others. Someone to talk to.

"She's late."

The mindscape was something it hadn't been in years. The place was silent as it had been so long ago. The routines became the norm for Chomei so the sudden disappearance of his Jinchuriki was unusual. It was almost depressing without the sudden conversations they would have. The sight of green hair and orange eyes was the only thing the Seven-Tails grew interested in seeing throughout the day. He didn't want to admit it but he was beginning to miss her despite being missing for a short period of time.

"Calm down. This isn't the first but she always comes at this exact time to talk to me about her day or some goofy stunt she pulled off."

A strange feeling overcame the Seven-Tails. One he only heard about from his host and now he believed empathy played a part in his new found feeling. The feeling of loneliness. He just wanted the occasional laugh when he would call out Fu on her stories when she would lie. Her face scrunching up, face turning a shade of red and her body stiffening up. He had fun with the talks they had. Enjoyment was a rare commodity he got throughout his time but when he had his host's attention, he savored every precious moment. In an odd way, Chomei was upset but not because of his imprisonment. He was upset because Fu was late for their usual meetings. Conversation seemed to affect his performance like an addict without their fix. It became addicting and the Seven-Tails craved it more than freedom.

"I could just…talk to her through the scape. I mean she would her it," The Seven-tails shook his head. "No what are you thinking, Chomei. She's our jailer and a prisoner should never be friends with the one who locked them up."

His sighs of boredom only brought aggravation as his echoes bounced back to him. He had forgot just how lonely it was without her around. If he was being honest to himself, he just wanted something to do but conversations were the only thing he could do. He had fun with the controversial arguments they would have from time to time, mention the places Chomei once saw during his freedom and the favorite things the two would enjoy eating. The different tastes the two had were very far from similar. Honey compared to rotting tree bark, meat to small insects and lo mein to sugar water.

"Hey Fu. Are you there?"

For the first time in years Fu remained silent to The Seven-Tails voice. Usually the water would ripple afterwards signaling the jailers presence but the waters just as still as the silence. Then to throw salt in the wound, his voice echoed back almost like the void taunted him.

"Fine it's not like I wanted to talk to you anyway."

After just a few moments of his words, the sounds of splashing brought the attention of the Biju toward the darkness. A sight for sore eyes to the Seven-Tails. She wasn't the six-year-old he first saw but a young woman with those bright orange orbs that Chomei swore could purify hate, she grew her minty hair out to her shoulders, a piece of advice she asked the beast if he would like, her height boomed not as much as he would have thought. Whether she was five foot two or somehow shot up to six feet tall, she would always be his shortstop. The one thing she sported differently was a blue cloth wrapped around her bicep and clamped to it, the Waterfall Village insignia.

"Sorry for my lateness Mr. Seven. I had to take an exam but check it," Fu exclaimed pointing at her headband. "A full-time ninja now. Isn't that awesome. Maybe now I'll have some exciting stories to share."

"Goodie."

Her excitement brought contentment to the Seven-tails as he watched her jump around in the water. A simple response of satisfaction sparked so much happiness in his host and it reminded him of the innocence of youth. Something he wouldn't want to see leave her and if he could keep her to himself, young and so free of the horrors that plagued the world, he would do so. He knew that he would not be able to but he would comfort her and be by her side if no one else would be. It wasn't close to the freedom he sought for but to him, it was a trade worth just as much.

As she got older, her time as a ninja robbed him of their precious talking hours. She spent more time studying and training her jutsu rather than making up stories or asking him to help her with question or what he would do in certain situations. The Seven-Tails felt left out as she would even shut him out when she would do written exams when he would try to help her remember the answers. To be so close then pushed away so quickly after the years they spent building up their bond, it felt criminal.

It wasn't all bad though. They did share one thing together although it was a one-way street most of the time. Fu, on her days off from training and exams, would go to a new structure Taki put up to bring a new source of entertainment for its residents. A small movie gallery showing the occasional release.

"I hear that the movie gallery has some new releases. A new actress named, Yuki Fujikaze seems to becoming very popular. Wanna go see it?"

"As long as it's not another one of your cheesy romance films."

"Come on they're good. People seeing past the others flaws to simply be together. Remind you of someone?"

"If, by chance, you are implying us, then I would have to question your preference of lovers."

"Seriously though," she asked. "We can be friends. You've been a part of me for quite some time now. The least we could do is get along."

"The sheer fact that I take time out of my busy day to speak to you openly is enough."

"Busy my behind. What do you do that's so productive?"

"You'd be surprised."

The insects nesting in the forests of Takigakure's village were vast. From countless ants that burrowed widespread tunnels below the streets to the different species of beetles that crawled around freely and peeled bark of nearby trees to suckle sap or eat smaller bugs. Spiders tugging sensitive strings to weave traps set up for sustenance and a place to be away from the troubled below, bees covered in pollen from the blooming flowers of spring buzzing ready to make honey and jelly for their queen before the winter seasons came.

It wasn't just insects Chomei would pay attention to but the people that walked by. The dark gazes that burned a hole through his host, the body languages that differentiated from arm crossing to defend the center by woman to the body shakes from men that desired to lunge at his container. Despite being in his current state, he could protect her by other means.

The insects served more of a purpose than a form of study. With chakra, he could sense the hormones of humans through the eyes of his loyal, little servants. Just like how insects use pheromones to communicate or state their moods, humans had similar bodily reactions. Ectohormones in company would alert the Seven-Tails of the cloud of anxiety when Fu would walk into a room, spikes of adrenaline when her attitude would get defensive about subjects and that was just some of them. He was constantly on alert for any kind of threat and the normal olfactory system of the human body gave away small details on who to watch for.

Other than movies, the duo would find fun things to keep interests. The two came up with a fun idea to challenge Fu to improve herself in a short amount of time with satisfying rewards. Not to mention a bit of excitement to look forward to during those long waits when she would be training.

"Wanna make a bet?"

"A bet?"

"Yeah I say I can do something and we both wager something if I can or can't do it."

"I'm not sure if you've noticed but if you look around your mindscape, I have nothing of value to bet."

"You do have one thing to offer."

"My chakra."

"You said it not me. So, what do you say?"

The idea of gambling was something new to him as he saw it as only a human thing to indulge in. What did the Seven-Tails really have to lose had he allowed Fu to drag him into her shenanigans? A small amount of chakra in exchange for some excitement watching his Jinchuriki do crazy things and leap through hoops. Sounded like fun so why not.

"What's the bet?"

"I have to use a jutsu outside my element affinity by three days. If I can do it, I get some chakra from you."

"Fine but if you can't, I'll take chakra from you to the point you must remain bedridden for a week."

The bets they made over the first couple of months were fun. Their first bet started off with the use of jutsu not being Water Style where Fu came out the victor using a Wind Style technique. She was award, at the time, a week's worth of chakra. Chomei won a few bets made to have his chakra returned to him. He bet Fu could not use two types of Release at once by one week time. Water and Wind were Fu's choice but in the end, she couldn't use the two together properly. Thus, making the Biju the winner. He usually had luck when it came to the bets but he did have the lucky number seven in his title after all.

After all the bets, sharing stories of the past together and swapping opinions, something came over him that he thought he would never share with a human. Words that slipped through his mouth that only his fellow Biju and father had heard out loud. He gave Fu his name.

"Chomei. My name is Chomei."

"After all this time, you finally tell me. I honestly didn't think you had one. I actually gave up with it about a year after we first met."

"I figured I may as well. You show more interest in my well-being than the last ones have. So consider this a thank you for all the fun times."

Since his birth and the separation of the beasts, he never once told anyone his name. Something his other hosts lacked the privilege to know but Fu was something different to him. He couldn't put his finger on it but it was a warm feeling. Like a familiar face, he hadn't seen for a long time or finding something thought to be lost forever.

Even though Chomei did have some fun times with Fu, all of his memories were not good. His own self promise broken due to an unexpected outburst. To keep that pure smile of hers shining always taken away and left with tears and a hollow broken girl.

"Chomei!"

The silence of her mentalscape echoing with sobs and screams. Her hyperventilating stirred the beast from its slumber as he splashed around on the ground in a hurry to get airborne. Writhing like a fish being pulled out of the water, he skipped along the surface of the waves to reach the seal's cage door with a crying Fu, for once, on his side of the cage.

Chomei had no idea what to do in his current situation. He wrapped his tail around her upper torso picking her up out of the water and rocked her like a baby. It was the first thing he could think of. A stupid idea once he thought about it and placed her upon one of his mandibles to see her a bit closer.

"What? What is it? You're crying. What's the matter?"

"My head's all fucked up, isn't it?"

"Where did this come from? Just this morning you were so ecstatic about your first C-rank mission. Now your crying on the floor."

"I b-bl-black-cked out and f-for-for-got the en-en-entire day prior," Fu cried out wiping her tears away with her sleeve. "My s-stu-pid condi-tion made me hu-hurt my t-team team-mates."

"You blacked out? I'm sorry Fu. I'm trying to help you with these problems Fu. I really am but I can only do so much."

"I know," she said finally in control of her breathing. "I was told that this might prevent me from doing any other missions higher than D-rank. What kind of ninja can't do a simple C-rank."

"Well then let's fix that. With some training, memory exercises and some of that doctor juice they give you, we can fix it. Together."

"Promise?"

"I promise. No matter what I'll be by your side. My larva."

For once in his existence he would say his host, his jailer, the one person he wanted dead when he first met, was now his first human friend. Someone he would cherish. It would be hard but he would do what he had to when it involved her condition. And to tie their bond, he did to her what she tried to do to him. Her nickname "Larva."

-X-

"Chomei, the sun is coming up."

"That it is larva. So let's discuss how we're going to make those payment arrangements."

"You're right."

It was small but she had in her hand a square piece of paper no bigger that her palm. The sealing diagram was neat with the characters traced over one another overlapped by a circle. The ink turned from a black to a shade of blue that could be described like a clear summer sky or a clean sapphire. The seal puffed into smoke and a kunai now held the seal between it and her hand. A deep breath of satisfaction arose from Fu followed with her trademark smile that Chomei knew so well.

"I'd like it in full if possible."

Laughter filled the mindscape from the Seven-Tails. In all his days, he had never seen a human with such drive, so much potential but of all else, a human that filled him with so much pride. He would never admit it but Chomei was bursting with happiness. Swaying his mass side to side not caring that he was hitting the sides of his net like seal with his tail and wings. Fu, the Jinchuriki of Chomei, the Seven-Tails, was the only human being he would consider his true host, his one and only ally and most importantly his closest friend. Something he cherished other than himself.

"You got it."