Chapter 12: Testament Of Faith

Jiraiya found Tsunade in her office at the Hokage Tower & for once, she was actually doing some work. Even Shizune looked stunned at seeing her master preoccupied with her duties as the Godaime Hokage.

"Well this is a surprise." Jiraiya commented, leaning against the wall as he obeserved his long-time friend in amusement. "I never thought I'd see the day that you'd take your job so seriously, Tsunade."

Tsunade glares at her fellow sanin as she stamps the papers in her pile one after the other. "If you came here just to laugh at me pervert, I'll knock you into next week."

Jiraiya raises both hands in front of him, as if warding off her attack. "Woah, easy. All I'm saying is I'm just not used to seeing you so busy at work." He said with a smile.

"At least I'm doing some REAL work. Can you say the same for yourself doing those perverted novels?" Tsunade shot back.

"Hey!" Jiraiya protested. "I'll have you know that it's also hard work trying to think of bestsellers like those." Jiraiya defended himself.

"Yeah right. I'll bet.." Tsunade mutters then studies Jiraiya. "In any case, you're not here for just a social visit are you?"

Jiraiya's expression suddenly turns serious as he nods gravely. "I'm afraid so. We've got a situation with our nine tailed friend."

Shizune looks fearful, knowing the implication of Jiraiya's statement. Tsunade herself scowls at this & stops whatever she was doing & steeples her fingers together. "Explain." She demanded.

And that Jiraiya did. He repeated Naruto's encounter with Kyubi & explained the deal that his student made with the nine tailed demon.

After Jiraiya delivered his report, Tsunade looked thoughtful as she mentally considered her options. In her capacity as Hokage, she could ask ANBU to keep watch over Naruto 24/7, but she wasn't really into the idea of commiting that much resources for nothing. She could also order Naruto's incarceration for the village's safety. But then again, if what Jiraiya said was true then she seriously doubt that any form of confinement was enough to contain her 'little brother".

"Besides, that brat has a unique gift of influencing people positively. I wouldn't be surprised if he was able to do the same with Kyubi." She thought with a smile.

Tsunade makes her decision.

"If Naruto said that he's got it under control, then lets leave him be for now." Tsunade stated. Jiraiya was about to say something but Tsunade cuts him off. "Let me finish Jiraiya. I would like you to monitor his 'condition' from time to time & give me your reports. I'll also have Sakura check on him on a day to day basis but you'll be in charge of his overall welfare."

"How troublesome." Jiraiya mutters, scratching his head. "But I guess that it can't be helped, can it?"

"Don't worry so much Jiraiya. I trust the kid's judgement on this one." Tsunade said with a smile then adds. "You should have a little more faith in him too, you know?"

Jiraiya turns to leave & perches on the window sill. But before he leaves, he answers. "Funny thing is, I DO have faith in him. And frankly speaking, that scares the hell outta me." He then leaps off, leaving Tsunade wondering what he had meant by his last statement.

(Meanwhile)

"At least the exercises are getting easier now." Naruto comments, holding a leaf in his hand & concentrates chakra on it.

After he had rested for a bit, Naruto continued his elemental training. Sakura had drawn up a new set of exercises for him for his wind element affinity & one of them involved trying to split a leaf with his chakra.

Watching Naruto while she was doing her own elemental exercises, Hinata couldn't help but be amazed by Naruto's sudden display of reliable control over the 2 chakra sources within his body. She herself knew how difficult it was how to develop good control over chakra since she had to work hard to attain it.

She then turns her attention to the exercise she was doing. It involved trying to draw moisture from the surrounding area with her chakra & concentrating it above her palm. Doing the difficult exercise reminded Hinata of her childhood when she first started her own training.

"So how are you doing over here Hinata?" Naruto's voice suddenly asks her. So focused was she in her exercise that she did not notice Naruto come up to her. Surprised at his sudden appearance, Hinata lost her concentration & the small ball of water that she was forming in her hand had lost it's stability & dispersed.

"Oh, sorry 'bout that. Did I disturb you?" Naruto asks with concern.

"N-No. It's alright." Hinata assures him. "I was about to take a break anyways." She said as she sat down & opened the basket besides her. "Take a seat Naruto Kun. I brought some refreshments for us."

"That's great Hinata Chan." Naruto said with a foxy smile as he sat down besides her. "I'm starving."

Hinata giggles softly at her boyfriend's antics. She then looks over to where Sakura was doing her training & calls out to her. "Sakura San, lets take a little breather for a bit."

From her position further away from the pair, Sakura had been doing her own exercise of trying to pulverize a rock with her chakra without actually touching it when Hinata called out to her. She walks over to her friends & takes a seat as well. "Thanks Hinata." Sakura stated gratefully.

Truth be told, Sakura was having a hard time with her exercises, not because she was having trouble controlling her chakra but because she was having trouble pumping out enough chakra to completely pulverize the rock without her fist making actual contact.

Hinata acknowledges Sakura's thanks with a shy smile & opens the basket she had with her. Inside was an assortment of onigiris (rice balls) which she had made early in the morning in various shapes, colors & flavors. Naruto eagerly picks up an orange foxhead onigiri while Sakura takes a petal shaped reddish onigiri.

"Mmmm... Dish ish guud." Naruto said around his mouthful of onigiri which he discovered was curry flavored with chicken fillings.

"Mind your manners Naruto." Sakura admonishes Naruto. "Hasn't anyone ever taught you NOT to talk while your mouth is full?" Sakura had to admit though, Hinata's cooking was pretty good. She was enjoying the teriyaki flavored onigiri with unagi (eel) fillings which she had gotten.

"I-It's alright Sakura San." Hinata said, nibbling on her own plain onigiri which was simply mixed with salmon flakes. "It's just us around here so I don't really mind."

"No way." Sakura said firmly. "Someone has to hammer some manners into this blockhead." She said, knocking Naruto lightly upside the head.

"Ouch." Naruto grumbles as he swallows his food. "Alright, alright. No need to get violent about it Sakura Chan."

"In any case..." Naruto said as he finished off his onigiri. "...As I was asking Hinata Chan a while ago, how are your training coming along?"

"It was a little difficult at first." Hinata admitted. "But I think it's going quite well."

"Same here. I was having trouble with my exercises at first..." Sakura stated. "...But I think I'm starting to get the hang of it."

"Good to know." Naruto said as he stood up & walked towards the side, seemingly deep in thought. Hinata gets up & follows her boyfriend. "Is something the matter, Naruto Kun?" She asks, with concern.

Naruto turns around & looks at Sakura & Hinata. "Look guys, I appreciate your help for the past few weeks. But from this point on, the training I'm planning to do to develop the new jutsu will involve Kyubi. It'll get a little dangerous if you guys continue hanging around me for that period & I'd rather not get you guys involved in my personal issues."

At first, both girls did not answer. After a few moments, Hinata simply walks towards Naruto & embraces him. "I've told you before Naruto Kun, you'll never be alone again. As much as I'm able to, I'll be there for you." Hinata stated, resting her head in his chest.

"Hinata's right." Sakura said, stepping up. "No matter what happens, we're in this together. I'm sure if the others knew about this, they'll feel the same way." She continued, referring to the Rookie 9 & Team Gai.

"We trust you Naruto Kun. We believe that you'll never let anything or anyone control your actions." Hinata said with confidence.

"And if there is, we'll be there to make sure it's kept in line." Sakura adds, obviously referring to Kyubi.

"Thank you." Naruto said, then adds mentally. "You hear that Kyubi?"

"I HEARD KIT." Kyubi replied. "IT'S NOT LIKE SHE REALLY COULD, BUT SHE'S GOT SOME GUTS FOR SAYING SO ANYWAYS." Naruto could almost see the feral smile on the demon's features.

"So shall we continue on with the training?" Naruto asks. Both kunoichis nods in agreement & all 3 stands up to continue with their exercises.

(Meanwhile, in Orochimaru's lair)

"That miserable traitor. After all that I've given to him…" Orochimaru hisses in anger as he stares at the body of his late 2nd in command, Kabuto.

When Kabuto did not appear during their weekly meeting, Orochimaru had become suspicious & had sent people to search for his fellow Konoha renegade. He had become even more enraged upon learning that his supposed new body which was that of the also ex Konoha shinobi, Uchiha Sasuke, was no longer in the laboratory.

After much difficulty, they found the body of Kabuto within the secret room of his laboratory which had a vat similar to the one that Sasuke was in. And judging from the hole in Sasuke's vat & the one in Kabuto's chest, Orochimaru was able to piece together the event which had transpired.

Orochimaru's next vessel had killed Kabuto & escaped.

He didn't care much for Kabuto since, from the looks of things here, had been maintaining a secret project here. Orochimaru didn't know the exact purpose of the personal project, but he was sure that Kabuto had meant to betray him once it had been completed.

Too bad he couldn't save his 2nd in command's scientific brilliance. He would have to assign somebody else to take over Kabuto's works & study his notes for anything useful.

His current & more pressing problem is finding a suitable, alternate vessel for his mind. Orochimaru knew that he still had some candidates left confined in cells within his lair. But none of them will ever be as ideal as the body he had carefully cultivated & strengthened like Sasuke's had been.

"He will pay for this dearly." He vowed to himself as he started walking towards the cells of his other 'experiments'.

Author's Notes: Ok guys, chapter 12 is now done. It isn't as long as my other chapters but I do hope you like it. Next chapter, we'll be jumping to a month after the events of this chapter & see the debut of Naruto's new technique so look out for that. Peace out & pls. R&R.