Sitting on a Rooftop,
It's a bit like magic
Naruto has never been credited with being overly intelligent. To be honest, in the past people mostly thought he was just plain stupid, which isn't entirely accurate. Sure he isn't one for book learning, he'll be the first to admit that. It's boring and it just isn't enough to hold his attention for very long. Most of the time that is, if he has a good reason he'll force himself to pay attention for long enough. He doesn't like it and it's still boring and it's always a struggle, but sometimes it's necessary.
This doesn't make him stupid though or mean that he's not good at learning things. No, he's just always learnt better by doing.
He knows now that he wasn't really stupid, just too energetic and impulsive to be able to sit quietly in a classroom and pay attention. And it's not like anyone cared enough to help him or figure that out. Nowadays he's learned some restraint, he's had to, but he's still more likely to throw himself into a situation and figure it out on the way. And why not? After all that's where he excels. Thinking on his feet, making plans on the fly.
He isn't one for long term planning. Not to say he's totally incompetent, it's one of those things he's had to learn, even though he might not have a natural affinity for it. And whatever anyone says about Naruto, they can't deny that he's just too stubborn to give up. So once he realises that he needs to learn something he will, no matter what. It might be boring, or difficult or plain impossible, but sooner or later he'll manage it.
But as said, Naruto's true strength lies in determining the best course of action in the middle of a crisis. He makes new solutions if there aren't any to be had, thinks outside the box. Actually Naruto probably never realised there was a box in the first place.
The decision that looms ahead of him now, like some big, horrible shadow that darkens everything in front of him isn't something he can make impulsively. He can't run head first into this and hope for the best.
And here and now there isn't anyone to help him with this decision. There's no Shikamaru to go to for planning, no Sakura to talk to about his feelings, no Hinata to ask for well thought advice, no Iruka to support him, no Tsunade to give him orders, no Kakashi to… well be Kakashi. No, this decision is his and his alone.
Of course the answer should be obvious. He is a shinobi of Konoha. His duty is clear. And Naruto's loyalty to his village has never been in question. The loyalty to those he considers friends has always been just as unshakable. And he has always found a way to honour both, even when it seemed impossible.
He stares out at the still strange city that spreads out under him. It's been years now, but this world still feels odd. The roof he perches on now is not that high, in comparison to places he has seen here, but it 's still higher than any building Konoha ever sported. He's learned to live in this world, he is a shinobi, he adapts, but still all too often this world simply makes no sense. The people here are in some ways so familiar and in other ways completely different from the people at home.
Civilians. He reminds himself, it's a world filled with civilians. Except not quite.
He's seen things in this world that are horrible, even after all the things he's seen in his own world. Because the things at home make sense. Not to say he doesn't know his fair share of psychotic, sadistic bastards. More often than not, he calls them friends. And even the ones that are enemies… well he doesn't need to agree with them to understand their reasons. Crazy, stupid, evil reasons, but they still make sense. Sort of.
He supposes it's only fair though, because the people here don't seem to understand him either. Not even Dean, even though Dean never makes an issue of it.
Then there are things in this world that make the demon sealed inside him squirm in discomfort. And anything that makes Kyuubi feel uncomfortable can't be good. They feel wrong the demon tells him and Naruto has to agree. And there are things that Kyuubi is afraid of here, not that the demon has outright said so, because the Kyuubi would not admit to being afraid. But this whole world makes the fox feel threatened. He isn't sure if the demon simply refuses to explain what it is, or if he just isn't capable of understanding, but for the Kyuubi to suddenly be content in hiding in its prison inside Naruto… it doesn't take a genius to figure out there's something bad going on. At least this world has made the fox more agreeable, he isn't sure if he should see that as a good thing, but when it comes to figuring out how to get back home the demon has been outright helpful.
He looks down at the paper in his hands, no convenient scrolls to be found here. Black ink drawn meticulously in infinitely complicated patterns. For a moment a small smile tugs at the corner of his mouth, who would have thought Naruto ever capable of designing something like this back in their Academy days? Any pride he feels at his accomplishment fades quickly under the implication of the seal design in his hands.
He feels Kyuubi growl inside his mind. The demon isn't happy at all.
Naruto sighs and carefully tucks the paper into a pocket of his cargo pants, before making his way down from the roof. He still has a contract to fulfill this night after all, and though it shouldn't take him long at all, no mission here ever does, he better get to it.
According to fannon you can pretty much do anything with seals. It annoys me a bit that I'm resorting to that, but it is such a widely used idea in fic (not to mention the idea of Naruto being exceptionally good with seals, because I'm pretty sure that's fannon too) that I thought people shouldn't find it too much of a stretch to just accept it and let it go. I needed a plot device.