Choices:
Disclaimer: Naruto is owned by Kishimoto. All I own is this notepad ='(
People are defined by the choices they make. This realization forces Naruto to think more about Sasuke's defection and what it means to be a ninja of the leaf. AU after Sasuke retrieval arc.
Made a couple of fixes in the first few chapters. I've changed quite a bit in the first chapter and fixed a couple of mistakes I made in the next two so please check them out.
Extended Summary (mostly an AN so SKIP if you would like to get to the story):
Naruto is an interesting character, but at times his typically endearing characteristics such as his willingness to forgive are taken to such extremes that we stop relating with him. Betrayal is something most people don't deal with well. In this case Naruto doesn't ignore Sasuke's betrayal. This change sets up a whole new future as he grows into his legacy.
This is an AU. There will be several elements that diverge from the canon and I will do the best to explain them.
When I say 'year 5' for example, it means Naruto turns 5 that year. Canon occurs the year Naruto and the Rookies turn 13 hence is year 13. So the Rookie Nine were all born in year zero. I won't repeatedly use it but in spaces, so you guys know the gaps in between.
Chapter 1: Wake Up:
Year 13, September 14th:
The forests of Hi no Kuni felt different very different today. Lush forests being a distinctive feature of the land made it that much more noticeable. Typically, they were abuzz with life and energy, holding a light and amiable atmosphere, something that made both Hi no Kuni and Konoha rather unique compared to the other nations and villages, plagued with a certain tenseness that came prior to any conflict.
Today however they were dull, somber with an almost ominous appearance, heightened by the stormy gray skies and rain.
Hatake Kakashi believed it was an accurate reflection of the state his blonde student was currently in. Slumped over in his arms, leaking copious amounts of blood. He could heal quickly, but it wasn't fast enough for a wound this big.
A wound inflicted by his signature move.
The crushing realization that Naruto was knocking on death's door due to his actions began to set it. He could feel the adrenaline pumping in his veins, heightening the fearful clenching in his chest. Normally he'd suppress the rush since the jumpiness that came with it wasn't good for his profession but the physical boost it gave him was much needed at this time as he pushed forward with all his speed. But as he ran he couldn't help but drift back to a particular line of thought.
This was all his fault…
He had taught Sasuke the Chidori. He was supposed to keep an eye on him and make sure he didn't betray the village. But his biggest failure was that he had failed to protect all three of his students. Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke…he had failed them.
He wasn't fit to be a jonin sensei. He had told the Sandaime numerous times but the man had refused to budge. After brutally failing the first two teams he'd been given, he had been reluctant to take on a third. But he conceded for one last time because he had a personal involvement with two of the prospective students. Sasuke was the last of fallen teammate's clan, but more importantly to him, Naruto was the legacy of both said teammate and his late sensei.
At first, they had been slated to fail like past teams. It changed however when Sasuke and Sakura offered their food to Naruto. It filled him with hope that they could become an actual team, that they would succeed where his own had failed.
That was when he made his biggest mistake. Team seven had been a terrible fit. Kakashi should have seen this but he had ignored it in favor of some idealized notion that they would eventually begin to work together all by themselves. He hadn't put the slightest amount of effort into resolving any of their problems despite knowing full well what they were.
Sasuke was too wrapped in his own warped emotions and desires. Naruto lived in perpetual denial to cope with an ignorant and hateful village. Sakura was a sheltered girl who had walked into a dangerous world with a very romanticized view of it.
Gai was right…he was irresponsible. He knew of all these problems and the dangers they would face, yet he had put in the bare minimum required. He had been hypocritical to give Gai heat for teaching Lee how to use the Eight Gates. Sure, it was hugely irresponsible but at least he had known that he wouldn't use it against a comrade.
He had almost known with certainty that Sasuke would end up using it against a comrade. He had a single-mindedness when it came to achieving his vengeance and he couldn't be trusted with such power.
Yet he taught it to him anyway because of his obsession with fixing his past and his damn pride. The whole having to prepare him to face Gaara? It was bull, any rational human being would have pulled Sasuke out of the match. But he had been too concerned about upsetting him and his ego wouldn't allow him to do it. He wanted to show his skills as a teacher. He arrived late in the chunin exam finals because he was having second thoughts, but ended up barely getting there on time.
So many things could have gone differently had he just talked with the Sandaime instead of trying to handle things by himself.
And all this had led to Naruto's current state. He didn't stab him through the chest, but he had been the one responsible for it getting there.
Shaking his thoughts out of his head realizing that his sulking was distracting him, he channeled all the chakra he could muster as he rushed back home. Izumo and Kotetsu did not attempt to stop him as he shot past the village gates full well knowing the mission had gone south. Jumping through the rooftops he got closer and closer to the hospital.
Ignoring the protests of the nurses he rushed up the hospital stairs. He reached Tsunade in a rush. She was annoyed at him initially for being loud in the hospital, but when she recognized the bundle over his shoulder, she felt her heart drop.
Shikamaru felt all signs of relief vanish from him when he saw the state Naruto was in. His knees buckled slightly at the amount of red covering Kakashi's jonin vest. Temari and Shikaku wore grim expressions on their faces realizing what this meant.
Tsunade slowly approached Naruto keeping her face impassive, "Shizune find a clean OR and have three medics ready for surgery stat. You're too drained to do this" she spoke calmly but there was an almost undetectable trembling.
Shizune nodded forcing herself to move. With her current level of exhaustion, the shock of seeing Naruto was almost too much for her. Pale-faced she nodded and pushed through quickly carrying out her orders.
Kakashi placed Naruto on a stretcher that Shikaku pushed towards him giving him a thankful nod. Tsunade was instantly by his side, curbing the blood flow as Kakashi pushed the stretcher with haste. With each step, he felt himself growing heavier and heavier. Years of honing his emotions and discipline kept him from losing focus as he quietly pushed his student into the OR where he was escorted inside by the medic-nins.
Tsunade paused before entering the room and approached Kakashi, "There isn't much time now, but I need you to contact Jiraiya immediately. I don't care how but I want him in Konoha by tomorrow. We'll talk more later"
"Hai Hokage-sama" Kakashi bowed and departed in a shunshin.
All that kept him from losing it was faith. Faith that his student wouldn't go back on his promise and die before he became Hokage. Because as it had always been with him, he could do nothing to help when it mattered the most.
September 15th:
With the start of the new day, all the tension and worry from the mission had mostly evaporated. The Sasuke retrieval squad had failed their mission but all of them were safe.
Chouji and Neji had been the worst of both being in critical condition.
The Akimichi food pills boosted the user's metabolism exponentially to allow them to convert their fat into chakra. But this placed an immense strain on both the body and the chakra network. Thankfully foresight of the dangers of these pills meant that the Akimichi clan had long since begun producing a drug that helped minimize the damage. Chouji would take several months to regain his strength and weight but he would be fine.
It had been Neji who was in great danger. Not only had he lost a lot of blood but his lung had been punctured and he had narrowly avoided his spine from being severed. It had taken a lot of effort but they had managed to stabilize him. He too was going to be alright.
Both of them surviving was indeed a proud moment for the medical corps. They were both still unconscious, a testament to how difficult their battles had been.
Kiba had received a few superficial wounds but the worst part for him was how badly Akamaru had suffered. Being just a puppy, he was nowhere close to as sturdy as a fully grown ninken. They were supposed to be partners but Akamaru had nearly died. To an Inuzuka, nothing hurt more than losing their ninken. They often became so overwhelmed with grief if their partners died that they would end their own lives. Kiba had wept for hours when his sister confirmed Akamaru would be fine. It was why she couldn't find it in herself to punch him for allowing his ninken partner to be injured in the first place.
Shikamaru had suffered the least amount of injuries and this was real slap in the face for him. He had been responsible for the squad's lives but he had come out with nothing more than a broken finger and chakra exhaustion, while his best friend had nearly died. He had been almost entirely resolved to quit as a shinobi but words of encouragement from his father and taunting from Temari stopped him from stepping away from shinobi life. With his resolve renewed, he vowed to give his best for the sake of his village and comrades.
This left only the final member of the retrieval team.
Expectantly he had recovered from all his injuries and was already awake. Physically, it was almost as though he had never left the village. But considering the fact that he refused to allow anybody into his room and only spoke to Shizune or Tsunade spoke an entirely different tale.
It was very easy to assume that Naruto didn't worry about too many things in the world. But few realized that he was far more sensitive than people realized. He never had a family and had been alone his entire life – so when he considered somebody to be like a brother to him, he meant it.
His mind was just so clouded with questions on what exactly did Uchiha Sasuke mean to him?
For a long time, he was his rival, he had come to consider him a friend and the closest thing he had to an actual brother. They had a bond, there was no denying it. That empathy for each other's plight – their mutual pain and loneliness had let them understand and appreciate each other. And Naruto cared a lot for Sasuke, so much so that his acknowledgment used to mean more to him than his own health.
But it had changed now…it was different. There were a lot of feelings running through his head but he couldn't quite put his finger on any of them.
Well to start, he had never felt as much overwhelming fury at a person as he did now.
He had risked the lives of his comrades and had run to the person who had killed the Sandaime Hokage, the first person to ever acknowledge or care for Naruto. All to get power for his selfish vengeance upon his elder brother. It proved that nothing else mattered to Sasuke.
Not the village.
Not their team.
And worst of all, not even the bond that had meant so much to him. To him, there was no bigger insult than that.
He had seen the hatred within Sasuke years ago. In the eyes of a recently orphaned eight-year-old, he had seen one stronger than anything the villagers could muster against him. It grew stronger every day and Naruto had known it. He had seen it every single day for all these years. Then why did he ignore it?
It was empathy. Sasuke never understood it because he lumped it in with pity, and to be honest anybody in their position hated pity. But Naruto understood Sasuke's pain even from then, he understood how loneliness made you want to hate the world, after all, he experienced it every day.
But that was what confused him. Did he empathize with him because he didn't want Sasuke to not feel the same loneliness or was it a way for himself to escape his own?
Maybe a bit of both…he had been the only person Naruto felt he could relate to. That was why he had invested so much in what honestly felt like a pretty one-sided friendship. But that didn't mean it hurt any less when he betrayed them. All those nasty things he said? It stung and it made him feel like absolute crap. Because it exposed every little insecurity that he had worked so hard to suppress. All surfacing and poking at him.
How can you become Hokage when you can't save a friend?
What are you without Kyuubi's power?
Your 'best friend' tried to kill you! How can you trust any of your other 'friends'?
Naruto grabbed his head with his hands as he began to feel his thoughts overwhelming him.
A sudden noise and movement broke him out from his thoughts, for which he was thankful.
"Kakashi-sensei…" he said in stiff recognition.
He knew he was probably the last person Naruto wanted to talk to but somebody was going to have to get him to talk about what happened. Letting him sit alone in his room and stew in what happened was not healthy by any means, he knew that from experience.
Taking a deep breath he walked in, "Hey Naruto. Hope I'm not interrupting" he replied calmly. Seeing him up sent a wave of relief through the jonin.
He stared at him blankly for several seconds as though unaware of how to react towards him before he shook his head, "No sensei, I have something I want to ask you"
Kakashi nodded to him in affirmation. Naruto took a deep breath articulating his thoughts, "Sensei, when I caught up to Sasuke in the Valley of the End, there were a lot of things that we both said and that happened in our fight. We…"
Naruto proceeded to slowly explain every single detail of the fight to Kakashi. Naruto could feel his sensei's anguish hearing the vicious encounter between his two students. He could understand just how much it had hurt Kakashi, to see two kids who he had been responsible for, ones who he guided, protected and cared for, ended up fighting to the death like that. Seeing his sensei's somber expression, Naruto couldn't help but begin to feel a bit more anger towards the Uchiha for hurting another person important to him.
"I see…" Kakashi said sadly at the end of Naruto's explanation.
"Kakashi-sensei…is it wrong to want to stay away from Sasuke? Is that abandoning my comrade?" he asked him quietly refusing to look him in the eye.
Kakashi closed his eyes, "That is something you must ask yourself Naruto. You saw the result of attempting to retrieve him. Shinobi missions rarely go as smoothly as yours did regardless if it was a failure or success. Ninety-nine times out of a hundred, most if not all of you should have died" he explained. Naruto looked down sadly. "Sasuke meant a lot to you Naruto but stop to think of it this way. Sasuke will resist any attempts to retrieve him and anything to do with him would involve Orochimaru. This spells certain death for many who will be involved. The decision to chase Sasuke or not…it is the type of decision a Hokage would have to make"
Naruto looked up towards his sensei, "Is it really this difficult?" he asked him.
Kakashi nodded, "It's why the Hokage is not only the most powerful ninja in the village, but the strongest and wisest as well".
Naruto stared at the wall, "I see…" he muttered before looking up again a bit of anger on his face, "I have some more things to ask you…why didn't you or Sakura tell me about the Curse Mark?"
Kakashi sighed wearily, "For bad reasons…I wanted to keep it under wraps and at the time I didn't think you'd handle the news well"
"What kind of excuse is that?! You don't think I had a right to know what was happening with my friend?!"
"You had every right. I didn't trust you when you had done everything to earn it. You always obeyed me, you always had the team's back and you always did what was the best for everybody else. You took my first lesson to heart and applied it even better than I could. I never acknowledged it, but you were always my best student"
Naruto didn't like hearing this because he scowled at him, "I'm your best student?" he asked incredulously, "When you first took Sasuke away to train, I was mad. I thought you didn't believe in me at all. I let it go because I realized Gaara was dangerous and because I figured something weird was going on with him and it had to do with Orochimaru…but then you didn't show up for my match. I trained so hard that month because I wanted to make you proud. You never acknowledged that I beat Neji, that I beat Gaara, that I got baa-chan to return to the village. No 'well done Naruto' or 'I'm proud of you'. The only time you ever say it is when I pull the team out of a sticky situation like with Zabuza. Then when I learned the Rasengan you said I wasn't ready when you taught Sasuke the Chidori…did you ever believe in me at all?"
"I know it may not seem like it, but I do believe in you one hundred percent. I…I held an unfair expectation of you. To act in a certain way. To walk, talk, eat, train in a certain way. I saw you for what you could be and not for what you are right now. Not for what held you back and made it harder for you along the way. You have your faults – you lack discipline, your attitude makes it hard to point out mistakes and you're obsessed with having an image of grandeur among people. I let it cloud the fact that you have incredible talent. With the most basic of abilities, you've pulled off some amazing feats. Naruto you're bound to become a great ninja and I know with a little discipline, focus and dedication that I'm looking at the person who will surpass all four of the Hokages – you"
This Naruto did not expect. He had spent several months thinking that his sensei considered him a disappointment. His actions certainly seemed to suggest so – never helping him train, never acknowledging his improvement or hard work. But now…
He wasn't lying. Despite his actions, he could tell that deep down Kakashi did really believe in him to this extent. It was a confusing time for Naruto but if there was anything that could guarantee an emotional response from him, it was to express your belief in his abilities. His sensei really did believe in him!
He furiously wiped the tears from his eyes, "Thank you Kakashi-sensei…I promise I'll work hard from now on and become the best ninja I can be"
Kakashi ruffled Naruto's hair, "I'll hold you to that"
"Sensei before you go, I have a small favor to ask. Can you get me some books, so I can start training?" he asked him.
Kakashi gave him an odd look, "Books? I thought you hated reading"
Naruto blushed in embarrassment, "I do…but you keep telling us that ninja has to be smart. That's my weakest area so I should work on it, right?"
Kakashi couldn't help but smile, "Looks like you're really taking this to heart…good" he replied, "I'll get you some books and scrolls that'll help you catch up" he said before leaving the room.
As he walked outside, he was met with Jiraiya and Tsunade.
"How is he?" she asked gently.
"He's fine Tsunade-sama. He's bounced back, and he's grown up a bit. He asked me to get him some books to help him get started on training" he replied.
Tsunade heaved a sigh in relief, "Thank god. I couldn't stand seeing him like that" she muttered.
Jiraiya too relaxed slightly, "That's good…Kakashi I have a favor to ask of you"
"How can I help Jiraiya-sama?"
"As I told you before I'm planning on taking on a three-year training trip. I intended to depart in about four to six weeks. Until then could you help him get all his basics and skills to at least high genin level?" he asked him.
Kakashi nodded, "Hai. It's the least I can do after neglecting his training" he said with a hint of bitterness before shunshining away.
"We need to talk…it's about Naruto's seal" Tsunade said turning to her teammate.
"Your office?" he asked to which Tsunade nodded as both reappeared within Hokage Tower. Tsunade pulled out a sake bottle and poured the customary cups. Handing one to her teammate they both downed it.
"You're pretty worried. What did you find?"
She shook her head, "It's not good…you know he used the Kyuubi's chakra against Sasuke. I ran routine checks on him and it seems that every time he uses more of the Kyuubi's chakra than he can control, he loses a significant portion of his lifespan"
"…how significant are we talking?"
"He used enough for Kakashi to sense it some fifty miles away. The problem is that when he's not in control the chakra attacks his own body, but it regenerates it just as fast. Given just how fast he can regenerate by himself, at this point I can say he's lost at least three to four months of his life. The more out of control the chakra he uses the more significant the damage is"
"So, if I were to train him for three years to use that chakra, there's a good chance he won't make it past thirty…this puts a major damper on my plans"
"Maybe it's for the best Jiraiya. It gives him a reason to depend on his own strength"
"I understand the sentiment, but we can't afford to be so short-sighted. Three years is not even close to enough time to get him ready to face the Akatsuki"
"He's not alone. He doesn't have to beat them himself"
"But still, he has ways to go. He's not the brightest-"
Tsunade glared, "Stop right there, you hypocrite. He mastered the Rasengan in a week, the Kage Bunshin in one night and he's even summoned Gamabunta. Where exactly did you get the idea that he's not bright? From where I'm standing, it looks like he's pretty damn sharp"
"Come on, you've seen the way he acts"
"That's not being stupid Jiraiya, that's called being a child. For heaven's sake, you of all people should know the difference. He's not a genius like his father sure, but that doesn't mean he's stupid. He's far sharper than the average ninja. Aren't you the one always saying training a genius is no fun?"
"There's a difference here. I want him to survive Tsunade. If it means shaving twenty years of his life, then I don't mind because it's better than being dead within the next five"
"Enough Jiraiya! Stop lying to yourself! This isn't about Naruto's lack of ability at all! You think that unless Naruto uses the Kyuubi's chakra it's a disgrace to Minato's sacrifice, don't you?!"
Jiraiya looked away bitterly, "He could have done so much more Tsunade. It should have been me or sensei to do the sealing, but Minato believed the potential Naruto held was greater than his own. And he was the Kiroii Senko, first SS-ranked shinobi ever, his reputation matching that of your grandfather and Uchiha Madara. He wasn't even in his damn prime and he had surpassed all of us. Yet he saw more potential in one child, something I agree with completely. But he doesn't have the time to mature. We have to speed it up and the Kyuubi is the best way to get him strong fast enough to be ready for the Akatsuki"
"But what good is all that raw power if it comes at such a steep price? And I know you're not stupid Jiraiya. The Akatsuki are after jinchuriki, ones who can control a significant amount of their bijuu's power. Do you really think they don't have methods to counter that? There are methods outside the Mokuton that can overcome a jinchuriki. I don't want that to happen and Naruto to be helpless without it. If he's at least somewhat strong then taking the risk of having a small boost is worth it don't you think? Because ten times ten and fifty times two are both a hundred"
Jiraiya stared at his teammate in surprise, "When the hell did you get all wise? That's supposed to be my thing, you know the great Toad Sage and all"
"Please I'll have white hair before you become wise" Tsunade snorted, "Besides I'm the Hokage remember. Have to keep all my minions under my control"
"Minions?" Jiraiya asked amused, "I'm pretty sure that's how a tyranny gets started"
Tsunade rolled her eyes, "Whatever…looks point is Jiraiya, we both agree the kid's got a lot of potential even without the Kyuubi. It's a pretty sweet trump card having all that extra chakra, but it's no point if it's your only card. There's more than just direct combat to deal with the Akatsuki. Whatever it is it will be difficult, but I think that should be penance for ignoring him for over a decade"
Jiraiya winced lightly, "Glad to see your skills are as sharp as ever" he grumbled, "Fine I'll figure out something hime. I'll have a talk with Ma and Pa about his training then"
Back in Naruto's room:
As soon as Kakashi exited, Naruto turned his head to the window, "You can come in" Naruto said calmly.
A swirl of sand appeared in front of the bed, before it condensed to form Gaara. Their eyes met instantly, and Naruto noted a major difference since the last time they met.
The hate filled green eyes were gone. Now they were confused. Lost. Drifting without a purpose. Eyes that were all too familiar. It was the one he'd seen in himself when he was young and lost, and more recently Haku's right before he'd asked to be killed.
"I was told the eyes are a window to the soul…" Gaara began in a calm voice, "As you've probably realized I have lost my purpose since you showed me the light…Uzumaki Naruto-"
"Just Naruto, Gaara" Naruto interrupted with a smile, "We're friends after all"
"F-friends…" Gaara muttered. It was such an alien concept to him. He had lived so many years in a haze of hate and loneliness, "What makes us friends?"
"I…I don't know" Naruto replied, "I just want us to be…"
"I want that too…" Gaara spoke quietly, "When Yashamaru betrayed me…I gave up hope on anybody every understanding me or my pain. I wanted so desperately to inflict that very pain and loneliness on others so they would understand…but you know both my pain and my loneliness. You know what it is like to hold a bijuu within yourself. You are a jinchuriki just like me"
"…the Kyuubi no Yoko couldn't be killed even by the Yondaime. I don't know why he did it nor do I like thinking about it, but it was sealed inside of me when I was born"
"Which is why I want to understand the path you took. What kept you from falling under its influence? What made you who you are? What is your purpose in life?"
Naruto smiled wryly and looked out the window, "You know…you're one of the few people who wasn't fooled by my whole 'I'll be the greatest Hokage' routine. Since I became a ninja I kept telling myself my purpose is to protect the village but…"
"I've seen the glares…any desire you have to protect them would not be genuine"
Naruto shook his head, "I got kicked out of the orphanage when I was four. I didn't understand a lot of things but everywhere I went, anybody I met they – they all seemed to hate me. Sandaime jii-chan was kind to me, he'd spend time with me and make me feel better. But…he'd just fill me with all these lies. That they were suffering, that they didn't know any better. No matter what they did to me or how they made me feel, they were never wrong in his eyes"
Gaara nodded somberly. He really did know what it felt like.
"But…he was the only person I had. I…I didn't want to disappoint him, I wanted to be like him. Everybody saw him as this kind, benevolent leader and I wanted to be like him. So I just rejected my reality…I acted like everything he told me was the truth, that the world was fair and just that one day everything would be alright because I proved myself to them"
"…but not everything you said to me was based of this. What you said to me after our battle was your own belief"
"Because what I told you really was my belief. Everything I do is motivated by the fact that I want to keep those important to me safe. That will never change but what will change is how I define those that are important to me and those that aren't"
"But you acted so fixated on being Hokage. From what you're telling me that desire was…"
"It was something to give me hope…everything only seems lost when you lose hope. It's the light at the end of a long, dark tunnel. It may never be there but as long as you can see it you'll keep running towards it"
"Hope…" Gaara muttered, "What if I were to…do what you did?" he asked him uncertainly.
Naruto met Gaara's eyes, "I don't know…I wish could be more help but it'll help if you think of what's best for those you care about…you found them didn't you? You found people who you care for?"
"I always had them…" Gaara replied, "I feel this strange compulsion towards them now. I want to make sure that harm doesn't come their way, that they don't have to suffer or endure any pain"
"That's what it means to care for somebody" Naruto explained, "Now you have the biggest motivator in the world"
When the reopened, Naruto saw a familiar light in them. Filled with raw determination and a fire. They were the same eyes he saw in the mirror every day.
"Then I have decided. I shall walk the path of light that you have shown me. From this day I will strive to protect my village with all my power and I shall become…the Kazekage"
Naruto's eyes widened before a huge smile appeared on his face, "That's great Gaara! I know you can do it! Maybe, just maybe one day when you become Kazekage and I become Hokage, we'll share a drink together" he exclaimed excited.
Gaara was taken aback by the sheer belief in his words. This time he felt his mouth moving into a smile, "Then I will not let you down…thank you for everything Naruto…my friend" he said as he disappeared with a sand shunshin.
Naruto smiled gently as he felt some weight lift from his chest. He was glad that Gaara now saw the light. He just knew it in his heart that Gaara would succeed. He would become Kazekage.
But what mattered more to Naruto was that it meant he wasn't a failure. Maybe he couldn't have saved Sasuke, but he had shown the light to at least one person.
And that was good enough for him at the moment.
Though poor Kankuro and Temari would have nightmares for years from seeing Gaara's smiling visage. Somebody really needed to teach the boy how to smile normally.
September 19th:
Tsunade groaned when she heard a knock on her office in the hospital. Couldn't she get five damn minutes alone?! Sarutobi-sensei was literally a saint in her eyes now.
"Come in" she said.
The door slowly opened revealing Shizune who slowly walked in. Tsunade let out a deep breath, "Why did I ever accept this job?" she muttered to herself knowing it was something important, "What's the matter Shizune?" Tsunade asked her apprentice.
"Tsunade-sama about Naruto-kun…he's had his head buried in his books for the last two days and he's barely slept. He won't listen to anybody and sedatives don't work for more than an hour" she said concerned.
Tsunade rubbed her head slightly, "God I need some sake right now. Come on we're going to visit the brat right now" she said standing up.
The two women walked in silence until she reached Naruto's hospital room. Pushing it open, Naruto just looked up slightly, "Hey Tsunade-baachan, Shizune-neechan" he greeted.
Tsunade quickly noted that Naruto had read eight of the ten books that Kakashi had given him. She signaled Shizune to give her a few minutes alone with him. Approaching his bed, "What are you doing?" Tsunade asked putting her hands on her hips indicating she was not pleased.
"I'm…I have a lot to catch up and I can't waste time" he replied hesitantly.
Tsunade slowly took a seat on the bed. She placed her hand on his and slowly made him close the book as she spoke gently, "Training and getting strong is something that takes time. Years in fact. It isn't worth losing sleep over it. Work hard, train hard but resting it just as important"
"But-"
"No buts" Tsunade cut off sternly, "If you won't go to sleep I can arrange for it" she said cracking her knuckles.
Naruto paled slightly, "Ok, ok…I won't. I promise" he said hurriedly, "I'll rest now baachan don't worry" he said with a fake grin and spoke quickly.
There it was again. That damned look of his. She'd spent enough time to know his facial expression and what he was feeling. It was evident he was upset about something but felt it was silly, so he didn't want to bother anybody.
It was one of the things she detested most.
"Naruto…"Tsunade spoke softly, "I know something's bothering you. What is it?"
Naruto looked down, "I'm just being silly baa-chan. Don't worry" he said with a frown.
His found a gentle hand on his cheek turning his face up, "Nothing you feel is ever silly to me. Whatever it is, you can trust me no matter what" she said soothingly.
His eyes widened before he looked away sadly, "Sasuke said so many things during our fight. I always thought of him as a brother but obviously that bond meant nothing to him. It hurts so bad…" he sniffled slightly as he began to tear up, "And now he means nothing to me so why the hell am I still so upset? This is so stupid"
Tsunade pulled him forward and hugged him tightly, "That's not silly Naruto. Being betrayed is the worst way to be hurt, believe me I know. You can shed all the tears you want with me because in my eyes you'll always be just as strong"
Naruto immediately buried his face in her shoulder and began to sob loudly. "It'll be alright. You still have us" she said softly stroking his hair. Naruto slowly calmed down. He kept his head buried for a few minutes. He slowly pulled back, his face calmer now.
"Thank you baa-chan" he whispered.
"You're welcome. Don't hold in anything like this. Talk, cry, yell, act stupid, I don't care. I can never think less of a future Hokage can I?" she asked with a smirk.
Naruto couldn't help but smile, "Of course not. I'm just that awesome dattebayo!"
Tsunade grinned and ruffled his hair, "That's the spirit! Now I better not hear you're skipping sleep or food. Your health is more important that gaining strength ok?"
Naruto nodded, "Sorry for worrying you. I didn't mean to give you high blood pressure, but that could just be your age" he teased with a cheeky grin
Tsunade mock glared at him but just couldn't stay angry. Damn her for having a soft spot for this kid!
Tsunade bopped his head lightly, "Learn to respect your elders. Now get some rest, ok?" she said.
Naruto nodded as his eyes shut instantly, a blissful expression taking over his face. Slowly letting go, she pulled the sheet over him. 'He looks so calm. If only he were like this more often' she thought. She gently kissed his forehead and walked out with a smile.
September 20th:
Naruto's head jerked slightly when he heard a knock on the door, "Who is it?". Slowly the door slid open. Seeing a familiar mop of pink hair and concerned green eyes, he took a sharp breath.
"Naruto…this is a once in a lifetime request…please bring Sasuke-kun back"
He ignored the slow stabbing pain in his chest seeing Sakura. It was difficult doing so. The request kept repeating over and over in his head.
"Naruto? Can I come in?" Sakura asked gently.
Naruto nodded, "Sure Sakura…come on in"
Sakura flinched slightly not hearing the typical affection or suffix in how he addressed her, "How are you Sakura?" he asked.
"I'm ok Naruto. I…I became Tsunade-sama's apprentice recently and I've been learning medical ninjutsu from her"
For a second he didn't say anything, which worried her. He seemed to be mulling over what this meant.
Which freaked her out a lot!
The Naruto she knew was never one to stop and think. He was impulsive and wore his heart on a sleeve. She had expected him to get all excited and tell her how awesome she was or to at least have some emotional reaction.
"Well…congrats Sakura" he said in what sounded sincere, "So I guess our team has been split among each of the Sannin now"
She could hear the bitterness in his voice and it made her feel guilty. Looking downwards she began to speak, "Naruto…about that promise with Sasuke-kun. I-"
She couldn't complete her sentence. Because she could swear the room's temperature had fallen several degrees.
"Don't call him that Sakura. He doesn't deserve your affection" he said coldly.
Bewildered was an understatement. Sakura's eyes were practically bulging as she stared at her teammate, "Na-Naruto but-"
He cut her off again not with coldness but a firm voice, "Sakura, forget about Sasuke"
Sakura's eyes widened in shock at hearing this. She never would have thought Naruto of all people would say such a thing about Sasuke of all people. But as always, she allowed her temper to dictate her reaction with him. Her fists clenched, her teeth bared, "How can you say that Naruto?! He's out teammate and friend?! How can you abandon him like that?!" she yelled furiously.
Her anger subsided when Naruto began to glare. His normally bright, energetic eyes were ice cold reminding her off the chilliness of the room. This expression should have been completely out of place of Naruto but it suit him perfectly. She couldn't recognize the goofball she had come to know.
He moved slowly as he got out of the bed but as he got closer to her she began to backpedal furiously. She froze in place when he pulled back his bandages revealing an enormous scar on his shoulder.
"Sakura he…he broke my neck and stabbed me with the Chidori twice! He smiled when he did it! The Sasuke we knew would never do that…he may be gone or may not have existed to begin with. His eyes…" Naruto shivered lightly, "They were filled with hatred. So much hated. He reminded me of Gaara during the chunin exams but…he was even worse"
Sakura paled visibly, "N-n-no, it can't be" she said in shock. Her Sasuke-kun acting like Gaara and trying to kill Naruto, their teammate and his best friend?! Impossible!
Naruto sighed, "I'm sorry but it's the truth Sakura"
She felt herself becoming desperate from Naruto's assertion. She couldn't sense an inch of deceit in his words which only pushed her to further into her panic, "Stop it Naruto! Sasuke-kun isn't like that! He-He has risked his life for us!" she shouted trying her best to deny Naruto's claims.
Naruto looked up at her with faint disgust, "So that makes it okay for him to betray the village?! To break our sensei's words, the way of our village! To spit on the legacy of Konoha by going to its worst traitor who killed Sandaime-jii-chan, risking the lives of our comrades and trying to kill me after calling me his best friend! Would you be saying the same thing to Sasuke if I tried to kill him?!" he asked his voice getting shakier and shakier as his anger and sorrow built up.
Sakura wanted to say no but she felt a chill in her spine when she realized what her answer would have been. It had been because she had felt that way once, a long time before and to her shame still felt to a degree now.
She would have wanted Naruto dead if he hurt even a hair on Sasuke.
It shook her, that even after all the time and experiences they shared together as team seven, that she could have such malicious intent towards somebody she considered a friend. She couldn't move an inch as the weight of that realization hit her.
'What the hell is wrong with me?' she asked herself.
Her eyes quivered as she felt tears begin to appear, "So…so all the time we spent as team seven meant nothing? Were we never really a team at all?"
Naruto paused trying to understand his own feelings. They were muddled with doubt and uncertainty. He found himself asking for the first time
What did team seven really mean to him?
…
He looked up at Sakura, but she refused to make eye contact, "Sakura…tell me something…every time you hit me…every time you called me stupid and acted like I was a nuisance. Why? Even after the chunin exams you still treated me the same way" he asked his breathing getting ragged, "Why do you act like you care about me and then turn around and treat me like dirt? Why Sakura?! I thought we were friends!"
Sakura hung her head unable to respond. Despite knowing that she treated Naruto worse than he deserved, she had always persisted. Much to her shame it was because it made her feel good to a degree. Hindsight really was a bitch.
Naruto looked away sadly, "Sakura…I want to think that we were like a family but…every good memory I have I can remember ten of you and Sasuke putting me down. I…I ignored it before, I ignored just how much both of you hated me"
Sakura shook her head feverently, "No! I don't hate you Naruto! Please don't say that!"
"What else should I think?" he asked her, "You say you don't hate me but then you yell at me for bad mouthing Sasuke or call me stupid because I do something wrong"
The desperation began to build up again at the thought that Naruto would leave her too, "But you've never once said anything! How should I have known that it hurt you?!"
"You tell me to stay away from you, but you still talk to me when you need something! Either to lecture me, call me names or just to rant when you're upset! Forgive me for being a little confused" he finished sarcastically.
Sakura wanted to refute his claim, but she knew it was true…Naruto was annoying and persistent, but she preferred picking on him much more than keeping away from him. He was an easy target for her and it really helped her self esteem issues. The fact that Naruto never protested or retaliated encouraged her to do so.
She felt a wave of guilt pass through her, "Naruto…"
To her surprise Naruto suddenly smiled, "Team seven may be filled with bad memories but…despite everything…I still consider team seven my family. I don't hate Sasuke, and neither do I hate you. But right now, I'm angry at both of you because you both have broken my trust"
"So, this is the end…" Sakura said sadly.
"I didn't say that either" Naruto countered with a shake of his head, "You're my teammate and my friend…I'm willing to give you a chance but you'll have to work for it".
"Naruto…thank you" she said before she slowly smiled, "But…what about Sasuke?" she asked cautiously, "Are you really not friends anymore?"
Naruto turned to look out the window, "It's…complicated. I talked to Kakashi-sensei and I…I don't hate Sasuke. But knowing that if anybody else had been in my position, if anybody else had been hit by the Chidori…they'd be in the morgue right now. You may not like this Sakura but Sasuke…he means nothing for me now…if I keep chasing him, I'll be stuck and I'll never get anywhere in life" he admitted causing Sakura's head to fall, "I really don't know what he means to you Sakura. Maybe he's important enough to you that you want him back…I won't try to stop you from doing that but if you do intend to do it…I'll do everything I can to help you, but only if you promise me something"
"Anything" she replied her eyes steeling themselves with a renewed resolve.
"Train hard under baachan. She's a great ninja and there's a lot you can learn from her. Train hard enough so you can protect yourself"
"I…I promise Naruto" she said softly, "I'll catch up to the both of you that's a promise"
"I'll be waiting" Naruto smirked as she walked out the door.
As soon as she exited a voice spoke from the window, "Glad to see you got some sense knocked into you"
Naruto turned, "Ero-…" he stopped himself shaking his head, "Sorry I meant Jiraiya-sensei"
Jiraiya raised an eyebrow to this, "Not that I don't appreciate it, but why?" he asked.
"I've been acting like a snot-nosed brat. You may be a pervert, but it doesn't take away the fact that you're a legendary ninja who took time away to teach some stuck-up brat" Naruto bowed slightly, "Sorry Jiraiya-sensei. I promise I'll show the respect you deserve. I'll train hard and learn anything you have to teach me"
Jiraiya considered his student slightly before smiling and rubbing his head, "Easy there, kid. I appreciate the sentiment" he stated with a chuckle, "I came to see how you were doing and to tell you a few things" he took a seat on the chair near the bed, "I'm glad you aren't chasing after the Uchiha brat. It would have lead you nowhere"
"Is that what happened with you?" Naruto asked curiously remembering the story of the three Sannin.
Jiraiya nodded sadly, "It was. I chased Orochimaru's shadow for many years…too many years. Years that were wasted by an endless ghost hunt. I acted like a child and refused to look at the facts. He had made his choices and nothing I could do would deter him. I sacrificed far too much and my biggest regret is not growing up sooner to realize what a waste it was…they say a student must always aim to surpass the master. You've already set on that path which is good and all, but we have to speed it up"
"Why is that?"
"You remember when Itachi and Kisame came after you?"
Naruto nodded, "Yeah they were with some type of group. Wasn't it called Akatsuki?"
"That's it. See they are after the bijuu sealed within you for unknown reasons. This only means that they will come after you for the Kyubi eventually"
Naruto's eyes widened, "So Itachi and Kisame will come after me again? Just how strong are they?"
Jiraiya couldn't help but smile at the sudden maturity he was starting to show. Normally he'd be yelling childishly how he'd kick their asses and train super hard. But he was using his head now – a great sign, "They are powerful…both of them are individually are stronger than Orochimaru. To put that into context, Orochimaru is somebody that even Kakashi would stand no chance of beating"
Naruto shut his eyes recalling his encounter with the snake Sannin in the Forest of Death. He had tossed him around even with the Kyubi's power with no effort at all. And if two people were higher than that were after him…
Then he considered the gap between himself and his own sensei. The very notion of somebody as powerful as Kakashi being that outclassed was jarring.
"I can't fight people like them…not yet at least" Naruto admitted.
"And it's good you realize that. We can't know for sure what they want with the bijuu but it can't be for anything good. They will come for you eventually and they will do anything to get it…but it isn't just them you need to worry about. God! There's so much I need to teach you about. You need to be ready because this is one cutthroat world and Konoha is at far more risk that anyone realizes…you need to be prepared for what is coming. I want you to travel with me for three years so I can teach you and show you the world.
Naruto clenched his fists lightly, "I don't want to lose my comrades…we all should have died on that last mission. I don't ever want to feel like that again" he looked up with resolve in his eyes, "When do we leave?"
"In about four to six weeks…Kakashi will be overlooking you training in that time if that's ok with you?"
"Of course, it is. He is my jonin sensei after all"
"You aren't mad that he left you train the Uchiha alone for an entire month"
"Maybe a bit…but we made our peace. I know that deep down he meant well and I just want to move forward…he's still my sensei despite everything" Naruto replied.
Jiraiya nodded, "That's good…you've done well kid. I'm proud of you"
Naruto smiled, "Thank you, sensei"
September 21st:
"Yo" Kakashi said as he appeared in a swirl of leaves.
"Hey Kakashi-sensei" Naruto greeted.
"…no yelling I was late?" Kakashi asked rather perplexed.
"Would it make a difference?" he shrugged.
"No, not really. It was entertaining while it lasted" Kakashi sighed, "But onto business right now. We don't have much time and we need to brush up on all your basics as quickly as possible" Kakashi said as he pulled out several books and scrolls
Naruto gulped, "That's quite a bit"
"Well you did get started on it so might as well finish it off. This is everything you missed in the Academy. But in the interest of saving time, I'm going to give you a training aid that only you will be able to use"
"What is it?" Naruto asked interested.
Kakashi eye-smiled, "Why, your favorite justu of course"
September 26th:
"Ready Naruto?" Iruka asked, "You have an hour your time begins now"
The chunin watched as his former student sat at his desk attempting the Academy written exam again. Kakashi wanted to get an accurate measure of how well Naruto picked up while studying. It was rather odd that the jonin insisted on him using a test he had made rather than the standard one, but Iruka was rather used to the various eccentricities among ninja. He still expected Naruto to show just a slight improvement from his Academy days.
Instead he found himself surprised at seeing a calm and collected Naruto slowly writing down answers while taking the occasional pause to think. The very same Naruto who would be pulling his hair out and scribbling whatever came to mind at the last second.
He really had grown.
The hour passed quickly and Iruka collected the paper from Naruto. He corrected the questions quickly without realizing there was rather large difference between Kakashi's test and the Academy's.
At the end he put down his pen, "Well, what do you think Naruto?"
He scratched the back of his head, "Ehh, it wasn't as bad as it used to be. I still have a lot of gaps, but I'll keep studying so they don't stay"
Iruka smiled, "It's almost hard to believe that you're the same brat who used to pull pranks all the time. Congrats Naruto you got an 84%" he said.
Naruto gaped slightly, "Ok I was not expecting that high" he said.
"This is remarkable Naruto. After just a week you've got more than five times your average score"
'More like after a month' Naruto thought remembering himself using three clones to increase his pace fourfold. His math wasn't very good, but he was sure that was how long he'd studied.
"That certainly was a surprise" Kakashi stated bored by the door, 'Especially given this was genin level material not Academy. I wonder if Iruka realized yet' he thought.
"Hey Kakashi-sensei. I actually passed the test" Naruto grinned.
"Good for you. Thanks again Iruka-sensei" Kakashi stated.
"It's no problem at all Kakashi-sensei. Naruto, if you ever need any help at all my door is open"
"I know. Thanks, Iruka-sensei. See you"
"Take care Naruto"
Naruto turned to Kakashi, "What's next Kakashi-sensei?"
"Hmm…well we've worked on your theory for the past week and it's acceptable for a genin by my standards. We've got a few more weeks, so we'll work on ironing out all your practical skills. We'll begin with you taijutsu katas since that takes the most time"
"Can I use Kage Bunshins to help me train with taijutsu?"
"We've been over this, clones don't help with physical training. And I've warned you about turning them into a crutch. You'll become less observant if you rely on accumulated memories to improve"
Naruto hung his head slightly, "Sorry sensei. It's just I get frustrated sometimes. It's annoying because I struggle to learn simple stuff"
"…apparently you haven't noticed"
"Noticed what?"
"You may take your time with the more basic skills but you have a great knack for picking up advanced skills. It took me a year to learn the Rasengan with personal help from Minato-sensei, the man who created it. Not just that, it took me two days to learn the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu and several weeks to master it"
Naruto's eyes widened, "So…I'm not really stupid?"
"Childish perhaps, but no you're not stupid. Don't believe that even for a second"
Naruto smiled brightly at that, "If that's the case then I'll bear these stupid things. Let's get started sensei!"
"Easy. You won't learn anything in such a rush. Let's go over your katas and I'll help you where I have like I usually do"
Naruto nodded and began to slowly perform his katas. Kakashi would occasionally nudge and prod his motions to make them smoother.
Watching him now he couldn't help but contrast just how atrocious his technique had been when he first became a genin. He had power and speed but his form so severely lacking that he was effectively a flailing dummy. He worked unwaveringly hard to get this far. His taijutsu was still far from perfect but the level of improvement was a far cry than what could be expected of a 'deadlast'.
In fact, he was improving at a rate far higher than the average. It still irritated him that Naruto's education was neglected in his Academy days. He never liked that Iruka fellow for that reason. Sure, he was nice to Naruto, but buying a bowl of ramen was meaningless if you were sending an underprepared kid out into the field. It was practically a death sentence.
He wasn't any better. He had done the bare minimum and rationalized it as Naruto having a poor attitude for a ninja. How the hell was he supposed to know the right attitude when nobody had raised or trained him? When you had to raise yourself and learn anything without anybody's help there were bound to be gaps in their knowledge and behavior.
Especially when you lived in a village that loathed you.
It was fair to expect Sakura and Sasuke to take the initiative and ask him for help, but Naruto was so obviously emotionally stunted. The Sandaime had been more than happy to keep him that way because it kept him docile and loyal to him. But Tsunade had been the first one to point out how dangerous and hypocritical it was given how many unfair expectations they were laying on him over a legacy he wasn't even aware he possessed.
What if somebody from Kumo promised the boy they'd tell him about his parents? Even if they didn't know anything, it was far to easy to give him false promises because he was molded to act naïve and impulsively. The disaster of Kumo having three jinchuriki was something that made even him feel nauseous.
He always imagined how differently Naruto would have been raised if Minato or Kushina were alive. He would have been twice the shinobi he was now and considering everything he had achieved despite all his handicaps…
But there was no point talking about 'what ifs?'. Mistakes had been made and the best way forward was to learn from them and avoid repeating them in the future. What he had to do right now was put everything he had into preparing Naruto to be trained by Jiraiya for the next three years.
This should have been happening in all these months prior instead of in a three-week crash course. This all highlighted one thing that had been plaguing him for the past week; just what had he been doing as a jonin sensei?
His 'Sharingan no Kakashi' hype had gone to his head. He was still a damn powerful ninja but nowhere close to where he should or could be. His skills had slipped since he left ANBU and his judgement had been skewed.
His first encounter with Zabuza highlighted nearly all his problems. Nukenin were constantly on the run from bounty hunters and hunter nin, their skills often tended to suffer unless they were S-rankers who tended to be damn near impossible to track. Kakashi may have defeated Zabuza both times, but the manner in which he did so was pathetic. It should have gone much differently –
Without being captured.
Without involving his genin.
Without passing out.
Without being fooled by the fake hunter nin.
His genin should have died on their first mission. He knew it. His genin had only survived because of luck and their inherent talent.
And then what did he do to prepare them after? He taught them only tree walking. Granted it was an important skill, but it wasn't enough for a situation like that. That boy, Haku was easily a jonin level shinobi. Sasuke and Naruto both should have been six feet under the ground. If not for the Kyuubi it would have been the case. They were saved not because of his mentorship, rather by the ingeniousness of a man who had passed away more than a decade ago. A man who was younger than him and had been a shinobi for shorter time then he had.
And the issues were just getting started.
There was signing them up for the chunin exams when he knew that they weren't ready. Sealing Sasuke's curse mark without advice from the Hokage or Jiraiya. Recklessly threatening Orochimaru, a person who could've killed him twenty times over. Allowing Kabuto to get away at the hospital. Teaching Sasuke the Chidori. Not bothering to check if Orochimaru had minders on Sasuke before he left on mission.
Yup…a long, long list of mistakes for the so-called best jonin of the village.
But Kakashi wasn't one to sulk despite what people thought. He had got as far as he did because he was somebody who learned from his mistakes and kept adapting. It may have slowed down over the past few years, but that ability never faded.
All his instincts were screaming at him to get far, far stronger.
It stretched beyond just the Akatsuki. Some people may call it a cynical worldview, but Kakashi always believed that war was a constant of their shinobi system with the only variable being how long between each one.
And Naruto was going to face the brunt of all of these threats.
No matter how strong he could get, he couldn't do it alone. He would need him, if not as a sensei then as a commander, a comrade, a senior and a friend.
He was less than useless as he was now. There were shinobi out there who were in the same class as Itachi and as he was now he was useless against them.
'Minato-sensei would have had Itachi running for the hills. Even Tou-san would have pushed him to his limits'
He was both their legacies. If they could match such an incredible shinobi then so would he. He had to because no matter what he wouldn't allow a comrade to die, much less his precious student. With that thought, Kakashi resolved himself stronger than he had ever been before.
He'd be better no matter what. It was time the copy ninja, Kakashi no Sharingan lived up to his hype as a legend. He'd be stronger to protect the future of Konoha. He'd be there to support Naruto all the way through it.
That was a promise
I know Naruto's birthday happens in this period, but I can't think of any way to add it to the story without getting to convoluted. So, his birthday happens off-panel where he spends the day with Shizune and Tsunade.
October 25th:
"He's improved quite a bit wouldn't you say, Jiraiya-sama?" Kakashi spoke in a bored tone glancing backwards at the trees behind him.
The Toad Sage sprung forward and stood beside Kakashi. Both men remained silent watching the three genin sparring in front of them. Naruto, Neji and Lee – the three strongest genin in Konoha at the moment facing off in a battle royale. Neji with his prodigious Jyuuken and Byakugan, Rock Lee with his freakish speed and the hard hitting Goken, and finally Naruto with clones and a whole bag of tricks and deception.
It was quite a spectacle. Gai watched carefully from the other end, keeping himself close enough to intervene in case things went too far.
"He really has…his technique looks convincing now, though he didn't really need it to be"
"True, but he was willing to make the effort…something about traitorous, idiotic taijutsu instructors sabotaging him for several years"
Jiraiya winced lightly, "People never realize the value of proper instruction until they're deprived of it".
The two continued to watch the battle. Naruto deftly avoided a Jyuuken blow causing it to strike Lee in the stomach, which unfortunately deviated the path of his kick straight into Naruto who was sent flying into Neji's legs. The three struggled up from the ground as they began to fight it out again.
"What of his ninjutsu and chakra control?" he asked.
"His chakra control has improved by quite a bit. He got the idea of practicing the Rasengan while walking on water. If he keeps it up that way, he may be able to perform it one-handed soon. Apart from that, I had him work on perfecting his hand signs and practice all his jutsu except Kuchiyose"
"I see…did you teach him any new jutsu?"
Kakashi nodded, "I thought him Shuriken Kage Bunshin since he's proficient with Kage Bunshins. He somewhat figured out the Shunshin no Jutsu by himself, so I helped him perfect it"
"You said figured out?"
"Yeah…he taught it himself just from observation" Kakashi explained, "And a rudimentary explanation of 'how it feels' "
"Interesting…have you tested his chakra nature?"
"Natures" Kakashi corrected, "He's got a primary Futon and minor Raiton affinity"
"Nothing's ever normal with him is it? Without a Kekkai Genkai, having a secondary affinity is astronomical…Anything else you want to add?"
Kakashi nodded, "He's gained interest in fuinjutsu. I wasn't sure on how to get him started, so I figured it's best to leave that aspect of his training to you. Though I had him start practicing his calligraphy and handwriting extensively"
"What got him into it?"
"Apparently Tsunade-sama taught him a bit. He got slightly interested, but mostly it was after he found out the Hiraishin no Jutsu is based on fuinjutsu. Somebody will have their hands full now" Kakashi grinned
"Fitting indeed" Jiraiya said with his own grin, "Well it's time for us to go meet Tsunade-hime. She has something very important to tell Naruto"
Kakashi paused for a moment before asking, "It wouldn't be about that would it?"
Jiraiya smiled lightly before nodding, just as Naruto walked towards them.
"Hey Kakashi-sensei, Jiraiya-sensei. What's up?"
"Come on kid. The two of us going to see Tsunade-hime. There's something very important she wants to tell you"
Naruto's brow furrowed, "What is it?"
Jiraiya smiled wide, "A secret!" he chirped much to Naruto's annoyance.
"Hey baachan, you wanted to see us?" Naruto asked
Tsunade nodded, "Yes Naruto. Come in" she said as she began to activate several seals. Naruto noticed a rather thick looking barrier appear around the room. Even subtle movements created an echo against it.
"A…sound barrier?"
"Otherwise known as a privacy barrier. But that isn't important. What we're here to tell you about is…it's about your parents Naruto"
His eyes shot wide, "Wha-what?!" his body was tensed as he felt a cold shiver pass through him.
"Sarutobi-sensei really wanted to tell you Naruto, but you were a child and we couldn't trust you with that information. Your parents were powerful and with many enemies. If your heritage was publicly known, you'd have to deal with not only enemies from outside but inside as well"
Naruto became confused, "Inside? Why would people in Konoha attack me?"
Jiraiya shook his head, "Not enemies in the conventional sense…rather they would have tried to use you for their own ends" he explained
"O-o-ok"
"You've probably been afraid that they abandoned you, but they didn't. They both passed away during the Kyubi attack" Tsunade told him.
Naruto felt a huge weight lift from him.
Tsunade slowly brought out a small picture, "This is your mother her name was Uzumaki Kushina"
Naruto shakily grasped the image. Seeing the image, he began to cry immediately, "Kaa-chan…she was so beautiful"
"She was. She was an incredible woman. Known as the Akai Chishio Habanero. Strong, fierce yet the most loving person I've met. While she was pregnant with you, she had never been happier in her life" Jiraiya spoke sadly.
Naruto forcefully wiped his tears, "Did she really? She wouldn't care about-"
"No. And I know she never will"
Naruto nodded slowly before asking, "And what about my…" he froze when he looked at the picture of the Yondaime.
It clicked.
When he was younger he had suspected it due to their similarities. But he had brushed it off due to their differing last names as well as the fact that he thought that nobody could possibly hate the son of their greatest hero. It was all just a fantasy to him. It was just like a children's story where the orphaned loser was secretly a prince.
"Wait…Uzumaki is my mother's name. She has red hair and violet eyes, I have blue eyes and blonde hair…no…" he said eyes widened.
"Naruto…"
"No, no, no, no…" he began chanting gripping his head.
Both watched on as Naruto began to shake his head feverently.
"NO! It can't be! He was a great man! He'd never do something like that to his own son!" he yelled crying wildly.
Tsunade looked away head down. Jiraiya sighed understanding just how shocking such news could be.
Jiraiya spoke, "He was the Hokage, his duty was to protect the village. If he couldn't sacrifice his own son, how could he ask someone else?"
"I-I don't know what to think. Did he know? Did he know that everybody would hate me?"
"He truly believed in the village. He believed that they would heed his final words to view you as a hero. But he did this in the knowledge that your mother was the previous jinchuriki of the Kyuubi"
Naruto's heart nearly stopped, "What?" he asked very softly.
"She had a special bloodline that could suppress a bijuu's chakra. During childbirth, the seal holding a bijuu is weakened. On the night of your birth, something went wrong causing the Kyuubi to be released. Once the bijuu is released or extracted from the jinchuriki it always results in death. Minato sealed the Kyuubi within you, because destroying it was simply a temporary solution. All it would achieve would be to piss it off before it reformed in a few years. He took the best of the worst choices. He...both of them died weeping. They shed tears for their son who they left alone. For what it's worth they wanted nothing more than to live with you…for you"
Naruto shut his eyes tightly, "I-I understand…but I don't think I can ever forgive him" he said softly.
Neither replied.
Naruto shook his head, "I don't understand one thing though. Kaa-chan helped stop the Kyubi as well. Nobody calls her a hero, nobody remembers her"
"So, what are you saying?"
"She deserved much better than that. I may really be Namikaze Naruto but I won't take the name. I was born an Uzumaki, lived an Uzumaki and I will die an Uzumaki" he declared.
Tsunade smiled gently at that, "She'd have been so proud of you for that…but are you alright Naruto?"
"I'm just a little angry baachan. Is there…is there anything they've left for me?"
"There is actually. They saved up a good amount of money which was transferred to your account when you made genin. They had a small house too…you can move in there if you want" Jiraiya said.
"Maybe not yet…I don't think I'm ready. Do you have any pictures of Tou-chan and Kaa-chan together?" he asked.
Jiraiya nodded and retrieved one last picture.
It was one of a pregnant Kushina, with Minato lying his head on her tummy. Naruto touched the photo close to his chest with his eyes shut.
Few moments passed before he serene smile appeared on his face, "Their love and their will lived on in me. From the Kiroii Senko and the Akai Chishio Habenero comes the future Konoha's Orange Hokage. I'll live up to both their legacies and become the greatest Hokage ever. That's a promise!" he said with a wide grin.
Tsunade and Jiraiya exchanged proud smiles as they watched Naruto adoringly look at the photo.
November 1st:
"Well I guess this is it guys" Naruto spoke. He looked over all the Rookies and all jonin senseis, obviously except Kakashi, assembled near the gate.
"I will be looking forward to a most youthful fight when you return Naruto-kun! May the flames of youth burn bright within you!"
"Well said student Lee! I wish you luck as well Naruto-kun! Allow your burning passion to explode with all its power and you will become a most youthful ninja!"
Neji and Tenten sighed, "In simple terms…have a great trip and train hard to become a great ninja" Tenten explained embarrassed.
Naruto smiled, "Thanks guys!"
He turned to team eight.
"Heh don't get too cocky! We'll surpass you in no-" he started until he was elbowed rather hard by Kurenai.
"What he means to say is we'll miss having you. Be safe and have a wonderful journey" Kurenai said with a smile.
"Indeed. Your enthusiasm and energy will be missed. Have a safe trip Naruto" Shino added with a nod.
"Thanks Kurenai-sensei, thanks Shino. You're a prick but thanks Kiba" he turned to Hinata who seemed on the verge of tears, "Huh? What's the matter Hinata?"
"N-n-nothing. I'll miss you Naruto-kun" she whispered.
"I'll miss you guys too. Don't worry three years will go in a flash" he said reassuringly.
Hinata smiled gently. She wanted to say more but her head fell slightly when she realized that Naruto had shifted his attention to team ten. She felt a comforting hand from Kurenai on her shoulder, "There's always time, don't worry". Hinata nodded feeling slightly better.
"Good luck Naruto-" Chouji started
"Don't do anything too troublesome" Shikamaru cut in.
Ino twitched slightly, "Is that all you have to say?"
Shikamaru sighed, "Fine, fine. You're a real troublesome guy, but things will be a bit dull around here with you gone..."
"I get it guys. Thanks" Naruto cut in before another argument broke out.
Slowly he turned to his last remaining teammate. Sakura seemed a bit reserved, "So…this is it for team seven?" she asked quietly.
Naruto's head hung slightly before it shot up with a bright grin, "Nah! We're teammates no matter what Sakura! Any team with us is the best!"
Sakura smiled, "Definitely…better train hard Naruto or I'll leave you in the dust!"
"Just you try!" he chirped and Kakashi appeared just that moment.
"Yo!"
"You're…on time?" Naruto voiced everyone's thoughts. Kakashi simply ignored the odd looks as he eye-smiled.
"Maa, can't miss my cute little genin leaving, can I? Besides I got a little something for you" he said tossing him a scroll
Naruto blinked slightly, "Is this…?"
Kakashi nodded, "Yup! Stay safe, I'll be waiting to see how strong you've gotten when you return"
Naruto grinned, "Thanks Kakashi-sensei!"
He finally turned to Tsunade and Shizune. Shizune bent down and gave him a tight hug, "Stay safe Naruto-kun. We'll all be waiting for you to be back"
Naruto hugged her back, "Of course nee-chan. I'll be back in top shape don't you worry"
Letting go off the embrace he finally turned to Tsunade whose face was stoic. When their eyes met Tsunade's face softened as she bent down to come face to face with Naruto.
"Stay safe ok…listen to Jiraiya and train hard everyday…but make sure you rest enough and don't overdo it! I better not hear you got hurt or you'll piss me off! And don't you dare pick up any habits from this old lecher! Stay away from the three vices! Save your money and spend it wisely! No girls or sake till you're eighteen understood?!" she said as her voice got louder and more threatening with each sentence causing everybody to sweatdrop.
Naruto was blushed hard causing several to snicker at his expense, "Baachan! I'll never turn out like Ero-Sennin! Promise!"
"Good. Come back in one piece. I'm holding your hat for you" she said hugging him tightly.
"I will" Naruto said hugging her back, "I'll save you from paperwork don't you worry!"
Naruto let go and gave a final wave, "See you everybody!"
"Bye Naruto"
The two walked slowly past the gate. Naruto didn't turn back. He was psyched for the three years to come. He smiled confidently as he walked side by side with his sensei.
Seeing him so upbeat Jiraiya smiled, "So, you excited kid?"
Naruto nodded, "Yeah I am. So, what's the plan?"
"We'll find a nearby city and we'll start planning but most likely it'll be by the ear. Once that's done, we'll get right into training. I have three years to get you as strong as possible and I don't intend to waste a single moment"
"Me neither. The Akatsuki won't know what hit them!"
So that ends the first chapter! Hope you guys liked it.
The main idea behind this story is that Naruto isn't just worried about getting Sasuke back. He had the Akatsuki coming after him and Jiraiya seemed to suggest there's a lot of trouble brewing on the horizon. Naruto's going to be trained into the ground. Mostly so he doesn't have his strength skyrocket like it did in canon. After he created the Rasenshuriken, his strength increased a bit too quickly for my liking. I always preferred having a more gradual progression.
If there are any of your favorite characters you'd like me to develop, I'm open to suggestion. I for one will be focusing on developing the kunoichi like Tsunade and Mei because I honestly feel they deserved so much more.
I'm unsure of the pairings as of right now. I will write out the story and as I go along I may choose someone, but for now it's undecided. To be honest I'm not very much for NaruHina since it's already done in canon and most of the attempts on fandom just feel forced. I have several ideas but where's the fun in spoiling it? Got to keep some suspense to keep you guys hooked, right?
Reviews on what you loved or hated would be much appreciated.
Peace