Naruto of a Thousand Birds

Summary: Instead of just continuing with business as usual, Kakashi takes a moment to speak with Naruto after the mission to Wave. Now, armed with a powerful lightning technique and a shard sword, how far could Naruto go?

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The rain was falling heavily. The droplets were large, crazy and chaotic. It was… oddly fitting.

Naruto was standing on a small hill overlooking the seaside in Wave country, staring down at the two mounds, and the giant sword serving as the grave marker.

"It's a sad thing, isn't it" Naruto jumped as he heard a familiar voice behind him. His sensei, Kakashi, appeared there silently, looking almost comical with his white hair matter from the rain.

"It is."

"How're you holding up?"

"I'm… I don't know. I must've killed at least a dozen thugs, and yet it's these two I feel the most compassion for. But I did feel sick most of the day." Kakashi nodded. "Does it ever get any easier?"

"At first you hope that it does. But after a while you pray that you feel at least something each time. That there's at least some part of you that's still human in there somewhere." The two stood in silence for a while, Naruto just thinking.

"I met her. Before this, in the forest, while we were training. We got to talking, and she told me that true strength, the kind that matters, is only in protecting those you care about. Those that are precious to you."

"Wise words to live by."

"I don't have many of those. Precious people, I mean. Sure, the Hokage tries to always be there, but he's always busy. Teuchi and Ayame have a restaurant to run."

"And Iruka?"

"Iruka's… complicated. Sure, he's ok now, but there was the time at the beginning of the Academy when he wasn't that much different than Mizuki. But he's changed, and I suppose that's the important bit."

"The team?" Kakashi was concerned for the blonde boy now.

"Sasuke and Sakura both would rather see me hang then be friends. And honestly they're damn annoying. But you're ok. You're kinda cool, and the mask is pretty badass, even if it's bugging me."

"Thanks." Kakashi gave an eye-smile, patting Naruto on the head. "That means a lot. We'll turn you into a literature enthusiast yet."

"Don't hold your breath. But I wanted to ask you something." The genin was nervous now, something that was really out of character. And something that Kakashi did notice. It was, apparently, pretty important. "That technique you used. The one that… the one that killed Haku. Can you teach it to me?"

"Raikiri…" Kakashi sighed, rubbing his chin. "And it's simpler version, the Chidori. I created them trying to do something my sensei never could."

"Your sensei was the Yondaime, right?"

"Yeah. He had this technique called the Rasengan. It was pure chakra manipulation, required no hand signs and was an A-Rank offensive, short range ninjutsu. But it was unfinished. He wanted to combine it with nature manipulation to form something truly extraordinary, but…"

"The Kyūbi." Naruto muttered, grasping at his stomach as if in pain.

"When I was younger I tried to emulate sensei, so I created the Chidori. But there was a problem. The technique actually increases your speed, so much so that it creates an effect called tunnel vision. It's when you actually see nothing but the target. That made it difficult to turn, and very easy to evade. It was only when I got this that the tunnel effect was solved." Kakashi motioned to the headband covering his eye.

"What about channeling chakra to your eyes? Wouldn't that help?"

"It never has for me. But then again, I never had a chakra battery."

"Can we test it?" Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "Can you take me along at that speed? Then we'll see."

"Alright." Naruto smiled and stood straight. "But maybe tomorrow."

"But sensei…"

"Naruto, it's raining." Kakashi deadpanned. "And you're asking me to use a lightning technique."

"Right." At least the boy had the decency to act sheepish.

"But meanwhile, you can channel your chakra into this." Kakashi handed him a piece of paper that was surprisingly dry considering the rain. "It's chakra paper, used for determining chakra natures. You do know what those are, right?"

"I'm not an idiot, sensei."

"You didn't know what chakra was."

"No, I pretended not to so Sakura could feel better." Naruto petulantly crossed his arms. "Now gimme that thing." The paper crumbled and then got shredded.

"Well, two natures. That's pretty interesting. Lightning and wind." He added when he saw Naruto's expectant look. "That's good. It'll be easier for you if we can actually get you to learn the Chidori."

"Does that mean I can't learn any other techniques?"

"Of course not. Where did you learn that?"

"Academy." Naruto grumbled.

"Ah. No, a chakra nature just makes it easier to learn the jutsu. And it lowers the chakra cost a bit. But that shouldn't be a problem for you. Now let's get back before we catch a cold."

"I've never been a sick a day in my life sensei." Naruto commented as Kakashi sneezed.

"Well good for you."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

As it turned out, the rain didn't subside for three days. By then Naruto was about ready to strangle his teammates. Sasuke, who was 'impartially' filled in by Sakura about what he missed, was glaring distractingly at Naruto, apparently stuck between dismissing him as useless and demanding whatever power helped him fight the masked person. And Sakura, ever the loyal fan girl, was doing much the same. With all that, the clear, cloudless day couldn't come quick enough.

Naruto was glad to finally be out of the house. Even more glad that Kakashi had made a clone to watch the house (by reading his precious book in front of a fuming Sakura and a brooding Sasuke).

"Right. Let's begin." Kakashi took ahold of Naruto's orange jumpsuit tightly. "Begin channeling the chakra. Try to concentrate it into your pupil or iris, whichever works." Naruto nodded and made a ram hand sign.

A loud, chirping sound rang through the clearing they were in as lightning condensed inside of Kakashi's right hand. The elder ninja ran, streaking through the air and hitting the side of a tree, carving a deep groove in the bark.

"There." He let go of the boy's jumpsuit. "Um, Naruto?" Naruto was on his knees, clutching his hands to his eyes. A few drops of blood were seeping through his finders. "Hey, you alright, kid?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine." He muttered. "My eyes just hurt."

"Let me see." The boy hesitated. "Naruto, now." Kakashi's tone was firm but gentle. But he really wasn't expecting what he saw.

Naruto's eyes had changed. Both his pupil and iris were almost segmented, like the eyes of a bee.

"Um… Naruto, can you see me?"

"What the hell kind of question is that? Of course I can."

"Well, your eyes changed."

"They what?" Kakashi held up a particularly shiny kunai for the boy to see.

"That's… actually kinda awesome. Everything's sharper. Is that a caterpillar over there?" Naruto pointed to a tree at the far side of the clearing. So far, that Kakashi's trained eye had to strain to pick up the bug.

"Yeah, I guess it is." They stood there in silence for a moment. "Try again?"

"Of course."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I have fond memories of this game. Played it for a few years, made some friends. I might even go back to it someday.

The eye thing is mine, though.