Author's Note: Hello all, welcome back. And thanks to the wonderful response I got from the last chapter by the very nice people that took the time to leave reviews, it got my motivation flowing and I was able to get ahead on my writing.

Lastly, I just wanted to confirm about what I had said last chapter. The Return to the Leaf will begin with Chapter 19! Almost there!

Please, feel free to leave reviews (or PM's) about what you think about the chapter; or any comments, questions, or concerns you may have. I will answer you individually at the end of the chapter.

Thanks for reading!

Story Stats:

Reviews - 181

Favorites - 330

Followers - 527

Views - 61,825

Chapter 16: Heart to Heart

Naruto's face betrayed a look of utter confoundment. Here he was, staring at a younger version of himself. And no, it wasn't a clone, and it wasn't someone using the transformation technique either. Jiraiya's training had prepared him for many things he was going to see in the ninja world; this was not one of them.

"Uh… sorry, but, where are we?" The shinobi asked, voice betraying his uncertainty as he took in the endlessly expansive sea of white that filled his vision. There were many questions on his mind that he wanted to ask, but the most pressing was why he was no longer in the toad mountains.

"You mean this place?" The little blond said, gesturing to the white emptiness around him with a large smile on his face. "This is my home. Welcome!"

"Your home?" The 'real' Naruto asked incredulously. "There isn't really anything here, how is it a home?"

At the mention of that, the older blond noticed a hint of sadness appear behind his counterparts bright blue eyes. It reminded him of when he would catch a glimpse of himself in the bathroom mirror all of those years ago. Those same, sad eyes. "I never really had a true home growing up, so please don't make fun of it." The little Uzumaki huffed in annoyance.

"Uh… sorry?" It was going to be difficult to get past the absurdity of what was happening. Still, the little Naruto was the only thing here that could give him any answers to what was happening. He didn't know how he got there and had no idea how to get back to the real world. "I guess... that it's just different from my house. Yeah, I'm just not used to it, is all. On second thought, you have a very nice place here."

The annoyed look on the boy's face was immediately replaced with one of pure joy. "Really?! Thanks!" The blond beamed. "I'm glad that you like it! You're only the second visitor that I've ever had, so I would have been sad if you hated it."

"The second? Who's the first?"

"You know him."

Naruto blinked at that response. "I do?" To which the little one nodded. "Well, where is he? I would like to meet him."

There was a slight pause, then a look of confusion appeared across the child's face. He scratched his scalp through their spiky hair, seemingly thinking something over in his mind. "Now that you mention it, he was just here a second ago. I'm not sure where he went, but he'll probably be back soon."

"Right…" The teenager said slowly, checking his surroundings for any sign of something beyond the expansive nothingness. "How do I get out of here? I'm not trying to be rude, but I should be getting home soon." It was odd trying to reassure himself so as not to make the little Uzumaki sad again.

"Hm? Didn't you want to talk about something?"

"What do you mean? Why would you think I would want to talk about something? I don't even know how I got here."

"Well, when the other us came, he needed to talk about something. We were both confused because I have been alone here for as long as I can remember. And now, even though he isn't here right now, we're pretty much always together. It's been great!"

"I… don't think there's anything I really want to talk about." There was a bit of hesitation in his speech, something that wasn't lost on his smaller self.

"Well, what were you doing before you came here? Did something bad happen to you, too?" There was a glint of something Naruto assumed was worry in the little blond's eyes, now. Everything his younger self said seemed to confuse him even more than before.

"…Did something bad happen to the other person?"

The child nodded his head vigorously. "Yeah, when he got here, he was crying. I think some people close to him died. It took a while, but he seems better now! He's still a little grumpy and angry sometimes, but I don't mind!"

The Genin gulped. His head was spinning in many directions, each outcome and implication making him more nervous. He needed to ask this next question to confirm his thoughts. "The other 'us' you mentioned.". He began, deducing that the other guest his younger self was talking about was another Naruto. "When did he show up here?"

"Oh, I don't know, maybe… a few months ago? I'm not really that good with time." The youngster said after a brief period of thought. "Why?"

"N-no reason. I was just curious." The real Naruto's head was beginning to pound from all of the confusion and thoughts he was having.

"Okay!" Mini-Naruto's hands were now clasped behind his head as he smiled from ear-to-ear. That quickly folded into a slight frown. "Hey… I answered a bunch of your questions, but you still didn't answer mine!" Following the inquisitive look he received, the little blond continued. "I asked you what you were doing before you got here, and what you were writing about, remember?"

"Oh… right." He trailed off, glancing down at the blank sheet of paper he had been mindlessly staring at. "I was trying to write a sequel to my book. Well, our book." The Genin corrected, realizing he was having a conversation with himself.

"A sequel? To the book I wrote?" He questioned.

The choice of words caught the older boy's attention. "The one you wrote? What do you mean by that?"

"Well, I'm you." The boy said simply. "Actually, you're me. I may be small, but I've been around longer than you have. I'm the one who wrote our book. Why do you want to make a new one?"

"Wait, wait, wait." The teenage Uzumaki said frantically, waving his hands out in front of his body. "What are you talking about? You wrote the book? You've been around longer than me? I'm sorry, but you lost me, kid." As far as he was concerned, he was himself, and he has always been himself.

Right? Yes, of course… right?

So, what was this brat talking about?

"All I know is that I don't remember you being around before. You look like me, but you feel different. I don't really know how to explain it." The child-like version of himself seemed to be struggling to find the words to explain what he was feeling and thinking.

"You seem… very happy." The current Naruto commented.

"I am!" The boy beamed enthusiastically. "Aren't you?!"

Okay, now some things were starting to make a little sense. Perhaps, just perhaps, this little squirt was telling a bit of truth. "Heh, maybe you did write that book after all." The current Naruto said a bit cynically.

"Hm? Why are ya sayin' it like that?" The mini-blond said, a touch of that young naivety showing through.

"I want to write a sequel to your book that is a lot more realistic. It's okay to be happy and optimistic, but some of the things in our first book can never really happen in the real world. So, I want to tell my own story." Those blue eyes were shining fiercely. In the expansive nothingness of the realm, he found himself in, those striking orbs could be seen from hundreds of feet away. Intense, unshakable.

"What's wrong with being happy?" The optimistic boy questioned with a light tone. "It's a great feeling!"

"It's not about whether or not you're happy, it's when you let the emotions you feel distort your sense of reality is when it becomes an issue." Even though he was talking to a child version of himself, if this Naruto truly wrote the book as he said, then he should be smart enough to understand what was being said. There was no need to explain things in layman's terms. "The world is a cruel, unforgiving place. People need to understand that, even if they don't want to."

There was a long moment of silence between the two. After the older blond's intense rebuttal, there seemed to be a bit of tension between the two. Since they are the same person, they can understand one another's thoughts and feelings. However, understanding does not equate to acceptance. Despite being two parts of the same whole, they have vastly different experiences and opinions about the world, life, and even themselves.

"I don't think you're going to be able to write the book that you want." The young one finally said.

Naruto frowned. "What makes you say that?" Though, he wasn't entirely sure he wanted to hear the answer. After all, he had been struggling greatly for an unknown reason to put pen to paper.

"You seem… very bitter, and angry; a lot like the other us." He began, his words causing his older self to flinch. "But, at the same time, you're different than him. He always seems to be angry and bitter about something. Not you, though. I think you want to be happy and hopeful deep down." This time, the little one chuckled. "Honestly, you seem like a mix of him and me! Can you write what you want to write with all of these conflicting emotions you have?"

Glancing down at the blank paper he had been staring at for what felt like hours before, frustration began to build up inside the older blond. These conflicting feelings the little one was talking about was something he was very aware of. Well, to be more accurate, it was something he was trying to ignore. After his experience in the Land of Water, Naruto had come to the conclusion that there would always be terrible people in the world, and that he, if no one else, would have to do something about it. If that meant using lethal force… well, his rationalization was that it was for the betterment of the world.

Though, when being honest with himself, there was still a part of him that wanted to believe in what Jiraiya had said to him when they had been searching for Inari and Tsunami after the tragedy. Despite supposedly steeling himself to doing what must be done for the good of the ninja world, he desperately wanted to cling to the idealistic beliefs of his Master. Those ideals spoke of a picturesque world where human beings would eventually come together and understand one another. It was so naïve, and yet so alluring and beautiful at the same time.

So, the question remains; what path to take?

"Is that what you're here for?" The blond questioned after a moment of introspection. "Are you the angel resting on my shoulder trying to convince me to be happy and live in harmony with everyone?"

This actually made the whiskered child chuckle innocently. "No, silly. I'm a part of you. That piece of you that you're feeling right now; the one that wants to hope, that's me!" With a smile on his face, he put a fist out in front of him. "So, what do you say?" He asked, waiting for a reciprocal fist bump. "Do you want to hope?"

Instead of returning the bump, the current Naruto just stared blankly at the gesture. The Genin wanted to reciprocate, he really did. The reality of an existence filled with understanding, peace, and harmony was so captivating, and he wanted to welcome it with open, soothing arms. Yet, something within him wouldn't let him take that leap of faith. A cynicism that had been built up over time courtesy of his fellow villagers, Jaaku, and the Akatsuki. They reminded him that people would be hard-pressed to not only accept things they cannot understand but also act against their own self-interest for another person's sake. He was too jaded to hope for anything like what the Sannin wished for.

Taking a step back, he sadly shook his head. "Sorry… I can't."

Instead of being sad like he had expected, his Jiraiya-minded side nodded while still maintaining his smile. "I understand. You can get rid of me permanently if you want."

"Get rid of you?" Naruto blinked, shaking his head rapidly. "Why would I do that? You're a part of me."

"If you don't accept me there isn't really any purpose for me to exist." He received a look of confusion, urging him to continue. "Even if you don't accept me, as long as I exist within you, you won't be able to write the book that you want. You won't be able to be the person you want to be. I'll always be in the back of your mind, urging you into a direction you don't want to go in."

"You are a part of me." He reiterated. "If I erase you, I won't be the same person anymore." Naruto said, sticking a thumb sharply into his chest. "There may be one day when I'm forced to change into someone different, but this is not one of those days."

"So, what will you do?" His light-hearted side asked.

"I'm going to face the world for all that it is. And then, after seeing it with my eyes wide open, I'll make my decision." Right before his eyes, a large, brown oak door appeared. Tilting his head to the side in curiosity, he traded a glance with his host. "The exit?" He asked.

"I guess you talked about what you needed to get off of your chest." The little one said with a small shrug.

"I see." He commented in a monotonous tone. "…If I ever wanted to come back here to talk, how would I go about that?" He asked, eyes never leaving the exit back to reality.

"When you need to, you'll be able to come back."

Though it was vague, Naruto nodded, accepting that answer as the conclusion to their conversation. Walking up to the door, he tentatively grabbed ahold of the metal knob. Glancing back at his past self, he gave a sad, half-smile. Grip tightening around the knob, he began pulling it open slowly…

"Hah!" The Genin exclaimed, shooting up from his seat. His eyes darted around the room, and he slowly calmed down when he realized the proper setting was back around him. Books and scrolls covered the walls of the expansive archives. The table he had been working at still had the stack of empty white paper that had been mocking him earlier.

He smiled, immediately heading for the exit.

The whole experience he had just gone through had been incredibly surreal. So unfathomable, in fact, that he needed to think deeply about his experiences. What does it mean? What can he do going forward? How can he become the person that he wants to be without killing a part of himself?

Most people didn't think about deep questions like this at Naruto's age. Though he isn't exactly your typical teenager, now is he?

Maybe the world wasn't as black and white as he thought it was? Maybe, just maybe, there was more to life than two extreme ways of living. To believe in the ways of his master did not necessarily mean he had to fully accept the thought of peace and harmony as a feasible reality. And to so callously look at human nature as a disease, going so far as to keep people from acting for only themselves; perhaps that was wrong, too. 'There has to be a middle ground to it all... But what?'

Stepping outside, he made note that there was no sound; not even the croaking of frogs that usually rang through the night. He hadn't realized how late it was...

'I really shouldn't be staying up this late. I start talking to myself… literally…'

Off to bed, the Jinchuriki went.

Jiraiya had been watching his pupil for several minutes, though the blond was none the wiser that he was being watched. Something was off, but the Sage couldn't determine if it was anything serious. There were a couple things out of the ordinary that caught his attention.

First, his Godson wasn't being his usual attentive self. He wasn't masking his presence, so it wouldn't be difficult for even an untrained civilian to notice he was there. Second, despite it seeming like the boy was diligently reading what appeared to be one of his books on sealing techniques, Naruto actually had not turned the page once the whole time the Sannin had been watching. His eyes were glassy and didn't appear to be focused on anything in particular.

Yet, the expression on the Genin's face did not give any leanings to what was going on in his mind. It was blank. Unsure of what to make of all of these variables, Jiraiya walked over to break the boy from his daze. That was probably the only way to get a proper answer.

"Is something on your mind, kid? You've seemed a little out of it today."

"Hm?" Naruto blurted out, looking up the book he had been blankly staring at while resting up against a shady tree. "Oh…" There was a slow drawl to his voice, closing the book with a soft 'thwack', he attempted to gather his thoughts. "I didn't get much sleep last night, so I'm a bit tired, is all."

Jiraiya rubbed his chin. "I did notice that you weren't in bed when I went to sleep." He thought aloud. "Based on what you're doing right now, you were probably in the archives late studying seals, I bet." Before Naruto could say anything in response, the Sage continued. "Everyone, even you, deserves a break every now and again. You don't have to run yourself into the ground. Sleep is just as important as training."

"Sensei, I-"

"You are making unbelievable progress! We have a lot of time left and you are already way ahead of where I thought you would be at this point. Hell, at this rate, maybe when you're my age you'll finally be stronger than me!" He said jokingly with his trademark toothy grin.

"Maybe you're right." The Sage's student said with an affirmative nod, surprising his mentor.

"You know I was joking about that last part, right?"

"What last part? I stopped listening after you commented on my awesome progress." He said with a sly smile. "Did you say anything else?"

"Heh, guess I walked right into that one." Despite their back and forth chiding, Jiraiya was more interested in what his student had just said. "What do you think I'm right about?" Though he had an idea, he wanted to hear it from Naruto's mouth to ensure they were on the same page.

"I've been so worried about the Akatsuki, and I've been trying to compensate for that by pushing myself harder and harder. Though, while I may have gotten the results I've wanted, I'm also always either tense, anxious, or exhausted; or better yet, a combination of all three! Maybe, I've been too hard on myself? I don't really know."

Jiraiya's eyes softened at his godson's words of self-awareness. Despite the measures they have to take to avoid overloading the blond, the Sannin couldn't help but be proud. Not many people can look inwardly and acknowledge something they are doing subconsciously. Not only that, but take that unconscious flaw and actively try to eliminate it. Just that alone takes a lot of maturity to do, something that his student did not have a year ago. "How about we take the next couple of days off so we can rest, reset, and reload? How does that sound?"

Naruto's eyes snapped open wide. "But what about-" The Genin, catching himself, took in a sharp breath, which was followed up with a rather forceful exhale. "I was about to do it again wasn't I, Sensei?" The annoyance in his voice was not lost on his guardian.

Ironically, the humorless tone from the blond was rather humorous to the Toad Sage. Though, making fun of his godson for these predispositions would do little to remedy the situation. Jiraiya was truly putting a lot of effort into being the best guardian he could possibly be. Sure, there was no way to be perfect and he knew that already. All he wanted to do was improve from where he was for the sake of his student.

"I'm glad that you caught that, but do you see what I mean? No one is blaming you for being on edge, or your intense desire to be as strong as you can. I won't sugarcoat it, because it would do both of us a great disservice going forward. You have some of the most dangerous people on the planet after you, and it won't be long until they start to move. You already know that, but you can't let that rule you." His tone was soft but firm. Naruto hung on to every word and his shoulders were beginning to relax at the same time. "You will be prepared, you will be strong enough, and we will beat them. But to be prepared and ready, you have to be calm and focused. That's why I think taking a break to relax and rest your mind can be the greatest training of all."

"Yeah." Naruto agreed, unclenching the hands he didn't even know were balled up. "I think you're right, Sensei. Some time off would be good for me."

"I have an idea for how we can take our minds off of all of the stuff that's going on."

"Are you sure it's okay to be here?" Naruto asked with a bit of hesitancy, glancing in the direction of his master who was sitting a good distance away from him.

"I'm with you, so of course it's okay." Jiraiya said, trying to wave off the apprehension his student was exuding.

Still, the blond seemed a bit uncomfortable. "I know, it's just, well, the last time I was out like this…" He trailed off, unable, or maybe unwilling, to finish the thought.

"We won't be long, no one even knows that we're here. I know you liked spending time here when you were younger, so I thought it would be a good place to come clear our minds. I used to spend quite a bit of time up here when I was younger, too." Jiraiya's smile and confidence were beginning to put the Uzumaki at ease. What he had said was true, he loved spending time here.

Master and student were both sitting atop the stone heads of the Village Hidden in the Leaves former leaders. Naruto chose to rest on the head of his hero, the Fourth Hokage, and Jiraiya his late, beloved mentor, the Third Hokage. Jiraiya, though it had initially not crossed his mind, was beginning to feel that spending all of their time cooped up in Mount Myoboku could hinder Naruto's ability to relax. So far, the blond's only association with the toad mountains is intense training and studying. How can he take it easy, when all he has ever done in that space was the exact opposite? So, while it was not exactly ideal to have his precious student outside the safety of the sagely grounds before he was ready, it was necessary in his opinion.

'Besides, nothing on this Earth will get me to leave his side this time.' He thought to himself, still disappointed that Minato's son was almost taken while under his guidance… for a second time, no less! Never again.

From their great view, the pairs eye's rested on their beautiful home. A home neither of them has seen for over a year. A home that, in all honesty, they were ready to come back to.

Soon.

"You liked being up here, too?" The boy asked, taking his eyes off of the home that he missed dearly to look at his master.

Jiraiya returned the gaze, patting the stone version of his teacher lightly on the scalp. "Just like you, I had a hero growing up. Though, I was lucky enough to get the chance to learn under my hero. Despite being my Sensei, he was also the Hokage at the same time. That made my respect for him grow even more. I came up here to think about how I could be like him someday."

Naruto nodded, fully understanding what his teacher was talking about. There were days he would sit atop the Fourth's head and play over scenarios in his mind in which he was a strong Hokage just like his idol was. Those were simpler days, for sure. Now, many of his aspirations for the future didn't involve him being the village leader. "How did you know I liked to spend time up here?" Naruto shot a questioning glance over to his Godfather.

"Before he died, I would talk to Sarutobi-Sensei about you. Anything he knew; what you were like, what you liked to do, I wanted to know all of that." There was a sad smile on his face as he thought about the conversations he had with his late teacher. Growing up an orphan himself, the Third Hokage was like a father to him. Whenever he thought about the good times, or even the bad, the pain of his loss still stung deep.

"Why didn't you ask me?" His tone wasn't accusatory, just one of interest.

"I felt guilty… I still feel guilty." The Sannin said with a shake of the head, eyes drifting back over his home. "Yet, instead of owning up to it from the beginning and apologizing to you, I tried to sweep it under the rug and forget about it. But that wasn't something I could do, and it ate away at me every day that I did it."

"Instead of looking back on my past and being angry about all of it, I think I decided to just be happy that I know you now. Like I told you before, I think that you usually have a good reason for the things that you do. You had your spy network and all of the important missions you did for the village. I was just some kid."

"You aren't just some kid, you're Mina-" Jiraiya's breath got stuck in his throat after realizing his almost grave mistake. That could have been bad. Very bad. Taking a deep breath, he attempted to correct himself. "You aren't some random kid, you're my Godson. Someone very important to me. I should have been there, but instead, I ran away from my pain."

The slipup was not lost on the blond boy, but he was hesitant to press his Sensei for details. Since shortly after finding out his relation to the Toad Sage, while extremely grateful for the learning of that, there had been something associated with that information that had been on his mind since. The identity of his deceased parents. Though, realizing that they were also close to the Sannin, he chose to let it be for that time and wait for Jiraiya to bring it back up.

It was tough to do that. Being an orphan, even knowing that his parents weren't alive, the knowledge of who they were was very important to him. If anything, it would allow him to feel close to the people he was supposed to be raised by. It would turn his mother and father from complete strangers to actual members of his family; like they were meant to be.

"Can you tell me what they were like; my parents, I mean?" The question that was at the tip of his tongue slipped out before he could reel it back in. It was out now, there wasn't much that could be done to take those words back. "If you aren't comfortable with it, you don't have to answer. I understand."

"No, it's okay." Jiraiya took in a deep breath, turning his body away from the village to fully face his protégé. This was a question the Sage had been expecting for a long time now. Honestly, it surprised him that it took up until now for the boy to ask. It had given him a lot of time to prepare mentally, and think about what his answer would be, how much information to reveal, and how to explain it. He rubbed his chin in thought. "Where to begin? Is there anything in particular that you want to know?"

"W-What were they like as people?" His nerves were going crazy. This had been something he had been waiting a very long time for, and yet he still didn't feel ready for it.

"Ah, that is a good place to begin." The Sannin said with a sad smile. "Your mother, well, she was a character. If I had to describe her with one word, it would be unyielding. She knew what she was about, and she stuck to her convictions and her values. There was almost nothing she wouldn't do for her precious people." Despite the somber tone in his voice, he let out a happy laugh. "And if you messed with her, or insulted anyone close to her, forget it. She could be as ferocious as Tsunade."

"She sounds like a great person." There were tears welling up in the corner of his eyes, but he wasn't about to let them fall. He was going to be strong like his mother was.

"You and she are very alike, Naruto." Naruto reacted just as he expected; with a look of shock. "While you may not have many of Kushina's physical features, you have her strong will and good heart." The Toad Sage put his hand over his own chest. "Those are the things that made her a special human being."

Naruto, absentmindedly gripping his own chest, was barely holding his emotions together. This woman, no, his mother, sounded like an amazing woman. Someone, he would give anything to spend a few minutes with just to talk about who she was.

"W-What did she look like?" What Jiraiya had said was not lost on him. If they didn't look that much alike, then what did she actually look like? Sure, he had seen many families walking around the Leaf Village, and was able to understand that a child didn't have to look much like either parent. Still, whenever he pictured himself with both of his parents, they always resembled him in some manner.

"She was incredibly unique. Her eyes were a deep violet, and she had long beautiful red hair. Though, while I heard she used to get bullied for her hair color when she was little, it was one of your father's favorite things about her."

"Woah, red hair?!" The more they talked, the less emotional he was getting. If anything, Naruto just was eager to know as much as possible about the two of them. "I've never seen someone who has red hair! I bet it looked great!"

As far as Jiraiya was concerned, they were talking about his parents today and nothing else. Their conversation about the Uzumaki Clan, and their red hair, would happen eventually, but not anytime soon. "She would be happy to hear you say that." That sad smile was starting to form back on the Sage's face. "They were so excited when they found out you were going to be born. Imagine, loving someone so much and they aren't even born yet. They would have been great parents, I know it."

Instead of being welcomed back into the sadness, Naruto felt a wave of some other emotions he couldn't explain. All of these years, he had been afraid that his parents were secretly alive, and just left him alone because they didn't love him. Or worse, that they were looking down on him from the heavens in disappointment at what he has grown into. Yet, hearing Jiraiya speak about how much they loved him, it made him feel so happy. Maybe, just maybe, they were watching over him with love and with a sense of pride and love.

"And, my father?" Jiraiya flinched slightly, and he noticed it. That was odd, there was no reaction when discussing his mom; so what was different? His mentor sat in silence, seemingly mulling something over in his own head. Not wanting to press him, he waited for the Jonin to collect his thoughts and continue.

Though, he was still insanely curious. What was he thinking about that was making him so hesitant to speak?

"Your father was one of the greatest people I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. Not only did he make the people of the Leaf Village better; he made the entire village, and even the whole ninja world, a better place while he was alive."

That took the blond off guard. When thinking about his potential parents, he never really thought about who his father was outside of the family aspects. He would be content with the fact that his father was a hardworking, kindhearted civilian who supported and loved his family. Never did he expect his dad to receive such high praise from one of the Legendary Sannin. "W-Was he really that amazing, Sensei?" The blond asked, unsure of what emotions to be presently feelings.

They locked eyes in an intense exchange, and for Naruto, the world around them seemed to slow down one-hundred fold. The silence, which felt like an eternity, was deafening. The wind that had been gusting through the trees had fallen still. Nothing around them was making a sound that he could hear. The look in his godfather's eyes was one of apprehension but at the same time determination. He watched the man's lips move, and he was reading them before the sound registered in his ears. His eyes widened, and the hair on the back of his neck was standing on end.

"Your father was the Fourth Hokage."

Author's Note: So much to discuss in this chapter; I can't wait to read your reviews!

A couple people thought that the little Naruto at the end of last chapter was an inner manifestation of Naruto's darker side. Well, you were close, it was actually his lighter side. The side he's been struggling to cling on to as constant disaster and misery seems to rain down on his head.

Then, on top of all that, he finds out who his parents are. Well, more importantly, who his father is. How will Naruto handle that absolute bombshell?

Well, you'll have to find out next time for that answer! If you enjoyed the chapter, or didn't, let me know why by leaving a review about what you thought! I read them all!

Thank you once again, and I will see you soon with Chapter 17: I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life

DragonShadowRyukage - I appreciate the kind words. I do my best to keep that balance, as I think if something becomes too serious, or too humorous, it loses it purpose. I want a more serious tone in my story, but I don't want to sacrifice what makes the world special.

vyoom - Character development is my favorite thing about a good story, and I've been doing my best to do it justice. I wanted it to be slow, realistic, and understandable. And I'm still not done!

Thank you for such the high praise, it really means a lot!

ThelittleKing - I feel the realization that Naruto shouldn't force his friend to come back was an important distinction to make. Realistically, there was no way in which dragging Sasuke back was going to end well. He's growing into a more mature and rational person without losing too much of what makes him himself.

As for your predictions of the younger version of Naruto, let me know what you thought about it!

lovleydragonfly - Whenever you have a question about something feel free to let me know! I'll never reveal spoilery things, but something like that is always something I can answer.

And I hope the conclusion to the cliff hanger was worth the wait! Though, I kind of his you with two in a row, didn't I?