A/N: Sorry this took so long to get out but this ended up being a monster of a chapter and my beta had her work cut out for her. It may seem like I sticking strictly to canon but there is a reason and it won't stay that way for long I promise.

Beta: Reenan Lefey

Disclaimer: Blah.

Chapter 10

All of the members for Team 7, plus Haku, were gathered together at their usual training area waiting for Kakashi to show up. Naruto, still excited after their recent win, was bouncing excitedly in place; he was seated on the ground, cross legged next to Haku. Every time he shifted his knee hit Haku's thigh and their shoulders bumped together.

Haku listened to Naruto's recounting of events with an amused smile and ducked his head every time a flailing arm came too close. Sakura, just as excited only concealing it better, chatted along with Naruto, and Sasuke continued to glare at nothing; he hadn't uttered a word since they left the tower.

Eventually Naruto calmed and ended up leaning heavily on Haku, Sakura lay in the grass at their outstretched feet, staring up at the sky much like Shikamaru would have been, and Sasuke sat leaning against a nearby tree and for all appearances looked to be asleep.

This was the scene Kakashi saw when he appeared in the clearing. None of the four realized he was there yet so he took a moment to appreciate the serenity. He was amazed at how much one little mistake could change things and he was happy for it. He understood now why Minato had loved having his own team. He had a lot of regrets but this, his team, would never be one of them.

"Well my cute little students, I have found you guys someone to help you train for the next month." He walked a little closer to them and crouched down. "Sakura, tomorrow at 6am you are to meet Anko at the entrance to Training Ground 44. She will be working with you for the next month."

Sakura made a face at having to train under the eccentric woman but Anko was an undeniably good kunoichi, so she didn't complain.

"Sasuke, you will be with me. We need to work on your Sharingan and I am the only person in the village able to do that. Now mind you I am not as good as someone from your clan but I'll do as much as I can to help."

Sasuke nodded in acknowledgement. It wasn't like he had any choice; the only other person who could teach him what he needs know was not an option.

"Naruto, do you remember what I told you about Jiraiya?"

Naruto nodded, excitement shining through bright blue eyes.

"Well, I heard he is in town. I haven't gotten the chance to speak with him but I'm sure you could talk him into training you. He's also the only one who can fix your seal."

"Fix your seal? What's wrong with it Naruto?" Haku interjected worriedly.

Naruto scratched at the back of his head sheepishly. He had forgotten to tell Haku what had happened in the Forest of Death. "I'll tell you the whole story later but let's just say we ran into Orochimaru and he did something to my seal." Naruto gathered chakra and raised his shirt just enough to show the top part of his seal, which was now visible, and the five angry red marks above it looking entirely out of place among the black swirl.

No one but he had seen the marks before and Sakura hissed in sympathy.

Haku turned and raised his hand, he had to spread his fingers wide for the tips to match each mark. "Does it hurt?" He asked, his voice tinged with concern.

Naruto grabbed his wrist gently, pulled it away from his stomach, and dropped his shirt.

Sasuke caught Naruto's eye, looking absolutely murderous, and Naruto flushed under the memory of what had happened the last time another boy had touched the overly sensitive marks of his seal.

"No, it's uncomfortable. It's making it very hard to gather chakra; every time I try I have to concentrate harder than I usually would and the more I gather the more I feel like my skin is tightening around my bones. I'll live but the sooner it's fixed the better I'll feel."

"Right and you will be able to find Jiraiya at the Onsen most of the time." Kakashi told them cheerfully. "Haku, do you have someone to train with?"

"I would if Zabuza hadn't been out on a mission already, but hopefully he won't be gone for more than a few days."

"Well if he ends up taking longer than expected go to the Hokage. He'll have a way to get a hold of me. I know a few people who have similar skills and would be willing to help."

Haku smiled in thanks.

"Time to go Sasuke; we start now. Just remember if you guys need me for anything, go to the Hokage. Good luck and we'll see you in a month." Kakashi placed a hand on Sasuke's shoulder and they both disappeared in a burst of smoke.

"I'm going home," Sakura grumbled. "I can't believe I have to train with that crazy woman."

"Just look at it this way Sakura, from what I've heard, she's one of the best kunoichi in the village besides Kuranai; she's just a little…eccentric." Naruto told her, smiling. He was sincerely thankful Sakura had been putting in more effort toward her training.

She gave Naruto a look before nodding and saying her goodbyes.

Naruto and Haku stood to leave as Sakura disappeared from the clearing. Naruto threw an arm around the older boy enthusiastically. "You are coming with me tomorrow. I want you to meet my Godfather. And who knows, you may be able to learn something from him."

Haku glanced to the side, eyeing Naruto as they walked. "Are you sure? I don't want to take time away from your training."

Naruto nodded decisively, "Yup, no point in you training by yourself, even if it is only for a week."

"I suppose," Haku replied hesitating. "But if you need me to leave just say so."

Naruto just grinned and nodded. There was no point in arguing that he wouldn't want Haku to leave; Haku had become one of Naruto's closest friends after all.

…

The next morning found Sasuke mentally cursing his Sensei. Yes, he knew the speed and endurance training was necessary; that didn't mean he enjoyed it. He kept flashing back to the fight between Lee and Gaara. As much as he hated to even admit it to himself, Lee was incredibly fast and strong. Gaara was something else. He had no idea what to think of the ruthless ninja, but he knew he could not lose. He would not lose.

"Pick up the pace Sasuke. You're never going to get faster like that." Kakashi called out lazily.

…

Sakura stood outside the entrance to the Forest of Death, again, waiting for Anko to show up. The place was still creepy as hell and Sakura nervously looked around: still nothing. She hoped Anko wasn't like Kakashi and was going to be late for every session. She had no idea who she was going to fight, but the way it was set up whoever it was would be the winner of a previous fight. That meant a strong opponent considering everyone who had passed on to the next round.

"Hello there girly."

Anko popped up in front Sakura from out of nowhere causing her to jump and clutch at her erratically beating heart.

"Follow me and keep up."

Anko took off over the gate, giving Sakura no time to think or catch her breath.

…

At the training grounds for Team 8, Kuranai sat on a nearby rock while watching Shino run through warm up katas. The katas were familiar; his body remembered each precise movement so well he didn't have to consciously think about what he was doing. It was a form of meditation and allowed him to calm and focus his mind, usually.

Shino was supposed to be focusing on strength and hand to hand combat training this month. Unfortunately, it wasn't working. No matter how hard he tried, his mind just wouldn't clear like it normally would, so eventually he let his mind wander.

The most prominent thing on Shino's mind was Naruto. The blonde had never spoken a word to him before yesterday and he didn't understand why he would go out of his way to do so now. Why would he smile at Shino so sincerely? Why look at him with something akin to pride? It was a vexing puzzle and no two pieces fit together like they should.

There was a reason Shino always held back, and it wasn't because he was shy. Most people found him to be creepy or, if they knew about his clan techniques, were disgusted by him. The only people to look at him warmly so far were his team and his clan.

There was no more time to ponder on the puzzle that was Naruto; he'd finished warming up.

Kuranai stood to face him. "Let's begin Shino." She told him.

He nodded, watching her intently from behind dark lenses as she approached.

…

Neji stood before his training partner, panting from exertion, angry and determined. He would not let that loser's words get to him. It was Neji's destiny to be great, to overcome the limitations put on him. Naruto and Hinata were beneath him and of no consequence. They would both see that when Neji knocks Naruto off the pedestal he had put himself on.

He took a deep calming breath. Now was not the time; now he needed to focus. He would master the technique only the main branch of his clan had ever been taught, and he would do it without any help. It was his destiny after all.

…

The hot springs was where Naruto and Haku found Jiraiya. His godfather was currently crouched down, peeking through the slats into the woman's side of the hot springs, and giggling quietly. Naruto held a finger to his lips and tilted his head slightly, finally catching sight of what the man was holding. He frowned thoughtfully and tried to figure out what the pervert could be writing as he spied on naked women.

Instead of guessing, he decided to just ask. "Excuse me Mr. Pervert, but what are you doing?" Naruto raised his voice just loud enough the man could hear him.

Jirayia spun to face the two young boys. The first young ninja had such delicate features and long hair, he would have been mistaken for a girl, but coupled with the way he was dressed it just made him androgynous unless you knew what to look for. The second boy caused Jiraiya's breath to hitch, and he had to fight down a wave of nostalgia. There was no mistaking who the blonde boy was. He kept his composure and smirked. "I'm working."

"Work?" Naruto repeated in disbelief. How is spying on naked women working? He tried to puzzle it out but just couldn't. Naruto looked to his companion who shrugged back and shook his head. Haku had no idea either.

Jiraiya's smirk broadened at the confused faces. "I am a writer and I'm working on a novel." He reached into the top of his kimono and pulled out a book showing them the cover. Icha Icha Paradise; well that connected a few dots for him.

"That's not work; that's you being a pervert." Naruto pointed a finger accusingly.

Jiraiya straightened to his full height and puffed up in outrage. "You little brat, do you have any idea who you are talking to?"

"I know who you are." Naruto rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. "You're Jiraiya, one of the Legendary Sannin, my Father's former Sensei, and my Godfather." Naruto grinned at the surprised expression on Jiraiya's face.

"How and who else knows?" Jiraiya asked wearily, eyes darting between Naruto and Haku.

"Don't worry Haku knows everything and has been sworn to secrecy. How I know is a long story and we'll need more privacy for that but first there are two reasons I came looking for you. The first reason is training; I'm hoping you will be willing to train me like you did my Dad. The second reason is this," Naruto pulled up his shirt and started gathering chakra.

There was no mistaking whose work the Five Part Seal was, Orochimaru, Jiraiya's wayward teammate. It wasn't going to be pleasant for Naruto, the technique needed to undo the seal, but it had to be done. "I can fix it but I need you to take off your shirts and put both arms in the air." Jiraiya put his right hand behind his back and started gathering chakra at the tips of his fingers while Naruto shed both his shirts.

Jiraiya tipped his head to the side at Haku and the younger moved off to the side to watch raptly. Naruto raised both his arms and waited patiently. Jiraiya moved quickly; he took a giant step forward and jabbed the tips of his chakra covered fingers into the seal, forcing the molded chakra where it was needed.

Naruto curled over the hand jammed into his stomach, letting out a pained yell in the process. It wasn't the worst pain he'd ever felt but it certainly hurt. It was like having a painful bruise be punched suddenly. When Jiraiya pulled away Naruto curled up on his knees and laid his head on his arms trying to breathe through the pain. He recognized the warm hand on his back as Haku's.

Naruto sat up once the pain had faded and shot Haku a sincere smile before standing back up.

"Sorry about that, Naruto, but it was the only way." Jiraiya shrugged and smiled apologetically. "Now have you learned water walking yet?"

Naruto shook his head.

"Well I'll teach you how to do it. You should have a much easier time gathering chakra now. After you have that down we'll stop for the day and you can tell me your story."

Naruto smiled excitedly and stripped off his shoes and pants eager to get started.

…

Three hours later, between Jiraiya and Haku's instructions, Naruto was jumping up and down on top of the water in celebration of his success. It wasn't like learning to walk on water was a huge deal, but doing it completely pain free and so fast, was a big accomplishment right at the moment and Naruto was happy with himself.

The three settled on going to Haku's place. It was something that Naruto did often. Since Haku was constantly trying to break him of his ramen obsession the older teen took it upon himself to cook for the two of them often, and it's not like Naruto hated the thought of spending time with Haku.

The three ninja sat around the table and ate while Naruto animatedly told Jiraiya everything that had happened in between mouthfuls, speaking quietly while talking about his parents and growling in anger retelling his encounter with Orochimaru. Jiraiya listened patiently, intent on the details of Minato and Kushina's sacrifice. Naruto described how he got to hear his parent's last words. He knew he had been loved and wanted and it shone through every word and gesture.

At the conclusion of Naruto's tale, Jiraiya sat back and took a moment to think about how to proceed.

"Okay Brat, I'm going to take over your training, and since you'll be fighting against a Hyuuga I may have a way for you to gain an edge over him. Meet me tomorrow morning at the hot springs and we'll get started."

"Yosh!" Naruto exclaimed jumping up in his seat and throwing a fist in the air. "This is going to be awesome. What are you going to be teaching me?"

"You'll find out soon enough and you're more than welcome to bring your little friend." Jiraiya told Naruto standing and ruffling his hair.

"Now I have some things that need to be taken care of I'll see you tomorrow." The older man disappeared from the room in a puff of smoke leaving the two younger ninja on their own.

…

The next morning, Haku and Naruto met Jiraiya at the hot springs, but they didn't stay there. The older ninja led them a ways away, along the river that fed the spring until they stopped off at a cliff. Haku took a seat on a nearby boulder while Jiraiya crouched down to speak to Naruto face to face.

"From what you said yesterday, you know about your tenant as well as some of the effect that come with being a container. The physical transformations that have occurred are a result of you using It's chakra; only you have been using that chakra subconsciously. What I am going to teach you now is how to access and use it of your own free will."

"You have a huge amount of chakra but It has more than you and that chakra is immensely powerful. On top of teaching you to feel and access that chakra I'm going to teach you the Summoning no Jutsu." He finalized.

Naruto grinned widely, excited to learn a new, pretty powerful jutsu and learn how to control the Kyuubi's chakra. Being able to summon was pretty awesome. "So what do I do first?"

"First you need to use all of your chakra, and to do that you're going to water walk until you can't anymore." Jiraiya pointed a thumb behind him at the river.

Naruto eyed him skeptically but bent over and pulled off his shoes and rolled his pants up. He grumbled the whole time he stood on the water and constantly pumped chakra to his feet to stay on top of it. It was a long and boring process which Jiraiya spent researching (spying) and Haku occasionally conversing with him. Eventually Naruto could feel exhaustion slipping in, until he could no longer stand on top of the water and sank to his calves. He slowly dragged himself from the water and collapsed on the rocky shore, panting slightly.

Jiraiya looked back when he heard the thump of Naruto's body and walked over to look down at his prone form. Naruto gazed up at his Sensei.

"Well you finally used up most of your chakra now it's time to get started."

Naruto pushed himself up but stayed sitting; he had no energy to stand and feared getting dizzy if he tried.

"I'll show you how it's done first." Jiraiya told him, bringing a thumb to his mouth. He bit into his thumb with sharp canines and made a line across the palm of his other hand with free flowing blood. He then slammed his marked palm on the ground and a large toad appeared among a cloud of smoke.

The toad was wearing a necklace and holding something in its mouth, which Naruto identified as a scroll as big as the forbidden one he had stolen. The toad unfurled its tongue and let Naruto take the scroll.

Naruto looked at the scroll curiously. "What's this?" He opened the scroll a bit and spread it out on the ground.

"That is the contract for the toads. It has been passed down through many generations." Jiraiya crouched down and pointed to a column with a name: Minato Namikaze.

Naruto looked up at Jiraiya, his eyes wide and glassy. "My dad…" he whispered reverently.

Jiraiya nodded. "Yes, he was my student and I had him sign the contract, just as you are. You write your name in blood and under that you press your fingerprints in blood."

Naruto smiled and gazed back at his father's name. He pressed his fingers against the smudged ones on the paper for a moment before opening the scroll a little more to expose a blank column. He brought his own thumb to his mouth and but down. His own teeth were a little sharper than a normal person's so it was easier to cut himself.

"Now you are going to do it just as I did and your current state should make releasing your other chakra easier." Jiraiya said from atop the toad he summoned.

After many attempts to summon a toad, only to summon a tadpole instead, they called it a day.

…

Three weeks later Shino finally had a day off of training and met up with Kiba to go visit Hinata and see how she was doing. Along the way they spotted Naruto walking toward the outskirts of the village.

Kiba had stopped walking and Shino stopped beside him curious at what his teammate was thinking.

"Do you think he's going to train?"

Shino glanced at Kiba, "Possibly."

"Let's follow him. I wanna see what he's doing." Kiba said not taking his eyes from Naruto's retreating form.

Shino was about to protest when Kiba moved to follow Naruto. In the end he stayed silent because he'd be lying if he said he didn't want to know as well.

They followed the blonde slowly, making sure to never lose sight of him. They could always go check up on Hinata later in the day. They followed Naruto to a river that overlooked a very big and deep cliff. Then they launched themselves into a nearby tree and sat watching as Naruto met with an older white haired ninja neither of them had ever seen before; though Naruto seemed to know him well.

Jiraiya could sense the two Genin and spied them sitting high up in one of the trees. He presumed they were fellow classmates of Naruto's and since neither had the distinguishing features of a Hyuuga he determined that they could stay and put them out of his mind. It wasn't like they'd hurt anything just watching. He would just have to watch what he said.

It was a surprise to both Kiba and Shino to find out Naruto was being taught how to summon. It was less of a shock that he was bad at it. They watched numerous failed attempts before Naruto collapsed.

Shino jerked slightly his body wanting to move and catch Naruto instead of watching him fall on his face. They watched the older ninja pick up Naruto and got ready to follow since it looked like the two were about to leave. Instead of them leaving though, the older man moved closer to the cliff and dropped Naruto.

Naruto jolted upright, looking around curiously. Shino couldn't hear what was being said, he could only see that Naruto looked worn out and the man looked tense. Naruto pulled himself up with a bit of effort and stood looking at the older man, his back to the ledge. The older ninja lifted his hand and placed a finger on Naruto's forehead and pushed.

Shino heard the distressed sound Kiba made but his mind was stuck on the fact that Naruto had just been pushed off of a cliff by his Sensei. It took everything he had to keep himself in place, and when Kiba moved to jump from the tree he placed a restraining hand on his shoulder. Shino raised his arm and sent out a single insect to 'see' what was going on.

…

Naruto was falling, fast, and he was panicking. He tried to gather enough chakra to his hands and feet to grab ahold of the wall, but he was falling too fast and he had almost no chakra. He was going to die.

He closed his eyes resigned to his fate. But when he stopped feeling the wind on his face, he opened his eyes again to find himself in a place he'd never seen before. It was odd: a long hallway, water on the floor, many doors along both walls, and pipes running the length of the ceiling. He didn't recognize the place but it felt familiar. So he stood and dragged himself to the opening at the end of the hall.

The next room was cavernous, and on the opposite wall were two enormous cage-like doors. A shadow of something moved in the darkness beyond the cage, and Naruto slowly moved closer trying to see what it was.

A single very large eye appeared above him and a rough growling voice spoke, startling Naruto. "Come closer kid."

Malevolence oozed from between the bars. He was in awe at how his parents faced this demon so fearlessly. That single red, cat-like eye looked down on him and Naruto hesitated. But he was not a coward, and if his parents could face it, so could he. Naruto took a step closer, and jumped back when huge claws swiped at him, only being held back by the doors. That was a bad idea, he determined, and kept a respectable distance this time.

"If it weren't for this damn seal, I'd eat you." The voice growled.

Naruto added things up pretty quickly after that. A seal, plus claws, could only mean one thing: the Kyuubi. Well this works.

"Hey, you damn Fox, lend me your chakra."

The Kyuubi let out a rough guttural laugh that caused the hair on Naruto's arms to stand on end. "You got guts kid. I suppose if you die I die too."

The Kyuubi said no more, but a blackness started seeping into the water from beyond the bars, trapping the Fox. It slowly drifted toward Naruto, and as it got closer he became surrounded by it.

"Here is a gift for making it this far." The gruff voice held amusement.

And suddenly, Naruto was covered in the black water. When he snapped his eyes open next, he was once again falling. He could feel the Kyuubi's chakra flowing through him. It was like a jolt to his system, and he tried the summoning jutsu once more.

Naruto poured his all into the jutsu. He would not fail this time, because failure meant death, and he was not going to die before he became Hokage. Dying would mean disappointing his teacher, letting down his teammates, and his parents sacrifice would be in vain. He poured his whole being into the jutsu and discharged so much chakra it cast a visible glow over his features.

Jiraiya look down upon his student, slightly surprised and immensely proud. His ability to use the Kyuubi's chakra was still a bit unstable, but now that Naruto knew what to 'feel' for it should be easier for him to consciously use it. Now he had a problem though; Gama-Bunta was uncontrollable.

Naruto heaved a sigh of relief from atop the gigantic toad he now sat on. It was like being an ant on top of a mountain. He didn't even try to hold back the loud proclamation that he actually did it. He threw both hands in the air and whooped for joy; at least until the very large and very intimidating toad yelled at him.

"You lil Punk shut up! Whatcha do'in on my head?"

Naruto let out a startled yelp, and fell back on his butt.

"I finally get out for some fresh air and…What the hell is this?"

"I summoned you. I thought you could help." Naruto said, hesitant.

"You?" Disbelief was clear in the toad's voice.

"Yes!"

The toad let out a rough, wheezing laugh. "You shouldn't lie, Punk. There's no way in hell a lil runt like you could summon me!" He kept laughing and Naruto got more and more pissed off with every passing second.

His temper got the better of him, and he slid down to stand on the toad's snout and look it in the eye. "You piece of shit! How dare you assume I couldn't summon you?" Its laugh cut off abruptly, but Naruto just kept ranting. "I am the one who summoned you; so I am your master. Got that dumbass?"

Looking into narrow angry eyes, Naruto figured he probably should have tried harder to keep his temper. He was standing on top of a sentient, powerful creature that could kill him very easily.

"Who the hell do you think you're talking to? You little shit, I am the Boss Toad Gama-Bunta, and no one is my master. Do you want me to rip off your head?"

"Woah, I'm sorry Boss." Naruto hurried to apologize.

"Calm down then. I'll make you my underling."

Now outwardly calm and inwardly jumping for joy, he answered with a cheerful 'Yes Boss'.

He was then surrounded by a slimy studded tongue, and the Gama-Bunta was flying out of the ravine and into the air. He landed, with a resounding crash, in front of the still unfurled summoning scroll.

Gama-Bunta kept his thoughts to himself, but with undeniable proof that what Naruto said was true, he couldn't help but be supremely impressed that this small child had summoned him. Laying an unconscious Naruto on his head, Gama-Bunta was hit with a wave of nostalgia. The last person to ride on his head was the Fourth, and now here was his son doing the same thing. He almost shared power with Naruto but figured this was a good lesson for the child. He needed to learn his limits and this was the best way to do it. Instead, with one great leap, he landed in front of the hospital and laid the boy gently on the ground at the main entrance. He then disappeared back to his own realm, wishing Naruto luck as he went.

…

Shino and Kiba stared at the toad in wide eyed wonder. It was the biggest animal either of them had seen. And, to think, Naruto had summoned that. The insect reported back to Shino; it didn't speak, exactly; it gave feedback in the form of images and feelings, instead.

An immense chakra outpouring with a malevolent feel to it, and not only that but it wasn't even a normal color. It raised so many questions.

Shino immediately forgot about his many questions and his confusion when the next image was relayed. Naruto was lying silent and still on top of the toad.

Shino had no chance to check on the blonde, and could only watch helplessly as the amphibian sailed above their heads in the direction of the village.

…

Naruto groaned in pain as he tried to shift around, his body stiff and sore. The last thing he remembered was summoning the Boss toad and getting out of the ravine; everything after that was a blank. He cracked open an eye and saw a familiar white tile ceiling with florescent lights.

He opened both eyes and looked to the side where he saw a smiling Shikamaru sitting with an open book in his hands.

"Hey, you're finally awake." Shikamaru said quietly.

"Where am I?" Naruto managed to croak through his dry mouth.

Shikamaru handed him a small glass of water. "Hospital. Haku said you've been asleep for three days." he answered, as Naruto greedily sucked down water.

"Do you know why I'm here and where that pervert went? Why are you here, by the way?" Naruto asked curiously. It was unusual that Shikamaru would go out of his way to just see him.

Shikamaru opened his mouth to answer but was beaten to the punch.

"You are here because you had exhausted your chakra, and I haven't seen Jiraiya since I last watched you train with him." Haku answered, as he came in the room. He smiled at Naruto and stood next to Shikamaru. "Good to see you awake Naruto. I was starting to get worried, but everyone said it was normal."

"I'm fine, just thirsty and hungry." He grinned up at his friend.

"Well I might be able to help with that. I was here to visit Choji when I ran into Haku and found out you were here."

"Choji's here? Is he okay?" Naruto interrupted worried.

Shikamaru just smiled wider. "He just ate too much after his match and injured his stomach." Shikamaru lifted a basket from the floor and set it on the bed next to Naruto. "I brought this for Choji, but the doctor said he couldn't have it; so when I ran into Haku and found out you were here, I figured you'd appreciate something to eat if you woke up."

Naruto snickered and shook his head. "Well that's Choji I guess." He picked up and apple and took a bite. "Thanks Shikamaru. That was pretty nice of you."

Shikamaru closed his book with a snap. "Idiot. I just did it because I didn't want the food to go to waste." he growled, and ducked his head.

It wasn't like it was said with any bite behind it; so Naruto just smiled and kept munching away on his apple. Haku patted Shikamaru on the shoulder and sat on the edge of the bed at Naruto's feet.

Haku asked how training went after he left to train with Zabuza, and the two listened to Naruto's enthusiastic recounting of the last three weeks. Not too long after Naruto woke up, a doctor came in to check on him and proclaim he was fine to be discharged. Instead of leaving right away, they decided to go visit Lee.

…

Shikamaru was the first one through the door to Lee's room and what he saw chilled him to the bone, but he wasted no time. He took three hurried steps in, enough to clear the door, and quickly did his Shadow Copy Jutsu. Naruto was next through the door and as soon as he saw Gaara's hand hovering over Lee's prone form he was in motion. He punched the Sand Nin, hard, much to Shikamaru's chagrin.

"Naruto, while I'm using this jutsu I move the same as him." Shikamaru pointed out.

"Sorry Shikamaru." Naruto apologized; he'd forgotten exactly what this jutsu did.

"What are you up to?" Naruto growled out.

Gaara just glared and didn't answer.

"Hey! What were you trying to do to Lee?" Naruto yelled, when no answer was forthcoming.

"I was trying to kill him." Gaara said it so simply, like it was just a fact of life, killing someone in cold blood. The three Leaf Shinobi gaped at him in shock.

"What?" Naruto gasped.

"Why? You won the fight. Do you have some personal grudge against him?" Shikamaru asked, trying to stay calm. He had seen what Gaara could do in the Forest of Death and during the preliminaries, and he didn't like their odds in this situation.

"I do not. I'm going to kill him because I want to kill him." Gaara's voice was gruff and factual. He wasn't glaring or sneering, just making a statement.

"Are you serious you bastard?" Naruto shouted.

"You must have had a messed up childhood. How self-centered can you be?" Shikamaru stated, thinking furiously. He didn't scare easily or often, but right then he was having a hard time staying calm enough to think of a way to get out of that room alive.

"If you get in my way, I'll kill you too."

"Go ahead and try!"

"Naruto, stop." Shikamaru tried to get Naruto to back off a bit and not provoke Gaara any further. He knew Naruto was pretty strong and so was Haku, but even so, Gaara was a monster. He had no idea if the three of them could take the sand ninja out so he was left with one option: bluff him.

"We know from your fight with Lee that you're strong. But we're not too bad either and we didn't show our 'special moves' in the prelims." He put a cocky smirk on his face and hoped it worked. "Plus it's 3 on 1; you're at the disadvantage. If you listen to what we say, then we'll let you leave quietly."

"I'll say it again. Get in my way and I'll kill you."

Shikamaru bit off the curse that wanted to force its way from between his clenched teeth.

"I won't be taken down by someone like you!"

"Naruto you have to stop." Shikamaru placed a restraining hand on Naruto's chest to keep him from getting closer to Gaara. "His strength is like a monster. Don't you understand?" Shikamaru gritted out.

"I have a real monster in me. I won't lose to someone like him."

Shikamaru lost focus for a moment and gazed at Naruto curiously.

Haku took a moment and placed another hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Naruto, think about what you just said." Haku whispered to him.

Naruto's eyes widened slightly and he shut his mouth so fast his teeth made an audible click.

Shikamaru was now insanely curious, but there would be time to ask questions when they weren't in life threatening danger.

"A monster huh? It's the same for me you know. It's as you said; I had a messed up childhood."

Naruto wanted to ask so many questions but he couldn't. He had no idea what Shikamaru would say or do if he found out what Naruto meant when he said he had a monster inside him. He wanted to know if Gaara was like him, though. No one ever said if there were others out there that might have a demon in them as well.

They listened to him talk, low and calmly, about the death of his mother and his possession of a creature. Naruto listened in shock and Shikamaru started gathering puzzle pieces.

"A possession jutsu that allows one to be possessed before birth…To go that far…its crazy." It was too. What kind of parent does something like that? "That's something a parent does? What a strange expression of love."

"Love?" Gaara questioned. "Don't think you can judge me. Family…You want to know what kind of connection that is to me. They are simply pieces of meat connected to me with murderous intent and hatred. By sacrificing my mother's life, I was created as the village's greatest weapon. As the Kazekage's son I was taught the shinobi secrets. I was spoiled and allowed to do as I pleased. I thought that was love." Gaara closed his eyes and they waited breathlessly for the rest of the story.

"For the last 6 years, since I was 6 years old, my own father has tried countless times to assassinate me." His eyes took on an insane gleam.

"But you just said your father spoiled you. What did you mean?" Shikamaru asked, appalled and confused.

"I was the village's trump card, but I was also too dangerous. By the time I was 6 it was determined that I was too great a threat. As the village's dangerous tool I was only being used with care. To them, I am simply an object from the past that they wish would disappear. If that's the case, why do I exist? Why am I alive? When I thought about this, I could find no answer. As you live you need a reason; otherwise it's the same as being dead."

Naruto's eyes blurred. He looked over his shoulder and tried to relay his thoughts to Haku. He would understand. He had to, because Haku was as much like Gaara as Naruto himself was. Gaara continued speak though.

"I finally figured it out; I exist to kill every human besides myself. I finally found relief from the fear of death, from never knowing when someone would try to kill me. By continually killing the assassins, I understood the reason to continue living. Fighting only for yourself, living while only loving yourself. If you think everyone else simply exists to allow you to experience that feeling, there is nothing better. As long as there are people in this world for me to kill, I can continue to feel that joy."

"You're wrong." Haku pitched his voice low and soothing. He squeezed Naruto's shoulder in a comforting gesture and placed his other hand on Shikamaru's back, trying to get him to stay quiet.

"And what would you know?" Gaara snapped out.

"I was born in the Land of Water. I grew up there with my parents. I have a Kekkei Genkai, Ice Release. When I discovered it, I was so excited I went and showed my mother. She was not so happy and forbade me from using it or telling anyone what I could do. My father heard the conversation and gathered a mob of villagers. I saw him kill my mother because she could do Ice Release as well and then he attempted to kill me. I killed him as well as the villagers. I was an orphan and unwanted. I fought so hard to stay alive before someone found me. I was cold and near starving when Zabuza found me, a man who had the same eyes as me, as us."

"He asked me to become his weapon, and I agreed. It gave me purpose, a reason to live. I never wanted to kill. And I didn't unless I had no other choice. For so long I was a tool, a weapon to be used, and as long as I was being used, I was happy. and I had a reason to live. But not too long ago, I met someone else, someone who taught me that, while we are still ninja, we are not tools; we are people who hone their bodies as tools and we use ourselves. Our purpose in life is to use our bodies and whatever other tools at our disposal to protect. We protect our village, our family, and those that are precious to us."

"I had nothing before I faced Naruto as an opponent. He was my enemy, and in the end he saved my life. I am here with a new purpose, with a home, and a family of my choice that accepts me as I am. So you are wrong. But we will be your friends if you'd like, and we can show you what love really is." Haku implored. He didn't want to see anyone treated like Gaara had been. It was inhuman, and he would change that if he had any say in the matter. He removed his hand from Shikamaru's back and held it out to the Sand Nin.

Gaara was at war with himself. The heel of one hand pressed against the kanji on his forehead, while the other clutched at the cloth of his shirt over his heart. One half urged him to kill these three standing there; it told him that they were lying and nothing good would come from getting close to them. The other half wanted to reach out and take the steady reaching hand, wanted to know what it was like to have friends and a family that cared.

In the end, so many years of giving in to the bloodlust took its toll and overrode all rational thought. "No. Now let me feel it…" The sand that hand been lying dormant all over the hospital room, began to rise. But before any move could be made on either side, a familiar voice spoke up, startling all four Genin.

"That's enough! The finals start tomorrow. So don't get ahead of yourselves unless you want to stay here, starting now?"

They all looked toward the door where Guy was standing.

Gaara dropped his hands, instantly portraying a calm demeanor, and walked past the older man. He stopped at the doorway and looked over his shoulder. "I will kill you. Just wait." he confirmed, before disappearing.

After reassuring Guy that they were all fine, they finally made it out of the hospital. The walk was quiet, as each was lost in their thoughts. Haku and Naruto split from Shikamaru with a wave and a 'see you tomorrow'.

Later Shikamaru would not remember making his way home. He allowed his body to move automatically while his mind reeled, replaying the conversations over and over. He couldn't help but feel like there was something he was missing, something about Naruto.

Why would Haku have some secret of Naruto's that Shikamaru, who had known the blonde years longer didn't? What did Naruto mean by having a monster inside him? Why did he clam up when Haku spoke to him. Naruto wasn't known for being close-lipped.

Gaara's story was clear enough. The red-head was obviously a jinchuuriki. And Haku's story shone some light on his and Naruto's immediate closeness. Damned if they hadn't almost gotten through to the sand nin. But what did Naruto mean?

He felt like he was holding the answer to the enigma that was Naruto and simply didn't know what he was looking at.

Shikamaru's thoughts were still whirling when he crawled into bed and sleep finally claimed him.