An undisclosed meeting room.
"Do you know what you're asking…?" She asked, voice hoarse.
"I know exactly what I'm asking, I assure you." He answered, voice even. "And I think of it as a favor I'm doing you."
"A favor…?" The last man in the room growled. "You call this a favor?"
"Yes, considering the circumstances. If it were up to me, only… Death would be my recourse."
They were trapped, and they knew it. "…You are speaking about his free will."
"No. I am speaking of doing what is needed. You understood it, once."
Umigakure, in the morning
Five of Naruto's clones were sitting around the house, close to Ino. Each of them was studying one fifth of a copy of Hanabi's scroll.
The young Hyūga woman was... somewhat unpleasant to deal with, but Ino would cut her some slack for the time being, considering the complicated position she had been put into. If she still was like this in a few weeks… they'd see then.
Ino was in the house as well, sitting seiza-style, trying to figure out how to reach Sakura or Karin. Neither of them were around, and the only thing she had seen of either was one of Sakura's portals, left around Umi. That she only noticed because she knew exactly what to look for - and because they had not been masked.
Well, Ino would settle for reaching Yugito, even.
She could feel their presence somewhere on the periphery of her awareness, but no matter how much she tried, she could not establish the sort of mental link needed for that. Maybe it would take getting close to them physically at first. Sasuke seemed even harder to reach, as if the link itself was atrophied.
Nevertheless, Ino could be thick-headed. She was not going to give up until she figured out how to do it… or she deemed it truly impossible.
Naruto was sitting on the edge of the lake.
Summoning the hakama had been easy enough, once he knew what to look for. Figuring out how something linked to Fire and Soul that could work... was much harder. He had tried summoning a flame first, but nothing had happened.
At some point, Toru came to sit next to him, entirely silent. His Sharingan was spinning lazily in his eye, belying his apparent disinterest.
With a deep inhale, Naruto reached for the link with Yugito. Fire and Soul were became an extension of his body and he-
He didn't understand. Naruto fell back. He breathed out. Not this time either.
"I heard you killed a few Konoha shinobi." Toru started, casually.
Naruto groaned.
"What a great way to start a conversation."
Toru just shrugged, his eye fixed on him. Whatever he was thinking... he was keeping to himself.
"You used to be very much against killing, back then."
"Yeah." Naruto paused, searching for words. Not that there was anything he could say that would really change the events of that day. He went with the truth. "They tortured Ino. It was bad. I… kinda lost control."
A pause.
"I mean… Not really judging, then." Toru finally said, some of the tension releasing. Despite appearances, he was a shinobi who had seen war. And he was mostly at their mercy, honestly. "Things are… complicated, in the village."
"Because of Danzō?" Naruto asked. Ino had explained a few things about the man, and he had seen some... things, back in the river.
Toru scowled at the mention of his name. "Also, but not only. He is a symbol of many things that are wrong with the village, but he's just a man. Somebody else would replace him, if he weren't there. He's a bastard, but at least he seems to know what he's doing."
"I figured as much. Every village has their own Danzō. Most of them you'll never even notice. Which might be worse. At least he has some accountability."
"The upper echelons are not much better." Toru shook his head. "For every Kakashi, every Shisui… there are twice as many Hiashis, Tsutomus and Mitsuomis. It didn't take a war to make me see it... but it sure as hell is not helping their constant power grabs."
"Not sure I know these people." Naruto shrugged.
"Eh. Bastards, all of them. For different reasons."
Silence stretched for a while.
"I don't want to talk about this." Toru suddenly decided. "I'm not even in Konoha anymore."
"As you wish. I'm not exactly the biggest fan of Konoha anyway." Naruto shrugged.
"Yeah, you kinda had that vibe, even back then." Toru chuckled.
"Most people I care about are here, anyway."
"Sure seems so. Bring Kakashi and Sasuke in the fold... and I assume you basically have all of them." Toru carefully avoided any mention of Sarutobi. Wisely.
Naruto snorted. "Kakashi hides it well, but he cares more about Konoha than almost any person I can remember. He would never leave. Even with Danzō at the helm."
"Sure, sure… But you never know what the future brings."
"True enough." Naruto admitted.
"Tell me, Toru, as the local pyromaniac…"
"That's only a rumor." Toru waved off. "We Uchiha don't care that much about burning things."
"I saw you set fire to Training Ground Thirteen when we were ten." Naruto deadpanned.
"…I grew out of it."
"I'm sure." Naruto nodded slowly.
"What was your question?"
"What would you use a fire for?"
"Me personally?"
"Also, but in general."
"Uh…" Toru seemed to think. "You want an exhaustive list?"
"Sure. I'll write them down."
Toru thought some more.
"For heat first." He said. Naruto wrote it down on the ground with a single touch.
"That's one."
"…Since when can you do that?" Toru asked, dumbfounded.
"Write, you mean?" Naruto asked, keeping his grin off from his face.
Toru grunted. "Since when can you put ink - or whatever that is - down by touching things?"
"Recently, but it's mostly for seals, really." Naruto shrugged.
"…Okay."
"Go on."
"Uh… Fire is useful...For hunting, cooking, as a source of light." He paused. "For manufacturing, woodworking, electricity, repelling insects, purifying water…"
"Okay, these are pretty good." Naruto nodded.
"Creating a romantic atmosphere or ...for fun."
Naruto gave him a quizzical look. "I really don't know if you mean burning things for fun or fucking."
"Does it matter?" Toru grinned.
"…Guess not."
Naruto stared at the list… and found nothing that he thought would work.
"When you think of Soul… what do you think about?"
"Uh…" Toru blinked. "Are we getting philosophical…? I'd say to me, at least, it is what makes you "you". Same for an object, I guess."
"That's… interesting." Naruto said. "I would have said it's a notion about our feelings, memories and beliefs being an invisible, separate thing from our bodies. Hypothetically, since it's hard to prove or disprove it."
Naruto paused. "For example, I met my father's remnant, but it's something that he sealed within me. So if that's a soul, what does it mean…? Did he put a part of it inside me…? Was his soul split in two…? Or was it a chakra imprint that he left behind that acted, remembered and thought like him? How do you tell the difference?"
"…I have no idea, either." Toru said.
"I believe in it, though. The soul thing, I mean." The whole Indra possession or whatever that was... was enough to make him believe that there was something more than just a human body.
"Same."
"Can you think of anything that would combine both? Fire and Soul?"
Toru sighed. "Man, I'm not your sounding board. I came here to get some sun."
He still got to thinking.
"Aight, how about this?" Toru proposed.
"Go ahead." Naruto nodded, eager to see what he had come up with.
"The Firesoul." Toru made a grandiose gestures with his hand, breathing the word out.
"…I like the name. What's the concept?"
"A way to set your soul on fire, — metaphorically speaking — letting your passion burn through you."
"…Okay, Gai-sensei. You can say this with a straight face?" Naruto asked.
"Hell yeah I can."
Naruto sighed and tried to see if there was anything to it. There wasn't.
"Aight, not this one, then." Toru admitted. "The Spirit Heat? Like, the ability to see people's souls from afar, nothing can hide from your eyes."
"That's closer to chakra sensing, doesn't seem very useful."
"Try it."
It didn't work either.
"Alright, I think I got it." Toru continued. "Ghostflame. Picture it. A fire that never stops burning."
"Damn, I really thought the Loveburn was it." Toru complained, sounding very petulant.
"…Which part of 'emotional flames' didn't sound like a reach to you?"
"Eh, anything sounds stupid if you say it so sarcastically."
"Anything sounds stupid if you say it so sarcastically." Naruto repeated, in a higher pitched voice.
"I don't sound anything like this." Toru said hotly.
"Whatever helps you sleep at night."
"Fire in Uchiha culture?" Toru asked, making sure he understood the question.
"Yeah."
"Well… Fire represents the energetic, moving things in the world. Change, in a way, too. It represents drive and passion."
"I see." Naruto nodded. "And Soul would be closer to the nature of an item."
"I'd say so."
"So combine both…"
Toru got it. "Something to change the nature of an item?"
"I sure hope so." Naruto laughed. "Otherwise I think I'm giving up for today. I'm sure the clones are going to give me a big headache already."
"Let's try, then. Turn this kunai into… I don't know, a two-pronged one." Toru held the weapon out to Naruto.
He closed his eyes, pressing his hand against the handle of the kunai.
Naruto inhaled slowly.
Fire-Soul-Change
Change.
This was a regular kunai. He wanted it to be a two-pronged kunai.
The soul of metal did not want to change.
Naruto linked his own soul to the kunai. His soul wanted the metal to change. The metal still didn't seem to feel like it.
Part of the blade became his and part of his became part of the blade.
He saw the blade, the way he wanted it to be in his mind.
A purple, ethereal flame started to burn around the kunai. It didn't burn burn, but both he and Toru could feel it emitted a strange sort of heat.
The metal became mostly liquid, shifting and stretching.
Naruto guided it, his focus entirely on the process that he was part of. The bond between him and the metal... the metal and him... would not allow for anything less.
After what felt like hours to Naruto, but was closer to a minute in truth... he released himself from the link.
He looked upon his work.
Just as he had expected, the kunai was now two-pronged. That was...
That was likely the least efficient thing he could have done, considering how sweaty he now felt. The process was very chakra-consuming.
But it had worked. Toru was silent, for once.
What could he work into the nature of an item? What were the limits of the ability…? What could he-
"Alright. I've decided. This is the Soulflame. The flame that doesn't burn." Toru nodded in satisfaction.
"…I kinda like it." Naruto admitted. "Let's go with that."
They both went back to the lakeside house, Toru carrying a scroll.
"Look." Naruto said, holding the kunai out to Ino. His clones were not paying any attention, too engrossed in their reading.
"…Yes, that's a pretty fucked up kunai." She nodded.
"I made this." He nodded proudly.
"He made this." Toru nodded proudly.
"Uh… great?"
"It has two prongs." Naruto continued.
"And it's still perfectly balanced." Toru finished.
"…What good do two prongs even bring on a weapon made for cutting and stabbing?" Ino frowned.
"It looks sick." Toru nodded again.
"I don't think she understands." Naruto folded his arms. "Maybe if I had added another one she would. Well, practice makes perfect."
"We're going to build a forge in the backyard." Toru added.
"…What are you guys even talking about? Toru doesn't even live here."
"I'm going to become a blacksmith." Naruto nodded.
"You don't know anything about blacksmithing, do you?"
Naruto shot her a defiant glare. "I can learn."
"He only needs the very basics, anyway." Toru interjected. "It's not a forge forge. More like a place to isolate a material from outside interferences."
"I'm not sure I quite follow."
"I'll be doing some... soulsmithing." Naruto told her.
"Please stop making up buzzwords, I still don't know what a Sealing A/B Split-Test is." Ino growled. "Or if it even means anything."
Naruto kept a straight face. "I'll have you know this is very serious work, and I can't have you downplay it."
"We're going to be using the Soulflame for it." Toru added helpfully.
Ino clenched her fists. One student of Kakashi was bad enough. Was it too late to put Naruto back in prison…?
"So… working with metal, anyway, then?" She asked, instead of kicking them both in the stomach.
"Nah, not only." Toru looked at Naruto for an answer. "It's not a forge forge."
"Fabrics are fine too. So… Tailoring should be possible, now that I think about it?" Naruto mused. He hadn't particularly enjoyed sewing things.
"Oh?" Ino asked, now interested. "Are you going to be making things like that cloak you got me for my birthday?"
"Eh. Something like it." Naruto shrugged.
"Aight, I'm in." Ino stood up. "Where are we building your… forge?"
"Soulforge." Toru corrected.
'I'm going to kill them.'
The process of actually building it was slower, without Karin around.
Pulling stones out of storage, cutting them and finally shaping them with the Soulflame was way more taxing, — and wasteful too — but it worked.
Naruto had figured out the best way to change the properties of an item was to reduce it to its most basic shape, and then weave in the desired effect during its transformation.
He was more familiar with seals, so that's what he went with, using them as the base model for any intended property. Weaving the seal in his mind, and blending it into the 'soul' of the item during the forging. There might have been a better way, but that was the one he knew. And he knew it well.
Then he made the furnace a closed loop, weaving the stone itself to repel chakra. Along with him guiding the flame, it would keep most of the strange fire and heat where Naruto needed it to be. All that, in order to make it as isolating as possible.
Then once he was done, he went to take a nap.
A realm between Time and Space
Naruto found himself sitting on a wooden chair, in a dark room.
The air was cold, much too cold to be anywhere close to Umi and he knew where he was instantly.
'Wake up.' He thought, focusing on Umi, on his couch.
He was still at the table. There was a mirror in the room and Naruto felt its pull. Despite himself, he moved to stand in front of it. He stared into it directly.
As he had expected, he could see Indra. Or was it really himself? The features were almost blurred, as though he would need to squint to tell who was really in there.
Then, just as though he had imagined it all, it was only himself into the mirror.
He let out a long sigh of relief.
"It has been a while, hasn't it?"
Naruto whirled around, a sword flashing into his hand. Indra's own hand moved, and his sword broke like a toy.
The man came closer to him, walking out of the shadows with long, flowing white robes. Thunder seemed to follow him, and the air burned. Eyes that seemed older than the world itself fixed into Naruto's.
"Indra." Naruto breathed.
"So you have finally learned to call people by their chosen name, by now." Indra laughed.
"What is it you want?"
Indra ignored him, walking slowly around the mirror.
"You have grown, little Uzumaki. Have you seen?"
The way he said it, there was only one thing that really fit the bill.
"...I've seen you and your father." Naruto finally let out. Indra paused. "The Sage."
"So you did." The man said, evenly.
"Back when you were a child, and back before your father's rejection drove you insane."
"Be still now, little Uzumaki. I did not allow you to speak beyond 'yes' or 'no'." Indra's voice was restrained, but it was the same unwelcome silence as the one that came before thunder.
Naruto quieted down, seeing the fire inside his eyes.
"Do not forget this. You are mine, heart and soul. Marked for collection."
"You lie." Naruto managed after a long silence.
"How... odd." Indra mused. "I thought I told you not to speak."
"If you could just have me do your bidding, why didn't you do so already? There is nothing you can do to-"
A wave of ancient chakra, so far beyond what Naruto had ever known, slammed into him, freezing him in place.
"You are never out of my reach." Indra said, his eyes shining with dark amusement. "You have seen the threads of Fate, haven't you? Do you really believe that simply because you are not Uchiha this time around…" Indra began, coming closer to him.
"Simply because your eyes do not perceive the world with the clarity that my own do…"
Naruto could feel the man's cold breath upon his face, now.
"Simply because you have muddied my gift with your own inferior bloodline…"
Then, his eyes went to his collarbones, to his navel, and to his shoulders. To the blue and green dragon circling around his left arm.
"Simply because you have dabbled with forces beyond your comprehension, like a child would…"
His eyes were dark, and Naruto felt as though he were staring into the abyss itself.
"Simply because you have found a few weaklings to follow you, that you dare call friends to their face…"
Indra laughed, like the raging thunder.
"Simply because of that… You think you have strayed away from my path?"
The air was thick around them, as though the entire world was confined to this dark room.
"I won't let you control me." Naruto gritted out.
"Control you…?" Indra laughed, louder and louder. "But I am you."
Thunder and flame exploded from his body, burning everything around him to ash.
Pain consumed Naruto, as he saw his very own body burn away, starting from his hands. The last thing to go was his very soul.
Naruto woke up on the couch in the evening, covered in sweat.
Ino was sleeping on the floor, somewhere close. His own clones had dispelled already, and he had five sets of memories mixing with his own, telling him how to get rid of the Caged Bird Seal.
He went to walk outside, but he was so tense that he summoned a sword to his hip, almost automatically.
Just in case-
'…What the hell am I doing?' He wondered, right after, dispelling it.
Naruto walked along the mountain path, settling on the cliff overlooking the ocean, where he had come so many times already.
He felt a presence. Toru.
"Did you know your presence is like a beacon to the Sharingan?" He asked, walking next to him.
"Never really thought of it, I have to admit." Naruto said, not turning to face him.
"So you still have the nightmares, I take it?" Toru asked.
"…You knew, back then?"
"Well, it was hard to miss you thrashing and turning in your sleeping bag once a week." Toru said evenly.
"…"
"I have some bad dreams, too." Toru offered. "Mind if I sit here?"
Naruto thought about it.
"I don't mind." He said, with a small smile.
Toru sat down.