Story: Indemnity

Author: theanti

Last Edit Date: 6/9/05

Chapter 2 : Old friends
"Hi Inari," Naruto said, "remember me?"

Inari knew he remembered the voice, but the face and hair had thrown him off. "Naruto? Is that you bro?" he asked.

"Hai, it's me, I told you I would be back," he said as he grinned at the boy.

Inari ran up to Naruto and hugged him tightly while trying not to cry. The little boy had grown up since Naruto had left.

"Grandpa, Grandpa, come quick," Inari yelled into the house. A moment later an old man came running to the door.

"What is it Inari? What happened?" he asked. Then he noticed the shinobi standing next to him. He recognized the hair style immediately, but it looked different to him and he was having trouble placing it.

"Naruto, he came back grandpa," beamed the kid.

"I see, so he has, you look different now Naruto, you have changed for the better I hope," said Tazuna.

It hadn't taken long for Naruto and Inari to get caught up and after a while Naruto was surprised to hear that the Wave Country was going to start up a shinobi village. For the Wave Country this was a major step and since Tazmo was the leader of Wave Country he had been trying to make alliances with other shinobi villages in order to get some help starting up one. Teachers would be needed after all and he needed good teachers who would help in the starting of the village. Naruto told him he should seek out an alliance with the Leaf and to use his name in a formal request to the Hokage.

Tazuna considered this and didn't see why it would not be a good idea, so he sent a messenger to the leaf village bearing a request for an alliance in order to help start up their village. Naruto also explained that if they gained the Leaf's help they should also seek out help from the sand and also the mist since the mist knew the most water based jutsus which would be only common for a Wave Country shinobi to use. Naruto also warned him of the Hidden Sound village and what was happening there and strongly suggested leaving them alone.

About a week later a note came back from the Hokage accepting to send some people within a years time, but since the war in Konoha was just recently they could not afford to let any people with teaching rank to leave so easily, but she suggested to send a small group of children who would want to be training to the leaf to go to the academy there for the time being. About a few hours later a response came from the Mist accepting to send a teaching group of shinobi to help start a new village on the agreement that the Wave Country help them track down missing-nins when they are strong enough for as many years as Mist instructors stay within the Wave as teachers.

Naruto decided that as a service to the people in the Wave Country he would return later as a trainer, but he had to leave soon to continue training. He remembered that one of the reasons he had returned was also to pay respect to the fellow shinobi that died in the Wave Country. He soon arrived at the graves of Zabuza and Haku and couldn't help but admire the sword that was there. He sat down at the grave and said a small prayer and then noticed someone coming so he jumped up into a tree and hid out of sight.

"So one of the sword's has lost its owner I see," said the man. He then grabbed Zabuza's sword and hefted it from the dirt. He knew he would have to perform the jutsu on it to remove it from its pathetic existence. He then took notice there was another chakra signature nearby.

"You mind as well come out now. I expect you gennin level at best so you are of no threat to me," said the man. A shocked Naruto slowly stepped out into the clearing. "What is a boy like you doing here?"

"I came to pay respects for these two fallen shinobi. What is it to you?" asked Naruto, still a little skeptical of the man.

"I'm sorry, I should have introduced myself. I am Hoshigake Gikou of the Mist Village, though I am currently a missing-nin. If you know of my brother do not worry I am nothing like him in both appearance and personality." The man explained to the young shinobi.

"Hoshigake? You are Kisame's brother?" Naruto asked being a bit weary of the man.

"Ahh, so you know of my brother. I am sorry if he has brought any hardships your way," said the man.

"Well, I am Uzimaki Naruto, future Hokage of Konoha. Why are you here by the way?" Naruto asked wearily.

"Simple, I was removing this sword from existence. It was never bound to Zabuza, but he did not finish the ownership jutsu before he left the Mist as a missing-nin. I guess I should tell you, I am the creator of the swords of the Seven Swordsmen of the Myst," he said while performing the hand seals. "Suiton: Houmotsu Gomu" and the sword was gone.

"Well, seems like there is only six now, what did you mean ownership jutsu? I thought his sword was done since he handled it so well," Naruto said to the man.

"If he had done the jutsu it would have changed from its original appearance and made it more personalized to him. Much like my brothers grew shark scales, which is very much a part of who he is," said Gikou while flashing Naruto a very shark-like grin.

"Well, since you're here I was wondering if you would like to make it seven again. How about it? Make a sword for little old me? It's the least I could do for helping take down one of them. The seven legends should remain legends and even though there are only six now a seventh should be chosen as seven is the magic number," said a very old sounding Naruto.

"Wow, for a kid you sure have some insight. Well, more then my ugly brother that's for sure. Since you seem to be special, I think I will make you one of the special seven. They are not as looked up to in the mist anymore and moving on wouldn't be such a bad idea I suppose. Come with me to my shop in the Hidden Sand and lets see what I can do. How about it kid?" asked the legendary sword smith.

"You make a good offer there old man lets leave soon though ok?" said a grinning Naruto.

After Naruto said his goodbyes and promised to come back soon he and the old man left for the Hidden Sand Village in the Wind Country.

Somewhere between the Wave and the Sand Naruto looked up to the old man and asked. "Hey when is the last time you saw your brother?"

"Kisame?" Naruto nodded. "Well, I guess it has been about a year now. He comes to me for maintenece on it every so often. It seems he is growing impatient with the organization he is working for. All those other ninjas he works with besides his partner are too power hungry he says."

"Then why did he join? Do you know?" queried Naruto. 'Wow, maybe I have misjudged Kisame,' he thought.

"He was looking for a way to get back at some of the other missing ninjas from the mist who wronged him and he figured the stronger the organization he joined the more chance he had at killing them off rather then them being in a better organization and him dieing. By killing Zabuza I think you did him a favore actually. That was one of his prime suspects since they were so close before Zabuza tried to kill the Mizukage," explained the man to the young shinobi who was listening.

"Well, Glad I could help I guess," said Naruto giving a foxy grin.

"Damn thats creepy," said the old man. "Well we should be in the Sand soon. We should stock up on water here. I like to carry extra since I do many water jutsus which require me to use water so extra always help me not have to draw it out of the air, which can be a problem in the wind country."

"Ok, lets stop and eat some ramen."

"Whatever you say kid," smirked the old man.

They hadn't been in the desert long when the Kyuubi decided to speak up to Naruto.

'Hey kid, that Gaara kid is around. I sense my old buddy Shukaku.'

'What the hell go away I know already you annoying fox,' Naruto thought in a rather cold tone to the fox. 'Hope he recognizes me and doesn't attack.'

"Uzumaki Naruto why are you here?" asked Gaara as he approached the travelers. "You look different from before."

"Hey Gaara!" smirked Naruto. "How have you been? I hope you haven't been mass killing random people out here because Shukaku asks you to."

"No…" said the small Raccoon incarnate. "I was wondering about our last fight. Is that where your strength comes from? Protecting friends?"

"Hai, do you want to be my friend too Gaara?" he asked with a style'mso-spacerun:yes'>bright smile.

"Very well," Gaara said trying to maintain a small fraction of a grin as a sign of friendship.

"Cool, well we are going to your village. You wanna come with us?" Naruto asked the green eyed boy.

"Ok…" he said and they continued on. "Tell me about this guy, he is a sword smith right?"

"Yes I am Gaara-sama," said the old man still fearful of the tales he had hear of the Kazekage's son. "Sorry to hear of your father's death. He was a great man for the Sand village. The Otokage had no right to do that to him."

"Oi, Gaara whats this baka talking about Snake freak for?" asked an intrigued Naruto.

"He killed my father," said a rather calm Gaara. "I do not wish to speak further on it. Why have you come Naruto?"

"Well, see this guy made the Seven Swords of the Mist and since I killed one of them a while ago, I asked him if I could take over and be the new seventh. He was the seventh right old man?"

"Yes, that lazy brat was the seventh. His sword was never finished because of his traitorous ways. I would have killed him myself if I had the chance. He practically stole that sword from me," scoffed the old man. "Young master Gaara-sama why were you out here?"

"I sensed him," said Gaara pointing to Naruto, "as soon as you two crossed the wind country threshold."

"Wow…" said the sword smith. "I never recognized how strong your aura really is until now." He would have practically dropped to his feet in awe if he had not kept his wits about him. "That power seems ancient. You know almost like and old friend with bad intention. You are a container like the young master aren't you? I was wondering how you knew my brother. You are the one from Konoha who he always talks about with high regard. He says you know the true way of the ninja. He was wondering if he would be able to get one of your sensei's books."

"Ahh, I'm surrounded by perverts. Damn why are there so many in this world?" asked and exasperated Naruto. "Well, I am the countainer of the damn fox even though he doesn't like being called that, that's what he is. I guess you can use that as an answer to your question Gaara. I asked him to change my appearance. I thought I looked cooler and downright sexier this way."

"Heh, ok Uzumaki," said Gaara with a half smirk.

When they arrived at the workshop of the sword smith, Garyuu Ittou, they opened the shop and then Naruto went with Gaara to see his siblings before dinner.

"Welcome home Gaara," Kankouro said before noticing Naruto. "Why did you bring him here?"

"Shut up fool." Temari said while smacking Kankouro on the head with her fan. "I am glad you are here. I wanted to thank you for saving our brother from his demon." Temari kissed Naruto on the cheek to show her appreciation which received a rather crimson blush from the recently red-headed shinobi.

"Well, any good ramen stands here in the Sand?" asked a hungry Naruto. They all looked at him confused and then just sighed. "Guess not then… well any food will do as long as its good!"

"Ok, lets go," said Gaara as he was already halfway out the door.

After a quick meal, well at Naruto's eating pace anyway, Gaara and his siblings headed home while Naruto headed towards Gikou's shop which was connected to his home. His home wasn't much but it provided enough sleeping room for about five people with two beds in a total of two guest bedrooms and a larger bed in the master bedroom. Naruto chose the room opposite from the one where Itachi and Kisame always slept when they visited Gikou to get the Samaheda sharpened.

As Naruto layed down he thought back to something Gaara had said earlier about an internal uprising and the old regime taking over the sand. He noted that he would ask Gikou about it tomorrow if he remembered.

Author's Note:
Thanks for the reviews to those of you who have reviewed. I'll address them all really quick as well as put some of the plot that I know of into perspective. No this will not be a temari x naruto fanfic this early in the fic. I am far from the heart of the story right now. My writing seems to go all over but I hope I am making it easy to follow. Naruto x OC Maybe partially (eg maybe oc dies) I like to end up with naruto with someone from the manga and I must admit I enjoy reading Naruto x Kurenai for some weird reason. Anything is possible. I tend to follow certain C2's perspectives just as how I envision my fic. Baka turned Badass as well as COOL not DeadLast will give you a little perspective as to where this may turn/has started to turn. Anyway please keep up with the reviews. I like ideas.

'Text' – Kyuubi talking to Naruto
'Text' – Thoughts
"Text" – Speech

Naruto 'talks' to Kyuubi throught his 'thoughts'.