Thank you.
Chapter Three
Foxes, Toads and Snakes
Naruto stood on the fringe of the forest. He could feel the call of the Untamed pulling him deeper. He stepped into the cover of the trees and faded into the woodwork, allowing the shadows to engulf him, despite the fact that he was wearing a long, snow white cape. The deeper he went the darker it got, disregarding the fact that the sun had set and night was falling. Figuring himself to be suitably situated Naruto began a Calling. He called up Kyuubi's chakra and spread it around the forest. Then he started barking and yipping with inhuman precision and accuracy, imitating a fox's call.
The combination of the two brought the desired results.
A family of red foxes trotted towards him, answering the Call of a Greater Fox. Naruto slid his mask up so that it rested on the top of his head and crouched down to greet the natives. Their conversations cannot be written because it consisted fully of the barks, yips and growls that animals use. Naruto introduced himself and explained his mission. The fox family introduced themselves in return. Naruto asked if they would help him and explained the situation as best he could. Since they weren't summoned animals they had the choice. The foxes said that no one had ever come that could take to them, so they would.
Naruto thanked Inari-sama that foxes were so curious.
He walked back into Hogwarts two hours after leaving with six foxes: two on his shoulders, the smallest two in his arms and the largest two trotting behind him. Using his heightened sense of smell he walked straight to the Gryffindor tower.
Problem one: getting in.
"Yo!" He waved, "Mind letting me in?"
"Password?" asked the fat lady regally as she waved a fan.
"Password? We need a password? Wonderful," he scowled and the younger foxes, affected by his emotions, growled at the Fat Lady. Suddenly the portrait swung open.
It was Sasuke.
"Naruto," he sounded hesitant. Naruto said nothing but nodded and stepped in past the Uchiha, foxes trailing after him.
"Holy crap!" someone exclaimed, catching the picture that Naruto made. White porcelain painted fox mask, foxes frolicking at his feet, foxes draped over his shoulders and curled up in his arms.
Must have looked interesting.
Too bad Naruto did not care.
"Made some more fox friends?" Harry asked curiously from a chair by the fireplace. Naruto nodded and sat down as well. He watched as they started playing in front of the fire, all but the oldest who opted to curl up in Naruto's lap for a thorough petting. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed Sasuke settle himself by a window, ignoring anyone who approached him, his gaze fixed on one spot, probably some offensive crack in the stone wall. Naruto recognized the behavior pattern.
Sasuke was nervous.
But it was not a battle-nervous because his hands did not constantly twitch towards his weapons. Nor did they mime ghostly imitations of jutsu seals. His Sharingan remained dormant behind black eyes.
"What are you going to do with these guys?" asked Hermione who had flopped down on the floor and was playing tug-o-war with the smallest kit.
"Scouts," Naruto shrugged, "messengers, you name it they can probably do it. Foxes are probably the most handy creature to have on your side,"
"What can something that little do?" Ron asked pointing at the tiny fix kit that was chasing Hermione's fingers. Naruto grinned behind his mask.
"Don't underestimate the little guys, Ron. We have a friend back home who's primary weapons are insects. You'd never think that those guys could kill you but I've seen them take down shinobi after shinobi,"
Sasuke decided to join the conversation, moving to crouch opposite Hermione and running his finger's through a snoozing fox's fur. "Yeah, but Shino's just one of those creepy guys from a creepy family,"
"Look who's talking, Mr. Copy Wheel Eyes," Naruto laughed. Sasuke smiled a little.
"He made the choice. I was born into it,"
"Mangekyo," Naruto reminded pointedly. Sasuke winced. Okay, so maybe he was not forgiven for the bakemono slur just yet.
"Man-what?" Harry asked.
"It's a family trait," Sasuke said quickly and with the same air of finality that he had used on McGonagall.
"Who's taking first shift?" Naruto asked, changing the subject.
"I will," Sasuke volunteered.
"I'll send these guys out when my turn starts. They can scout out the halls and rooms and report back by the time dawn breaks if all goes well,"
Naruto stood and started towards the boy's dorm stairway. Sasuke quickly rose and caught his sleeve.
"Naruto I-" Naruto put a hand up and shook his head.
"I know. It's all right,"
"But I-"
"Hey," Naruto pressed, "It's fine. It's over. Don't strain yourself trying to apologize. That's not your style. If you really want to say sorry then have something for me to eat when you get me up and all is forgiven," Sasuke let go and nodded. Naruto slipped his mask off and flashed the Uchiha an impish grin before vanishing up the stairs.
"Breakfast, eh?" Sasuke smiled, "I can do that,"
Every one of the Gryffindors stared at the entrance to the boy's dorm where Naruto had just vanished. Blushes were blooming on the faces of the girls that had caught a glimpse of the mysterious stranger's face. Sasuke noted this with detached amusement. How different the reactions were here in comparison to back home in Konoha.
"He's so…" Hermione looked like someone had smacked her upside the head with a board.
"Pretty," Ginny finished for her.
Sasuke had to hold back a snort of laughter. He stepped out of the way as Naruto's fox friends barreled past him and up the stairs after the jinchuuriki.
"He looks like a girl," Ron said, disbelief colouring his voice.
"Ron!" Hermione sounded scandalized. Sasuke grinned.
"You haven't seen anything yet, Ron. Just wait until he's trying to look like a girl," he said. Ron and Harry goggled at him.
"You mean he dresses up like a girl sometimes?" Ron demanded.
"After a fashion," Sasuke hedged.
"He's not some kind of drag queen, is he?" Harry asked.
"No,"
"Then why would he want to try to look like a girl?"
"Reconnaissance? Infiltration? Naruto's taken every training course possible and used them. It's surprising how effective he can be when he's not acting like an idiot,"
"I HEARD THAT, SASUKE YOU JERK!" Naruto yelled from an upper level. Sasuke grinned.
"You were meant to, Usuratonkachi!" he called back, a little quieter than his partner but loud enough to carry.
"Are you sure you guys are friends?" Harry asked, slumping further into her chair.
Sasuke said nothing. He pulled out a whetstone and spread his kunai out in front of him, picking up one to sharpen. The steady shik shik of the blade against the stone froze all conversation in the common room for a good minute or two. Several people scooted farther away from the Uchiha heir.
"Naruto is perhaps the one person in the world with whom I will entrust my life with the knowledge that he would die for what he believed what was right," he said finally. Harry nodded, understanding.
"Naruto's loyal, isn't he?" Hermione asked. Sasuke nodded.
A fox trotted down the stairs back into the common room with a scroll held loosely in its mouth. Sasuke took the scroll and absently scratched behind the fox's ears while he read it. He smiled at Naruto's thoughtfulness.
"Can you go back and tell Naruto that I say thank you and am glad to accept your help?" he whispered. The fox nodded and bounded back upstairs.
"What was that about?" Ron asked. Sasuke smiled.
"Naruto asked her to help me out during my shift," the fox returned and curled up in Sasuke's lap.
Sasuke watched as the last group of students vanished into their respective dorm towers. After waiting what he deemed to be a sufficient amount of time he pulled a scroll out from a chest pocket on his vest and unrolled it before him. He bit his thumb and smeared the blood across the contract.
"Kuchiyose no jutsu!" he muttered, slamming his hand on the scroll. In a poof of smoke there appeared seven small garter snakes.
"Masster?" they hissed.
"Scout the castle. Report the entire layout to me," he commanded. The snakes nodded and slithered out of the room. Sasuke rolled up the summoning scroll and replaced it in its pocket.
"And you," he turned to the fox in his lap, "I know you probably don't want to get up early to go hunting but is now a good time? Would you be able to get anything that Naruto and I could eat at this time of night?"
The fox cocked its head to the side, considering his words. At length it nodded and grinned a vulpine grin.
"Do you know your way out?"
Another nod and the little red fox dashed across the room, pushed the portal open and vanished down the hall.
Sasuke settled himself down for a long and quiet night.
Naruto was nudged awake by Sasuke who was taking off his cat mask and fishing through his bag for his pajamas. Naruto rose silently and dressed, donning his ANBU cape and mask, relinquishing his warm bedroll to Sasuke who gratefully curled up under the blankets. The foxes, who had been roused by Naruto waking, settled themselves around Sasuke to go back to sleep.
Silently he padded downstairs and smiled when he noticed a plate of roasted meat waiting for his by the fire. Sasuke had made him something to eat. It was not ramen but at the moment anything was welcome, considering they had both skipped lunch and dinner the day before.
He watched the sun rise and listened to the first students stirring up in their dorms. When the first girls came down and noticed him sitting on one of the window seats their reaction puzzled him.
Why on earth are they blushing? He asked himself.
One of the braver girls approached him, "Excuse me," she said. He looked at her.
"Yes?"
"Um…why do you wear a mask?" she asked timidly, "From what I saw last night it's not like your bad looking or anything like that,"
Naruto blinked at her. That was new.
"Where I come from this kind of mask is worn by the best. It is a status symbol that I have worked very hard to attain. That is why I wear this mask," he explained as kindly as he could. The girl looked confused but accepted the answer.
"So… um… how old are you?" she asked, gaining confidence from the fact he had spoken kindly to her.
"Eighteen this last august," he answered to her surprise – and the shock of her friends.
"Eighteen? So young? But Professor McGonagall said that you and the other were professional guards," exclaimed another girl.
Naruto shrugged. "Sasuke and I have been working at this level for four years now, at least. Although we only made ANBU a year and a half ago,"
The girls chattered on non-stop, making Naruto's sensitive ears start to ache. Thankfully a distraction stumbled down into the common room, dressed in light blue pajamas covered with the Uchiha family crest.
"Naruto!" Sasuke called, glaring at anyone who dared look at him. A morning person Sasuke was not.
"Morning Uchiha-chan!" Naruto teased. Sasuke's hair was down and as long as it was it only accented his finely boned face. Sasuke scowled at him, frightening off anyone who was brave enough to be still looking at him.
"Shut it, Dobe. Have you seen my snakes? Or are they still out scouting?"
"Not a snake has entered this tower since the moment I went on duty,"
"Good," he turned around and marched back upstairs muttering, "gotta get dressed."
"Snakes?" squeaked someone. There was a general frightened murmur. Naruto was confused.
"Is there something wrong with snakes here?" he asked.
"The Dark Lord uses snakes," was the timid answer he got. Naruto scowled.
"You got an evil snake user here too? Ain't that just wonderful," he said sarcastically.
"Good morning Naruto," Hermione greeted as she came into the common room. Naruto waved.
"Morning, Hermione. Sleep well?" he asked politely.
"I did, thank you," she looked around, "What's wrong with everyone this morning?"
"Sasuke."
"What about him?"
"Why is it that everyone here is leery of snakes?" he asked. Hermione looked surprised but answered.
"Because of the Dark Lord. He can speak to snakes and control them,"
"This Voldemort guy I read about in our report?"
There was a general intake of breath when Naruto dared utter the forbidden name. Hermione nodded, unaffected. Naruto cursed.
"Wonderful. Sasuke's in another place where snakes have been given a bad rap,"
"What's wrong with snakes here?" Sasuke asked, materializing beside Naruto. Naruto looked up, not surprised by his appearance.
"They have an evil snake dude too, remember?"
Sasuke blinked.
"Joy. Slipped my mind. Do they expect us to pit snake against snake now?" he asked, exasperated. Naruto laughed.
"Nah," he snickered, "it'd be snake and fox and toad against snake. Remember, I got your back,"
"There's something wrong with that picture," Sasuke said blandly, "Snakes eat toads and foxes eat snakes,"
"Where do all these animals fit into it?" Hermione asked, confused.
"They're our summon creatures," Naruto explained, "I summon foxes and toads while Sasuke here summons snakes,"
"How come you can summon two?" asked an interested boy.
Naruto coughed. "Well, the contract with the toads was given to me by one of my sensei when he began training me,"
"And the foxes?" asked a girl when he did not go on.
"Call it rent,"
Sasuke laughed at the confusion written all over every one of the student's faces. "Rent. That's a good way to put it, Usuratonkachi,"
Naruto scowled, "Well, what else would you call it?"
"The creation of a whole new Summon Contract?" Sasuke asked. Naruto thought it over.
"Well, I guess. Though I only got it because the old fox spoke up for me," he shrugged.
"He's like Manda, isn't he? For the foxes, that is, right?"
"Yup. Only bigger. Too bad he can't be summoned like Manda or Gamabunta, though. He'd eat both of them for breakfast and then use a tree for a toothpick,"
"Like you need to summon him anyways," Sasuke snorted.
"Hey!" Naruto protested, "It could be helpful occasionally,"
"I suppose, if you say so,"
"And I've been working on a modified kuchiyose that would allow me to summon him for short periods of time," he ran a hand through his hair, pulling absently at some knots.
"Any luck so far?"
"A spike in physically tangible power and that's it. By the way, is the boy up yet?"
"Taking a shower,"
"What? And you're not keeping an eye on him? And you call yourself an ANBU," Naruto sounded shocked. Sasuke threw a kunai at his head. Naruto caught it by the blade, ignoring the cuts that catching it inflicted on his hand. Blood dripped down his arm as he tossed the kunai back to its owner, more gently than it had been thrown at him.
"Your hand!" Hermione screamed. Naruto waved her off.
"Already healed,"
And indeed, the wounds were gone. The only trace that they had existed in the first place was the rapidly congealing blood.