Chapter 7: Just check, okay?

The Land of Fire. The origin of its name is two-fold. The first answer is fairly common knowledge. Many ninjas who call the Land of Fire their home have their natural chakra element of, you guessed it, fire. Fire style jutsus come more naturally to them and famous clans like the Uchiha and Sarutobi are well known for their Fire style users.

The other, lesser known reason, happens every autumn. Inspired by more unoriginal names, Konoha, the Hidden Leaf Village, is situated in the middle of an expansive forest of deciduous trees. For those of you that forgot their primary education science, those are trees that lose their leaves as the weather turns colder. Practically every tree is a deciduous tree around Konoha. From the view of a tall mountain top, the trees have a mixture of yellow, orange, and reds from as far as the eye could see. It definitely is a sight to behold.

Currently, Naruto and Kurama are walking through the forest.

"Boy did I get in trouble at school today." Naruto lamented. "Wow."

Kurama, being naturally curious, asked "What happened?"

"I don't even want to talk about."

The duo continued walking. But Kurama is still curious. You don't just do that. Don't leave your buddy hanging. He's going to ask you about it anyways.

"Did it have anything to do with the sirens around noon?" Kurama smirked.

"I SAID I don't want to talk about it." Those sirens interrupted Kurama's nap. The sirens usually sound on the first Wednesday of every month as a test. However, this one wasn't. People treated it as a real drill and started going inside waiting for it to end. Naruto lost his ability to hide in the crowd and was easily found by Iruka-sensei.

*Crunch crunch crunch crunch*

"Nothing says autumn like walking over dead leaves." Naruto is purposely making his way towards every fallen leaf and trying to change the subject. It is still early in the season so not many leaves were on the ground.

Kurama has his hands huddled together. "The days are getting colder." An astute observation. Even though he is a fox, it doesn't mean he is immune to the cold temperature. He didn't particularly enjoy fall as much as Naruto. For one, the sun isn't in the sky as long. Which meant his naps in the sun are getting shorter and shorter.

"Yes." Naruto responded. Naruto suddenly spotted a small pile of leaves. Excitedly he charged right up to it and started tap dancing on top of it. With a fist pumped into the air he shouted, "Bugs are dying by the wagonload! HA HA HA! Goodbye MOSQUITOS and GOOD RIDDANCE TO 'EM ALL!"

"I like fall." Naruto finished. Kurama just rolled his eyes in response. Then pondered, it certainly is a valid point. Bugs suck.

They continued walking throughout the forest. Exploring under every unturned rock culminating in finding a strange three-pronged kunai with some scribbles on the handle. Naruto decided to keep it as it reminded him of a maple leaf. He had some string and he is going to hang it from his wall. Maybe even learn to fight with it.


Naruto has a bit of a problem. He decided he is a grown up. Therefore, he stayed up late at night. School the next morning, bah. Who needs sleep anyways? Sleep is for the weak. His body disagreed with him. Out like a light once the clock hit ten. But when the shadows started appearing different from usual, Naruto's imagination took off. Both he and Kurama are perched on their bed. Moonlight coming through the window. Both of them peering over the edge of the bed to the floor below. Watching. Waiting.

Naruto stood on his knees, "Any monsters under my bed tonight?!"

….

….

….

….

..

.

No response. Kurama looked up to Naruto and tilted his head slightly. "There's no answer. You think they're gone?" Kurama looked back over the edge.

"Maybe they're just keeping quiet. Keep watch over the side of the bed." Naruto responded. He isn't convinced at all. These monsters were crafty. Waiting to lull you into a false sense of security. Then BAM! They get you.

Kurama did a small salute and watched the floor meticulously. No monster is going to get out of his sight.

Naruto enacted his plan. "Boy am I FULL. I must've eaten fifteen bowls of ramen today at Ichiraku! Gained so much weight. I don't think I can even move! Getting really plump today."

Kurama, deducing the plan, "You're bigger today Naruto, but still there's no fat on you."

"I guess you're right. I am getting big, but I'm still nice and lean." At this, Kurama made a small gasp. A small trail of a strange liquid started forming, originating from underneath the bed.

"Ugh. Something under the bed is drooling." Kurama noted with slight disgust.

Naruto is already a step ahead, "Start tying these sheets together. We'll go out the window."

Cat sighed for the hundredth time. She wondered if the Hokage had it out for her. Always getting stuck with baby sitting duty. Nothing ever happens anyways. Well, that was a lie. Something always happened, always unexplainable things. They just do. She had no idea how.

Her boredom manifested about fifteen minutes ago. She created a shadow clone and started playing the rock, paper, scissors variation, Look That Way. Growing slightly frustrated that her shadow clone is winning. She moves her had back and down three times and held out a scissors. Her clone had a rock. Cat tilted her head back and released a held in breath. Her clone counted three with her fingers, two, one.

Her clone pointed towards the apartment and Cat also looked that way. Another round lost. To a clone. But she observed a white, makeshift rope leading down from her charge's window. Then a leg, with its pair. Then a body. Finally, a full Naruto appeared and is climbing down. What now? She appeared next to Naruto with her arms stretched out because…

"Going somewhere Naruto?"

Ahhh! Naruto promptly let go and barely fell. Safely secured in Cat's arms.

"Thanks for the save Cat! I was busy escaping from the monsters under the bed."

"Under the bed. Right. Well, let me go and check." She walked up the apartment siding and climbed back into the window. Deposited Naruto on the bed and looked underneath the bed.

"Nope. No monsters underneath the bed Naruto. Now, get some sleep, you have a busy day tomorrow." She disappeared back to her hiding spot.


Naruto knew the monsters would be back again the next night, the next night, and the next night, and the next. No matter how hard he looked, he could not find Cat outside his window tonight. No getting someone strong enough to check for monsters under the bed this night. The monsters weren't afraid of Kurama either. But tonight, Naruto made a critical mistake.

Eyes wide, "Oh no. I have to go to the bathroom. The monsters will get me as soon as I put my foot on the floor." He was a goner for sure. He really should pester the old man for some help learning to walk on walls. Would make life so much easier.

Kurama clasps his hands together to make a small opening. He put his mouth next to Naruto and whispers so that the monsters couldn't overhear his plan. "I know. Put your pillow down as a decoy. While they're eating it, you can slip out."

"Great idea." Naruto whispers back. Naruto grabs the pillow, fluffs it a few times to make it nice and thick. He dangles it over the bed and says, "Okay, I'm coming out now. I'm all fat and squishy." He drops the pillow.

Before he even thinks about making his way to the bathroom, the pillow is being torn to shreds. Kurama watches from the safety of the bed, "They took the bait! Man, look at the feathers fly, go! Now's your chance."

"No. I've decided to stay here." Naruto has his blanket over his head. Trying his hardest not to think about anything that would make him need to use the toilet. Sometimes he could hold it. Sometimes he couldn't.


"With an increase in this new tax on imports from the…." Hiruzen Sarutobi is starting to zone out. This is the fifth merchant to suggest the same new import tax. But as this kept him away from doing paper work, he kept on humoring the merchants every time. Just keep on an interested look and start thinking about other, more important things. Like Icha Icha.

The answer would always be the same anyways. "Thank you for your time *insert name of person here* I see your arguments and regrettably I cannot make a decision at this time. Although my word is final, I must look at all different outcomes that could possibly happen if I were to agree with your carefully laid out plan. Thank you for your time."

"… and with the extra money gained by the import tax we can-"

Doors burst open and silhouetted against the backlight is a small figure, "OLD MAN!"

Hiruzen leans his head slightly forward. Inhale. Leans it back. Exhale. Thus, new energetic Hiruzen is born. "Why hello there Naruto, what seems to be the issue today."

"But Hokage-sama, this is a mat—" Hiruzen raises his hand to stop the merchant from speaking.

"I need to learn how to walk on walls!"

Of course he does. "I see. There is a problem though Naruto. It requires a certain degree of chakra control. It is the next step towards mastering your control. Iruka tells me that you are having trouble with your leaf exercise. You must be able to do that step before working towards this one. There are no short cuts."

Naruto threw his hands in the air. "Fine then. I guess you want me to die."

"And how would not learning this chakra technique result in your death?"

"The monsters under my bed will get me!"

"How ironic. Monsters under the—" the merchant whispered to himself. A light tap on his shoulder from his colleague stopped him from continuing his train of thought.

Monsters under the bed, hmm. Danzo has been suspiciously quiet lately. He must be up to something. The Third Hokage pondered. Yugao recently had a report where she checked under the bed for monsters. A pipe burst under his bed and was responsible for a small leak. "Naruto, monsters do not live under your bed. It is important for you to not to eat a lot of food before bed as that can influence your dreams."

Naruto looked like he is about to respond but, "I will however have one of my strongest guards keep watch over you just to make sure."

That seemed to put Naruto at ease. "Thanks, old man, you're the best. Ramen?"

"That would be lovely." They left for Ichiraku ramen.

"But….I wasn't finished. I didn't even talk about the road tax."


Night descends upon Konoha. One small boy and his fox are preparing for war. The Old man said he has a guard, but Naruto hasn't seen him or her. That's because Cat is genuinely mad. This little kid was now basically her sole mission in all of Anbu. She hadn't left the village on a mission in months. She understood hazing and all that nonsense, but this charade needs to end.

She is currently tucked away in the rafters of the apartment. She has a clone watching the window and a second one in the floorboards underneath the bed. Both to disappear at the first sign of trouble and relay information. She practiced the Shadow Clone Jutsu to her limit. Perfected it by making it completely silent. No poof when it expires.

Naruto checked under the bed. Checked in all the cabinets. Everywhere a monster could hide it was checked. Content, Naruto climbed into bed with Kurama. Lights turned off. Mable leaf kunai under his pillow. All is right in the world. Too right.

"Hey Naruto, did you check under the dresser?" Kurama asked.

Naruto's eyes darted to the right side of the room. His dresser had a small area underneath it casting a dark shadow. That's where the monster is. He knew it.

"Great, that's where they all are." Kurama noted.

"So…Kurama. Who's going to fall asleep first?" Two pairs of eyes glared at the darkness under the dresser.

Naruto had enough of the silence. "Time to go on the offensive. We have to get the monsters first. Here, take this horn and make some noise. When the monster comes out, I'll hit them with this kunai."

Grabbing the horn, "But you suck at throwing ninja tools." Kurama isn't entirely sure of the plan, but didn't have anything else. A good plan implemented on time is better than the best plan implemented too late.

Kurama started to honk the horn. Loud footsteps were coming.

"GET READY, HERE THEY COME!" Naruto shouted. Adrenaline running high between the pair.

The door flew open hitting the wall with enough force to produce a deafening thud. Lights turned on.

"WHATS WITH ALL THE NOISE?!"

"AAIIIEEE! Monsters in the hallway!" Naruto launched his kunai at the intruder. Closing the door to dodge the thrown projectile, the monster left. Naruto is underneath his covers and asked Kurama, "Is it gone?"

"I think you only scared it. The kunai didn't land." Kurama replied.

Outside the door. The landlady is cross. She had been up to her wits end. The foliage not growing outside his window with a distinct smell of urine. The complaints from his neighbors. Granted, showing up with curlers in her hair, skin treatment on her face, and in a bathrobe probably wasn't the best of ideas with a kid and a wild imagination.

Cat had to quickly use the Body Flicker technique to get to the roof top. Once there, she finally burst out laughing.