I'm back! Glad to see everyone still likes the story. I hope to keep the same feeling alive, while also bringing new ideas and conflicts to the table. I once again encourage you guys to guess what the added series will be. I like to see what you guys come up with as a community.
I also want to say that I have… somewhat of an update schedule lined up. I will try to update the story a week after the previous chapter at the earliest. This is to allow people time to review, as well as allowing me to keep on track with school. Another big factor is if I have the chapter ready yet or not. If I do not have a story updated within a week's time, it's safe to assume that the chapter isn't ready yet or I'm hyper focused on school.
Anywho, time to continue onward! I don't own Dragon Ball, Naruto or the surprise third series. I do own OC characters, objects, concepts, and creatures unless stated otherwise.
Temple of Space and Time
Fu couldn't decide what to wear for his visit to the boys. The kids in question had each gotten him an outfit to wear as a gift, and he certainly didn't want to disappoint either of them. He was trying to decide whether he'd wear the ninja uniform Goku got him or the martial arts uniform from Naruto. He also didn't want to change out certain outfit parts. He looked at certain articles of each outfit, then got an idea.
He walked through the temple as he approached Shenron. He still wore his muscle T-shirt, boots, glasses, and scabbard, but he also sported black pants that came from his time branch, some black fingerless gloves from the same spot, and a dark blue trench coat from Konoha. He also had a bag full of scrolls around his torso. Most of the scrolls were on jutsu, but some were martial arts styles from both sides. They were for him and the boys to learn from.
He had studied some beforehand so that he knew which to give the boys each at one point. He saved a few specific ones for emergencies or when they were older. He stood in front of the dragon statue. He placed his hand on a seal at the base of the statue. He had learned that the dragon had a hard time awakening, so he created the seal to fix the problem.
Unlike last time, the dragon's eyes flashed blue. The same moan still filled the temple.
"You look different young Fu," stated the dragon. "I can see the individual outfits the boys got you mixed into your current attire." The teen snickered as he rubbed the back of his head.
"I just couldn't disappoint them," said Fu. "I told each of them that I'd wear what I could. This is the most appealing outcome that will make both happy." The statue hummed in response, seemingly amused by the answer
"You've grown attached to the boys. Even now you can't bear to make them upset." Fu rubbed the back of his head, shameless at being caught.
"Well it just feels good to be Uncle Fu." The dragon statue formed one of his tears, prepared for yet another day of work. Once again the pool glowed upon contact from the liquid. A split image of the boys appeared on the surface of the water. Fu instinctively looked to Naruto first, his grin growing at the sight before him.
Son Naruto was five right now, going on six if anyone asked him. He wore a white T-shirt, blue gi pants, a white belt, and black shoes. He also wore a fake mustache he made to play around with Grandpa Gohan. Right now he was practicing with the Power Poll, though he seemed to be falling short of grasping its capabilities. The boy sighed as he readied the weapon.
"I'll get it this time datteboya!" cried the Jinchuriki. The boy ran forward, aiming his staff towards the ground. He practically sent himself flying as he used the weapon to vault over to the other side of the field. "Darn it!" He rolled across the ground before falling into a nearby river.
The time jumper couldn't help but chuckle at the boy's antics. He watched as said child pulled himself out of the water, the boy grumbling in frustration. Fu had developed a strong connection to Naruto, having not really known his parents either. To him, it was like watching himself grow up, curious as all get out. Grandpa Gohan came out of the hut, interrupting the boy's training.
"Naruto!" shouted the old man. "Come inside and get ready. Uncle Fu could be here any minute and you need to clean up." Naruto looked at Grandpa Gohan with a smile as he grabbed the Power Pole.
"Coming Jiji!" The young Jinchuriki rushed into the hut, quickly receiving a towel from the old man. Fu let his smile grow as he watched Gohan rub the boy's hair. He then turned his attention to Goku, crossing his arms as he let out another chuckle. As he was expecting the boy was already showing some of his saiyan heritage.
Goku Sarutobi was seven right now, though he couldn't tell you that without counting his fingers. He was wearing a burnt orange T-shirt, black pants, black wristbands, and black sandals. He was having a friend, Rock Lee as Fu remembered, over for training. The Chakra deficient boy was usually one of the strange kids, but Goku wasn't one to judge a book by its cover, or the first half. Fu could remember watching their first meeting like it was yesterday.
Flashback no Jutsu!
Goku was five at the time, waiting by the swings as he watched the other kids play. He wasn't particularly liked by the village, especially due to his tail. It was an anomaly no one had ever seen before, especially in a village such as this. It could have been this factor alone that alienated him from the village, though no one dared to do anything about his presence. The reason was rather simple to understand: he was the grandson of the recently reinstated third Hokage.
Ever since the Kyubbi attack, Hiruzen Sarutobi had become incredibly strict against his own people. Apparently some idiots decided to tick him off, and now everyone was under his watchful glare. His first act after his reinstatement was to look into the academy system, finding that several of the teachers tended to give leeway to those of the main clans. This was quickly brought to an end in order to preserve the strength of Konoha's next generation. Several staff, including a few members of the civilian council, were fired from their positions and sent to T&I during his rampage.
Those of the teachers who did not partake in the slight found themselves with better pay, the perfect incentive to keep doing their jobs. With such a benevolent yet monstrous man in the Hokage chair, who would ever want to encourage his wrath. Apparently anyone who thought to mess with his grandson. The few that tried to hurt or take advantage of the child found themselves in a fate worse than death, a fact that shocked many in the system. Let it never be said that family was unimportant to the old geezer.
In spite of his placement in the world, however, Goku had one thing going against him. His existence was revealed to the village mere weeks after the defeat of the Kyubbi. As Fu had predicted, many claimed that the saiyan was a byproduct of the beast's rampage. With such an inhuman feature, many were inclined to believe the fool. It took many mangled and beaten bodies for the idiots to get the idea that Hiruzen's grandson was off limits.
Instead of hurting the boy, the people moved to shunning him. They would tell their children to keep their distance, lest they become like the saiyan themselves. A few of them ignored the advice at first, actually getting along with the boy. After a few "lessons," however, the children soon followed their parents' wishes. So here he was, all alone on this beautiful day.
"Leave her alone!" cried a young voice. Goku looked over to the origin of the cry, squinting his eyes in response. Three bigger boys stood around a scrawny kid and a young girl. The defender had black, bowl cut hair, black eyes, and very bushy eyebrows. He wore a simple white t-shirt, dark blue shorts and beige sandals.
The girl that laid on the ground had brown hair that she pulled up into two buns, black eyes and fair skin. She wore a pink t-shirt, purple pants and blue shoes. It was very clear to the saiyan that the larger boys were bullying the girl, and the scrawny kid had the guts to stand up to them. Proving his theory, the largest of the trio slugged the skinny kid in the face.
"Shut up freaky brows!" roared the head bully. "She deserves a lesson for taking too long on my slide!" The other boys sounded off their agreement as they leaned forward a bit. "Get out of my way or I'll give you a lesson too!" Goku got off the swing as he walked away from the scene.
He was told by one of his care takers that the best way to avoid having people not like you is to not cause trouble. He had tried to help kids in similar situations before, only to be treated like the bad guy for even breathing in the culprit's direction. He hated the feeling in his gut, but he knew the best way to earn people's respect was to not act at all. He heard the sound of grunting as the scrawny kid returned to his feet.
"It's unmanly for boys to hurt girls outside of sparring and tournaments! You want to be shinobi, yet you can't value your own potential teammates! If you don't leave her alone, I… I'll stop you!" The trio laughed in his face as they inched closer to him.
"What're ya gonna do? Call your parents?" Goku's ear pricked up as the bully pushed over the scrawny kid. "Oh wait… neither of you rejects have parents!" The boy jerked as he came to a stop, his eyes widening like dishes.
He heard the girl begin to weep at the revelation, confirming the older boy's words. The bully reared his fist back as he prepared for another attack. "Who would ever want weak losers like you!" He moved to throw his attack, only to receive pain to his own cheek. He flopped to the side, watching fairies fly by as his accomplices looked on in horror.
"Leave them alone fatty!" roared Goku. The bully's posse looked to him in anger, only to cry out in fear at the sight of his tail. Their leader got up, growling as he looked to the saiyan. "You'll never be a ninja with that attitude! Go away and bother someone else!"
"I'll show you freak!" He was grabbed from behind by his allies before he could get in any damage. He growled as he looked back at the two.
"Don't do it Kazuko!" cried the redhead of the group. "It's the Sarutobi boy! If we fight him, the Hokage will be angry!" The bigger boy shrugged both of them off, undeterred by the news.
"Maybe the Hokage will see it as a favor if we give the pest a good thrashing!" Goku said nothing as he stood between the bully and his victims. He planned to put Uncle Fu's self-defense lessons to good use, when he heard the sound of heavy footsteps. He slowly turned to see one of the teachers walking his way.
"Sarutobi Goku!" cried the man. "Are you bothering the other children again! I swear if it were up to me you'd get a spanking and a trip out of this school!" The bully smirked evilly as he crossed his arms, success in his grasp. The scrawny boy suddenly stood up as he pointed to the culprits.
"Sarutobi-san was just protecting us from Kazuko and his group!" cried the boy. The teacher looked to him, surprised by the accusation. Goku also looked to the eyebrow kid, shocked that anyone outside of family would stand up for him. "The brutes were hurting me and Tenten before he came along to help us!" The man didn't seem convinced as he shook his head.
"Young man, silence your tongue! Kazuko is a fine young man and has great potential to be a ninja. There's no way he'd ever…" The young girl, Tenten if Goku heard right, rose to the other boy's side.
"I… it's true sensei!" cried the silent girl. "They told me and Lee that no one would ever want kids like us! Kazuko pushed me off the slide and everything!" Goku held in a breath as he looked to the two children. Hadn't anyone told them who he was?
"That's it! If you three are so eager to gang up on Kazuko-kun, then you can spend the rest of the day cleaning the bathrooms!" The scrawny kid stomped his foot in response, shocking the teacher.
"It's no fair! You never believe anything we say about Kazuko-teme!" He received a slap to the face at that comment, bringing Tenten to cover her mouth.
"Hold your language or it'll be the town square! I'm sure the orphanage head would love to put brats like you to work!" The two orphans froze in fear, as if the very mention of the person had triggered a painful memory. Goku growled as he stood between the horrid man and the eyebrow kid.
"Leave them alone!" cried the saiyan. "You shouldn't be mean to them! I'll tell grandpa on you!" The teacher clenched his fists as he stood over the boy.
"You utter one word of this to the Hokage and I swear I'll cut off that forsaken tail of yours! You shouldn't even be…" There was the sound of steel hitting the ground, cutting of the man's words. He felt a bit of blood run down his cheek as he looked to the source of the noise. A shinobi grade kunai rested in a tree trunk, a bit of his blood on the right edge.
"Shouldn't be what?" questioned a familiar voice. The pompous oaf turned around slowly, becoming petrified at the sight. Before him stood a teen with medium black hair, eyes of the same color, and fair skin. He wore a green flannel jacket, blue pants and black sandals. It would've been enough to spook him, but what truly worried the man was the Shinobi headband wrapped around his head.
This was Itachi Uchiha, one of the youngest Chunin in history. In spite of the academy corruption fiasco, it was agreed that the boy was truly a prodigy in the making. There were rumors that he was even being considered for a spot in the Anbu squads. The teen released killing intent at the teacher, earning a gulp from him and the bullies. "It looks like Hokage-sama forgot a few rats in his academy sweep." The man took a step back, only to shutter as he bumped into a large chest.
He turned around, only to scream in terror at the sight of the man before him. The man had a large, imposing figure as he loomed over the idiot. He wore a headband to cover the top of his head, a silver Konoha forehead protector upon it, a darker version of the standard uniform of the Intelligence Division, along with a black trench coat and gloves. This was Ibiki Morino, and he was smiling menacingly.
"Good call brat," complimented the torture specialist. "You were right to assume some people wouldn't get the message. Either this guy was paid off by the kid's family, or he has another agenda." The teacher sounded off his worry as he looked to the kids. Goku crossed his arms as he continued to glare at the man.
"Itachi-ni and Ibiki Ojisan are gonna kick your butt," stated the boy. The teacher went to grab at the boy, only to be restrained by two shinobi. The man roared like he was trying to break free, only to be whisked away via Body Flicker technique. The bullies began to back away slowly, only for Itachi to glare their way.
"You three won't last five minutes as ninjas," blatantly insulted the Uchiha heir. "Go home and find a new career. If you go into the field…" His eyes flashed red for a second as he stared Kazuko in the eye. "You'll be dead where you stand."
Taking the warning seriously, the boys ran off in fear. Kazuko seemed to bawl the loudest as he avoided the populated streets. Goku suddenly did a one-eighty as he ran up to Itachi. The potential Anbu looked down to see one of the biggest smiles he had ever seen.
"You gotta teach me that cool teleport thingy Itachi-ni! I wanna be that fast too! I'd never be late again!" The Uchiha chuckled in response to the boy's request.
"Maybe when you're older and taller, little monkey." Goku cried out indignantly as he flailed his arms in the air, showing off a whole new side to him. Ibiki nodded his head to Itachi as he passed by, signaling their departure. "The Hokage is going to need a report on the incident, so I want you to behave yourself today. I'm sure he'd be proud of what you did."
The monkey boy beamed with pride as he rubbed his nose. The sound of two little footsteps caught his attention as Itachi took his leave. He turned around to find the scrawny boy and Tenten approaching him.
"That was amazing Sarutobi-sama!" cried the skinny kid. "I had never seen something so…so… youthful!" Halfway across town, a man with bushy brows sneezed while his silver haired companion groaned. The saiyan blushed as he rubbed the back of his head.
"I… I just did what anyone should," answered Goku. "I hate bullies, especially the ones that are all talk. He had no right to hit you." Tenten smiled as she held her hands behind her back.
"Well it was very nice of you Sarutobi-kun," complimented the girl. "I'm Tenten and this is Lee-kun." The eyebrow boy bowed politely in response to the recognition. Feeling a new wave of confidence wash over him, the Sarutobi boy gestured to himself with his thumb.
"My name's Goku! Wanna play?" The duo sounded off their enthusiasm to do so, bringing a small tear to the saiyan's eye. Lee grabbed him by the hand and pulled him along, wanting to be the first to show off his "playtime action." Goku smiled as he followed his new friends to the playground.
Present Time
Ever since that day Goku had found the first few friends he could really count on. It wasn't easy due to the orphanage lady trying to keep them apart. Luckily, she wasn't a problem with Itachi on the case. It seemed to be easy for him to pinpoint the locations of hazardous individuals. The saiyan shook off those thoughts as he got back to work.
Currently, he and Lee were readying themselves to join the academy. It was the moment they were waiting for since the first day they decided to become ninjas. They trained day and night just to be able to qualify for the class. They were both doing pushups to the extreme, Tenten watching to ensure they didn't go too far. Lee was counting of course, though Goku seemed to be going in rhythm with him.
"107, 108, 109, 110!" shouted Lee. He fell to the ground, exhausted after all the hard work. Tenten quickly brought him a cup of water, hoping to replace the lost water. The boy greedily drank it down, as if he had never had a drop in his life. He sighed as he wiped his lips, refreshed after a hard workout.
"115, 116, 117, 118, 119..." counted Goku as he continued to exercise. The duo watched on as their workaholic friend continued to count his pushes. He came to a stop as he looked to them, still holding himself up. "What comes after 124 again?" Tenten shook her head as she rolled her eyes, a smile plastered to her face.
"125," answered the girl. Goku sounded off his understanding as he nodded his head. Tenten swore sometimes that she was the only normal person in their group.
"Thanks! 125." The saiyan stopped at 125, which was the limit they set themselves. Truth be told, he could go to 150 easily, he just wanted to help Lee get stronger. Then again, the monkey boy couldn't count past 120.
He looked over to his friend, Lee staring right back at him. The eyebrow boy knew he was getting stronger, if the increase in capability was anything to go off of. He just didn't know if he was getting stronger than his friend. He really wanted to know the difference. He decided it was finally time, leaping to his feet in excitement.
"Goku!" roared Lee. He took a basic fighting stance, signaling his intention. "Spar with me!" Goku's face lit up at the prospect of a fight.
"Later." said a voice from behind them. Hiruzen walked out of the Hokage building. He wasn't planning on resuming his role as the Hokage, but that all changed when Fu swapped Naruto for Goku. He felt that if a man went to great lengths to try to give a child from his village a better life, then he needed to do something about the way the village worked. The academy was just the starting place for his reforms, especially since he had his eye on a few potential problems.
He mentally sighed in disappointment. If only he could say the same about the dreaded paperwork. The old man looked to the children with a small smile. "For now, Goku needs to get to his studies if he wants to be a great ninja." The saiyan pouted in disappointment as he let his arms fall to the sides.
"Aww!" whined Goku. He was actually looking forward to finally getting hands on training with his longtime friend. It was one of their goals to get Lee to the point where he got confident actually testing out his strength. Sensing the displeasure from his adopted grandson, Hiruzen sent him a teasing smirk.
"Need I remind you that today is a special training day? You-know-who should be arriving soon." The saiyan shot up like a rocket, his face riddled with excitement.
"I completely forgot! I'm gonna have to take a rain check on that spar! We'll do it tomorrow for sure Lee!" Lee followed Goku's rise, a smirk on his face.
"I will train for that day!" shouted Lee. "If I cannot do it, then I'll run around the village five times!" The boy ran for his home, leaving the others behind. Goku cupped his hands around his mouth as he let himself grin.
"Just don't forget to eat!" There was no reply as the eyebrow boy was out of hearing range. The saiyan shook his head as he looked to the only girl in their group. "See you later Tenten! Have fun at the forge!"
"Thanks Goku!" replied the young lady. "Don't work too hard or you'll end up like Lee." Tenten ran off, leaving the family to themselves. Goku took a deep breath before following Hiruzen into the building. Special training meant that it was one of the days Fu would most likely show up, and that usually ended with the boy earning some new skill to learn.
Hiruzen had his suspicions about Fu after their first encounter, but that changed after they actually got to talk for a bit. He saw the purple teen as a young man who only wanted to see people happy, even at the expense of his own happiness. It reminded him of a certain other person he once knew. Maybe one day, he'd get to tell that someone about the boy from another time. Until then, his main focus was making sure the adopted Sarutobi made it to Genin rank.
Fu watched them walk into the building, a swell of pride forming in him. He had a routine of switching who he visited first. The first time he visited Naruto first then Goku, and he switched it from there on. This way he could keep track of all that was going on with the duo and keep from playing favorites. His recent visit began with Naruto, so today he would visit Goku first.
"Be back soon." said Fu. Shenron hummed in response as he watched the teen faze out of the temple. The dragon watched the events from the pool, amused by his newest recruit.
Time Branch 149, Hokage Mansion, Konohagakure
Goku had just finished his studies and was training with Grandpa Hiruzen on the roof of the Hokage mansion. The boy was never really fond of learning the other things, but the old man said it was necessary for being a ninja. He had no idea why math was an important skill out in the field, but who was he to argue with the man who literally held the title of "The Professor." His tail wagged in the air as he prepared for their next clash. He got in his stance before he launched himself at his elder.
They exchanged blows for a bit, smiles on their faces as they got faster and faster. Hiruzen hated to admit it, but he actually liked getting to stretch his old bones with his grandson. Ever since the academy was fixed up, he found that a lot of the paper work from there lessened. This meant he had more time to properly train the boy, though business tended to get in the way as well. He cut off his own train of thoughts as he caught a punch from the young boy.
Hiruzen was launched back by Goku's fist, but he easily caught himself. He threw some shuriken at the boy as he came to a screeching halt. The saiyan pulled out a kunai and deflected them, keeping an eye on the target. One of the shuriken exploded on contact, however, blanketing the area in smoke. Goku threw the kunai at Hiruzen, but it was a clone.
"You're Taijutsu and accuracy are exceptional, but how are your Ninjutsu coming along?" asked Hiruzen. Goku turned to find his grandfather standing right behind him, swiftly motioning through hand signs. "Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!" The old man shot a fireball at him, the projectile quickly approaching him. The boy smiled as he made some hand signs of his own.
The fire ball connected with its target, blanketing the area in debris. When the smoke cleared, however, Goku was nowhere to be found. Hiruzen looked for the monkey boy but could not find him. He couldn't even feel the boy's Chakra for some reason. Did he go too far?
The boy wasn't of this world, so it was highly possible that he wasn't able to handle the blast. Could it be possible that chakra was his weakness? All thoughts came to a halt when he heard a battle cry behind him.
"Fire Style: Twin Fireball Jutsu!" shouted a voice behind him. He turned around to find two huge fireballs flying towards him. All he could do was brace for impact as the attack hit its mark. He got up as he looked for the source, the new blanket quickly subsiding. He found two of Goku laughing while laying on their backs.
"How did you do that!? That was a powerful jutsu!" The boy smirked as both he and his clone rose from the ground.
"It's easier with two of me. That way I don't have to worry about using two different holes." The Professor didn't seem to accept this answer, however, as he stood up from his spot.
"That's still a powerful jutsu even with just one fireball! It shouldn't be possible for you to make one of that size!" The boy gestured to his clone as it took a bow.
"It's as easy as your clone jutsu." Hiruzen held a puzzled look on his face. His clone jutsu? What did Goku mean by that? The boy definitely knew that the clone jutsu was something any shinobi could use, save for those with incredibly high Chakra.
A thought suddenly crossed his mind as he looked bellow the children. Imagine his surprise when he saw two shadows on the ground. He looked to his grandson, shock still visible on his face.
"Shadow clones!" The boy nodded in response.
"Yep." Hiruzen decided to ignore the pop at the end of the answer as thoughts began to swarm through his head. His hands shook as he looked between the duplicates.
"How did... When did...Explain!" Goku chuckled as he dispelled the clone.
"Remember when I dared you to get serious but you still held back?" Hiruzen nodded, remembering the event very well. "Well I saw the hand signs you used for the jutsu. After some practice, I got it down pat." Hiruzen's emotion went to shock to admiration.
Goku truly was a prodigy, much like himself when he was younger. The boy was growing at a rate he never dreamed imaginable, even for someone not of their world. Their conversation was cut off by clapping. They looked around until they found the origin of the sound. They saw Fu sitting on the railing with a smile on his face.
"Nice job Goku!" shouted the purple teen. "You might have to teach me today." The boy smiled in excitement as he leapt at his adopted uncle.
"Uncle Fu!" Goku ran to hug the man, almost toppling him. It took everything Fu had not to fall over into the street below.
"Careful little Tyke! We're on a roof ya know!" The saiyan sounded off his embarrassment as he released the man.
"Sorry." Hiruzen let out a cough, interrupting the moment. He motioned to the area behind him, a smirk on his face.
"Goku," said Hiruzen. "Why don't you go get ready? I have to speak with Uncle Fu for a bit." The boy nodded in response as he pounded his palm.
"Ok!" Goku ran off into the mansion, leaving the adults behind. Hiruzen began his check when the boy disappeared.
"How's Naruto?" Fu's smile grew at the mention of the boy. He had a feeling the old man was still being protective of the Yondaime's son.
"He's doing great." answered the teen. "Gohan's been taking good care of him. They live alone on a mountain but he takes Naruto into town every now and then. He's also been training him in martial arts. He won't be training him to be a ninja, but I'll be there to train him to use his Chakra."
"Good to hear." They stopped conversating as Goku arrived. He had put on some goggles and a pair of orange gloves. He carried a bag of ninja tools that he made for this occasion. He walked over to Fu, ready to begin their training.
"Same place as last time?" asked Goku. He stretched his body as he prepared for their training. Fu smirked as he walked to his nephew's side. He began to jog in place, looking to limber up as well.
"Smart as ever kid." answered Fu. "Do good enough and I'll teach ya something neat." The boy smirked as he smacked his cheeks in anticipation.
"You're on!" Hiruzen stood to the side, raising his arm as an amused smirk grew on his lips. The duo got in a running stance, awaiting the signal. They took off as soon as the arm finished its course, zooming across the village. They hoped along the rooftops, Fu in the lead.
He suddenly saw Goku go flying ahead of him, forcing his eyes to widen in shock. He never taught the saiyan how to fly! He realized that the boy had a shadow clone launch him forward, sighing in relief. That was actually clever, except for the fact that the boy probably hadn't thought about what to do once he was in the air. Goku quickly confirmed his uncle's suspicions as he suddenly began to panic.
The boy braced himself as he came crashing down towards the rooftops. "CRAP!" He kept falling until he ran into a wall, creating a small dent in it. He slid down the wall before he plopped onto another roof. Fu stopped to check on the boy, a worried expression plastered on his face.
"You alright? That looked like a nasty hit." The boy chuckled as he sent the purple teen a thumbs up.
"Yeah. I'm alright Uncle Fu. Gotta work on that landing." The purple teen chuckled as he shook his head.
"That was clever kid, even if you didn't have a landing strategy." The man hummed as he rubbed his chin, deep in thought. "Maybe I should launch you off a cliff so you can practice. Anywho, I'll let you rest a bit before we start again." His nephew waved him off, a dastardly smirk on his lips.
"It'll be fine. I can't wait to learn something new." The young man furrowed his brow, thoroughly confused by the response.
"You still haven't..." He stopped as he sensed Goku's energy. Realization hit him as he looked off into the distance. He chuckled as he looked at the boy. "That was a dirty trick… well played."
"I have the best teachers." Goku disappeared in a puff of smoke, revealing the truth of the matter. He had sent ahead a shadow clone to distract Fu, then he ran for the designated location. He stood on a giant stone version of Grandpa Hiruzen's head as he waited for Fu.
"Not bad kid. I was so focused on getting here that you slid right by me." Goku turned around but took a step back as he saw Fu floating in the air. His face still held shock as Fu landed.
"How did... How are you… WHAT!?" The adopted uncle laughed in response as he floated around the boy.
"That is what I'll teach you today. It's as easy in concept as the ki blast, but still fairly complicated to put to use. You ready?" The saiyan quickly wiped the exasperated look off his face before smirking in determination. There was no way he was gonna miss out on this.
"Yeah! Show me Uncle Fu! I wanna fly!" The man smiled as he began the lecture.
"Alright, the trick is to feel the ki deep in your stomach. Once you have it, you need to send it to your feet. How much you need depends on how big you are and how heavy you feel. It'll take some time to master, even for you. You'll have a great advantage if you can do it though, seeing as most people can't even use their ki separately from Chakra."
With Fu's instructions, Goku searched for the ki in his stomach. He pushed what he found down to his feet. He tried all he could to get it to the two areas, but it was becoming increasingly hard to do so. He started to lift off, much to the surprise of his mentor. He was suddenly thrust into the sky.
Goku sounded off his excitement as he watched the world become smaller below him. He went higher than he intended to, however, and couldn't hold on to the power. He stopped, before he fell from the sky.
"Why the crap does this always happen to me!?" He tried to get the feeling back as he descended further and further. He stopped midair but frowned as Fu held his leg. They reached the ground. Goku fought his way out of Fu's grasp, twisting so he wouldn't fall on top of his head.
"Don't be so upset! You did great for your first time. It's honestly a good sign that you have a lot of potential if you actually over do that. You just need to learn control. Let's keep going."
They continued for a bit, with varying results. Goku would sometimes go skyrocketing, but he was getting better. He'd over do, under do, and almost have it but he never fully grasped it. He sat on the ground in defeat, his tail flicking with contempt. Fu sat next to him as he rubbed the appendage.
This brought about a slight shift in the saiyan's behavior if the risen hairs on the back of his head were anything to go off of. "Hey, cheer up sport! I told you it's hard, and nothing that's worth doing is ever easy. Why don't we go get some grub?" Goku perked up at the offer, jumping into the air as he clicked his heels.
"HECK YEAH!" shouted Goku. He ran onward as he searched for his favorite spot; Ichiraku Ramen. He walked through the village with Fu, slowly pulling him along. He tried not to look at some of the people, especially since a few were sending glares his way. It always hurt to be reminded of the public's opinion of him.
Despite what the villagers believed, he could hear the distasteful comments sent his way. Every snide, threat, and insult was easily picked up by his sensitive hearing. He sometimes felt like his tail was a curse, especially when people blamed him for mishaps around the village. Sure he had Lee, Tenten, his family, and the Ichirakus looking out for him, but it didn't stop the pain. Unknown to him, someone else was able to pick up on hatred sent his way.
Let it be known that Fu wasn't one for violence. It just wasn't his style. When it came to his nephews, however, anyone could become a target. It sickened him to look upon the faces of the villagers, especially those who seemed to lack a brain of any kind. If they couldn't tell the dog from the wolf, then that was their problem.
He also knew that he was a subject of some of their ire. While he had crafted an excuse of a strange kekei genkai with the Hokage, it still didn't stop the imbeciles from coming up with their own ideas. He stared down some villagers that were judging them, causing most to look away or walk off. He sighed as he looked down to the disappointed monkey boy. He knelt down to Goku, looking him in the eye.
"Don't be so down champ. They're just jealous." The saiyan sighed as he shook his head.
"No. I know they hate me. If I didn't have this stupid tail then maybe I'd have more friends." The purple teen scoffed as he shook his head.
"They don't hate you little buddy, or at least they shouldn't. You've given them no reason to hate you. I think their just scared." Goku sent his uncle an incredulous look.
"That's supposed to be better how?" Catching his blunder, Fu rubbed the back of his head.
"People are just scared of what they don't understand. They just can't understand why you're so awesome." Goku smiled at the compliment when a familiar smell hit his nose. Fu sniffed the air as well, a smirk forming on his face as he stood up. "I smell ramen." The boy ran as those words left his uncle's lips.
"Ichiraku's!" The monkey boy quickly took his seat at the bar, clapping his hands in anticipation. A man in his mid-fifties turned away from the pot he was working on at the sound of the noise. This was Mr. Ichiraku, the owner of the restaurant of the same name. He smirked as he rested his arms against the counter.
"Well if it isn't my favorite customer!" said the owner. "How's the monkey king doing?" Goku frowned at that title, clenching his fists in response.
"I'M NOT A MONKEY! Just because my grandpa works with monkeys and I have a tail doesn't make me one!" Fu chuckled to himself as he shook his head.
"I don't know buddy," interrupted the purple man. "You sure do act like one." Both men laughed as the boy puffed his cheeks out.
"KNOCK IT OFF!" The laughter only continued as the boy slumped in defeat. Soon after that Mr. Ichiraku got to work on making their orders. He smiled as he glanced back at the monkey boy. He could practically remember the first time Hiruzen brought his newest grandson into the shop.
It hurt him to know that such a sweet and passionate boy was ostracized by his own people. If it wasn't for his business, the noodle chef would ban every single patron that ever hurt the boy. It made him smile to remember his daughter running around with a then toddler Goku. Shoving the memories to the back of his mind for later, the man continued to work hard on the meals. He gave one medium bowl to Fu and nine large bowls to Goku.
"ITADAKIMASU!" shouted both patrons. The saiyan scarfed the ramen down like it was going out of stock while his adoptive uncle slowly enjoyed his own meal. As Goku went through his third bowl, Fu was halfway through his bowl. The boy finished before his uncle, who was only a third of the way through his one bowl. He hopped down from the chair before entering a respectful bow.
"Thank you for the food. Tell Ayame-nee I said hi!" The old man chuckled to himself as he bowed in kind.
"No problem kid," sighed Mr. Ichiraku. "Just warn me next time you swing by. Then I can better prepare for the rest of the day." Goku laughed as Fu finished and put the yen on the counter. He stood up, the time of day obvious.
"We better get you home Goku," informed the purple being. "It's way past your curfew." The saiyan pouted in response.
"Aww! But I still need to master flying! I wanna soar through the air like you did!" Fu chuckled as he shook his head.
"You can do that anytime. Unfortunately, I've got somewhere to be or else I'd live here in this nice village. Plus if I don't get you home Grandpa Hiruzen will get mad." Goku gulped in fear. He knew it was a bad idea to get Grandpa mad.
They headed off for the Sarutobi compound, traveling by roof in order to avoid the glares of certain villagers. The boy waved to all his neighbors as they made their way home. Goku was fairly loved by the people around the compound. He was a nice kid who loved to help when he could. They soon reached the building, passing by some monkey statues on the way in.
Goku opened the door as he walked into the building. He turned around as his uncle hovered into the air. "Well little tyke, I guess this is goodbye for now. See ya later." The boy waved to his uncle as the man took off.
"Bye Uncle Fu!" He continued to watch as the purple man flew into the distance. Once he disappeared, Goku jumped to the roof to resume flight training. He went through the process. He had it for a split second, only to fly sideways and smack head first into a tree. "Darn it."
Time Branch 147, Gohan's Hut, Mt. Pazao
Naruto sat outside, his chin resting in his palm. It had been hours since he got ready, and he really wanted to show Uncle Fu the new technique he came up with. He spent a whole month working on it for crying out loud! The least the man could do was show up on time. He sighed in impatience.
"Where is he?" asked Naruto out loud. He heard rustling nearby, causing a smile to pop up on his face. He hoped that it was Uncle Fu, seeing as he had placed a prank over there earlier that day. He ran over as he heard the trap spring into action. He had to see if it actually worked this time.
He didn't set up these elaborate pranks often, but when he did it always put a smile on Uncle Fu's face. The same didn't go for Grandpa Gohan, however, especially when he was caught up in them. He never got in any real trouble because the pranks were light and harmless. He arrived to see the chicken running from his cut out log.
The boy's smile dropped as he groaned. "Crap! I need to raise the weight limit." He didn't notice the shadow suddenly cast over him.
"Might also help if you added a pie for it to fling," said a voice. "That way you could hit the target with some classic comedy." The Jinchuriki dropped his fist into his palm with a smirk.
"Yeah, that'll work!" Naruto paused, finally realizing the situation he was in. He pulled out a kunai and threw it in the direction of the voice. He looked in horror as the man he hit was Uncle Fu. The man looked to him in surprise before falling to the ground with a thud.
The boy cried out in complete and utter horror as he ran to his uncle's side. "Uncle Fu!" When he got there, he reached for Fu's hand. The man turned into a puff of smoke, however, and a log stood in his place. Naruto's eyes widened as he jumped back in fear.
The boy looked around frantically, the weight of the situation still wearing down on him. "What the heck!" He turned around in an instant, only to find a pie in his face. A familiar chortle caused the boy to groan. The boy pulled the food off of his head as he looked to his distracted uncle.
"Got ya didn't I?" laughed Fu. "You should've seen the look on your…" He jumped back as Naruto threw a punch, interrupting the teasing banter. The man continued to laugh as his nephew growled.
"Don't scare me like that! How did you even do that!?" The purple man wiped a tear from his eye as he settled down.
"All in good time Naruto. How's the fox doing?" The blonde rubbed the back of his head as he let off a childish grin.
"He's still grumpy, but we've come to an understanding. I think he's my friend, but he probably doesn't feel the same. He's one stubborn dog." Naruto stopped for a moment as he grabbed the side of his head. If this were any other person, Fu would've instantly asked if they were okay.
Knowing Naruto, however, he could tell that Kurama had just yelled at him from the mindscape. "Yeah I know foxes aren't exactly dogs but what are you gonna do about it!?" The time traveler chuckled as he shook his head.
"Talking to it out loud instead of in your head? Grandpa Gohan must think you're crazy." Naruto laughed in embarrassment as he looked away from his uncle. His face suddenly lit up as he looked to the man.
"Never mind that! I've got something cool I wanna show ya! Come on!" Fu followed Naruto to an open area, intrigued by the offer. The boy stood in the middle of the field as he took a deep breath.
He charged his energy as he held his right hand up. An orange sphere appeared in his palm, swirling against the wind. He looked over to Fu with a confident smirk. "This is all chakra." The man's eyes widened as he sensed the energy of the attack.
Sure enough the attack had only been filled with Chakra, the first part of the mixture equally matching the stamina added. Naruto pushed some more chakra into the sphere, causing it to glow with orange and white energy. He pulled it to the side and opened his eyes as he stomped on the ground. Nine disks hopped in the air as the attack reached its critical point. "Nine Tail Blitz!"
The boy pushed the sphere forward upon the battle cry. Nine beams sprouted from the orb and chased the disks. Some disks shattered while others were turned to ash. He dropped his arm as he huffed and puffed before turning to Fu. "I can do different increments of tails, but I wanted to show off."
He placed his arms behind his head once he regained enough energy. He began to swell with pride as Fu clapped away. The man approached his nephew with one of the biggest grins the boy had ever seen.
"Nice work kid! You may need to work on your stamina more if you want to perfect that move, but it was incredible all the same. Did the Nine Tails help you with that one?" The boy's smile fell as he crossed his arms.
"Heck no! I just named it after him to try and impress him. Didn't work out so well as he ranted about using his title without the chakra. I think he's warming up to me since he stopped calling me stupid and started calling me his jailer. I don't like the title but that only made him do it more." Fu sighed as he shook his head.
"You gotta give it time. Not all people change in one day. He'll come around at some point. I mean, he kinda has to since you're basically stuck with each other." Naruto smiled.
"I guess you're right. Forget about that! What am I gonna learn today?" The purple teen chuckled as he shook his head.
"You basically threw part of my schedule out the window. You've already created your own chakra technique based off of ki principles. I guess we'll just have to keep going. Let's do substitution jutsu." Naruto cocked an eyebrow as his smile fell.
"Is this the same jutsu from the dirty trick you did earlier?" Fu rolled his eyes as he looked away, never once dropping his smile. The blonde was so never gonna let him live that down.
"Yes… but also no. Anywho, this jutsu is fairly easy, but it requires that you have an object on or nearby you at all times. All you have to do is sense the chakra of the object you want to replace yourself with, and..." He suddenly disappeared in a puff of smoke. The cut out log Naruto made stood in his place.
He jumped out from a tree behind the boy. "You swap places." Naruto nearly leapt three feet into the air as he turned to his uncle. "This jutsu is best used when an attack is about to hit. It will look like the attack connected before they realize they hit the substitute."
The blonde's excitement grew alongside his grin. Fu suddenly sounded off his shock as he held his hands together. "Pro tip; don't use something that you'll regret. Also, the jutsu doesn't allow you to swap with people unless it's a special circumstance. The only thing you'll be able to work with is objects of a certain size, the weight and height limit varying depending upon your chakra pool and your own dimensions."
Naruto nodded as he looked over to the log. He looked for its chakra, then smirked. Suddenly, Fu kicked him square in the jaw. There was a puff of smoke as the boy disappeared. Instead of the log, however, a rock was in its place.
A hard, heavy rock. "YOWCH!" The purple man grabbed his foot as he bounced up and down, doing his best not to tip over. Naruto walked from in between the trees.
"I'm sorry! I thought I had the log." The time traveler hissed as he continued to hop. He sounded off his relief as his foot stopped hurting, returning it to the ground.
"It's okay. You just need to learn which chakra is which. Other than that, you did well." Naruto smiled, happy to be receiving praise in spite of his blunder. His smile grew into a grin as he got an idea.
"Since I completed the lesson in such a short time, why don't we spar? It's been a while since we've done that kind of training." The purple man sounded off his interest as he returned the expression.
"Sounds good." They got into their stances, neither daring to make a move. The match began, a few animals running at the sound of combat. Naruto sent a hard kick Fu's way, only for the mentor to dodge to the right. He then dodged as the purple man went for an uppercut.
The blonde went in for a leg sweep, actually catching the man off guard. Fu was quick enough to catch himself with his left arm, however, flipping away from a strong strike. The duo entered a push battle as they tried to overpower one another. They both leapt back before repeating the song and dance. They fought for hours, only stopping when they heard a gong ring through the air.
"Naruto!" cried Grandpa Gohan. "Time for dinner! Bring Uncle Fu if he's still here!" The blonde cheered as he ran back to the hut, the purple guest quickly following along. They soon reached the area, Naruto being the first to rush into the building.
The old martial artist bowed to his guest with a smile. "Nice to see you Fu." The purple man nodded in response.
"Nice to see you too Gohan." It wasn't long before the food was ready. Fu smirked as he once again sat down to eat Ichiraku Ramen, though this time it came from to go cups. They began to eat, Naruto eating almost as much as Goku. The boy finished his ramen quickly and ran into the forest.
"See you guys later!" cried the Jinchuriki. "Love you Jiji!" He grabbed a mat as he went out, leaving the adults behind. Fu sent Gohan a questioning look, unsure of what to make of the boy's actions. Even before the question could be uttered, the elderly fighter nodded his head.
"He always goes out after dinner to talk to his imaginary friend," replied the old man. "I know kids have imaginary friends, but Naruto is starting to get ridiculous. I think I need to tell him that his friend isn't real." The purple man chuckled a little bit as he looked away from the man.
"Come on Gohan, lighten up." argued Fu. "It'll be over soon, plus it's kinda funny to watch him talk about his friend. It's just a way for him to have fun. You don't have to worry about a thing." The old man seemed to doubt his guess as he sent him a curious brow.
"If you say so Fu." Fu still hadn't told Gohan about the Nine Tails, and for good reason. He feared that the old man would try to remove it and seal it away in a Mafuba Jar. That would kill Naruto, obviously. He decided to let the imaginary friend thing continue for a while.
Somewhere in the forest, Naruto sat in meditation atop a lone rock. He never liked sitting around like this until he started talking to Kurama, the Nine Tailed Fox. He really liked the giant fuzzy fox, even if he was grumpy. The beast really didn't like being called fuzzy, however, growling at the thought in the boy's head. He smacked his host across the mindscape in retaliation.
"Don't call me fuzzy!" roared Kurama. "It's demeaning and an offence to all mammal biju!" Naruto tsked as he quickly rose from the ground.
"Why do you have to hit me so much!?" shouted the boy. "I haven't done anything to you!" The fox growled as he looked away.
"That time you deserved it, runt. I told you not to call me fuzzy ten frickin times!" Naruto blew razzberries at the beast, receiving a glare in return.
"Well excuse me if it's true. You'd actually make a very cute children's plush, as long as they don't get a look at those teeth." The fox was almost tempted to hit the blonde again, only to restrain himself due to his closeness to the gate.
"Just leave Brat. I don't feel like dealing with ningen like you." Kurama turned his back to Naruto, receiving a groan in response.
"What's wrong? Why do you hate me?" The fox turned around, leering over the boy with foam at the mouth.
"Every time I look at you, it reminds me of that darn village with their darn Hokage and his darn seal. I hate them! I HATE THEM ALL! I WANT TO JUST GET RID OF THEM, PERMANENTLY!" The blonde took a step back, only to regain his ground as he gave the beast a concerned look.
"What did they do to you that was so wrong? There has to be something behind all that anger." Kurama groaned as he pulled at his ears. Was this kid actually asking this question right now?
"They called me a demon. They sealed me within stupid humans. They keep me locked away. I can't even breathe here. I WISH THEY'D ALL JUST DIE!" Naruto put a hand on one of Kurama's tails, earning an exasperated look.
"Hate isn't the answer. Why can't you just move on? I don't want to be your enemy. I want to be your friend. It's time to..." Naruto didn't get to finish his sentence as he was knocked away by the beast's tail. Kurama stomped down on him, keeping his torso free from his paw.
"DON'T YOU TELL ME TO MOVE ON! WHY DO YOU EVEN CARE!? YOU'RE ONE OF THEM! THE STUPID HUMANS WHO LOCKED ME IN HERE! WHAT MAKES YOU THINK YOU'RE ANY DIFFERENT FROM THEM!?" The blonde growled as he smacked the beast's paw.
"BECAUSE I'M YOUR FRIEND! I WON'T LET ANY FRIEND OF MINE FALL INTO HATRED! YOU'RE TO IMPORTANT TO ME!" As Naruto finished that last word, Kurama's paw was sent flying off of him. Naruto stood up, a sad expression on his face.
For the first time in millennia, the Nine Tailed Fox was at a loss for words. "Please, just stop." A tear rolled down the boy's face, reflected by his real world body. "It hurts to see a friend go through such pain. Please." Kurama was silent as he looked away once more.
"Who could ever be friends with a demon?" Naruto sighed as he rested against the giant paw of his roommate.
"You're not a demon." The fox looked down at the boy, surprised by the answer. Who was this kid to go against the very stigma brought about by his own species? It was like every social norm and traditional mindset was nothing but words to him.
"If I'm not a demon or a power source, then what am I to you?" Naruto looked the beast in the eyes. Kurama saw the tears flooding Naruto's face, giving him a look that the fox had never seen directed his way. Not with such care at the least.
"Didn't you hear me!? You're my friend! Don't you ever forget that!" The whole mindscape was silent. A single tear rolled down the beasts cheek, uncontrolled yet uncontested.
The blonde's face turned from one of anger to one of confusion as he tilted his head. "Are you… crying?" Kurama's eyes widened as he finally registered the wet feeling on his fur. He quickly wiped his eyes with one of his tails, trying to save some grace.
"No Kit!" Naruto made note of the fox's nickname usage. "You just... spat in my eye, that's all." The blonde smiled as he pushed himself upward.
"Let's just talk about it Kurama." He suddenly crossed his legs as he sat in the water. "We've got all the time in the world." Kurama sat like an animal to no one's surprise.
"Thanks, Naruto." The Jinchuriki chuckled in response as he rubbed the back of his head. Fu came to check on Naruto, knowing the Nine Tails could be extremely rough to deal with. Saying that was a complete understatement. He witnessed firsthand how harsh the beast was, and it was not a pretty picture.
He suddenly saw a small continuous glow emanate from the edge of the forest. When he reached the area, he was stunned by what he saw. He saw Naruto levitating above a rock, some obvious developments visible. He was golden with the exception of some black markings that ran across his outfit and the whiskers upon his cheeks. He started to turn back as he slowly descended on to the rock.
He opened his eyes and turned to Fu. The teen had never seen his nephew have such flat eyes before. The boy returned to normal as he turned towards the man.
"Uncle Fu?" The purple teen couldn't find the right expression to use, so he let his shock take control. He landed on the ground as he approached his nephew.
"What did you just do Naruto?" asked Fu. The blonde made no move as he continued to rest where he was.
"I had a talk with Kurama. He feels a lot better once he's actually willing to listen. We both agree that it's unfair for my friend to be trapped, and there's some things we need to talk about." The time traveler silently cursed his luck. He knew something like this would come up if the boy actually got the Kyuubi to listen.
"Let's talk about this later Naruto. I have to leave on important business. This time I'll come back real soon. You have to go back home." After a bit, which Naruto was probably using that bit to ask Kurama his opinion, he agreed.
They arrived back home, where Naruto bid Fu goodbye. The purple man sighed as he soon exited the visible radius of the hut. He rubbed his hand through his hair as he allowed himself to calm down. Things had just become a lot more complicated. He took a deep breath as he left the time branch, disappearing in the usual glow.
The next day, Naruto was standing in the clearing. He was in a state of peace as he took in the world around him. Kurama had convinced him that it would be a good idea to accelerate his training, especially now that he had gotten a handle on manipulating his energy without hand signs. The first step in that regard was to perfect the Nine Tail Barrage technique, specifically by adding some power from the namesake tenant. The blonde fighter opened his eyes as a smirk grew on his face.
"It's time to work on our attack. Operation Complete Nine Tail Barrage is a go!" He heard a huff from inside his head, a sign that Kurama was annoyed.
'I still think Vengeance Barrage sounds pretty good.' suggested the fox. "It will put more fear into those who wrong or have wronged us." The blonde shook his head as he placed his hands on his hips.
"We'll cross the name bridge when we get there. Besides, wouldn't you rather use that one when we go for the bigger moves." The beast seemed to contemplate the prospect, humming in interest.
'Fair enough, and actually think what you want to say to me baka! I'd rather not end up in a mental ward!' Naruto chuckled in response as he rubbed the back of his head. The fox had a good point. He took a deep breath before stomping his foot.
Three targets popped out upon the physical command. He held his hand in the air as he began charging the move. This time he and Kurama put energy into the attack. The resulting sphere was bigger than last time, carrying a shade of red to it.
"Nine Tail Blitz!" He thrusted his hand forward, sending a large beam through the three targets… and a few trees. The boy chuckled nervously as he looked to the damage he had just unleashed. He then grew excited, the prospect of this newfound boost finally hitting him. He suddenly paled, however, when he heard approaching stomps nearby.
"SON NARUTO UZUMAKI!" roared Grandpa Gohan. The blonde in question gulped as he raised his hands defensively. He could hear the laughter of his tenant in the back of his head, the beast practically rolling over in amusement. He cursed his luck as the old man stood with his arms crossed. He had a lot of explaining to do to his grandfather and many trees to replant after that stunt.
Temple of Time and Space
Fu was still taking his time getting back, most likely to clear his thoughts. Shenron understood the reasoning, seeing as things progressed much faster than either of them could have ever anticipated. Naruto wasn't the "Number 1 Knuckleheaded Ninja" for nothing. While the boy could not hold the transformation for long, it was a sign that his life was about to get a bit more complicated. The dragon had no time to ponder on the repercussions, however, as the pool began to glow.
A light harmonious song filled the air, signifying the call of one of his allies. He knew he couldn't ignore this any longer, seeing as this was the third time they called. He let the image change, revealing a set of large yellow eyes.
"Mighty Shenron," greeted the booming voice. The dragon hummed in response, unable to move its stone body.
"Supreme Kai of Space," replied Shenron. "Is something the matter? It is not often that you contact me." The being's eyes blinked as it cleared its throat.
"There has been a disturbance in time and Space. It could be an attempt to create a convergence. The time branches involved have already been hanging on by a wire. Any further tension could result in a collapse of the entire system." The dragon mentally scoffed at this, knowing full well the consequences of failure.
"I assure you that I have everything under control. You need not worry. I have one of my associates looking into it." The figure's eyes narrowed in confusion, seemingly unsettled by the response.
"Since when do you have subordinates? For eons it has been the job of MY guardians and the Supreme Kai of Time to watch over the branches of time." The dragon soon noticed the arrival of Fu, the glow of his eyes growing in intensity.
"He's a friend. I put high trust in his success. If you'll excuse me, I need some rest." He switched the image before the Supreme Kai could say anything. Fu entered the temple, a contemplative look on his face.
"They grow up so fast." sighed the teen. "How could he have already gained so much power in such a short amount of time?" The dragon hummed in response, having witnessed the events.
"Naruto is experiencing a power he shouldn't have access to yet. It may be a problem in the far future. Perhaps it would be best to place a block on his power." Fu's eyes widened as he suddenly began waving his arms in the air.
"No!" The dragon seemed surprised by this outburst as his eyes flashed for a second. The teen quickly regained his cool as he cleared his throat. "His power level when I first met him was too small for the world. He'll need it if he's to go up against the big players like Vegeta and Frieza since he doesn't have the zenkai boost."
Shenron seemed to ponder this explanation, weighing it against the facts. It was indeed true that Naruto would need all the power he could get if he were to face Frieza before the Convergence ran its course. Seeing as he wasn't a smudge on the ground yet, Fu decided to push onward. "He's not from that world, so it would benefit him to unlock that form as soon as possible. Besides, he'll need the time to master it and I don't think he's gonna learn that power right off the bat"
The dragon said nothing as the teen prepared to wrap up his point. "They need to form that level of trust or the situation needs to be dire. They may have bonded now, but trust is still a long way away for them." Shenron relented as his eyes dimmed.
"I trust your judgment Fu. It's time to rest." Fu gave a respectful bow, then left for his temple room. Shenron replayed the moment Fu was talking to Goku.
"Unfortunately for me, I've got somewhere to be or else I'd live here in this nice village," said Fu in the image. The dragon replayed that last bit over again, knowing the teen had strained when he gave the village that description. Within that sentence, however, he could tell that his assistant was seriously considering being closer to the children. He was even wishing for it in the back of his mind. The dragon's eyes glowed brighter as it felt a familiar power welling up inside.
"If you wish it, young Fu, then you shall receive. Your fate will now be tied to these children until the end of your days." The puddle dissipated as the statue's eyes turned green. The room Fu used as his sleeping quarters glowed the same color as the door slowly began to vanish. The light finally died down, silence filling the dimensional space.
That's another chapter situated back under our belts. I knew people wanted to see exactly when and how Goku met Lee, so I decided to do that in the form of Flashback no Jutsu! In all seriousness though, I decided to add Tenten in so Goku could have a few more friends around his age. It was also my intention to show off a potential pairing between Lee and Tenten, especially since I still plan to move forward with the Neji X Sakura pairing from the previous rewrite. If that doesn't sit well with you guys, however, I'm open to suggestions.
Anywho, what do you think about the chapter? How did you like the added Flashback of Goku meeting two of his best friends? Did the added repercussions of Naruto's attack leave you laughing? Let me know about your thoughts in a review down below and I'll respond ASAP. This is Inkaliber, signing out.