Thank you for your reviews and this time for your patience since this is a late update. I have been very busy and will be for this as well as the next week, so expect late updates this and for a few more chapters. I'm sorry for that.
TheWateringWizard: I didn't answer your review on chapter 11 mainly because I wanted to keep it a secret for one more chapter, just in cases where readers have not been to the review section. But yes you are indeed right, on both occasions.
bankai777: Well, I have not planned that far ahead, so I don't know when Naruto or Namiko will meet Utakata. But that is definitely a long way still.
Justaguy007: You are welcome. Heres another one.
GunBlade2018: I will try my best to.
Darashiko: Thankzz.
Well this chapter is long, so no further ado.
"Speaking/YELLING"
"Bijuu/Summon speaking/ YELLING"
'Thinking'
'Bijuu/Summon Thinking'
Naruto still does not belong to me.
Chapter 12: Enter the mighty Kyuubi, again
Hinata, even after being assured by her sensei that she would not let them fail, was walking towards the village looking dejected. Even though it was not her fault, the failure of her team weighed heavily on her. Sai was being himself while walking behind her in a textbook bodyguard style, just like the mission he was assigned. Considering her strength it was obviously not needed but Anko saw it important to do so in case she encountered a Hyuuga on the way, who may take it out of her that she failed and report it to the Elders. Sai would be better at lying at that point, because of his lack of expressions.
Hinata's sad mood was lifted a little by a familiar voice calling her name. She lifted her head to look at the source of the voice and indeed both Naruto and Namiko were walking towards them. On seeing Naruto though, she immediately remembered Anko's last words to her and blushed furiously.
This was what both the twins saw when they reached closer to the remaining team 11. But since Hinata blushing around Naruto was nothing new, they didn't pry. Sai though was not familiar to these kind of reactions, "It seems Hinata-san is allergic to both of you."
All three of them sweatdropped. Namiko wanted to correct him but stopped herself. If she told him that Hinata was blushing, then he would ask why, whose answer she couldn't give without revealing Hinata's feelings towards Naruto. So she avoided correcting him instead.
"Anyway, Hina-chan what happened in your test? You were tested too right? Like we were?" Namiko asked.
Hinata immediately went back to her dejected mood, which answered Namiko's question. Both the twins were shocked, "How?" They asked at the same time.
Hinata and Sai looked at each other before Hinata started explaining. After the explanation, both the Senju twins were rightfully furious.
"That no good civilian. I still don't know how Kiba managed to rank lower than that piece of sh-" Namiko's curse was stopped by Naruto, "Language, Miko." He said. Namiko stopped with a 'Hai Onii-sama'.
"But what you say is true. I already knew Kiba was a far better ninja than him, but this guy seemed to have touched a new low." Naruto said.
He then turned to Sai as if just noticing him and extended a hand, "Hi there! We were not introduced properly before, I'm Naruto Senju."
Sai looked at the offered hand for a little while before shaking it, "I'm Sai. Nice to meet you, Senju-sama."
Both the twins were surprised. They were expecting a weird nickname.
"I thought you gave anybody who wanted to be your friend a nickname?" Naruto asked.
Sai gave him his usual smile, "Hinata-san taught me yesterday to only give someone a nickname once you get to know them better."
Naruto nodded, "An advice you should follow. By the way you don't need to call me 'Senju-sama'. Call me Naruto instead."
Namiko introduced herself as well, "I'm Namiko Senju. You can call me Namiko."
Sai nodded. Naruto turned back to Hinata, "Don't worry Hinata, Anko-sensei will definitely do something about this."
Hinata was not as much optimistic, "But what if there isn't any Genin free to make a team?"
Naruto nodded, "Yeah, they would need someone who is capable and fre-" He stopped midway as an idea popped into his mind before grinning, "Well let's see if Anko-sensei is able to get someone. Otherwise I have someone in mind who fits the role perfectly."
Hinata and Sai were confused but Namiko seemed to have realized who her brother was talking about and grinned similarly.
"Don't worry about that. Hina, you know this news cannot reach the Hyuuga elders. It would be better not to report to your father just now." Naruto advised her to which she nodded.
"Well in that case, why don't you hang out with us?" Namiko suggested.
After Hinata nodded, Namiko looked at Sai, "You are free to join as well if you want." Sai nodded too.
"Okay then let's go to Ichiraku Ramen, it has been a long time since we eaten there." Naruto suggested, more like ordered since he had already started walking towards the shop with Namiko following him.
On the way to the ramen shop, the group made up of the Senju twins, the Hyuuga heiress and the former ROOT, met up with another group of three.
At the head of the group was the oddest one of all and the fact that he was hand walking was only one reason for it. The other would be the larger than normal eyebrows over a set of round eyes on a face with bowl-cut hairstyle. The third reason would be the green body-hugging jumpsuit worn in conjunction with orange leg warmers.
Following him, looking utterly embarrassed by her teammate's actions was a girl with dark brown hair done in two Chinese-style buns. She wore a pink sleeveless qipao-style blouse with red sleeve trimmings and yellow fastening buttons and dark green pants.
Beside her, trying to look like he did not belong in the group was a Hyuuga, obvious because of his eyes. He had long dark brown hair and wore a beige-coloured shirt, a dull blue shirt beneath that along with brown pants. Unlike Hinata who wore her forehead protector around her neck, he wore on it on his forehead, like most of the branch family members of the Hyuuga clan did to hide the Clan's Cage Bird Seal.
On seeing Hinata and the Senju twins, the male Hyuuga stopped his I'm-not-with-him act and greeted them, "Nice to meet you Naruto-sama, Hinata-sama, N-Namiko-sama."
Naruto grinned at his stuttering at Namiko's name, "Neji, your and Hinata's stuttering make it look like it's a family problem."
The otherwise proud Hyuuga couldn't get his composure back at that remark. Neither could Namiko for that matter. She glared at her brother. These were the times when she suspected he actually knew about Hinata's feelings for him but was for some reason not acting on them. Otherwise how could he read her reactions so well and completely miss similar reactions from Hinata.
Naruto didn't wait for them to get their composure back though and asked the bun-haired girl, "So Tenten where were you headed? Since you are all together, I guess you either got back from a mission or are going to one?"
Before Tenten could answer, the odd looking one sprang to his feet and gave Naruto a thumbs up, "Indeed you are correct, Naruto-kun. We just finished a youthful mission and were going to eat something to regain our youthful energies."
Naruto sweatdropped at his strange way of talking while Tenten sighed. She had been his teammate for six months now, and while she was somewhat used to his behaviour, it still annoyed her.
Meanwhile Namiko after having gotten herself together was in the process of not letting Neji do so. By continuously molesting him in different ways while Hinata was trying to pry her off.
Naruto's sweatdropped got bigger. Namiko, for the most part, grew up to be exactly like their mother with her insane Chakra Control and interest in medical ninjutsu. But she was slightly affected by their perverted uncle as well. Thankfully only Neji has ever been her target of perversion. Not wanting to have Neji lose his honour on the street he said, "Enough Namiko. Stop acting like that in public otherwise I will tell mother and she will use you as a punching bag for today's Taijutsu practice."
Namiko immediately jumped off Neji and stood behind her brother in complete attention leaving Hinata blinking with empty hands.
Neji composed himself and thanked Naruto, "Thank you, Naruto-sama. Though I see an unknown member in your group today." He said noticing Sai at the back.
Hinata decided to introduce him, "Neji-niisan, this is Sai, my teammate."
Neji looked at Sai, sizing him up before walking up to him, "Please watch over Hinata-sama for me. She is sometimes too kind-hearted to be a ninja." He said politely before he activated his Byakugan and glared at him, "Or else you would be answering me."
Sai was not intimidated by the glare though, "I will. Hinata-san is my first friend after all."
"Wow Neji. Over-protective much?" Naruto commented.
Neji turned his Byakugan off and looked at him, "Not at all. In fact you should have had similar conversations with Namiko-sama's teammates as well."
Naruto sweatdropped, "Yeah. Imagine me holding Sasuke up by his collar and threatening him like that. Wait a minute." He took on a thinking pose, "That actually doesn't sound so bad." He made a shadow clone of himself and ordered him, "Go find Sasuke and give him our protective brother treatment." For some reason he didn't think of doing something similar to Shino at all. The Clone gave him a salute and prepared to jump on a roof and find the only residing Uchiha. It was dispelled though, courtesy of a kunai thrown by a blushing Namiko, "There is no need for that Onii-sama. You know I can take care of myself." She looked a Neji and continued, "And there is no need for threatening Sai tool, Neji-kun. Hina-chan can take care of herself as well." Hinata nodded at that.
"And stop addressing us with 'sama' already. I already told you to call me by my name." Naruto told Neji.
Neji wanting to embarrass Naruto as revenge said, "I cannot do that. Since I call Hinata-sama as such, I have to address you with respect as well."
Just like he wanted, Naruto as well as Hinata turned red at that. Hinata obviously more noticeably than Naruto.
Tenten wanting to stop this back and forth embarrassing session said, "Enough of all this, I'm starving here. Can we just go eat already?"
Namiko after relishing in the expressions on her brother's and Hinata's faces answered her, "Yeah, we were going to get some ramen, do you want to join us?"
Tenten answered with a desperate expression, "Anything will do right now after that gruesome run."
Namiko was confused, "What gruesome run?"
It was answered by the third member of the team, "Me and Neji made a youthful bet on who could to reach the village sooner. I unfortunately lost. So I vowed to walk to the restaurant on my hands. I offered to have Tenten sit on my foot but she refused."
Neji scowled at him though, "I don't how you say you lost Lee. I didn't accept that bet at all."
Lee turned to Neji, "Indeed you didn't my eternal rival. But I imagined you did and I lost to your imaginary self, so I'm fulfilling my self-vow." He then immediately went back to hand walking.
Everyone except Sai had another round of sweatdrops before they ignored the hand walking member of the group and resumed their trek towards the ramen shop.
Ichiraku Ramen
From the outside, Ichiraku ramen didn't seem special. It looked like a typical small ramen bar. But the ramen made by the owner and chef Teuchi was one of, if not the best ramen in the Village Hidden in the Leaves. And Naruto and Namiko were hooked to the taste of his ramen. Sadly their medic mother had –greatly-limited their ramen intake. So they cherished the time they were able to binge on the food of gods.
But for some reason, even with their love for ramen, they could not beat the small and meek Hyuuga heiress in a ramen eating contest. And while the Senju twins and Hinata were binging of the soupy cuisine, Neji and Tenten were sitting further away, pretending they were not with the trio and Lee was already out cold in trying to outdo the three in the contest. Sai was there too, smiling as usual.
Finally Naruto and Namiko could not eat any further and accepted their loss. Hinata set down her 24th bowl and grinned at them. Somehow a grin on her face looked more devilish than it would on a real devil.
Namiko weakly pointed at Hinata and declared, "Someday, Hina. Someday, I will defeat you and I will be grinning at you like that."
Neji, now sitting closer as they had completed the contest, looked proud, "Hmph…As expected of Hinata-sama. Even the Senju's cannot win against the might of the Hyuuga."
Tenten sweatdropped, "There was nothing to do with might here though." Her straight comeback was sadly ignored.
Sai decided he should say something here as well, "So that's why she is wearing that bulky jacket. She is probably fat right now." His comment didn't go unheard and he was immediately bombarded with killing-intent from four different individuals. Naruto, Namiko, Neji and even Hinata were glaring at him, leaking KI. Even though Hinata was very kind, she was also a girl and girls never let comments on their weight go unpunished.
Hinata stopped glaring and smiled sweetly at Sai, "Sai-kun, it seems more lessons on behaviour are needed for you."
Before she could start her 'lesson', she was interrupted, "My, my, I'm starting to like you more and more princess."
Hinata turned towards the person, "Anko-sensei." She made hopeful expression before continuing, "Since you are here, does it mean you found someone for the team?" She asked.
Anko puffed her chest proudly, "Of course." She declared.
Hinata brightened up at that. Even Sai's smile seemed slightly more natural.
Neji was confused though, "What do you mean 'found someone for the team'? For that matter, who is your third teammate, Hinata-sama? I completely forgot to ask about that."
Hinata ducked her head. She didn't want to tell him that in the first place. Namiko sensed it and took on the job of explaining it to him, "Well you see, it happened like this…" She started repeating what Hinata had told them.
After Namiko was done explaining, Neji was, just like others, angry, "What? Why didn't you tell me before? The Hyuuga elders will raise hell for this."
Anko calmed him down, "Relax, pretty boy. I got a third member for the team. So team 11 passes too."
"Yeah about that. How and who did you get to be on the team?" Naruto inquired.
"Well…" Anko started.
Flashback
Hokage's Office during team status report
Everyone was surprised on Jiraiya's sudden entry. Except the Hokage. He was used to Jiraiya not using the door. It had been several uncounted years since Jiraiya had last entered his office through the door.
"What do you mean you can help with that, Jiraiya?" Hiruzen asked his student.
"I mean that I know someone who is in the need of a team." Jiraiya answered.
"And who would that be?" The Hokage asked again.
"I already told you about him. I told you he would join the village when the brats graduate." Jiraiya said sceptically.
Hiruzen seemed to have realized who his student was talking about. Sadly this was not the case with the rest of the jounins.
Kakashi was the one to voice their curiosity, "I'm sorry, Jiraiya-sama. But who is it you are talking about? And what do you mean 'he would join the village'?" He knew who the 'brats' were.
Jiraiya seeing that the others were unaware, explained, "You see, six years ago, I was sneaking around in Water Country. There I met a young boy. He was an orphan and was at the end of his life when I found him. He lived for as long as he did by stealing food in the cold weather. I only wanted to offer him food and move along, but he followed me. He had somehow figured out I was a Shinobi from outside the water country and asked me to teach him. I wanted to deny him but then he showed me his Bloodline (Kekkei Genkai). Knowing that the whole Water country was going through the Bloodline purges, I decided to at least take him out of there. He ended up stuck with me and I've been training him since then. Now though I think it's time he joins a team and get some experience of working in one."
While everyone was still processing everything, Anko had stars in her eyes. Here was the chance to make her own complete team, no way was she letting it go.
She used what she knew was Jiraiya's weakness. She opened her trench coat slightly and clasped her hands together, accentuating her already plentiful breasts. She made a cute expression to go along with her acting, "Ne~ Jiraiya-sama~ Won't you lend me your student to form a team~?" She said in a sing song cute voice.
She got Jiraiya's attention with it, but he was not alone. Everyone's gaze, except the women's, was drawn towards the pressed together chain mail clad breasts. The old Hokage was desperately trying to avert his gaze. Kurenai was one by one glaring at all the men in the room before resting her glare on Anko herself. She knew this was quite a common technique for Kunoichi to use and lure a target, didn't mean she had to like it.
Jiraiya though was not a pervert. No he was something beyond that. He was a super pervert. While Anko was indeed beautiful -gorgeous would be a better word- and definitely sexy, Jiraiya was not that weak to fall for such simple gesture. "Of course, he is yours to do what you please from now on." Or maybe he was.
Anko started to jump in happiness. The Hokage, now undistracted, cleared his throat to calm Anko down. She did so but still kept a full blown smile on her face.
"While I'm happy that Jiraiya has allowed his student to become a genin in your team Anko, the decision to do so still rests with me." The Hokage said worrying Anko.
"But…but you said you wanted to complete the team." Anko whined.
Hiruzen was having too much fun to stop, "I did. But that was for the genins from Konoha. This young man, whose name might I add you still don't even know, is from a different country. I cannot just take in anyone from a different country without first running a full investigation on them."
Jiraiya might have been hurt by his sensei's lack of trust in him, if he didn't already know what he was trying to do.
"But…but…but…"Anko stammered.
"But. He is trained by Jiraiya and has been with him for six years now. In addition to that I have personally met the young man and know that he will be an excellent addition to our village. So, Haku Yuki is given the rank of genin and is assigned to jounin Anko Mitarashi as the third member of team 11." The third Hokage announced.
Anko immediately brightened up and repeatedly bowed to the Hokage thanking him over and over. She stopped midway and turned to Jiraiya, "Where is he now by the way, Ero-sennin?" She asked.
Jiraiya got a tick mark on his forehead, "Ero-sennin? You called me 'Jiraiya-sama' just a few moments ago. What happened to that?"
Hiruzen answered him on behalf of Anko, "You already know the reason for that. Nobody but Haku, Shizune and Kakashi still call you Jiraiya-sama even after they got to know how big of a pervert you are."
Jiraiya, depressed on being told that, squatted in the corner of the room drawing circles on the floor all the while muttering 'Nobody respects me' over and over.
"Anyway, Anko, I will tell Jiraiya to inform Haku to meet you at your team's designated training ground tomorrow early in the morning. You may administer your test again or you can ignore it. Your wish." The Hokage told her before adding, "Now that it's over, you are dismissed." Everyone left the room on being told, except Jiraiya who hanged back.
Flashback End
Namiko sweatdropped at her explanation, "Doesn't that mean that it was Ero-ojii who found the last teammate and not you?"
Anko made an annoyed expression, "But I convinced him, didn't I?"
Namiko replied, "Yeah but it seemed like he was already going to let Haku join your team. So it's not like you made him do something he didn't want to."
Anko gritted her teeth before she hmph-ed, "Whatever, princess, ghostboy, we are meeting again tomorrow at the same training ground at the same time. We will be meeting our last teammate there." She said before muttering, 'Now to get some Dango.' and Shunshined out of there.
Namiko turned to Hinata after Anko left, "Well there you have it Hina. You are now an official genin just like us. You don't have to tell those old wind bags in your clan that you failed because of some no good guy the first time. You can just say you passed on your first try."
Neji didn't agree with Namiko though, "That cannot be done. The Elders already know who were on Hinata-sama's team. For people as ancient as them, they know how to gather information. They would ask why the last member was changed after the test was administered."
Hinata however had some hope, "I will tell Father about it. I'm sure he will be able to explain the situation to the Elders."
While Neji didn't completely believe it, he nodded nonetheless.
Naruto, seeing that everything was settled, said, "So now that we are done eating, Hinata's team have now passed and everyone is free, what should we do?"
"Well I just want to go home and get some rest after today's unneeded workout." Tenten said while glaring at Lee.
Lee didn't pay the glare any mind, "I have regained my youthful energy. I must seek out Guy-sensei and continue to fan my flames of youth through more training." He didn't wait for anyone to respond and shot off to find his equally weird sensei.
"Strange one, that person." Sai commented.
Everybody sweatdropped at him, 'You are one to talk' they thought.
Hinata recovered and asked Sai, "What about you Sai-kun?"
Sai smiled, "Since I am a genin now, I probably have to leave the ANBU quarters that I was assigned and have to move to some other place. I will look for it."
Hinata nodded. After both Sai and Tenten left, the rest, two Hyuuga and two Senju looked at each other.
"Well I guess since four of us are free, why don't we train together? With all of us now being genins and in different teams, we will probably get very few chances to do so." Naruto suggested.
Namiko agreed, "Yeah. Let's go to our usual place. We can train as well as relax some afterwards."
The Hyuuga cousins nodded their agreement and all of them left the ramen establishment towards wherever this 'usual place' was.
The 'usual place' was a lake supplied by a waterfall in a forest on the top of the Hokage Mountain. They used it to practice Taijutsu or Kenjutsu on the surface of water which at the same time improved their chakra control. Chakra control was a necessary skill needed for both medical ninjutsu as well as Gentle fist. So this type of training was very effective for both the Senju twins and the Hyuuga cousins.
They were already done with their spars and were relaxing on the lake shore when Hinata decided to ask Naruto about something she had in mind.
"Um…Naruto-kun. You said earlier that you knew someone to recommend for my team. Who was it?" She asked.
"You don't have to worry about that. The one Ero-oji suggested is the same person I was going to. His name is Haku Yuki. He is from the Yuki clan of Kirigakure. Oji found him on the streets of some town in the water country and took him as a student. He is a nice guy, very polite." Naruto said before he grinned, "Namiko was very fascinated on seeing him yesterday when he came to our house. He lives with us too."
Neji, who was laying on one side, sat up straight abruptly but controlled himself enough to not say anything. Namiko instead was glaring at her brother, "Nothing like that happened." She said.
"It did Miko-chan and you know it. I and Shizu-nee saw you blushing up a storm on seeing Haku." Naruto rebutted.
Namiko blushed and looked down to avoid looking at Neji while he had a contemplating look on his face. Naruto, not wanting to trouble his sister more, said, "But don't worry Neji. She didn't molest him like she does you. So I think you are safe right now." Namiko blushed harder while Neji got some dusting on his cheeks but didn't change his expression.
'I think I need to have more than just the protective brother talk with this Haku.' Neji said to himself in a quiet voice.
Unfortunately it wasn't quiet enough and was heard by the rest. It resulted in Namiko nearing Hinata's record in turning red. But the Hyuuga Heiress had set the bar pretty high in that department. And Naruto and Hinata laughed, well Naruto laughed Hinata just giggled.
Naruto stopped his laugh and took on a serious face, "All jokes aside, we have something very important to tell you two." The Senju twins had decided to tell the Hyuuga cousins about the Kyuubi whenever they were together. This seemed like a proper time.
Hinata stopped her giggling and Neji and Namiko composed themselves before Naruto continued, "You remember the seal on us we talked about back when Neji was still fate's bitch." Neji frowned on being reminded how he acted towards his family. Instead of cherishing what he had, he continuously mourned what he lost and hated his cousin for something she had no control over. Now while he still hated most of the Hyuuga main branch, he didn't hate his cousins or his uncle anymore.
"Don't remind me." Both Namiko and Neji said.
Naruto smiled, "Well yeah, we now know what that is for."
Both the Hyuugas were surprised. "Really! You said it was used to seal something." Hinata exclaimed. She was too curious to stutter.
"It does. It holds something very big." Namiko said. She knew she had to tell them but wasn't sure what their reactions would be. She knew Hinata was very kind and wouldn't judge them on something they didn't do. She had been subjected to something similar after all. And Neji also went through similar circumstances. Though he was not hated because of the seal on his forehead, he was treated like a servant in his own clan filled with his relatives.
Naruto was similarly anxious about telling them about the Kyuubi. This was not something he could anticipate the outcome of. He believed in Hinata and Neji though so he continued.
"Yeah. Apparently the Kyuubi was not killed by the Fourth Hokage. It was instead sealed. He divided Kyuubi's chakra into his Yang and Yin nature and sealed them into us. The seals on our bellies each hold half of the Kyuubi." He braced himself after finishing. He had dropped the bomb and now he had to wait for the reaction.
Hinata and Neji both had their jaws on the ground. Of all to things to be sealed in them, they didn't think it would be the Kyuubi. Sure they had their birthday on the same day of the Kyuubi attack and they had more than one source of chakra but connecting these things to the Kyuubi didn't ever presented themselves in their wildest imaginations.
Hinata after collecting her dropped jaw, uttered a quiet "Why?"
Sadly the Senju twins did not understand in what context the Hyuuga Heiress asked that question. Was it 'why are you telling us now?' or 'why would the Fourth Hokage do that?' or worse 'why should we be friends anymore?' ? The twins didn't know.
Thankfully Hinata elaborated, "Why did the Fourth Hokage chose you to do it?"
The twins were not expecting this question, but they were glad this one was asked instead of the ones they had imagined.
"I don't know. It was probably because we were the only new-borns that day and we are descendants of the Uzumaki clan through our Great Grandmother. Apparently only an Uzumaki can hold the Kyuubi. But since we are not pure Uzumakis, one of us could not have held all of the Kyuubi's chakra. So he had to divided it and seal it into the two of us." Naruto theorized. Unknowingly he was quite close to the truth.
Hinata and Neji not having any other explanation nodded.
"So, you two are Okay with it?" Namiko asked anxiously.
It was Neji who answered, "As a person who is burdened with a seal just because of his birth, I cannot rightfully hate you two."
Hinata nodded, "I was hated by the elders because I could not defend against a jounin when I was four years old. If I hate you because a monster was sealed into you by someone else when you didn't have a choice, I would have to hate myself too."
Naruto smiled, "You used to hate yourself before, remember. But I'm glad. Both for not hating us and not hating yourself anymore." Hinata blushed at that.
"But you know, the Kyuubi is not that bad of a guy." Namiko said shocking Hinata and Neji again.
Naruto groaned, "Talk about yourself. Mine is just 'I am the mighty Kyuubi' and 'you are a puny fleshbag' yada yada."
Both the Hyuugas turned their shocked look at him. "What do you mean he is not a bad guy? How do you know?" Neji asked.
Since Namiko was the one to raise the topic, she answered, "Well Ero-oji came yesterday and loosened our seal just enough for us to try and talk to the Kyuubi and make a deal with him."
Hinata didn't like Naruto or Namiko making a deal with the demon, literally, "What kind of deal?" She asked.
Naruto and Namiko looked at each other before telling them their own interaction with Kyuubi. Namiko was the first one to start.
Namiko's Flashback
Once she was able to relax and meditate like Ero-oji told her, she suddenly felt wetness on her feet. She opened her eyes to see what it was but was greeted with darkness. After her eyes adjusted she was able to see straight walls with pipes running along them, like a sewer. She concluded that this was probably the manifestation of her seal. But she couldn't locate the Kyuubi anywhere. She tried to sense his chakra but found that she could sense nothing. Nothing in the sense that she wasn't even able to sense her mother or oji. Not even her brother. This was the first time in her conscious life that she couldn't sense her brother. She didn't like that feeling one bit. But determined to find the Kyuubi, she started walking forward. She didn't know where she was going but she continued anyway.
Her walk was fruitful. After sometime she reached a place which looked like a room with no apparent ceiling. There was a giant barred gate in front of her which was closed with a paper tag with the kanji of 'Seal' on it.
"This should be where the Kyuubi is." She said to herself.
She was surprised when her statement was replied, "Indeed it is, Human."
From behind the gate, she could she two large red eyes open and peer at her. She was scared of him sure, but was confident on the Fourth Hokage's seal, so she stood her ground.
Kyuubi noticed her determination, "I applaud you on standing your ground against me, Human. As I have collected, you are here to make some kind of deal are you not?" He asked surprising Namiko. She thought he would be more hateful.
"Well yeah I am. But I'm surprised you are being this much civil towards me. I thought you would be quite angry at me for holding you prisoner for this many years." She said.
"Indeed, that would have been my attitude if I was the Yang part of myself. Fortunately for you most of the emotions that I had is in that part of my chakra, so I, the Yin half, cannot harbour such feelings. It is how all of us Bijuus are." He answered.
Namiko didn't know that. But if what he said was true than her brother would be facing all the Kyuubi's hatred himself.
Since this was a mindscape and Namiko was inexperienced, her thoughts were easily read by the Yin Kyuubi.
"Indeed, your sibling will probably have a very hard time having a civil conversation with my Yang half." Kyuubi said.
Namiko was shocked again, "What? How did you read my thoughts?" She asked.
"This is your mindscape. If you do not will it so, your thoughts will always reflect here. You have to will them consciously to keep them to yourself." Kyuubi explained.
"I see. Well since you already know why I'm here, will you do it? You know we need each other to survive, so it would be better if we co-operate." Namiko said trying to make a deal.
"Normally I would be against on giving chakra to a Human who will use to fight. But what you say is true, seeing how the world currently is, it is more beneficial to work together than working alone." He said. Namiko became happy at that before the Kyuubi continued, "But I will not be giving you chakra whenever you wish, only when I think you need it. For that I need to experience whatever you do to decide if you need my chakra or not."
Namiko made a confused expression, "And how do we do that?" She asked.
The Kyuubi was surprised at her not objecting to such thing but answered anyway, "You just need to consciously allow me."
Namiko nodded before she covered herself with her hands, "You won't be using it to peep on me, will you?" She asked.
The Kyuubi sweatdropped, "Of course I won't. I don't have any interest like that in Humans."
Namiko grinned, "Then it means you have some interest in something else then. Maybe other Bijuu."
If Kyuubi's fur wasn't dark reddish-orange, its embarrassment would have be apparent, "I have nothing like that for anything." He exclaimed.
Namiko was cheering to herself. She was able to embarrass a fucking Bijuu of all things.
"Well whatever you say. So we have a deal." Namiko said before extending her hands towards the cage, "Let's work together from now on Kyu…uhh…Do you have a name or are you just called Kyuubi? If you don't, I can give you one."
The Kyuubi was really, really surprised by her question. He may not have the emotions his complete self had before, but he still remembered his stay in his two previous Jinchuurikis. None of whom had even tried to ask his name. But he was the Kyuubi and he could not just give his name so easily.
His raised his paw and touched Namiko's hand with one of his nails, which she grabbed, "I do have a name but you have to prove your are worthy enough before I tell you."
Namiko frowned before making a determined expression, "Then I will definitely get your name out of you someday." She said before disappearing from her mindscape.
Yin Kyuubi stared at the place she was before saying, "You just might."
Namiko's Flashback end
Both Hinata and Neji were looking at Namiko wide eyed before Neji asked, "You accused the Kyuubi of peeping? The Kyuubi?"
Namiko glared at him, "Won't you if someone said they will experience everything you do?" She changed an expression to an innocent on before continuing, "Or do you want others to peep on me?"
Neji denied, flustered, "O-of course I will never want that to happen." Before he added in his mind, 'I'd rather do it myself.'
Namiko grinned, "Neji Hyuuga, I know what you just thought. Don't worry I won't mind if you do it."
Neji was flustered even more, "I would n-never d-do such disgraceful things."
Namiko look regretful, "Shame. If I had the Byakugan that would be one of the first things I would do. I'm sure Hina-chan has done some of her own share of peeping, right Hina?" She asked.
The female Hyuuga present blushed hard, unable to either deny or agree to the question. Obviously because she had indeed done so and also was extremely embarrassed to admit it in front of the person she had done it to.
Naruto on seeing Hinata blush, sighed, "I'm surrounded by perverts."
Neji argued though, "Excuse me, Naruto-sama, but I'm not a pervert."
Naruto deadpanned at him, "And that red liquid coming out of your nose is your try in eating ketchup through your nose, I suppose?"
Neji's nose was indeed bleeding, which caused Namiko to turn a similar colour to Hinata. She was teasing him before but she would obviously be embarrassed if he had really done so.
Hinata looked abashed, "Neji-niisan, how could you?" She asked.
Naruto interjected before Neji could answer it, "He could because he is pervert."
"I'm not a pervert" Neji argued again vehemently.
"And you still haven't wiped your nose." Naruto pointed out to which Neji promptly cleaned his nose with a napkin.
"I hate you." Neji told Naruto.
"You can't. Since Me and Miko were basically the same being, if you hate me, you hate her too, which you can't." Naruto said.
Neji looked at him oddly, "What kind of logic is that? Who uses that kind of logic?"
Naruto's answer was something Neji should have expected, "Blondes do."
Neji looked at him with an 'are you crazy?' look but sweatdropped when he saw Namiko nodding at that. He didn't know how they did it, but he had witnessed Naruto and Namiko get out of many sticky situations by arguing with that point. He didn't know if he was trying to use the 'Blondes are dumb' cliché, since if Naruto was dumb then the normal minded people were dumber and the actually dumb people probably didn't have brains at all.
"I still don't know what you mean, when you say something like that. Do you Hinata-sama?" Neji asked.
Hinata shook her head, "I don't either. I asked Tsunade-sama about it once but she just got an oddly proud expression and then avoided answering it all together. Apparently Ino knows it too but won't tell me."
Neji sweatdropped again, 'So what? It is like a secret all the blondes in this world have?'
He shook out that thought before asking Naruto, "Enough with this mindless argument. What happened during your meeting with the Kyuubi, Naruto-sama?"
Naruto groaned again, "Believe me, it wasn't even a shred as friendly as Miko's Kyuubi was."
Naruto's Flashback
Just like Namiko, Naruto also opened his eyes to a place that greatly resembled a sewer. And like twin sister like twin brother, he decided to walk along the walls of the sewer and reached a similarly large, roofless room with a huge barred gate in front of him, closed shut with a seal tag.
Unlike his sister though he was able to immediately grasp the situation, "So this is what the mental representation of the seal looks. Well I wish it didn't look like a sewer of all things." He closed his eyes and imagined a better environment but when he opened them the surroundings hadn't changed.
"Hmm…It looks like I cannot change the surroundings in here even though it's my mindscape." Naruto mused to himself.
"That's because this place is filled with my will and my hatred." A voice said from the other side of the gate.
Naruto turned towards the voice and saw the biggest living creature he had ever seen. And he had seen big creatures like his uncle's boss summon Gamabunta, who was easily as big as a three storey building. This one looked even bigger than him. With fur a reddish-orange colour, the creature looked very much like a Kitsune (Fox) except he somehow had five human like fingers for his front paws, albeit with very sharp looking nails. Its silted red eyes looked at Naruto with an expression he had expected, Hate.
"So you have finally decided you cannot stay without using my power, Human." This was said more like a statement instead of a question.
Naruto was completely washed in the Kyuubi's Killer Intent. It was massive in comparison to the KIs of his mother or uncle, when they had decided to train them to withstand it.
'Wow what KI. I wonder if Miko is going through the same thing.' Naruto thought.
"Hmph, my Yin half does not have any of the hatred I do. It is only a physical manifestation of my chakra without any of my emotions. So your fellow fleshbag is probably not facing my hatred like you." The Yang Kyuubi answered after reading his thoughts that were reflected in the mindscape.
Naruto expected the Kyuubi to read his thoughts, "As I thought. You can read my thoughts when I'm in my mindscape. Well then you should already know why I'm here. Instead of just guessing it why don't you read it from my mind?"
The Kyuubi was not happy on being talked to like that, "Don't be so cocky in front of me Human. You are just a puny fleshbag that thrive on spreading hate. I am the Kyuubi no Yoko, I am hate. I will make no deal with the likes of you."
Naruto though was not perturbed, "So you know I came to make a deal with you. Well if you don't want to make one now its fine." He said before smiling, "But we can at least start as being friends. We are, after all, stuck with each other. At least till I die, and I don't have any immediate plan of dying."
Kyuubi scowled at him, "Friends with a Human? That will never be happening. Your kind has only spread hate in this world with your immense greed. Greed which ended up with me and my brethren being sealed inside other humans and used as weapons of war and spread even more hate. So becoming friends or anything with you is out of question. And about being stuck together, don't worry about it. I will escape at the first chance I get. That will end up killing you though."
Naruto grinned at him, "Well good luck with that. I am sure you had a very good stay all these years while you were looked up tight. Frankly I don't think I need your power to get stronger. I have reached at this point by myself with the help of my family and friends and I will continue to do so without you."
Kyuubi growled at him, "You dare threaten me Human."
Naruto shook his head, "No, I'm telling you the truth. And the truth is, I don't need you to get stronger but you need me to get free. The only way you can get free is to give me chakra and try and overtake my body. But to do that the seal needs to be slightly loose like it is now. If you deny to work with me now, I will tell Ero-oji to seal you up tight enough for you to never see the light of the day. You will probably be free once I die, but I'm sure till then me and Miko will be able to show your Yin half that humankind can still be redeemed and when you merge with him, your hatred will be dampened at least slightly. If I can take away even some of the hatred from you, I would consider my task as your Jinchuuriki to be complete."
Kyuubi was gritting his teeth. Naruto was right. If the seal was tightened like before there would be no chance of escape. While working with the brat can give him a way to do so. He didn't believe any of his words about taking away his hatred though. His hatred was immense, no mere mortal could take that burden and live.
"Very well. I will give you chakra when you need it. But beware I will escape from here. I just need one slip from you. And you will take away my hatred you say. Don't kid yourself. The hate and rage that I have with me is too great to be carried by a mere Human like you without dying." The Kyuubi said.
Naruto smiled, "I never said I would live after I rid you of your hatred." He took on a serious expression before adding, "But I have my own dreams to fulfil. Dreams that concern my family and I won't let you escape or let me die before I fulfil them. Count on it."
He extended a hand towards the Bijuu, "Anyway, let's work together from on Kyuubi."
Kyuubi growled and did not take the offered hand. Naruto sighed, "Well I guess this is the extent of our relationship right now. At least tell me your name. I'm sure you don't like to be called Nine-tails, just like how I won't like to be called by just my hair."
Kyuubi's expression changed to curiosity for a brief, almost unpassed, moment before he growled, "No mortal is worthy of knowing my name." He blasted his chakra, kicking out Naruto from his own mindscape.
He laid down, resting his head on his front paws, 'Naruto Uzumaki. You are the first one to ask my name. But that won't be enough. Unless you can prove that you can withstand the hatred of this world, you will never be worthy enough to know my name.' He thought.
Naruto's Flashback End
Hinata and Neji were wide eyed again. Neji composed himself before shaking his head in rejection, "You both are impossible. One accuses the Kyuubi of peeping and the other outright threatens him. Are you out of your mind?"
Naruto shrugged, "As I said, I was not threatening, just stating the fact. And I didn't lie either. I will rid Kyuubi of his hatred. I just have to figure out how. You see, I think the Bijuus are just misunderstood. They are powerful, yes, enough to destroy this village anytime they want. But for all the hatred Kyuubi had, he never once mentioned he hated Konoha. And the fact that he was conscious of the amount of hatred he had in him proves that they are intelligent creatures instead of being mindless, like people think."
Neji was still not seeing the reason for threatening the Kyuubi. Hinata did though, "So you mean, there was a reason he attacked our village."
Naruto nodded, "Exactly. Why would a Bijuu like Kyuubi suddenly appear and attack our village? Since he hates humans in general, he could have destroyed any and all of the villages that came in his way. But if that would have happened then our village would have anticipated his attack beforehand and prepared accordingly. Instead he appeared out of thin air and started attacking the village."
Namiko pointed out the key fact about the last statement, "Like a summoning."
"Exactly like a summoning. The question is who the heck is powerful enough to summon the Kyuubi. Also we only know the Kyuubi was sealed inside our Great Grandmother previously. But she died long before we were born. So where was the Kyuubi during that time? How did whoever summoned him found him and why attack the village? There are these lots of unanswered questions that leads me to believe that Kyuubi is not the culprit here. He is also a victim instead." Naruto concluded.
Neji didn't know how much of what Naruto said was right, "Well we can think about that after we have found enough leads to further investigate it. Meanwhile it is getting late and I believe we should retire to our homes now. After today's mission and the subsequent training, I am quite exhausted." He suggested.
All three of them nodded and after greeting each other goodbye both pair of siblings left towards their home.
Hokage's Office
Jiraiya was also, coincidentally, done reporting about both Naruto's and Namiko's encounter with the Kyuubi to his sensei. No matter how he felt about his nephew and niece, this was a matter of village security, so he had to report this to the Hokage.
The Hokage sat back in his chair contemplating on what he heard, "Hmm…that was a dangerous gamble Naruto-kun took with the Kyuubi. It's good that it ended somewhat well. But it is quite obvious that he would have to take extreme care in using Kyuubi's chakra since he himself told him that it was a way it could escape."
Jiraiya nodded, "Yeah, I and Hime think it was dangerous too but he had to do it to gain some sort of co-operation. It is building trust from there on. But don't worry about the Kyuubi taking over. I know for a fact that there are supposed to be two fail safes in the seal for that. I don't know what they exactly are, but I believe in Minato's seal work."
Hokage nodded. He did too. Truthfully he was more worried about Naruto at this point instead of the village. He knew it was wrong since he was the village leader but he couldn't help it. Both the Senju twins were dear to him.
His thoughts were interrupted by Jiraiya, "By the way, sensei. I know you took down ROOT three years ago and that the brats played some role in it. What exactly did happen? Even Tsunade-hime doesn't know the full details since she was guarding the twins."
Hiruzen was reluctant to answer his query. ROOT, no matter how it operated, was a very important part of the village. It carried out many jobs that the village did not need to be connected to. And Danzo was a very good friend. He always had a militaristic mind but his love for the village was no less than his own. But Jiraiya's current position requires for him to know this kind of information. So he reluctantly started telling the story of 'The Downfall of the ROOT'.
AN:
No Omake on this one. And yeah Haku is the third teammate. And Neji is Namiko's ship. I know it may seem odd for twins to date a pair of cousins. But they are cousins so it should still be somewhat okay. I didn't pair Neji with Tenten because I really didn't see anything in the anime or manga that hinted on any close relationship between them. Truth be told, in the movie Road to Ninja, he was peeping on Hinata. But that would border incest and Hinata cannot be with anyone except Naruto anyway, so I thought of pairing Namiko and Neji. And I thought it fitting that a pair of identical twins would have identical tastes. I also know of some real life examples where a pair of identical twins married another.
Kyuubi has officially entered. He has a split personality, literally since he is split in two beings now. Not much was shown about the personality of Yin Kyuubi in the canon. But Naruto did comment once that he was nicer than the Yang half. So I used it and formed the idea of two opposing personalities of Kyuubi.
Next chapter will be kind of special, it will mostly be a flashback into the time when the ROOT was taken down along with Danzo. So stay tuned for the next chapter.
Again the next chapter may or maynot be posted on this Saturday, since I will be very busy this week too. So till the next chapter, Adios.