Surprise!
Disclaimer: Naruto is property of Masashi Kishimoto. I have written this story for entertainment purposes and nothing else.
Later that night, Hiruzen and Jiraiya were navigating the dark,damp tunnels of Konoha's underground. The noxious smell of sewage bombarded their nostrils, leaving them with sensation of lightheadedness. The dim lantern that illuminated their path was a powerless against the infinite darkness spanning across the circular walls and ceiling. The rusted,thick iron pipes connected to each building were draped with cobwebs that ran along the sides. The only sound the two men could hear was the clattering of their sandals on the concrete walkway.
"I don't think I've ever been down here before," Jiraiya commented, carrying an unconscious Naruto in his arms.
"It's very rare for anyone to see these tunnels," Hiruzen mentioned. "They are only for an escape route to the outside of the village."
The Toad Sage had noticed that at every four-way something illegible was etched into one of the walls."Are these words for directions to this place?"
"No, I recently put these here just in case if I was ever followed by anyone, " Sandaime answered. "I can activate them in order to make my pursuer loop back to their original position in the tunnel. The only way they can escape it is to go south from their position to return to the surface."
"A maze that repeats itself," Jiraiya mused. "I must admit that I am quite impressed. I should use this whenever I conduct my research!"
"I have to be extremely cautious nowadays with all the eyes and ears watching me closely," Hiruzen said as he placed his hand over a peculiar section of the concrete wall. A square chunk of the wall slid down to reveal a doorway for them to enter.
Inside was a private library with books and scrolls that details on fūinjutsu, kinjutsu, and secrets about the village. The size of the room was adequate,containing enough rations and canned food in its cabinets to last up to two months. Dust floated lazily in the air making it difficult for them to breath, and every movement causing more to spill out into the room. The small crevices along the walls allowed some fresh air from the surface to flow in.
Sandaime cleared off the clutter from one of the tables, signaling Jiraiya to place the boy gently down to get a better view of the seal."So, this is the seal that you helped develop," he asked. " Correct me if I am wrong, but the basis of the seal is formed from two Shishō Fūin that create this outer wall. And the combination of these two seals creates the Hakke no Fūin Shiki that produces this spiral in the center."
"Correct," Jiraiya said. "There is a hole on the left and right side of the seal to allow the Kyūbi's and Naruto's chakra to blend over time. The expectation was to utilize the demon's chakra for the benefit of the village."
"Yes, I recall when Minato elaborated on the idea in one of the secret meetings. The council elders deemed it too risky so it was immediately denied," Hiruzen added. "That's why Naruto was suppose to have the same suppressing seal as his mother." He took a seat in the chair nearby to ignite the tobacco in his wooden pipe.
"I know someone that might be able to give us an answer to our problem." Jiraiya bit his thumb, performing a few hand signs before placing his hand down onto the table. The smoke cleared to reveal a black and orange toad with dark markings around his eyes and mouth."Gerotora, can you tell us how the Kyūbi is able to possess Naruto?"
"I was afraid that this would happen. I am surprised that you haven't summoned me beforehand,"Gerotora grunted as he folded his arms. "The demon is able to do this because the seal is growing weaker over time."
"How is this possible?!" Jiraiya asked.
"The crack designed in the seal also allows the beast to gradually escape from its imprisonment," Gerotora responded.
"So, why didn't they use the same suppressive seal that was on Kushina?" Hiruzen inquired.
"They didn't possess the strength or time to do so," Gerotora replied. " Once I arrived, Minato had summoned the Shinigami to perform the Shiki Fūjin."
"Shiki Fūjin," Jiraiya repeated. "There is a technique that allows one to use the Shinigami?"
"Yes, it was a kinjutsu that had been discovered by Kushina from the Uzushiogakure ruins," Hiruzen stated. "This technique gave someone the ability to call upon the power of the Shinigami. The user can lock their souls with their opponent's forever in the Shinigami's stomach."
"I guess this is why it's only for a last resort," Jiraiya said.
"Ahem," Gerotora coughed. "As I was saying, the Shinigami had been called forth in order to split the beast's chakra into two pieces. The Kyūbi attempted to free itself from imprisonment by trying to kill their newborn son. They made the ultimate sacrifice by using their bodies to block the demon's oncoming attack. Unable to finish the rest of the Shiki Fūjin, they somehow commanded the Shinigami to bind the rest of their chakra together with the Hakke no Fūin Shiki to seal the entirety of the Kyūbi inside Naruto."
"Is there anything we can do to stop the beast from possessing the boy," Hiruzen asked, puffing a cloud of smoke.
"The only way to do it is to manipulate the seal. I hate to say it," Gerotora groaned,"but the seal cannot be strengthened or removed by anyone else except the boy."
The two men remained silent upon hearing the terrible news. How long did they have before the beast would break free? Are either of them strong enough to seal it again? Who would be the next host? What about the villagers? What about Naruto?
"I guess that means we just have to trust in Naruto's abilities," Jiraiya stated, breaking the silence. "And have faith that with enough training he will be able to control the Kyūbi one day."
"In that case, you can count me out. I have no interest in putting my faith in a ticking time bomb, " Gerotora snorted angrily. "Naruto will never be able to control the Kyūbi's power. It is far too great for anyone especially such a young boy to handle. Let's hope that the seal can hold up until he decides to completely lock that beast away." Gerotora looked up to see the two men showing dissatisfaction to his statement."I guess you two are too stubborn to accept the truth, so I will now take my leave."
"Thanks Geortora." Jiraiya said as the orange toad left in a puff of smoke. "What do you think, Sensei?"
"I am afraid that can be done is to keep a watchful eye on Naruto's development." The old man handed a small scroll to the Sannin. "In the meantime, I want you to deliver this message."
"I will make sure that he gets this as soon as possible," Jiraiya said, sliding it in his sleeve.
Hiruzen opened the concrete door back into the tunnels. "It will be dawn soon, so let's return back to the surface."
As the early afternoon sun began to settle, the ceaseless buzzing of the classroom and unlimited amount of energy from the student had increased. They all squirmed and wiggled in their chairs as they waited impatiently for the bell to ring. Iruka Umino was nearing the end of his lesson over the Third Shinobi World War. His unyielding enthusiasm in the lesson was the only thing keeping half of the class awake. The man's excitement in the lectured stemmed from his tiny contribution to the war efforts at the time.
Kiba was near the door muttering playful words to Akamaru hidden in his hoodie. Chouji was viciously munching away at his new barbecue flame chips. Shino was in front scribbling down the class notes as well as a few sketches of different insects. Sasuke was near the window with his focus only on his thoughts. Sakura was on his left writing down every word from the lesson in her notebook. Ino was on his right slouching over the desk with her cheek propped against her hand. Shikamaru was in the back burying his head into the desk to enjoy his afternoon nap. Hinata was listening to the lecture with her attention occasionally shifting to the beautiful day outside. Naruto had his eyes glued to the wooden clock above the board with a countdown in his head.
"Our major victories in the war brought us peace once again," Iruka ended. "All it took was the combined efforts of everyone in the village!"
As soon as the bell rung, Naruto sprinted out the door in the back, gaining the attention of everyone in the class. Once outside the main entrance, the blue-eyed blonde dashed towards the training ground. Today is the day I finally get to see it!
"Naruto!"
The blonde turned around to see Kiba with Akamaru following behind. "What's up?"
"Did you want to hangout today," Kiba asked. "Chouji's dad was gonna take us out to dinner this evening."
"Sorry, I can't today," Naruto answered, scratching the back of his head. "I got some training to finish up."
"What kind of training?" Kiba asked, scratching his chin. "Is it major enough to miss possibly the biggest meal ever!?"
"Ummm..I..um...," Naruto stammered as he looked up in the sky for a reasonable answer. "I have to practice my Bunshin no Jutsu before the yearly exams begin."
"I guess you are right," Kiba agreed as he wrapped an arm around the blonde. "You're the one that needs to practice it the most!"
"Tell everyone that we'll hangout tomorrow," Naruto said waving goodbye. "I promise!"
Twenty minutes later, he arrived at the training ground to find Jiraiya relaxing underneath a tree with a green book in hand.
"Perfect timing," Jiraiya said, sitting up from the grass. "First, I wanna tell you that I am leaving earlier than expected..."
"What?!" Naruto interjected. "I thought we had one more day! You were gonna show me….."
The Toad Sage clamped his hand over the blonde's mouth."I haven't forgotten what I promised," he said as he released his grip. "I have to leave earlier than expected, but I have decided to stay for a few extra minutes to help finish up your training." He handed the boy three small scrolls from his pocket. "Today, I am gonna teach you some ninjutsu."
Naruto's eyes grew as wide as plates. "What kind of jutsus are you gonna teach me?"
"Watch and be amazed!" Jiraiya performed a few hand signs before holding a fist up to his mouth. His chest was puffed up twice its usual size. "Katon Dan: Homura." He exhaled a mass of fire towards the stump. The entire log went up in flames, crackling as the fire engulfed it.
"Woah!"
"Fūton: Kūdan" The Toad Sage inhaled his breath and released a series of air bullets at the burning stump. The flames on the log danced as the projectiles decreased their intensity.
"Cool!"
"Suiton: Mizurappa!" The Sannin exhaled causing water to gush out like a waterfall from his mouth. The stream of water washed away the fire leaving only a charred stump.
"Unreal!" Naruto shouted. "I can't wait to be able to do that stuff!"
"You'll learn them easily with enough practice."Jiraiya stated. "Now, I want you to do one more thing before I show you the Rasengan."
"What is it?"
"Show me your Bunshin no Jutsu."
"Umm… okay." Naruto placed the middle and index finger of his left hand over the middle and index of the right. "Bunshin no Jutsu!" As the puff of smoke dispersed, he turned to his side to look at his clone. The boy was stunned to see that it wasn't frail or scrawny at all. However, he did notice that his double had a few mistakes. It had short red hair, no whisker marks, and was little taller than himself.
"This is awesome," the two shouted in unison before the look-alike disappeared in a cloud of smoke.
"Good to see you've made some improvement," Jiraiya laughed as he held out his hand in front of the boy. "You ready?"
Naruto nodded his head yes. Suddenly, he felt the wind pushing him back as a small blue spiral formed in the man's hand. The formation of the jutsu was so captivating to him. His eyes remained glued to the ball of wind until the Sannin decided to end it."That was amazing to see even a second time!"
"Well, I guess this is goodbye for now," Jiraiya said, packing up his belongings. The Toad Sage noticed the sadden look on the the boy's face. "You keep training until I come back, okay?" He ruffled the blonde's hair before heading off towards the main gate.
"When you come back, I will be a lot stronger!" Naruto waved goodbye.
An hour later, Jiraiya was beyond the village walls, strolling along the dirt path towards one of the towns on the outskirts. His thoughts were focused on the time he spent with Naruto. The short experience reminded him of the effort that went into teaching. He couldn't believe how much fun he had during his lessons. The extra research for his new novel was an added bonus. That kid is really something else. I guess I shouldn't be surprised considering who is parents were. It also reminded him of all the students that he took under his tutelage. Due to his wisdom, they each became heroes in their journeys toward achieving world peace. He only regretted not being by their side before their untimely demise. The path to peace was never an easy one. But now, he marched forward with the hope to break the cycles of war, conflict, and hatred that continue to exist in the world.
Late that evening, Naruto was still at the training ground practicing his new techniques. He was having little success, but these setbacks fueled his desire. He pushed himself further with each attempt, trying to improve on his mistakes. He was excited with his newfound prowess over the last two days. Jiraiya's lessons had given him some direction to find solutions to the constant mistakes he made. Wait until Iruka-sensei sees this!
Yet, he still felt agitated by this burning hatred eating away at his body everyday. Who was that voice from? What was in the darkness? Why did it only want him? These questions plagued his mind as his thoughts about his future grew bleak.
Unknown to him, Hinata Hyūga was hiding from the boy in a nearby set of bushes. She had left her estate to get some fresh air after her victory in the evening sparring matches. Her unknown strength was just as much of a surprise to her as it was to everyone else. Luckily, her sparring partners as of late didn't include her cousin. These small wins granted her a safe position in the eyes of her father and the elders. She knew that her future title as heiress will be constantly contested as she continues to become a shinobi. The only thing she was worried about right now was how long she could keep up her winning streak.
"You know you can just go say 'hi' to him."
It can't be. Hinata jumped as she turned around to see that the voice came from her younger sister. "How did you find me?"
"One of the maids told me you ran off in this direction after I won my matches," Hanabi stated. "But, I see you got your mind on other things." She looked at the blonde before focusing back on her sister. "You do like him, right?"
"I...umm...w-we...we are...umm.. fr-friends that's all," Hinata stuttered as she tapped her fingers together. They had only known each other for two years. The short conversations that they did have usually ended with her falling unconscious. But, she recently has been able to shake off her usual behavior during their talks.
"So, you don't REALLY like him?"
"Like I said, we are...are just friends."
"Oh really?" A wicked smile grew on Hanabi's face as she thought of a wonderful surprise for her big sister. " I will be back, neechan." She pranced out of the bushes towards the middle of the field. "Hi Naruto!"
"Hey Hanabi."
What is she doing?! Hinata remained in the bushes, watching as her younger sister talk with her classmate. Her curiosity increased as the two were nodding and laughing a lot more than usual. Please don't say anything embarrassing to him. She listened carefully as the conversation topics switched from training to dinner. She suddenly heard her sister invite Naruto to come eat in the Hyūga estate. Without a second thought, she rushed out of the bushes. "Na-Naruto-kun is is very busy with his tr-tr-training," she stuttered as she grabbed Hanabi's wrist, pulling her back into the bushes.
"Sure," Naruto said. "I should call it a day anyway."
"Finally! We can have someone new besides the same ol' boring faces," Hanabi exclaimed as she ran around her sister back towards the blonde.
Naruto-kun is actually gonna have dinner with us. Hinata was so absorbed in the thought that her blush started to show.
"Hinata," Naruto called waving his hand in front of her face. "Are you okay?"
"Y..ye..yes," Hinata answered as she hid her face from the boy. "What will otōsan say about this?"
"Don't worry about it," Hanabi assured. "He will be fine with it. I am sure he can't say no to this." She demonstrated to two by pouting her lips and showing off her large pale eyes with tears welling up.
"I gotta say that I would fall for it too," Naruto giggled. "Would you mind if I came to have dinner, Hinata? I figured I should ask you first."
Hinata was hesitant for a few minutes, pondering how her father would react to inviting an outsider for dinner. There were only a small number of people that he ever accepted in his household. But she couldn't say no to the blonde after Hanabi had offered him a meal. "Umm.. Th-that would…. b-be fine."
"Great! What are we waiting on?!" Hanabi asked while grabbing both of their arms, dragging them through the forest. "I can't wait for you to meet everyone!"
They eventually arrived at the gate of the Hyuga estate with extreme nervousness in their stomachs. Naruto was too busy gawking at the massive compound before him. As they took their first steps onto the lawn, they noticed all of the maids were lined up in a row, bowing as the doors to the tea room opened up. Hiashi, the elders, and Neji stepped out of the room onto the walkway.
Hiashi noticed his daughters standing in the lawn from the corner of his eye. Everyone behind him paused as he turned to face them. "What is this?"
"Otōsan," Hanabi greeted with a bow to her father, " We wanted to ask if it was acceptable for Naruto Uzumaki to have dinner with us."
"Is this true, Hinata?" Hiashi asked.
"Yes, Otōsan," Hinata answered, bowing to her father.
Naruto also bowed in the same manner. "Hiashi-sama, it would be an honor to have dinner with you and your clan."
Hiashi stared at the messy boy before him. He had only heard about him through word of mouth. His impression of Naruto was not pleasant especially after the firework incident. He had no interest in associating his clan someone that was beneath them. "I am pleased with the progress that the two of you have shown us today," Hiashi said, walking towards the dining room.
Oh no! Hinata thought as she glanced at the disappointed look on the blonde. This means Naruto can't…
"Prepare an extra spot at the table for our 'guest' tonight." Hiashi commanded.
Everyone stood in shock and awe at the Hyūga's demand. They were overjoyed at the thought of a new face, yet confused by their lord's words. Was he sick perhaps?
"Hai, Haishi-sama!" The maids shouted in unison.
Soon, everyone started to pour into the dining room, leaving the three kids to question what just happened.
"Whew," Hanabi said wiping the sweat off her forehead. "That was close. I almost thought you weren't gonna get in for a second there." The eight year old suddenly felt two hands pinching on her cheeks.
"Hanabi, th-this was...was very risky," Hinata said as she continued to squeeze her little sister's jowls.
"Ow, Neechan,"Hanabi said, rubbing her red cheeks. "I hate when you do that."
"Thanks for inviting me." Naruto said, rubbing his stomach. "I can't wait to eat."
She looked up at him to see his smiling face staring at her with a small blush on his cheeks. I can't believe that this is actually happening right now. Her pale face flushed red. I can't think of anything to say to him at dinner.
"Hinata?" Naruto got curious about the condition of his friend. "You're getting all red again!"
"Let's go you two," Hanabi said as she wrapped her arms around them. "Otōsan might change his mind if we are late."
Kinjutsu - Forbidden Techniques
Shishō Fūin - Four Symbols Seal
Hakke no Fūin Shiki - Eight Trigrams Sealing Style
Shiki Fūjin - Sealing Jutsu: Reaper Death Seal
Katon Dan: Homura - Fire Release Bullet: "Blaze"
Suiton: Mizurappa - Water Style: Raging Waves
Fūton: Kūdan - Wind Style: Air Bullets
Author Notes: Chapter four is done! I really appreciate your patience. I will continue to write but this story is dependent on your reviews, comments, questions, and feedback. Let me know what you think about the story and characters so far. I am updating faster than usual because I happen to have some free time at the moment. I will try to get at least two more chapters out in next two months before I get too busy again.
Shout out to DocPacMan for the review as well as the numerous favorites and follows from other readers.
This chapter and possibly the next chapters will be a little shorter than usual. I am not trying to rush the story, but I don't wanna take forever to get to certain points.
In some eyes, Hinata might be acting out of character at the end of the chapter. My reasoning is that Hanabi brings out a little bit of confidence and bravery in Hinata. I decided to make Hanabi a little more outgoing and childish than her anime/manga counterpart. I mean they are just kids in my opinion, so they should act that way somewhat. But, I also understand why Kishimoto decided to write these two a certain way. My plan with Hinata is to break away from her character only revolving around Naruto. I want her in this story to stand eventually on her own as an individual.
I'll see you all next time!