Rogue Fox - Axenome

by Asgard Vanguard

Story written by AXENOME-Just a few words, lost in a conversation known only by a few... Just a few words extra, spoken rashly in haste and anger... Only a few words different... and what difference could they possibly make? Helpful Fox, Naruto with bloodlines, and Superish!Naruto

6. Ch5 - These Little Talks

*Chapter 6*: Chapter Five: These Little Talks

Naruto: Rogue Fox

( ) Denotes memory. Not quite as involved as a full flashback, usually just memory of spoken words.

Special Note: Made some small revisions to the chapter, smoothed out some dialogue, corrected spelling errors.

Second revision: Added a good deal to the AN below in response to some issues brought up by one of my readers. Hope it helps clarify my thinking and sub story a little.

Previously: Naruto's exhaustion and Sasuke's misgivings prompt a discussion on the nature of the Sharingan, as well as the nature of Naruto's pain. Yet for all Kakashi's determination to assist Naruto in coming out of his shell, Naruto, shamming sleep, swears to trust none of them- not even fully himself. When their training schedule is announced, after some outbursts on Naruto's part the three konoha genin take their first gravity defying steps- while only one of them continues defying gravity on his second. Meanwhile, Zabuza begins his own training regimen with Haku to prepare the boy for their future confrontation with the deadly Sharingan Eye...

Chapter Five: These Little Chats

Within two days, Naruto and Sasuke had managed to make a full patrol around the side of the bridge without falling off. The hardest part of the exercise, of course, was catching the others as they patrolled. Dividing their attention between maintaining the delicate balance of chakra flow, and their senses in the fog surrounding them, proved to be too much whenever Shikamaru went for Tazuna. He always planned ten to twenty steps ahead of anything Naruto and Sasuke could come up with, and only Kakashi's constant pressure on them kept the two trying at all. And while they never did successfully intercept Shikamaru, both Naruto and Sasuke improved drastically in their usage of teamwork and tactics.

Kakashi also noticed that Naruto drew slightly on the chakra of the Kyuubii fairly consistently. The chakra he drew helped revitalize the boy's energy- over the long term, according to the Sandaime Hokage, this event could prove damaging to the blond genin. Except... The Sandaime had mentioned temporary effects that would manifest themselves early, signs of impending permanent damage that would indicate the Kitsune was taking Naruto's mind and soul over- signs that were, as of now, completely absent in Naruto.

Jinchuuriki, Kakashi mused. That's what the Sandaime called him. A person in whom one of the Biijuu had been sealed, a technique created back during the Shinobi wars. But they had proven too unruly to be controlled by a mere mortal, constantly trying to break free, or to exert some kind of control over the host... But now...

Has Naruto done what no other could in recorded history? Has he somehow found a way to control one of the Biiju?

Three nights later, long after Shikamaru, Tazuna, and Kakashi had returned home, Naruto and Sasuke finally dragged themselves in the door. Actually, to be more accurate, Naruto staggered in with Sasuke half draped over his shoulder, the latter barely succeeding in placing one foot in front of the other. From the looks of things, the only thing keeping them on their feet was the fact that neither boy could quite agree on what direction to fall.

Not content with their daily patrols, after the others would leave, the two had taken to training themselves, had driven one another to the edge of exhaustion. They sparred on top of the bridge, on its sides, even underneath and along the supports. By the end of their session tonight, the two had even puzzled out how to run along the surface of the water. Naruto's incredible strength and stamina were evenly matched against Sasuke's superior skill and ever improving mastery over the Sharingan. And even now, both were getting stronger and faster.

Sasuke is getting very good, thought Kakashi to himself. Having trained with and against two of the strongest genin in Konoha, he's becoming a force to be reckoned with. And Naruto! The sheer power at that boy's disposal is awe inspiring. And if he doesn't have the majority of the Forbidden Scroll commited to memory or learned, I'll eat my hitai ate. Yet he's so cagey about revealing the breadth of his knowledge- is he afraid of the reaction he'll receive from the rest of the village?

Kakashi watched as Sasuke and Naruto collapsed onto the mats in front of the dinner table, then, sharing a tired grin with one another, they each grabbed a bowl of rice.

This scene of comeraderie was interrupted by Tsunami's little boy- Inari, was his name?- who spoke for the first time since they'd arrived. "Why push yourselves so hard? You're just gonna die tired when Gato's men catch up to you."

Naruto and Sasuke both paused in their eating, chopsticks halfway to their mouths. "Huh?" Said Naruto.

"Gato is too strong. People like that, they can't be beaten no matter how strong you are. If you fight him, you're just gonna die."

Shikamaru was leaning back against a pillow with an arm thrown over his face. This didn't stop him from responding. "This has something to do with that picture on the wall, the one that's missing somebody in it, right?" Shikamaru pointed in the direction of the picture. "The person who's missing- Gato did something to him, right? Or someone just like him?"

Inari's eyes filled with tears and he dashed from the room.

Tazuna sighed. "His name was Kaiza." Answered Tazuna. "He was a hero and a brave, a GOOD man. He was like a father to Inari. Some bullies threw Inari's brand new puppy into the river- and then shoved Inari in after him. Kaiza saved Inari from drowning- and later, he would save the entire village as well when the river overflowed its banks in a heavy storm. He was an ordinary man, but was filled with an extraordinary spirit. A real hero."

"So what happened to him?" Sasuke asked.

Tazuna sighed again, noting how Tsunami paled as she stood up and excused herself. He waited until she had left the room before continuing. "Gato... dismembered him... and then crucified him as a public execution... supposedly it was for crimes against his company... but the real reason was to break the spirit of this land. To show that even the greatest hero in the village was no match for Gato's money. That any of them could expect the same for stepping out of line. And while everyone in the village was forced to watch- Inari was forced to be there in the very front- Gato's henchmen cut Kaiza's throat."

Tazuna shot a glance in the direction of the hallway. "Ever since then, Inari has been... changed. He has lost all hope, lost his belief in good men and their ability to change what is wrong into something that is right."

Naruto stood up. "Then I'll change him back."

The others looked at Naruto in puzzlement.

"I'll show Inari that Gato is no different than the bullies who picked on him and his dog!" Naruto said with a grin. "And I'll show Gato the same! They'll both see! They'll see there's real heros in the world still!"

Kakashi recognized the look in his eye- a more intense version of the fire that lit his will to stay out later and train. "Naruto, you're exhausted and your chakra is spent. You could die from overwork if you keep up like this. I think you should rest."

Naruto paused on his way to the door. "Kakashi Sensei, what's better: Live with something that's wrong or die for something that's right?" He threw over his shoulder as he walked out.

"Hey, dobe! Get back here!" Shouted Sasuke angrily. "You wanna die?" He staggered to his feet, but they wouldn't support him, and he looked helplessly at Kakashi.

Frustrating little bakayarou! Kakashi fumed. Out loud, he called out, "You die now and it won't be for what's right, it'll be for your own ego and pride!"

But Naruto was already gone.

The sun was barely risen, still resting low on the horizon, and casting its rays out over the forest floor. The air was moist, still, and cool, the silence broken only by the occasional birdsong.

Haku broke a pristine stem from the largest and healthiest of the bed of silverleaf. Its leaves were whole and uniformly green; it was an excellent bit of herb.

Mornings were Haku's favorite time of day. Rested and at peace, Haku felt a pure joy in his task, uninterrupted by prejudice or conflict. He smiled softly as a bird lit on his shoulder, chirped questioningly, then flew off some distance. He paused in his task, watching the bird, and the smile faded from his face as he saw the bird land again on... a body?

He stood up slowly, looking over the form- asleep, not dead. Suddenly his eyes flew to the hitai ate headband on the boy's forehead, and recognition struck him.

("And when you leave, don't bother to come back. Next time I see you, I'll kill you. Your head would make a great peace offering coming from the future Hokage to the Mizukage.")

It's him! Thought Haku to himself. The one who was strong enough to fight Zabuza Sama to a standstill. And he's not much more than my age... still just a student. Zabuza Sama believes he could be stronger than Kakashi San, perhaps even stronger than himself. I should... I should probably kill him. Now, while I have the chance... before he can kill Zabuza Sama...

Haku approached closer, watching the boy sleep. Then, slowly, hesitantly, he reached out...

"Naruto stayed out all night again, didn't he?" Tazuna asked.

Sasuke nodded, the concern apparent on his face. "He's been training every night since you told us about Kaiza."

"By himself?" Tazuna responded.

"No... Not alone." Sasuke said. "We've been taking turns, going out there with him."

"You two, you mean." Kakashi said, directing a look over at Shikamaru, who was propped against the wall, his cheek pressed upwards against it, a trail of drool beginning its way down to his chin. "Shikamaru. Wipe your mouth." Shikamaru woke with a small start, peered around the room owlishly, then proceeded to wipe his chin against his sleeve.

"Ugh. What a mess."

"I can understand Sasuke, but why you, Shikamaru?" Kakashi asked. "I thought you wanted to take it easy. Why are you working so hard with Naruto?"

Shikamaru was quiet for a few seconds. Finally, looking uncomfortable, he said, "I guess, because... watching him work, well, he gives everything he's got, every time, all the time. He makes me want to make myself better, just so he doesn't leave me behind, just so I can stay and hang on with him, for a little while longer..."

Kakashi's visible eye showed a glint of humor. "Yes... He does grow on you, doesn't he?" He asked thoughfully.

Sasuke snorted. "Yeah... does anybody know a surgeon? I need him removed."

"You're not fooling anyone, you know." Tsunami said from the kitchen. "You like him more than any of the others. But I wish you'd bring him back when he falls asleep. It's not good for a boy to sleep night after night alone outside! Why don't you bring him back with you?"

Shikamaru and Sasuke laughed a tense little laugh at that. "Well, two reasons." Sasuke said. "First off, usually it's him bringing our sleeping bodies back here before he goes out again."

Tazuna looked impressed. "I should ask him if he'd like to help with the bridge..." He said with a chuckle.

"And the second reason?" Asked Tsunami.

"Well, it's not really a good idea to sneak up on him in his sleep..." Said Sasuke.

"He wakes up with a kunai in his hand." Said Shikamaru. "He almost took my nose off last time I tried."

Naruto felt a hand on his shoulder. Not even awake, he seized it, hooking a leg behind his assailant's back while twisting the hand up in front and around to behin his opponent's head, binding the arm and twisting the body into a position of defenselessness. His kunai halted a fraction of an inch from flesh as his eyes focused on... a young girl in a kimono? Alarm flashed across her face as she gave a small squeak of fear.

"I-I'm sorry!" She said. "I just- I was concerned... You'll catch your death of cold out here sleeping on the ground! I didn't mean anything-"

"Umm..." Naruto's brain was having trouble functioning from the strange situation. "I'm sorry, do I know you?"

"Have we picked enough of those herbs you wanted?"

The two of them knelt together on the ground, selecting the best of the plants Haku had pointed out. "Um," Naruto began sheepishly, "I'm uh, sorry I scared you earlier."

Haku smiled. He's really a very sweet boy. He thought to himself. "You didn't have to help me. You didn't mean to scare me, I know that."

Naruto chuckled ruefully. "Um, still, you took on some job, trying to gather all this stuff by yourself at this hour of the morning. Coming out here to harvest all that, and this early? When do you have time to sleep?"

"Early? Look who's talking!" Haku said with a more heartfelt laugh than he would have expected himself to give. "What were you doing out here in the middle of nowhere at the crack of dawn?"

"..." Naruto didn't answer immediately, a serious look on his face. Finally he said, "Training to become stronger."

Haku adopted a look of surprise. "Really? That headband you're wearing- are you some kind of Ninja?"

Naruto's eyes gained a little bit of excitement, something boyish and eager that reached out and tugged at Haku's heartstrings. It was a look that bespoke loneliness past and even to a degree, still present. The look was quickly hidden, as Naruto tilted his head to the side and said, "I'm a Konoha genin."

Haku smiled his sunniest smile. "What are you training for?" He asked.

"To get stronger, of course!" Naruto said with some surprise. "What other reason could there be?"

Haku replied, "But... but you already look so strong and manly!" And it was true, Haku realized, not just flattery. Naruto was certainly in his early teens, by Haku's guess, but he carried himself confidently and with a distinctly adult attitude. His hands and neck were really the only skin visible on him, but they displayed no baby fat, only smooth and toned muscle and tendon beneath the skin.

Naruto shook his head sadly. "I'm... not strong enough yet."

Haku looked at him silently for a moment. "For what?"

Naruto opened his mouth to speak, then stopped, a look of confusion on his face. "I... Well, I... used to want to be Hokage."

"Used to?" Haku pressed.

Naruto looked up, incredulity and relief mixed on his face. "Where I grew up, I was... hated. Despised, for... something inside of me."

Haku's heart froze in his chest. This boy-he's like me?

"All the people in my home town treated me like dirt." Naruto continued, looking out towards the early morning sun, now fully above the horizon by about an hour. Before long, Tazuna would be going back to work on the bridge. "I wanted to become Hokage, strongest ninja in the village. I believed if I worked hard enough, got better than anyone else, that they would accept me... that they would have to accept me, even if I didn't have parents. But..."

Haku had difficulty getting his breath. Is he... an orphan too? Out loud, Haku managed to ask, "So... you gave up your dream to become Hokage?"

"It was the dream... of a child." Naruto replied. "And I understand some thing I didn't before. Of what they fear, what's inside of me. And I understand that there are things more important than what the villagers think of me. That contracts and payment are all well and good but there are people who need help. And the few who dare, ask only if they have the money to pay. A rich woman with a runaway cat would get help before a poor one wrongly accused of theft. And I... I can't accept that."

Haku's heart leapt into his throat. Too much at one time... In a voice slightly strained, he asked, "So... what will you do?"

"I think it's time for me to forge my own path." Naruto responded slowly. "My own way of the ninja. For now, I'm gonna finish what I started here. I have a point to prove to... someone I know. But afterwards?" Naruto looked up at the sky. "Afterwards, well- I guess I'll become stronger. Cause the Hokage is supposed to protect the village. And even if they never make me Hokage... I still... have to protect them. Even if I never become Hokage in name, I can still be Hokage in spirit."

Haku nodded, gaining control over his responses again. "Are you doing this for them, or just your own satisfaction?"

Naruto thought about Ichiraku, and his daughter Ayame. He thought about Hokage Oyaji, and the other genin, especially team seven. He didn't fully trust them... but still, he found he liked them. Some of them a little, barely enough to be worth the aggravation, like Sasuke. Some of them, like Ayame and her father, quite a lot- they'd always been kind to him. But even if he couldn't trust them, he still wanted them to be happy. To be safe.

"I think.. because I like them." He finally answered.

Haku's smile faltered as the weight of the reality crashed down on him. Tomorrow, he and Zabuza were supposed to strike. Tomorrow, Tazuna must die. And Naruto, along with his team, would likely die along with him- possibly at Haku's own hand. It just wasn't fair. Only by thinking of Zabuza sama could Haku steel himself for what is to come. "They say... When working to defend someone special, people become as strong as they need to be."

Naruto nodded. "I've heard that before." He replied, thinking of Tazuna's story.

Haku bound the last of the herbs together before putting them into his basket. "I know you will get stronger. And we will meet again, I'm sure of it!" He said with false cheer.

Naruto gave a genuine smile. "Great!"

"So, I think you should know..." Haku continued, "That I'm really a boy."

Haku walked off, leaving Naruto standing with his jaw hanging open.

Sasuke watched naruto gape after the strange girl walking away as he approached. There was something odd about her, but he just couldn't place it. As he continued walking up to Naruto, something clicked in his head. Her elbows weren't right.

"Kuso!" Sasuke said out loud. "That was a boy!"

Naruto looked over at him in some surprise that Sasuke had spotted it. "I know- weird, huh?"

Sasuke looked faintly disturbed at this. "Um... whatever... we need to get back to the bridge, dobe." Sasuke pulled out a covered container. "Here's some breakfast. You can eat it on the way."

Naruto and Sasuke got home late again that night. Both of them looked dirty and exhausted, Naruto moreso than ever. "Kakashi sensei!" He said with a loggy grin. "We did it!"

"You did it, you baka." Sasuke said with a snort. "How could I have done it?"

"Done what?" Asked Tazuna.

"Hey, you're the one who figured out how I should do it!" Naruto shot back at Sasuke, ignoring Tazuna's question. "I just followed your advice! Besides," He said with a grin. "I'm not the only one who had a breakthrough. Tell him, Sasuke teme."

"Slow down. What are you talking about?" Kakashi asked.

"Naruto can use Byakugan and Sharingan at the same time!" Sasuke said proudly. Though it was carefully hidden, Kakashi could see both admiration, and even a little affection.

"And Sasuke used Sharingan to copy my Kage Bunshin!" Naruto added with excitement.

Inari was watching them both with mounting anger. Finally, it burst out. "Why do you bother? What good does it do you to stay here? You'll never beat Gato and his men, they're too strong!"

Naruto scowled at the boy, causing fresh alarm to spring out on Sasuke's and Kakashi's faces. "So just cause he scares you, you think he scares me?" Naruto demanded. "Why should I be a chicken like you?"

"What do you know about fear?" Shouted Inari back, crying. "You with your tough ninja act, always smiling and goofing around! What do you know about suffering, about what my life has been like?"

Kakashi, Sasuke, and Shikamaru had the exact same thought at the exact same time. Oh, shit.

"You think it's better to make everyone around you listen to you whine?" Naruto shouted back, thankfully keeping the confrontation on a verbal level, much to his team mates' relief. "Don't you ever get tired of crying like a little baby? If you're SO SURE he can't be beaten, then why has he failed to kill him-" Naruto pointed at Tazuna, "-twice now? And as long as I'm around, Gato's gonna KEEP failing, because unlike you, I keep making myself better instead of treating everyone around me like a guest at your pity party!"

Inari ran from the house sobbing, as Naruto looked after him with an expression of anger, apology, and hurt all mixed together. Finally, he unclenched his fists and went to the hallway. "I'm... gonna get a bath and go to sleep. Sorry for making all the noise." Naruto said, not meeting anyone's eyes.

Sasuke looked after Naruto, feeling uncertain and helpless. "Naruto... no baka..."

Kakashi stood up and followed Inari outside.

Inari sat on the edge of the wooden slats, his feet hanging just above the water's edge. The night air held only a trace of the day's warmth, and the crescent moon sent sparkles of light across the surface of the river. Normally, Inari could find some peace here, but tonight the tears just continued to flow.

"Mind if I join you?"

Inari looked up to see Kakashi sensei standing there behind him.

Kakashi took a seat on the dock next to him, and for the next ten minutes neither of them said anything. Finally, Kakashi broke the silence. "You know, Naruto is one of the most gifted and powerful kids I've ever encountered, but when it comes to people, he's as clueless as they get. He didn't mean to be cruel or to hurt you, he just... lacks finesse."

"..."

Kakashi waited a few more seconds before he continued. "It's not really his fault. Your grandfather told us about your father, Kaiza. I just thought you should know that Naruto grew up without a father, same as you."

Kakashi gave a short pause. "Without any parents, actually. He doesn't remember either one of them. His whole life is one big painful memory."

Inari looked shocked. "R-really?"

"The only person he really trusted in the whole village was a teacher... someone he fought for, and killed for, to protect. And that teacher... died a few weeks ago. Yet in the entire time I've known him, I've never seen him cry, or use his troubles as an excuse to sulk or be a coward. Not once. He only tries his hardest, gives his all, to do what he believes is right, and hoping that someone will notice and give him a kind word or a pat on the back. He's willing to give his all to work until the village accepts him- it's his dream, and he's fought and risked his life for it. I think... I think that one day he must have gotten fed up with crying."

Inari's tears had dried as he listened to Kakashi's words. The jonin continued. "He knows what it means to fight for what he believes in, and what it means to be strong. He knows what it's worth, and he knows what it costs... Just like your father, Kaiza, did. In fact, Naruto understands what you feel and what you've been through better than any of us."

"What?" Said Inari, stunned.

"He can't leave you alone." Kakashi said with a smile visible even under his mask. "He wants to prove to you that there

are things you can still believe in... because you've gotten under his skin."

Inari found himself completely without words. And, for the first time in a long time, he found himself feeling something other than sadness and fear.

He felt hope.

End Chapter Five

-AN: That's that. This chapter was a lot easier for me to write, somehow- I found myself able to see the scenes clearly. Doesn't always work that way for me, but every once in a while I manage it, and I tend to like the way they turn out when it happens. And usually, this also means that I can get two chapters out on consecutive days.

My wife likes to say that I write like a river flows- messily, fast, and with no concern for people's supposed wishes in the meanwhile. I think she's complimenting me... ,

On the topic of Sasuke's seeming 180 degree change in attitude about Naruto:

This isn't quite so sudden as it seems from the storyline. There have been a number of differences in this storyline from canon- the first being that Sasuke's first team included Rock Lee and Neji. Naji especially has had a rough life- and being teamed together for the better part of two months allows the two of them enough time to mellow each other out a bit. They've both had family problems, resentment towards family members in particular- Neji's resentment towards his uncle and Sasuke's towards his brother. People with adversity can help one another through resentments and come to terms with the issues festering in their heads. Second, this Naruto is NOT the goofing clown that so completely aggravates Sasuke on a constant basis. This Naruto is more sober, somewhat more mature. He doesn't smile as often, so when he does it has more meaning. He doesn't hide his hurt behind a grin- in fact, he doesn't really try to hide it at all. He has more in common with Sasuke, and now that Sasuke has had a chance to settle into being a genin before meeting him, his first rivalry isn't with someone who is a complete nobody that passes him up, his first rivalry is with someone whose bloodline is at least as distinguished as his own- and they respect one another.

Another aspect of Sasuke is that he hates being pursued- in a lot of respects, he's like a cat. Chase after him, he'll avoid you- as evidence, his reaction to the fangirls, Sakura especially. Seem indifferent to him or push him away, and he'll gravitate towards you- he seeks out Orochimaru after the snake sannin beats his ass, and then bites him. This version of Naruto isn't constantly vying for his acceptance, isn't trying to prove himself his equal. This Naruto tends to keep people at arms distance- and Sasuke, the contrary little prick he is, can't help but push at him for a reaction, trying to get a little closer, if only to satisfy his curiosity about what makes Naruto tick.

The biggest effect, however, is from the jonin Kakashi. According to canon, the chunin exam selects for the strongest, but more importantly, the leaders of the ninja genin. People with traits that show tactical thinking. By the time one becomes a jonin, it stands to reason that the cream of the crop for leadership and teaching ability are selected. The Kakashi of canon is a TERRIBLE leader.

Alright, lemme explain my reasoning behind this. In canon, Kakashi's first exercise with them is the bells. It's an exercise that specifically attempts to divide the team into its individual components, preventing what it is supposed to require in order to succeed. Considering that the majority of genin graduates are twelve years old, that's a little bit subtle a distinction for a preteen to make, don't you think? Certainly, Kakashi's justification kind of makes sense in a hindsight fashion, but the problem is his future exercises aren't much different. Treeclimbing: Take a kunai, climb as high as you can go, mark where you get to. All of you practice on a neighboring tree. Trouble is, this sets up a competition between the three of them- and drives a little wedge between the team members in the process of their competition, as anyone with the force of will and drive to become a ninja at such a young age is going to have a great deal of pride to flick. Sakura herself even expresses a fear of this when she succeeds where the boys do not- and as a twelve year old girl, being more observant to human reaction than a jonin? Logically, this doesn't make much sense. A lot of the situations the genin find themselves in, they are acting as individuals. And Kakashi isn't doing much to fix this.

Once is a statistical anomaly, twice begins to form a pattern. And obviously by other things mentioned in the manga, after the Tazuna escort mission, Kakashi notes at the end of another undescribed mission that their teamwork is getting worse. Judging by previous actions on Kakashi's part- the training methods not being fully thought out in a teamwork context, the "Stay back and let me handle this- that's the teamwork required for this mission"- all I can really say is, Duh! And feel the desire to smack Kakashi on the nose with a rolled up newspaper and say, "Dammit- do your job! These are soldiers under your command, so train them to be soldiers and work as a unit, not as heros who go off half baked and screw up the mission plan." Rather than attempt to work with the Kakashi I'm given, I've added a little bit of common sense and, like much of Konoha's politics, tried to subtly make them more sensible. And I think the difference is light in its application but profound in its effects.

The exercise I've outlined for the genin is more demanding than the original- in part because the genin are more advanced, but also because it trains them on more than one level. One of them attempts to get to Tazuna's side while the other two patrol to prevent it. Get them accustomed to times when they'll have to work alone AND times when they'll have to work together. Teach them that the defender in a scenario typically controls the scene of an engagement but the attacker controls the timeframe. Teach them to multitask. AND teach them chakra control. THAT is the kind of subtle teaching that a jonin- a REAL jonin- would come up with, even after losing face to the first opponent they come across. And in the process give them training in a skill they'll need to deal with that opponent, in this case, the ability to locate a foe they can't immediately see.

Finally, back to Sasuke- where this whole thing began. It's demonstrated that Sasuke is not stupid. He can plan ahead. And he can accept that first appearances can be deceiving. So when he has a more full grasp on the circumstances he's in, trains on a constant basis with Naruto for about a week straight, comes to respect his ability to think and fight, and the two of them help each other to grow- it becomes impossible for someone to maintain a hatred or even a dislike of someone in that sort of situation. Basic human psychology- in Vietnam soldiers recounted tales of hardcore, card carrying members of the KKK becoming blood brothers with black men in their unit- people whom they trained with and ate with and slept side by side with in barracks and field. Because regardless of a person's preconceptions, even the most hard core bigot and/or racist will still come to appreciate the reality of the person underneath once they get to know them, and judge them based on the person rather than the skin. And, despite Naruto's hurting and trust issues, underneath it all he remains a good person.

I don't know that I have a great deal more to add in this section- someone asked me if Naruto has the Kurama clan bloodline as well. The truth of the matter, is I had considered it... but it struck me as just not being appropriate. The effectiveness of Genjutsu seems to always lie in the subtlety and precision with which it is crafted, and the words "Naruto" and "Subtlety" somehow just don't work for me in the same sentence. Or "Kyuubii" and "Subtlety," for that matter. Narutoand Kyuubii- both are very forceful, overwhelming sorts. Naruto is still early in his genin career, and while he is learning to be very crafty, he tends towards misdirection while applying overwhelming force from an unexpected angle, not tripping up his opponents on precisely calculated threads. So the Genjutsu heritage of the Kurama clan just doesn't strike me as the sort of thing Naruto would be interested in learning before all the more flashy and powerful things on the scroll. And I recognize that Naruto hasn't used a great deal of what's on the scroll, but this version tends to play things close to the vestmostly because of Kyuubii's occasional whispers in his ear.

I've also tried to imply that a lot of damage inflicted on a jinchuuriki host from biijuu chakra is because under most circumstances, the biijuu imprisoned within them is at least resentful of their host, if not downright hostile. A cooperative biijuu will do much less harm, mostly because as beings of pure chakra, they will have a level of understanding of their own chakra that exceeds the capacity of mere mortals to comprehend- even if they could not really teach the skills to their host. After all, I imagine it would be a difficult chore for a goldfish trying to teach a human how to swim.

That about covers everything I can think of. Message me with your questions or post them in the reviews, either way- I'll respond to both as best I can. If I miss someone, it's not because I don't like you- it's only that I have the attention span of a grapefruit spoon in a toaster. I only have two scenes left that popped into my head and interrupted my typo-ing I mean typing, so I felt compelled to share them with you all. The first one is a fairly common contemporary reference- the second one, however, is a rather subtle dig at an old and extremely good graphic novel series. If you recognize it, congrats- if not, I'll just post a note of its name at the end of chapter six if nobody else does first in the reviews section.

Last, but not least, the previously mentioned Omake:

Omake for chapter five:

The sun was barely risen, still resting low on the horizon, and casting its rays out over the forest floor. The air was moist, still, and cool, the silence broken only by the occasional bridsong.

Haku espied the patch of silverleaf, and knelt down to gather it.

GATHER ATTEMPT FAILED.

Haku sighed, and tried again.

GATHER ATTEMPT FAILED.

Haku changed his gloves to something more dextrous, and tried again.

GATHER ATTEMPT FAILED.

Haku growled angrily and threw the mouse across the room. I knew I should have rolled a Tauren for my herbalist alt, he thought to himself.

End Omake

Omake 2 for Chapter Five

Mornings were Haku's favorite time of day. Rested and at peace, Haku felt a pure joy in his task, uninterrupted by prejudice or conflict. He smiled softly as a bird lit on his shoulder, chirped questioningly, then flew off some distnace. He paused in his task, watching the bird, and the smile faded from his face as he saw the bird land again on... a body?

He stood up slowly, looking over the form- asleep, not dead. Suddenly his eyes flew to the hitai ate headband on the boy's forehead, and Recognition struck him.

"Tala!" He whispered out loud.

Naruto's eyes flew open as he gazed into Haku's. "Moni!" He said reverently.

Cutter Kinseeker looked on from the treetops with a feeling of mild unease. "Wow, I've heard of some awkward pairings from Recognition, but THAT has GOT to spell trouble." Standing next to him on the branch, his lifemate Leetah could only nod in agreement.

End Omake 2

Til next time.

-AXENOME