Thanks for my First reviews, and remember, This is not of the ordinary kind of love story. You'll see...you'll all see...
Reviews are answered personally, and will only be included in the post if they are going to be incorporated in some way, shape, or form.
Due to the fact that this was my first fan fiction, editing has been done by my dad...I wuv him..Futhermore, as people have been complaining about a certain letter, it has been fixed to be more graceful.
Reviewers have been noted. Thank you Masked Critic, for your extra sharp critique, I'll be good from now on...I pwomise...Thank you vines-throughXfate, for your praise...Thank you the-eighth-sin, for being a NaruTen fan...And last but not least Thank you animeflunky for being my first reviewer. join them and review!(only current reviewers will be noted).
DISCLAIMER!!!! I don't own Naruto, any of the characters from it, nor any other source I reference. Credit will be given in parenthesis if I borrow an original idea, excepting the material relating to the question you will be asked... ON WITH THE SHOW!
"Blah"-person speaking...'Blah'-person thinking..."Blah"-Kyubi speaking...'Blah'-Kyubi thinking
Leaves of Steel, Chapter 2
In Konoha Hospital
"Naruto!" shouted Iruka, as the boy searched for his gear, "Why aren't you answering me?"
Naruto, ears ringing, retorted, "Because you won't believe me if I tell you!"
Iruka, who had always had Naruto's trust in the past, was saddened by the lack of faith. "Naruto..." sighed Iruka, "I won't tell anyone else, I just want to know why they couldn't stick an I.V into you...just tell me and remember, I am your friend."
Naruto sat back down on the bed and related the story to him, including the part with the Kyubi, as Iruka already accepted him for who he was.
"So the Kyubi acts like that, huh? Well, striking development, but in this case I think you should see the Hokage about the metallic substance, he's always there to help." Iruka told the story weary Naruto, who affirmed his sensei's request with a nod.
"Okay, Iruka-sensei, I'll talk to the old man when you let me go. And I don't want anyone except the Hokage to know, okay?"
"Sure thing Naruto." Iruka said with a grin.
Naruto jumped off of the bed and, pedal to the metal, floored it, speeding down the halls.
Hokage's Tower-Reception
"Anyone who wants a meeting with the Hokage must fill out this form, and be pre-approved by..."
"...That's not necessary this time, my dear receptionist, Naruto has my permission to see me at any time." The Hokage interrupted the annoying receptionist, and waved Naruto through his door.
"Take a seat, Naruto-kun, what is it you want to tell me?" The Hokage said merrily.
"Well," Naruto said, "IfoundthidballandtherewastheKyubiandhewaslazyandkindaweirdsoIcalledhimKyubi-chan... andhegotmadandItouchedthismetalpoolthingyanditwentallupmyarmandstuffandIwokeup!" said Naruto, obviously talking a teensie bit fast.
"Calm down, Naruto-kun!... So you found a metal ball and you talked to the Kyubi?" the Hokage asked, startled.
"But that doesn't matter old man! The nurses couldn't stick the I.V-thingy in my arm and Iruka was worried. I think it has something to do with the metal pool..." Naruto retorted.
"Naruto, do you know what that metal ball was?" the Hokage asked in a very odd tone.
"No..." Naruto said slowly.
"That 'metal ball' was given to your f...ourth Hokage 'nice save there, Sarutobi!' by a man whom he helped seriously. That man was very pale, and carried a sword that even I was afraid of" (a contest will be held at the end of the chapter to see who can correctly identify said man) Sarutobi said, catching himself.
"His strength rivaled the Yondaime's, but the sword was turning on him, so the Yondaime sealed it inside of the orb, ridding it of evil, and sealed it away into the Monument, where it should never had been found, unless the Yondaime wanted it to be found by you, to make up for what he had to do to you." The Hokage stated
Naruto, I am willing to help you through this, but know this, that orb will never leave you, it will be either a curse or a blessing to you, as I am unaware of it's powers." Sandaime said in a very encouraging tone.
Digesting all of this information, Naruto cheered up instantly, "It could make me stronger!? If so I want to learn how to use it, teach me! Teach me!" He shouted.
The Sandaime sighed, "I'm afraid I can't, Naruto, as you have to figure it out for yourself. I'll do you a favor, to help you learn, make sure you attend the team arrangement tomorrow, okay?"
"Okay" Naruto responded, and walked out the door, to his house.
Sandaime looked into his crystal ball, at Naruto as he walked home, only to see a dull gray aura around him. "May Kami-sama help us Arashi, we are going to need it."
Approaching Naruto's House
As Naruto approached his home, he stared in awe at a small box on his front step. It had a ribbon on it. He walked towards it, held it up to his ear(to check for bombs of course), and upon finding none, glanced around and took it inside. Reaching his bed Naruto Uzumaki opened his first ever present. Finding a card inside of the orange wrapping paper, Naruto flipped it open and read:
My dearest Naruto-kun,
I am glad you could succeed in passing, and...got you this present to celebrate. I hope you like it, and use it often.
From Your Biggest Fan
p.s. I am sorry if they aren't your size, I hope they fit!
Naruto wasn't a complete idiot, he knew who it was from...feminine handwriting... overly polite... lavender scented ink... had to be Shikamaru! Yep, definitely Shikamaru. Had to be. Couldn't be anyone else, Shikamaru all the way. Yep. I mean who else could it be?
Naruto opened the box to find a pair of incredibly dense and shining gauntlets. Kick-ass...They were inlaid with platinum etchings of spirals, and fit like a glove (pun intended). When they were on, he could touch perfectly, as the finger tips were made of a thin, strong metal fabric, knuckles spiked.
"YATTA! This is the best present ever! Thank you...person...?" Naruto yelled.
He took himself to bed, neglecting to take a shower or remove the gauntlets before he went to sleep.
When Naruto woke up in the morning, he figured out that he was still wearing the gauntlets. 'Whoops, forgot to take 'em off. Oh well, may as well intimidate the Uchiha, the stuck up jerk...' He made his morning ramen, miso flavored, and got his ninja gear on, forsaking the orange jumpsuit for blue pants and a white shirt with the Uzumaki spiral on the back, the gauntlets didn't work out to well with the jumpsuit. Naruto locked his door, leaving for the academy.
Last day at the Academy!
At the Academy, after enduring his daily glares from the populous of Konoha, he took his standard seat.
A strange girl in the back thought 'He's wearing them! He's wearing them!', and promptly fainted onto the desk.
Shino Aburame slid away from the girl.
Naruto turned around at the noise. 'Oh it's just that Hinata girl, she does that all the time...weirdo...'
Iruka entered the room, drawing attention from everyone, a smile from Naruto. He smiled back. "Good morning class, you will now be assigned Jonin instructors, but, before you go, I want to say... it's been fun teaching you all, oh the good times we've..."
"Shut up Iruka!" shouted Kiba, "Just tell us our instructors already!"
"Fine, fine" relented Iruka, Listing off teams.
"Team 7, Uchiha, Sasuke...Haruno, Sakura...'BOOYAH!!!"...and Sai (Team seven isn't fun w/o Naruto, but Sai kicks ass)"
Team 8, Hyuuga, Hinata(who just woke up)...'Please Let Naruto-kun be with me'...Inuzuka, Kiba...and...'Naruto-kun, Naruto-kun, Naruto-kun!'...Aburame, Shino.'NOOOOOOO!!!!!'..." Hinata covered her eyes with her hands and began to cry softly(like I said, this one is not a NaruHina, but she is okay...)
"Team 9(I'm not going to list them as I don't know who they are) and Team 10, Nara, Shikamaru...Akimichi, Choji... and Yamanaka, Ino."
"Naruto-kun, please report to Training field 8 for your assignment." 'Dude, I don't have to be with the jerk or pinky. Sweet.', Naruto thought after being assigned by Iruka. Naruto left, giving Shikamaru a thumbs up, and headed for training field 8, just as instructed.
On the way, and at Training ground eight
When he arrived, he stood waiting at one of the many stone statues awaiting his sensei's arrival. As he waited he began to that sense that something was wrong. Held up his hands, made a couple of seals, and clearly stated "Kai" and immediately saw a man crouched in front of him, his hitai-ate covering his head, deep scars running along his face."Good job, you pass the first portion Uzumaki Naruto, now the second part is to introduce myself. My name is Morino Ibiki, Torture and interrogation specialist for Konoha's Anbu. Any questions?" Ibiki asked with a cold look in his eyes.
"Only one Ibiki-sensei. Am I to be your protégé or something?" Naruto asked respectfully.
"The answer is yes, I will be your mentor, but I will also try to help you with your...issue." Ibiki calmly answered.
"OY! How did you know about the metal orb!? Did the old man tell you!?" Naruto asked incredulously.
"No, Naruto-kun. You just did. That is what I do for a living, make people give me information that I can use or give to others to help or hinder a mission. That is what interrogation is all about, information. I'll teach you the best I can, until you are better than me."
'Better than him?' Naruto thought, 'Am I going to replace him or something?'
Ibiki-sensei started again, "I want to talk to you about that orb. If it does what I would expect, based on the failed I.V, then we can assume you have either metal under your skin, as your skin, or are immune to metal. Time to find out which. This may hurt."
End of chapter 2
Moderate cliffhanger, but a cliffhanger none the less. Morino Ibiki is too awesome not to be Naruto's sensei, eh? Update will be friday, okay? My fast update rate leaves only the quality of the story in question, so Rate and Review, Flames will be ignored, Good Ideas Incorporated, and contributors mentioned in detail.
So now for the Question. Who is the Pale Man? The first Correct, non "anon" answer will receive not only an increased chance of idea acceptance, but a new reader, too. Valēte, omnēs! You may receive a hint after you make a guess in your review, unless you are right.