Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Flame of Recca. They belong to their respective creators and TV networks.
A/N: As usual, my questions, answers to reviews, etc. will be at the end of each chapter.
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Chapter 2: Konoha's Flame, Eight Dragons of the Hokage ninja.
They appeared in front of a significantly large, traditional Japanese house. They looked around a bit and found that the place is situated inside a flat area carved in a side of the mountain and a stiff cliff is on the left side of the house. (AN: the place in the anime where Recca and Co. went to first find out about his past from Kagero, his mom.) After scanning the area for traps they went in, straight towards what seem to be the main receiving room. Inside, a low pedestal holds a pillow were a crystal orb with a dragon's hand grasping it rests.
"Nani? What do you think that is ero-sennin?" Naruto prodded and went nearer.
"Be careful, don't touch it, we don't know what it may do." He warned but was already late as Naruto poked it with his index finger. The orb glowed and a ghostly figure appeared.
"Welcome, Kazama Uzumaki Naruto, last heir of the Hokage ninjas. I am Kagero-hime, or more specifically, her memory stored in this orb. I believe you have come to know of your lineage." The woman in the black dress spoke.
"H-hai. What else do I need to know about the Hokage and am I really the next in line as flame master?" Naruto asked after he recovered from his surprise.
"You are the last flame master next to my son Hanabishi Recca, who became the flame master many years ago. You descended from that line on your mother's side. As the remaining heir all skill and knowledge of the flame master will be given to you but you must earn them. I warn you, the path that lay before you will be difficult and you will undergo strenuous training. Do you accept the responsibility of the flame master?" she asked.
"Yes, I, Uzumaki… no, Kazama Uzumaki Naruto, accept and I promise to succeed in becoming the flame master as it is my ninja way." Naruto thrust forward his clench fist, the usual way he does when swearing a promise.
"Very well, your training shall commence now." She confirmed then turned towards Jiraiya, who was drooling after the beautiful woman, his face set on his usual perverted look. "You must be his sensei and I can sense that you are strong albeit perverted. I will take over teaching him for now and it may take him over a year or sooner depending on his skill but I can sense he has great potential. Only he is needed here so I kindly ask you to take your leave. He will be safe here since no one can come here without his permission. If you need to send him any message or supplies use this scroll to transport the items here." She tossed a black scroll towards him.
Jiraiya nodded absentmindedly and spoke to Naruto. "Well gaki. I'll leave you here; I believe that you are in good hands with her. I'll tell Tsunade regarding your request and will be using this scroll to update you frequently and also send you supplies. I'm also leaving you these Jutsu scrolls so you can start learning them here." And he gave him five scrolls. "These are some of the common Katon, Doton, Suiton, Raiton, and Fuuton Jutsus. If you need anything, I think you can contact me also through this scroll?" he asked the last part to Kagero who simply nodded.
"Alright then, I'll fetch you after a year, Ja ne!" he bid good-bye after giving Kagero one last perverted look then was teleported back to the town they came from before. 'This will be a great scene for my hero on the next volume of Icha Icha Paradise' he thought as he imagined Kagero without her black dress.
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"Ne, Kagero-sensei, how do we start my training?" he asked giving her one of his foxy grins. Naruto is excited on training and learning the new jutsus ero-sennin left him.
"First, touch the orb once more to learn everything about the Hokage ninjas and their history." She finished.
Naruto placed his right hand on the orb, he was assaulted with a barrage of information about the hokage, the mystical weapons they made, the past flame masters and lastly the adventures of Recca and Co. Everything happened in just about a fraction of a second.
"Wow!" he exclaimed, eyes wide in awe and excitement. "The Hokages are really powerful. Yosh! I can't wait to train. Will I also get a mystical weapon, Kagero-sensei? I hope I get something like the ensui, that sword is cool!" Naruto punched the air.
Kagero can't help but give a soft laugh. "As flame master you don't need a mystical weapon since we will awaken the flame in you. As you also learned, all elemental techniques originated from the techniques mastered by the hokage. You're sensei was wise enough to leave those scrolls, you will learn them easily once you master the basics from me." She paused then looked at Naruto who was surprisingly listening attentively. He sure is a sucker for training and Jutsus.
"Good, we now will awaken the flame within you. Usually, it takes grave danger or the extreme need to protect someone for the flame to be awakened but I know you already possess the latter. I just need to give it a further push. Close your eyes and probe deep within yourself for the flame." She proceeded to raise her right hand with her index finger pointed gently on the center of Naruto's forehead then closed her eyes to concentrate. She gasped not in fear but surprise.
"You have a fire guardian in you. This is good, he can easily help in awakening the flame quickly. Let's talk to him shall we?" She closed her eyes once more and they arrived before Kyuubi's cage.
"I was expecting your arrival, kit. So, he finally knows the truth then." Kyuubi stated to Kagero.
"Hai, Great Kyuubi-sama. Will you aid the boy and awaken his flame?" she asked bowing in respect.
"Very well then. I have come to claim him as my kit and it will be beneficial if he becomes stronger and a deserving vessel for me."
"Eh? What are you talking about? How come you know this damn fox, Kagero-sensei?" Naruto asked confused.
"Naruto, give him some respect." Kagero reprimanded. "His clan is one of the two fire guardians. The kitsunes together with the dragon clans represent fire although the Hokages are more frequently in contact with dragons as they are the main guardians of the clan. Only a few of the flame masters spirits are given the honor of becoming dragons."
"You're a fire guardian, Kyuubi? I thought you're a demon? How come you attacked Konoha?" he asked.
"I am a demon and do kill as I please kit but that doesn't mean I can't become a guardian as I want to from time to time. The dragons and kitsunes possess the most powerful form of the fire element thus it's just natural for us to be the fire guardians though we can use other elements. Some fool summoned me without permission and tried to control me. I, of course, will not obey him thus he caught me by surprise and placed a genjutsu driving me to unbound fury and blind rage. Enough about that, you will take care of that fool once you become stronger. Let us call upon his flame now." He motioned Kagero and they both glowed as they release chakra, probing Naruto's inner self.
Suddenly the whole place trembled and thunder rumbled. The place fell apart as the scenery changed. They are no longer in a dank basement but in a vast land with lush forests, plains, rivers and mountains. Kyuubi's cage grew allowing him free space to roam. In a load roar, eight flame dragons soared around them.
"You just became more interesting kit. I never thought you would be one of the legendary flame masters. I did my part for now so I'm off." Kyuubi went to explore his newfound quarters. He's relieved to at least be given this temporary freedom not that he would take over Naruto's body anyway.
"This is really a surprise Naruto. A legendary flame master only comes after a few generations have passed and even then it's not constant. Let's go and present ourselves to them then." She walked towards the center and bowed to each flame dragon, Naruto followed her example. He introduced himself to Nadare, Saiha, Homura, Setsuna, Madoka, Rui, Kokou, and Oka. The eight-flame dragon's who last allied with Recca.
Kokou spoke since the most powerful flame dragon Oka rarely spoke. "We decided that you are deserving to be allied by the eight flame dragons. We saw all the hardships you have endured but remained strong and steadfast. Although you awakened your flame easily you must still train hard before you are given full use of our powers. Kagero, he will undergo the same test your son Recca went through. Train him well and each dragon will come and test him when they saw fit. You may go."
"Arigato Gozaimas." Once again she bowed to the dragons followed by Naruto and they were brought back to the real world.
Naruto's right arm erupted in flames as his basic fire skill was activated. He winced as he felt the burn. His arm bracer was incinerated. Kagero was expecting this and quickly placed the flame protector of the flame masters. Naruto's protector was black with the flames painted in silver. Kagero modified it so it will also act the same way his weight bracers would, having the same knowledge on seals, even better than Jiraiya's.
"We rest for now, then tomorrow we begin your path to become a flame master." She showed Naruto to a room then disappeared in a shimmer. Naruto lay down; surprisingly exhausted from the changes he received. His chakra capacity increased with the awakening of his flame and the changes in Kyuubi's seal.
'Tomorrow will be the start of the realization of my dreams.' He thought and succumbed to sleep with a smile on his lips.
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Three weeks passed since Jiraiya left Naruto and he's back in Konoha. He already sent him some supplies a week ago and it would last enough for more than a month. He went to the Hokage tower after he was finished with research of course.
"What the hell are you doing back here, Jiraiya, aren't you supposed to be with Naruto?" Tsunade immediately screamed at him.
"Hello to you to, old hag." He retorted which earned him a smack on top of his head. He told Tsunade the situation after he regained consciousness. "I'm not needed there for a year at most and I'm certain he is in good hands. I'll also leave this scroll to your care. It's a basic transportation scroll so you will be able to use it easily, I'm sure you want to be in constant contact with him more than me. I'll drop by here from time to time nonetheless if I need to send him something." He finished and handed the scroll to Tsunade.
"Thank you, Jiraiya. How I wish all of these be over soon. My otouto is the only reason I became the Hokage, he should be beside me." Tsunade sighed as she missed the loud ninja she adopted as her little brother.
"Uh huh," was Jiraiya's only reply.
"STOP STARING DOWN MY CHEST YOU PERVERT!" and was promptly punched by Tsunade out the window. She huffed then went back to finish the paper work.
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Three months passed and Naruto has been training diligently under Kagero's tutelage. He is receiving supplies once a month and letters from Tsunade every week to which he always sent a reply. He is progressing faster than expected and has been absorbing every lesson like a sponge but he preferred to master a skill first and incorporate it to his style before proceeding to the next one. His birthday came and he received gifts from Jiraiya, Tsunade and surprisingly from the Rookie nine and Team Gai that helped him before. He was happy even if he only received simple greeting cards from them, flowers from Ino, and a long letter from Lee ranting about his power of youth as usual. He understood the simple gifts since they barely knew him but he was glad nonetheless, the most wonderful gift he received are jars of medicine for wounds and other remedies from Hinata.
'Hinata, I was wrong you are not shy, timid and dark but a strong, wonderful person. From now on you are my hime and swear to protect you with my life.' He thought as he adopted the tradition of the flame masters swearing an oath to their chosen princesses. At the end of the third month he was surprised that the flame dragons Nadare, Saiha and Homura came to test him. He put everything he got on the test and was rewarded by them. He now trained to become an expert in handling Nadare's fire balls/bullets, Saiha's Flame blade, and Homura's Flame whip and also in combining all three skills as he summoned the three flame dragons simultaneously.
The next six months, his training became harder as he mastered the elemental techniques, his bloodline limit and the Uzumaki Taijutsu. He already mastered the basic and common elemental jutsus. Jiraiya has sent scrolls on a more advanced form of the elemental jutsus, most in jounin level. He received training from Kyuubi from time to time to increase his own chakra capacity before he increased the demonic chakra that Naruto can tap to. As his chakra capacity grew, he can call upon Kyuubi's chakra more quickly but decided to keep it as one of his trump cards. His chakra capacity is already so great that he can form a rasengan with one hand without the extra chakra from Kyuubi. During the span of time Setsuna, Madouka and Rui came to him each in their own time. He successfully passed their test the easiest one was Setsuna's. The flame dragon was very impressed on his blind faith (no pun intended) on his precious people, Kagero's teachings, on fulfilling his ninja way and his shear determination. He and Kagero-sensei were surprised when he felt the burning sensation when the kanjis appeared on his arms and found Setsuna already there. He was then instructed to summon him and try to control or at least be able to use Setsuna's power.
The remaining three months stepped up on Shunshin, Hiraishin and Taijutsu training mainly focusing on them. His weights have been increased by Kagero twice and he is now carrying the equivalent of 350 pounds on all over his body, a bit above to what Lee is carrying. His speed is great and he's getting used to performing the Shunshin and Hiraishin even with his weights activated, he also found out of his father's unfinished work on improving Hiraishin by eliminating the need to use the special location tags or kunais. Kagero-sensei worked with him on this and thus they were able to combine the techniques, making it have more lethal and devastating effects.
By the end of the year, Kokou tested him. He was told that he would be the one to present himself to Oka for his test but was advised to do it at a later time, to which Kokou would tell him when will that be. Jiraiya came to fetch him exactly a year after he started. He emotionally bid good-bye to Kagero-sensei even if she was just a memory.
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"Ne, ero-sennin, what's next in our agenda?" he said happily but not hyperactively.
"Well, I see you've matured a bit during your training. You're acting more of the natural genius that you are instead of that idiot mask you put on but will you ever stop calling me that. Can you please learn to call me Jiraiya-sensei, Jiraiya-sama or Gama-sennin. Anything but that!" he waved his arms exasperatedly.
"Nope, I don't think I will ever learn, ero-sennin." Naruto teased and laughed genuinely.
'He's becoming more and more like Arashi as time pass.' Jiraiya thought as they walked on the road leading to the boarder of the wind and fire country, Naruto on the lead. 'He grew a foot taller and his hair is exactly as long and wild as Arashi's. Even that white cloak he received from the hag is an exact replica of what Arashi wore.'
His musing was cut when Naruto adopted a defensive stance, senses on high alert. Jiraiya felt flaring chakra signatures common when a battle is happening. They both leapt up the last tree on the edge where the desert began. They saw five definite sound shinobis battling a sand kunoichi and shinobi, the kunoichi seemed to be injured as the shinobi is on the defense using… sand.
"That's Gaara!" Naruto exclaimed. "We have to help them. I have a plan. Wait for my signal and well attack from the opposite sides of the sounds' flank." Jiraiya nodded, as he no longer needed any explanation. Naruto used Shunshin to appear on the farther side of the enemy ninja, crouching behind a low sand dune. Jiraiya remained hidden behind the tree.
He saw another yellow flash signaling the attack but was unnoticed by the sound nins. "Gaara are you alright?" he asked after he beat to a bloody pulp the first shinobi near him and Jiraiya took out the other. The remaining three switched to defense.
"Uzumaki Naruto," Gaara replied Naruto. "This is between me and them, the sound will answer for the trickery they did."
"Heh, we both have a score to settle with them but don't worry I'll just support you on this one and let you have all the fun." And they now both took an offensive stance. Jiraiya sat this one out and proceed to tie the nin he knocked out.
"You brat will pay for your interference. Orochimaru-sama needs the sand demon and we will bring him back to the sound. Yaaahhh!" the leader of the sound nin shouted as he ran flanked on both sides by the other two. He threw kunais with explosive notes towards them.
Naruto used his speed to dodge and dashed to the side while Gaara's sand wall absorbed the impact and explosion. He engaged them in taijutsu and was just about even with the sound jounin. Naruto took a punch straight to his jaw and he winced as the attack stung. He used the force from the impact to back flip bringing a kick to his opponent's jaw. He rolled to the left as he barely dodged one who plunged a kunai at him straight to the ground. The nin recovered and went after him. Naruto parried the kunai with his, and then punched the nin in the gut throwing him a bit back and winding him.
"Zankuuha!" the third nin attacked Naruto. He took the attack on his shoulder and the enemy took a defensive stance in front of his winded comrades. "Katon: Gokakyou no jutsu!" Naruto countered with the fireball after he quickly recovered with Kyuubi healing his injured shoulder, keeping the enemy on the defensive as they used Zankuuha to deflect the attack.
Naruto did this as a distraction, buying enough time for Gaara to launch his attack. "Sabaku kyuu (Desert Coffin)" he shouted as sand quickly covered the nins including the one Naruto beat up first. "Sabaku Sousou (Desert Funeral)" and he clenched his raised hand crushing the nins, their screams muffled by the sand then their bodies where brought into Gaara's gourd.
"Now that's over, let's take care of your injured comrade." Naruto walked towards the kunoichi.
"Eh? Why it's you, Temari-chan, sexy girl with the fan. How are you?" he smiled at her sincerely. Temari blushed, flattered by this now hunky Naruto.
"Naruto-kun is it really you? I can say that I'm fine save for the wound on my shoulder and left thigh but its nothing." She replied.
"Well, let's treat it then so it won't get infected," Naruto took out some bandages and the jar of medicinal cream. "So, what are the two of you doing way out here, Gaara, and where is your brother?"
"We got news of some sound nins lurking around this area, so I went to investigate. Not everything is fine with the sand due to their treachery and I wanted revenge." Gaara replied silently. "Kankouro… is dead, killed when they first attempted to get me."
"Oh, I'm sorry for your loss." Naruto said softly.
"I followed him even if he went on his own without telling me. Luckily, my instincts were right and soon caught up with him then we were ambushed." Temari added, voice trembling when she remembered Kankouro. "We fought but unfortunately I was injured and held back Gaara. Arigato, Naruto-kun, you saved us."
"Nah, its nothing, that's what friends do for each other." He beamed to a full foxy grin at them.
"You consider me a friend, Uzumaki Naruto?" Gaara asked surprised but his face remained impassive.
"Of course or have you forgot what we talked about last time during the chuunin exam?"
"I remember but the concept is still new to me." Gaara looked away as he remembered the fight they had. "What brings you here?"
"Oh, we were just on the way. We're traveling around the countries, training to become stronger. That's ero-sennin Jiraiya, my sensei, over there." He jerked his thumb were Jiraiya sat on the captured sound nin. He stood up and assisted Temari on getting up after he finished bandaging her wounds.
"Gaki, don't introduce me that way especially when a fine lady such as herself is around!" Jiraiya leered at Temari. Sand began creeping up his leg. "Hey, I didn't mean anything about that Gaara, gomen." And he laughed nervously.
"It better be… ero-sennin." Gaara used Naruto's name for Jiraiya in lack of anything better to call him. Jiraiya face faulted as another one called him that.
"Anyway, how are you Gaara? Have you controlled Shukaku yet?" Naruto asked after he recovered from laughing at Jiraiya.
"Unfortunately my seal is still incomplete." He simply stated.
"Hey, ero-sennin, help him with it if you really are great with sealing as you say you are!"
"Fine, fine. Gaara remove your shirt and mold your chakra on your stomach please." Jiraiya requested but Gaara just looked at him suspiciously, his eyes showing his annoyance. "Hey, I'm serious here and I don't swing that way so I'm not going to do anything perverted to you. That's disgusting." Jiraiya humphed.
Gaara did as he was told and Jiraiya examined his seal. He quickly did hand seals and pushed his five fingers on his stomach before the sand defense could react. The seal was completed and Gaara felt Shukaku's ramblings in his head fade away. For the first time his face registered relief.
"Shukaku won't bother you anymore, you can now try to sleep and be at ease." Jiraiya nodded at him.
"Arigato," he silently replied, thinking deeply. "Temari, before this I already decided to leave the sand. I can no longer tolerate the village's greed and idiocy."
"I'll go with you Gaara. You are my brother and I care for you, Kankouro did too," replied Temari, tears of joy welling in her eyes for Gaara's freedom from the sand demon.
"You care for me? Arigato, Temari." He bowed to her. "Uzumaki Naruto, since you are traveling to become stronger, I too want to grow stronger and I believe Temari also wants to be. May we come with you?"
"Eh? Sure Gaara but just call me Naruto, saying my full name can be tiring," he said a hand rubbing the back of his head, full foxy grin on his face. "Ne, ero-sennin, they're coming with us." He stated.
"You do understand that they will become nuke-nins if they just up and went now do you?" he sighed, "I guess nothing can be done as your determined to do so. I'll tell Tsunade, she can take care of this since the sand owes Konoha anyway."
Jiraiya quickly wrote on a scroll detailing the events then summoned one of the fastest frogs the size of a full-grown horse.
"What about that sound nin? Shouldn't I dispose of him with my sand?" Gaara pointed at the tied up shinobi.
"Don't worry, our interrogation expert Morino Ibiki will take care of him. Its best that we take whatever information he knows about Orochimaru's plans. This frog will get him to konoha in no time." Jiraiya immediately sent them on the way and they traveled towards Wave Country no longer bothering to proceed to the sand.
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They arrived at Wave Country whose economy significantly boomed after the completion of the bridge. The trade was so successful that they already have their own ninja academy albeit still new but the few shinobis they already have are well employed by the Country. The academy was brought to reality with the assistance of both Konoha and the Mist Village, cementing the alliance of the three.
"Welcome to the Wave Country, home of the super Great Naruto Bridge!" a genin greeted them after they crossed over. "You're Uzumaki Naruto!" he exclaimed. His shout caught the attention of some of the town folk and his arrival spread out.
"Hehehe, Yes I am," Naruto laughed nervously. "Never knew Tazuna-jiisan named the bridge after me."
"Wow, gaki, never thought you were famous. I'm proud that your taking after my step, soon you'll be as well known as me, Jiraiya-sama!"
Naruto and the sand sibs sweat dropped at this. Naruto already told them what he was famous for, a super pervert and author of the Icha Icha Paradise.
The crowd that was beginning to gather, mostly by the men while the women who had heard of him cringed, also caught this exclamation. The town was soon a buzz with both news. The sand sibs just looked at Naruto in disbelief. They really didn't expect that one. He surely is living up to his reputation as the number one unpredictable ninja of Konoha.
"Of course!" the genin exclaimed again overly excited that he is talking to a hero of Wave Country. "The Great Naruto Bridge, named after Uzumaki Naruto, brave shinobi of Konoha and wonderful friend, whose inspiration spread hope to the town and saved it from despair." The genin proudly recited from memory what was written on the commemoration plaque the group saw right at the entrance to the town. Above it was Naruto's distinct face carved on the stone. The plaque was well maintained and shiny.
"Naruto-nii-chan!" Inari shouted as he ran towards the group. "You visited at last!"
"Yo, Inari! You've certainly grown a bit. I hope you're not a cry baby anymore." Naruto teased.
"Of course not, I'm attending the ninja academy now. I was also part of the second batch of students sent to Konoha and the mist. Most of the first batches are genins now due to an accelerated course they took plus, much of them are already old. We spent six months in both village learning to become a ninja but unfortunately you were already away when I was in Konoha." Inari excitedly told him. "Arigato, Shinji-san, I'll escort them now to the town hall." He said to the genin who promptly bowed to them and excitedly went to tell his comrades that he spoke to Naruto.
The group went their way to the center of the town where the town hall is located. Lots of new structures and buildings were constructed as businesses boomed and new merchants settled down. It took them a while as most of the town that remembered Naruto before warmly greeted him and others were introduced including the younger generations. Naruto is brimming with happiness in finding other people who acknowledge him even if they aren't aware of Kyuubi.
"Well you've certainly become an eye catcher Naruto-kun. Even you Gaara." Temari teased as she noticed some of the females blush and steal glances at him and some at Gaara but all she got is a confused eh from Naruto and a blank look from Gaara.
Naruto is still oblivious to some of the females besides Hinata since Kyuubi obviously showed him about her. Gaara's plainly just new to the concept of caring and love thus he doesn't know when a girl is having a crush on him or not.
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In the town hall they were quickly ushered into the mayor's office, which surprisingly turned out to be Tazuna. The town was so grateful to him and his determination to build the bridge and unanimously voted him to the position.
"Well, if it isn't Naruto. How are you, gaki?" Tazuna smiled at him.
"Eh, Ojiisan, I never saw you as the politician type but there's no other person fit for the job but you." Naruto grinned. "These are my friends Sabaku no Gaara and Sabaku no Temari. That is ero-sennin Jiraiya, our sensei."
"Welcome all of you. I'm honored to meet you Jiraiya-sama, we've heard so much about you," Tazuna started. "Your all welcome to stay as long as you like, Tsunami is preparing your quarters in our house, I insist you stay with us. It's been a tradition for my family to ask leaf nins to stay even for a night to show our appreciation and tell them the history of the bridge. We've had your former sensei Kakashi with us as well as his colleagues who knew you as well."
He turned towards Jiraiya. "If it won't be much of a bother, would you help us also with our ninja academy, not anything heavy, just as an advisor of sorts on what we need to improve on. And can you please…" he rummaged for something in his drawer. "… sign this for me?"
He handed one of Jiraiya's limited Icha Icha Gold edition. Naruto and the sand sibs fell down anime style.
"Hahaha, of course, anything for my super fan such as yourself!" Jiraiya bellowed.
"Damn, Ojiisan, you're a pervert too!" Naruto pointed a shaking finger at him. "Kami, why is it my fate to be acquainted with such perverted, old men."
After some chitchat, all of them went towards Tazuna's new home. Naruto asked for a stop over at Zabusa's and Haku's grave to pay respect. There he told Jiraiya and the sand sibs who they were. At the house, they were treated to a sumptuous dinner cooked by Tsunami. Naruto became emotional once more as Tsunami hugged him as any mother would give a son to, the same hug he gets from Tsunade-babaa. She did the same to Temari and Gaara saying she simply felt at ease with them and has adopted them as her children together with Naruto. The dinner went on happily, with Naruto guarding his adoptive mom from Jiraiya's perverseness, who surprisingly didn't do anything but was caught up with discussing his works with Tazuna.
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They spent the next six months in the wave country, which became one of the happiest times in Naruto's life. He and the sand sibs grew so close to their adoptive family that a time came when he and Gaara felt they should now about their special case. They proceeded with Jiraiya's permission and were prepared for the rejection but didn't get any. Their Tsunami-kaasan gave them comforting hugs and assured them that she sees them for what they are and not for what is in them. Tazuna and Inari said the same thing and Tazuna assured that the town will also feel the same but its up to them when they will tell. That will have to wait for some time.
They got missions from Tsunade from time to time, none too difficult or too fatal even if most were upper C and lower B ranks. He and Temari do end up with some scrapes and memorable injuries and scars except for Gaara due to his Suna no Yoroi (Sand armor) and Suna no Tate (sand shield/wall). They spent the rest of their non-mission time training under Jiraiya and sharing their knowledge and experience in the academy. Inari also grew in skill as Naruto and Gaara took it upon themselves to teach something to their otouto. At the end of the six months, after an emotional farewell to their 'family' and promises of visiting and writing once their settled back in Konoha, Jiraiya took them around the other elemental countries, staying only in minor towns in Stone and Wind Country. Gaara and Temari's jutsu knowledge expanded to other elements as Jiraiya saw it fit for them to learn so. The rest of the time was spent refining their skills and soon enough, they're on the way back to Konoha.
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A/N: Thanks to all who reviewed and responded to my question. The sites were useful, however, err, sorry it seems I didn't construct my sentence properly.
Does anyone know an online English-Japenese dictionary where I can type in an English word then it will be translated into Japanese? The dictionary I have at home is no good.
My individual response to the reviews and questions will be on the next chapter since I posted it simultaneously with this one. Hope everyone enjoyed. Please continue with your reviews. Thanks. )