I d not own 'Naruto'
The Start
The Zero watched it's host in action.
Once they had entered the Sound Village it began to revive. The amount of dark emotions there was enough to send the Reibi into a feeding frenzy. If Naruto had been anyone else, he would have gone crazy. But the blond fought back and kept control.
'Guess that's why I chose him.' Zero thought impressed.
Now that the demon had a constant supply of food, it was stable. More so then it's been in decades if ever.
Naruto stared at the maniac before him, the maniac stared back.
Once Naruto had entered the village, the Zero went crazy. It took everything he had to keep it from breaking loose.
Now it's energy was returning and so was Naruto's.
"So what brings you here Naruto-Kun?" Orochimaru asked.
"You have something I want, something I need." Naruto answered.
"Oh, and what would that be?" The snake asked curiously "And what will I get in return?"
"You were once part of an organization called Akatsuki." Naruto stated from the masked man's memories "They are a problem for both of us."
And how would he know that? Orochimaru thought curiously. "How are they a problem for you?"
Orochimaru was no fool, he knew who this child was. The abandoned son of the Uzumaki-Namikaze.
The snake watched as the air around the boy darkened.
"They're after Mito, my sister." Naruto growled "They'll get her over my dead body!"
"I see, so you want information on them."
"No and yes." Naruto answered confusing him "I want your notes on them, their plans and that of the Tailed beasts."
"And why, pray tell, would I give you that kind of information?" He asked "You're just a child." He stated as if he cared. "And I don't want a group of S-Rank rogues coming down on me."
Naruto pulled a single Tri-kunai, the one Nawaki used to call Minato. What caught Orochimaru's interest was the fact Naruto pulled it out of his shadow.
"Are you threatening me boy?" Orochimaru hissed.
"No, the opposite." Naruto smirked as he returned the kunai to the darkness "I'm giving you the chance to crush Minato."
"...I'm listening."
"This kunai is the source of his power." Naruto stated "Without it, he's just an elite Jonin at best." He looked at the snake "You on the other hand are a Kage level Shinobi."
Orochimaru understood. "Disable the Kunai..."
"And Minato's vulnerable." Naruto finished.
Orochimaru was starting to like the boy more and more. But he had a reputation to keep.
"And why shouldn't I just kill you and take the kunai?" He asked letting out a small wave of Killer Intent. "It would be easy."
The 'KI' did nothing to unnerve Naruto, only strengthen him.
"Because you would have done it already."
Orochimaru stopped the intent and smirked. With the snap of a finger, he summoned a nameless Shinobi.
"Bring me everything on Akatsuki." Orochimaru ordered. "As well as the Tailed beast."
Orochimaru would give the blond the notes and Naruto would give the snake the kunai. The deal set and done with no bloodshed, something rare with Orochimaru.
"What's wrong boy?" He asked. "Having second thoughts?"
He was aware of the boys hesitation after the deal was done.
"You are skilled in Fuinjutsu, right?" Naruto asked.
"Yes."
"I have a second deal for you."
"I'm listening."
"I want you to make me into a proper Host." Naruto spoke "In exchange for a later favor."
'What are you up to Naruto?' Zero asked.
Just some insurance. Naruto answered.
"Proper host?" Orochimaru asked "Does this have to do with the Tailed beast inside you?" Naruto froze "The Reibi correct?"
"How?"
"You don't think a former member of Akatsuki wouldn't notice a 'Host' when he saw one?" Orochimaru asked "Plus, the incident near Konaha is widely talked about."
"Can you do it?" Naruto asked with hope. "Will you?"
"No." Orochimaru answered "Someone as small as you would probably die from the pain alone." He explained "Not to mention..."
He was silence when Naruto drew a regular but freshly sharpened kunai. The blond took the blade and impaled his own hand. The kunai passed through and was sticking out the opposite side.
The blond never shouted out or teared up. He just kept a firm glare on the surprised Orochimaru. The only hint to his pain was the wince in his eyes.
"Pain...is no problem for me." Naruto forced out.
"Child, what you're asking would be near impossible, the chances of survival are below slim to none." Orochimaru stated "Not to mention the pain you'd be in and laws of nature we'd be breaking in the process."
"You really want to do this." Naruto stated more than asked.
The snake fell to his knees ad wrapped an arm around Naruto. "Please!" Orochimaru begged "It would be an honor!"
It had taken a day for them to prepare. They were in a sterile room covered in seals, with Naruto and Orochimaru in the center.
"You know it's dangerous Naruto-Kun." Orochimaru spoke.
It was, if even one seal was missed or out of place, then chances of death was high. Even if everything was in place, there was no guarantee that Naruto would survive.
"All great things are." Naruto countered "You know that first hand."
"...You are an interesting one." Orochimaru chuckled.
'You still haven't told me what you're planning.' The Reibi stated.
It had to admit, it was nervous. Fuinjutsu was one of the few things that could actually hurt it, possible even destroy it.
Right now you are in me as a parasite. Naruto stated
'...Right.' Reibi hesitantly agreed.
That is a dangerous for me. Naruto reasoned. If we were to ever run out of Dark chakra, I'd be weakened even though you could reform after time.
Reibi was beginning to understand. It was a leech demon, so by nature it was parasitic. For them to truly be in a symbiotic relationship, both needed to have a beneficial gain.
"Are you ready Naruto-Kun?"
"Yes...we are." He answered.
The process was begun.
It was long and painful for both Naruto and Reibi. Their very bodies were being torn apart and re-merged on several different levels. It was honestly the most painful thing either of them have ever felt. They would probably never feel anything as awful again.
The worst part was they couldn't pass out from pain. They had to stay conscious through the whole process so that their minds wouldn't be destroyed.
Naruto focused on the things that Reibi needed to continue. His hatred for Minato and plans of destruction for Akatsuki for daring to touch Mito. Things that gave Reibi the power to exist. He even thought of Nawaki's betrayal.
For the first time in it's life, Reibi did the opposite of it's nature. It comforted Naruto, strengthened his will. Had the boy think of his precious people. Them being Mito, Tsunade, Mikoto, the Ichiraku's. Even Nawaki, misguided though he was, he was true family.
Neither tried to fight the other for dominance of the body. They simply left their minds free and open to the other. It was a sign of trust to the other, both had just as much to gain or lose.
But there were parts in each other that neither could enter, not even themselves. Something was blocking them from their own knowledge.
Finally it ended.
They were no longer parasite and host, they were a true symbioses. Separate in their shared minds, but together as one in all else, on many different planes.
Orochimaru looked at the...being before him.
"Hello." Orochimaru spoke "Are you Naruto or Reibi?"
"We are neither." He weakly answered "We are both."
Interesting. The snake thought "What shall I call you?
"Call us...Menma." He answered.
A Sound Shinobi entered the room with a large scroll.
"This is my end of the deal, it's my most up to date copy." Orochimaru spoke. "I'll call that favor in later."
Menma reached his hand into the darkness and pulled the kunai back out. Their deal was done.
"Rest for now." Orochimaru ordered "No harm will come to you."
For a whole day Menma slept. It wasn't enough, but he had no reason to stay and every reason to leave.
It was late in the evening when the black haired boy prepared to leave.
Menma was dressed in a standard ANBU outfit minus the cloak, though his outfit wasn't the only thing to change. He had hair blacker than anything Orochimaru had ever seen that sat wildly around his shoulders. The whisker marks he and his siblings shared hadn't vanished, they actually thickened. His once blue eyes were now a deep blacK with red dot in the center. His once young body developed a muscle mass he shouldn't posses for years. He had nearly grown an entire foot in height, not counting his hair.
Naruto was leaving through the west gate when he felt a presence beside him.
"Where are you going?" Orochimaru asked chidingly.
"Our deal is complete." Menma answered. "We're leaving."
"You know that you are still too weak." Orochimaru stated. "Even with the dark chakra, you would be an easy target. If you try to leave now then anyone with the slightest bit of skill will kill you."
It was true, Reibi had used all of it's chakra to help sustain them during the merging process. What little that was left was being used to sustain them at that very moment.
"We will survive." Menma stated.
The black haired boy turned to leave, he had business to tend to.
"If you stay, I'll have you trained as a Jinchuuriki of the Reibi." Orochimaru offered.
Menma looked at the snake suspiciously. "Why?"
"If I were you, I'd take the chance to gather as much free negative energy as I can." Orochimaru hinted. "Especially when you can actually train and master your abilities."
"We...accept." Menma didn't know what possessed him to agree, but he did.
"Excellent." Orochimaru purred "I'll have an...acquaintance meet with us in a few days to begin your training."
One question still bothered Menma. "How did you know we'd be leaving?" Menma asked as they made their way back to the village "And from this gate."
This question seemed to amuse him since he began suppressing his amusement. "This gate." He gestured around. "Is actually the gate furthest from Konaha."
A simple week has passed for the two. Orochimaru allowed Menma to stay in his village and study the notes on Akatsuki and the Tailed beast. He was constantly sustained by the negative energy the village radiated. Menma in turn helped Orochimaru search for away to disable the Flying Thunder God technique. So far, neither of them have found a suitable solution.
They both hated the man, but they admitted he was a genius in Fuinjutsu.
Orochimaru never questioned the blond on his plans or goals. Whatever he had planned, the snake knew it would be interesting.
At the end of the week Orochimaru's ally arrived, a man named Shinno.
At his first meeting Menma went on guard. The man came of as pleasant but Menma knew that it was a facade. Deep down the man resented Menma, for what he had no idea.
If the man had meant Menma any harm, he never got the chance. Orochimaru always had an eye on them, either himself or a loyal guard.
The man had taught Naruto everything he knew about the Zero-Tails and dark chakra. The list of dark techniques and capabilities Shinno possessed shocked Menma.
It was then that Menma began to finally understand the man.
Months passed and Naruto grew in both skill and power. He actually enjoyed Sound village, but everything had a limit. It was time for Menma to set his plans in motion.
"You have been an interesting guess Menma-Kun." Orochimaru spoke "I think I'll actually be sad to see you go."
"We will miss you as well Orochimaru-Sensei." Menma admitted.
The snake looked at the boy before him. In the time they spent together they actually bonded. Naruto trusted the fallen Sennin and his ways. Orochimaru actually saw a bit of himself inside of the blond turned black. He showed the snake what he could have been if he had taken a slightly different path.
Orochimaru reached inside his cloak and pulled out a Sound headband.
"In case you need village affiliation." Orochimaru stated "You will be welcomed here if needed."
Naruto looked at the headband, it meant a lot. "Thank you Sensei." He tied the headband around his head.
Menma watched as the snake made his way into the village. It was time to go.
No sooner had Orochimaru closed the gates did Menma notice a second presence. He looked and saw that it was Shinno, the man had hidden while Orochimaru was near. Now that the snake was gone, he could finally act.
"Hello Menma." He greeted.
"Shinno-Sensei." Menma returned.
"Before you leave Menma, I have a surprise for you." Shinno spoke warmly.
"That's not necessary." Menma reasoned.
"Please Menma." Shinno spoke as he firmly placed a hand on the child's shoulder. "I insist."
Menma may have gained more power in Sound, if measured, a little more than a single Tail's worth. Even so, the man still made him nervouse.
"Fine." He had no choice but to agree.
They left in a Body Flicker of darkness, not made by Menma.
They arrived about mile outside of the village. Around them was nothing but an empty plane, minus a figure.
The figure was on the ground, bound by ropes with a bag over his head. Something about him drew Menma to the him. Menma was making his way towards his target. He didn't know how he knew, he just did.
Probably has something to do with Reibi. He reasoned.
Menma removed the bag from his head and looked him in the eyes.
"Who are you?" The man asked.
The man was Roshi, host of the Four tails.
Menma turned and looked at his teacher in disbelief.
"You brought the Jinchuuriki of the Four Tails here?" He asked in shock "How and why?!"
"As a trading item." Shinno answered "You take the Yonbi and give me the Zero."
Menma looked at the man before him. He had dropped his kind facade and was now showing his true colors.
"No." Naruto stated.
The man gave a false sigh of sadness. "You should have taken the deal."
Zero Tails Sealing Technique
The ground beneath both Menma and Roshi began to glow with seals. It didn't take long to understand what was happening, a trap.
"We...can't move!" Menma exclaimed.
"It's such a shame explaining to Orochimaru how you died." He stated "Killed by the Four Tails." A cruel smiled formed on his lips "I'll extract the Reibi from your corpse."
"And how do you plan on making me kill a child?" Roshi asked.
Shinno turned towards the man, as if he had forgotten him.
"I didn't say you, I said the Yonbi." Shinno repeated "You, you're just a wall."
Before Roshi could retort, he felt a darkness penetrate his very being. It was so strong that it affected the Yonbi himself.
Menma was feeling different, he felt the darkness he gathered leave him. It was like spending all that time in Sound was for nothing,
"Well I can't just extract the Zero from it's host." Shinno stated as it were obvious. "Doing so could cause it to be destroyed, it would take years for it to reform." He regained his cruel smile. "But I can drain it of the negative energy and place it elsewhere, say inside the Yonbi's host."
His intentions were now as plain as day. He would use the darkness of the Tailed Beast to overpower it's host and attack Menma.
"You made...one...mistake!" Roshi spoke over the darkness "You're seal stops...the child...but not me!"
Just as he finished that statement, he proved those words true. A single but large tail appeared behind him, the tail of Yonbi.
"What the hell?!"
Without so much as a hand sign, Roshi's cheek expanded.
Monkey Flame Areson
A jet of green flames fired out of Roshi's mouth.
However, Roshi didn't aim towards Shinno or even Menma, he aimed the flames towards the ground.
Towards the seals.
The seals began to pulse at the sudden surge of demonic chakra. It was meant to contain the Zero's darkness, not Yonbi's demonic chakra.
With a final flash, the platform cracked, stopping the darkness flow and releasing Menma.
Now! He mentally shouted.
Without the need of hand signs, Menma began manipulating the shadows.
Explolding Shadow Leech
A leech made entirely of darkness launched itself at Shinno. It latched it's head onto his Shinno's neck and began to expand it's serpent like body like a balloon.
It was an attack Naruto based mostly off of Deidera's style. It would latch itself onto a target and start draining them of chakra. Once it devoured enough or was attacked, it would explode.
Shinno pulled out a scalpel and struck the shadow construct.
As warned, the shadow construct erupted in a chakra explosion. Because the creature was still so small the damage was superficial. However, it being a blow to the neck was dangerous.
"Fool, I designed most of Orochimaru's revitalizing Jutsu's to begin with!" He shouted "Do you think a simple wound like this will hurt me?"
He looked for a responder and saw that he was alone.
An exhausted Menma pulled an equally exhausted Roshi from a shadow.
Menma knew that anyone Orochimaru saw as a colleague would be tough to kill. That's why the exploding leech was just a simple distraction. It worked long enough for Menma to meld into the darkness with Roshi.
Speaking of Roshi.
Menma looked at the man, he wasn't doing to well.
The darkness transference seal may have been destroyed, but not soon enough. Enough of the darkness made it's way inside of Roshi to affect Yonbi. The man and the beast inside were fighting.
"Roshi, we need to draw the darkness from you." Menma spoke. "We need you to..."
"You know kid, you look a lot like Minato Namikaze." Roshi hissed cutting the child off "I hate Minato Namikaze!"
The last part was punctuated by a roar as Roshi entered the second stage of his demon cloak.
Not good! Menma thought.
It wasn't good, not in the slightest.
Both Roshi and the Yonbi were tainted by the Reibi's darkness. Alone that would do little more than send them into either a depression or berserker rage without a target.
However, they had a target.
The target was Menma.
As Roshi stated, he looked like Minato Namikaze. Minato was the cause of death for most of the Iwa Shinobi's during the war, Roshi's village. The Yonbi was able to sense the essence of the Reibi, an old foe. It knew of the Zero Tail's purpose and didn't like it.
That left the two with one goal, destroy the enemy.
Menma jumped back as the enraged beast attacked. Like all Tailed beast, they along the host, came with a unique ability.
Theirs was lava.
Shit! Menma exclaimed as he jumped again.
It was all he could do against the enraged Jinchuuriki. Menma didn't want to hurt him, he was under the influence of the darkness. Even if he wanted to, Menma only possessed less than a tail of power thanks to the seal. Roshi was in the opposite, he possessed four tails and darkness.
"We are trying to help you!" Menma shouted "You aren't yourself, the darkness is affecting you!"
"You! You share the same likeness of that man!" Roshi shouted.
It was true, even with his transformation, Menma was still Naruto.
"Don't compare us to that bastard!" Menma snapped. "We are nothing like him!"
"Lies!" Roshi declared "You must be destroyed! He must be destroyed!" He stated "All things of him must be destroyed!"
Menma finally stopped dodging.
All things would include his brother, sister and grandmother. Forget that! He would move to the offensive. No one is hurting our precious people!
Menma began summoning darkness chakra.
Dark swarm
A swarm of leeches began to squirm from Menma's shadow.
Just like with Shinno, the leeches attack and grow bigger. The difference in these is that they don't self destruct when attacked or full of chakra. They just continued their assault on the target.
Menma watched as the darkness possessed Roshi tried to fend off the swarm. As much as he tried, they continued their assault. With his chakra output, they were reaching the size of a full grown snakes.
Menma was sure of his victory until he heard a single clap.
Lava armor
Just as the name stated, Roshi was covered in an armor of pure lava. Menma watched as his leeches began to burn to nothing.
The lava covered man began a full stampede towards Menma in a blind fury.
Shadow cloak
A cloak of darkness covered the boy. It hung off of him loosely, like a black smoke.
They both pulled their arms back and swung, their elemental fists meeting in a collision of power.
And the world fell away.
Menma looked around and saw that he wasn't on the battlefield anymore. He was in a lake, or on it.
"Where the hell are we?" Menma asked.
His answer was a roar of pain and anger.
Menma looked behind himself and came face to face with the Four Tailed monkey.
Something's wrong! Menma realized.
The monkey had large patches of darkness covering various parts him. If you looked closely, you could see that they were swarms of tiny leeches. Now Menma understood, they were draining him of his power.
"Return." Menma commanded.
Without so much as a second's hesitation, the darkness did. The leeches flew towards Menma and swarmed around him.
Menma felt a sensation of power flow into him as the leeches returned. It wasn't just the darkness, something else came with them. He felt an emotional gain with the power. He gained something he only felt for his precious family, pride.
"So you came to steal my power." The monkey stated breaking Menma from his thoughts.
"No Yonbi-San." Menma replied "I-"
"Don't call me that!" Yonbi snapped "I am not identified by my tails, I am Son Goku!"
The tailed beast have names? Menma thought only to smack himself. Of course they have names, they aren't mindless! He felt ashamed in himself, it was like Minato to think different.
"I apologize." Menma bowed.
This action baffled the giant, red ape. Humans had always tried to enslave him, but this one's different.
"What are you planning?" Son mumbled, thanks to his size it carried.
"I am searching for the tailed Beast and their Jinchuuriki." Menma answered "I need to warn them of an organization called Akatsuki, they..."
"We already know." A third voice cut in.
The two entities turned snapped their heads towards Roshi. The man had a few stray leeches on his body, Menma drew them back in.
"You know?" Menma asked "Then we need to get you somewhere safe."
The man and monkey looked at each other before turning back to the boy.
"Boy, who would take in a person like me?" He asked skeptically "Even if they did, it would just be for the Four Tail's power."
"I told you not to call me that!" The Yonbi snapped.
"Their has to be a place where..."
"Why do you care?" Roshi asked.
"You already have what you came for." Yonbi stated. This confused Menma, he didn't have anything. "You've stolen my power."
Now he understood.
"Yes Goku-San, we got some of the power we wanted but..."
"So you admit it!" He roared.
The giant monkey reached out with his large hand. Unlike the Kyuubi, the Yonbi didn't have a cage to hold him back. The monkey nearly grabbed Menma in his powerful grip. It was only thanks to the chains that bound him that he missed by inches.
"We had no intention of stealing your power." The boy clarified "We fully intended to earn it from you, and only a tail." He felt the power he already gained "We didn't get enough, less than a tail actually, we need more."
"And how would you do that?" Roshi asked "That ape is so stingy with his power that it nearly cost us our lives."
"You mean your life." Goku corrected "I would just reform."
Menma watched as the two continued on with their bickering. I'm not dealing with this. He thought.
"Boy." Roshi called. "Why do you speak as if you were more than one person."
"We are." Menma answered "We are both the Zero Tails and Naruto Senju." He made sure to emphasize his last name "We are bonded closer than you two."
"That leech isn't one to trust." Goku warned "He just wants to..."
"We know." Menma cut in "We are helping."
"What's going on?" Roshi asked.
"The Zero tail is a leech demon who wants to become whole again." Menma explained "To do that, it must merge with the other Tailed beasts."
"That would return us to the Juubi." Goku retorted "We would lose ourselves."
"That is why we request only a tail of power." Menma explained "From their we can collect all nine with Zero being the tenth."
"He'd still be the Juubi..."
"And you all stay you."
"But the Juubi wouldn't be as powerful as it once was." Roshi stated "No way would it be content with just a fraction of it's power."
"Time will return it's power." Menma stated "War and suffering is constant, it will grow quickly."
The Yonbi eyes the boy skeptically "What do you get out of this?"
"We get power."
"I knew it!" The Yonbi roared "You humans are all..."
"Wait." Roshi cut in "What will you do with the power?"
There was no need for Menma to think of an answer, to him it was as plain as day.
"We will use it to protect our precious people." Menma answered.
In a village far away, a red headed girl felt a pleasant shudder.
"Are you thinking of me brother?" She ask aloud.
"What?" Nawaki asked.
"Nothing." Mito replies "Just think of our brother."
A soon as she says these words, she came to regret it.
A chakra chain wraps itself around her and begins to squeeze until she screams.
"I told you I'm your only brother!" He yelled.
Mito stares at the boy that called himself her brother. He hadn't held that title sense Tsunade told her of his betrayal to Naruto.
He was just like their father.
Come home brother! She begged. I'm so alone.
Ever since Naruto's departure, the world had become so much crueler.
The Yonbi looked at the child before him. He couldn't have been older then nine years old, yet he held passion.
And pride. Goku added.
The Four tails respected pride. He hated arrogance, but respected pride.
"Boy, how much of my power did you gain?" Yonbi asked.
Menma felt for it. "A whole tail, do you want it back?"
Goku felt that if he had said 'yes', the child would have returned it. Instead he answered:
"No, how would you like to earn it?"
Both humans looked at the red ape.
"We're listening."
"Free me from these chains." Goku spoke "And I will give you the power."
Menma made his way towards the monkey, only for Roshi to block his path.
"That is a bad idea." Roshi spoke.
"Everyone deserves freedom." Menma spoke.
The child jumped into the primate's hand and was leveled with the chains. He placed a hand on it and called for the darkness.
Corruption
The once pure chains of Fuinjutsu that held the Four Tails began to erode. They took a blackish tint before they fell away.
"FREEDOM!" Goku bellowed.
"Now you've done it!" Roshi spoke as he tensed.
The giant monkey reached out with his large hand. Without his chains, the Yonbi had nothing to hold him back. The monkey grabbed Roshi in his powerful grip.
The man couldn't hold back his scream of pain. It was as if he was being burnt by mere contact with the large beast. It was actually worse because Roshi had never been burnt a day in his life. Being the host of the Yonbi would have made such a thing un-prideful for the great monkey.
"TAKE YOUR STINKING PAWS OF ME!" Roshi screamed "YOU DAMN DIRTY APE!
This outburst shocked everyone, even Roshi. The Yonbi was so shocked that he did release the man.
Need damage control! "This is no time to be fighting yourselves."
The two looked at him.
"Oh, who should I blame for my imprisonment?"
"Not Roshi." Menma answered "If he's anything like most hosts, he didn't have a choice."
The Four Tailed beast looked at the red headed man as he stood up.
"I didn't want this anymore than you did Goku." Roshi admitted while not looking at either of them "Remember, my life was hell."
"What did you say?" Goku asked in disbelief.
"...Nothing." Roshi mumbled.
"You said my name." Goku spoke in wonder.
"You say that as if it was a great event." Menma cut in.
"That's the first time he ever said my name, my actual name." The Yonbi explained.
The man took a pause as if he were considering it. To his shock, it was completely true.
"I've always known your name." Roshi admitted "I've just never been soft-hearted enough to use it."
"What changed?"
"That would probably be us." Menma spoke up, all eyes were on him "When we took the darkness from you, we took your negative emotions."
The red monkey studied the boy before him.
He placed his fist out.
"What?" Menma was confused by the action.
"Bump fist." Roshi spoke "Tailed Beast only do this to show respect or give...something."
The last time he saw Goku do this, he gained enough respect to use the Tailed beast's power.
Menma placed his fist against the monkey's.
This was different from before when he gain the raw power and prideful emotions. This time he felt something hot and powerful.
"I give you my power." Goku spoke. "Use it well."
With those words, Menma was sent from the mind-scape.
"What the hell?" Menma looked at the man next to him as he awoke.
"The monkey expelled us, how?" Roshi asked "It's my mind."
"But it's home." Menma retorted.
Roshi looked at the boy cryptically. "Kid, how old are you?" Roshi asked "Cause you speak with the wisdom of an old man!"
"We're only nine!" Menma exclaimed.
"Well kid, you should get going." Roshi spoke.
"Going?"
"You're searching for the Tailed beasts right?" Roshi asked "I recommend Mist."
"Why Mist?"
"You should find someone from the Terumi clan, they could you to use your new abilities." Roshi explained. "They are also a village with a Tailed Beast, the Three tails. Unfortunately, the Six Tails is gone, he's a rogue if I remember correctly." He gave the boy a thoughtful look "They are in a civil war so you should be able to get in easily enough."
Menma understood the part about the Tailed beast, but why did he need training. It seemed Roshi could see his confusion. The red-headed man pointed down and Menma followed with his eyes.
The ground beneath them was turning into a puddle of magma.
The first thing Menma did was scream and thrash around. He even began letting his shadows flow around without control. It wasn't until Roshi placed a hand on him did he realize something important.
He wasn't burning.
"It's a gift from the old monkey." Roshi explained "You can now use the Lava Style."
"Sweet!" Menma exclaimed "This is so cool, er hot!"
Roshi watched as the boy examined his new abilities. For the first time since they met, Menma was acting like a child his age. Fascinated by having 'super powers' and the like.
"Wait, can't you train us?" Menma asked.
The man gave a disappointing sigh. "No, I have to deal with Akatsuki."
"Then let us help you!" Menma begged. "We can defeat them together!"
"I'm sorry child, but this is out of your league." Roshi explained before mumbling "I'm sure it's out of mine as well." He put on a false smile for the boy. "Besides, you have eight other tailed beast to find."
Menma wanted to argue against it, but he knew it would be pointless. He's right anyway. Menma thought.
He needed to continue with the plan.
"We're off to Mist!"
REVIEW.- Come on, I feed on your pleasant comments, they motivate me.-I KNOW YOU'RE OUT THERE!
Most people change his name to 'Arashi' or 'Ruto' or give him a crossover change.-Not me. also I went for a Venom/symbiotic relationship.-Thank you, you know who you are.
P.S. I couldn't find a Zero Tails/Reibi tag-Can anyone help?
P.S. CHECK THE TOP OF MY PROFILE AND SPREAD THE WORD.