A/N- Hell yeah! We busted the 10k hit count with the last chapter! Next stop, 20k! And there are almost 100 reviews, so please contribute and add a review of your own!
Anyway, I'm sorry this chapter is so late, I was having trouble deciding on which part of the current pre-action part of my story I wanted to go with first, so I settled for this one, partly because it's been one of the harder peices for me to write, so I decided to go ahead and do it now instead of putting it off, because it actually contains an important element to future developments. Anyway, that's whats been taking so long! Well, that, and the fact that I've been kinda game binging at my friend's house. We've spent days playing strats, dungeon crawlers, and even card games, as well as watching anime.
Speaking of games though, guess what?! Blizzard has finally given the go ahead for Diablo 3!! That's right, one of the greatest franchises ever is finally getting the next installment in it's series! Rejoice!!
Chapter 12, Reasons
It was a bright, sunny morning that dawned over Konoha, The Village Hidden in the Leaves. There were hardly any clouds in the sky and the birds were chirping happily, welcoming the new day. Though it wasn't even Eight yet, the streets of Konoha were bustling with activity, people preforming their tasks with a lethargy that only came with the early morning. A single hawk flew over the city, watching it's inhabitants with interest as it searched for prey, maybe a nice, plump rat...
One person of particular interest ran through the streets of Konoha, more noticable than others because of his bright yellow hair and orange jumpsuit. Naruto had woken up earlier than usual, due to an interesting dream where a certain woman was covered in ramen... Sporting a small blush, Naruto shook his head vigorously, trying to get rid of them, trying to focous on his task at hand. The day before, Tsunade Baa-chan had ordered him to test himself to find out just where his chakra and abilities stood now that he'd lost the Kyuubi and gained a dojutsu, a boost in his natural chakra that had been going towards keeping the Kyuubi's seal working, and the powers of a Shinigami. Naruto had been thinking about it for most of the morning, and finally came to the conclusion that there was only one team that could really help him...
A loud boom broke Naruto from his musings as he looked up, finding himself at his destination, training ground no. 5, where Gai's team could usually be found. There, in the field, stood a huge stone pillar, maybe ten feet tall and half as thick. Huge cracks were radiating outwards from where the ever eccentric Rock Lee was pounding away at the stone, hitting it with rapid fire punches. Off to the left, Gai was doing crunches while suspended in the air, his knees were slung over a thick iron bar that was high off the ground, supported by two crossbraces, doing upside-down crunches with his hands behind his head, tied together by a thick lenth of rope that ran down to a huge boulder that lifted and lowered with Gai's crunches, never quite touching the ground. Neji was a bit further off, his training, while still fairly extreme, still much lighter than his two bowl-cut companions, seeing as to he was simply going through his Jyuuken kata, iron-bound weights on each of his wrists to make him slower, forcing him to try and go faster to get back to his normal speed. Tenten was the only person that wasn't doing anything, sitting on a large boulder as she sipped some water from a canteen. Looking over, she spied the wide-eyed blonde, seeing the shock that was written on his face. "Don't worry Naruto, they'll be done in a minute! Come over here!" She called out with a friendly wave.
Closing his mouth, Naruto nodded, still a bit too surprized at the training methods to speak as he jogged over to Tenten, who had jumped off of her boulder. Shaking his head, Naruto finally found his voice."You guys call that training? That's crazy!" He exlaimed loudly, causing Tenten to break out into a fit of giggles at the comical way the former jinkuuri was acting.
Finishing with his strikes, Lee jogged over, grabbing the canteen that Tenten was reaching him. "Naruto! It is good to see that you are up and well my friend!" He exlaimed after taking a few deep gulps of water.
Gai, who had disentangled himself from his own workout jogged up as well, catching the conversation. "Yes, it is good to see that you are up and about Naruto! I knew that your flames of youth couldn't be put out be such negative people as those Akatsuki!" He exlaimed, seemingly completely unwinded despite his workout, giving Naruto one of his patented grins as well as a thumbs up."So, what brings you to our humble training field, student of my most youthful rival? Have you finally decided that our methods are better? Come, Naruto, and join us in the ways of the spandex!" He exlaimed, pulling out another suit exactly like the one he'd tried to give the blond years earlier while Neji came over and was talking quietly with Tenten in the background.
Naruto scratched his head as he grinned sheepishly. "Nah, that's not it Gai-sensei. Actually, the thing is, after those bastards took my... prisoner... from me, things have changed, and I was ordered by Baa-chan to find out where my new limits are." He replied.
Gai nodded, his demeanor becoming serious as Lee looked back and forth between the two, confusion clearly etched on his face. "Naruto, what is this prisoner that you speak of? The Hokage-sama told us that the most unyouthful members of the Akatsuki stole your chakra to complete a weapon. She never mentioned anything of a prisoner being taken. How could holding a prisoner make you stronger anyway? Have you been doing unyouthful things Naruto?" He asked, frowning a bit, Lee never did like not knowing something.
Gai's eyes widened a bit as he looked at his pupil, realizing that his team didn't know about the Kyuubi. Naruto squinted his eyes and crossed his arms, also looking at Lee. "I wasn't doing anything bad Lee. I was intrusted by a former Hokage to keep a very dangerous criminal locked away, at a pretty big cost to myself. I've protected our village since the day I was born Lee, keeping the village safe from that criminal who wanted to destroy it locked away, and for years, I've been hated for it. The only consolation that I got was that I could use my prisoner's energy to protect the people I love and the village that I live in. It's been hard Lee, but I was proud to keep everyone safe, and I'd gladly do it again if it means protecting innocent people, even if they hate me for something beyond my control. I won't lie to ya, the Akatsuki freed my prisoner, but I'm gonna do everything in my power to stop them, and him, before they can do anything bad." He said quietly, uncrossing his arms as he stared into Lee's own before his gaze flitted over to Neji and Tenten, who were both fairly shocked as well, Tenten covering her mouth with her hands as small tears welled in the corners of her eyes.
Neji took a thinking pose. "Naruto-san, who is this prisoner that you speak of?" He asked suspiciously.
Naruto shook his head slowly. "Sorry Neji, but that's something I really ain't comfortable enough to tell you guys, not yet at least." He replied carefully, trying to let out as little information as possible.
Neji nodded in understanding. "Alright Naruto-san. I was actually going to come looking for you after team training. Hiashi-sama wishes to meet with you later today, and it's very important." He said, his tone brooking no argument.
Naruto's eyes widened a bit. "Hiashi-sama wants to meet with me? Why?!" He asked, surprized. cupping his chin with one hand, Naruto squinted, looking rather like a fox. "Come to think of it... Who is Hiashi-sama?" He asked, causing everyone to facefault.
"Hiashi-sama is the head of the Hyuuga clan, and Hinata-san's father. He wants to meet you about Hinata-san, if I'm correct." Neji replied when everyone got back up, rubbing their heads.
Naruto nodded in understanding. "Right, right. Well, ok then, but I really need to find out my new limits first, so will you guys help me?" He asked.
"YOSH! That we shall! We will help you fan your flames of youth!" Both Gai and Lee exlaimed, giving their patented thumbs-up while Neji and Tenten nodded right behind them in consent.
Naruto grinned. "Alright, so whadda ya say to a spar Lee?" He asked, getting into a fighting stance.
Lee matched Naruto's grin. "Yes, I would very much enjoy a spar with you Naruto. Maybe this time I won't knock you down with a single blow?" He asked cheekily, reminding the blonde of their first meeting, not even bothering to take a stance as the others backed off a bit, Neji activating his Byakugan.
Naruto grumbled something under his breath as he tensed. "I learned a lot under the Ero-sannin when we travelled together Lee, you really shouldn't underestimate me." He warned.
Lee nodded, finally taking a stance similar to the one he'd used against Sasuke all those years ago. "You should take your own advice Naruto, or do you think I've been sitting on my hands that whole time? I have improved my taijutsu greatly. Here, let me show you!" He exlaimed loudly, rushing forward.
The only thing Naruto saw was a green blur as the spandex-clad boy rushed towards him. The whiskered blonde's instincts screamed at him to throw up a guard, which he did, but he never felt a blow land, just a strong gust of wind. "Huh?" Naruto grunted, dropping his arms a bit to look at the smirking taijutsu expert in front of him, standing in the exact stance he had been. "Did you miss me Lee? Why?" He asked, blinking.
Lee grinned as his eyes flitted down briefly. Naruto followed the bowl-haired boy's gaze, his own eyes widening when he saw what Lee had looked at. "HOLY CRAP!" The whskered blonde exclaimed, fingering the long slit in the belly of his jumpsuit, exposing his stomach.
"Do you believe me now Naruto? Now come or I won't hold back next time." Lee warned, making a come hither motion with his extended hand.
Naruto complied, leaping forward with a yell. He unleashed a furious right hook which Lee blocked wth his forearm, his eyes widening a bit at the force behind the blond boys attack. Lee immedietly dropped down, barely ducking under a sweeping roundhouse kick that Naruto preformed while still in mid-air. Coling, Lee thrust upwards with an open-palm uppercut that the still-airborne former jnkkuuri blocked by crossing his arms in front of the attack, though it still sent him flying several feet backwards. Flipping a few times, Naruto landed in a crouch, sliding backwards for almost another two feet. "Damn Lee, that was amazing! I don't think that I can beat you in pure taijutsu." Naruto admitted, grinning ruefully as he rubbed his throbbing forearms.
Lee bowed his head, accepting the praise. "You have improved greatly as well my friend, there are not many in Konoha now who can go against me even in an exchange like that. However, you are right, in a pure taijutsu match you will lose, you are maybe about half as good at Taijutsu as I am, if that." The chunin replied, getting into another ready stance.
Naruto chuckled. "Well, the only way to get there is through hard work, right?" He asked, rushing forward again.
"YOSH!" Lee replied loudly, meeting Naruto's charge. This time Lee was the first to attack, lashing out with a straight left. Naruto crouched down a bit and to the right, going inside Lee's attack as he raised his right arm to push Lee's arm even further away, striking out at Lee's midesction with an elbow strike. Lee countered by blockiing with his knee and spinning around the blond, taking his back as he let loose a forward snap kick. Instead of trying to block, Naruto dove forward, the attack grazing his shoulder as he rolled away from Lee.
Springing to his feet, Naruto rotated his shoulder with a grimace. "Well Lee, thats two for zero in your favor, mind if I kick it up a notch?" He asked.
Lee grinned again. "Yes Naruto. It would be unfair to hold you to my standards, so I shall let you have a handicap. You can go ahead and use your chakra." He said, smirking.
Naruto laughed. "Lee, if it was any one else, I'd try and make them eat their words, but this isn't a pissing contest between us, is it? Naw, I think I'll let it slide this time, but next time I'm gonna beat your ass in taijutsu, believe it!" He exlaimed, pointing at his current adversary, to which Lee grinned in response as the others watched from a short distance away, appraising the two. Making the appropriate handsign, Naruto began to channel chakra for his favorite technique, the kage bushin. The grass began to shift slighlty around the blond boy, signalling just how much chakra he was using as he prepared to flood the area with as many clones as he could, just to see how many he could make now that he no longer had the Kyuubi.
Neji's eyes widened as he saw the surge of chakra with his Byakugan. Naruto was drawing roughly a bit more than twice the chakra he'd used against him in the chunin exams years ago! "What the hell?" He muttered under his breath, sensing another power just behind Naruto's cakra, something that was completely foreign to him even as Naruto's charka output covered the boy completely. The surpries didn't end there for the Hyuuga either when he noticed a sudden shift in the chakra around Naruto's head, or more specificly, his eyes. "A dojutsu?!" He exlaimed.
"Neji, what is it?" Tenten asked as she and Gai looked over at their shocked teammate.
Neji shook his head, unable to tear his gaze away. "I honestly don't know... Naruto's charka is roughly twice what he used against me in the exams, and... There's something else there... But he has a dojutsu, a dojutsu!" He exlaimed, a gobsmacked look on his face as Neji found himself flabbergasted by Naruto for the second time in his life.
"WHAT?!" Gai and Tenten asked simultaniously, turning their attention back on the whiskered blond.
They wern't the only ones who were surprized by the sudden development. Naruto, who'd decided to try and find out how to activate his dojutsu later on, was almost floored by the sudden explosion of colors that surrounded him, every living thing giving off it's own aura field that stood out like a brightly shining beacon in his vision. Blinking in an attempt to adjust, Naruto felt a deep-seated excitement welling up in his chest, he'd activated his dojutsu again! "YATTA! I finally got the damned thing working again!" He exlaimed excitedly, leaping into the air as he pumped his fists. Forgetting all about what he'd been planning on doing, Naruto let the chakra go, letting it slip back into his reserves. No sooner than Naruto released his chaka, his dojutsu immedietly deactivated again, his eyes turning from the slitted silver they had become back to their normal cerulean. Naruto huffed angrily, landing on his feet. "Awww! What the hell happened?! I got them working, but now their out again! Are these things on the fritz or something?!" He cried out in frutration, smacking the side of his head as one would a faulty television, trying to get his dojutsu to activate again.
"Ummm... I don't think that hitting yourself will help..." Neji said as Gai and Tenten sweatdropped.
Naruto nodded, running his fingers through his hair as he sighed, disappointed. Glancing over at his sparring partner, Naruto noticed that Lee's head was down, and his fists were clenched tightly at his sides. "Hey Lee, is everything ok?" The blond asked, turning to the taijutsu expert as he put his arms behind his head.
Lee's hands unclenched, but he refused to look up. "Naruto... san... You are saying that you have a bloodline?" The bowlcut boy asked quietly.
Gai's eyes widened a bit in realization where this was about to go, but he was already too late to act as Naruto spoke up. "Yeah, why?" The blond asked, confused.
Lee finally looked up, a fair amount of anger in his eyes. "You have always claimed to want to get by on hard work, mirroring my own beliefs, but now you reveal to us that you have a dojutsu?! Is my code of honor something that you think you can just trample on so easily Naruto-san?! Do you think to make a mockery of mine and Gai-sensei's beliefs, making us look like buffoons?! Well, I shall not stand for it! Our spar is over, Naruto-san." He spat, turning from the group.
Naruto's eyes were wide as his arms fell limply at his sides. Lee was rejecting him as a friend simply because he had a dojutsu now? "Bu-" He started.
"Silence! I won't listen to you anymore Naruto-san!" Lee yelled, shaking in anger as he took off in a dead run, wanting to just get away.
Naruto grew angry as well. "OH YEAH?! WELL WHO NEEDS YA ANYWAY LEE?!" He screamed at the retreating boy.
Gai, seeing that he needed to step in before things could grow any worse, shusuined over to Naruto, placing a calming arm on the heaving boy's shoulder. "Please Naruto, do not say such things!" He pleaded. "Please, don't be harsh on Lee because of what he said. Lee has always seen you as a close friend ever since the chunin exams the two of you were in together, as another person like him, who suffered under adversity, yet persevered despite all of your setbacks through hard work. Lee has always seen bloodlines as the easy way to power, and has detested them because he thinks they cheapen the values he stands for. It's a harsh blow to him to see someone who he held in such high esteem as being of a likeness to him suddenly display a dojutsu. Lee will need some time adjusting to your powers, but I promise that he will come to his senses." He continued.
Naruto looked up at Gai, a slight hint of sadness apparent in his face, feeling the full weight of the same pain he'd suffered under for years for something that was a part of him that he'd had no control over and was shunned for, Lee's rejection felt exactly like the coldness he'd received from the villagers because he'd held the Kyuubi. "But... But I didn't even know I had this damned thing until last week, when it activated during the invasion!" He exlaimed unhappily.
Gai nodded in understanding. "Yes Naruto. I know that you are the same person you were before your bloodline activated, but Lee is confused about it. Please, just let me talk to him and I will try and make him understand. Don't let his misunderstanding because he's angry taint the friendship the two of you have." He replied quietly. Naruto nodded, and Gai briefly squeezed his shoulder before taking off after his favorite student.
"Well that was a killjoy." Tenten stated, brushing the bangs back with one hand.
Neji nodded, his Byakugan deactivating. "Naruto-san, I am sorry for my teammates behavior, shall we continue?" He asked formally.
Naruto shook his head, his depression hanging over him like a cloud. "Nah. Sorry Neji, but I really don't feel like training any more. Maybe some other time, eh?" He asked.
Neji nodded. "Alright Naruto-san. If that is the case, would you like to accompany me to the Hyuuga manor? Hiashi-sama is awaiting your arrival." The Hyuuga prodigy replied, giving the invitation.
Naruto looked away silently, in the direction that Lee and Gai had run, standing there for several seconds. "Nah..." He finally replied. "Can you go tell Hiashi-sama that I won't be able to come until lunch today? I've got something I've gotta take care of first." He said, deep in thought.
Nej bowed his head. "Alright Naruto-san. I urge you not to be late however, Hiashi-sama does not appreciate tardiness." He replied before turning on his heel and walking off.
"Sorry about all this!" Tenten said apologeticlly, bowing her head as well as she rushed off to catch up with Neji.
Naruto nodded absently, not really paying attention as thoughts rushed through his head in rapid succession. Finally deciding, Naruto took off in the same direction that Lee and Gai had gone.
It was almost fifteen minutes before Gai managed to catch up to Lee, who was sitting on the edge of a cliff that overlooked a waterfall that bubbled merrily down into a small pool far below. Lee was staring at nothing, his knees pulled up to his chin. Lee was so lost in thought that he almost didn't sense his sensei coming up behind him.
"I thought I would find you here." Gai said quietly, sitting down beside his star pupil.
Lee nodded. "Yes, this has always been my favorite place, ever since you showed it to me, Gai-sensei." He replied in an equally quiet voice.
Gai and Lee sat in silence for several moments, watching the scenery. "Lee..." Gai finally spoke up. "... I must say, I am disappointed in you for your reaction to Naruto's new development. Those were most unyouthful things you said, and you hurt him deeply." He scolded.
Lee huffed, letting his legs dangle over the side of the cliff. "Naruto always claimed to want to get by on his own hard work, to one day become the Hokage. But how does he react when he first gets a dojutsu?! No, Naruto can no longer claim to be a genius of hard work like us, not if he comes from a clan, people who get everything for next to nothing!" He exlaimed angrily.
Gai sighed, putting a hand on Lee's shoulder. "Lee, Naruto hasn't had everything handed to him. He is like us, a genius of hard work. All his life he's strived to be the best he can be, despite numerous setbacks. Naruto never even knew about his dojutsu until the day of the invasion, where it activated and helped him help all of us save Konoha. You are letting your flames of youth be put out by an irrational hatred for bloodlines my student. Do not go down that road, do not resent others for what they have, just accept it as a part of them and continue to be all that you can be as the person you are." He replied.
Lee looked up at his sensei. "But how can he possibly be like us if he's got something that makes things easier for him?! He is too different from us now, has something far too easy, to possibly be considered a genius of hard work!" He shot back.
"That is enough Lee!" Gai snapped, finally losing his temper a bit as he fwapped Lee in the back of the head. "I never want to hear you say something like that again! Naruto has had it hard all of his life, maybe even harder than you Lee! He has been hated his entire life by almost the entire village for things beyond his control. You were teased and ridiculed as a child because of your inability to use chakra, so maybe you can understand his pain a bit better than others. Naruto was treated even worse Lee, he was ignored completely. Can you imagine what it's like to be hated by people wth such a fervor that they would deny you the chance to live if they had the chance? Naruto had to live with that anamosity his entire life, and yet, he's turned out to be a happy person who works hard and does all that he can to protect our vllage and those he loves." He said.
Lee's eyes had widened a bit at what his teacher had told him. "Why? Why did the people hate him so much Gai-sensei? Surely it wasn't because of his prisoner was it?" He asked.
Gai nodded solemnly. "Yes Lee, that is exactly why. It is not really my place to tell you this, because it is one of Naruto's and Konoha's darkest secrets, but I feel you must know so that you can understand him a bit better. However, know this, the secret I am about to reveal to you is an S-class secret, and talking about it to anyone can and will result in the immediate field trial and execution of everyone involved. So it is imparative that you never, EVER repeat what I am about to tell you, do you understand?" He asked, his tone dead serious.
Lee nodded, his eyes going even wider. Naruto's secret was so huge that it carried such a harsh punishment?!
Gai cleared his throat. "Well... Fifteen years ago, when the Kyuubi attacked, it wasn't actually killed by the Fourth Hokage, it was actually sealed within a newborn chld, because such malevolent spirits such as the Bijuu cannot be killed by any means that we possess. The Fourth sealed the spirit of the Kyuubi within Naruto so that it could be contained. The FOurth gave his own life to ensure that the seal that contained the kyuubi would work, and his final wishes were that Konoha would see Naruto as a hero, a savior of Konoha that gave his all to keep the demon sealed away and protect Konoha. Howeer, that was sadly not the case. He has always been seen as a reinacarnation of the fox, and reviled for it. Despite all of that though, Naruto, like you, has persevered through all of the obstacles." He explained.
If Lee wasn't surprized before, he certainly was before, his eyes as wide as dinner plates. "So Naruto really suffered through all of that?" He asked, his voice just above a cracked whisper.
Gai nodded sadly. "Yes Lee, that has been his entire existance. Because of that, friends are more precious to Naruto than all of the money in the world, so what you said to him was more painful than almost anything." He replied.
Lee looked down at his feet, ashamed of himself.
"Lee?" A familiar voice called out from behind the two, soundng out of breath. Turning, Both Gai and Lee saw Naruto standing there, breathing heavily, having just gotten there.
Lee got up, an unreadable expression on his face as he approached within a few feet of Naruto, Gai watching, prepared to jump in if things got bad, unsure of how Lee would react to what he'd just told him.
Naruto cleared his throat. "Listen Lee, I'm not gonna apologize for having a dojutsu, it's a part of who I am now. However, I promise not to use it while I'm around you anymore. I'm the same guy I was before it activated Lee, and I'm not gonna change because of it." He said.
Lee nodded. "naruto... I'm sorry for the way I acted earlier, please forgive me." He replied, bowing slightly at the waist.
A wide grin spread across Naruto's face. "Don't worry about it Lee! Just know that I'm gonna kick your butt when we spar, ok?" He shot back playfully.
Lee returned the grin in kind. 'Only in your dreams Naruto, your flames of youth will never outshine mine!" He exlaimed, giving Naruto a thumbs-up.
Naruto replied by playfully shoving the older teen. "Yeah, whatever Lee! Anyway, I've gotta go meet Hiashi-sama for lunch, so how 'bout we try again tomorrow, eh? I promise to whup ya up one side of the field and down the other!" He grinned.
Lee nodded. "Yes Naruto, I would very much like to try you again tomorrow. So how about you stop by our training field at about the same time you did today?" He asked.
Naruto nodded. "Sure thing!" He exlaimed, pumping his fist into the air.
Behind the two, Gai smiled at the touching scene, proud of his student.
-End-
A/N- I know that I said at the end of the last chapter that I'd have Naruto's meeting with Hiashi in this one, but this chapter is already the second largest for 'Destiny' That I've written, so I decided to cut off there, and place the meeting in the next chapter, which I've already started on. ) Which, Hiashi isn't the only person he'll be having lunch with, as Yumi's team makes ther Dinamic Entry!
So stay tuned for the next exciting chapter in Destiny! Chapter 13, Lights, Camera, Lunch!