Chapter 2 : Tests and Truths
Naruto looked over at the three Jounin, studying them in a calm and collected manner. His face frozen in an impassive stoic mask. He had heard Kakashi's question and nodded.
"All at once or one at a time?" Naruto asked, his voice now monotone.
Kakashi cringed slightly...the scroll hadn't exaggerated; he really did turn into a different person when fighting.
"One at a time." Kurenai answered. "I was asked to test your skill with Genjutsu, Gai will test your Taijutsu and Kakashi will test both Ninjutsu and Kenjutsu...I will go first."
The world around Naruto suddenly shimmered and was replaced by a dark twisted world with boiling pools of blood, rivers of lava, corpses littering the ground and horrible howls and roars sounding off from all around him. If Naruto had to make a guess this was the Hell's Nightmare Genjutsu. Zombified corpses shuffled their way towards him as grotesque demons and monsters began to appear.
"Geeze...I have worse nightmares than this...hell I've read worse horror novels and seen worse horror movies." Naruto thought dryly. "Though it would work on a weaker minded person...the perks of having a damn demon sealed in me I guess."
To everyone else nothing had changed. Kurenai was holding her hands in the dragon seal and concentrating very hard after she had called out Hell's Nightmare Jutsu. Most of the people there cringed knowing how horrible that particular Genjutsu could be, it wasn't the worst but it was still bad. What shocked them was the fact that Naruto had not reacted...Jiraiya let out a chuckle.
"You know...the brat suffers from chronic night terrors and nightmares on almost a nightly basis due to his...unique circumstances and childhood. As such he's grown to be quite resistant if not immune to scare tactics. He hasn't woken up from one of his nightmares in a cold sweat or shuddering for almost two years now." Jiraiya said.
Naruto suffered from the memories of beatings and abuses when he was too young to defend himself from mobs of villagers. He was forced to relive the experiences every night, sometimes they were so real he could feel the pain from the beatings. Other ones came from Kyuubi as a last ditch effort to make its container suffer before all its power was drain by Naruto. It was spiteful, yes, but it was a demon fox after all.
Tsunade felt bad for Naruto, that was not the way to harden ones self. Kakashi cringed again at the thought of having nightmares so much to the point that it killed your normal fear factors. Gai just frowned and the others gathered had a sad and worried look on their faces. Sure they knew he had a rough life...but to suffer from chronic night terrors or nightmares...that was...harsh.
Naruto lazily lifted up his hand and snapped his fingers. "Release..." He muttered calmly and let out a large shockwave of chakra effectively destroying the Genjutsu.
Kurenai stopped trying to hold the Genjutsu and stood up with a frown, Naruto had an unnatural lack of fear but she figured that was partially due to having a demon sealed within him...she was only partially right. Kakashi knew the rest of the story...all the beatings, attempted assassinations and near death experiences he experienced as a little kid. He finally dropped the blocks on those horrible memories and used them to literately beat fear itself.
Naruto let out a mirthless chuckle, it served to cool the air about thirty degrees. "Nice try, Kurenai-san, but if there is one thing I've learned is that the only thing that I ever need fear...is myself."
Kurenai shuddered slightly at the tone of his voice and the truth laced in his words. "Test one...Genjutsu pass." She said and swiftly left the field.
Gai then stepped up and released his weights and assumed a Gouken stance. Naruto assumed a stance that gave the impression of a predator hunting its prey...just waiting to strike. It was known as the Ryuuken or Dragon Fist style. A very powerful Taijutsu that needed precise timing and accuracy to accommodate insane amounts of speed, stamina and strength.
"Your flames of youth burn brightly, Naruto-kun! Let us start our youthful match!" Gai bellowed.
Naruto gave a curt nod, blurred and vanished from sight leaving only a slight after image.
"Holy SHIT! That's FAST!" Was the thought that ran through everyone's minds.
Gai also vanished. The thunderous sounds of fists and feet meeting flesh rang out through the area as each blow caused minor shockwaves. Both were moving at such high speed and using such force that the only one there that was really able to see everything was Kakashi, to the others they were blurs. Neji and Hinata were barely able to keep up.
"Leaf Whirlwind!" Gai called out and nailed Naruto with the attack sending him back a few feet.
Naruto righted himself in mid air and reared back his fist, the muscles on his arm bulging slightly. Jiraiya winced, he knew what was coming next...Naruto's variation of one of Tsunade's favorite moves.
"Dragon Tremor!" Naruto snapped and rammed his fist into the ground.
A massive shockwave tore up the ground as large chunks of earth were ripped up and a fissure was torn up into the earth as it headed for Gai who looked particularly stunned but not enough to get the hell out of dodge. Tsunade had to collect her jaw off the ground along with Sakura, they had to use chakra to enhance their strength to that level...Naruto wasn't...it was all natural!
Naruto shot towards Gai before he could steady himself and shot up nailing the older man in the jaw with a bone shattering uppercut. "Raising Fang!" Naruto barked.
Gai shot up into the air only to have Naruto appear above him, elbow poised to nail his now defenseless form.
"Sundering Dragon Strike!" Naruto snapped.
Gai was met with a harsh blow to the solar plexus and rammed back down into the unforgiving earth below causing it to crater beneath him and Naruto. He spat up some blood. Even his battle hardened body he couldn't handle another blow like that and hope to live.
"I...I forfeit!" Gai winced.
Naruto held out his hand and helped the older man up as Asuma came and helped the battered Taijutsu master off the field. Kakashi at this point was sweating bullets and thanking Kami that he didn't have to test Naruto in Taijutsu...that would have killed him! Rock Lee was for the first time ever stunned speechless, his master, the best Taijutsu master in Fire country, had just gotten his ass handed to him...by Naruto no less! Neji shuddered slightly...if this had been four years ago...he'd be paste on the arena floor. Kiba was thinking of like mind.
"That was a good match Gai-san, perhaps you and Lee could join me in some spars...we could improve each others skills I'm sure." Naruto said modestly, Gai gave him a weak grin and a thumbs up at the offer, one he would not pass up.
Kakashi walked up and pushed back his apprehension. "Ninjutsu and Kenjutsu...think we can skip the Kenjutsu?" He asked.
"Huh...why?" Naruto asked not showing his surprise.
"According to your information scroll you are a master of Mystical Beast style. I am a moderate level with the Flowing Crescent Moon style at best...I wouldn't be able to properly test you." Kakashi answered.
Naruto fought back the urge to grimace; his style was a lost art he had gained from absorbing some of the bastard fox's memories...that was also how he learned Ryuuken. It didn't help that he customized both arts to fit his own tastes either. The Flowing Crescent Moon style was good but no where near the Mystical Beast style.
"Agreed..." Naruto said seemingly relaxing his stance.
Kakashi saw this and threw several shuriken and formed a familiar cross seal. "Shadow Clone Shuriken!"
Naruto smirked and ran through several seals. "Wood Release - Wood Wall Jutsu!" Naruto countered.
A large wall of trees seemingly stuck together grew out of the ground causing everyone to gasp in shock. The last person known to be able to use Wood Element Jutsu to this effect was the First Hokage. Sarutobi had been able to do a few and so did a man named Yamoto.
Kakashi flashed through a few more seals. "Fire Release - Dragon Fire Bullet Jutsu!"
Several balls of fire shot towards the wood wall and set it ablaze. Naruto rolled out of the way and did a few seals. "Wind Release - Drilling Air Bullet Jutsu!"
Six softball sized twisting balls of air shot at Kakashi faster then he could dodge. He vanished in a puff of smoke as the air bullets shredded a log in his place. Kakashi was catching his breath from behind the tree line. A thought crossed through his mind...it would be a low blow...a very low blow but he wondered.
Making three Shadow Clones he then made them Henge into Sauske, Orochimaru and Kabuto. He sent them out to confront Naruto so he could come up with a plan to try to beat him. Test or not, Kakashi wasn't going to give up unless forced too.
Sauske, Orochimaru and Kabuto suddenly appeared from out of the woods. Though Sauske appeared a bit older he was still dressed in his usual outfit and so were the snake and four eyes. Naruto stiffened slightly, his eyes narrowing dangerously, he didn't smell snake or sense tainted chakra so he knew they were fakes but it still pissed him off that his sensei would stoop to that level to try to get a rise out of him.
Jiraiya blanched. "Tsunade-hime...we need to get the hell out of here...now."
Tsunade started and looked at her former teammate and noticed he looked...afraid. "Wha...why?"
"Because Hatake just poked the wrong button." He said with a slight gulp.
"Hello dobe, so nice to see you again." Sauske said cockily.
Naruto's eyebrow twitched.
"Kukukuku...what's wrong, Naruto-kun, not happy to see an old friend?" Orochimaru asked silkily.
Naruto's muscles bulged slightly as his chakra levels began to rise rapidly.
"We were never friends; he was just a useless dobe that could never hope to be at my level." Sauske scoffed.
Surprising the hell out of everyone Sakura suddenly shouted in anger. "Kick his ass Naruto!"
A feral grin crossed Naruto's features as his eyes went from piercing blue to baleful red with slit pupils. "Kakashi-sensei...your ass is mine when I find you." Naruto snarled causing said copy ninja to gulp...perhaps this was not the best idea he could have had...
The three clones under the Henge cringed.
Chakra began swirling around Naruto's hands, a powerful orb of spiraling energy forming in each hand, each looking like a miniature typhoon. The clone of Sauske began doing a Chidori in hopes of countering the Rasengan. Naruto slowly pushed both Rasengan together making one very large basketball sized Rasengan.
The raw power whipping up around Naruto was staggering enough to force some of the others to their knees, the power...it was inhuman almost.
"Chidori!" The Sauske clone cried out and dashed at Naruto.
"Odama Rasengan!" Naruto growled and shot towards his opponents.
The massive spiraling sphere shredded through the clone of Sauske, the Chidori glancing off it and discharging in the clones hand. Before the other two clones could even move Naruto had arrived and slammed the large Rasengan into the ground and released it letting out a massive explosion that tore up nearly half of the training ground. Dust and chunks of earth were kicked up ruthlessly and scattered about as a small mushroom cloud rose from the impact zone. Naruto was nowhere to be seen.
Kakashi nervously made his way back into the grounds only to suddenly be trapped in a large cage of ice. Naruto walked slowly out of the smoldering crater he had made with his Odama Rasengan, his eyes blue once more but giving off an eerie glow.
The copy ninja gulped as Naruto walked up to the cage, reached through and grabbed the front of his vest and jerked him towards the icy cold constructs keeping him imprisoned.
"If you ever pull something like that again, Sensei or not, I will kick your ass so hard your grandmother will feel it and I will personally burn every perverted book in Fire Country." Naruto growled. "I do not like to be reminded of how foolish I once was or how I lost my friend to the darkness...are we clear?"
"Cr-crystal!" Kakashi gulped.
"Good." Naruto said letting him go and touching the ice prison turning it into water releasing Kakashi. "So, do I pass?" Naruto asked his kind smile and features once again in place showing there really weren't any hard feelings. Scare tactics were fun when they worked.
Kakashi gave his usual eye smile and nodded. "Yeah, you pass...you've grown up allot, Naruto, I'm proud of you."
Naruto chuckled, all tension gone now. "Thanks, Sensei, I had to grow up sometime though and I have people I still wish to protect." He said glancing at his friends.
Glancing about the training ground it was easy to see that nearly all of the area had been destroyed...there were even a few trees uprooted. The truly sad part was...Naruto had only used a quarter of his full power and nowhere near the total amount of skills or jutsu he had. Simply put...anyone below Kage level wasn't much of a challenge to him unless they had an extraordinary gift. Not that he wasn't omni-potent or anything...demons gave him a hell of a time and anything above a six tailed demon would probably wipe the floor with him. And all of the Akatsuki and Orochimaru were Kage level missing ninja; none of them would go down easily.
Naruto walked up to the stunned group of friends, he noted that while they didn't seem afraid of him they were shocked. He had no idea he had made a few of them feel more than a little inadequate with his power. Naruto grabbed his jacket and scarf and placed them back on.
"How the hell did you get so powerful?" Kiba suddenly asked.
"Lots of specialized training and several bouts with enough physical pain that one of Ibiki's torture sessions would seem like a spa treatment." Naruto said dryly.
That caused a wave of cringes to sweep through the group. Upon a closer look at Naruto faint scars could be seen littering his upper body, even the large ones made from Chidori.
"Okay, I'll give you that, but it still doesn't explain how the hell you got so much chakra...it was inhuman." Kiba complained.
An odd look crossed Naruto's eyes for but a second but was replaced by his now usual look.
"I've always had abnormally large amounts of chakra, it was one of the reasons I had so many problems with control as a kid. My parents were also known for their unusually high levels of chakra so it kinda runs in the family." Naruto said by way of half-truth...he wasn't ready to give out that secret yet.
"So you found out who your parents were?" Shikamaru asked, he had a hunch but...
Tsunade answered for them both as she presented Naruto with his new Chunin vest and his clan scroll that had been waiting for him here in Konoha.
"Naruto is the son the Kushina Uzumaki, last heiress of Whirpool's Uzumaki clan and his father is Minato Namikaze, the Yellow Flash and our late Fourth Hokage of Konoha...also the last of the Namikaze clan." She said.
Shikamaru smirked. "Figured a much..." He mused. "Now if I could only figure out why the Fourth would seal a demon into his own son then the puzzle would be complete. Troublesome...but Naruto won't be giving out information like that anytime soon...oh well."
"Perhaps that explains, Naruto-kun's, changes! He has ignited his flames of youth to burn brighter to honor his father!" Lee exclaimed.
Naruto sweatdropped. "Not quite Lee." He said dryly.
Neji frowned; he had looked Naruto over with his Byakugan. Naruto's chakra coils were three times the size a normal persons should be, his core had grown exponentially, there was a second chakra core attached to the original and they were so damn bright it was blinding to look at them. Neji was positive that Naruto's power had grown far beyond what he had shown...meaning he had acquired at the lest Elite Jounin level skills considering the ease he had in dispatching Gai, Kurenai and Kakashi. Still...it didn't answer one question.
"It is true that you have become more powerful and obviously more skilled, Naruto-san, but your personality has also changed drastically from how you used to be...to be honest we did not expect such a drastic change." Neji stated.
Naruto sighed. He knew he would eventually have to let them in on his secrets but now wasn't the time so he would tell them part of the story.
"I had some particularly bad memories from my childhood that I didn't want to remember so my mind locked them away. Severe mental trauma does strange things to a person and when those memories were locked away so were certain aspects of my personality. The result was the simple minded, hyperactive knucklehead you all knew. The incident also severely screwed up my ability to have proper thought processes without total concentration and gave me a rather short attention span for the most part." Naruto said, an odd look crossing his face...a cross between looking as if he had bitten something sour and a pained look.
"I guess I had thought that so long as I remained a kid then nothing really bad could happen to me. Unlike most of you guys I never had a family nor did I know what having a family was like. I have lived on my own since I was four years old since the orphanage I was in kicked me out. I have been hated and despised for things beyond my control since I was born that led to various...bad things happening in my life. Still...I survived. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger right? Because of this hate though...I never had anyone that was willing to properly teach me anything. The only two people willing to in the beginning were very busy and I didn't want to add to their burdens so I tried my best to learn things on my own. Obviously I didn't do a very good job but it was enough to survive. My extreme like for Ramen was born from the fact that it was the only food I could afford. The reason I wore those damn orange jumpsuits were because it was the only things the shops would sell me...at triple the cost value and it at least gave me some attention, something as a child I had craved. My tools...I scrounged them from the needed to be fixed or needed to be tossed bins behind Ninja tool shops."
Everyone had gone dead silent as Naruto began explaining some of his life to them. None of them knew it had been that bad...though they though he might be exaggerating the sad and shamed looks on the adults told them otherwise...the looks told them he was severely sugar coating the story. That little fact hit each of them in the gut like a lead weight.
"I've never had an easy life, I never wanted one either, though it would have been nice to have things a little more pleasant then they were and still will be. After my experience with Uchiha I began to recall the memories my mind locked away, hence my problem with nightmares and such. I had to take a good, long and hard look at my life and make a choice. I could remain the idiot buffoon that wallowed in ignorance or I could bite the kunai, act like myself and throw myself into my training to earn and gain the power and skills I needed to keep my promises as well as my Nindo."
"To answer your current question and a past one, Neji, even someone like me has to grow up sometime. Childish dreams play time and games are fun and all but they get you nowhere in the real world or in real life." Naruto said and began removing his wrapping around his stomach.
As the last of the wrapping fell they were all treated to the sight of an angry glowing crimson seal that seemed to sear into his flesh and pulse with a sick blood red glow.
"Neji...when you said I could have no idea what it was like to be marked by something against my will...you my friend were quite wrong. I have had this seal since I was a newborn. I will have it until its purpose is finished. It is the reason I am hated, it is the reason I am more powerful than I should be. It is my gift and my curse...my burden that I carry alone, a cross that only I can bare." Naruto said and swiftly began re-wrapping his bandages.
"Perhaps in time I will tell you all the true meaning of this seal. But once you know the truth...none of you will ever be able to look at me in the same light again." Naruto turned to the adults and noticed Tsunade looked like she was forcing back tears, he sighed once more. "Tsunade-sama, if you deem them worthy of the secret...I give you and only you the permission to tell them. If you do decide to tell them then have Jiraiya and Kakashi help fill in some of the blanks. Now...I've got some things to attend to at home, I will come by in the morning to be re-instated into active Shinobi duty." Naruto stated, turned and walked a few feet before vanished in a swirl of fire.
Sakura was shivering as she remembered the Cursed Heaven Seal that Sauske had, Naruto's seal didn't look like a Cursed Heaven Seal but it was obviously not anything good. The only consolation she could find was that it didn't seem to affect him personally too much...maybe it wasn't something she should worry to much about...yet.
Neji had gone silent...so...Naruto was truly cursed just as he was. Yet...Naruto fought against fate and made his own destiny. Neji had been trying to do so himself but he found it hard at times...perhaps he too needed to try harder.
Tsunade decided to speak up before questions started flying. "I am sorry but if any of you want to know about the truth behind the seal on Naruto you will not only need his express trust buy mine as well plus his permission and presence when the information is given. It is considered a SS-Class secret and we will leave it at that. Now, you may all return to what you were doing, I have some work to do at the office, good day to you all." Tsunade stated before vanishing in a swirl of leaves. Jiraiya and the other adults followed suit leaving a very confused and curious group of teens.
Naruto stood silently upon the head carving of his father on the Hokage monument. Unlike earlier he wasn't bothering to hide his six long golden blonde and silver tipped furry tails. His ears now resembling that of a fox and up higher on his head, his eyes still the same icy sapphire blue but with slit pupils.
It was dusk, and he watched as the clouds in the sky swirled with various pinks, blues and purples as the sun began to set in the distance. The lights of the village began lighting up as the night time stars began littering the sky. It was truly a beautiful sight to behold. Though his mind was on other matters at the moment.
"I shouldn't have said what I did earlier...I've just guaranteed that they will all learn about the damn fox now. (Sigh) I knew it would have to happen eventually though...perhaps better sooner than later. It will make the pain of their rejections hurt less."
"Sakura-chan...she sure grew into a beautiful young woman...so did Hinata, Ino, Tenten and Temari for that matter. Heh...it's not like it really matters in my case. I never had a chance with any of them as a human...as a Hanyou it will be a cold day in hell. All that time I spent trying to learn about how to be a gentleman was probably wasted...still...at least I won't look like an ignorant moron in public anymore so that's a plus."
"I wonder how long I will be able to stay here when the truth gets out...will they exile me or try to have me executed? Ero-sennin seems to think that things will work out but I think he's being a bit over optimistic. Granted I prefer to look at things in a positive light but one still needs to see things realistically as well."
Naruto glanced down at his pocket where his clan scroll was sitting. He had yet to read its contents, it was likely just a letter from his father and some information of what would be expected of him as a Namikaze. He'd read it later, perhaps with Tsunade in private so she could answer any questions he might have.
"I wonder...dad...would you be proud of me? What about mom? Would either of you despise me for becoming part demon? I know I was chosen for the sealing because you didn't have the heart to do that to another persons child...you knew didn't you dad...you knew what would happen but you knew I would be strong enough to handle it didn't you? Heh...sometimes I question your wisdom and judgment on that pops...there are times that I still want to just either curl up and die or just vanish off the face of the earth. But...that would be giving up and I'll be damned if I just gave up...just not my nature I guess."
"I still have much to do, many precious people to protect and promises to keep. Perhaps once that is all taken care of...I can find a place to belong...a place where I can just be a normal person. Considering my damn lifespan so long as I'm not killed it shouldn't be to hard...a few centuries and I'll be all but forgotten and then I could have a fresh start. I'll do that if becoming Hokage really just turns out to be a fruitless dream."
"I should also try to keep an arms distance from my friends, even if they do accept me I doubt any of them will be at ease around me. Hell even Ero-sennin gets nervous around me sometimes. Guess my decision on giving up on Sakura-chan was the smart choice after all...besides she's always going to love Sauske-teme, I've always known that...it just hurts to admit it."
"Such is the life of a Jinchuuriki...we are a living sacrifice...our purpose is to sacrifice all that we are for the sake of others until either we die or we are forgotten in the passing of time. Though...I wonder if any other Jinchuuriki have become Hanyou? Probably not...Hanyou are beyond rare."
Naruto's introspection was cut off by a faint sound and the scent of books and dogs. He remained silent and continued to watch the sun set.
"Yo...thought I might find you up here." Kakashi said walking up. "How you doing, Naruto?"
"I'm fine...did Tsunade or Ero-sennin send you to find me?" He answered with a slight chuckle.
Kakashi frowned behind his mask. It seemed old habits did indeed die hard, Naruto still put on masks to hide his feelings and what he was thinking. It was obvious that the young man was dealing with some rather deep internal turmoil. Something he, Kakashi, was all to familiar with...he too still dealt with his inner demons daily, though not in the literate sense like Naruto does.
"Neither sent me...I just wanted to see if you wanted to talk about it...might make you feel better." Kakashi offered.
Naruto arched an eyebrow. "You've never really offered this kind of help before, Kakashi-sensei, what's the change for?"
Kakashi sighed. "I made allot of mistakes when acting as your Sensei for Team 7, I am trying to correct them as best as I can now. Sauske was perhaps always out of reach and I shouldn't have shown such favoritism...something I will always regret. But I still need to try and help where I can. If it's any consolation...I know some of what you're feeling."
Naruto nodded; there was no deception in his words or hidden agenda. He also knew that Kakashi had indeed had a pretty harsh life, not in the same sense that he had growing up, but still hard none the less with the loss of his best friend Obito and the disappearance of Rin...the first girl he had loved. As for past mistakes...who was he to judge, he wasn't perfect either.
"I'm surprised the ears and tails haven't freaked you out yet." Naruto suddenly spoke.
Kakashi shrugged. "Should they? I read over the report scroll that Jiraiya-sama made of your trip, I'm aware that you became a Hanyou...and that while you hate hiding it you also fear other peoples reactions. So long as you remain true to yourself and remember who you are then physical and outer changes don't matter."
"That's true, but I doubt that the vast majority of the village would agree with you. I am after all a living, walking, talking reminder of the horror of that day Kyuubi attacked and the losses that were suffered. As a Jinchuuriki it really doesn't matter what I want or feel...so long as I fulfill my purpose as the sacrifice." Naruto stated and Kakashi frowned.
"Still...just because I have to sacrifice all that I am as a Jinchuuriki it doesn't mean that I don't fight it. I still live as best as I can and use my power to protect my precious people...so don't worry about me pulling an Itachi or a Sauske. I just learned that weather I like it or not there were just some things I had the accept, I can still try to change those things and will continue to try but if they never change then that is just how it has to be." Naruto said.
"What...are you getting at, Naruto?" Kakashi asked a sinking feeling in his stomach.
"Well...remember how my dream was to become Hokage...do you honestly think a village that refuses to see me as anything more than the monster that I imprison will allow me to become Hokage? Do you think they would handle it any better once they find out I am a Hanyou...or that when I turn eighteen that I will become the next Kyuubi? That is what I meant by my gift and my curse. My gift is the power to protect those I care for...my curse is to be first the sacrifice and then a demon. I will be able to retain my humanity in heart and soul but my body will forever be changed. Even now if I so choose to I can take the form of a six tailed fox. Dreams are nice and they are worth fighting for but the reality is that we all have to grow up sometime and accept certain facts."
"None of the villagers see me as Naruto, they still see me as the Kyuubi incarnate...sadly that is now a fact and not just ignorant ramblings of prejudice villagers. The day the seal was placed on me my entire existence was cursed, though I have been able to over come some of it I can only do so much alone...I can not make people see me as I want to be seen, that is up to them. Despite all that I've done for Konoha...all that I've tried to prove I am still sneered at, spat at and hated by the general masses. That is part of the reason I showed my seal today...it would have only been a matter of time before the secret got out one way or another...now it is up to them...either they accept me...or persecute me. Either way I still have my duty and my promises to fulfill...even if I must do so alone." Naruto said, a small sad smile gracing his features.
Kakashi felt sick, what Naruto had said was the truth. You can only do just so much to show who you are through actions and deeds if people were unwilling to change their own minds then things will only remain the same. The truly sad part...Naruto had accepted this, was still going to fight a seemingly losing battle until either he died or was forgotten but those he promised to protect.
"Does this mean you are giving up on becoming Hokage?" Kakashi asked.
"Nope, not a chance in hell. I still want to become Hokage and there is always a chance, no matter how slight it might be. But I do expect the council to try and either exile or execute me before I ever get the chance. I know for a fact that only a small handful of people on the council even respect Old man Sarutobi's and my fathers wishes concerning me." Naruto said. "I'm just contemplating on how close I should allow my friends to get should some of them accept me as I am now."
"You sound like you expect them to be like the damn villagers." Kakashi said crossing his arms.
"Well it wouldn't be a first." The young Hanyou replied dryly.
"Surely you don't think that Sakura would act like that? I thought that you were…well…?" Kakashi asked.
Naruto let out a sigh. "Sensei...I gave up on Sakura-chan about three years ago. Her heart belongs to Uchiha; it always has and probably always will. She's a good friend but I don't think she'd like the fact I'm half Fox Demon. It was hard to finally realize that...and it hurt. But the simple fact remains she is a human...I am not, no matter how much I act like one. I will always be her friend, even if she end up hating me." Naruto said shrugging.
"Damn...you have changed allot. But don't you think your being a little to down on this? I mean surly you have a chance at happiness somewhere." Kakashi said.
"Maybe someday...in a few centuries when my name only appears in text and not memory. To be honest I really don't know how people will handle the truth about me now, I hope that I am wrong, I really do but I'm not going to get my hopes up only to have everything crash back in my face." Naruto said, frowned and turned slightly to gaze into the dark forest behind him.
He didn't notice Kakashi begin to sweat slightly.
Naruto shrugged it off...there had been a slight scent but it had been muffled. He could sense a few Genjutsu...like the ones ANBU used to conceal themselves. Figuring that was what it was since the ANBU were always prowling about he let it go.
"Well, Kakashi-sensei, I'm going to head home, get a bit of dinner and go to sleep. I'll see ya around." Naruto said and leapt off the monument and vanished from sight.
Kakashi turned around he had known someone had followed him...but he wasn't sure just who it was since they actually hid themselves pretty good...though he was nearly certain one of the presences was Sakura.
"You guys are lucky he passed you off as something else...ANBU most likely...now come on out." Kakashi said his hand near his kunai pouch just in case.
Sakura was the first one to walk out...the others that followed surprised the hell out of Kakashi. Following her out was Ino, Tenten, Hinata and Temari. Each of them had a pensive and slightly sad look on their face. Kakashi relaxed a bit and sighed...so much for secrets.
"You ladies do realize that what you saw and heard must never be repeated...if you do...it could mean your deaths." He said in his usual lazy tone.
They nodded.
"Sensei...was it really all true?" Sakura asked nervously.
Kakashi narrowed his visible eye. "Do you intend to treat him like those ignorant bastards in the village do?" He almost growled.
"NO!" Sakura yelled a disgusted look on her face. "I want to help him dammit!"
Non-plused Kakashi asked. "Oh...and why is that? Is it because you're his friend or is it something else?"
"I...I used to treat him horribly." She said looking down ashamed. "I had no...idea his life was so bad, not that, that is a worthy excuse but I want to help him now. He's always risked so much for me and never asked for anything in return...I just want him to see that he is accepted...even if he does have fox tails and ears. It's not like he asked for what happened to him is it?"
"No...no he didn't." Kakashi sighed. "I assume the rest of you ladies feel the same?" He asked the other girls.
"Yes, if it hadn't been for Naruto, my little brother would never have regained his humanity and found a reason to live." Temari said.
Ino nodded as well. "Naruto risked his life to protect me more than once when we were younger and went on a mission with Anko-sensei. I have never forgotten that."
"He helped my friend Neji see that he didn't have to bow to fate...that he could make his own destiny." Tenten said.
"Naruto-kun gave me strength...he helped me to grow strong and believed in me when no one else did." Hinata said.
"Interesting...so, Naruto has touched each of these girls' lives in some way or another. Helping them without ever expecting anything in return...perhaps...maybe they could help him heal the wounds on his soul now. It will take time...but maybe Naruto doesn't have it as bad off as he thinks he does." Kakashi thought.
"That is good to hear. Naruto needs friends like you five to be there for him, I think the burdens of his life have finally started to weigh him down to much. But don't rush into anything; it will take time and patience for him to heal from all the bad things that have happened. Just be there for him, let him know he is wanted and that none of you care about what he is...it is who he is that counts. I'll let all of you think it over for a while...just remember to keep things quiet and good luck." Kakashi said and vanished in a swirl of leaves...perhaps some talks with Tsunade would help things along as well.
Five girls either walked or Shunshin'ed away deep in thought. This had been a day for big revelations and they each needed to sort things out in their heads before they tried to help out their favorite blonde fox-boy. Each also secretly making plans on getting Naruto to warm up to them...in hopes of not only gaining his friendship but love as well.
Naruto sneezed five times as he washed his dinner dishes and felt a couple of odd sensations run up and down his spine. "What the hell was that all about?" He wondered as he continued to wash dishes. A sudden sneaking feeling told him that things were going to change soon...be they for better or worse...only time would tell.
Disclaimer : I do not own Naruto