Authors Note: Alright time for chapter 5! Nothing really to say other than the "wave" arc should be done here, I'm still not sure if I should write the wave arc with Naruto and team Kosshi so any feedback on that will be appreciated. Last chapter was the longest written so far, about twice the normal length, so I have a question for all of you should I make longer chapters but have there be larger breaks in between, or have shorter chapter but they come out quicker, this one will (hopefully) be another long one so strap in and let's go!

Menma- Naruto

Senshi- Sasuke

Ringo-Sakura

Ukei-ya-Yamato

Kosshi-Kimimaru

Kumo-Kidomaru

Han-Sakon

Bun-Ukon

Ke-Jirobo

Key:

'Hmm': thinking

"Hmm": Speaking

"Hmm": Demon speaking

'Hmm': Demon thinking

Unknown Area Unknown Time

When Menma next opened his he was staring up at the branches of a tree, softly swaying in the wind. The sunlight filtering through the leaves was enough to give the surrounding area enough light to see, yet still have calming shade. 'Speaking of the surrounding area' Menma thought as his eyes scanned around him, not missing a single detail, it was a simple clearing around one-hundred feet (around 30.5 meters) there was no special markings or landmarks. Yet there was a peculiar felling he had, that this place was important, somehow. Menma just shrugged and walked off, intending to find something to figure out where he was, hopefully a road to follow. If he had looked around longer he would have noticed that the tree he woke up on had the bark on the opposite side taken off, and carved onto it were two names, one Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze, the other was blurred out perhaps by the weathers of time, or perhaps because they did not want to be seen.

As Menma walked through the forest, he began to wonder how he got there, his team was nowhere in sight, just as he began to truly focus on this he came upon a dirt road. He decided to follow it to see if I lead to a village so he could find out where he was. He had been walking for a couple minutes before he noticed something, the sun had not moved at all, he began to move slowly and look around, because of this he ran right into a wall. After picking himself up he saw a huge wall stretching up into the sky, after overcoming another feeling of deja-vu he walked alongside the wall until he came to a gate. Menma walked in and realized something, this village he had stumbled upon was Konoha! After realizing that he also realized it was not just the sun that was not moving, no one was. Merchants were stuck half way through making deals, mothers in the middle of chastising children, young couples in the middle of laughing at something, they were all just… frozen. As he was walking he also realized another thing, these people were huge, he was barely past most adults knees! Menma then looked down and realized they were not huge, but he was just small, his body was dressed in a bright orange shirt, and light blue pants, clothes he hadn't worn since he was seven. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a tail of an animal take off down an alley, taking off after it Menma did not notice that on the back of one man was the symbol of an Uchiwa fan being worn with pride.

As Menma was following what appeared to be a raccoon, he was trying to figure out where he was. Finally the raccoon entered a semi-large area with two people, the first lying down the second standing over the first, and the raccoon ran up the arm of the second. Menma then gazed at the second person, he realized it was a boy, around a year or two younger than himself, he was very short only coming to Menma's own stomach, he was wearing a very odd garb for being in the Fire country, a long cloak over a close fitting shirt and long pants. The boy seemed like he was staring straight at Menma, which was impossible since everyone was frozen before he got here, and his eyes had a strange look in them, he was staring with a look that told of suffering, fear, hesitance, and perhaps regret?

Menma then looked down at the body on the floor, and his heart stopped. The person was his age, dressed in a tan tunic and shorts, appropriate wear for Fire country, it was a girl if her long hair was any indication, she two was staring at him, also with a peculiar look, hers was of fear, mainly, yet also acceptance, regret, and something else he couldn't identify. But none of that took away his attention more than a liquid pooling around her, the only object that was moving, it was creating a pool beneath her body, it was red and the smell of copper from it was sickening, belatedly Menma realized her body was compressed, arms and legs sticking out at odd angles and something white coming out of her chest, through her shirt. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the boy turn and run without looking back, but still all he could see was the red gooey liquid, the red liquid, that red… then he started to hear it, the voices he had not heard for years. "You could have saved her" they said, "If you hadn't been so jealous", "If you had seen through his ruse", "If you had been a better friend!" they said all these things and more, slowly rising in volume and pitch, starting as whispers, growing steadily into a cacophony of reprimands. Finally Menma had enough and whispered some unintelligible words, his voice rising in chorus with the disembodied voices, "...shut…up..shut up. Shut up. Shut Up. ShUt Up! SHUT UP! SHUT UP, SHUT UP!" But his screams were ignored, the voices kept going, rising to a hurricane of sounds no longer intelligible until Menma finally could not take it anymore, so he yelled.

Taki 9 A.M

Menma bolted straight up on his bed, having to quickly lay back to stop the bolts of pain his injuries were causing him, he was covered in seat and his heart was beating out of control. As he placed his hand over his chest to try and calm it, Menma glanced around trying to figure out where he was the stark white walls, smell of antiseptic and the constant beep from a heart monitor seemed to indicate he was in a hospital. As he was about to try to get up he heard the door open and glanced to his left to see who it was, the first to enter was Gai yet he was without his usual jovial demeanor instead wearing a decidedly neutral expression, following him was a man in his early twenties with dark brown hair and black eyes he appeared to be very nervous as his eyes were glancing all around, next came a young woman a few years older than himself she had a pleasant, if somewhat cocky smile on her face yet she too had a guarded expression.

When the door closed Menma took the chance to start the conversation "Hello there, Gai-sempai, how are you? Also may I inquire about the two you have come in with?" Gai merely looked at Menma and responded "Hello Menma-san, I wish I could say I was fine but after what we heard when we found you, I don't think I can say it. This is the leader of Takigakure Shibuki-sama, and one of his ninja Fu-san." Menma said his greetings to both which they reciprocated, Shibuki still nervous Fu starting to loosen up, when Gai then asked "Menma -san I have some questions I must ask you, it pains me to do this to someone I saw as my student so please cooperate, alright?" After Menma nodded Gai began "Alright the sensors from Taki said during your fight they sensed demonic chakra can you explain this?" Menma merely sighed, knowing he would not be able to lie, and said "Yes I know where it came from, it came from me. I am a Jinchuriki." Gai and Shibuki were shocked while Fu merely brightened at his words, after overcoming his shock Gai asked "Which Bijuu do you hold?" Menma calmly replied "I hold the Kyuubi-no-Kitsune." Immediately after saying that Menma felt a kunai being pressed against his neck by Gai before he said "I suggest you stop lying Menma-san, I already know the Kyuubi's Jinchuriki and he has been in Konoha all his life. So I will ask again which Bijuu do you hold?" Menma just sighed, coming up with a story off the top of his head, and responded "I already told you the truth, after I was born my parents were travelling from her original village to my fathers. While they were travelling they noticed the Kyuubi approaching them before the fourth Hokage saved them. After taking them away he asked to use me to stop the Kyuubi, my parents agreed and saw him split the Kyuubi in two, sealing one half into me, the other into some other baby he had. After the sealing and subsequent death of the Hokage they took me and left." This seemed to pacify Gai who pulled his kunai away, which allowed Menma to be able to see how his story affected his two visitors, Shibuki was looking at him with a sympathetic view while Fu seemed to be furious at something so much that she was staring out the window.

Gai looked back at Menma and asked "So when did you find out about the Kyuubi?" Menma smiled and said "When I was twelve my parents thought it was appropriate to tell me then, and she has a name you know." Everyone jumped at that yelling out "A NAME?!" followed by an even louder chorus of "SHE?!" Menma just nodded, chuckling inside, before asking "Yes a name and yes she, would you like to see her?" Gai broke from his shock and asked, "How? It is impossible for us to enter someone else's mind without a Yamanaka." Menma simply gave a small smile and replied "I have a jutsu that will project anything to a room, as long as I put seals on the walls. If that is okay with you Shibuki-sama?" Shibuki cast a glance toward Fu that was summarily ignored, sighing he turned back to Menma and said "Yes that would be alright Menma-san." Menma then grabbed a roll of blankets and bit his thumb, he then began to write down seals. Shibuki started at this and said "Wh-What are you doing? You are still recovering, and your wounds seem to take a while to heal!" Menma just smiled and said "It's alright, I have a heightened regeneration. The reason why my wounds are only now healing is if I draw on my Bijuu power, it completely stops the regeneration and keeps it at a standstill for twenty-four hours. As long as I don't draw on it again, I should be fine." Menma then finished and tried to get up from his bed, but stumbled as soon as he left the beds safety. As he was bracing for his very intimate meeting with the floor, Menma was surprised to find himself hanging in mid-air. He turned in his surprise saviors arms, expecting to see Gai saving him, but to his immense surprise Fu was the one who caught him. She was not gazing at him but rather to the side, and if Menma was not mistaken there was a light dusting of color on her cheeks. After seeing this Menma gave an unseen smile, before righting himself and offering thanks, although when he got up his hand stayed on her shoulder just a second too long. Walking over to the walls and placing the bandages-turned seals he then stood in the center and performed hand-seals before calling out "Ten no yōsai no yōna sakkaku (Illusion of the heavenly stronghold)."

The room faded out and in its place was a tranquil forest, the trees swaying softly in the breeze, at the other end of the clearing was what appeared to be a small log cabin. The others were completely taken aback by the view, Shibuki even reaching out to try and touch a flower but his hand merely passed through and touched tile. Menma chuckled at this and told him "Remember Shibuki-sama, this is all just an illusion, nothing here can touch you." Shibuki then rubbed the back of his head and his cheeks were dusted with a light pink from embarrassment. Fu then asked "How were you able to change this, from what I've seen mindscapes can't be changed!" Menma was about to respond but was interrupted by a condescending laugh from behind him followed by a melodious but haughty voice say "Hmph this idiot change it? Ha! In his dreams, I am the architect of this beautiful landscape he just had to approve it." When the group turned around, they were met with a surprising sight, a girl in her early twenties with ink black hair with red highlights, she was wearing a midnight black Yukata. But the most eye-catching features on her were her fox like ears on the top of her head, nine black tails swishing around her, and her eyes were a light black color with a slit down the middle.

Menma gave a companionable smile and turned to the others and said "Well say hello to the Nine Tailed Fox, the Kyuubi-no-Kitsune, also known as… Kuroma." At the last word the others sweat dropped at such a buildup to such a… plain name. Meanwhile the, newly named, Kuroma moved closer to the group stopping in-between Menma and the others and remarked "Tch, such a cheeky child you are, having the gall to bring in another container to my domain. You're lucky I didn't send out my chakra to kill her as soon as I noticed." Fu looked surprised at the demoness's statement, while Gai looked on in surprise and asked "But I thought the seal the fourth placed prevented the demon's flow of chakra unless the Jinchuriki was in danger? How would you have done that?" Menma glanced over, Kuroma and Fu were having a glaring contest in the background, and answered "That might be the case with the other Jinchuriki you were talking about, but my seal is pretty much just a containment of her soul in my mortal body, and a conduit between our chakra stores. No such failsafe is present on my seal." At Gai's questioning gaze Menma continued "Perhaps it is because I came in at the last minute, he had more time to create and acclimatize a seal for the first Jinchuriki and had no time to create one for me. Now let us return to reality, we still have the issue of our second mission."

As the room faded back into view Shibuki and Fu excused themselves, although the latter did so reluctantly, and sent in team Gai and team Ukei-ya. When everyone had settled down Gai began "Now, since the thirds law does not, technically apply here I will act as if it does and leave the matter to Menma-san. So it comes down to, do I and my team trust you three, even though you have withheld information. Personally, although I am wary of you three, you have not shown anything that would indicate true treason. I will not prevent you from making your cases." Menma then brought his hands down to his lap and said, in a small voice "I'm sorry… it's just that… in my old village I had always been the outcast because of the facial markings of my being a Jinchuriki… then after my house was burnt down and I had the burns, I hid behind these bandages even after I healed… they became a guard between me and this cruel world… then I heard about how Jinchuriki were treated so when we came here I decided not to tell anyone because…be-because." Here Menma looked up, Lee and Tenten gasped at what they saw and even Neji looked surprised. Menma had tears running down his face, fat droplets falling down to join their counterparts on his chin and drip onto his shaking hands. Menma continued in a shaky voice "I just wanted, even if it was only for a little while, to feel how it was to be normal. I apologize for deceiving you, and I would understand if you refused to let me work with you again. I earnestly await your decision." A long silence passed before a voice cut through "I believe we should allow them to work with us." All eyes widened and turned to the least likely occupant to say such a thing, Neji. He merely looked aside and said "It is not as if approve of them or anything, it is merely their fate to finish this mission. So let us get on with it." Lee immediately joined in and said "YOSH! I agree with my most youthful rival! If I cannot convince you of that then I shall do five-hundred one-handed pushups! And if I cannot do that, I shall do five-hundred squat thrusts! And if I cannot do that-" Tenten cut him off saying "While I don't agree with their reasoning, I do agree with their message, they should help us complete the mission." Gai meanwhile just grinned at his students before declaring "YOSH! Who am I to crush another's flames of youth! Let us go forth onto the unknown, for YOUTH!"

Everyone then left so Menma could have some rest, once the door closed Menma dropped his hands from his face, the only thing that could be seen from the shadows, caused by his hunching over, was a small smile. He then began to laugh, slowly rising up till he had to cover his mouth to muffle it. "I can't believe they bought that." He said to himself as he calmed down, he then heard in his mind "Of course they bought it, you even managed to trick that Jonin! But down to business, what do you plan on doing about that other Jinchuriki. I propose killing her at the first chance we can get." Menma started at that before chuckling and speaking to empty air "You mean Fu? No no, I have plans for her, did you see how she reacted when she caught me? She could be useful, besides most of the time you would tell me to manipulate, you're not jealous are you?" He could hear the voice continue "Of course I'm not jealous! Besides if you want to manipulate her that's your business, just remember . . In both this life…" she trailed off "And the next, yes I remember our souls are chained together." He finished although he could not keep the smile off his face as he said it.

Taki 8 P.M. 2 days later

Menma walked out of the hospital with a large stretch, having finally been discharged a few minutes ago. He then saw a flash of green dart around a corner, he smirked and created an Ishiki bushin to check in with his team and followed, acting as if he was taking a stroll around the village. He glanced around the various stalls and stores perusing their wares, while also keeping an eye on his unexpected tail. He continued his walk, going through the entire village until he finally came upon a cliff overlooking the entire village. "It's a beautiful view up here isn't it…Fu-chan?" he said as he turned his head to stare at a bush where Fu soon came out of chuckling nervously. Menma gestured for her to stand next to him and said "Look at them, going along with their days completely oblivious to the horrors that could be happening down the road. And when something does happen to them they claim to be in the wrong no matter what, even if that so called urchin only stole to feed his young child, who will now always wonder why his father abandoned him, if he does not starve. This is why humans disgust me." Fu glanced over toward him out of the corner of her eyes, with a brow raised she asked "You say that like you are not a human yourself?" Menma let out a small laugh and responded "Of course I'm not one of them, neither are you, they look down upon us, calling us less than human. Never knowing how wrong they truly they are, we are not less than human… we are MORE!" At his declaration Fu jumped and gaping turned to fully face him while Menma just continued staring at the village and began again. "Yes, we are greater than them, and they know this. These humans know we could slaughter them with but a thought, but we don't and that frightens them beyond measure. So instead of falling to their knees and thanking us for our benevolence, they instead attempt to degrade us below them so, to their infantile minds, it makes sense why we would not destroy them. Think of it Fu-chan, each of us could take down at least a thousand of them before they would bring us down, if all nine of us joined together how many could we take down?" Fu looked surprised at this, having been asked a question in the middle of what seemed to be a tirade, and responded "Um, nine thousand?" Menma chuckled and said "You would think so, but no, I believe we could take down so many more. You see I believe the abilities granted to us by our Bijuu allow us to work in tandem with each other. And that is the reason I came here…for you."

Fu seemed startled at this, and a little embarrassed if the blush on her face was any indication, and started to splutter denials before Menma turned to her and grabbed her hands in his. "I believe you are the one destined to be my partner Fu, and I yours." Menma then brought his head down, obscuring her view of his face, and said "Since I have moved a lot for most of my life with my sensei, I have not had much time to make many friends. So… Fu…" here Menma brought his head up, showing his eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Will you be my friend?" he asked in a small voice prompting Fu to grab him in a hug muttering "Yes" over and over. Over her shoulder, where she could not see, lay Menma's head and he was giving a large maniacal grin while imagining how he would be using his new piece to her best effectiveness.

Taki 8 A.M. one day later

Gai had gathered the two teams in front of him and said "YOSH! Alright my most youthful students we have located the bandits base of operations. I will head to the center of the camp and fight the leader, he is rumored to be a Jonin rank missing-nin from Iwa, while the rest of you will split up into teams of two and clear out the sides working your ways toward me. The teams will be Senshi and Lee, Ringo and Neji, and Menma and Tenten. Also Menma I'm sorry to say but, until we reach Konoha again you will be forbidden from using the…well…" As he trailed off he glanced toward his team wondering how to tell him without the others finding out, when Menma said "It's alright Gai-sensei, I had decided to tell them so, now they know." That had indeed been an event with Lee jumping at him, giving a bone-snapping hug proclaiming that his flames of youth were even brighter because of it. Neji had just commented that it was simply his fate to be burdened so, while Tenten had reprimanded him for being scared on how they would react and told him he shouldn't be relying on the demon at all so what did it matter. Gai meanwhile just smiled and said "I see, thank you for having fate in them Menma…kun."

They then took off for the bandit camp traveling in the same formation as when they came to Taki, finally arriving outside the clearing the camp was in ten hours later. The plan was for teams Neji and Lee to attack first since they had the frontline fighters, meanwhile Menma and Tenten would pool their chakra to create a wall of earth on the opposite end of the camp from them herding the rest toward them before meeting in the center with Gai. Currently Menma and Tenten were in the bushes, the signal for the beginning was Gai's battle cry and their signal was a flare from both sides. Hearing a cry of "Dynamic Entry!" Menma turned to Tenten and said "Is that how he always begins his fights?" Tenten just chuckled nervously and said "Ya, that's just how Gai-sensei acts." Seeing two flares fly up she said "Seems like that's our cue, ready?" at his nod they both began performing hand signs before placing their palms flat on the ground and calling out "Earth Release: Doryūheki!" Seeing the column of earth rise up on the other side of the camp the two Shinobi began their advance.

The first to notice them was a sub-commander, a skinny man with two Katana's strapped to his waist, seeing who was approaching he attempted to rally his men "Ha! Ya see who they sent ta try and get rid o' us? A bunch o' wet behind ta ears kids! C'mon the sooner we get rid o' these two, the sooner we can help ta baws-" his tirade abruptly ended when after turning and raising his swords, he was riddled with kunai and shuriken courtesy of one weapon mistress. Seeing this shattered what little morale the bandits had and they began to run around like chickens with their heads cut off. Tenten turned to Menma and said "Jeez this is so easy it's not even funny." Menma turned to her to respond when his eyes widened and he grabbed Tenten by the shoulders and rolled to the side, when she looked back a ball of compressed air landed where they just were, tearing everything to shreds.

Menma quickly said to her "You can repay me later." Before turning to their attackers, the one who had attacked was an older man who had a bald head and a long beard, the other was closer to their ages, a young man with brown hair and a face that gave Menma a grave sense of Deja-vu. Menma turned to Tenten and said "You take on the old man, I'll take his friend." At her questioning look he continued "He used a wind release jutsu, I use lightning release, he would beat me no problem. The only way we have any chance is if we do it this way ready?" she nodded and he said "good luck." And dashed toward the young man.

He quickly dashed across the pair throwing kunai at the younger to get his attention, Menma lead him to a cooking area and turned and got ready to fight. The kid gave a cocky smile and said "I was hoping you would try to fight me, this way I can get revenge for what you did to Akihiro-nee." Menma raised an eyebrow at that and said "Akihiro? Oh yes, he was that fool who I killed when he tried to take the caravan. So you're the fool's brother? It seems I will have to destroy the whole family at this rate." The boy now had tears in his eyes and yelled "You think you're so strong?! You only killed Akihiro-nee because you caught him off guard! Now I, Aisoku Sakayama, will be your death! Let us fight, Earth Release: Kengan no Jutsu!" rocks rose up and covered Aisoku's arm, he then ran and attempted to punch Menma , who at the very last second jumped away and said "Too slow!". Aisoku continued to chase and attempt to punch Menma, who only ever responded with mocking statements, for several minutes before finally reaching his limit and yelling out "Stand and fight like a man, coward!" Menma merely laughed and said "But if I'm a coward, why should I fight like a man? Besides it's more fun like this!" Menma then jumped down on the other side of the area and called out "But I guess I should put an end to your mourning now, huh? Very well than, we will each use only one technique whoever wins lives agreed?" Aisoku smirked and popped a soldier pill into his mouth and said "Ha, your mistake. You see… I DON'T CARE IF I DIE AS LONG AS YOU DO AS WELL! WATER RELEASE: Kamikiri!" A jet of water was then shot at Menma who was shocked at the fact one so young could use such a technique, he was then flown off into a heap with other debris. Aisoku saw Menma in a heap, not breathing, and had a small smile, he had finally avenged his Nee-sama. He was very surprised to see a plume of smoke and a bandits body take Menma's place, this was the last thing he saw before a kunai flew through his head thus ending his life.

Menma then went over and met with Tenten who was standing over the old man's body with a cherry red face, the man did not seem to be dead, but rather unconscious with a huge smile on his face. At Menma's inquisitive gaze she merely muttered "Don't ask." And walked away talking about pervy old men, Menma's eyes grew distant, he turned to the old man on the ground and said "Might as well end the cycle of revenge right here." A simple kunai dropped ended his long life. They then moved onto the center, most of the bandits leaving during their respective fights. They came upon Gai standing over his opponent with the other members sitting near-by eating from the bandits supply. "Yosh! I am glad you have joined us, we have finished clearing out the camp. Now it is time for us to set back for Taki, we will have a break for a week before returning for the Chunin Exams. Now let us be off!"

Authors Note: So…yeah… this is a teensy bit late… just a little. So I'm really sorry for taking so long but in exchange here is an extremely long chapter, in comparison at least. So now to talk about what happened, so Kuroma actually went through several stages, the first was a demure, subservient girl, to counter Kurama's obtuse nature. The name was, at first, just a pun for the name since the other Kurama was black so it made sense, but apparently Kurama means nine lama, which from what I researched, is a level a monk can obtain in Buddhism so Kuroma means black lama. Also I have a poll up on my profile in weather or not I should begin another story now or later, some ideas are on my profile or if you have any you would like to see send them to me and I'll see if I can do it. Also this will be done in the reviews, I want to know what kind of relationship you want Menma to have in this I have three options 1. One mutual romance, one one-sided 2. Two mutual romances 3. Harem. Normally I would not do a harem but I felt the need to at least place it as an option. Once again this will be done in the reviews , so if you have any questions comments or just want to say hi.

So until then, Stay classy Internet.