Moon Lit Past

Written By: Matdeception

Disclaimer: Stop! Disclaimer time!

Chapter 3.5B Naruto's Intermission

Arc: Setting the Stage, Year 6

Tsunade didn't expect to survive her vengeance, didn't expect for an ostracized six year old boy to somehow come to her rescue, and in hindsight she really didn't expect him to have some kind of plan for peace. In her defense she was exhausted, Sarutobi hadn't been a walk in the park by any means, her emotions up to and shortly after his death were running on high octane before sputtering and dying as she resigned herself to fate. That little kiss on her forehead had nothing to do with it, at all!

"Tsunade, you're staring." her savior intoned softly.

"And you're freaking flying!" The Slug Sannin snapped, not quite able to come to terms with the six year old floating up near the roof in an upside down lotus position.

"I'm not flying." he shrugged slightly, "Merely stretching my chakra and becoming one with the pure world that flutters within the air."

"Oh?" Tsunade rolled her eyes, "Yeah, that makes so much sense."

"Over a thousand years ago the very idea of Chakra was but a pipe dream for most." he lowered himself to the floor of their refuge, silvery-eyes crinkled in amusement, "And yet now everyone wields it like a toy made for their own personal amusement."

Tsunade grunted, conceding the point with a slight nod. "You're saying I'm too stupid to understand, aren't you?"

"No need to be defensive, Tsunade." he smiled lightly, "I did not lie to you, now that we are safe I will answer your questions." he tilted his head slightly, "You just need to ask."

"Okay." The Older Woman frowned, "Let's start from the top; Prodigy or not, the way you're using chakra... I've never even dreamed of it before, so how the hell does a six year old come across it?"

Naruto frowned thoughtfully, "It's a long story."

"Welp good thing I'm now a missing-nin, we tend to have all the time in the world between dodging hunters and assassination squads." The Slug Sannin returned playfully - Something about admitting it just seemed to tickle her, she almost felt like an animal that had finally gotten out of the leash and promptly gotten lost in the great wide world, completely unsure of what to do.

"Very well." he shrugged, "Do you believe in reincarnation?"

Tsunade frowned at that. The mere question brought up scenarios and possibilities in her head at just what kind of story he was going to tell her, not to mention various medications for INSANITY she would prescribe to him. "I... am a doctor, a woman of knowledge, if there is no evidence to suggest the possibility then we automatically assume it doesn't exist."

"Amusing, considering Hashirama Senju was the transmigrant of Asura Otsutsuki, the second born son of the Rikudo Sennin as the myths describe him." Naruto shot back.

"First, what's a transmigrant?"

"A Transmigrant is a person, an idea, a concept, or a belief that resonated so brightly during a persons life that upon their death that part of their soul refuses to return to the pure earth, forever continuing a cycle of rebirth and death until they achieve the goal they set out in life." he explained neutrally, as if he was reading from a text, "A good example would be Indra and Asura. Asura believed in peace through compassion and love, while Indra believed in peace through power to make all others bow before them." he smiled blankly, "They were, of course, both wrong and right."

"Okay." Tsunade returned dumbly, "I, uh, really don't think there's enough sake in the world to make this make sense."

"It is simply a way of looking at the world, at chakra, that you have never done before." The silver-eyed boy smiled, "I told you I would tell you the truth, I never promised clarity."

"Seems like a bunch of bullshit to me." Tsunade countered.

"What do you think chakra is?" Naruto riposted evenly.

"Physical and spiritual combination that is used in all schools of combat, Tai, Nin, Gen, Fuin, Iryo, ect ect." Now it was her turn to recite information verbatim.

"It's true." Naruto nodded, "And completely wrong. Chakra is everything Tsunade. It's your breath, it's your memory, it's your life, it's your soul. Name it and I can guarantee you Chakra is some how a part of that too."

"Alright, alright!" Tsunade snapped tiredly, "I don't get it, frankly I think you're bonkers, but continue your story."

"It's like I'm trying to teach my brats how to walk again." the silvery-blond sighed. "Anyway, I only mentioned Indra and Asura because they were the ones you were most likely to recognize, considering your grand-father was the Transmigrant of Asura, and his nemesis, Uchiha Madara was the transmigrant for Indra." he shrugged at her thunderstruck look, "The two brothers have continued their eternal struggle against each other even in death, and that plays out and will continue to play out until one of the other truly succeeds in what they desired. Peace."

"But... you said their peace was right and wrong." The Blond shot back, "If their peace is wrong, then that implies they can never truly succeed?"

"Forgive me, I should have clarified." Naruto sighed tiredly, "I said they were both wrong and both right. Having the power to enforce peace is meaningless with out compassion and love to govern justly, or revolution becomes the inevitability. Likewise, governing with compassion and love but no means to stop conflict will inevitably lead to war. You have to have both power and compassion to attain true peace."

"Sounds like a pipe dream to me." she decided to be brutally honest in her opinion.

"It was for a lot of people two thousand years ago." Naruto admitted with a despondent tone, "Yet it was achieved."

"Oh?" Tsunade snorted, "If your true peace was achieved, how did it break?"

"Betrayal." the boy growled angrily, "The one this world knows as the Rikudo Sennin was one of two children born to the Heralds of Peace. Myth and History alike tells us the Rikudo Sennin brought chakra to the world and spread it among humans, but as we both know history is written by the victors. The Rikudo Sennin was not the progenitor of chakra, it was his mother and her Beloved."

"Yeah, now we're getting into some really mythical bullshit here."

Naruto sighed, "Very well, too far fetched for you to believe. Long story short, I'm the reincarnated husband to a betrayed wife, the first to be granted and unlock their chakra. I was betrayed and murdered by my children, Hagoromo, also known as the Rikudo Sennin, and his brother Hamura. They tore my power from my soul and used it to imprison my wife and then later to restart the cycle of war."

"Restart the cycle of war?"

"What do you think happened when this Sennin of legend walked the earth and began handing chakra to humans?" Naruto grumped, "With the Heralds of Peace gone the Power in my equation of peace was lost. Compassion and understanding lasted only for so long, and as Chakra spread across the world people inevitably found ways to use it to enforce their will on others. A person dead here, a person dead there, Clans forming and rivalries festering, it only took a moment before the fighting began anew." he gazed at her pointedly, "Or have we forgotten the Clan Wars that raged for so long prior to the founding of the Hidden Villages?"

"I haven't." The Medic scowled, "It's just... this is too ridiculous! It doesn't make sense, how can you expect me to believe it?!"

"I require you to do nothing, least of all believe." Naruto returned simply. "I gave you my word, and I am honoring it in hopes of saving you."

"Saving me?" Tsunade snorted, "You already did that, remember? Plucked me right from Konoha."

"I can move you, I can take you to the ends of the earth and back, but I can't fill the shell you have become." The silvery-blond hummed, "Only a higher purpose, one for the benefit of all those who suffer under the cruel fate of this impure world can fill that void."

"Pure world, impure world, transmigrants, Heralds and whack job chakra sermons!" Tsunade spat, "None of this makes any sense!"

Naruto frowned, silent for a time in deep thought. His eyes hardened as he spoke, "Place your hands upon my head."

"The hell for?" Tsunade shot back even as she shuffled close to the boy. She really didn't believe any of this horse shit, but was still pleasantly unbalanced from all the recent ups and downs that she didn't much care.

"You do not understand, you refuse to even consider." He explained slowly, "Then I remembered; The first step to truth isn't taken because some one tells you too, but because you catch a glimpse of it and demand to know more." he stared into her hazel brown eyes pointedly, "Place your hands on my head, and discover what it means to understand chakra for only a moment."

"You aren't on any hallucinogens are you?" she asked jokingly as she put her hands on his head, "Cause seriously, kid, you sound like an utter whaaaaaaaaa..." Tsunade froze as her entire world shattered, his chakra merely fluttering against hers and yet completely destroying the way she viewed the world. Chakra as life, as a thought, as a clenched fist and the spoken word. It was up, it was down, it was side by side and far and wide. A persons perception, a belief, a shuddering moan, creation and destruction and time ticking and...

Naruto pulled away, and in that moment Tsunade realized she felt nothing but complete and utter LOSS at having her mind exposed to the eternity he wielded simply because he made it so. The boy took to his feet, stretching even as she weakly reached out to grab him. She wanted to taste that again, feel that... that... omnipotence of perspective. "What... why?" she whimpered.

"Because this world is wretched, because I believe you are strong enough to stand up and change it for the innocent and those sacrificed upon the altar of War." Naruto returned softly.

"Why me?" she couldn't understand it. If he had that kind of power bundled up within him... surely he could force everyone to bow to his wishes? Certainly he could end this endless age of sacrifice and slaughter?

"Because in the end, I am only half of the equation." The Transmigrant sighed, "Power and Compassion. My role was never power. I was the observer, the one who taught people the joy of love and the misery of sinning. And when I fail, then the one who holds the power steps in to enforce peace." he stared up at the ceiling in thought, eyes unfocused, "Unless this world can free the Herald, or raise another in her place, there will never be peace." he glanced back at the un-moving woman staring blankly at the floor. "Only with purpose can you, an empty shell, find the peace and joy you crave. Think on it, Tsunade."

"You have exposed the White Zetsu!" his Sochi snarled, glaring angrily, eye alight with menace.

"Oh?" Naruto blinked, "How did I do that, Sochi?"

"Breaking into a electronically recorded room, allowing him to be taped, exposing him to the Konoha forces just to rescue a foolish woman you fancy for her disgusting looks?" Black Zetsu roared in rage. If Naruto didn't know for a fact he could obliterate him, he wouldn't doubt his Sochi would be attacking him right this moment.

"That is... quite a lie." Naruto groaned, "First, as far as whatever this 'recorded' thing is you're speaking about, I had nothing to do with it. I had sent the White Zetsu ahead weeks before to survey the area and inform me of the dangers. If even the dolls didn't discover it, I don't see why you'd think I would the first time I enter a room."

"You... sent the White Zetsu to scout?" Black Zetsu scowled, "And they made no mention of it?"

"Uh oh!" The White Zetsu his son was currently latched onto looked scandalized, "Don't tell me we're getting jealous and trying to mess things up for you and father! That's so mean!" From the way he said it this sounded like a reoccurring problem.

Naruto thoughtfully decided he was creeped out by seeing his son merged with those useless pieces of shit White Zetsu's. "As for the foolish woman I fancied for her disgusting looks, I wouldn't have even considered saving her if the White Zetsu's hadn't suggested she'd be useful to your plan to restore your mother." he frowned, "I hope he wasn't lying, I've been working on swaying her to the path of peace and I really don't want my efforts to be wasted like that."

Black Zetsu shifted a bit, agitated and furious, but Naruto could tell it wasn't at him now. "It seems I've been... misinformed."

"Mah." Naruto waved it off, "No harm Sochi. There's a reason I generally hate White Zetsu, and this is just one of them."

His Sochi's little hanger-on pouted, "Hey, we're not all bad."

"But you are all annoying." The silvery-blond shot right back.

"I will... punish them for this." His Sochi sighed, "As for this Sannin... at the moment, she is useless. The Organization I'm forming that will capture the Shinjuu shards is still in it's infancy. Once Hanzo the Salamander is dead we'll begin active recruitment, and at that time she may find use in the plan with Akatsuki." Black Zetsu frowned tiredly, "Still so much work to do."

"Hey." Naruto walked up and pinched his cheek, "You turn that frown upside down! You're busy, I get it, lots of stuff going on. But Sochi, remember, even our beloved Kaguya took breaks to enjoy the love of her family. I know until now you've had no true family but..." he smiled brightly, "...I'm here for you son, even if you just want to talk about the weather, or rant and rave about what stupid shit the White Zetsu have gotten involved in now."

Black Zetsu chuckled, smiling that utterly monstrous smile that was beautiful only to Naruto. "It will take some getting use to, father. But I will... try."

It was a start, and they still had years to build upon it.

Naruto stared up at the gigantic cage in amusement. His prisoner, the Shinjuu shard glaring down at him with absolute fury and hatred did nothing but tickle him. For all the Bijuu's posturing, for all his intimidating might, he was little more then a lost child birthed by a wretched boy and his stupidity. Hardly an innocent by his actions, yet an innocent by birth. He doubted these so called Bijuu had any choice in the mater.

"So... you are this Kyuubi I've heard so much about." he began with a smile, no reason to be impolite just yet.

Kyuubi snarled angrily, "Why have you come here?! To gloat? To piss and preen and insult my father?"

"Ah yes, your father." he sighed ruefully, "I must say I am quite... irritated by that boys foolishness. To think he would take the Shinjuu, break it apart like so much meat, wrap them all up in nice little packages and then give birth to you." he frowned, "Just in time for him to die and leave you in misery. If ever I see my son again we will be having... words."

"You know nothing of him." Kyuubi glared, "He was kindness. He gave us life, purpose, freedom. You are just a relic of a failed age."

"Oh?" Naruto blinked, "What kindness to let you loose in a world consumed by the power mad. What life you live consumed by your petty hatred and rage. What purpose do you serve, truly? You are the personification of hatred in this world, the very identity of the menace that causes all to suffer. Yet, what freedom can you claim now? Bound by your hatred since your birth, you are now bound by the very power your Father stole from his parents and handed to your jailers as if he were handing sweets to a ravenous child."

"Humans have perverted his teachings." Kyuubi allowed grudgingly, "Humans are flawed, they have brought this ruin down upon us all. That is no fault of the Sage, merely his naive belief they were worth the effort."

"Ha! HAHAH!" the silvery-blond laughed, "Amazing. Humans are flawed? Indeed we are." he practically leered at the beast behind the cage, "Did you know Hagomoro is, at base, human? His mother was human before being empowered with Chakra. I was human before she shared her fruit to save my life. You judge the very beings that gave birth to your precious Rikudo Sennin, yet hold him up on a pedestal and ignore his failings." he laughed, "My, I never thought a piece of the Shinjuu would ever be so blinded by hypocrisy."

Kyuubi glared, it's anger rising up in a wave of blinding Chakra. He roared at his jailer, unable to contain its hatred at having the only being who ever loved them insulted and ridiculed.

"Ah, there it is." Naruto raised his hand and pulled at the angry Bijuu chakra the Kyuubi had been percolating in his rage. He grinned nastily as he absorbed the chakra into his body. "Thank you, I found myself in need of some extremely strong Yang chakra and figured, hell, there is a piece of the Shinjuu inside of me. Why not?"

"You... angered me to steal my chakra?" Kyuubi didn't know whether to laugh at the irony of it all or cry. After all, the best means he had ever found to take over his hosts was to play to their anger, and here the table had been turned!

"Of course." Naruto shrugged, "What? Did you really think I'd come down here and poke the child of my son because I felt some petty need for vengeance?" He snorted, "Even if I did, I would not target you with it. You are innocent of his crimes against me, misunderstood because you are something no one has bothered trying to understand." he smiled sadly, "I'd be a terrible Pillar of Compassion if I didn't recognize this."

Kyuubi swirled his tails around, agitated. He just couldn't understand the entity before him, and frankly right now he didn't even want to try.

Naruto opened his eyes slowly, gazing at the full moon overhead, it's gentle caress reminding him of the love he shared with his Princess. Time... it was only a matter of time until they found a way to free her, of their Sochi's quest to reach fruition. Even now he was preparing for his own role in it, utilizing the Shinjuu's Yang chakra to take care of his physical conditioning, to advanced the body in time before he locked its growth.

"I'm leaving."

"Oh?" Naruto glanced back at the Sannin, silver-blue eyes staring intently into her own hazel.

Tsunade smiled weakly, "I've... considered what you showed me. It is something I want, something I need but..."

"You can't commit until the one you cherish most is free." The Silvery-blond nodded knowingly. "Yet... you fear you'll never again be given my offer?"

"I don't know how you do it." the Slug Sannin breathed, "To just look at me and see through my fears and desires."

"It's because I was once like you." he smiled wanly, "There was a time where I nearly threw everything I was away to see my Beloved safe." he sighed, "You see, in that time of war and blood, my Beloved was a Princess. Not typical of nobility in any day and age, she refused to turn her gaze from the endless suffering and deluge of blood. Refused to ignore the innocent suffering so that she might live the cherished life of comfort and protection."

"What happened?"

"My Beloved merely decided 'No more'. She swore to journey, to find the power to end the killing, and she spoke with such belief we... nine of us, guardians, we followed her with out hesitation." he chuckled sadly, "Through war torn lands we traveled, six of us falling to battle, to our eternal oath to protect her dream. And yet as we neared our destination... we were betrayed."

"Betrayed?" Tsunade gently prompted.

"Only three guardians remained." Naruto spoke slowly, an echo of heartache in his tone, "Kaizen and Kaiza, twin brothers and very skilled in swordplay, and of course myself. I was so blinded by my belief in the Princess that I failed to see the treason that erupted in their hearts." he glanced at the Sannin sadly, "The question, it started as a whisper, grew into a murmur, until all they could hear was the terrible question; Why should she gain the power we seek?

"They... tried to kill her, didn't they?"

"Yes." Naruto nodded slowly. "They attacked her in her tent, yet were not aware that she and I had... become close. When they stabbed their swords into the bed they pierced not her flesh, but mine. Yet even wounded I recognized their attempt to murder the one person I cared about more then myself. So I killed them, tore them to pieces, kept her safe."

"How badly were you wounded?" Tsunade frowned thoughtfully.

"I shouldn't have lived more then a couple of hours." Naruto returned honestly. "I told my Beloved, begged her even, to leave me behind and get to the Fruit that would give her the power to bring peace to the world. And you know what she did?"

"I'm sensing a not so tragic end, since you apparently survived." The Sannin grinned, "Romantic though, I'll give you that."

Naruto snorted. "Yes, well, I suppose it is. My Beloved told me no, never. We would both reach the goal or she would gladly leave this world in the dark wretched cycle it had fallen into. At that moment, in our search for peace and understanding, we realized that with out those we cherish we would inevitably falter. She firmly believed if she had left me behind to die she would have gained the power, brought peace, only to eventually lose herself to her power because with out me... there was no point. There was no balance. There was simply nothing to live for."

"I see." Tsunade hummed softly, "And you see yourself in me? Unwilling to leave my loved one alone out there?"

"I see someone who wants to bring true peace to the world, but knows with out some one to fight for, with out some one to live for, that even should peace be obtained it would be nothing but a hollow and pointless victory for you." he smiled cheekily, "In you I see both myself, and my Beloved. Two sides of the same coin, very beautiful if I do say so myself."

"Pfft!" the Slug Sannin snorted, "Shameless flirting will get you in trouble one day little boy."

"Moh, don't say that!" Naruto flailed his arms, "If my Beloved heard that she'd..."

"Relax." Tsunade snorted as she hopped to her feet. "I'm just teasing. Whoever this beloved of yours is, well, looks like she knew how to pick a worthy man." she frowned, "Even if you are a bit of a midget."

"I could say something here, but I think I'll just quiet while I'm ahead." the silvery-blond chuckled.

"And a man who knows when to give up?" Tsunade laughed, "Oh, the jealousy I feel is ridiculous." she shook her head as she took off, "Stay in touch kid, we'll see each other again."

"Looking forward to it." Naruto watched after the retreating Sannin until she vanished from view, returning his eyes to the moon. "Are you feeling better, Ka-hime? Are the anchors feeding you as I hoped?"

He received no response. Not that he expected any just yet, but with the anchors... yes, soon he'd be able to communicate with his beloved whenever they wished to speak. It was just a matter of time and power, and he had plenty of both.

AN: And that concludes Naruto's intermission. It hits upon several topics, provides a little back story here and there, introduces the concept of Power and Compassion to obtain peace, ect. Tsunade is out of Naruto's hair for now, but she'll be back. I'm almost fairly certain she'll be showing up in the last Intermission chapter, probably during the Orochimaru segment.

Anyway, one more chapter after this and the first arc is done, the second picking up when Naruto turns 9. Peace.