Immortal Phoenix

Author: The Phoenix is Immortal

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto nor am I making any profit from this work. I do own my own original character.

Chapter 7: Fixing the Problem

There was a chance that this was still salvageable. If Naruto did not say anything else, maybe wrinkly human would believe that he was lying if I did not say anything. I wanted to peck Naruto, but that would draw attention to me. So I could only hope. Please do not say anything else, you midget human. I could only think that though, not tell him. Do not say anything else, do not-

"And he's a phoenix!"

Failure. My hopes were a definite failure. Of course it would be. Oh why did I forget to tell Naruto that he should not tell any humans about me? This was the last time that I would assume the human midget child Naruto knew anything.

I could see wrinkly human's eyes widen. I will assume that it was in recognition. He probably knew about phoenixes. He could have heard the numerous legends about us, which also come with our descriptions. In other words, wrinkly human knew what I was without a doubt now. I would not be able to pretend that I was just a really beautiful, but normal bird. Wonderful. I had not even been here for a day, and things were not going the way they were supposed to.

"A phoenix…" Wrinkly humans was in shock now. His mouth was hanging open. Some moments passed. Then, "What is a phoenix doing here?" This was said really loudly, in surprise, I think. He definitely knew more about us then little Naruto, who did not even realize what the word "phoenix" meant.

The wrinkly human looked at me some more. Moments passed. I opted not to talk. "Naruto, where did you find it?"

Now, I was insulted. I had a name, of which Naruto so nicely provided to wrinkly human. And I was most definitely not an it. So I said so.

He knew I was a phoenix anyway. I would have to resolve this matter myself. "What? I would have you know that I have a name." Fine if I sounded…not very nice. I was not happy, so I could do that. Because my pride had been hurt.

Now wrinkly human's mouth fell open again. I think it was at the fact that I had talked. Then, "Oh, I'm sorry. Akarui-san, was it?" Oh, the human remembered. I felt better after that.

"Yes it is." Now I was curious. I wanted to know what the object on his head was. "What is on your head?" And knowing his gender would be nice to. "And are you a male or a female human?"

At this, the wrinkly human's mouth fell open again. It did that a lot. It opened and closed, but wrinkly humans still did not say anything. Then, an odd strange came out of him. Was he…not doing well or something? Maybe he could not cope? He sounded fine before. He wheezed to a stop, from whatever sound he had been making before.

"The object on my head is called a hat." So that triangular-ish object was a hat? "And I am a male." So now his gender was confirmed.

Then I realized that my curiosity had sidetracked me. "So…" I directed this at wrinkly human. I was still perched on Naruto's shoulder, though. "We need to talk." Yes, we did. There was the matter that he knew about me and the matter of where Naruto was supposed to stay.

"Yes, yes. We can talk in my office." He walked back in the direction he had come from. Naruto, who had been confused at our earlier conversation, due to not knowing what a phoenix was, still followed without me asking. We reached a door, and we entered.

Wrinkly human sat behind the table. Naruto went to sit in a …chair. I think it was called a chair. Apparently humans needed them to sit in. The chair was in front of the table.

I jumped on the table in front of the wrinkly human. For added emphasis on what I was going to say, I enlarged myself from my sparrow size to my bird of prey size. The wrinkly human looked surprised at this. He would probably be surprised at everything I do, judging by his reactions so far.

I started to talk. "So now that you know about, me, I request that you tell no one. This goes for Naruto, also. I do not want too much humans to know about me yet." Naruto nodded, I think he knew I was serious.

The wrinkly human examined me. "Then in return, I want to make sure that you will do no harm to this village."

"What do you take me for? It would not do to destroy the village if you are trying to learn about it." I meant no harm to this village. I just wanted to study, explore and learn. That was my purpose in this world. If I wanted to destroy something, I could have just stayed in Makai. "I will not do any harm to this village."

I did not say anything about the humans. Especially the ones that would chase Naruto. To me, the humans and the village were two different things.

The wrinkly human just sat there. I think he was thinking. I hoped he believed me. I would rather not have to leave because the humans in this village became hostile to me. For one thing, I enjoyed learning about it, and for another, being around Naruto was an…interesting experience. Even if the midget human could not keep his mouth shut. Another reason to stick near him, to keep an eye on him and make sure that he would not tell any other humans about me. Or was that an excuse to stay near him? I was not sure.

"That is acceptable." I was relieved, since he would not tell any other human about me.

"You should talk to Naruto." Yes, Naruto was the one in trouble now, having no place to stay and all.

The wrinkly human turned to Naruto. "So how have you been, Naruto?" He said that in a kindly matter. He really did seem to care for the child human.

Naruto fidgeted, shifting from one foot to the other an pulling at his shirt. "Um…fine, I guess. Except…" He stopped there. Why did he not want to continue?

"Except for what?" The wrinkly human seemed curious now, but he still spoke with a kindly voice.

"The orphanage kicked me out, and told me not to come back." This was said in such a rush that I could barely understand it.

"Yes, that was the original reason for our visit," I told wrinkly human. "And Naruto said that you would be able to help."

The wrinkly human looked furious. Or it seemed like a really displease expression anyway. I guessed that he was mad. The expression resembled Matron human's before that human told Naruto to leave. Though I believe wrinkly human's expression was due to the at the mention of the orphanage, what did Naruto say? Oh, "kicking him out." I do not think that Wrinkly human wanted to "kick" out Naruto from his…office.

"The orphanage kicked you out!" Yes, wrinkly human was mad. He twitched, then sighed and pulled out a brown object from his table and place the tip of it in his mouth. He lit the other end and smoke started to come out. Humans do such strange things.

He sat, thinking. I hoped that he was thinking of getting rid of Matron human. I did not like that Matron human.

He should also know that Naruto did not like orphanages. I knew that, and I had known Naruto for a much shorter time. Wrinkly human seemed to have known him for much longer then I have. I wondered what he would do.

"Well, then Naruto, I could give you your own apartment, but you would be by yourself. Is that fine with you?" I guessed that wrinkly human knew that no human in this village wanted to take care of him, if the orphanage did not.

Naruto jumped up and down. At least this time, I was not on his shoulder, but the table. "Yay! I could get my own apartment? Can I?" He wanted it then. I think it would be better for him then the orphanage anyway. He did not have to yell though…My poor abused ears…Then Naruto spoke again. "Besides, I wouldn't be alone! Akarui's with me, right?"

He looked at me hopefully. He wanted me to say "yes." I did not disappoint. "Of course."

This human was just too likable. I did not want to let him down. Also, if he had his own…apartment, which I guessed was some kind of living space for humans, I could worry less about being found out. Being found out was at a greater risk in the orphanage then in any private space. There was more chances of being found out if there were more people around me.

I could also practice my human form there, in privacy, where it was more discreet. I still could not figure out how to talk in that form, having only taken it once.

While Naruto bounced up and down, apparently in happiness, wrinkly human made the odd sound again. What was that sound? Oh well, I would try to find out later.

"I'll take that as a 'yes' then," said wrinkly human, after he finally stopped making that strange sound. Then, "Naruto, would you please step out of this room? Only for a little while. I would like to speak to Akarui-san."

The wrinkly human wanted to talk to me? About what? Maybe this would be the continuation of our earlier conversation?

Naruto complied with wrinkly human's request. After Naruto was gone, wrinkly human looked at me. I could not tell what expression was on his face. And I thought I had gotten good at that. "Akarui-san, do you care for Naruto?"

I was surprised he asked me such a question. I thought about it. I did care for the midget human. He was only a child, but he was a likeable one. So I told the truth. "Of course I do, why else would I stay around him so much?"

"I see." The wrinkly human's expression seemed to soften. He really did care for Naruto, did he not? "Then, please continue to do so. He needs a friend." He did, indeed. Wrinkled human continued. "I will let you stay in this village, on the conditions that you do not harm it, and that you remain a friend to Naruto."

Those were the conditions? Acceptable. One of them I would make sure to keep. The other, I intended to keep. "Consider it done." I believe that the fact that I knew Naruto and…cared for him had affected wrinkled human's judgment, if only a little.

I had also realized that wrinkled human was not just Naruto's ojii-san, but an important figure in the village also. Perhaps a leader of some sort? He must be, in order to have the authority to officially allow me into this village. "Are we finished? Then, you should call Naruto back."

Wrinkled human did so. Naruto, still happy, bounded in. Extremely hyperactive kid. "Naruto, I will show you to your new apartment."

"Really? Yay! I get an apartment! Believe it!" Naruto yelled this. My ears will get damaged at this rate…

I flew back onto Naruto's shoulder, back at my sparrow size, as wrinkly human opened the door and led Naruto out. We passed the receptionist human as we headed toward the exit of the tower. We were soon out the door and back outside.

Outside, it was already night time. Humans were still out walking about and I could notice some humans jumping from rooftop to rooftop. I had not noticed them before. I had never looked up on top of the buildings, just the buildings themselves. Humans were indeed interesting.

The darkness of the night was not a barrier to me. I could still see just fine. Was it a barrier to humans? Could they see in the dark? I would have to see.

Wrinkly human led us down some streets. He took several turns as we went on. We just kept walking, following him.

Wrinkly human finally stopped at one of the buildings. "This is where you apartment is," said wrinkly human.

Naruto stared at it. Then he said, "Can I go in? Can I go in?" Excited was he not? Wrinkly human withdrew an object from somewhere inside his white clothes and inserted that object into a slot in the door. That object must unlock the door.

"What is that?" I wanted to know the name of the object.

"This? This is a key, it can only unlock this door though." A key? If I ever used my human form, I would need one, right? Wrinkly human then turned to Naruto. "Here, this is the key to your apartment. Don't lose it. And yes, you can go in."

Naruto jumped in, exploring his new…apartment. I decided to ask wrinkly human for one of those…keys. "One of those keys…can I have one? I would need one if I ever get locked out."

"But how would you insert it in the slot? You would need hands." He had to ask that.

"I have my ways." Right now, I did not want wrinkly human to know I had a human form. I was still not familiar with it.

At my answer, the wrinkled human did not say anything, but he held out a key. Good, he had an extra one. I had to enlarge myself to be able to lift it though. I did so and grabbed it with a talon, careful not to scratch wrinkly human and then I flew into the apartment.

Wrinkly human then called into the apartment. "I'm leaving now, Naruto. I hope you enjoy your new apartment."

"Bye, Ojii-san!" Naruto came out of one of the rooms to bid wrinkly human goodbye. I said goodbye also. Wrinkly human then told me it had been nice to meet me.

After he left, I turned my attention to the apartment. I wanted to look around. The apartment was divided into several rooms. One room had a bed and a few cabinets. There was another room that seemed to be used for preparing food. It also had a table and a chair in it. And another had a mirror, along with a strange white porcelain objects in it. The room with a bed in it also had a door that led to an area that hung outside above the ground, but had black bars around it. To prevent humans from falling I think.

Now, Naruto was just jumping around gleefully. He was obviously happy. I asked him about the various objects around the house until I knew the names of everything. Like the…balcony. It was the area that hung outside above the ground. The bars of the balcony would be nice to perch on.

I turned to Naruto. "I am tired now, I am going to sleep." I decided to perch on one of the small cabinet things in the room with the bed in it.

"Me too…Good night Akarui! Thanks for being my friend."'

When had he dropped the "san"? Oh, well, it did not matter. "Good night to you, Naruto." I had grown attached to this little human.

Author's note: Chapter 7 done! Oh, and that "odd sound the wrinkly human" was making was laughter.

So Naruto got his own apartment, and from here on out, it will probably be starting to gain more momentum, not like how these last chapters chronicled only one day. The next few chapters will probably chronicle several days in one chapter, that's what I mean. I will have a few chapters dedicated to the time between now and the graduation though, so no worries. But really, not much action until Naruto's genin days. That's all I wanted to say.