Authors Note: I want to say thanks to everyone who took the time to tell me how they felt about the story so far. I have enjoyed reading all of your comments and am glad that you like it. Now to answer the question I get the most, Gaara will return to the story in the next chapter and that's when things really get going. So sit tight and enjoy this chapter.
Chapter 4: Past, Present and Future
Naruto was exhausted when he finally got home. He had enough energy left to kick off his shoes, toss his jacket on the ground, and fall into bed. He was fast asleep before his head hit the pillow. It had been all the work he put into learning the Shadow Clone Jutsu. That's why during his fight with Mizuki he had to use the Nine-Tails chakra in its pure state.
Normally the Foxes chakra mixed with his own chakra, but he had used it all up training. Naruto never liked having to use the Foxes power in its pure form. While the feeling of such great power was exhilarating, and he thought the physical transformations were really cool, he knew it was not his own. Not yet any how. Not until their powers had fully merged would it truly be his. Until then using it meant he was not strong enough yet.
The morning came streaming through the windows of Narutos small apartment. He woke up feeling refreshed. He stared at the ceiling for a while. He was not thinking just staring at the ceiling enjoying the quiet of the morning. The Fox was sleeping now. She always stayed awake while Naruto slept. The only way he could sleep soundly was with her keeping watch. He was not sure how she did it but somehow she kept him safe.
5 Years Ago
Young Naruto had stayed out far too late. The Third had lectured him many times about staying out late. That it was not safe. Naruto never really bothered to listen. He walked down the streets of the village making his way home. He didn't notice the couple of drunks that had been out looking for trouble. They saw him thou.
The two drunks followed Naruto. They slowly moved closer and closer to Naruto and he was getting nervous. The villagers had always called him names and made scary faces at him but none had actually tried to physically hurt him. That's when a rock hit Naruto in the back of the head and then a glass bottle flew past as well missing him by a few inches.
"Hey kid," the shorter of the two said. "It's dangerous to be out at night."
"That right," the other one cut it. "Bad things could happen to someone like you. It's not a safe neighborhood. But I guess for a demon brat no place is safe."
The short one threw another bottle. It missed. Naruto didn't say anything to them. He was too scared. When the bottle broke on the ground he turned and ran. The two drunks chased after.
Naruto was panicking. They were going to hurt him and he knew it. As they ran after him they taunted him and called him names. He couldn't get their voices out of his head and he got lost in the dark. Tears streamed down his face and blurred his vision. He made a wrong turn and came to a dead end. He turned to face them just as another rock hit him hard in the head. His world became fuzzy then dark as he fell to the ground unconscious.
Naruto never expected to wake up again. But when he did he was home. His hands and clothes were covered in blood. He started to panic again franticly looking for the wound he was bleeding from. There was none.
"Your not hurt young one," the Foxes voice had said in his head but it was different. Normally it was loud and obnoxious. She always yelled at him or made fun of him. He had gotten use to it because he gave as good as he got. But now she almost seemed to sound kind.
"Then what's all this blood?" Naruto asked out loud still sounding scared.
"It is that of the two men who attacked you. They will never bother you again. Now go wash up and put on some clean clothes."
Naruto still in shock did what she asked without thinking. He put on his pajamas and sat in bed. He was trembling. He could not get what happened out of his mind. Tears started to form again. At any moment he expected the Fox to yell at him for being weak.
"Naruto," the Fox had never called him by his actual name before. "Put tonight out of your mind and go to sleep."
"I can't sleep. What if more people come after me? What if they find out what happened? Everyone will be mad and I'll be in trouble again." His voice was shaking. He was about to start crying uncontrollably. It was then that the Fox changed. She no longer was his burden but now was his companion.
"Hear me my child." Her voice was soothing to him. He had never heard her talk like this. "I promise you that I will never let anyone hurt you again. I will stand watch while you sleep. If more people come then I will chase them away."
"Your promise?"
"Yes, I promise. One day I will make you the most powerful ninja in the world. Until then I will watch over you and I will keep you safe."
"But . . . why? You have never talked like this before. You always yell at me. You always call me names."
The Fox thought for a moment. Despite their agreement he was right. She had always enjoyed tormenting the boy. It was the only joy she had while she sat in her cage. But living inside him she saw what it was like to live as a human, all of the complicated emotions and feelings they have. She saw that he was just as alone as she was. Other then him she had no one else and the isolation wore heavy on her. She also hated how people treated him and tonight they had come the closest to really hurting him. That's when it happened. She did not fear for her life, for if he died so would she, but instead was very afraid for only his life. When they hurt him she felt the pain in her heart.
"Until tonight," she started to say. "I had always thought of you as a tool. One that I could use to get my revenge. But time in a cage has a way of changing you. Locked away in the dark you start to appreciate what little you have, and all I have left is you. Without realizing it I have developed feelings for you. Tonight the thought of loosing you was unbearable. In this world we only have each other. We need to learn to trust each other from now on. Do you understand?"
"I . . . think so. So this means you won't pick on me anymore?"
"Hahaha, well I can't make impossible promises. Let's just take it one day at a time."
"Hehehe, ok."
"Now try and sleep. I promise to keep watch while you do."
Not long after he closed his eye Naruto was sleeping. The Fox was grateful he had not bothered to ask too many questions. While she spoke of trust she still has one secret she wanted to keep. When Naruto had been knocked out her overwhelming desire to protect him overpowered the seal keeping her in. For the first time in seven years she was free of her cage and in control of Narutos body. She slaughtered the drunks who tried to hurt him and then went home. She was not able to clean up before Naruto came to and she was forced back into the cage.
Every night from then on the Fox stood guard over Naruto while he slept. No one ever came but that was not the point. It gave her time to work on the trick that lets her out of her cage even for a short while. It turned out that Naruto has a problem with sleep walking. For some unexplained reason when he did this she could take over his body. This was a very good thing. She could keep him from walking off and waking up in odd places. This also let her do other things while in control of his body.
Present Day
The team assignment did not go as well as Naruto would have liked. In fact it could not have been much worse. He had been placed on team 7 with the pink haired cheerleader for the Sasuke fan club Sakura and with Mr. Sunshine himself Sasuke. Now he had to spend every day listening to her go on about how great Sasuke was while at the same time Sasuke would completely ignore her.
When his team had been named he looked over at Hinata. She looked quite disappointed. Naruto just shrugged his shoulders at her as if saying, "What can you do?" Naruto was a little disappointed as well. What he told her the night before was true. She is the only one in the room he could stand to be around.
The class broke for lunch. The teams Jonin leaders would meet with them that afternoon. Naruto saw Sakura sitting alone outside. He decided that if he was going to be spending so much time with her he should at least try to make peace. Who knows, he thought, she might actually not be that much of a bitch.
He was wrong.
"Hey Sakura," Naruto said cheerfully trying to be as friendly as he could be. "Do you want to have lunch together? I mean since we are on the same team and all maybe we should get to know each other better."
"No offense," she started to say. "But you're weird Naruto."
"What?"
"You dress all in black, except for that little bit of gold on the shoulders of your jacket, you don't have any friends, your moody, and you keep to yourself all the time. So if you don't mind I'm going to go eat with Sasuke."
She then stood up and left. Naruto just stood there starting at her as she walked away. He was speechless.
"You know," the Fox started to say. "Everything she said about you is exactly how I would describe Sasuke."
"I see that you're awake." Naruto sat down on the bench that Sakura had just vacated. He pulled out his lunch and ate. Despite what had happened he was glad to be eating alone.
"Oh, I've been up for a while. But good for you. At least you tried to be civil. Can't ask for more then that."
"This team is going to totally suck."
"You can only hope she does."
"Excuse me?"
"When she was walking away I caught you starting at her ass."
"Prove it."
"And the dreams you have had in the past, and not just of her. The other girls in class."
"Hey now, a man can not be held responsible for what his mind does while he sleeps."
"Well you don't have to love a girl to enjoy a good piece of tail." If you could have seen the Fox just then you would have seen the most evilly seductive smile ever.
"I'm not having this conversation with you. Not now, not ever."
"I'm just saying that you're at that age now where sex and a lust for power can go hand in hand. Take who you want and then kill off the rest."
"Shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up."
"You're no fun today." The Fox then pretended to pout.
The afternoon dragged on and on. After lunch the other Jonin leaders met with their teams and departed. Team 7 was still waiting three hours after the last team had left. The three of them didn't talk much. The mostly sat around wishing they had brought a book or something. It was then that a grey haired one eyed masked man stuck his head through the door of the classroom.
"Sorry I'm late," he said in a tone that meant he was not sorry. "All these rooms look alike and I guess I got lost." He walked over and sat on the desk in the front of the room. He looked each one of them over. "Well then, why don't we go around and introduce ourselves. So we can get to know each other."
"Introduce ourselves?" Sakura asked. "What do you want to know?"
"What are your likes, dislikes, dreams, hobbies, stuff like that."
"How about you go first," Naruto spoke up.
"Me, well then," he thought for a moment. "My name is Kakashi Hatake. My likes and dislikes, I don't feel like telling you. My dreams for the future, well I haven't thought about it really. As for hobbies, I have lots of hobbies."
"Well that was useless."
"Ok, then you can go next blondie."
"My name is Naruto Uzumaki. I like ramen. Its proof that the powers that be want us to be happy. I don't like, well that list is too long to bother with. My dreams would give you nightmares. My hobby is stargazing."
"Ok, you have obviously grown up in an unusual way. Pinky you're up next."
"My name is Sakura Haruno." That was the last thing she said that was actually words. Her answer to everything else was a small squeal followed by blushing.
"Creepy," Kakashi thought. "Ok sunshine your turn."
"I'm Sasuke Uchiha. I don't particularly like anything. I don't have a dream because I will make it a reality. I will restore my clan and kill a cretin somebody."
"Cheery," Kakashi said out loud. "Well good, your each unique and you have your own ideas. We will meet for our first mission tomorrow morning."
"What will we be doing," Naruto asked wondering if Kakashi was really as bored as he sounded or if that's just the way he is.
"A survival exercise. This won't be like your pervious training thou. So here is a little inside tip for you three. Of the 27 graduates that passed only 9 will be selected as Genin. The other 18 will be weeded out and sent back to the academy. In other words this is a make or break pass fail test, and the chance that you will fail is at least 66."
The three of them were stunned. They had never heard of anything like this. Each of them lost in their own thoughts coming to grips with what failing would mean for them. The idea of being sent back to the academy was not a pleasant one. They had just spent all that time trying to get out of there.
"I will decide if you are ready to become ninja. So bring your full gear and meet at the training ground at 5:00 am. Oh, and you had better skip breakfast or you'll puke. See ya."
The next morning came and Naruto made his way to the training ground shortly before 10am. He was almost 5 hours late but he had a hunch about something. Sasuke and Sakura were both their. Sakura didn't look happy to see Naruto.
"You're late Naruto," she yelled at him with her arms crossed.
Naruto looked to the left then the right. "I don't see how. Kakashi-sensei isn't even here yet. So how could I be late if he has yet to show up?" The Fox had questioned this course of action but seeing the look on Sakuras face and that Naruto was right she only laughed silently to herself.
"Morning everyone," came the voice of their sensei suddenly as if out no where. "Are you ready for your first test?"
"Hey, you're late!" Sakura yelled.
"Sorry. A black cat crossed my path so I had to take the long way." They all looked at him with daggers coming out of their eyes. "Well, um, let's get started then."
He explained the rules of the test. All they had to do was get one of two bells he had on his belt. That was it. If they did then they passed, if not they would be tied to a post made to watch everyone eat lunch and fail. He told them that the only chance they had at getting a bell was to come at him with the fill intent of killing him. When he told them to start all three of them vanished from sight leaving him to stand there alone.
Naruto sat in a tree near by looking down on Kakashi. "There is no way I can beat him," he started to think at the Fox. "Fighting a Jonin would be hard to say nothing of the fact he is elite among the Jonin in the village. I could beat him but would need to use your pure power to do it and then I would just end up killing him. Sure I'd get a bell but then our little secret would be out."
"This not a test of strength then Naruto?" the Fox asked.
"No, it's a test of cunning. I don't care how good the others think they are they can't beat him one on one. But if we worked together. Oh man, its way too obvious now. A shinobi must see through deception. The real test is not getting the bells. Anyone who lives in a ninja village should be able to get this. Missions for the most part are carried out in teams. This is a test to see if we can work together."
"The reason you're put on three man teams. That's my boy. I like to think you get your sharp mind from me."
"I need to find the other two and talk to them. I have an idea. I just hope their not too stubborn to listen to me. Then again our futures are on the line so that might make them more receptive."
Naruto closed his eyes. He took in a deep breath through his nose. His sense of smell was very acute. That was something he did get from the Fox. He also had another little trick. He could smell chakra. All chakra has a distinct odor if you're receptive to it and everyone's has a slight variation that he could detect. He had found them both. Sasuke was in a tree and Sakura was on the ground.
Naruto silently moved from his hiding spot and made his way to Sasuke. He came up behind him without a sound. He placed a hand on Sasukes shoulder. Sasuke turned expecting to see Kakashi but found Naruto there with a finger to his lips indicating to him not to make a sound. With a nod of his head to his right he indicated to Sasuke he wanted him to follow. He shook his head understanding the meaning.
They both came up to Sakura and were able to get her to follow both of them. Naruto took them to safe enough distance away from Kakashi that they could speak freely.
"Ok Naruto," Sasuke started in on him sounding annoyed. "I don't have all day so make this quick."
"Just cool it there Emo Queen," Naruto said smiling wickedly. "I'll let you get back to your cutting soon enough. Now listen up, I don't care how good we think we are there is no way we can beat him one on one. But that's not the point of the test."
"What do you mean?" Sakura asked quickly forgetting how mad she was at Naruto for insulting her precious Sasuke.
"Think about it. How are ninja missions carried out?"
It took a few moments. But soon Sakuras eyes lit up and the realization dawned on her. "Of course, I was so stupid not to see it before. That's why we are placed on teams. This is a test of . . ."
"Teamwork," Sasuke cut in.
"Hallelujah, there is a light at the end of the tunnel," Naruto cheered sarcastically. "Now if we go at him as a team then we have a chance. I have a plan and if you guys pull thought with your parts I can assure that you two will walk away with bells."
"Wait," Sasuke cut in. "Why us? How come you're going to let us pass?"
"The way this has to work I won't be able to get near enough to him for a bell. But it doesn't matter. In addition to sleeping in I had a hardy breakfast this morning, hehehe."
"You just do whatever you feel like don't you?"
"Yup. Now listen up, here's the plan."
Meanwhile Kakashi was getting bored. He had pulled out his book while he waited for them to do something. He has never had to wait this long before. Normally there was one member on the team that he could goad into attacking him but not this time. These kids were a lot more level headed then most.
"Of all of them I would have expected Naruto to come at me," Kakashi thought to himself. He turned another page in his book. "If he is as strong as the Third told me then I would have thought him to try me first. But then again, he was able to hide all that power for a very long time so he may not be too keen on showing it off." His thoughts were interrupted.
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh," the sound of Sakuras scream sharply cut through the forest.
"What the hell?"
"Sakura, behind you!" Naruto yelled.
"Naruto, two above you," Sasuke yelled quickly after.
"Where did these guys come from?" Naruto yelled sounding if he was struggling in a fight.
Kakashi put his book away. He started to move in the direction the sounds of battle were coming from. Then Sakura stumbled into view from behind a tree. Blood stained her face and clothes. She was a pale as snow. Her eyes wide in horror.
"Sen . . . Sensei," she managed to get out. She fell to her knees. "Help . . .them." She fell over. In her back four kunai and three shuriken were embedded. Blood pooled around her still body.
Kakashi moved like lighting through the trees towards the area he once heard the sounds of battle. There was only silence now. He could not detect anyone else. But he could not even detect Sasuke or Naruto. Something was seriously wrong. He came to a clearing in the woods and what he saw stopped him dead in his tracks.
The ground was littered with thrown weapons. Fresh blood could be seen in the grass. Sasukes body was leaning against a tree. Kunai in hand but several more sticking out of his body. Naruto was near him. He was still moving. His clothes were shredded and he was bleeding profusely, but he was still alive.
Kakashi jumped down to him. He rolled him onto his back. "Naruto," he said while keeping a look out for the ones who did this. "What happened?"
"Rain . . . ni . . . ninja," he struggled to say. He coughed and blood spit up into his sensei's face. "Four of them. So . . . so fast" Naruto passed out.
Kakashi didn't know what to think. His team, before they even completed their first mission, was wiped out. "Is another war starting?" he thought. "Why now of all times? I need to find out what's going on."
Suddenly without any warning there was an explosion of pain in his gut. The once motionless form of Naruto had just come to life and punched him hard in the stomach. Hard enough to knock the wind out of him.
"What the," he thought as he jumped back trying to catch his breath. It was then that the forest came alive all around him. Dozens and dozens of Narutos came at him. They moved to the left, to the right, above, and all around him. Some of them attacked, other feigned attacks. As suddenly as the attacks began they stopped. All at once the Naruto clones vanished. Even the body of Sasuke vanished and he expected that the Sakura he saw was also a clone. They were all gone except for three.
Standing not too far off under a tree three Narutos stood grinning. The one in the center had his arms crossed and had the biggest grin of them all. In a puff of smoke the Naruto to his left turned into the real Sasuke and the one on his right became the real Sakura. In their hands Kakashi could see small silver bells. He looked down at his belt and the bells there were gone. He smiled under his mask but pretended to be serious still.
"Ok guys," Kakashi started to say. "Just so we are all up to speed why don't you explain what just happened."
"Now, now sensei," Sakura began shaking a finger at him. "A ninja must see through deception. And that's what we did. Well to be honest it was Naruto who guessed that this was actually a test of our teamwork."
"And this was his plan to get the bells from you," Sasuke cut in begrudgingly admitting that Naruto was right.
"When did you learn the Shadow Clone Jutsu?" Kakashi asked genuinely surprised.
"Oh that old thing," Naruto started to say. "I picked that up a while ago." He lied. "While you were distracted by all the clones Sasuke and Sakura disguised as me were able to run by and grab the bells."
"Right. Well then, I must admit I am impressed with all of you. You saw the true meaning to this test even though you knew that one of you would fail you still worked together. No one has ever done that before. You all pass."
Sakura cheered. Naruto kept on smiling. Sasuke just stood there. The three of them were very proud of themselves. Sakura even kissed Naruto on the cheek she was so caught up in the moment.
"Well, well," the Fox suddenly spoke up. "Your second kiss by another girl. You're becoming quite the ladies man."
"Not this again," he thought at her.
"Well then," Kakashi interrupted. "Team 7 will have its first mission tomorrow. See ya then."
The others had left. Sakura walked off with Sasuke. She jabbered on while he ignored her. Naruto stayed behind and sat under a tree to rest and finally enjoy some time being away from them Not a bad day for him. His team was not as useless as he had thought but they had a long way to go.
"You didn't expect to pass did you?" the Fox questioned.
"Nope. But now that I think about it, it only makes sense that I would. I mean if this was a test of teamwork having one of us fail and removed from the team makes no sense. To tell ya the truth the idea of being sent back graduating again and being put on a different team was appealing. I mean I would be older and stronger and better able to get my team mates to do what I wanted. But this is fine as well I guess."
"Hey Naruto," Kakashi had come back. "Mind if I talk to you for a second?" Naruto just looked at him without a word. "I was impressed with you guys today. Your plan took me off guard because I underestimated you. But something has been bothering me. The detail of your clones was, well, disturbing. All the wounds and weapons and the blood you made. And you say you just came up with that on the spot like that?"
Naruto just ginned and evil grin. "What can I say? I just have a very vivid imagination."
"Right." Kakashi did not believe him for a second. "Ok then, that's all I wanted to ask. Bye." He vanished.
In truth Naruto had imagined killing his classmates hundreds of time. In every way possible. It made him happy. Seeing it come to life today made him feel even better. For now he would use Sakura and Sasuke. They were tools to make him stronger. One day he would discard them but for now they had their uses. In Narutos eye the future was looking better and better.