A/N: Hmmm. So I just realized the parts where the nine tails is talking isn't staying bonded when I upload it. That makes me sad, but I'm also lazy so I'm not gonna worry about it.

Also, look. An update. Like I said I was gonna have. Yay. Hope you guys enjoy. I'm gonna try to make chapters even longer than this just so you know, but it's a start from what I was giving you.

Anyway, on with the story.

Meditating. An ancient art every ninja worth his salt knows how to do. A state of relaxation that supposedly heals the soul, soothes the mind, and mends the body. At least, that's what the common folk made it out to be. Any actual ninja knew it was really only useful to relax and help one think through their problems. Sure, there were a lot of other little things that a silent moment in your mind could do for one, but most people never needed nor knew about those.

Jiraiya wasn't a fan of meditating, imagine that, and didn't do it often, but now seemed like as good a time as any to have a clear head. There wasn't a lot of information to process, but what was there was slightly startling.

I mean, a lone kid trying to stop a hostile takeover of his home only to die sounded a little strange. Well, not the death part, but the kid trying to do something so monumental was. It was actually a pretty good idea for a book, again, minus the death part. And only if he changed the kid to some super hero, made him win and all that fun stuff. And girls. Can't forget the girls.

'Focus Jiriaya,' he thought to himself, 'I have more pressing issues than a book. Like what I'm supposed to do about Naruto.'

While the Sennin was thinking or whatever, Naruto didn't really know or care, Naruto was having his own inner monologue.

'It would be easy enough. He won't be able to catch you if you doesn't realize you're gone.'

'Shut up Fox. I'm not worried about getting away from some old guy.'

'Some old guy you say? He obviously can use chakra from what you saw earlier with the frogs-'

'-toads'

'-whatever. Who knows what else he has up his sleeve? But maybe you're right. Maybe he is just some one trick pony.'

'Just shut up. I don't care about what you have to say.'

'And yet you still respond, warden.'

And with that Naruto stopped listening. Some days the fox was fine, but others he was worse. Always trying to push Naruto someway or another. To be honest, Naruto didn't really understand were the beast was trying to push him most times, but he would be damned if he followed anything it said.

Naruto knew he should run, he really did. But at the same time, he couldn't bring himself to run. The man wasn't anyone important, and he certainly didn't look like he needed help despite his age. There was just something about him. Naruto felt, dare he say, safe. He hadn't felt that way since he was in Konoha.

Naruto sighed. Everything always went back to Konoha somehow. It wasn't that he hated the place or something. Far from it in fact, the people were nice his family was nice, if distant. He just wanted to get away from the lies. He wanted to find himself. And now here he was. Lost in some random forest with someone who was essentially his brother dead.

'And it's all my fault.' Naruto thought to himself, 'I encouraged him to do what he thought was right, I gave him his view on life, and it could've stopped him.'

That was probably the part that hurt Naruto the most. He could've stopped Inari from dieing. He could've been the one to save Kiaza. But no, he was afraid. So afraid he couldn't even live up to the image he tried to be. So Inari ran into the courtyard, through the fence and around the guards somehow. Inari was the one who tackled the guard about to kill Kaiza. Inari was the one who ended up dieing.

Naruto gave off a melancholy laugh.

'And to think,' he thought to himself, 'if I had been the one to do all of that probably both Kaiza and Inari would be alive and able to fight another day.'

He sniffed and rubbed his eyes. He wasn't going to cry. He was done crying. He gave all he had as he ran from wave.

"Something wrong kid?"

Naruto jumped up from where he was sitting. He hadn't even heard the old man, let alone felt his presence.

"Yeah," Naruto said, rubbing his eyes one last time, "everything's great."

"Uh-huh." The old man said with narrowed eyes. "You aren't still thinking about your friend who died? Blaming yourself perhaps?"

Naruto stiffened but still responded. "No."

Jiriaya nodded. "Good, then let's go get camp set up."

Naruto nodded and started walking to the middle of the clearing they were in.

"But kid," Jiriaya spoke up, "just remember that I'm here if you need someone to talk to."

"Thanks, but no thanks sir. I'm fine."

Jiraiya snorted but didn't stop him again as he started to set up there camp.

That night the Kyuubi decided it had enough of the radio silence.

'You could've talked to him, kid. I'm sure he would've helped you.'

Naruto snarled from his seat by the fire, drawing Jiriaya's attention for a second before he went back to writing in his little notebook.

'I don't need help. I'm fine.'

That earned a roaring laugh from the fox.

'You know warden, sometime I forget how much of a joy I have talking with you, but then you make jokes like that and I remember.'

'Oh shut up. You and I both know I'm fine.'

'Me and you both know you're not fine you mean.'

'Why do you care?' Naruto said,marrying to shift the subject away from what it was.

'Dont get me wrong, warden. I don't care about you, but I do care about power. And wether you like it or not I'm going to push you into power.'

'I see. And why do you care about me being powerful.'

'Think of yourself as a representation of me. Except, instead of trying to show your kind my power I'm showing my kind my power.'

"What?!" Naruto shouted in surprise.

Jiriaya looked at Naruto funny before he said something. "One, I didn't say anything. And two, no need to yell."

Naruto had the decency to look embarrassed before he turned back to his conversation with his prisoner.

'Good job. Do you enjoy convincing people crazy?'

'Considering I'm talking to you, I just might be.'

Kyuubi laughed at that.

'Oh yes, that's very true. Only a fool or a brave man would talk with me, and if can assure you that you aren't the latter.'

'Love you to fox. Now what's this about your kind?'

'Just that they are real and far weaker than me, even in this reduced state.'

Naruto frowned at that. Stupid of him to have thought the nine tails would be useful, but still. He was expecting some puzzle he could work through, not this dead end statement.

'Its alright warden. Maybe once you're strong enough to keep me without the cage I'll tell you.'

At which point Naruto stopped listening for the night, though the Kyuubi's mocking laughter echoed in his skull for hours later.