True Path of a Jinchuuriki Ch 8: The Beginning

(Italics: Thoughts/Flashbacks/Dream sequence. Bold: Title and Kyubi's / Demon's / Inner Characters's Speech. Underline: Time Skips)

As the bright, emerald green light shot upward through the night sky it could be seen by everyone and everything in the known world. To some it would appear beautiful but to those who understood the dark, sinister background of the light merely saw it as an Omen.

A sign that if something was not done soon, if the other seals were not protected... They would have hell to pay... Tsunade and Jiraiya understood that as the stood outside on the balcony connected to the Hokage's office. Gazing upward at the symbol of their possible destruction.

"Jiraiya it looks as though the prophecy might really come true..."

Tsunade said to Jiraiya, not looking at him. Jiraiya nodded, gazing upward at the illuminating light.

"When his powers are fully unlocked he might be this worlds last hope..." Jiraiya replied.

Tsunade tilted her neck and shifted her gaze, locking gazes with Jiraiya.

"We need to bring this to the attention of every Hidden Village, ally or foe. Now is not the time for mindless disputes, our very planet, our home is in danger. Jiraiya I need you and Shizune to arrange a meeting of the Kages as soon as possible."

Tsunade said, a serious look written across her facial expression. Jiraiya smirked in response.

"At once Lady Hokage."

He replied teasingly, adding an extra emphasis on the title of Hokage. And with those words he vanished in a cloud of smoke.

The Next Day...

"There are two used of Light chakra. The first is for combat."

Light Naruto explained as he extended his arm forward and expanded his palm. The chakra concentrated into the center of his palm, compressing the energy together and molding its shape as the chakra began to solidify in the shape of a long-sword. Naruto studied his alternate self. Observing every movement.

"The second method isn't designed for combat but is powerful none-the-less, with the power of this chakra you can heal anyone, bringing them from the brink of death back to a state of stability. But the cost for such a technique is the shortening of your life-span with every use. So only use it as last resort."

Naruto nodded in response. "I understand." Naruto replied. With those words Naruto closed his eyes and mimicked his alternate self. Extending his arm upward as he expanded his palm and began to concentrated an orb of golden chakra in the palm of his hand. Naruto's face strained as he condensed the energy until it manifested in physical form, shaping the chakra into a blade like his alter-ego had done mere moments before.

"Very good, I have taught you everything I know and allowed you access to my chakra. When you are once again in need of power seek my brother, but be forewarned. If you are not ready to control it the darkness will devour you. Now go. Use my knowledge and put it to good use."

Light Naruto explained. "I will." Naruto replied as he bowed slightly. And with that said and done Naruto returned to reality.

Naruto snapped out of his meditation trance, the world around him coming into sudden focus in a blur of light and colors. As he stood up and got dressed he heard Hinata calling him from the next room. Without a moment's thought he opened his bedroom door and walked into his kitchen.

"Hey Naruto-kun you in the mood for lunch?" Naruto smiled and smelled the air surrounding him. "It is Ramen?" Naruto asked hopefully.

Hinata smiled and fixed him a bowl of ramen with an egg on top. Naruto looked like he was about to drool before he grabbed a pair of chopsticks. Without a moment's hesitation he dove into the bowl head-first.

As strong as you become there are things about you that will never change Naruto-kun...

Hinata thought to herself happily as she gazed at him in admiration.

Naruto caught her staring and gazed at her. "Is there something on my face?" Naruto asked between mouthfuls. Hinata merely smiled and shook her head in response. "It's nothing don't worry about it Naruto-kun." Naruto merely smiled to himself and dismissed it as he finished his bowl, drinking the broth before he rinsed his bowl off and put it in his sink. With that done he sat down on the couch situated in his small living room.

A moment later Hinata came over to join him. Suddenly Naruto snaked his arms around Hinata and began tickling her. Hinata was laughing so hard she was crying and couldn't breathe. "N-Naruto-kun cut it o-out..." Hinata pleaded. Naruto stopped his tickling technique and pulled her into a deep embrace. "Well since you asked so nicely..." Naruto said with a sly grin. Hinata blushed hard as Naruto pressed her body against hers. Her entire body felt hot.

Without a moment's hesitation Naruto pulled her into a passionate kiss, their lips pressed gently against one another. After a minute their lips parted and Naruto smiled at her happily. She felt so good with herself knowing she could make the boy... No the man she loved happy and fulfill her own desires as well... Naruto and Hinata were both pulled from their own world and snapped back into reality as an audible knock sounded from the other side of Naruto's front door.

Naruto got up and walked to the front door, unlocking it and turning the handle as he swung it open. Kakashi emerging in the doorway, his usual book at hand but not open surprisingly. "Hey Naruto, is Hinata here as well?" Naruto nodded in response and motioned for Hinata to come over. Hinata gazed at Kakashi. "Is there something you needed from me Kakashi-sensei?" Hinata asked, a natural hint of innocence in her voice. Kakashi nodded and looked from her to Naruto. "Tsunade sent me for you both, you have an important assignment."

Tsunade hardly slept since the other night. Her meeting with the Five Kages wouldn't be in person, it would traditionally be held remotely via a powerful Jutsu taught to every Kage as soon as they were selected. The Hokage seat situated in the council chamber had a Kage Seal, she would then use the proper hand-signs and pour her chakra into it, activating the powerful seal. The location of the seal was different for every Kage but the principle was the same. As she sipped her bottle of Sake she reformed her resolve. "I have other matters to deal with at the moment which could be just as important." She told herself. She took one last, good drink from her bottle of Sake, setting it down on her desk, too lazy to hide the obvious.

The silence was broken as an audible knock sounded from the outside of her office door. She cleared her throat. "Come in." She announced as she leaned back in her chair. A moment later the office door swung open as the forms of Kakashi, Naruto, and Hinata emerged from the doorway and entered her office, closing the door behind them. Kakashi made a slight bow. "I brought them as you requested Lady Hokage." Tsunade nodded in response. "Very well you are dismissed." Kakashi took one last bow and than disappeared in a small cloud of white smoke. Naruto walked up to Tsunade. "Hey Tsunade what's our assignment?" Tsunade looked at Naruto annoyed.

"Our assignment you say? Sorry Naruto but I'm adding a third member to the squad to prevent the result of last mission, because as strong as you are that bounty on your head is going to draw a lot of attention so I'm adding a Jounin to balance out that issue." Tsunade explained out of annoyance. "Alright who did you pick?" Before she could answer her office door swung open as a long, black haired male wearing all black with a Jounin Vest emerged from the doorway. After closer examination Naruto realized he had the same eyes as Hinata, coming to a sudden realization of who it was. Hinata's cousin Neji. Neji's gaze drifted from Hinata and Naruto to Tsunade, locking gazes with her. "You summoned me Lady Hokage?" Neji asked, a hint of seriousness in his voice. Tsunade nodded in response.

"Now that you're all here I'm going to explain the mission, remember all details of this incident are considered classified by death penalty... Back when the Five Hidden Villages were recently created a great battle followed their period of peace, a banished clan of summoners used forbidden magic from ancient times and sacrificed themselves in order to create a powerful artifact. All their feelings of vengeance along with their very souls fused together into one powerful, magical entity. The artifact in question was rumored to hold great power beyond anything ever dreamed of, some say it had the power to bring the dead back to life and even alter time and space. Some Legends even go as far to say the Artifact is the very origin of chakra. This artifact was known as the Frozen Flame, but with great power came great sacrifice. People wanted the power for themselves and grew greedy, wronging one another in order to claim the power for themselves. In order to end the fighting all Five Kages got together, and with their combined power sealed the Frozen Flame away, breaking the seal apart into seven fragments.

Five represented the five basic elements of chakra. Earth, Wind, Fire, Water and Lightning. The remaining fragments were the last traces of the Flame's power. The elements of Light and Darkness. The whereabouts of those seals are currently unknown as Jiraiya is gathering information on the subject as we speak, recently Orochimaru and Sasuke Uchiha have destroyed the seal of the Earth Country. Your mission is to guard the Temple of Fire, located within a cavern behind the great Hokage Monument. I'm appointing Neji the squad leader of this mission, protect the seal at all costs! I'll send an ANBU squad to guard the exterior upon your arrival. You are to leave immediately. You are dismissed."

Naruto, Hinata, and Neji all walked up the path leading to the rear of the Great Hokage Monument where the entrance to the Temple of Fire. According to Tsunade there was an elemental guardian protecting the shrine as well, a physical embodiment of the element of chakra the Orb was composed of. But since their job was to protect the Temple as well the Guardian would not act hostile toward them, strangely enough it possessed intelligent consciousness. But the guardian would only manifest if the element felt it was endangered. As they reached the peak of the mountain a dark cave came into view, as they got closer they began to sweat as immense heat surrounded the cave like an Aura. "Guess they call it Fire Cave for a reason huh?"

Naruto said with a sly grin. Neji not being the type to kindly take a stupid joke merely glared at Naruto and journeyed onward into the cave. What's his problem? Naruto thought to himself as he and Hinata followed closely behind him. As the long, narrow passage ended they found themselves in what looked like a temple, but the stone was blood red. As they walked further into it the heat began to get to them. "I can't take this anymore!" Naruto practically yelled as he pulled his shirt off. Hinata was sweating like hell beneath the fur jacket she usually wore. She pulled it off, dressed in a tank-top, showing off her well-endowed features. Neji nodded and slid his shirt off as well. As they ventured further they found the shrine they were supposed to protect, a five by five foot square of red stone with a crimson red orb hovering above it. As they got closer they realized the aura of heat was radiating from the orb.

"Alright so we don't waste all of our energy on a attack that may not come anytime soon we'll alternate between three sixty minute shift, leaving a lookout at all times while the remaining two conserved their energy. And as captain I order you Naruto to be the first lookout." Neji said. "Why me? What makes you get to decide?" Naruto complained. "Because Tsunade assigned me as the leader of this mission and I'm a rank higher than you are, if you respect the Hokage title so much respect her authority and mine as well." Naruto merely muttered to himself darkly as he took his position, sitting ten feet in front of the element cross-legged. Closing his eyes to concentrate as he used his chakra to enhance his senses. As concentrated as he was on his mission he couldn't help but let his mind wander. What makes him so much better than me? I'll show him... I'll show all of them...

"Neji can't you be a little kinder to Naruto? I thought your hatred for him left after that battle during the Chunin Exams." Hinata said to her cousin. Neji sighed and leaned his head back. "Speaking of Naruto I was told Hiashi disowned you because you were with him." Neji replied.

"That's none of your business Neji, I love him and I'd gladly throw away the Hyuuga name to make him happy." Hinata replied confidently. Neji smiled at her. "I see, well regardless of what that fool Hiashi thinks you have my blessings. Even though were cousins I feel as though we're siblings, I was so foolish to direct my hatred at you just because you were Hiashi's heiress..."

Neji said softly. Hinata smiled at him warmly in return. "I told you I've already forgiven you, now it's time you forgive yourself."

A/N: Well hopefully I explained kind of what was going on, if you're still a bit confused don't worry about it all will be made clear in future chapters. The Frozen Flame idea and the Elemental Shrine idea was inspired by a video game called Chrono Cross. The playstation sequel to Chrono Trigger. So I guess you could say it's a light Cross-Over. Addictions sometimes lead to inspiration. If you REVIEW I know you care!

Peace! DL555