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The Dragon Phoenix

Episode XXXIII

Heroic Trouble

Gwen sat up fast breathing heavily with sweat drenching her body, her clothes were soaked through. She couldn't quite remember what she was dreaming but she knew it was bad. She shivered tightly with the warm body pressed tightly to her.

Looking around she knew instantly she was in her Grandpa Max's RV: the Rust Bucket. She was on a bed, but she was surprised that Ben was laying asleep on the same bed. Her checks were alight when she looked at him, for more than just sleeping arrangements as she really did like him, maybe more than a cousin should

She must have been in his arms she realised with further flushed checks. However, luckily, or unluckily, she was fully clothed except for her shoes, just like Ben, though his jacket was on the floor beside the bed, which was a plus as she would have been terrified if they had done 'it', and angry that she couldn't remember her first time.

There was some light streaming through the RV windows from the early morning. She had expected Grandpa Max to be still asleep in the bed opposite as she came to grips that she hadn't been doing naughty things with Ben, half of her feeling sad about that.

Her grandpa had turned the 'bed' next to them back into a dining table. He was sitting at it with several lap tops set at the table with wires everywhere, and a TV monitor showing what looked like armature footage of a giant monster attacking another town.

"This attack took place in a town called Heatherfield," he suddenly said turning to her with a gentle smile and startling her. She looked back to see there were also winged horse men things fighting some. "I don't think they're real fairies," he interrupted her thoughts smiling at her. "Would you like some breakfast?"

"Umm… yeah… that would be great, thanks Grandpa," she agreed thankful as he got up to the kitchen area. "Umm… but why are Ben and I in bed together?" she asked with a confused frown.

He chuckled shaking his head. "You fell asleep on Ben's lap after he saved you. You were in his arms, and when he carried you in you wouldn't let go, so I helped with your shoes and Ben's jacket and he lay with you. He was worried. He's trying to be strong but he needs you more than anything, so if he tries to push, you pull back twice as hard," he said smilingly.

Gwen smiled down at Ben really seeing him in a new light. She had always known he was a great guy. Sure he could be big headed and full of himself but she had her moments too: her Lucky-Girl escapades came to mind.

Suddenly Ben just sat upright sniffing the air. "Do I smell breakfast?" he asked hopefully and grinned when a plate was passed to him and Gwen, trying to pretend that all was well for a while. So they both ate on the bed as the table was busy. "So, what's the deal with those bugs, and… what is that giant and those horse guy things?" he asked gesturing the TV.

"Demons," Max was short in saying to their shock. "And yes I mean demons as in demonic monsters from our solar system as in, like from hell. These fairy like girls are… well I'm not sure honestly, but they're protectors like you and Gwen are. They escaped as far as I know. I think someone wants Earths greatest heroes dead!"

"Oh, that's just… augh!" Ben moaned rubbing his temple, trying to remove all the stress and heartache before it happened with no luck. "And Gwen and I are on the demons 'to murder list'?"

"Most certainly," he agreed as he took a seat. "You are both too powerful to let grow any stronger."

"Do you know who wants' us dead?" Gwen asked worried.

He sighed and nodded his head. "The Plumbers have never really dealt with this sort of thing before so we just left it alone and it had never affected Earth, and those very few times it did there was always someone to stop it.

"You know how we're not alone in the universe?" he asked smirking as they nodded. "Well, Earth has two sister planets hidden by dimensional veils, one is called Gaia, and the other Terra. However, Terra is a… well a demonic prison of sorts. Legend says that every one thousand years Terra will pass between the Earth and Gaia, and the Veil between dimensions will be broken between Terra and Earth allowing The First Evil in all of existence freedom.

"However," he continued quickly at his grandchildren's looked of horrified. "The First doesn't yet have a body, so it sends out its servants to slaughter every and any hero capable of standing strong among the God of Gods Xzodia! And saving the world and the universe…"

"OK," Ben said nervously. "We've saved the universe a few times before. It's just this… we've never fought against a whole planet full of monsters before."

Max nodded with a sigh. "I know... which is why we must find Xzodia and join up with him… or her, and his or her forces. You should be safe there for a while."

"Grandpa…" Gwen said feeling a little queasy as she put down her half eaten breakfast. "If the universe is in danger, maybe we could get help from other planets?"

"Not viable," he replied shaking his head. "If they were to believe us they would try destroying the Earth to protect themselves, being blind and ignorant it would unleash hell upon the universe!"

"T-this sucks," Ben whined with a sigh as he put down his finished breakfast plate.

Max nodded in agreement; a smirk lining his lips. "Though, there is one good thing," he said with a soft smile. "Amity Park is home to the 'mysterious' Ghost boy Danny Phantom. I figured these demons will be after him eventually, so when I heard about him after arriving I did some research!"

He then dropped down a tablet with a picture of a black haired teen only two years younger. "Danny Fenton?" asked Gwen looking at the pictures of the white hared boy with glowing green eyes and the black haired boy with blue eyes. "Are all of the people in this town that stupid?"

"Unfortunately it seems so," Max couldn't help but agree with a shrug. "You're to both go and say hi, or whatever it is you kids do these days."

"So, we get him to come with?" Ben asked getting a nod from his grandpa. "So I can show him my hero style?"

"Go wild," Max replied while Gwen couldn't help the short laugh.

The Dragon Phoenix

"So, what would you have wished for Sakura-chan?" Rose asked her with a smile as they were all out at the beach with cute bathing suits and most of their victims had followed them. The House Elves had set up a nice spread with barbeque and lots of music.

"Oh, it doesn't matter," she replied smiling as Dani was now black haired and blue eyed laughing and having fun with other girls her age, finding herself her very own best friend to cuddle and have fun with… well they were her physical age.

"I know Minako never had a wish," Rose said smilingly. "Was yours this…?" she asked laughingly.

"Sakura…?"

She was startled as she looked around to see her best friend. "T-Tomoyo!" she called out to the one-piece wearing beautiful girl before getting up and charging into her arms sobbing, and holding her tightly, comforted by her and only her. "I-I didn't think I would get to see you again!"

"I'm too soft for my own good," Rose sighed with teary eyes as she flopped back into the sand.

"That you are," Ginny agreed as she sat down on the sand with her smiling, cuddling her. "But you made those girls very happy. I understand that Tomoyo-chan is an amateur 'filmer', maybe she could archive the end of the world?"

"I wish you would stop calling it the end of the world," Hermione complained as she sat with them.

"Oh," Ginny mocked. "Trouble with Connor…? Is he not obeying you as he should?" she asked laughingly.

Hermione glared and rolled her eyes. "We're not a couple, we just get on well, and study… and… why should I need to explain myself to you anyway?"

"You don't," Rose agreed smiling. "But you tried to anyway."

The Dragon Phoenix

"So we knock on the door and say what?" Gwen asked after she and Ben had cleaned up, washed, (with apart of her naughty side wishing they did that together) and changed into clean clothes and was now standing outside of Danny Fenton's house. It just looked weird, but apparently Danny's parents were mental case ghost hunters that haven't actually caught any ghosts with a part ghost son, but were too stupid to notice that.

Ben just sighed rolling his eyes before he just rang the door bell. They waited a moment before an exasperated black haired teen opened the door with a sigh.

"If you're here to vaporise me, please hurry up," he said sadly as he semi-glared back into the house before looking at the 'gusts'.

"So you're the Ghost Kid?" Ben asked which automatically woke Danny up and caused him to look panicked.

"W-what are-are you talking about?" he asked sweating a lot. "I'm-I'm just an ordinary boy with GHOST-HUNTING parents… really lame ones," he muttered the last quietly but they heard him anyway.

Ben nodded his head having some fun. "Yea… and you're also a secret GHOST hunting ghost powered ghost kid called Danny Phantom."

Danny was quick in closing the door as he stepped out, and looking shifty. "P-please, you can't tell anybody. These people are crazy and I don't…"

Ben held up a hand to stop him while smirking. "I'm Ben Ten, and this is my cousin Gwen. We're heroes too. We stop alien invasions all the time."

"Am I being punked?" Danny asked looking around mockingly for cameras. "Aliens aren't real man, they're like science fiction and stuff, and NOT real!"

"Big Chill…!" Ben flashed green and became a black blue moth-man thing with icy breath. "And ghosts are from supernatural fiction," he rattled out causing Danny to fall back against his door before Ben had returned. "Magic and aliens are all real stuff, dude, and we protect the world from jerks that want to rule, or destroy!"

"OK… you can turn into aliens?" he asked in awe as Ben nodded. "That's pretty cool, but what exactly do you want with me?"

"Evil monstrous demons are attacking the Earth," he said shrugging sheepishly. "And eventually they'll be coming after you, so I think the more power we have the merrier we'll be."

Danny nodded twice before grimacing. "You're not just messing are you?"

"No, no we're not," Gwen agreed with a tired, sad sigh. "They've already killed a good friend of ours, so the quicker we work something out the better off we'll be."

The Dragon Phoenix

It had been a great beach party for all at Dragonspear and Harry was lounging around at the head table munching on a cereal bar with his feet up on the table the next day just wearing a pair of creamy coloured shorts. He didn't seem to notice all of the girls in various locations checking out his solid body.

"He looks like he doesn't have a care in the world," Will said shaking her head in wonder with a soft blush to her checks.

"Umm… I don't think he does," Raye said rolling her eyes in disgust. "He should find himself a job to do around here rather that lounging around in the heads seat as if he owns the place!"

"He does own the place," Julian couldn't help but comment before one of the girls started something. He was thankfully sitting one table over where Kero was stuffing his face with cake.

"HE DOES!" they all cried out together in shock. They looked over to see he had progressed to eating a slice of pie. He looked over at the exclamation and grinned giving them a wave.

"He doesn't seem like much to me," Raye said in a huff. "He looks like a slacker. I have already been accepted part time at the temple," she said with a proud smirk.

"MY LORD!" a powerful voice called as two men and a women strode into the hall, all human. They wore form hugging body armour and tight padded leather. The leader was the only one without a mask over his mouth and nose and with his hair uncovered, short brown and spiky.

The three of them also had ninjato swords on their backs. Their armour somehow had a scale effect in dark grey and an experienced warrior knew they were carrying a lot more in the way of weapons than they were shown.

The girls went to move in case of a fight however, they paused as they noticed they had been escorted by two golden spear wielding goblins. The goblins just stayed back by the hall doors while all eyes watched. Harry surprisingly didn't seem to notice them as he finished his pie. However, he swished away to reappear in front of them with a frown on his brow.

They surprisingly dropped to one knee and bowed him. "Zeig… is this going to screw with my day?" Harry asked as the three stood to him bowing with respect.

"Unfortunately yes," the leader agreed looking somewhat annoyed about it himself. "Unfortunately it's been screwing with our free time for the past week, and now we have concluded a time frame."

"Time frame…?" Harry had to ask but knew wouldn't be good.

"Demons have started breaching the barrier," he began straight to the point. "In approximately three months the barrier will fall and the rest of the world will see the hidden continent."

Harry rubbed his eyes as he ignored all the confused looks he was getting. "OK, that is bad… I'm guessing it's trying to get the power of the beasts."

"Yes sir," he agreed with a stiff nod. "And with the power of all ten, it would take a lot to stop them. They could potentially wipe out half the planet together. We've captured number two; it was easy as it was sealed inside a young woman and her towns' council has been defying their leader's authority and sending her out on dangerous missions in the hope to get rid of her.

"We also have our sights on number nine. He is fairly well protected but his home has not treated him well either. If the council ever gained enough power they might try to kill him themselves. Number one is safe for now too. However, we have discovered a group of traitor ninja has gathered under some nutter we believe may have had contact with the Storm even before the veil broke."

Harry nodded as he thought this through. "OK, give me an hour or so… I… I don't know what to do. We have to prepare the rest of the world and the Elemental Nations or there could be a war with drastic consequences."

"Harry," Ginny interrupted as she had arrived, listening in, as she had come in when they did. "You go and deal with them. You do have a knack for flexibility. I'll take someone with nemagus knowledge and deal with the home front in Japan."

"Are you sure, Gin?" he asked, and she nodded her agreement. "I might be gone for a month or more."

"As long as we can save people, you go, have fun," she said kissing his lips and hugging him while he cuddled her in return.

The Dragon Phoenix

There was a city hidden from the world in the Continent of Elements. Well hidden very badly considering it was such an economical power to the world, and an epicentre for Fire Countries military might. The military of Fire Country primarily consisted of people who used internal spiritual and mental abilities using what they came to call chakra.

Though, in this world nothing could ever be that simple as these ninja worked as mercenaries to increase their power and influence through allying themselves with countries that do not have ninja.

However, an event was soon to rise where the world would have to change that a new type of ninja would rise. The last 600 years had been a nightmare for the world disguised as a blessing as people with power ruled over the world. It grew corruption throughout, but no matter who stood up to fight oppression laws grew around it protecting the corruption, and the world grew stale and with no laws to protect the peopled just 'guidelines' that the unjust could ignore when it suit them.

The law enforcement was entrusted to the ninja, but they were stopped by laws protecting the rich and powerful. The ninja chose to follow their orders to the letter learning to believe that was what was right. They believed that if they didn't that they were traitors to their homes and their people, but the truth that pushed away in fear, as the truth was further away.

The world would change because of the pariah of all of the City of Konoha. It was ironic that the most hated child in the city would be such a person to protect the innocent and defenceless, but maybe not as he had been the victim on too many occasions to could because of what he was, Jinchuriki no Kyuubi no Kitsune.

Naruto Uzumaki was a fourteen-year-old boy. He was a blonde boy. His hair contained a bright sunny yellow shade to the colour. He was sulking, and bored, and quite honestly at that time he felt like punching someone, but still he refused to fall into the darkness. He refused to give his haters any validity of their claims.

They blamed him and hurt him because they wanted to believe that he was the demon that was sealed deep within his very being. But he was no demon. He was just a child who suffered for what it had done. The people didn't care to see reason. They wanted to see him as the demon because they were small and petty, but he knew inside his heart and soul that he was far above anything like that.

He would be a great ninja and he would be that great ninja on his terms, no one else's. He wouldn't be an obedient fool like them. But then, they were only obedient when it suited them. It was selfish. It was bitter and greedy. They didn't just fail the City of Konoha, but they failed the world. They had meaningless lives, and their dreams and hopes were all centred on what they could get.

Naruto could only feel that they deserved to be punished, but no one would. No one could without disobeying the village, and no one, not even the people who were supposed to would help him, not even with the training in combat he needed. Everything he was or had he worked for – alone because nobody cared about his training. They cared more for the training of the 'genius' bloodline students.

It sometimes made him wonder who decided they were genius. They didn't train nearly as much as he did. If that was the case then maybe with some training, Naruto could have been classed by fools as a genius. But they would hate a genius 'demon', but then only the rich and middle class ever showed their hate for him.

When it came to the poor and downtrodden they knew how it was to be treated like crap, so they understood better. Without people like them to show him that the world isn't only full of greed, spite, and needless, pitiless hate he might have ended up turning on them. He didn't know what to do half of the time.

Naruto and his ninja team had gotten back from a tiring, but exciting mission protecting a small fishing town in Wave Country, and making sure their bridge to the mainland was built so that the monopolising bastard business tycoon could be stopped squeezing the life out of Wave, though Naruto still believed that an assassination would have been quicker and more cost effective for both Konoha and the village in Wave.

Now the people of Wave could finally start dealing with Fire Country via land and not the waters. Though, it was ironic that the bastard tycoon was killed anyway, falling foul to his own evil self-serving greed. In other words he pissed off his own hired thug (an A class missing ninja who wasn't known as the Demon in the Mist for any irony).

Naruto sighed as he just wandered through the forest surrounding the cities training grounds thinking hard about his pitiful life, wondering what he could ever do to get any respect from the villages' ninja. His cerulean blue eyes were unusually dull, and he was subdued. He never lets people see him when he was feeling like crap. He didn't want any of his haters to get any satisfaction out of it.

He was feeling terrible because the world always seemed out to get him, and take what was his to claim, or that was how it felt when his team was like that. They had to grow up. He tried, but it wasn't easy when his teacher was also against him, like most too busy fawning over Sasuke Uchiha who didn't want all of that attention himself.

Sometimes he would secretly feel bad for Sasuke. They had something's in common. They were both orphaned at least. Sasuke also didn't get people, or chose not to. But Sasuke got everything while Naruto got grief. Their sensei only had eyes for the last wielder (loyal) of the sharingan dojutsu.

Naruto had been looking forward to his first ever mission and trip outside of Konoha. However, their sensei only had plans on the Uchiha. Kakashi Hatake, their only taught Naruto and Sakura Haruno (his 3rd and final teammate) one thing, and that seemed like it was only to motivate Sasuke. He taught them how to use chakra to walk up vertical surfaces, which granted was useful, but that was all and he had been their sensei for six months.

Naruto actually saw that the tree-walking exercise as they called it as little more than a technique that should have been taught in the academy. He mentioned that but just got a blank look from Kakashi, and it looked as if Sasuke might have agreed with him if Kakashi: a jonin-sensei hadn't just brushed it off, dismissing his observation.

Then he had to put up with more of Sakura. She was Sasuke's fangirl, and Naruto was growing tired of bothering her. He had thought it was funny. Pick the loudest, most annoying girl in class and 'crush' on her. He had actually started finding it fun, but then she started getting violent so he got in her way just to get back at her.

He wished he picked to bother Ino. But he was sure she would have enjoyed his attention. He knew he was fairly good looking from what he knew of that sort of thing, so maybe they could have been a couple. Ino was much more together mentally that if she had someone else she would have given up on Sasuke and fangirlism.

But then when all the other girls go chasing, she wasn't the type that wanted to lose. Well except there was Hinata Hyuuga. Naruto liked her. She was his most favourite girl in all of Konoha. She wasn't an Uchiha fangirl. In fact, she was Naruto's fan. He had caught her staring dreamily, and following him sometimes when he let her, sometimes chancing it and hiding from her so he could watch her.

However, she was the princess of the Hyuuga clan, so he couldn't even try to be friends with her. He had heard about her father. He was a dick. Naruto wouldn't do anything to make her life harder just because he was lonely. Not yet anyway, maybe when he was strong enough to kick her father's teeth down his throat.

They had arrived back home and then Kakashi gave Naruto and Sakura the week off, and took Sasuke for some extra training. He wasn't even trying to be subtle about anything. The worst thing was that Sakura didn't even care. She honestly believed that Sasuke deserved better treatment than either of them. Even Sasuke wasn't that big headed and surprisingly refused, glaring at the man, but Kakashi had just told him that he wouldn't take 'no' for an answer the next morning.

Naruto had followed them that morning. Even Kakashi hadn't sensed him. All the 'teacher', and he couldn't use that word more loosely, wanted Sasuke to do was use his copycat eyes while he showed him several ninjutsu techniques and told him to learn them within the week as if that was teaching anything.

Then thinking back on the tree-walking, Naruto was certain that wasn't teacher either. He explained it with minimal information, and then demonstrated. After which he walked off reading porn. Naruto was no expert but he was certain that no teacher should be reading porn instead of teaching their students.

Naruto had figured that since he was back in the city that he would ask his long term sensei from the academy whether he could give him some lessons. He was hopeful, even though he was doubtful. If the man can't leave the pages of the book with kids who were going to graduate and potentially get themselves killed why would he for someone who had fluked themselves through an A ran mission.

Iruka Umino was a man who followed a code that preached fairness. However, it wasn't fair as Naruto knew well. He had asked for extra help many times but he was told the same thing. It wouldn't be fair to the rest of the class to give him extra help. He didn't get how it would be extra help to assist someone who was struggling, especially in the field of death.

Naruto even pointed out that half of the class live with ninja, or even had large ninja families to get help from, and asked how that could be fair. He had changed the subject. Naruto never bothered asking again after that, but he also realised over time that some kids learnt differently, or at different rates. However, it was only the fast learners that got any extra help, and all other praise.

They called fast learners genius, but Naruto wasn't sure he would. Naruto was better than Sasuke at maths. Heck, he was better than Shikamaru Nara. Though, he knew the lazy bum would get there his mind wasn't very fast. Naruto knew he thought on the sly. He could make things up as he went while Shikamaru would fall under the pressure.

It always was amazing what you can see when you're stuck on the outside. But he would have to have said that Shikamaru had never been bad to him. He, Hinata, Shino Aburame, and Choji Akimichi were likely the only kids in the academy that hadn't picked on him. That was kind of sad that it was only 4 out of 30 something kids that hadn't been douches.

When he asked Iruka-sensei whether he could help him train he have him some bull-crap about needing Kakashi's permission, which was very unlikely, so he didn't bother asking for and didn't even acknowledge Iruka when he left. If he had really cared he would have offered Naruto the training without needing to be asked.

Naruto swore that someday, whether he was running things or not that he would reform the academy – all academies if academics in the arts of chakra use had become so lame. He wouldn't care whether he would have to get strong enough to crush a kage he would do it for the kids. He had read the statistics, and fresh ninja have a 92% death rate if they leave the city within the first 5 years if they came from a civilian family, which amounted to 90% of all academy students.

He thought he should have read those statistics before he was so eager to go out into the field, let alone when his mission became an A ranked mission, jumping 2 ranks. Apparently even a standard C rank mission was dangerous enough for the likes of him and Sakura. He wondered whether Kakashi was just hoping that they would have died and he could have then taken Sasuke on as his apprentice without Naruto and Sasuke in the way.

Naruto even put in a complaint with the Hokage, but the great and mighty leader of Konoha wouldn't believe that one of his most trusted jonin would be a spineless douche bag. He wasn't surprised that his complaint was laughed away. It was the same when he made a complaint that his school grades were being sabotaged. The old leader had even shown Naruto some of his 'work. It wasn't even his hand writing and lots of the work was scrubbed out and he still wouldn't believe him.

Now he knew why a large portion of the village hated him, Naruto wondered whether the Hokage did believe him but let them get away with it to appease certain fools who had their heads so far up each other money shoots that they could barely breathe through giddy elation. Naruto made a silent promise to someday shove their heads up their own asses and leave them to die horrible and low deaths.

It was not a true leader that appeased the people, because appeasing them time and time again and you became nothing but a man who would harm children for your people's sick ambition and greed. It may not be a solid law, as the Hokage didn't see fit to make it one, but it is normally by rule not right to harm children. Naruto would someday make it law through Fire Country and beyond.

Naruto had tried to keep up his smokescreen; his lie; his smile. He couldn't hold it together anymore. He had to step into the shadows and let the darkness hid him. He could then throw the knife, swing the sword, or fire the arrow that would end the lives of those who wouldn't only fail the city, but fail the country and all that the world had to offer.

He had only grown, mostly from observation. He wanted to be able to give Hinata a hug and comfort her; help her become the strong girl he knew she was. He only needed more strength, more skill. He needed to be able to strike from the shadows, slip through the light, and never be seen. The only reason they should know he was there was when he wanted them to; he wanted them to fear his justice.

That was what he wanted to bring to the world. He wanted to bring justice because he had seen so little of that ideology that it was so sad. He knew there were good people in the world who got screwed over, and walked on because they wanted to do what was right, and Naruto knew that it was time someone stood up and said that it was wrong of them.

To be able to slide around in the shadows Naruto knew that he would have to perfect his chakra control, and perhaps separate the Kyuubi's from his during battle. It would give him his own strength and a battery to charge up on if needed.

Naruto slumped tiredly down into the shade of one of the abnormally large trees that grew around the village. He leaned up against the tree and looked at his horrible orange jumpsuit. He had wanted to buy something new in Wave because the people in Konoha either ripped him off or wouldn't serve him, and if he henged (transformed using a 'solid' illusion) and the shop owner recognised the stuff he would get accused of stealing. It happened once before and he had gotten a beating and his stuff had been stolen.

He took a deep breath as he looked around at the forest; the flowers; the deep blue sky, and the soft wisps of clouds. It was relaxing to be out in nature. He could hear the birds singing, the snakes in the grass, and the soft breeze as it drifted across his skin. The sun was out and the hassle and bustle of the city was far away in the distance.

His eyes got heavy as he just thought of the way the world was, hoping he could do something to change it. He needed to become stronger, and that meant training. He would have to steal from the library to get what he needed, but that was easy as the guards- all of them in Konoha were very crap.

Naruto startled himself as he slipped back and seemed to fall through the tree with a splash, but found himself alone in a dark dungeon tunnel with burning lit torches sparse on the dirty brick walls. It had a couple of inches of water on the grimy floor. The hall had a chill blowing through it causing him to shiver, but with a few deep breaths he pulled himself together.

He could see down one way, which led to a dead end, but the other went straight on into the darkness. It wouldn't have taken a genius to work out what was happening, or where he was because he just knew. He was going to meet his prisoner. The Kyuubi was calling for its warden, and like a fool Naruto was going to meet with it, if for nothing more than curiosity because it had so many answers.

Naruto felt a chill that was nothing to do with any cold. The closer he got the worse it got. But he ventured forward. It was nice that his mind at least gave him torches. He wondered whether he was a bit masochistic walking towards the greatest creature on the planet when he remembered it was his mind, and the monster was his prisoner.

His fists clenched and unclenched as he took a few deep breaths. He could almost smell it, but slowly walked towards whatever fate lay out for him. It took him longer than he thought it would before he walked out into a vast chamber with a rusty cube cage at its very centre with an eerie red glow coming from it.

He moved slowly closer. He was surprised the cage was. It was surely the size for several humans, not a 100 foot tall monster fox. He wouldn't believe the Forth Hokage would be that cruel, even to an enemy. The cage was deep and dark, and around the edges glowed with a crimson light that he knew was it. Somehow that glow made him believe that the cage was endless on the inside with infinite darkness.

"Hello Jailer…!"

He was startled as he heard the whimsical soft and certainly female voice purring out a sultry greeting. He stopped. His heart beat picked up pace as two small hands slid out of the darkness and red glow, her fingers sliding around the bars. Her nails were sharp and pointed, and her arms soft and slender.

It took a moment before she stepped out with nine huge red and black foxtails swishing around behind her with a mind of their own. She was the most stunning creature he has ever seen - well maybe not, he's a little flustered – he couldn't be sure, but she was stunning - he could feel his body reacting as his heart pumped blood down his body.

It was understandable as she was naked and he was a teenage boy. And well, she was a naked teenage foxgirl with a beautiful body. She was lightly toned and slender. She was a head shorter than him, even if she was the same age. Her breasts weren't very large but rather nice and perky, but they still had some nice touch or play worthy mass, and some pencil eraser pink nipples on her milky white skin that were rock hard.

She had a small stomach and frame with long smooth legs, down to small feet, and up round a firm butt. Between her legs was hairless and looked so soft that he would love to touch. He would love to stroke his fingers over her, and had to take several steadying breathes to calm his thoughts and nerves.

Her face was round and cute with a small nose. Her skin was totally flawless. She would be remarkably cute if her face didn't have an evil scowl. Her eyes were glowing crimson with slanted pupils. Her hair was blood red but surprisingly short. It was messy over her head in all directions, but looked like that was on purpose with long trails over her adorable fox ears in crimson and the black tipped ears and down over her shoulders, but not quite covering her small breasts, framing her evil little face perfectly.

"Like what you see, you filthy little human!" she might have been looking at him like 'that', but her voice stayed calm and soft. Naruto actually found her voice to be quite pleasant. It was soft and sweet.

He would admit to himself at least that he could cuddle with her day and night. He could see beyond the hostility to the sweet creature before him that longed for comfort and a loving partner.

"I… I…" he couldn't help but stutter. He was quick to hide the huge bulge in his trousers with his hands as her eyes had casually looked down there. His face went bright red, but she didn't even show any sign of embarrassment or that she might move back into the shadows.

However, the left side of her blood coloured plump lips quirked up into some semblance of a smirk. He could just tell that she enjoyed his attention, and he felt better about the situation because she was okay with it.

"Oh, I'm flattered my pathetically weak jailor gets such a hard dick so quickly by just looking at little old me," she said sing song, and this time she wasn't being as rude as before.

"I'm not weak," his defiance overcame his nerves. "Someday I'm going to become Hokage, or something like that, and everyone will have to respect me! I'll change the world and the greedy pricks will get what's coming to them!"

"No matter how strong you get, those people will always treat you like shit!" she hissed out startling him as she pushed her delicious body up against the bars, her face pushed up to them to look into his eyes better. "There will always be greed, and there will always be men like Gato who take advantage of the good!"

Naruto didn't reply as he looked down at his feet. He knew she was right, but didn't want to admit that to himself. He had dreamt of becoming Hokage. At first he wanted to force the village to respect him, but now he wanted to stop the corruption, even if it meant killing them all. That would then protect the weak and innocent from the danger they possessed.

"You think much too small, Jailor," she added to the silence abruptly pushing back from the bars and slinking into the shadows before exiting at another corner, her fingernail tapping the bars.

Naruto's head snapped towards her as the clinking of her nails caught his attention. "W-what do you mean…? The Hokage's the most powerful and respected ninja in the village!" he said wondering whether she thought he would actually kill off the Emperor and his family to take their place and people would obey him.

"Why should you trust that their respect wouldn't really be fear?" she asked, and for once in a very long time, Naruto truly doubted his dream.

He didn't want to be the top boss if everyone really feared him, or even if it was just the civilian's that feared him. That wasn't how he would want to be remembered as the most feared kage. He wouldn't even want other cities to remember him like that. He would want to be remembered as a hero. He would want people to know him as a man that fought for justice, and what was right.

She let out a chuckle that brought him from his thoughts as she continued speaking. "Respect is a two way street, Jailor… let's say you managed to get their respect… what about all of the crimes they have already committed against you? Can you just let that go? Can you forgive their transgressions when you know deep down that they don't think you're me?! They just want validation to bully you to satisfy their own petty vendetta against me!

"Will they have your respect?" she asked and he almost jumped as those words sunk in making him feel like his blood momentarily froze ice cold. They could never have his respect. How could he give them such an important part of who he was? It made him feel ill to think that he would have to respect in return. It was a 2 way street, but they would have a long way to his respect, and he doubted they would care to get it. He would only respect those who never hurt him while the greedy could die for all he cared.

"One day Jailor-chan you would wake up and realise that most of the people praising your name had once hated you, beat you, and some had even tortured you, yet there they are…"

"But that's your fault," he whispered, confused because he didn't actually believe it was her fault as the people had their own minds. "If you hadn't attacked…!" he began, but had to trail to a stop.

She startled him as she burst out laughing. It was insane and full of rage, which was odd. Then she suddenly stopped and he fell to his knees under her killing intent. He found it hard to breathe but he had felt so much intent over the years he wouldn't let hers get to him. It took him a moment to stand and she let up her attack almost looking pleased by his reaction thzat he fought off her power.

"You are like your mother, arrogant beyond all belief," she hissed out shocking him into just staring, his trouser problem completely gone now. "Oh, I forget that senile old man won't tell you anything about your mother, not even her name! Or even your fathers for that matter!" she said with a small smile, this time forlorn. "I had grown to love your mother, and honestly I miss her visits!"

"B-but the old man doesn't know who they were…" he whispered out now feeling lost and hopeless. He wanted to believe she was just trying to get to him, trying to control him but something inside him said it was the truth. He knew the Hokage enough to know that he would keep the truth from him, and then give him some lame excuse as to why if he was found out.

"Your father did seal me here, so I think the old man would know the truth!" she said and this time he dropped to his knees looking sick and green cheeked. "Your mother was my previous prison. She was nice to me, held me, and... her name was Kushina Uzumaki of the Infamous Uzumaki Clan of the Land of Whirlpool, but it was. Her seal was so different to this… I was practically pinned down, but she loved me anyway, and held me when I was in pain, which was a lot of the time. This seal is stronger though… but I get so much more freedom. I like it more, but watching over you sometimes makes me feel sick the way they treat her son."

Naruto looked up with angry tears welling up in his eyes. "Tell me why, please. I don't understand, why… why, please?"

Her angry eyes softened a little more. "It's because your mothers seal grew weak during childbirth. You never used your own power to seal me, you were too young, but your father used his, but he's not here to keep me. This seals more automatic… it's so much better for you this way, you can learn… become stronger, and even use my power. You can get vengeance for the city daring to defile your families sacrifice!"

His eyes widened in shock as he stood up shaking his head. "I… they might deserve it...they do deserve it... well some of them, but… but that's not me. I'm not like that. I want to be better than them. I'll be Hokage. They can think of me as they want, but I will never be what they think of me. I will be a hero to all, and demon to the corruption, so it all ends."

"You're thinking bigger, but still too small again," she muttered as she started pacing the length of her cage. Her every movement, perfect, graceful, flawless and beautiful, and it was almost hypnotic in a way.

"W-what else is there?" he asked as he wiped his eyes clean as he looked to her. "I've never heard of anything…"

"Why would you want to rule a village when the universe is so huge," she said smugly. "You could rule like a god, king, or emperor, but since you're such a goody two shoes… people praise and respect mighty heroes throughout this world and any other you choose to go too. You can always be the hero in the dark that bad people fear. Create yourself as a symbol good people can stand behind, rally behind, and that is so much more than the corrupt could stand."

"H-hero…?" he asked. He knew what the word means but he didn't understand much beyond that. "B-but heroes are ninja. They save the day, and rescue people and…"

He stopped as she had snorted and interrupted him. "Ninja are murderers, thieves, assassins, soldiers, hired thugs no better than that Gato man's men. It was just that you were hired to protect while they were hired to kill.

"Do you think that Konoha doesn't take jobs to kill innocent people? Do you think that Konoha is the Holy Land of Goodness? Ninja, no matter the village are just super-powered Rent-A-soldiers. They're not heroes, and thinking they are is almost as childish and pathetic as that pink haired bitch's belief that the scum Uchiha will ever want to cuddle and admit he loves her, or even that he likes her for that matter."

Naruto looked away, and it was painful to swallow. He had been taught many things but not once when he was in the Ninja Academy had anyone given him such a lesson. He knew this lesson deep down, but it was also hard to swallow. It had been all jokes at the academy, making light of cold reality, and making it seem like they could become Legendary Heroes of Konoha, but Konoha's heroes are another places villains.

He realised that even he was told all of this, but he now realised they made light of the truth because right now, the plain truth shoved in his face made him doubt his choices. He could almost feel tears in his eyes but he saw his dreams change, and he liked the changes.

"It's like an ice cold ocean smashing you repeatedly with all its stormy might. The truth can be hard to swallow and your human instructors were fucking morons. They didn't train any of you like potential soldiers, but just like children playing games. Then they send you out… you of course with a teacher that just cares about the Uchiha.

"It's pathetic of him as your father was his teacher, and was a fair and just man. Sure I'm pissed at being trapped again, but it could be worse. He and your mother had killed and murdered, he may be a hero here, but in other lands he's remembered as a murdering villain."

"T-then how can I become a hero?" he asked out as he took in that his idol was not just his father, but not the hero he had always thought, but just another weapon.

"Heroes are both feared and loved," she said looking mildly amused. "Loved by those they protect, save and rescue… the innocent. However, those who hurt others, steal or rule unjust fear them. There could be times where whole countries would call for your head because their ruler fears being dethroned, and there can be times when some pretty little lasses with tight little asses let you fuck all three holes to show their gratitude."

She laughed a little as he burnt bright red in the checks. "I… I'm not like that, I'm not a pervert!" he half-shouted in embarrassed with anger, even though he liked that idea.

She just rolled her blood red eyes. "I guess I'll have to give you the proper talk, not that bullshit that stupid bitch gave you that fucked with your mind fighting your bodies normal growth. It's OK to enjoy playing with yourself, and it's a normal teenage boy or girl thing to do…

"But we'll get back to that later, if you're to get stronger, and become this powerful hero, first, you must understand what I want in return."

"L-like what, I'm not letting you out…"

"Like you could," she hissed out rolling her eyes. "The first thing is, you will no longer take anything at face value, and you are no one's tool. If your bosses give you an order that goes against your heroes' code, then say no and then beat them to death, or not, depending on who it was. You would be in your right to refuse a mission, and you can always play them if you really have too.

"Also, this is a corrupt and lawless continent, so you WILL have to kill, and you WILL have to have the enemies of the innocent fearing you. If this is what you want, then you have to turn yourself into a myth… they will know you're strong, but you need to make them believe you are stronger than you are even when you are 'that' strong.

"You are a ninja, and deception is always a must. Also, I've seen it a lot where foolish ninja make their fighting styles all about finesse and elegance. However, what good is that to the opponent who is just too fast, strong and violent?

"Don't stand around mocking your opponents as that is petty and disrespectful to both you and them. Strike hard, kill fast, but best yet, don't let them see you, kill them so fast they won't have realised you were even there until they're meeting their ancestors in hell."

"B-but isn't that like…"

"No, fighting in a war human on human is all the same, because of greed," she replied shrugging. "You want to be a hero here then you have to be the judge, the jury, and the executioner! If you can swing it, NEVER give them a chance to fight… no fighting means you don't get hurt, but when you do have to fight you will be the Unstoppable Force."

"Then… what do I have to do…" he asked knowing that out of everyone he knew, she was the only one willing and capable of training him. "And do you know jutsu?" he asked curious whether a killer foxgirl cared to learn human techniques.

"I've been on this planet for over a thousand years so I might have picked up a thing or two," she replied with a smug smirk. "As for what I want from you…? This is your mind, and I've grown board of the prison backdrop you Uzumaki's keep giving me. Your mothers seal was too tight, but yours allows for change."

"I can change where we are?" he asked in surprise as she nodded. "But… will you tell me more about my parents?" he asked in hope

She groaned, but she expected it. "I'll tell you bits and pieces," she agreed, which made him look happy. "However, you'll work yourself like a monster to earn my knowledge, and if you're lucky, I might let you see a few memories, but that is a tricky… trick… so don't hold out too much hope."

He just nodded a little ticked she was blackmailing him, but help is help and maybe during anything she told him he would learn the truth of why his parents had to die. So he closed his eyes and concentrated on something peaceful, and when his eyes opened Kyuubi-chan's cage had changed but she was still naked, he could see her so much more clearer and the blackness and red glow had disappeared.

Her cage was now perfect glass reflecting the bright sunlight as they were in an expansive field of freshly cut grass with endless fields of white, pink, red, blue and many other coloured flowers stretching out to endless depths. Then further an endless lake shining beautifully to one side.

"Hey, I don't mind the flowers, and love the water," she startled him as she was angry. "And the glass cage is an improvement, but I can't teach you to fight while stuck in here. It's your mind, I can't go anywhere but in the mindscape, and even then I'll be limited!"

He frowned as he thought about letting her out before looking up. He had freed her, but now she was wearing a white leather collar around her neck. She fiddled with it in surprise before looking at him and he shrugged.

"Whatever," she said in annoyance. "Well, I always believe that dawdling will get nothing done so prepare to feel pain. I can keep you here for a cool twelve hours on the outside or so, as long as I don't sense anyone, but in here time moves so much slower, so that could be up to a month.

"You also have the advantage of my awesomeness," she smirked here and he got a good look at her sharp looking canines. "This means I can connect my powers with your body. Although, you won't feel the pain after a few weeks of it your body will grow accustom. I heal you fast enough that it won't harm your body…"

"What won't…?" he interrupted as she hadn't told him yet and he was getting worried.

"Connecting 'dream' you to your bodies muscle memory," she said baffling him. "In here you can grow with chakra, but it's still a dream so under normal circumstances its limited to chakra and knowledge, even learning to fight, but your body's muscles wouldn't have the instinct, and they wouldn't grow no matter how much you trained here.

"However, I have changed that, so you can train physically here and gain in the real world," she said smirking. "So, are you ready…? I've always believe the basics are the most important, so we won't properly move on until you can fight. You're going to be feeling this for the next few weeks when you wake until your real body adapts. It's just cool that you can't sleep here, so there is no escape!"

Naruto gulped and had second thoughts as he looked at her. "Umm… don't you want some clothes…?"

She just shook her head before looking at him and he cried out as she attacked, his clothes torn off in seconds before she hopped back checking him out.

"It's even bigger in person… yum," she said creeping him out as he covered himself. "If you want to live, you can't worry about being naked. You could get attacked in your bed or in the shower. You cannot let such a stupid thing as embarrassment or modesty be your death because that would be embarrassing. Kill the shit and then he can't tell anyone, but you have nothing to be embarrassed about, you should be proud of that.

"If you don't fight back, you'll be hurt so much more," she finished off moving faster than he had seen anyone move before.

He moved his hand as a reflex as her small fist crashed into his stomach. The wind exploded from his lungs as he flew back crashing completely naked through the flowers, plooming them up as he skidded to a painful stop.

This was going to be a rough month long, twelve hour sleep.

to be continued…