Hello FanFiction! This is pain17ification posting the next chapter of "Mai's Teacher"!

Please note: pain17ification doesn't own Naruto or Avatar the Last AirBender

"Speech"

'Thoughts'

"Higher Being Speech"

'Higher Being Thoughts'

"Jutsu"

(Technique Translations)

Scene or Time Change/Chapter Name

Chapter 2: Meetings and Tests

After the blinding light died down, Mai took in her surroundings and she was confused as to where she ended up. While still on an island, she noticed that she was no longer on Ember Island. The land was lush with grass and flora and the ocean shore had sand as white as snow. Waves gently rolled along the shore before slowly returning to the waters they called home. She then heard many different voices and turned her sights to a village full of happy people going about their everyday lives. Slowly walking through the streets, she took notice that some people stopped and waved to her before continuing their day. She nervously returned their gestures while continuing her trek through the village. There were many shops, some restaurants, and many children running around with joyful expressions. It was as if this place was full of peace and serenity. Mai couldn't stop the small smile that came to her face at the sight of all the happiness around her.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" came a familiar voice from seemingly everywhere.

Mai froze at the voice of the Kyuubi and saw that the scene she was in slowly faded away and the once joyful village turned into an island filled with ruins of the once peaceful civilization.

"Now look at it… This once peaceful village has become nothing more than a painful memory for my container… The place you find yourself in child is the once great nation of Uzu."

"W-What happened to it? What made it become this?" she asked while gazing at the depressing island.

"The answer to your question, child, is war… War is what made this once beautiful place, the home of my ancestors, what it is now," came a new voice making Mai turn to it. What she saw was a blonde man with a red cloak with black flames on the bottom, a long-sleeved black shirt with an armored shoulder plate on his left side, blood red cargo pants with a golden swirled leaf symbol stitched to the sides in gold lettering, black combat boots, and a headband with a swirled design wrapped around his left bicep. On his face were six whisker markings and his long spiky hair was waist-length with shoulder-length bangs framing the sides of his face, with some bangs covering his right eye entirely.

"Who are you?" she asked in slight fear since this man looked primed and ready for war.

He gave her a blank stare before turning his gaze to behind her and said, "I'm glad that you actually found someone to awaken me, Kurama."

Mai turned her gaze behind her and saw a giant fox resting on the shores of the island. The great being had orange fur, a human-like upper torso complete with opposable forepaws, and nine tails swaying behind it. The fox smirked at the two humans and replied, "Well, you asked me to find someone and personally I was getting fed up of waiting after nearly 5000 years…Naruto."

The newly named man smirked back and retorted, "I should've figured you'd grow bored of waiting, fox. Still though, 5000 years is quite a long sleep…"

"No shit," the fox commented with sarcasm.

"Wait a minute!" cried Mai, gaining the attention of the other two. "So you," she pointed at Kyuubi, "are telling me that he," she then pointed to Naruto, "is the guy that was trapped in that white thing I saw? He is the 'Hero of the Flame'?"

"That would be correct, ningen."

"Ningen?" she asked in confusion.

"In our time, it is roughly translated to 'human'," explained Naruto. "The fox you see is in fact a spirit purely made of energy that was sealed into me during my birth."

"Yea I know… The fox told me before I took off that strange paper…"

"That paper was a seal that kept me rooted to that spot until someone worthy was able to remove it. Although, I am surprised that one as young as you was actually able to remove it…" Mai saw him gain a thoughtful look and heard him mutter something that sounded like "hidden potential".

"What 'hidden potential' are you talking about?" she asked causing him to look at her with a calculative gaze, like he was studying her. It made her uncomfortable and she was about to tell him to quit it before he beat her to it.

"Yes… I do believe we have a winner here, Kurama."

"Of course we do. I'm the one who told her to remove the seal after all," the fox replied with a snort.

"Hmm… What's your name, girl?" Naruto asked Mai.

She hesitated for a second before she answered, "It's Mai…"

"No surname; just 'Mai'?"

"Well, we never really use our surname… My father tells me not to since it reminds people of the 'Age of Chaos'."

"The 'Age of Chaos'? What era was the 'Age of Chaos'?"

"…Your time," she answered with a barely audible voice.

Naruto had a blank stare before he sighed and leaned on a piece of rubble. "I suppose that makes sense… My time was full of nothing but chaos after all."

"You could say that again…"

"Well, tell me the surname anyway," Naruto urged.

"I don't see the point to why you think my surname is so important… You're really troublesome, you know that?" she retorted with her arms crossed defiantly, making Naruto and Kyuubi smirk at her wording.

"Nara/Nara," they said simultaneously making her eyes widen.

"Wait… How did you know that?"

"Simple really; the Nara Clan was infamous for their use of the word 'troublesome'. That and your eyes have a calculative glance, studying my every move, word, and expression."

"So why ask when you already knew?" she asked in slight irritation.

"I didn't know completely… So I wanted you to confirm it for me. Anyway, we should probably get out of here… This place is depressing," Naruto said with pitying eyes as he gazed at the ruins. He placed a hand on her shoulder and said, "Brace yourself, Mai… I'll talk to you soon, Kurama."

"I'll be waiting."

Ember Island

Mai opened her eyes to the reddish glow of the hidden cavern where she found the sealed blonde and noticed that said man was stretching his stiff limbs.

"Geez, nearly 5000 years of staying still really does a number on your body…" he said as he popped multiple joints making Mai cringe slightly. "So, where are we anyway?"

"We're in a cave on Ember Island of the Fire Nation. It's supposed to be some super island resort," she said before rolling her eyes. "Personally, I find this place more troublesome than home… At least at home I have stuff to do."

Naruto raised a brow and asked, "Not one for vacations, huh?"

"Tsk, this isn't a vacation… This is just our parents getting us out of their hair while they get 'important business' done."

"Ah, that reminds me of the times when-" he began before stopping abruptly.

"When what?" Mai asked before she noticed him shake his head as if trying to forget something.

"Never mind… It's nothing," he said before making his way out of the cave with Mai right behind him. As soon as they made it out, Naruto took in a large breath of the sea air with a content smile on his face. "I forgot how much I missed the smell of the sea… It reminds me of home…"

Mai said nothing and just began walking back to the main beach. She heard Naruto's footsteps behind her and asked, "Why are you following me?"

Naruto gave her a deadpan look and replied, "You really expect me to go out into the world with little to no knowledge on how it works, who's in charge, or what's happening? You unsealed me, so I need you to help me."

"You want me to help you? Why should I help a troublesome person like you?"

"I could tell you about your ancestors and how they were good people. I sense a lingering power within you, Mai, and I could help you draw it out."

"What makes you think I want to let out this 'hidden power' anyway?"

"I know it interests you; just like I know how you feel like you have to be a 'perfect' daughter for your parents due to your father's standing. I also know that you envy people who actually have the freedom to express themselves while you don't have that privilege in your eyes."

Mai gasped in shock at his words and the truth behind them. "How do you know so much about me?"

"Years before I sealed myself away, I gained empathic abilities; the ability to sense the emotions in people. When I mentioned your ancestors, I felt intrigue coming from you. When I mentioned your status as a 'perfect' child, I felt some sadness and a little self-loathing. And when I mentioning your envy for others, I felt it pour from you in waves."

Mai averted her gaze from his piercing blue eye. She couldn't deny that what he said was true and it irritated her how easily he saw right through her bored façade. Even her parents couldn't see it; not that they really paid much attention to her in the first place.

"I'm sure your parents love you, Mai. They probably just can't express it as much as they wish due to their duties to your home," Naruto said reassuringly as he sensed her emotions again.

"Stop reading my emotions!" she yelled while glaring coldly at him. "Just shut up and stop acting like you know me when you don't!" She then felt a few stray tears leave her eyes before she whispered, "You don't know me…"

Naruto sighed at her outburst but he knew that she had shown who she really was in that moment. She had done exactly what he did years ago; bottle up everything. He knew the consequences of doing so, yet he also knew how to help someone who had their emotions bottled up. He moved slowly so as not to startle her and pulled her into a reassuring embrace. She gasped in shock and moved to get out when he whispered, "It's alright, Mai… Let it out… No one is here but you and me."

She still struggled before the emotional dam finally began to break. Slowly her struggling turned to shaking sobs before she clutched the blonde holding her and released her held back tears. She let out everything while Naruto whispered reassuring words to her and held her close. It reminded him of when Anko did the same for him when he was a child begging to know the reason why the villagers scorned him. Anko had been there for him and comforted him, earning herself a place among his precious people.

After some time, Mai finally calmed down enough to let go of Naruto. "Uh… Thanks for that," she said nervously.

He gave a small smile and replied, "Don't worry about it. I was out of line by blatantly reading your emotions. I apologize." He noticed her nod silently and waited for her to speak.

She was quiet for some time before finally saying, "So, you'll tell me about the Nara if I tell you about the world today… That's what you're saying, right?"

Naruto smirked and replied, "I'll do you one better."

"What do you mean by 'better'?"

Keeping his smirk, Naruto said, "Should you uphold your end of the deal and tell me everything I need to know of the world in this time, I'll teach you, not just about your clan, but I'll teach you how to utilize your hidden potential."

"And how would I be using that?"

"If you choose to accept, I'll teach you how to use chakra and the ways of the shinobi; the warriors of the shadows that lived in my time."

Mai's eyes widened in shock at the offer the man presented to her. During the lessons on Ancient History at the Fire Nation Academy, they learned of the seemingly godlike feats that shinobi were capable of in the past. The ability to use the elements in ways Benders could only dream of, the ability to summon creatures of various shapes and sizes, the power to take down hundreds of foes with ease, and so much more… It was quite an offer, but there had to be a catch.

"Alright, what more do you want besides information on the world? Teaching me the ways of the shinobi and about my clan seems a little too good to be true for some simple information you can find in a library…"

Naruto chuckled at her analytical mind. She really was a Nara, through and through. "How astute of you, Mai… Yes, there is something else I would like."

"And that would be…?"

"If I am to teach you the shinobi arts, then you won't just be my student; you'll be my apprentice who I will pass on some of my skills onto. I will need you to support me should the people of your nation see me as a threat or an enemy, and I will also expect you to not hide your true self during our lessons. No masking or holding back your emotions. If you're angry, upset, or unsure of something, then I will expect you to not keep it to yourself and let me know so that I could try to help you. Do you understand?" he asked with a serious expression.

Mai didn't answer immediately and turned her gaze to the horizon. She thought over his offer silently while Naruto mentally praised the girl for not rushing into something she knew nothing of. After what felt like ten minutes, she turned her gaze back to him and asked, "Could I have time to think about it? I'll still tell you what you want to know and vouch for you, but I'm not sure about the whole 'learning the shinobi arts' yet."

Naruto nodded while giving her a small smile. "Of course, in fact I'm glad you want some time to think about it. If you just rushed into it, I would have called you out on it."

Mai nodded at that and began heading back to her friends. "Thanks… Now, we better get back or else Ty Lee will overdramatize her worry of where I went off to…" she said with a sigh, while Naruto chuckled at her expression.

"Sounds like this Ty Lee is a good friend… A little worrisome, but a good friend all the same," he commented while following her.

With Azula and Ty Lee

"Where is she? She usually isn't gone this long…" commented a worried Ty Lee while Azula rolled her eyes.

"Will you relax? Mai can handle herself, and besides, there isn't anything dangerous on this island."

"Easy for you to say, Azula… I heard rumors that there's a cave on this island that releases an aura of power and fear that keeps people at bay." She then gasped and cried out, "Oh no! What if Mai found the cave and was taken by some monster!"

Azula sighed at her over-imaginative friend and just stayed silent. That rumor Ty Lee mentioned lingered in her mind. 'An aura of power and fear… If father knew of this, he would probably search for the source; assuming this rumor has any merit.'

She was brought out of her thoughts when Ty Lee cried out, "I see her! She's coming over!" She then gained a confused look and finished, "…And there's some guy with golden hair walking with her."

Azula turned her gaze to where Ty Lee was pointing and saw that she was right. Walking beside Mai was a tall man with strange clothing and an even stranger hair color that reached his waist and covered his right eye. She had never heard of anyone who had golden hair before, so she was intrigued. Plus, the way he carried himself was that of an experienced warrior that seemed to hold no equal. Just the sight of this mysterious man interested her and seeing him walking and conversing with Mai deepened her interest.

Once the two reached Azula and Ty Lee, Mai offered a lazy wave and greeted, "Hey, sorry for taking so long. I got distracted by something…mind blowing."

Ty Lee smiled and merely hugged her friend. "That's alright. I'm just glad you're okay; I was so worried!"

Mai sweat-dropped before deadpanning, "I didn't even leave the island."

Naruto chuckled at the scene before he felt Azula's interested gaze and met her amber eyes with his azure one. The two had a stare down for not even five seconds before Azula backed off, unable to hold her gaze against the man.

'Spirits, I know he's holding back but I still couldn't hold my own against him… And we just looked into each other's eyes! Who is this man?'

'Hmm… There's something about this girl that feels familiar, but I can't put my finger on it.'

"So Mai, who's your uh…friend?" Ty Lee asked.

"This is Naruto. I found him in a small cave down the shore. He needs to speak to Fire Lord Ozai and ask a few questions."

"And what does this man need to ask my father about?" Azula asked with slightly narrowed eyes.

Naruto narrowed his own at her, making her back off. "Questions that do not concern you at the moment, child."

At this time, Zuko arrived and was surprised to see the strange man talking to the girls. He shook it off and merely stated, "Hey girls, Lo and Li said we're ready to return home."

They nodded before they began heading to the docks with Naruto in tow. Azula couldn't stop sneaking curious glances at the whiskered blonde while Zuko decided to introduce himself.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation."

Naruto gave a nod and replied, "My name is Naruto Uzumaki, Zuko-ōji."

"What does 'ōji' mean?" asked the Fire Prince.

"In the current time, it roughly translates to 'prince'. I merely utilize the language of a dead time sometimes in my speech."

"That's so cool!" Ty Lee said in awe. "How do you know an old language?"

Naruto chuckled and replied, "Perhaps I'll tell you how I know later. For now, let's just get to the ship."

The girl pouted at the lack of an answer but nodded anyway. She then turned to Mai and asked, "So, how do you know this guy? I mean, you said you met him in a cave, but you seem like you already know a bit about him…"

Mai looked slightly nervous, but Naruto saved her by answering, "When we met, we talked for some time about our lives and what our goals were. Mai has quite the head on her shoulders… Such an analytical mind, and at such a young age, is nothing short of impressive."

Mai mentally thanked the blonde for bailing her out and saw him give her a discreet wink. "Yea and one of his goals can be accomplished if he speaks to the Fire Lord, so I offered him a ride with us."

Azula scowled at Mai and asked, "And do you honestly think that my father will allow this…man to be granted an audience with him so easily?"

Naruto chuckled at the girl, causing her scowl to deepen. "I think I'll be able to convince him to speak to me. In fact, I think he'll be…pleased to meet me, Azula-hime."

"What did you call me?"

"I merely addressed you by your title. 'Hime' translates to 'princess' in the modern tongue."

Azula slowly nodded and the group of five boarded the small ship heading for the mainland. Lo and Li were ready to greet them before catching sight of Naruto leaning on the side railing of the ship. Their eyes widened and they walked towards him.

"My dear lad…" began Lo.

"…are you perhaps a man of legend?" finished Li.

Naruto raised a brow at their…unique way of speaking and replied, "That depends on the legend you speak of…"

"We know who you are…"

"…Hero of the Flame."

Naruto smirked and retorted, "If you knew, then why ask me? What does knowing who I am do for you?"

The two elderly women smiled at his question. "Why young man, it means that…"

"…you are a man who is long ahead of your time."

"The question remains though…"

"…how are you in this time that is not your own?"

Naruto gave them a serious look and answered, "The means are not of your concern for the moment. I will explain everything to the Hi Daimyo (Fire Lord) should I be granted an audience."

"And an audience you shall receive!" stated Lo.

"The Fire Lord will have no problems speaking to a man of your caliber," added Li.

Naruto nodded in thanks before he moved to stand next to Mai. "Those two…scare me," he commented with a slight shudder.

Mai smirked and replied, "Wow, and here I thought nothing could get to you."

"I may be a hero, and the last shinobi on this earth, but I'm not invincible. There are still some things that bother me and unnerve me… And those two are one of those things."

Mai gave a small laugh at that. "Well don't worry so much about it. They could get to anyone without even trying."

A few hours later (Mainland)

Once the group reached the port of the mainland, they disembarked and walked through the streets to the Fire Lord's Palace… Well Mai, Ty Lee, and Naruto walked while Zuko and Azula rode in palanquins.

Many people stared at Naruto in wonder and he was slowly getting uncomfortable by it. He was about to snap before a small child walked up to him with an innocent smile on her face. She held up her hand and offered him a yellow flower that matched his sun-kissed hair. Taking the flower with a smile, Naruto decided to return the gesture and focused chakra into a seal hidden on his left pinky. From the seal, a small figurine of a fox appeared and he handed it to her. The child looked at him in awe before smiling brightly and taking the figurine with a polite thank you.

Naruto had a melancholic smile as he watched the child run off to show her friends her gift. That figurine came from Inari's daughter, Tamaki while he was Uzukage. It was meant as a gift for his tenth year as leader of Uzu and he happily accepted it. After the second destruction of Uzu, he kept it safe in hopes of finding someone to pass it on to. That girl who gave him the flower reminded him so much of Tamaki that giving her the figurine felt right. Seeing her bright smile and her friends' amazed stares furthered the feeling.

He then noticed that he was about to be left behind by the escorts, so he used Henge to transform into a raven and fly after them, leaving the adults in shock and the children in amazement at the display. The raven-Naruto landed on Mai's shoulder, slightly startling her, and said sarcastically, "Thanks for waiting."

Mai shook off her surprise at the transformed blonde and replied, "Next time you should keep up."

"Well excuse me for being nice to that little girl. It's not my fault she offered me this flower," he defended while presenting the flower in his talon. "I was merely returning the gesture."

Mai shrugged, slightly shaking Naruto off balance, and said, "Whatever you say, bird boy..."

Once the group made it to the palace, Naruto transformed back into his true form and followed them inside. The palace itself was incredibly elegant and regal; so much so that Naruto felt out of place in it. The palace was comprised of enormous halls and retained an intricate array of wings and chambers. Large tapestries lined the walls with their beauty. Naruto also saw elaborate fire-themed images and moldings laid out all throughout the numerous sections of the structure.

Once they reached the door to the Throne Room, Naruto was surprised that Lo and Li were already waiting for them. "Lord Ozai is expecting you all," they stated simultaneously before leading them to the Throne Room doors. Opening the doors, Lo and Li allowed them to enter before closing the doors behind them.

The Throne Room had many black pillars with elaborate gold bases that supported the roof, and had black tiled floors, all designed to reflect the firelight. The Fire Lord sat on an ornate covered throne on a higher platform that was surrounded by a wall of fire. Adorning the wall behind him was an enormous bas-relief image of a dragon breathing fire.

The children all dropped to one knee with their heads bowed in respect while Naruto stayed standing with his arms crossed. Azula scowled at the utter disrespect the blonde showed her father while the others were worried about the consequences of his actions.

Ozai narrowed his own eyes at the blonde and saw his single blue eye staring straight into his own amber ones as if he was seeing right through him. It unnerved, angered, and intrigued him all at once at how easily the man held himself in Ozai's presence.

"Tell me boy, why do you not show me the respect I deserve in my own throne room?" asked Ozai in a calm voice that hid his irritation.

Naruto merely leaned on one of the pillars while keeping his gaze on the man. "In my eyes, respect is earned and I have not seen a reason to give it to you."

"You dare insult me in my own home?" questioned Ozai while the wall of flames grew in size.

Naruto scoffed before waving his hand and using Fuuton chakra to remove the oxygen from the flames, shocking the people in the room. "Do not hold the notion that you can intimidate me, Ozai, son of Azulon. You know not what I'm capable of and how easily I can do away with you."

Ozai and Azula scowled at him while the rest looked at him in shock. "You do not seem to know your place, boy."

"No… It is you who doesn't know your place, child. You're thousands of years too young to even be a challenge for me," Naruto retorted. "I'm sure Lo and Li informed you of my identity, as I'm also sure you know of the legends behind my name."

"I fail to see such a man in front of me. All I see is a disrespectful child attempting to intimidate me."

"Are you sure you aren't confusing me with yourself?" asked Naruto from behind the Fire Lord. The others turned to see him leaning on the dragon-themed wall before turning to see the Naruto leaning on the pillar fade from view.

'Such speed… He could have easily killed me without me noticing,' though Ozai as a bead of sweat fell from his brow.

Naruto calmly walked back to the teens and stood in front of them. "In case you need further proof, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Naruto Uzumaki, Jinchuriki of the Kyuubi no Yoko, Child of Prophecy, Sennin of the Gama Clan, Sandaime Uzukage of Uzushiogakure, and the Hero of the Flame."

The list of titles confused the others due to the lack of understanding of the old language. Ozai however, having studied the history of the Fire Nation in depth, had some knowledge of the language and he was able to decipher what they meant.

'So, he's the Human Sacrifice of the 9-Tailed Fox, Sage of the Toad Clan, and the Third Whirl Shadow of the Whirling Tides Village… Not many people know of those titles for this man… But I'm still not entirely convinced.' Ozai stared at the blonde in front of him and laced his fingers in front of him. "You claim you are the revered Hero, however I would like to see you prove your claim."

"Oh, and how would you like me to 'prove myself' to you?"

"A simple test really… Legends say of your many abilities and powers; I want to see you prove that these legends are true."

Naruto crossed his arms in front of him and gave Ozai a blank stare. "I assume you're looking for specific abilities during this test of yours?"

"Indeed… You will need to show your affiliation with the Toads, your mastery of the elements you wield, and your legacy."

Naruto narrowed his eyes at the word 'legacy'. "I hope you realize that if I use that particular power, whoever you have watching these 'tests' will either be dead, dying, or driven mad?"

"I do; however the proof is needed to stake your claim as being our revered Hero."

Naruto kept his blank stare while retorting, "I could just end you in the blink of an eye and be done with it… However, doing so will do nothing more than cause the people to fear me and scorn me; two things I've had plenty of to last many lifetimes."

"So, do we have a deal?" Ozai asked with a smirk.

Naruto gave a slow nod before turning to leave the Throne Room. "Have someone escort me to the designated area when you are prepared," he stated on his way out.

Ozai kept his smirk before turning to the teens and dismissing them. All but Azula left and Ozai asked, "What do you make of him, Azula?"

The girl closed her eyes in thought while answering, "He's definitely powerful, and incredibly intimidating… I couldn't even meet his gaze for more than five seconds."

"What of the claims he makes? Do you believe he is who he says he is?"

"I'm pretty sure he is, but we'll definitely have an answer after your test for him, father."

"Hmm… You may go now," he stated while leaving his Throne Room to prepare his test for the man.

With Naruto

In the royal gardens, Naruto sat in a lotus position on top of the water of a nearby pond. His eyes were closed in concentration while his breathing was even and calm. He focused on his mindscape and reappeared in the populated streets of Uzu. Seeing the smiling faces of the people he left behind made him clench his fists and shed a lone tear.

"You can't keep doing this to yourself, Kit," the Kyuubi said as the visage of the peaceful village was replaced with the Uzu Ruins. "It isn't healthy to dwell on the past so much..."

"I know, but I can't help but think back on those peaceful times… Back then, all seemed right with the world and…I was happy… For the first time in so long, I was happy…"

Naruto turned his attention to the fox lying down behind him and saw it release a sigh. "Kit, you know those times are over… It's been over 5000 years since you've seen the people of Uzu. Think about it though… Would the people who followed you, adored you, and stood by you want to see you dishonor their memory by dwelling on what once was?"

"…No, they wouldn't… They'd want me to press forward and live for them; just like Jiraiya-sensei." The blonde then sighed and gazed towards the rising sun in the horizon. "Let the dawning sun act like the will of my people urging me to move on," he stated before fading away from the mindscape.

Kyuubi turned its gaze to the dawning horizon and smirked. "You would all be proud of your Uzukage… He'll get through this," it stated as the ghostly silhouettes of the villagers appeared in the sunlight. With smiles of encouragement and hope, they faded away to the heavens above.

Naruto opened his eyes to the sight of Mai reading a book while Ty Lee was staring at him. Zuko and Azula were nowhere to be seen.

'Probably doing trivial royalty errands…' He then turned his gaze to Ty Lee who had a curious glance on her face. "Is there something you need?"

"I was just wondering how you're sitting on top of the water… Are you using WaterBending to have the water beneath you stay solid?"

Naruto raised a brow in confusion. "What is WaterBending?"

Ty Lee looked shocked while Mai sighed and closed her book. "Calm down, Ty Lee. Naruto is from the past, remember?"

"I thought he was kidding!" she retorted incredulously before returning her gaze to him. "A-Are you really from the past?"

Naruto closed his eyes and sighed while running a hand through his hair, letting the two girls see that his right eye had a scar going down it from his brow to his cheek. "Yes, I was born during the Age of Chaos… I was able to seal myself away before Mai found me in that cavern on Ember Island and removed the seal."

Ty Lee's eyes widened before she began doing a sort of happy jig. "Yes! I was right about there being a strange cave on the island!" she cheered while Naruto and Mai sweat-dropped.

"Well, you seem to be taking this news well… You don't doubt my claim?" Naruto asked the happy teen.

She shook her head with a bright smile. "Nope! I know you're telling the truth!"

"And how would you know this?"

"I can tell when someone is lying to me no problem! And you've been nothing but completely honest the whole time you've been here! Besides, your aura is bright and vibrant while also being strong and powerful."

Mai sighed and muttered, "There she goes with her troublesome 'aura reading' again…"

"So…you're an empath?" asked Naruto.

"Hmmm… I guess you could say that. I mean, I was always able to tell when someone was happy or upset… But it's hard to read some people… I mean, even with you I can barely read you. All I can tell is that whatever you've said was sincere and honest…" Ty Lee explained to him.

"That's pretty impressive… A natural empath at such a young age… This generation is full of promise; however, promise also comes with problems," commented the blonde to himself.

The girls were about to ask what he meant by that before they were interrupted by the arrival of a slightly elderly man in royal Fire Nation clothing. He had an aura of calmness that both Naruto and Ty Lee felt, but Naruto was also able to feel the incredible power this man held back.

'This man is definitely not someone to underestimate…'

The man smiled to them and greeted, "Good afternoon girls. I hope you're having a pleasant day?"

"Of course, Lord Iroh!" Ty Lee replied while returning the smile.

"I'll admit that today's been interesting," Mai commented.

"I'm glad," stated the newly named Iroh before meeting Naruto's gaze. Not many knew of this, but Iroh had once ventured into the Spirit World years ago. During his time there, he saw visions of a young man with blonde hair battling enemies of incredible strength with the help of his friends and loved ones. The man presented himself as strong, honorable, and full of life. Based on his memories of the visions, Iroh was able to recognize the man in front of him and he gave a bow of respect. "It is an honor to meet a man of your caliber, Lord Uzumaki."

Naruto was surprised that the man knew his identity without him introducing himself. But then again, Lo and Li knew who he was right away back on the ship, so he shouldn't be surprised. "Please, don't bow to me. My title as 'Hero' is terribly misplaced…"

"I don't think so, my good man. Your actions back then saved the world from a fate that many would feel is worse than death."

"And in the end, I left the people I swore to protect and lead after a terrible battle with a man enshrouded in darkness… I abandoned them, so I'm no hero…"

Iroh gave the man a small smile and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "I believe that what you did for them was the right thing. Think about it; did you leave out of guilt, or did you leave to keep them safe?"

Naruto thought over the question and his actions back then. When he destroyed Uzu in his bid to kill Sasuke, he felt immense guilt for destroying the homes of his people. But deep down, he felt as if they would be safer away from him since he was a high target back then. Even when he exiled himself to the ruins of Konoha, he fended off many attempts on his life and defended what was left of his birth home. He gave a small smile and looked to Iroh with a small fire of determination.

"I left for both reasons, but the biggest one was to protect them. I may have taken away their homes, but I saved their lives in the end and homes could always be rebuilt." His smile grew along with his determined gaze as he finished, "And I believe; no, I know my people survived for many years after that!"

Iroh nodded to him with a smile while Ty Lee and Mai smiled as well. Ty Lee because she felt the sadness coming from him be replaced with happiness, and Mai did so because seeing him so depressed didn't suit him. When she met him, he seemed like this invincible man who could handle anything, but seeing him so vulnerable when discussing what he felt were failures didn't feel right.

"I'm glad I was able to help. Now, I actually came here to escort you to the test my brother set up for you."

Naruto nodded and followed the man to an open arena like area where Ozai, Zuko, Azula, and some of the citizens of the royal capital were waiting. The blonde stepped out onto the arena floor while Iroh led Mai and Ty Lee to the stands.

Ozai stood up from his seat and addressed his people. "We are gathered today to witness this man try and prove that he is our revered 'Hero of the Flame'. This test of skill will have him perform the abilities that made him both feared and respected in the Age of Chaos. Now then, let us begin."

Naruto turned his gaze to Mai and smirked before mouthing, "Watch closely." At her slow nod, he took a calming breath, slowly bit his thumb to draw blood, and weaved through some handseals before slamming his bloody palm on the ground with a cry of, "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"

As soon as his hand touched the ground, a seal array appeared and spread out before a large plume of smoke covered the entire arena. Slowly, the smoke cleared and revealed the blonde atop a giant green toad that had a pipe in its mouth, a blue coat with the kanji for 'Chief' on it, and a tanto blade on its back. The toad looked around in surprise before bellowing, "What is this? Who has summoned one of the Gama Clan after so many years?!"

Naruto jumped down to the toad's nose and stared it down. "I did, Gama-san."

The toad narrowed its eyes at the blonde before him. "And just who are you to summon me?"

"My name is Naruto Uzumaki, Sennin of Mount Myoboku," he replied causing the toad's eyes to widen in shock.

"By Kami-sama… Y-You're Naruto-sama! The Grand Sennin, Gamakichi-sama told us of your position as Sennin of the Gama Clans! We believed you had disappeared off the face of the earth for eternity, yet Gamakichi-sama never lost hope since your name never faded from the list. It is an honor to meet you. I am Gamashun, chief of the Gama Clan, but you may call me Shun for short."

Naruto gave the toad a smile and replied, "I'm glad that Kichi is still alive after so long. I'll be sure to visit him sometime… In the meantime, let the others know that Naruto Uzumaki is back!"

The Chief Toad nodded and dispelled in another plume of smoke, leaving Naruto standing in the center of the arena. The spectators all had looks of shock while Iroh had a look of amazement on his face.

"What's the next test?" Naruto asked with his arms crossed. "Or was that proof enough?"

Ozai scowled at him before replying, "The next test is to show your mastery of your elements. First, what elements did you wield?"

"My affinities were of Lightning and Wind natures."

Ozai narrowed his eyes slightly at the mention of 'wind' from Naruto. "Then show us your mastery of these elements," Ozai stated as the crowd sat on the edge of their seats awaiting the display of skill.

Naruto shrugged before flying through handseals while his body emitted sparks of electricity. When he formed the final seal, he released the stored up electricity which rose up to the heavens. "Raiton: Rairyūdan no Jutsu (Lightning Dragon)!" cried the blonde as the lightning formed a serpentine dragon with crimson eyes that flew across the skies above the arena before exploding like a firework. Naruto wasn't finished as he flew through more handseals and the wind picked up around him. The wind slowly took the form of an immense bird with glowing yellow eyes that covered Naruto with its wings. "Fuuton: Jōshō Fushichō (Rising Phoenix)!" he cried as the wind-powered bird took to the skies and flapped its wings towards the ground below, causing gale force winds to crash down on the ground below. While everyone in the stands covered their faces from the harsh winds, Naruto stood calm and steady as if he had experienced winds like this every day. The wind pushed the hair out of his eyes and Mai thought she was imagining things when she saw that his scarred right eye was shown to be blood red (1). She dismissed it when the wind slowly weakened and his hair covered his right eye once again.

When the winds finally died down, Naruto stood as calm as ever while the crowd looked to him with fear, respect, and awe. Ozai felt that he was convinced, but he still felt like issuing one last test to the man. "You truly have mastered your elemental affinities… However, I have one final test for you."

"And that would be…?" questioned Naruto while narrowing his visible eye.

"This test is for you to show that you really hold the Nine-Tailed Spirit within you. Legends say of you having the spirit sealed inside of you… Prove it," Ozai practically ordered.

Naruto narrowed his eye further before he calmed down and chuckled humorously at the man. "Don't say I didn't warn you earlier, Ozai," he stated before closing his eyes and calling upon the tiniest amount of Kyuubi's power. The air soon became heavy for the spectators and they found it much harder to breathe. Naruto slowly raised his head to meet Ozai's gaze before opening his visible eye. Ozai was frozen in fear at the sight of the blood red orb with the black slitted pupil. Visions of death, carnage, and destruction entered his mind and he couldn't tear his gaze away from the blonde man. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Naruto closed his eyes again and the dense air lifted, allowing everyone to breathe easier again.

Ozai released a breath he didn't know he was holding and slumped in his seat while gazing at the blonde man in front of him in slight fear. But, that fear also came with a slight gleam in his eye. This man was the real deal, and if he could get him to help in the war, then the Fire Nation's victory was assured. Clearing his throat to both calm himself and get the crowd's attention, he declared, "I believe you've proven your claims, Lord Uzumaki. People of the Royal Capital, I give you our revered Hero of the Flame!"

It was barely a second before the crowd cheered for the blonde and praised him while Naruto stood impassively during it all. He didn't do these 'tests' to entertain these people; he did them to prove a point to Ozai. That point was: don't ever doubt Naruto Uzumaki.

While the people kept cheering, Mai watched him calmly leave the arena and head back into the Royal Palace. She hurried after him in hopes of speaking to him right away.

After all, she just saw her future teacher walk away and she'd be damned to miss an opportunity like the one he offered.

(End)

1~ Can you guess what this eye is and who Naruto got it from?

And that was chapter two! I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and the future chapters to come! If you guys have any questions, comments, or concerns, please PM me!

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Current ages:

Naruto: (physical) 26; (actual) 5113

Ozai: 42

Iroh: 61

Lo and Li: 78

Fire Nation Girls: 14

Zuko: 15

Aang: (physical) 12; (actual) 109

Next Time: Way of the Shinobi Year One! Stay Tuned!

-pain17ification