A/N: Alright update time! Thank you all for the reviews as well as the advice and suggestions. And thank you ShadowofArchon for beta-testing/reading it! Please keep reviewing and reading!
Chapter eight: Resent thy Elder!
"And I still say that if you keep centering on a single technique you won't get any stronger." Yondaime stated as the four sat down for breakfast the next morning. Naruto pouted as he pushed what he considered an inedible piece of food around his plate. He'd have much rather have eaten ramen, but Kakashi had made breakfast. Yondaime glanced over at Naruto who seemed to be ignoring him. Leaning over he whispered in the boy's ear.
"You're supposed to eat that too…" he said. Naruto yelped startled out of his thoughts and looked up at Yondaime who couldn't help grinning at him.
"Do you mind I was trying to think!" the boy shouted. Yondaime grinned even more.
"Oh you mean you actually use your brain every once and a while?" he teased poking Naruto in the forehead. Naruto snarled at the man.
"Leave me alone!" he snapped. Yondaime sighed and stood up.
"Alright, then come with me." He said walking to the door that led to the outside. Naruto rolled his eyes and went back to pushing his food around the plate. The only thing he got a chance to do was sigh before a hand clamped on the back of his shirt and dragged him outdoors.
"Since all you're doing is pouting we might as well get a start on this." The Hokage said stretching. Naruto stared at the man in confusion.
"Nani?" the genin asked but that's all he was able to because a fist came down punching him in the stomach throwing him back several feet. Coughing he stared in shock at the man. Yondaime grinned.
"What's the matter, are you all talk?" he taunted sending Naruto charging at him, he frowned when he noticed that Naruto was already forming a ball of chakra on his right hand, he flashed and a moment later had Naruto down on his knees in pain as he twisted his right arm painfully behind him.
"You are not to use that attack!" The hokage snapped in fury. Naruto yelped in pain as the man let go of his arm, wincing he rubbed it as Yondaime knelt in front of him his eyes lost all humor as he looked at Naruto.
"You can train, under one condition." He said. Naruto narrowed his eyes.
"What?" Naruto said cautiously.
"You are not to use Rasengan until I tell you that you can." The hokage said standing.
"What? But how am I supposed to!" Naruto shouted but shut up when the Hokage held an up a hand.
"By learning others" he commented. Naruto fumed
"That's my strongest attack!" he argued. Yondaime sighed.
"Then I guess I'll have to teach you something that is even stronger now wont I?" he said. Naruto still wasn't satisfied.
"But!" he shouted only to have the Hokage kneel and cover his mouth
"I should not even be allowing you to train with the condition your body is in, but…you are right. You can't keep staring at a set of scrolls, besides you'll learn better if you see it done. Also it is foolish to keep relying on a single technique a shinobi should always have more than one." The hokage said releasing Naruto's mouth and standing again. Naruto blinked and then looked away.
"I don't like you." He said bluntly. Yondaime grinned.
"That's good to know now get up and this time do not use Rasengan or you'll find yourself unable to move in a bed for the next week!" he shouted. Naruto groaned standing up then charged him. Again the man sent him flying back without giving Naruto a chance to even get close.
"You're letting your anger take you a head in the fight. Stop using that!" Yondaime commanded as Kakashi and Jiraiya walked out of the kitchen area to watch.
"Great another person who believes a shinobi shouldn't show emotion." Naruto grumbled standing.
"I didn't say that! I said don't use anger, anger just clouds your vision. If you keep relying on your anger giving you strength all you can hope for is defeat." The hokage said. Naruto grumbled.
"So what are you saying then!" he shouted. Yondaime grinned.
"That I think before you can even go on fighting you need to learn how to channel your anger." Yondaime said. Again Naruto stared blankly at him.
"And just how do you expect me to do that!" Naruto shouted he froze preparing for another blow to his stomach when he noticed Yondaime flickered out of his sight, a hand touched him on the shoulder.
"By something that should almost be impossible for you." Yondaime said with a wicked grin flicking Naruto's earring. The boy snarled.
"And what is that!" he snapped.
"Mediation" Yondaime said patting Naruto on the back.
"What!" Naruto shouted and Yondaime was forced to cover the boy's mouth yet again.
"Calm down, until you can meditate clearing your mind of everything then there really is no reason to train you further." Yondaime said serious. Naruto looked down his shoulders slumping and the man took pity on him.
"Relax, once you are able to calm down you'll be able to train at a higher rate. And you can learn pretty quickly so why don't we start now?" Yondaime smiled encouragingly at the boy. Naruto sighed his shoulders still slumped as he nodded; Yondaime led him with a hand pushing him slightly on his back over to the overhang near their room.
"Instead of being inside we'll do this outside okay?" Yondaime asked. Again all he got was a nod. Sitting down Yondaime folded his legs underneath each other and gestured for Naruto to do the same. Once the boy was sitting beside him Yondaime turned and flashed him a grin.
"Now all you have to do is empty your mind of everything, every thought and desire. Basically you're trying to…center yourself." The hokage said and Naruto nodded closing his eyes. But all he could think about was that it was such a waste of time, time he didn't have. He yelped as fist slammed down on your head.
"Baka, I said empty your thoughts not center on the one thing that gets you upset the most!" Yondaime's voice snapped out, Naruto opened his eyes and stared at the man. Blue eyes met angry blue eyes and for a moment neither said a word before Naruto exploded springing to his feet.
"This is stupid and it's a waste of time!" he shouted just as Yondaime sprang to his feet out of patience.
"It is only if you're not willing to try! Or do you want to keep depending on the chakra of the demon inside of you for the rest of your life never being able to do anything on your own until you become it!" Yondaime screamed back before he realized his mistake. Naruto's eyes widened a little bit, before he lowered his head clenching both hands in fists.
"I don't need your help!" the boy screamed and took off running. Yondaime stood there staring at the spot where Naruto had stood.
"Jiraiya…" he said in shock as the sannin came rushing over….
He didn't need anyone's help! Naruto thought running faster, he didn't need to trust anyone. They all felt the same, he was the monster fox, and that was all that mattered. He yelped as he tripped and fell. He sat there in the middle of the forest hopelessly lost and near hysterics. The fourth thought of him the same way the villagers had his entire life...his shoulders slumped and he didn't even notice as it began to thunder. He would become strong on his own. He didn't need anyone! He thought miserably as the rain began to pour down. He walked slowly positive that this time no one would come after him. They just wanted to make sure that he didn't kill anyone; after all he was no better than what was sealed inside of him. At least Sasuke had an excuse…Naruto had been this way since the day the fourth had….closing his eyes Naruto ran blindly through the forest, he wasn't going to cry!
He refused to give into the sadness that was rapidly overwhelming his body. Something grabbed his leg and he fell forward in the mud. He turned from the ground to see a dog clinging to his leg.
"Wha…" was all he managed before a large number of dogs came running they were around him some on his legs others his hands all preventing him from doing one thing, running.
"There you are." A voice called out. Naruto stared as Kakashi walked over and knelt in front of him his eye serious.
"You shouldn't have run off like that, he…" his teacher said.
"It doesn't matter! I don't need him! I don't need anyone!" Naruto shouted trying to shake the dogs off but they wouldn't even budge.
"Naruto" Kakashi said calmly, he watched as the boy shivered and glared at him, angry with him for stopping him. Kakashi watched him before he stood up folding his arms.
"I'm not leaving Naruto." The man said. Naruto snarled.
"Leave me alone!" Naruto shouted as Kakashi signaled the dogs to get off him. Then he walked over to the boy and held out a hand to help him up.
"Yondaime didn't mean that like the way you took it. He was just angry, like you get. We explained quite a bit of the recent events and he isn't happy." Kakashi said as Naruto took his hand and stood still shivering in the rain.
"Then why doesn't he just go back to Konoha and let everyone know he is alive, why is he waiting around here!" Naruto snarled. Kakashi rubbed the back of his head looking sheepish.
"For two reasons" he said holding up two fingers.
"One being he isn't as strong as he was then and is rebuilding his strength as well as learning new things as quickly as he can." The silver haired ninja said. Naruto grumbled.
"And the other reason?" Naruto said not really caring.
"Because of you" Kakashi and waited for the boy to look up at him with hurt in his blue eyes.
"I gathered that already." Naruto said. Kakashi shook his head.
"No you don't, he doesn't think you're a monster Naruto, he cares about you. He was frustrated because every time you manage to get happy you bring that down again." Kakashi said watching the boy shrug it off. Sighing Kakashi ruffled his hair.
"If you don't want to speak to him then don't, but don't leave…" Kakashi said smiling at Naruto beneath his mask. Naruto glanced at the dogs around him panting.
"If I said no you'd probably just drag me back." He muttered which sent Kakashi in laughter again he ruffled Naruto's hair.
"Yep, now come on." Kakashi said turning towards a direction and pausing to look at Naruto. The boy sighed and followed him silently. They walked side by side, nin dogs running in circles around them.
"He was right about having to mediate wasn't he?" Naruto said. Kakashi glanced at his student.
"He tends to be right about a great deal many things, and he knows more than I do in that area." Kakashi said and couldn't help grinning at Naruto's defeated sigh. Shuffling his feet as he walked Naruto grimaced he did not want to be anywhere near the fourth he realized.
"Kakashi!" he heard a shout from up ahead. To his utter shock he saw a tired and completely soaked Yondaime rushing over, there was mud on the man's face and he looked worried sick. When he saw Naruto he stopped in his tracks.
"I…" he began at the same time as Naruto.
"I…" Naruto stopped. They stared at each other and Yondaime took a deep breath.
"I am so sorry I never meant for you to think that I meant…well…" Yondaime said actually stumbling unsure of what to say. Naruto looked away.
"It's okay I'm used to it." He muttered. Yondaime snarled and launched into a rapid series of words against anyone who was in that frame of mind when he finished he had both Naruto and Kakashi staring at him. He coughed.
"No it's not okay, because I don't think that. Can we say I chose my choice of words wrong, please?" he asked Naruto who blinked.
"How many words did you just say?" the boy asked in amazement, instantly realizing what Naruto was going to ask next Yondaime shook his head.
"No." he said walking with them back towards the house.
"Come on just o…"
"No."
"Come on, it's not like…"
"Absolutely not" Yondaime said his face turning slightly red as the boy continued to pester him.
"I said no and no means no Naruto!" Yondaime snapped and froze expecting Naruto to recoil, but the blonde just pouted.
"That's not really fair." He muttered. Yondaime sighed.
"You do not need to learn that kind of language." The hokage said as they walked up the dirt path he glanced at Kakashi when the man put the dogs back where they had been. Kakashi glanced at him and shrugged.
"You know it." Naruto accused. Yondaime's eye twitched was this the same kid that had run off because of what he had said?
"No." Yondaime said firmly. Naruto rolled his eyes.
"Fine" He said grumpily. Yondaime watched him and slowly Naruto looked up at him. No, the hokage thought sadly, the pain from his words was still there and wouldn't be so easily forgiven.
"Do you plan on making Ramen again tonight?" Naruto asked hopefully, Kakashi sighed.
"You and ramen" he said. Yondaime turned to look at him.
"And what's wrong with ramen, I think it's an excellent idea for supper!" Yondaime said and relaxed some as Naruto seemed excited about the idea. Kakashi relented meeting Yondaime's eyes. They would talk after Naruto was asleep, the fourth realized, he had a feeling his student was not the least pleased with him at all.
"Hey there Ero-Sannin, were you writing that stupid story again?" Naruto shouted and the sannin walked out calmly, he didn't even remark on Naruto having run away instead he began to tease the boy; he cares about him in his own way, Yondaime thought shaking his head. Sighing he followed them inside…
Kakashi watched Naruto's sleeping form for a few minutes before he stood meeting Yondaime's gaze and the two walked out together. They stood underneath the overhang as the rain continued to poor down.
"Are you going to fight me?" Yondaime asked after several minutes of silence had lapsed.
"I'd have right to…if I did." Kakashi replied. Yondaime nodded.
"I didn't think he'd take it that way to be honest, I only knew it was the wrong thing to say once I saw his face. And by then it was to late." The hokage said with a sigh. Kakashi nodded.
"He'll trust you again in time." Kakashi said, Yondaime turned to him in surprise.
"You want him to?" he asked. Kakashi sighed staring at the rain as it pooled into large puddles.
"You are probably the only one who knows who Naruto's parents were. Any records of his birth were destroyed…you were friends with them if I remember correctly." Kakashi said, Yondaime grimaced and stared out into the rain.
"Sealing Kyuubi into him was the hardest thing that I have ever had to do…" Yondaime said shaking his head.
"After I had promised them that I'd protect him, I go and seal that demon into him!" Yondaime said shaking with anger. The silence grew again as teacher and former student watched the rain. Finally Kakashi looked over at him; Yondaime's blonde hair was still messy from the hot shower he had taken to clean himself off after his run in the rain. His blue eyes were hard and unhappy…
Naruto opened his eyes to find himself in front a set of very familiar gates. He stood up as hot breath hit him.
What do you want boy? The menacing voice snarled out. Naruto blinked and walked closer reaching out with a hand he touched the gate. A blinding light hit him knocking him backwards; he opened one eye to see what appeared to be a human walking from within the gates that sealed Kyuubi. The being glanced at him and Naruto could make out a sinister grin before the being vanished with the light with it. Naruto panted and glanced at the gates again.
I asked what you wanted! Kyuubi's voice bellowed from within the sealed gates.
"…" Naruto stared for a few more minutes before he turned and looked around. There was no sign of whomever the being had been that left the seal, sweat trickled down Naruto's face as he met Kyuubi's eyes.
I see, you've been wounded…very well… the demon fox said and red chakra seeped from the seal, stumbling back a little Naruto watched as the chakra consumed his body…
Relax kit…I am not going to kill you. Kyuubi said and Naruto curbed his fear…
Naruto shot awake and glanced around his surroundings, he was back in the bedroom he shared with the fourth who was currently sound asleep near by. Slowly he stood up and walked over to the door glancing cautiously at the sleeping man making sure that he didn't wake him, and then he slipped outside. The rain was still coming down and it was strangely soothing. He leaned against the pillar staring out into the rain, for the first time since his battle with Sasuke he felt calm. He stared past the rain to the forest not thinking about anyone thing. That was when he noticed that something was off. Turning his head he noticed a shadowy figure walking towards him. He started to call out but a blade was pressed to his neck from behind and a moment later the figure in the shadows came into full view.
"We meet again Uzumaki Naruto." The emotionless voice said. The man standing before him was none other than Sasuke's older brother, Itachi. He snarled at the man but a blow to the back of his neck stopped any and all resistance.
"Let us leave." Itachi said glancing at the room Naruto had come out of. His companion nodded and the two took off into the night with Naruto…
He was not happy. And that was being kind to say it that way. Naruto was bound by his hands and feet to a pike that pressed painfully into his back. He watched as members of the Akatsuki prepared to extract Kyuubi from him. He should've been scared, but instead he was only mad he snarled and thrashed like a wild animal. He had even bitten several of the people if they had tried to get to close to him. This was why he was now gagged. He narrowed his eyes at the group as they began to walk towards him.
"Are you sure you can handle him on your own?" One of them asked. Itachi shrugged.
"I'm not exactly going to be alone now am I?" he pointed out. The man nodded.
"Very well, as soon as we have located the other, we will be back to deal with him." The man said and the others slowly left leaving Itachi alone with Naruto. Very slowly the man turned his emotionless face to Naruto. Naruto glared at him his own eyes showing the man just how much he hated him. For what seemed like an eternity the two stared at each other, finally Naruto lowered his eyes.
"You know, you could make this a lot easier on yourself. Why don't you simply join us. You can not possibly have any feelings for that village you call home, not after the way that they treated you. No body even cares if you die, you know that I speak the truth." Itachi said softly. Naruto strained to break free, he wasn't going to just sit there and listen to this insane moron speak. Itachi walked closer and knelt in front of him.
"You know I speak the truth. Because you must've realized this you are no longer wearing your head protector." He said but he reached out and tapped Naruto's earring with a finger.
"Though you are still clinging to it. You would be much better off if you forgot that Konoha was ever your home. Or do you want to die? Because you don't have to…don't you want to have the power to get back at my brother for trying to kill you?" he asked tilting his head to the side as Naruto raised his eyes to stare at him again.
"Such hate in your eyes." Itachi said sighing standing up.
"I really had hoped you would listen to reason. You have lived with Kyuubi within you, your entire life, getting stronger because of this. You could get even stronger if you let yourself. But to do that you would have to give up several of those childish thoughts running through your head. There is no such thing as friendship, you have no friends Naruto, you have no family, you are completely alone." He said. Naruto snarled again. Itachi walked away from Naruto slowly shaking his head.
"You're a fool." He called out to the boy. He didn't even look back. Naruto let his body slump in defeat.
"Actually human it is you who is the fool." A voice rang out and Itachi slowly turned glancing around for it's owner. He soon spotted him, a young man about eighteen years in age with the same color hair as Naruto. From the distance it looked like he had blue eyes as well. Itachi stared in shock.
"Arashi?" he said. The man smiled showing off fangs.
"Wrong." The man said and charged Itachi before he had time to react. He got slammed back into the wall near by and slumped down. The man then turned to look at Naruto who stared at him.
"You should learn to keep your guard up at all times Kit." The man said kneeling down releasing the gag.
"Ky…" Naruto said before footsteps stopped him. Standing the blonde haired man faced Itachi who now stood, by his side was a girl about Naruto's age; her eyes were blank, soulless. Her hair was the color of blood, and she was dressed in the uniform of one of the Akatsuki. She stepped forward standing in front of Itachi like a human shield.
"Kill the man, but not the boy." Itachi commanded the girl. She walked forward her body moving with the grace of a cat. Her eyes didn't even blink as she lunged towards the man, who turned with a growl grabbing her throat and threw her back at Itachi. She flew for an instant then she stopped in midair. Twisting she landed delicately on her feet not even showing any sign of being impressed.
"I see." The man said this time it was he who charged his fist becoming clawed. The girl dodged his first blow and countered his second, but on the third he used both his hands again she found her throat in his grasp, he held her several feet off the ground his eyes narrowing. For a moment nothing happened, then the girl gasped for breath as he tightened his grip. And with her struggles beneath the man's hand a faint glow appeared. The man grabbed the back of her neck holding her still as he lowered the one in the front. On her neck was a all to familiar seal. Naruto stared at it in shock.
"That's just like mine." He said in wonder. The man turned his head to glance at Naruto.
"Hakke no Fuin Shiki Shiki Fujin is what it's called boy. She appears to be the same as you. Though it appears that they have already gotten what they want from her. A weapon." The man said tightening his grip as his cold eyes met her depthless ones.
"Kill him." Itachi commanded of the girl. The girl ceased her struggles and allowed her body to go limp, she slowly raised her hands moving them at rapid speed making it impossible to tell what jutsu she was going to perform, the man snarled grabbing her hands and squeezing them tightly together.
"I'm afraid I can't let you do that." He said then threw her like he would a doll sending her crashing into the wall next to Naruto. Then the man turned to Itachi.
"I can't have you get in my way." He said simply as red chakra surrounded his body, he punched out his chakra acting like a fist, into Itachi's stomach sending the man back again into the wall. He fell to his knees hacking up blood before he lifted his head grinning. A moment later his body vanished in a veil of smoke. The man snarled at it and quickly walked back over to Naruto and with a claw slashed the ties that bound the boy.
"We are leaving." He told Naruto in a tone of voice that caused Naruto to nod not asking any questions. The man paused then walked over to the girl picking her up and slinging her over his shoulder.
"We can't allow them to continue to have use of her." He explained as he grabbed Naruto's waist with his other hand silencing the boy's protests with a single look. Then he ran past Itachi and into the night.
The house was silent, it appeared that no one had yet to notice that someone was missing. The man mused as he landed silently nearby. He set Naruto back onto his feet.
"Go wake that man." He commanded of the boy. Naruto nodded and ran back to his room to wake up the Yondaime. Silently the man set the body of the girl underneath the overhang and stared down at her face. She appeared to be a little younger than Naruto, though it was quite clear her body had already begun to mature. His eyes wandered to her shoulders which were bare slash marks were deeply scarred into them. He snarled as he felt a familiar chakra coming from within the girl.
"Sylph I should have known." He snarled and looked up as Naruto came running over a very irritated fourth Hokage behind him. It took exactly two seconds before the Hokage snarled at the man.
"How did you get free Kyuubi!" he shouted bracing himself to fight. Kyuubi held up a hand.
"I'm not. Just a small part, and as you can see, and from what I am sure the kit has told you, I don't intend to go on a rampage. But we have more important matters at hand." The demon fox snapped. The Yondaime glanced down at the girl confused until he saw the seal on her neck.
"She's…" he began but frowned as a faintly visible five seal appeared around it.
"I see." He said turning to look at Kyuubi who nodded.
"It's the same thing that happened to the kit after that snake bastard attacked him." Kyuubi said snarling.
"Gogyo Fuin, it's disrupting the other seal." The Yondaime muttered then raised a hand clenching it slightly, then one by one a blue flame appeared on each of his fingers a glowing symbol in each flame. He waited until the flames blazed then he slammed his hand hard onto the girl's neck.
"Gogyo Kaiin!" he snapped and his fingers burned into the girl's flesh. Removing his hand he watched with satisfaction as the five element seal vanished.
"Well I guess even you have your uses Arashi." The demon fox said grinning at him. The Yondaime sent him a withering look but was saved from replying when the girl began to cough. Her hands went up to her neck and slowly her eyes opened to reveal forest green. They widened and she screamed a sound that could wake the dead.
"I'll die before I join you!" her scream intensified until Kyuubi knelt covering her mouth with his hand.
"You already joined them girl." He said and watched as a look of horror passed through her eyes before she slumped back unconscious again. Naruto stared down at her as he vaguely heard Kyuubi and the Yondaime begin to discuss things. A hand snaked around Naruto's neck and he jumped.
"Go to bed kit." Kyuubi commanded his eyes were red. The Yondaime nodded.
"I agree go on Naruto, we'll see to the girl." He said with a smile. Naruto nodded and silently walked into the bedroom. Arashi looked down at the girl.
"Are we going to fight each other Kyuubi?" he demanded. Kyuubi grinned.
"Now as fun as that would be, I can't. I want to keep an eye on the kit, I didn't use that much energy to send my essence out here just so that I could kill you. Though the thought of it gives me great pleasure." The demon fox said laughing folding his arms. Arashi smiled back.
"Now if you could have taken such an interest twelve years ago…" he said smirking. Kyuubi shrugged.
"If I had Naruto wouldn't be who he is today, not all of it was bad I'll have you know. However after the recent events I decided the kit could use a bit more than what he has. So here I am." He said. The Yondaime nodded.
"You have a point there. However if and when we go back to Konoha you can not have the name Kyuubi." He pointed out gathering the girl into his arms. Kyuubi nodded.
"Call me Ky when that happens." He said with a shrug. Arashi watched him for several minutes before he nodded.
"We are going to have to talk." He said. Grinning Kyuubi nodded.
"Yes. But not now." He said following Arashi as he brought the girl into the room he had been sharing with Naruto. The boy was fast asleep his arms spread out and was breathing slowly. Arashi glanced over once before he gently laid the girl into his own bed and wrapped her in the blankets.
"One of us is going to have to keep watch, her mind doesn't seem stable." He said. Kyuubi chuckled.
"Considering not even a day ago she had no mind?" he said shrugging as he sat in-between the two children his back against the wall. Arashi nodded and stood up walking to the door pausing as he looked back at Kyuubi.
"I am not going to slit their throats or yours for that matter while you are all asleep. Go back to bed I'll keep watch." The demon fox said and Arashi nodded heading for the room Jiraiya and Kakashi were sharing. Kyuubi opened one eye and glanced at both children and grimaced, just what had he gotten himself into.