The woman moved the light in his eyes to the left, back to center, and then to the right. "Well Mister…Kurasa," the doctor said as she continued to examine his eyes. "I must say, this is unique. I have never seen a degeneration of the eyes similar to this."

"Comes from my family," 'Sensu' Kurasa replied to the doctor he was visiting in Nami no Kuni. She removed the light, making him blink, as he continues. "Started with my clan's founder and has happened ever since. Any idea why?"

"Oh yes," she said as she began writing on a piece of paper. "Do you know about the Rods and Cones in the back of one's eyes?"

"Not really."

"Well, the eye works by the lenses in the eyes focusing the light that enters them into the back where it hits these rods and cones. The cones respond to three colors, red, blue, and green, and are charged with electricity to let your brain see. The rods are used in low light and can only see in black and white. A person who is color blind is using rods instead of cones."

"…Oh," Kurasa muttered. "I will admit, I heard that medical from Uzu no Kuni was advance but to actually be able to explain this…"

The woman smiled with a nod. "Over the last several examinations, Mister Kurasa, I have been able to determine the problem. The rods and cones are not being charged with electricity. That or the degradation of them is the usual cause of blindness. But as you will remember, we have been able to stimulate them into charging as well as they are also in working conditions. As I said before, your degrading vision is caused by an outside source. And I believe I now know what that source is."

"You do?"

"Oh yes, there was a case like this in Uzu no Kuni about a hundred and seventy years ago, I think. I'm surprised I didn't think of it earlier," she informed him. "The patient, at the time, was a Sora that was going blind. Back then, medical practices were…barbaric I guess you could say. With the increase of technology, we have created X-rays, sonograms, all kinds of things. Either way," she said shaking her head.

Uchiha Kurasa was seeing this doctor not because of his eyes but because she was a doctor from Uzu no Kuni having come here to help with a surgery and stayed to examine his eyes. Doctor Sora Momo was a woman without wings, tail, or plates, she was as human as any could get.

Dr. Momo cleared her throat, "It wasn't a doctor that solved the problem but another mage. He said that repeated mana use in something could cause crystallization. The patient was using mana in his eyes for a series of spells. I believe that what is happening with you is similar."

"I don't use…mana," Kurasa told her.

"Oh, I know that. It is quite possible that what is happening is the crystallization of chakra around the cones and rods. You can't see because these crystals are blocking the light from reaching them."

"So…what can be done?"

"Hmm. I believe there are three options available for you. The first is surgery, with would remove these crystals manually. I don't particularly like this idea myself for the risk involved."

"Can that be done?"

"Oh yes, just not easily. The tools themselves are almost impossible to find and to put it lightly it will hurt. Plus if things go wrong, you could lose your eyesight completely. The second option is medication. We could definitely slow the progress but I am unsure if it will remove the crystals. The third option is prevention. I must assume you are a ninja, mister Kurasa, and that through one of your jutsu(s), this is causing the chakra to concentrate in your eyes. This jutsu must never be used again, even with medication or surgery else it will continue."

"…Is there a forth option?"

"Yes but it is one I am hesitant on giving."

"What is it?"

"Magic could reverse the process."

"Why hesitate then?"

"Because you are a ninja and the one needed for this would be a mage from Uzu no Kuni. I don't believe any would agree to do it." She finished writing and looked to him. "Tell me, mister Kurasa, how long has this condition been taking place?"

"Five, six years."

Dr. Momo nodded and started making calculations. "Has it been happening over time or is there 'jumps'?"

"…It happens when I use a family jutsu."

"How many times have you used it?"

"About fifteen times."

"…Judging by the condition your eyes are in and the rate it is happening, I say if you use it three more times without medication you will be blind, four or five with." She put the sheet of paper in a file and fully faced him. "I suggest you never use it again. I will contact you once I have the needed prescription to possibly reverse the damage."

"And if one of the mages agrees to help me?"

"I shall inform you. Have a good day, Mister Uchiha." Kurasa froze as he about walked out the door. "Changing your last name from Uchiha to Sensu, a folding fan, isn't as creative as the person that created your new identity thought it was."

"…I'll be sure to pass along the message," Kurasa said with a smirk.

—oo000oo—

Deis leaned back in her favorite chair in her study, relaxed as the sound of silence filled the air. Naruto was out enjoying the day, Carol was playing with a friend, and while Yuki was still here, she was quiet and being watched by her father. Not a sound to disturb her…

"Gotcha," Rei sudden called, snatching up his four year old daughter.

"EEEEE, daddy," she called before he began tickling her. Laughing, she somehow escaped his grip and was chased around the house before being picked up outside Deis's study.

"All ready for mommy," Rei said, hold his screaming child out for her to take.

Deis sighed helplessly but smiled and took her. "I'll get you back for this, Rei, I will."

—oo000oo—

In the three years since Naruto returned from his time in Suldanessellar, Naruto had not once gone to see Suzuka nor had she sought him out. While he wanted his position as her student back, she had decided he was unfit for it so she must decide when he could return. He had no delusion that she kept track of him as well as his progress. She was a friend of his mother; she had to know just about every move he made. Likely she was told to wait until Naruto was done training in his summoning and shapeshifting abilities.

Today was a day off from training in any form so Naruto was using it to get together with his friends. "This is a stupid idea," he heard Din say as they all looked down into an old lava tube that dropped far out of sight.

"When isn't something a stupid idea," Gaara replied, looking from Naruto, to Konan, Hinata, finally Din. "I promise you it's down there."

"…She's right, this is a stupid idea," Konan said, leaning over to look farther down. "I'll go first." Konan stepped over the ledged and dropped from sight, leaving no trace but her scream as she slid down the tube and dropped into an underground pool. "It's gorgeous down here," she shouted up to them a moment after the splash.

Hinata grinned and dived in after her sister. "Going down!" Followed by Gaara doing a cannonball.

Naruto smirked but looked to Din. "You going to be able to do this?"

"…You know we're claustrophobic, don't you?"

"Just makes sense. The Sora are like birds and birds can't fly up something that small in ratio."

Frowning, Din stepped up to the tunnel mouth and looked down… "I can't!" She stepped back, "Just looking down there makes my head spin." She moved back and stood on the other side of Naruto. "Can't we go to a waterfall instead?" Naruto looked longingly to the drop, making her sigh.

"Din, if you can't do it then we'll go somewhere else," he said after a moment.

"No, I can tell you want to. Go ahead, Naruto. Just…later, can we do something?"

"Sure, just tell me where and we'll meet you there."

"…No, Naruto, we." Naruto got such a blank look on her face that it made her giggle.

"Uh…are you asking me out on a date, Din?"

"Yes."

"I…"

"Naruto, Din, hurry up and come down," Konan shouted.

"Coming now," Din called to her. "Tonight, in the glade where we first met, at seven, I'll have it ready."

"I…" Din suddenly raised her hands and pushed him in. Naruto went in backwards and for three seconds, free fell before being covered with water from another tube joining this one and sliding down the rest of it on moss. "WWWHHHOOOAAA!" Hitting water, he broke the surface sputtering and laughing at the rush. Above ground, Din smiled as her best friends had fun before walking away. A tunnel that small could easily hurt her wings.

—oo000oo—

"Yahoo," Konan shouted, dropping down again. Naruto was laughing, sitting one of the giant crystals the room was filled with. As magma moved through the tunnels, mineral molecules were being carried with it. This room emptied of magma shooting up through the tunnels or back down the now sealed flow, dropping the heavier molecules along the walls. When cooled quickly like on the surface, the molecules have little time to form becoming small crystals. In the tubes though, the heat can take decades to fully dissipate even after the magma is gone. This underground pool was a giant hollow geode larger than a house.

"Gaara, obviously we aren't the first to find this," Naruto said to him, motioning to a stairway to the surface while using crystals to focus the lights into the room. "Why haven't we heard of this?"

"…Don't know, really. Kaasan said it was really popular about two hundred years ago but people started going elsewhere. Guess they just forgot about it."

"Naruto! Have you checked out the bottom," Konan called.

"Be right there," he replied. "Gaara, I got one last question. Do you ever…have trouble with girls?"

Gaara looked to him with an eyebrow raised before giving a gut shaking laugh. "Some, Aliizsa sometimes, few beach bunnies, Fū even, but I'm not touching this. You deal with Konan and Din on your own."

"Hey, wait a minute, Konan is my best friend," Naruto protested.

"Sure, sure."

Naruto rolled his eyes before diving into the water and followed Konan down. They reached the bottom and Konan motioned to one of the crystals. It was a beautiful rainbow of colors and even clear in spots. He smiled at seeing it and couldn't help but wonder just how wonderful was the world even without magic. Why couldn't the ninja nations seeing what he saw? He ran a hand over the crystal before swimming back to the surface and taking a deep breath. "This is so cool, I wish Din could see it."

Konan, having come up with him, squirt the water from her mouth at his face and asked, "Why didn't she take the stairs if she was afraid?"

"Still underground," Gaara told them, getting Naruto to turn away from Konan. Seeing the tanuki suddenly grin, Naruto turned around to get a splash of water in his face.

"Oh, is that how you want to play," Naruto asked before he swung his arms back and forth as fast as he could, sending wave after wave at Konan, making her scream in delight.

She held her arms in a block before jumping on him, taking him under for a few moments. Coming back up laughing, she protested, "Naruto! That's cheating! Stop tickling me!" She swam for shore as Naruto resurfaced. She gave him a mock glare and Naruto accepted it, never wanting days like this to end.

"WwwwhhhhoOOOAAA!" Hinata did a cannon ball just feet away from Naruto and came back up to the surface. "I love it here!" She looked to Naruto and saw the splash water dripping from his face. "Oops."

—oo000oo—

Skarmory, Naruto's raven familiar, watched Naruto pull the last wrap around his right hand. "You're sure she is wearing that," Naruto asked his friend, getting a 'caw' in affirmative. "What do you mean, relax? I am relaxed." He was wearing his vest, slacks, and wraps with his heels and toes free to touch the ground and dig in. Tying a bandanna around his forehead to keep his hair from his eyes, he headed out. "Kaasan, I'm going out."

"Where are you going this late?"

"I…" Naruto hesitated but shrugged. She'll likely find out anyway. "Din asked me to meet her. Skarmory said he saw her with a picnic basket."

"And that's why you're wearing these again?"

"I still like these," Naruto defended. "I just like looking my best."

"Okay, have fun…uh, on second thought, don't do anything you shouldn't."

Naruto chuckled and kissed her forehead. "Don't ever change, Kaasan."

Deis smiled as he walked away, his tail swishing around happily with a hint of nervousness. Her son had grown into a young man almost overnight it seemed. Blinking at that thought, she called her husband. "Rei?"

"Yes?"

"Take a look at Naruto."

Rei looked at his son as he ruffled his sister's hair before walking out. "Looks a lot like me at that age. Why?"

"Just…when did he grow up? He was so small when he got here and every little thing was an adventure. He just left on a date, did you know that? Didn't ask permission to go out, just left. And I realize he's been doing that for a while. When did this happen?"

"Honey, he's sixteen, almost seventeen. I know that seems a blink of an eye to dragons but it is a long time. You've had many children, dear, you knew this would happen."

"I know…" She sighed, "Maybe it's that none of the rest ever caused me anywhere near as much emotional havoc as him. Meeting him and everything attached to it. Him leaving and coming back, actually teaching one of my children some of my arts."

"He does seem drawn to trouble," Rei mused. "Probably why he likes Konan so much."

—oo000oo—

"Afternoon, Anzu," Ayame said, walking into a small tea house in the middle of Tetsu no Kuni.

"Hello, Ayame, the usual?"

"Heh, yes please." Ayame sat down at a table, her mouth already watering at the taiyaki, the best in the whole elemental continent. Getting a cup and pot of tea, she was about to start drinking when someone sat down across from her.

"Hello, Ayame-chan," Jiriaya said with a smile.

"…Jiriaya," Ayame said slowly, filling her cup and picking it up with her off hand. "A particular reason you are bothering me? How did you even know where I would be for that matter?"

"You tend to move in a cycle," he replied cheekily. "When you're out of…work, shall we say, you visit certain shops more than others. And during those periods, you always come here after getting a snow plum pie in Yuki no Kuni. As for the reason, I just want to talk."

"Uh huh, last time someone from Konoha wanted to talk to me, he tried to take what was mine." She took a sip from her cup and didn't set it down.

"I don't mean you harm, Ayame, I'm not your enemy."

"Nor are you my friend," she told him.

Jiriaya looked to her arm going under the table and asked, "Could you maybe put your hands on top?"

"Nope."

"Didn't think so. What kind of weapon is it?"

"Hand crossbow powerful enough to get through your clothes, armor, and magical enhancements," she promised. "The bolt is covered with a paralyzing poison that will lock you up in a heartbeat after it hits you. And I'm aiming for your crotch so don't even try something perverted."

"…Ouch," Jiriaya muttered. "Well, since I'm here and you're here, can we talk?"

"If I say no?"

"I imagine my choices are to leave or get shot, right?"

"If I said no."

"…So, I am wondering how Naruto is doing."

"Naruto's fine, went on his first date yesterday."

Jiriaya smiled at that and said, "With who?"

"You wouldn't know her," Ayame assured him.

"…Is he happy?"

"Very."

"Healthy?"

"Yes. Why don't you ask the question you really want to ask?"

"…Is he still mad at me?"

Ayame gave him a wry grin. "He hasn't mentioned you or even thought of you in over three years that I know of."

"That's kind of depressing."

"What do you expect, Jiriaya? You left him alone when he was an infant and needed you and you came into his life when he needed a mother instead. You don't get to complain about being disliked by him because if you really cared you would have been there."

"I was."

"Really?"

"I paid for his apartment and his care."

Looking upset, she slammed her cup down, reached over the table, and slapped Jiriaya across the back of his head. "Big deal! He needed a family, not a benefactor! So you gave him, an eight year old boy, an apartment! What about helping him with his homework and picking him up when he fell? Holding him when he scraped his knees or teaching him to just throw a ball? It takes more than a paycheck to be family!"

Glaring at him one last time, she accepted the three taiyaki happily and took a bite out of the hot, fish shaped pastry. "I know," Jiriaya said after a minute.

"Did you know then or is it something drilled in your head since then?"

"Then."

"So why did you just abandoned him?"

"I thought he would be better off without me."

"You know what, for once you are right. He is better off without you." She hoped it hurt as much as that pained look on his face said it did. "Anything else?"

"I was hoping I could maybe see him."

"…That would be up to him." She took another bite out of her taiyaki followed a drink of her tea.

"Can you go ask him?"

"Not until I finish my meal."

"I would rather you go now."

"And leave these here to cool, unguarded? No way. For all I know this could be just some cheap plan for a free meal. Your reputation says you aren't above it."

"I would never!"

"What about that time you took your students to a town and made them give over most of their money, saying it was one of the vices of ninja, only to take it and blow it in a 'buy-me-drinkie', hmm?"

Jiriaya blinked and said, "You know about that?"

"Sarutobi came to our shop a lot and had a lot of stories about his students." She took another bite and said, "Anzu, has he ordered anything?"

"He asked for a second cup to be taken to your table but I told him you don't share."

"Good. I know you know but anything he orders is separate from mine."

"That's cold," Jiriaya muttered.

"I am not your friend, I am not your dining partner," Ayame snapped. "I am the woman with the itchy trigger finger pointing a crossbow at your pair." She could hear his legs clap together and stay that way. "Glad you finally get my point." Her meal was finished in silence. Setting her money down, she wiped her mouth off and said, "Stay here. If I'm not back in fifteen minutes, take it as a no. Reumos." Ayame vanished exactly like Sarutobi told him, no bamf, no light, no pop, just gone.

Sitting there, waiting, he couldn't help himself. "…Reumos?" No dice.

—oo000oo—

Ayame appeared outside Naruto's home and walked in. "Deis-sama? Can I talk to Naruto?"

"Good afternoon, Ayame," Deis called from the kitchen. "What else should go in it," Ayame heard her ask.

"Almonds," Yuki cheered.

"I know where they are," Carol said, running to get them. Ayame walked in to see a mess. "Heya, Ayame!"

"Good to see you, child," Deis said as she took a handful of almonds and dropping them in a bowl. "Carol said she wanted to make some cookies. I asked her what kind but she didn't know. So now everything is going in."

Ayame laughed and said, "I can see. Chocolate chip, raisens, oatmeal, almonds…what's this?" She lifted a jar of cream colored…stuff inside.

"Peanut butter, I had to fly a long way to get it," Deis replied.

"Hmm…I'll have to try some. Frosting, too. Wait, focus, where's Naruto?"

"Last I knew he was in back practicing with his father."

"Another knife fight," Ayame said with a shake of her head and a wry grin.

"It's how they bond," Deis dismissed.

"Thank you. Save a cookie for me." She walked out but not before trying this little colorful, bite size food. Turned out to be a hard, sweet coating over chocolate. "Hmm, I am really going to have to try one of these. Don't forget the cinnamon."

"I forgot about that," Carol said before diving into the pantry.

Walking outside, she found the two not sparring but going through katas. The two men were perfectly mirroring each other with how they moved and their balance. They both made a slash followed by a kick. Standing there with their legs extended, they twisted their feet still on the ground to rotate, revealing they were also blindfolded. "Hello, Ayame-niichan," Naruto said to her.

"Hello, Naruto. I need to talk to you about something important."

"Go ahead son, I'll finish up and head inside," Rei told him. Naruto nodded, lowered his leg, and removed the cloth.

Walking over, he asked her what it was. "Jiriaya was waiting for me at a diner I go to. He asked if he could speak to you."

Frowning, he said, "What about?"

"I think he wants to try again and be your godfather."

"Don't need one," he dismissed.

"I know that and you know that. I think even he knows that too. But he isn't going to give up."

"…What do you think?"

"I think we should ignore him or deal with him. The problem with ignoring him is he hasn't given up for almost ten years, he probably isn't going to give up now."

Naruto sighed but nodded. "Alright. Just be ready, he could be under orders to try and catch me for the Kyuubi."

"I'm sure if it's some kind of trap, we can handle it." Naruto nodded as he grabbed his saber and wrapped the belt around his waist. "When you're ready."

Grabbing his arm, she said, "Reumos." A moment of black was all that Naruto saw or felt before blinking his eyes at seeing all the snow. "Welcome to Tetsu no Kuni, Naruto."

"Gah! It's cold! I change my mind, let's go back!"

Ayame laughed at how used to the islands Naruto was now. "Weak, Naruto, very weak."

"Naruto?" They turned around to see Jiriaya standing at the door of a tea house. Naruto frowned while Jiriaya looked shocked. "I guess I was still expecting a boy, not a young man."

"Yeah, happens when you only meet someone twice in nine years," Naruto said before walking inside, pushing him out of the way. Kicking the snow off his boots and taking them off, he sat down at a table and motioned him to do the same.

"…I'm actually at a loss now," Jiriaya muttered. "Tried to plan it out a thousand times but now that it's happening…"

Sighing, Naruto shook his head. "Why do you care, let's start with that."

"Because you are the son of my best student, someone like a son to me! He named you after a character in one of my books! I was…honored when Minato and Kushina asked me to be your godfather."

"But not enough to honor their trust and faith in you," Naruto countered.

"Yes, I screwed up, I know, but come on, they were both in the prime of their lives and neither were going to do missions anymore! I thought I was going to be taking you fishing or teaching you jutsus, being there on your birthdays."

"Which you didn't even do," Naruto shouted.

"Kid, can you imagine me as your father figure? Everything I come up with isn't pretty."

"No, Jiriaya, I can't! The only person I can imagine as that is my grandfather! Rei and Deis are the only ones that never held anything back and treated me like their child! So, picturing you as my father is never going to happen because you never let me! Instead of caring for me you left me alone in that forsaken place!"

"…I know I didn't do right by you," Jiriaya said to him.

"Or my parents," Naruto interrupted.

"Or your parents. I want to fix that."

"Why bother? You have to know you will always be a stranger to me."

"I…have to. For what I did wrong to you and them, I have to make it right."

"Sounds like you're trying to assuage a guilty conscious," Naruto growled. "Actually, it sounds like total bull shit and a trap! What did you expect, I get teary eyed, hug you and call you uncle or something?"

"No, I…"

"…Well, say something! Anything! Give me an excuse, you're good with those! 'I had enemies, Naruto' or 'It was too dangerous, Naruto'! Say something to make up for being gone all my life!"

"There is nothing I can say," Jiriaya admitted. "I couldn't handle the responsibility of raising a child."

"You didn't want it," Naruto accused.

"…No, I didn't. I'm sorry."

Naruto glared at him a long time without saying anything. "So why try now? Why keep trying when I hate you?"

"Because I don't hate you. You are still my god child and there is still much for you to learn. Not just about your parents or ninja. I want to show you what shaped your parents to be who they were. A chance to take you fishing. I want to show you the wonderful things in life outside of Uzu no Kuni."

"And just how many of those wonderful things are whore houses?"

"Naruto…"

"No, I listened to you now you are going to listen to me! Did you honestly think I would care how good a guardian you might be? If you had just showed up one day, at any time, and told me you would be taking care of me, I would have been ecstatic! I would have jumped for joy, throw myself in your arms, and have never left! I just wanted someone there for me like I saw everyone else had! Eight years there, alone, ignored, abandoned, while you ran around and blew what money you had on hookers, and booze!"

"That's why I…"

"Shut up! I'm talking! Maybe you would have been horrible but so what! I wouldn't have given a damn! Hell, I probably would've thought it was cool, that no matter how old you get, you can still act as young as you feel! I would've loved every second of it! Hell, I would've loved just a little time if you explained it to me! Yes, I get it that Konoha needed information and that means you doing the work! Maybe just once and twice every few months show me a jutsu, teach me to fish, throw a ball even! Don't you dare come to me now trying to make up for a promise you failed to keep seventeen damn years ago!"

Jiriaya watch him rant and was surprised as a few tears showed up at the end. "That all?"

"NO! I was so sad and scared there! People ignored me and if they didn't they were mean! Hateful to a little child and for what? I didn't know why! I cried myself to sleep so many times because you couldn't face the responsibility you accepted! Do you know how well a six year old can care for himself? Being given this huge apartment and being told that I had to live there, alone, with no help! If it wasn't for the Old Man, I would have died! And during all this, where were you? Boozing and sleeping around with whatever would spread their legs! Hell, you probably used me as a pickup line! 'Oh, I got a four year old godson back home.' Bullshit! Did you once, just once, worry about me or were you always too drunk or hung over to care?"

"…Not nearly as much as I should have. I thought you would be okay."

That was exactly what Naruto didn't want to hear. Naruto gave him a right hook that threw him from the table. "You son of a bitch! You thought? You thought! You should've made sure! You should've stopped by and looked at what I lived in! Hell, you should try living it!"

"I have," Jiriaya muttered, grateful that Ayame was calming down the owner. "I stop living the life you accused of me. No more women, no more drinking like I had. You made your point back in Konoha."

"Bullshit," Naruto called it. "You are a ninja, you are a liar! You would say anything, do anything, to get what you want! You probably don't even want me! I bet this is all just to get the Kyuubi back in Konoha!"

"Then I would need to talk to that snake woman," Jiriaya stated, getting back up, making Naruto freeze. "Gerotora was the keeper of the scroll with the key. He was there when she pulled the Kyuubi from you and turned it into a fox the size of a cat. She has to be the person that collected the rest of them as well."

"…Have you told anyone?"

"No. What she did to the Kyuubi wasn't anyone's business. It is gone, that is all that matters. As for the others, I couldn't talk about them without revealing the fox." Naruto frowned and continued to glare at the man as he rubbed the cheek Naruto hit. Without another word, Naruto went to his boots and pulled them on. "Leaving?"

"Not yet, just don't want to hurt my foot."

"Hurt your…" His face was turned aside by a roundhouse kick from Naruto.

"That was for my first birthday." Naruto caught his collar and pulled him straight and punched him again in the face, breaking his nose this time. "That was for my first nightmare." The next punch started a black eye. "Not protecting me the first time I needed to go to the hospital." Split a lip. "Missing out when I started to walk." Naruto stepped back and said, "And this if for every other first you missed." Naruto kicked him in the crotch as hard as he could. Jiriaya's knees started to give out and he would have fell if not for Naruto grabbing his collar and keeping him standing. "Now you tell me, Jiriaya, am I worth getting close to? You have seven more years for me to work through." Though he couldn't say anything, he did nod. "…Fine, you will get your chance."

"You…forgive me?"

"Not in the least," Naruto assured him. "But you can now earn it." Naruto stepped pass him and said, "I'll make sure you can get on island. Just you. If you do one thing for Konoha and not to be my godfather, I'll personally see to it that you are kicked out of Uzu and can never get within a thousand miles of it. Got it?"

"Yes."

Ayame walked over with a smile and said, "Let's head back, Naruto, your sisters are making some cookies I really want to try." At his nod, she put a hand on his shoulder and they both vanished.

—oo000oo—

Once more in Uzu, Naruto frowned and said, "I need to check up on somethings, I'll see you later, Ayame-niichan."

"Sure. What is it?"

"Just need to visit someone." Naruto began walking away, heading to the beach. Reaching Bleu's house, he noticed Gaara out on the beach, enjoying himself as he usually did. Temari and Kankuro had both moved into their own houses here so he wasn't expecting to see them. Taking account of who was there, he saw a bunch of little critters in the yard or house. Ichibi sleeping on a cushion, Niibi stretched out on a windowsill in the sunlight, Sanbi eating a tuna inside his fishtank, Yonbi up in a tree, Gobi just trotting around the yard, looking for something to do, Rokubi sunning himself in the garden, Nanabi sitting on the wall not doing much, Hachibi sitting on the couch, and Kyuubi…

Turning around and not seeing him there either, Naruto wondered where the fox was. Stepping into the den, he saw Kyuubi laid out on a pillow, completely lack-luster. "Hey old fox."

Kyuubi lifted his head growled, and couldn't even finish before his head fell back down. "What do you want?"

"Okay, I know that's not normal. Where's the teeth, the promises of pain, dismemberment, and death?"

"I'll have you know I survive on blood of annoying ningen and coffee, both of which I haven't had any of in too long."

"…Coffee? Maybe I can get you some." Naruto picked him up and the fox just hung there in his hands, not even twitching a tail.

"Why do you care? You did this to me."

"I have never once hated you, Kyuubi. You knew my mother and my aunt, I want to be your friend."

"Sure you do, until you can take what you want from me."

Naruto lifted him up until they looked each other in the eyes. "No, what I wanted I have. The cycle is broken. You and the other will never have to be tools of war again." Kyuubi just shifted his head away. "You'll feel better after a cup of coffee."

Walking into the kitchen, he saw one of the conjured servants. "Ah, master Naruto, it is good to see you again. Can I get you something?"

"Yes, a cup of coffee. Is Bleu here?"

"Yes, the mistress is. She is in her study, trying to understand the cause of the lethargy inhibiting the Bijuu."

"They're all like this?"

"Not all, Niibi can be especially active, but some like the Kyuubi rarely move." The servant got a mug and filled it with the black brew. "Would you like cream and sugar?"

"…Milk and two sugars," Kyuubi muttered. The servant got the coffee mixed up and handed it to Naruto. Setting them on the table, Naruto waited for him to drink some of it.

"Okay old fox, what is it really?"

"…There's nothing and that's the problem. At least when I was inside, I could watch the world and your struggles. Now, what is there to do? The most I can do is try to terrorize what mouse comes inside here. If I can get to them before Niibi or one of the others, my world is a small house on the beach."

"And if it was bigger than that?"

"I don't know. Doesn't matter, I'm locked here so here is where I am staying." Naruto scratched him between the ears and left him to finish his coffee.

Opening the door, Naruto found Bleu standing in a circle of books, floating around her as she took them all in, trying to find something. "Bleu-obasan," Naruto said to her, getting her attention.

"Naruto," she replied, not looking away. "What brings you here?"

"Found out recently that someone from Konoha knows I no longer contain the Kyuubi. Remember that toad with the scroll all those years ago?"

"…Barely. So, that toad talked and now Konoha knows it."

"That's just it; he claims he hasn't told anyone."

Now Bleu looked to him. "He claims? You doubt him?"

"Of course I do, he's shinobi. I know you keep track of every attempted entry of Uzu from ninja, has any been Konoha?"

"No more than average," she stated after thinking of it for a while. "And not a single ninja has ever made for my home instead of the Foundry or one of the clan estates. Course they never get to their targets but still. Living right on the beach, they just have to walk up to here. No one does."

"…Damn, I was kinda hoping he was lying."

She nodded and stated, "It's Jiriaya, isn't it?"

"How did you know?"

"You know very few people in the ninja villages. Of them, two you are friendly with and one you are not. Only Jiriaya has any connection to toads so it must be him."

Naruto sighed and nodded. "Bastard wants to make up." He looked behind him and then back to Bleu. "Any luck finding out what's wrong with the Nine?"

"Some of them are fine," Bleu commented. "I think the problem is a bit simpler than I'm making it out to be. I can't find any problem that demons would go through to cause this lethargy."

Naruto nodded and thought about this a moment. "…They're animals," he suddenly stated.

"Excuse me?"

"They are demonic animals," he continued. "Look at them, I'm not quite sure what the Gobi is but they are all animals of some kind, wild animals."

"…There are large apes on another continent called gorillas. Domestication with these animals often go awry because long term separation from the jungles of their homes can cause insanity. The best way to prevent this is to live in a jungle habitat. Even then, only certain kinds as the 'mountain gorillas' will just allow themselves to die."

Naruto looked back to where they were just lying about. "Is that what is happening?"

"No, they are too smart to just let it happen. But obviously it is similar. They need…something to do. Or somewhere to go." She frowned as she tried to think of such places where they could cause no harm or be harmed.

"…I'm going to borrow your cat carrier," Naruto told her before walking out, grabbing it, and Kyuubi.

Hanging in his hand, Kyuubi groaned as he was placed in the cage. "Now what?"

"Take a nap," Naruto told him.

—oo000oo—

Kyuubi did try and take a nap, fell asleep a few times, but the swaying from his little prison woke him up every time. When it was set down, Kyuubi's ears twitched when he didn't hear the click of it being set on the floor. And was that…the wind?

"Okay, we're here," Naruto said, opening the cage. Kyuubi looked out and saw grass and no fence. Poking his head out, he looked around and saw he was far from the beach and the boundaries he had been ordered to stay inside. "I know the Bleu-obasan said you can't leave her yard so I took you out. Nice little loophole."

Kyuubi stepped out of the cage and felt the grass beneath his paws and the wind on his fur. Looking around he saw a field stretching out as far as he could see. "…Why bring me here?"

"So you can be you," Naruto said with a smile. "Foxes aren't meant to be pets. They are wild animals, living where they want, eating what they want. Fields like this are their homes."

"Showing me what I can't have?"

"No, giving it to you." Naruto picked him up and began scratching a spot between his ears. "You are my friend, I want you to be happy." Setting him back down, he closed the cage.

"…Just like that."

"Why not? It's safe here and if we need you, we can just call you."

Kyuubi stared at him a moment, the words he heard from Hashirama, his wife Miko, and Kushina playing in his mind. 'Kyuubi, your power is too great, I can't let you roam free any longer,' Hashirama said to him. 'If you use you power only hatred will come of it. Stay tranquil deep inside me,' Miko had said after her husband sealed him within her. 'Neither of us have any kind of luck. You keep the world at bay and I keep you at bay,' Kushina stated when Kyuubi was transferred into her. 'No matter what they say, humans always say the same thing,' Kyuubi had roared back at her.

"I want you to be happy," Naruto said again, smiling at the fox.

"…Just like that, no seals, no orders, lies, even a 'get your shit and get out'," Kyuubi asked him.

Naruto shook his head. "Nothing. It's a big island, I'm not even sure we'll see each other again. Just be happy and free, like you're meant to be."

"…" Kyuubi stepped away as if testing and waited. Naruto didn't reach for him or the gate of the carrier. He picked it up and started back for Bleu's. "…Kurama," he growled.

"What," Naruto asked, looking at him.

"My name is Kurama, not Kyuubi, not 'Old Fox', not even that 'true name' the snake uses to keep me obedient. I have a proper name, Kurama, and you will call me as such!" He growled as menacing as he could, his fur standing on end trying to look and sound mean.

"Kurama… That's a good name, Kurama. I like it." Kurama calmed, satisfied with that, before turning around and vanishing into the grass. "…No more slaves," Naruto muttered. "There will never again be another jinchuuriki. Hmm. Guess now we just need to get the Divine Beast to complete the set."

—oo000oo—

"So you just let him go," Bleu asked.

"…Yeah," Naruto told her.

"Just let the Kyuubi…"

"Kurama," Naruto corrected.

"Kurama," Bleu conceded, "wander off with no means of controlling him?"

"That about covers it." Around them, the other bijuu were listening intently.

"…Why?"

"Kurama, he knew my mother, he knew me, he's my friend. Back then when he was taken out of me and you looked for the others, I wanted it so there wouldn't be others like me. And then I met Kurama, and Ichibi, and Sanbi, and the others. They are all more than just demons. They have fears and dreams and hopes. What Kurama feared was imprisonment."

"So…no nevermind all the things he had done and were done through him."

"He's just a fox," Naruto said with a shrug. "He'll get in trouble because that's what he does. I just want him happy."

Bleu took a deep breath, raised her hands so her thumbs were on her chin and index fingers touched the arch of her nose. "Naruto, with the nine here, they could never be used for war again. What if Kyu…Kurama gets captured again?"

"Then I will save him, even if it means dying myself. Him and any of the others."

It was quiet until the Yonbi walked over to him. "You're serious, you just let him go. No promises or anything?"

"Just let him go," Naruto confirmed.

The red furred ape looked introspective a moment before saying, "Can I…as well?"

"Me too," Nanabi inserted.

"And me," Hachibi continued.

"And me, I would like to go," Sanbi called.

"Can I go," Gobi asked.

"Please," Ichibi said.

"Nya, me as well," Niibi meowed.

"And me," Rokubi finished.

Bleu looked at them all and then to Naruto. He thought she might get mad but she didn't, she smiled. "Kurama," she called, snapping her fingers and the fox suddenly appearing before her.

"What the, why am I back here!" He focused on Bleu and growled before jumping on her tail, trying to bite it. Getting a good grip on the end, he hung there while Bleu lifted her tail to before her face.

"Kurama, I have something to tell you, all nine of you." He stopped growling because of the tone of her voice but kept on hanging by the teeth. "All of Uzu no Kuni is now your home. While you may not leave it, anywhere within its borders you may go and reside. Now behave yourselves while out there. I expect that none of you become a nuisance. You will have to hunt and forage for yourselves. If you come back here, you will be expected to follow the same rules as before. Finally, in the case of an emergency, for your safety and the safety of those within this land, I may and will summon you back here until the danger has passed. You will grow no bigger than the normal animals you look like unless someone is attempting to capture you to take you away to bind you once again into a jinchuuriki or such. Also, you will not harm anyone that does not harm you. Nor shall you kill someone that has harmed you. And if needed, I may ask you to help defend Uzu no Kuni. Am I understood?"

"…We're on our own," Ichibi asked to make sure. "We step out of this yard and don't get any help, we are free in all forms."

"You will summon us if you need to," Niibi continued.

"Yes and yes," Bleu told them. "You are free of me and this house."

Kurama let go and dropped to the floor. Padding over to Naruto, he said, "You…got her to free us?"

"I guess I did," Naruto told

"We haven't been free for a very long time," Yonbi stated. "Naruto! I am Son Goku, the name given unto me by the Rikudo Sennin!" The great ape gave a bow, turned and ran for the fense, jumped over it, and vanished into the forest.

"I am Shukaku," the tanuki said before running away, slipping between the fence boards.

"Matatabi," the cat said before dashing away.

"Isopu," the turtle said, crawling out the gate.

"Kokuou," the horse like Gobi stated before galloping off.

"Saiken," the slug called, having climbed up on Kokuou.

"Choumie," the beetle said before flying off.

Hachibi watched them all leave and walked to the edge that he had to live behind for so long. The world seemed a lot larger now. "And I am Gyuuki. Uzumaki Naruto, you are truly one of a kind. I am honored to call you friend. We all are, I'm sure." Stepping across, he stampeded away, running like the offer may be rescinded if he stayed in sight.

With the rest gone, Naruto knelt down by Kurama. "Aren't you going to go, Kurama?"

"…I will, in my own time," he tried to shout. He climbed up Naruto and sat on his head. Looking to the door, he thumped his tails again him. "Since you couldn't leave well enough alone and I was brought back here for it, you'll take me back out!"

"Heh heh, sure. I guess we'll see you later, Bleu-obasan."

"Take care, Naruto, Kurama." She watched them leave and smiled happily. "About time they got the friend they were all looking for."

"Oh, Bleu-obasan," Naruto called from the yard. "What about the Divine Beast?"

She blinked, having forgotten about them. "The divine beast, forgot about them. I'll see what I can do!" Naruto took off running while Bleu frowned. She hadn't forgotten about something that important in several hundred thousand years. "Let's see, where are they now…Isn't the three headed shisa in Yumegakure? …Work later, now that I don't need to worry about them, I'm going to find a certain cutie and get lost in a bed!"

—oo000oo—

Naruto and Kurama walked deep in the forest before stopping. "Here good, Kurama?"

The fox looked around and hopped down from his head. "I guess here is fine." Kyuubi jumped down, growing to the size of a normal fox, and padded around a moment before sitting on his haunches and facing him. "…You are different, Naruto."

"Thank you," Naruto replied.

"Who says that is a compliment," Kurama countered but Naruto kept smiling. "I believe you are the first mortal I have ever met that I cannot understand."

"Not that hard, I just want things to be better for everyone. That we all get the chance to live without hatred. Forcing someone to do something they don't want to do is one of those things."

"…I…" Kyuubi shook his head and started walking away, not really having anything to say to that. "…Thank you. I think the Rikudo Sennin would have been proud to have met you Naruto. I don't know if you would value that but… I see now that I would have been proud to be your bijuu." He said nothing else, just walked away without looking back.

Seeing that, hearing him, Naruto felt his heart swell as he headed home. Instead of heading inside his home, he sat down in the shade of a tree, leaned against the truck, and closed his eyes. He could smell the cookies baking inside and knew he would head in to get one soon enough. But for now… He smiled when someone sat down next to him. "Heya Konan."

"Hi Naruto," she replied, leaning her head on his shoulder and he leaned his on her head. "A little birdie told me you two finally went out on a date."

"Yeah…I hope you don't mind."

"I don't…I guess. We can be just being friends." She sounded like it hurt to say that. "Just please…don't stop going on adventures with me."

"Okay," Naruto told her. "What do you want to do next? Bungee jumping down an active volcano?"

She smiled as she pictured that. "That would be fun. I'll get the heat resistant cords, you pick the volcano. After that we go skydiving." Naruto smirked as he thought of that. He couldn't imagine his life without Konan in it, it would be too sad.

"It's a date," he muttered to her, making her smile as well.

—oo000oo—

Author's Notes: No flames you Naruto/Konan fans, I'm not done yet. I got the big finish in mind and it will be worthy of your dedication. Quite frankly, some of you probably know what I'm setting up, and for those of you that don't you'll get it soon enough. Just beat Diablo 3 a few days ago, played as a Demon Hunter, and I loved it. Especially that one line the Demon Hunter said, 'I stand alone and as long as they keep coming, I will never stop killing!'

I think it is safe to say somehow the demon hunter will end up here in this story.