Kitsune, Ryu, Tanuki….
Daichi looked at each of them in the eye before staring at his granddaughter. Sakura watched him, wary of his actions. Naruto leaned back on his palms, narrowing his eyes at the old man. Gaara looked bored; having laughed the entire day was tiresome, especially when you don't do it so often. The three snapped to attention when Daichi started speaking.
"Hundreds of years ago, before men existed, the world used to be ruled over by the animal kingdom. However, it wasn't like in every fairy-tale story with dolphins or unicorns and rainbows. What were considered wild beasts back then are known as demons nowadays. There were many kinds of demons, even some species we don't know exist. However, like in our world now, there were stronger demons. They were called Bijuu. There were nine of them. Their status came to be by the number of tails they possessed. For example, the Gobi had five tails and the Hachibi had eight. They were leaders of their Animal clans."
"Some clans had conflicts with each other but peace was usually maintained. That was, until the Hebi clan decided they wanted more power. They fought the strongest of clans, the Ryu. The Ryu fought back, trying to defend their territory. A war raged out, clans chose sides and treaties were made. The Ryu's side eventually won but not without having problems. Many clans became extinct and many dropped in number. The Ryu became second strongest to the Kitsune clan. Traitors and enemies fled, though some signed treaties with the allies. The world stayed in peace for a few more hundred years. The Hebi clan came back, stronger than ever, though that did nothing to stop Kitsune and Ryu from working together to stop them. This time, the Tanuki clan joined their forces, them having been neutral during the previous war. They won, easily outnumbering the enemy."
"Sooner or later, however, man appeared and we started taking over the world. Because we knew how to use tools and think properly, we were able to defeat them rather quickly. Ninja and Samurai came about, winning us the territory completely. Animal clans begged for mercy and they became our Kuchiyose. The Ryu, Tanuki and Kitsune clans detested the humans for destroying everything they had fought so hard to protect. They refused to be ninja's slaves. The Haruno clan was able to make the Ryu surrender and become its summon. However, no one in the Haruno clan has been able to actually control the Ryu up to this point." Daichi explained, the kids getting engrossed in learning a new aspect of history.
Gaara shook his head slightly, pointing at Sakura. "That still doesn't explain why her eyes turned like that when she turned ten." He said, his eyes narrowing. Daichi nodded, having forgotten why he was explaining that momentarily. "The Haruno clan had made the Ryu surrender by taking hostage the leader's partner. The leader immediately surrendered, fearing for his wife's security, especially since they were expecting a child. The Haruno clan allowed the leader's wife to lay the egg; however, they sacrificed her to prove that they weren't a force to be reckoned with once the clan had a hold of the Ryu contract. In her last moments, the leader's wife said she'll be reincarnated as one of the members of the clan that had disposed of her and will despise the clan for killing her. It is because of this that the leader, Midoriyama, if memory serves right, will not let just any Haruno sign the Kuchiyose contract."
Daichi placed a hand on Sakura's knee and looked into her eyes. "You're the reincarnation of the leader's wife." He told her, looking for any signs of shock. All he got was a glance of understanding before her eyes went cold. He let go of her and stood up, fearing he had angered her. And angered her he had. However, not only had he awoken a new rage inside of her but he had also given her another reason for hating her blood family.
Sakura stood up, glaring at him. "I can't believe this, I can't fucking believe this! You guys killed off an innocent mother and you expect to run into your arms? Hell no!" Sakura yelled at him. She started pacing around, grabbing her head. "Damn….Crap…Shit!" She stopped, shutting her eyes tightly. Naruto and Gaara stood to the side, knowing this was something she had to face alone. Itachi had wanted them to face their status in the world as Jinchuuriki and they did. It was her turn to face the truth alone.
Sakura gulped, her hands shaking. "Did Haiiro know this?" She looked at her grandfather. Her eyes had softened but one could barely make out them being slightly teary.
"Not many know of this legend-"
"Does he know?" Sakura interrupted rudely, her tone taking on a demanding tone. Daichi frowned, shaking his head. "He knows the basic story but he doesn't know of her promise just before her death. He refuses to believe in 'such utter nonsense', as he puts it." Daichi said as Sakura started pacing again. She sighed, turning in the direction of the village. "I need a minute alone." Sakura said before taking off.
"Sakura-chan, wait!" Naruto yelled after her but she was gone. He clicked his tongue, looking to the side in disappointment. Gaara looked at him before glancing at the elder man. Naruto looked at him, "Are you sure it's her?" He asked and Daichi nodded. The blonde shook his head, not seeing any sincerity in the man's gaze. "You're lying. You just want to see her breaking down." Naruto growled out, ready to pummel the man into the ground.
"I believe him." Gaara announced, stopping Naruto's future rampage. They both turned to him. "Think about it. Her obsession with dragons, and the fact that she can control both wind and fire. Correct me if I'm wrong but dragons use both elements." At Daichi's nod, Gaara continued. "And there are only two ways to get demonic powers. One is to absorb said powers from ancient shrines or stones. The second is being a Jinchuuriki. It's pretty obvious that Sakura isn't a Jinchuuriki because Konohagakure only had one and, as far as I know, Sakura hasn't messed around with anything ancient to be exact."
Naruto looked at him before adding another important detail. "There's also that dragon birthmark she has on her shoulder. It doesn't look like a seal, more like a tattoo." He pointed out, the truth sinking in slowly. He suddenly grabbed his head, his eyes widening. "Holy crap, I'm in love with a demon." Naruto said and Gaara tensed. He sighed in relief when he heard the blonde's next words.
"That's so awesome! It is official; I love her even more now." Naruto said, falling on the ground on his back, a grin on his face. He suddenly sat up, remembering something from the folklore. "Wait, what happened to the Kitsune and Tanuki clans?" The blonde asked, raising a brow. Daichi shrugged but he gave an answer. "As far as I know, they were captured and used as Kuchiyose but I've never heard of one using a kitsune or tanuki in their summons before. Except maybe…" The old man trailed off, leaving Naruto and Gaara to straighten up.
"Try looking up the Kyuubi in Konoha's library and the Ichibi in Suna's archives. They're Bijuu, meaning they were their clan's leaders." Daichi suggested, though he had no idea why they were asking. Naruto groaned, lying back down. "It sounds like a lot of reading….Oh, I know!" Naruto jumped up, landing on his feet. He made a familiar handsign and applied chakra. Two puffs of smoke appeared on either side of him. The Kage Bunshin looked back at him, confusion written all over their faces.
"You," The real Naruto pointed at the one on his right. "You go check out the Kyuubi archives and books in the library and start reading. And you," He turned to the one on his left, "Search in the Kuchiyose History aisle. I want you two to read on everything and anything that has to do with the Kyuubi or the kitsune clan. Also, if you find anything on Ichibi or Shukaku, get that, too. Go!" The clones took off as soon as they were given the order. Naruto turned to Gaara and nodded. Gaara hummed then turned around. He jumped off, leaving the blonde and older man alone.
Naruto looked at him then scoffed. "I don't know what your plan is but you're not going to fool me." He said, making Daichi sigh. Daichi glared at him but, unlike earlier, Naruto didn't move an inch. "The only reason why I showed you respect earlier was because Sakura-chan was here. You're a Haruno and I despise Haruno."
"If you despise Haruno, why are you my granddaughter's teammate?" Daichi challenged, straightening up. "You said so yourself, she's different. She's not like the rest of you." Naruto replied. Daichi scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Is it because she's a second born? I was a second born, too." He announced and Naruto's eyes widened but only momentarily. "What do you mean you're a second born? Your son's the leader, so you must have led the clan at one point." The blonde said, slightly confused at the situation.
"My older brother couldn't have children so my first born son was officially next in line for the Head. I was treated the same way Sakura was. Don't think that just because she goes around showing it off means that she's any special. Yes, I believe that the Midoriyama wife's reincarnation is her but that doesn't make her any special."
Naruto couldn't believe this guy. First, he was nice to Sakura, and then he was overprotective of her. After that, he goes all prophetic on them and now he's treating her like trash? As if he knew what she felt? Rage started building up inside Naruto but he clenched his fists at his sides to calm himself down.
"You want to know what makes Sakura-chan better than any of you? Yes, she's a second born but she isn't going to just sit around and let people treat her like shit. She's doing something about it, whether it is getting revenge or just plain out ignoring you guys and making a life for herself, it doesn't matter. At least she's doing it. And don't go saying that she's showing it off because she's not. She tells people because they ask, not because she wants attention. You see Sakura-chan like this now but that's not the real Sakura-chan."
Naruto lowered his head, his bangs shadowing his eyes. "I fell in love with that girl I saw the night I met her, that vulnerable, miserable little girl. She was so desperate for love that she turned to a lonely Jinchuuriki. She was so desperate for acknowledgement that she turned to an assassin. She wanted a real family so bad that she thinks our teammate is like a brother to her. I fell in love with someone who only thinks of the good of her teammates before the mission and that's why we've failed plenty of them. The Sakura-chan you see and know right now is not Sakura-chan. Sakura-chan is the whole opposite. Of course, I wouldn't blame her for acting that way with you guys."
The blonde raised his head a bit, just enough for Daichi to see him glaring. "After all, you guys did make her childhood a living hell."
Daichi glared back at the boy. He started to speak but a question interrupted his upcoming words. "If you were treated the same way Sakura-chan was, why didn't you help her?" Naruto asked, tilting his head slightly to the side. Daichi narrowed his eyes and turned away. "I don't live in Konoha." His answer brought a sinister laugh from the blonde. "You've got to be shitting me. If I were Sakura-chan's grandfather and I had experienced the same thing she did, I would've done anything in my power and more to make her happy. Instead, you just chose to ignored her-"
"No-"
"Played innocent when you clearly aren't-"
"Stop it-"
"You lying, son of a-"
"That's enough!" Haiiro roared, coming out from behind the trees. Naruto turned to him slowly, a glare manifesting itself in his eyes. He glanced at Amaya, who was coming behind her father. She froze at the stare but was forced to look back at her father when he gripped his collar. "Don't touch me."
"You don't talk to my father like that, you got it, you damned brat?" Haiiro said but the blonde only kept glaring at him. "Let go of me," Naruto threatened, a low growl escaping his throat. Haiiro glared back, clenching his teeth. "You got it?" He asked again, this time raising his free hand into a fist. Naruto glared at the hand before looking back at him. "I said let go of me," Naruto repeated, his eyes taking on a tint of purple. Haiiro raised his chin, silently challenging him.
Naruto smirked, closing his eyes. "Go fuck yourself in a corner, Haiiro." Naruto said, disappearing in a puff of smoke. Haiiro punched air and stormed off, Amaya silently following him. Daichi looked at the place where the clone used to be standing at, and then following his son out of the training grounds.
Ryu…..
Sakura looked out into the village, watching people mind their own business. Her eyes dragged over the clan section before they fell on the ground under her. She inhaled a deep breath of air before letting it out slowly. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back, lying down on the ground. Digging her fingers into the ground beneath her, she let the emotions take a hold on her face. Her frown was replaced by a pained smirk. Her hands clenched the dirt and the back of her eyes began to sting with held back sorrow.
A hand on her shoulder snapped her out of her mindless thoughts. A gasp escaped her lips as she sat up, not having realized someone had come to her. Tears fell down her cheeks, not having been able to recompose herself when that person had touched her. Her eyes softened when she saw Gaara kneeling down behind her, his face showing his concern.
Gaara moved to sit by her, his hand still on her shoulder. Sakura grabbed that hand, holding it gently. No words were exchanged between them for a while. They just stared at each other, not a thing going through their heads. Sakura moved closer to him and laid her head on his shoulder, intertwining their fingers together. Gaara let go of her hand but wrapped that arm around her and clasped his other hand with hers. He held her close, knowing she needed the comfort.
"They knew, Gaara." Slightly confused at the statement, the redhead didn't say anything. He just tightened his grip around her. "They knew and they didn't tell me." Sakura repeated, letting go of his hand and escaping his grip. Gaara looked at her, confusion written all over his face. "Pein and Itachi-sensei knew something about me, they knew something about this," She pointed at her eyes. "But they didn't tell me, Gaara. They didn't."
Sakura sat back down, this time not looking at him. "You guys had it easier. You both found out at the mere age of six, when you were just starting with your life. You had time to come to terms with this. I find out when the lives of many people are in our hands. I find out I'm the reincarnation of some demon that was slaughtered by my family hundreds of years ago. I find out and it's like everything I knew shattered to pieces in just seconds."
Gaara stared at her then looked at his hands. "Maybe you're right; it was probably easier for us because we didn't know right from wrong at that time. But now that we're all grown, does it really make a difference? If it was easier or harder back then? Either way, we still find out. We still manage to control this." Gaara paused, glancing at her. She was looking at the ground but was listening to him. "You can overcome this, Sakura. You're strong, you're smart. Besides, you already have some control over this and you didn't even know what it was. Now you know and you can find out even more about it."
Gaara stood up and turned around, only saying a few words before leaving. "You aren't any weaker than Naruto and I. You can do this, too."
Kitsune…..
"I thought you said we were meeting on the Kaoiwa." Sasuke stated, glancing over at the blond beside him. While he had been up the stairs leading to the Hokage Monument, he had found Naruto leaning against the railing, waiting for him. Now they were taking a walk around the main street market of Konoha.
"Gaara and Sakura-chan are up there. I didn't want to interfere with whatever they were doing." Naruto said, not even looking at him. Sasuke huffed and turned his head away. They kept walking, staring forward in silence. They walked to the east side of Konoha, reaching a small bridge over a small pond. Naruto leaned on the railing of the bridge, Sasuke leaning against it.
"What did you want to tell me?" Sasuke asked after a while, seeing as Naruto wasn't going to take the initiative in talking. "Your current position." Naruto replied, though he kept staring at the water. The lack of attention was irritating Sasuke but he figured Naruto was trying to help him so he was patient, or at least trying to be. Finally, Naruto sighed and turned to him, his eyes cold as stone.
"Don't go after Orochimaru." The simple statement sent shivers down Sasuke's spine. Just thinking about that man had him on edge and that was something he disliked greatly. Sasuke stood quiet, intent on listening to the words of his apparent comrade.
"Orochimaru wants you. He wants you to seek him, for you to look for him. He wants your Sharingan." Upon seeing Sasuke's slightly confused stare, Naruto began explaining in detail. "Orochimaru wants to know all of the jutsu in the world. That will take a lot of years, seeing as just mastering your elemental nature takes over three years. For that to happen, he needs immortality. He mastered a jutsu called Edo Tensei. The jutsu lets him switch bodies with another, in short terms. He gains that person's abilities and strengths but keeps his original ones, too. You should be familiar with the Sharingan's abilities so you know that the Sharingan can copy any jutsu it sees. Orochimaru would be having a day in the playground if he got a hold of the Sharingan."
"That's where you come in. Orochimaru picked you because you're so young and, to tell the truth, have some potential. He knew you didn't have the Sharingan yet so he gave you that Juinjutsu. With it, he can force you to go to him. He won't do this, of course. He'll find a way for you to leave the village on your own, he's not stupid." Naruto explained, leaning on the railing again. "Kidnapping you will only give him an even bigger bounty on his head, especially because you're an Uchiha and the last one under Konohagakure's watch. If you leave on your own, you will be the one being hunted, not him."
Sasuke looked at the ground after the explanation. He scoffed, looking to the side. "So if I leave, you're going to stop me?" Sasuke asked, daring a glance his way. Naruto shrugged, looking off into the distance. "The decision is yours. Neither my team nor I will stop you. Just have one thing in mind," Naruto paused, choosing his next words correctly. "If you do go with Orochimaru, I'll personally kill you." The threat was accompanied with a glare. Sasuke stared at him then scoffed again. "I'm not going with that snake any time soon. But, I do have one question."
"Shoot."
"Why me? I'm not the only Uchiha in the world." Sasuke said, looking back at the blonde. Naruto turned away from him, instead settling for watching the water going under them. "I'll be honest with you. Orochimaru already tried getting Itachi-sensei." Naruto said and Sasuke's eyes widened slightly. "What happened?" Sasuke asked, more out of fear then curiosity. If Orochimaru got rid of Itachi, what was he supposed to do now?
"You remember Kabuto? He's Orochimaru's right hand. Orochimaru was going after Itachi in Amegakure. We met him and Kabuto when he was entering through the Kawa no Kuni border. We started fighting but Orochimaru is a Sannin and we were only ten at the time. Kabuto wasn't helping, either. Orochimaru gave Sakura-chan a deep wound and she went out. Gaara was the next one, being the youngest one and the less experienced. I was able to stand my ground but it wasn't enough to defeat them both. I got to Kabuto and I would've killed him in my blind rage if it hadn't been for Itachi-sensei and two other friends holding me back. I remember Itachi-sensei using a powerful Genjutsu to defeat Orochimaru and the other two using long ranged attacks to get Kabuto. But they used a potion and a Shunshin to escape. I couldn't even smell a trace of them because of the potion."
"Because of our regeneration powers, neither Gaara nor I got serious injuries. Sakura-chan, however, got a scar and had lost all movement in that arm for the following month. She had to be given a blood transplant to keep her alive. I still remember her cry of pain and suffering in that fight." Naruto paused, clenching his fists and glaring at the water. "I'm going to kill Orochimaru for making her -no, us- suffer so much. Kabuto's going down with him, as well. And you, too, if you ever go with them."
Sasuke looked at the water, sighing. Naruto spoke up again, his voice cracking slightly. "I'm still not even near his level. I could beat Kabuto but that would take all of my strength and then some to do so. Sure, Itachi-sensei taught me a million of things. He taught me how to be a ninja but that's not enough to defeat Orochimaru. He's a Sannin, for Kyuubi's sake." Naruto couldn't help the chuckle escaping his lips when he heard Kyuubi growl inside his head. But that chuckle turned into a sinister laugh.
"I can't take my revenge on him yet, damn you." Naruto said, his chest contracting in pain. "I'm just not strong enough. But when I am, he better have a casket ready because I'll kick his ass into the next century." The blonde hung his head, bangs shadowing his eyes. Sasuke stared at him, his eyes lowering slightly. Trying to lighten the mood, Sasuke snickered lowly. Naruto glanced at him but didn't raise his head.
"You know, when I found out that you were Itachi's student, I thought you'd be evil like him. You don't look like that bad of a guy." Sasuke admitted, though he had some trouble finding the words to say. Naruto chuckled, but only lowered his head even more. "What makes you think Itachi-sensei's evil?" He asked, making the Uchiha's eyes widen. Sasuke snapped his head towards him.
"He killed off our clan-"
"What if your clan was the one who was evil and Itachi just wanted to right their wrong?" Naruto interrupted him, raising his head, a smirk showing itself on his lips. Sasuke frowned, glaring slightly. Naruto rolled his eyes at the glare, looking away afterwards. "What do you mean?" Sasuke asked, straightening his back.
"I mean that Itachi only killed off your clan because he was ordered to. The Uchiha clan was going up against the Hokage in secret. Itachi was loyal to Konoha instead of his clan so he was the Intel in the operations. It worked, especially since his father trusted him so much that he gave him full details of the missions and works. He was ordered by the Goikenban and the Hokage to kill his entire clan because there would be no use in talking them into stopping. He didn't kill you for numerous reasons, mainly because you had no part in the rebelling." Naruto explained, remembering the words Itachi had said the day he entrusted him with his secret. Only those three and Pein knew of it, no one else in Akatsuki knew. They prefer to leave their pasts behind them so they don't talk about it.
Sasuke stared at Naruto in disbelief. He shook his head slightly, not believing a word of it. "No, I don't believe you."
Naruto only chuckles, shrugging his shoulders. "Believe what you want. It's your choice and your life. Do whatever the hell you want with it." The blonde looked away, thinking the conversation was over. Sasuke looked away as well, his thoughts racing. The more he thought of it, the more it made sense. His father was always looking at Itachi and not him, the reason as to why Itachi was always so busy in Anbu. It was also the reason why he had rebelled against the leaders of the Konoha Police Headquarters, who just happened to be some of the strongest in the Uchiha clan.
Everything started making sense to Sasuke now that Naruto had explained everything to him. It was crystal clear now. But there was still something he didn't get. "Then, why did he tell me to hate him and to hunt him down if he was doing the right thing?" Sasuke asked, snapping Naruto out of his thoughts. Naruto raised his eyebrow at him, his mind going blank for a second. 'What were we talking about before?...Oh, right. It was about Itachi and his reason for killing his clan. Damn it, I finally get a report from one of my Bunshins and Sasuke interrupts it.'
"I'm not so sure about that part. He never really did talk about it much." Naruto shrugged, trying to get back to what his clone had sent him. He groaned mentally when Sasuke kept talking. "Then, I don't have to take my revenge on him but rather the Goikenban and the Hokage. I get it now." Sasuke mused out loud. Naruto nodded while humming, trying to remember what was sent to him before his eyes widened, finally taking in Sasuke's words fully.
"No, wait!" Naruto yelled, stopping Sasuke's musing. Sasuke turned to him, eyebrow raised. "Not yet, you're not strong enough. Besides, it isn't the Hokage's fault. He tried to find any other way to stop them but it seemed like the only way at the moment. The one who threw the idea out was Danzo, a war hawk who wants position of Hokage. He's in the Goikenban so you can take your revenge on him but not the rest. I do warn you, though. I've never really met or seen Danzo before but Itachi-sensei told us to be careful with him if we ever cross paths. He is not a force to be reckoned with."
Naruto looked around before leaning closer to Sasuke. He cupped his mouth with his hands when he was close enough to his ear. "Itachi-sensei said he had an undercover group of Anbu working under the Hokage's nose. I don't think you should take him on with your current strength. He may be old but, if he's able to run a group of Anbu without the Hokage knowing, then he's bound to have some tricks up his sleeves."
Sasuke nodded as Naruto leaned back. Naruto rested his arms on the railing and looked at the water. "That means I have to train even harder. But…" Sasuke trailed off, not sure whether to tell his companion or not. Naruto glanced at him when he hesitated. "Konohagakure's being a bother. I mean, I started training before Itachi even left the village and you're a lot stronger than I am. That Katon jutsu was one of my strongest and you defeated it like it was the simplest thing in the world. At this rate, I'll be a complete weakling by the time you reach Jonin rank."
"Wow, I'm actually surprised that you said that." Naruto said, a small chuckle slipping passed his lips. Sasuke smirked, looking at his reflection in the water. "Yeah, well, don't get used to it." Sasuke said as he looked at himself. Naruto watched him, silently wondering what he was thinking. Sasuke looked at Naruto's reflection and his eyes widened. He had seen that face before, minus the whisker marks. It was in the Hokage's office in a photo frame. How could he not have seen it before?
Sasuke blinked and looked at Naruto, the blonde raising his brow at his sudden action. "What-"
"You look like the Yondaime Hokage." Sasuke concluded, interrupting him. Naruto's eyes went blank for a minute before he smirked, lowering his head slightly. "Yeah, I'm his son. What of it?" Naruto asked, looking back up. Sasuke's eyes widened again as he took a step back. Naruto rolled his eyes, turning away and leaning on the railing. "Geez, you look like you've seen a ghost. What's so special about me being the son of the Konoha no Kiroi Senko?" Naruto asked, his voice taking on a bored tone.
"You're the son of a legend."
"You're the brother of a legend, too. I don't see people fawning over you all the time." Naruto countered quickly. Sasuke shook his head slowly, "But why leave the village? You're practically royalty."
Naruto scoffed, rolling his eyes skywards. "Yeah, and royalty nowadays are treated like pieces of trash? No one knows I'm the Yondaime's son. If people found out, Iwagakure might have tried to do something to me because of the terrible terms Konoha and Iwa were in. That's why they gave me my mother's last name, so they wouldn't recognize me as Namikaze Minato's legacy."
"So, you were treated like every other normal citizen out there." Sasuke stated, nodding in understanding. Naruto shook his head, his bangs brushing against his cheeks. "No. I was born the night the Kyuubi attacked. My father didn't kill the Kyuubi because it had an unlimited amount of chakra. Tou-san only had one way to defeat the beast and that was to seal it inside a new born baby, who didn't have any chakra coils developed and could hold the beast. Of course, he wasn't going to ask parents to give their children up to be hosts." Naruto explained in a simple matter, not one to use many words.
Sasuke thought on it before his eyes widened. "New born…You were chosen to be the Kyuubi's host?" The tone of disbelief made Naruto smirk. The blonde only lifted up his shirt, showing off his toned core and abs. He applied some chakra to his stomach and strange markings appeared around his belly button. A swirl went around his belly button a few times before it stopped. Wriggles expanded out from every possible angle of the swirl. The seal glowed red before dimming down to a black ink colour. "This little baby has kept that rotten fox inside my head and stomach this whole time."
Naruto paused, deciding it was a good topic to start on another important matter. "You saw my fight with Kota, right? I went berserk because the Kyuubi kept telling me to kill him and kept giving me urges that I can only satisfy by killing. The reason why is because Kota's one of Orochimaru's spy. We still have no idea as to how but he's working for Orochimaru and Kyuubi wanted me to kill him right then and there. If Sakura-chan hadn't stopped me, no one else would've been able to stop my future rampage."
Sasuke stared at Naruto as if he had grown a second head. Sasuke started shaking his head until Naruto shrugged. "Again, believe what you want. All I know is that if Kota doesn't surrender, he's going to meet my parents." The blonde said as he put his shirt down and turned his back to Sasuke.
"As for getting stronger, look for me when all of this shit is done with. If anything comes up, I'll look for you." With that, Naruto took off. Sasuke watched his leave before turning the opposite way and jamming his hands in his pockets. He had an awful lot to think about when he got home.
Tanuki…..
Gaara walked slowly through the streets of Konoha, his hands in his pockets as he looked for a place to relax and have dinner. He knew that Naruto was off either training or goofing around and Sakura was still up in the Kaoiwa, probably still thinking about what her grandfather had told her.
Someone called his name, interrupting his search. He turned around, only to come face-to-face with his siblings, their teammate and apparently their sensei. They approached him slowly as he waited for them to catch up. He questioned them once they were close enough to him. "Your father wishes to speak with you, Gaara." Their sensei, Baki, as he had introduced himself earlier, told the red head.
Gaara frowned and narrowed his eyes. There was definitely something wrong here. His father never sent anyone to look for him, especially not his siblings. He came to him himself. Gaara turned around, turning his back to them. "I'm not going to Suna. I need to stay here for the Finals." Gaara said as he started to walk away. "He's here, Gaara. He demands to see you." Baki said taking a step forward, ready to stop him if he needed to. Gaara stopped walking then looked over his shoulder.
Gaara's stomach started tossing and turning the moment he nodded. As he followed the Suna ninja, Gaara felt Shukaku getting uneasy. 'Shukaku's restless. The only time he has been like that is whenever Orochimaru or Pein-sama are around. It can't be Pein because Konan-nee-chan got an emergency call from him a few hours ago.' Gaara thought as he narrowed his eyes at Baki's back. 'That leaves Orochimaru and I've no doubt that it's him, with what the invasion and all. But where is he? I can't sense his chakra at all. And what's he planning on doing if he's so nearby? He can't be planning on getting Sasuke. It would be too risky; there are too many people around.'
Gaara stopped his train of thought when they entered an Inn. They quickly went up the stairs and into a room, locking it afterwards. Gaara saw his father sitting on the edge of the bed, his back turned to them. Shukaku growled, making Gaara tense and square his shoulders.
The Kazekage turned around, standing up in the process. Gaara frowned as he stared at his father. No, it wasn't his father. His father never wore that cloth covering the bottom part of his face. And his father never did what he was about to do right now.
Yondaime Kazekage walked over, kneeling down to Gaara's height. He threw his arms around him. If Gaara's body could tense even more, it would have done so. Gaara's eyes widened but not in shock or in any kind of emotion. Shukaku had let out a scream and was trying to take over his head. Gaara pushed his father away and fell to his knees, gripping his head.
He was sucked into a dark room. He looked around, slightly wondering what was going on. He looked over his shoulders and stood up, taking out a kunai in the progress. "Shukaku, where am I?" Gaara asked, staring at his Bijuu. Shukaku, who was lying down inside a circle draw of sand, scoffed. "Relax, kid. I can't do anything to you as long as this seal is here." Shukaku said nodding towards the circle. Gaara relaxed visibly but narrowed his eyes. "You didn't answer my question,"
"We're inside your head. Aside from that, don't be fooled by those pricks, kid. That's not your father, your father's dead." Shukaku said with apathy in his tone. Gaara's eyes widened for a slight second before he looked away. "What do you mean?" He asked, his voice breaking off at the last word. "Exactly what I just told you. This bastard in front of you is Orochimaru, I can feel it. And knowing him, I doubt he's holding your father hostage. Don't let your emotions, or rage, get to ya', kid. At least, not here. It's not worth it." Shukaku said, watching Gaara's fists shake by his side.
"Let me out." Gaara demanded, glaring at his demon. Shukaku narrowed its eyes at him then turned away. "Do as you please. Don't say I didn't warn ya'."
When Gaara opened his eyes again, he was in his 'father's' room. He looked up at the Kazekage then stood up, calming down his breathing. "Forgive me, father, it happens at times." Gaara said through gritted teeth as he stared hard at the man in front of him. "Do not worry, son, I understand."
'Do not call me that, you son of a bitch.'
"What do you want?" Gaara asked rather rudely. The Kazekage narrowed his eyes before turning his back to him. "I know you're an Amegakure ninja. However, your nationality lies within Sunagakure. Aside from that, you're my son." The Kazekage started pacing around the room. Gaara's eyes never left his form.
"So?"
"Your teammates seem to have resentment towards Konohagakure. I'm sure they will be pleased when you tell them what I've got in store for them, for you."
"Get to the point, father." Those words tasted bitter coming out from Gaara's mouth.
"Sunagakure is planning an invasion along with Otogakure ninja on Konoha. I'm sure you and your teammates would like to participate." The Kazekage looked over his shoulder at Gaara, who showed no sign of emotion at all. Gaara lowered his eyes before they snapped back to his face. "Continue," Gaara encouraged, making the Kazekage grin under the cloth covering the lower part of his face.
Kitsune, Ryu, Tanuki…..Hours Later
"That's the plan," Sakura said, rolling up a map of Konohagakure. Naruto and Gaara sat by her, having listened to her intently. The blonde sat back, leaning on his hands. Gaara laid down on the floor. "Why us? Why is it always us getting the complicated things?" Naruto asked the ceiling, though it didn't answer him back.
"Mind you, this is our part of the whole ordeal. Knowing Pein-sama, he'll put us on the front lines or have us distract the Oto Nin. I'd rather do more damage from the inside than the outside, even if it is a small amount. With the 'Kazekage' leaking information to us through Gaara and the information those Oto Genin gave us, we're bound to fly through this. Naruto, are you sure Sasuke's on our side during this whole thing?" Sakura asked, her eyes trailing from Naruto's chest over to his face.
"Positive. He hates that snake." Naruto assured, giving her a thumbs up. "Gaara?" Sakura asked, turning to him. "Shukaku and I are sure. That's not my father." Gaara replied with a nod. "Good. After this invasion is over with, we'll probably gain rather than lose. With us working with Konoha and the fact that no one seems to know that Orochimaru killed the Kazekage, Sunagakure is sure to give into us if we made some kind of treaty with them." Sakura said standing up and put away the map in her hands.
"Great. Now, can we sleep?" Naruto asked, yawning after finishing the sentence. Gaara dragged his eyes lazily over to the blonde before laying his head back down. Sakura sighed and placed her hands on her hips. "Go ahead, lazy ass. I'm still waking you up early tomorrow. We need to figure out that Fuinjutsu if our plan is going to work."
Naruto had stood up the moment she agreed and had laid down on his bed. He waved her off, "Nag, nag, nag. I know what we're going to do. Now go to sleep, I'm tired." With that he closed his eyes and dozed off. Sakura looked over at Gaara, who shrugged. He stood up and gave Sakura a lazy salute before lying down in his own bed. Sakura sighed and walked over to him, running a hand through his red locks.
She leaned down to his ear and smiled. "Thanks," She placed the seal on his shoulder and his eyes started to close rather quickly. Sakura leaned over and kissed his temple, still holding onto his hair then pulled back. She turned around and Naruto's eyes met hers. He looked away and turned his back to her. Sakura closed her eyes before walking over to his bed, gripping his shoulder.
"Naruto,"
"Hmm?"
"I love you." Sakura said, squeezing his shoulder before letting go. Naruto closed his eyes and nodded. He opened them, watching as Sakura turned off the lights and started to settle down on her bed. "Sakura-chan…" Naruto spoke up, stopping her in her tracks. He hesitated for a moment before smiling at her. "I love you, too."
Sakura smiled at him then laid down with her back to him. "I know. Now go to sleep, Baka." Naruto smiled at his nickname and closed his eyes.
(A/N: I know, I know. Short and late. But I was thinking and I thought, 'Hmm, maybe I should just leave the fans with some past and let them suffer through another chapter without Sakura killing Amaya.' So, I did and honestly, it came out better than I thought it would. I rushed it a little at the end but it's nothing mayor. Just a little heads up for what's to come in the next two chapters. They will be filled with action, gore and all those things we all know and love.
Glossary:
Gobi- Five-Tailed Demon Whale-Horse. Condylarth, the first hoofed animals, would later split into many different lineages, including Perissodactyla, the order containing horses and Cetacea, containing whales, dolphins and porpoises. In myth, the Sagari was a horse's head which dangled in the branches of a nettle tree. The Bake-kujira was an enormous skeletal whale.
Hachibi- Eight-Tailed Demon Ox-Cephalopod. In some myths, the Ushi-Oni is a sea creature commonly seen with an ox head and the body of another multi-limbed creature. The Hachibi appears based on this creature. The Cephalopod (class including squid and octopi) is an animal seen throughout the oceans and stories of giant sea creatures have been seen in Japan and throughout many cultures. In other non-Japanese myths, the Kraken is a giant squid capable of terrorizing large ships. The mysterious giant squid itself was finally seen in its natural habitat only recently by researchers.
Hebi- Snake, Serpent
Kawa no Kuni- River Country
Konoha no Kiroi Senko- Konoha's Yellow Flash (Yondaime Hokage's nickname)
The explanation on the Animal Kuchiyose Contracts isn't very deep but I intended on doing that. More of it will be explained later on. Plus, this just gives you another reason for hating the Haruno clan. I know I would if they really did kill of the Ryu's leader's wife just for show. Anyway, thanks for reading, 7th Creature.)