Chapter 4 Picking up a mentor
Sandual watched as Naruto walked out of the Hokages building and decided now would probably be the best time to talk to the kid about what he had in mind during his overseeing duty. He followed him back to his apartment and waited for him to go inside before going to the door and knocking. Naruto heard the knocking and was curious as to who would be at the door immediately after he got home and was kind of nervous as he went to the door and opened it.
He had never seen the ninja before as he stared at the deep green hair that flowed down the guys back and stopping just above his waist. He just kind of stared dumbly unsure of what to do and before he could muster a thought the guy had brushed past him and closed the door bringing Naruto with. It wasn't until he had been sat down on his couch did he snap out of his reverie.
"Who are you?!" He yelled as he jumped up and pointed dramatically at Sandual who was doing a quick survey of the house. Naruto was starting to get annoyed and a bit freaked out by the situation and even jumped when Sandual turned and focused on him his eyes sharp as the Hokages giving a piercing look making him feel transparent to the world.
"I am Sandual, ANBU, and as of now your overseer for awhile, Naruto Uzumaki." Sandual stated unblinkingly as he locked eyes with Naruto who after a moment shied away averting his gaze down to his feet.
"I don't need a babysitter..." Naruto mumbled before he was lying on his back unsure of what had even happened to him.
"Wha..." As he attempted to stand up he was knocked over once more. He was starting to get frustrated as for a third time he got up and felt the air try to shove him down, this time he withstood it and could see a smirk on Sanduals face as he stepped forward and placed a hand on Narutos shoulder.
"Wind is a powerful element and a ally that I can utilize most of the time without even hand signs." He said as he sat down on the couch beckoning Naruto to the couch. Naruto just stood there staring so Sandual just continued on.
"I accepted a mission from the Hokage to watch over and protect you for awhile, I am unsure how long exactly but I will be here to also guide you as a part of my own volition since I have no desire to baby you with protection. You will learn to defend yourself while under my care and hopefully we can make something out of you before you can become a ninja." Sandual explained as he watched
Naruto for a reaction.
Naruto face turned red with anger as the first part of what he said registered. "Babysitter HA as if I would need one!" he thought as he listened. But as he heard the second part he realized that this guy was going to teach him also so maybe it wouldn't be so bad. He wasn't entirely sure why this guy would want anything to do with him since everyone else looked at him with disgust but he was willing to give it a chance.
"I'm Naruto Uzumaki" He said extending a hand to Sandual who reached out and shook hands with him. He smiled before rising up.
"Mind if I take a look around your new apartment, I assume it wasn't always like this based on the neighborhood you live in." Sandual noted with a chuckle as Naruto looked down worried that he was about to get in trouble.
"Go ahead and yea your right it wasn't always like this, I came back home one day and everything was changed... I'm not in trouble am I?" He asked worriedly as he followed Sandual around the apartment.
"No, I'm fairly certain one of the other people I work with did this and hes a nice guy at that and good with his crafting ability." He said as he noticed the sealed door that wasn't yet active. He walked up to it placing his hand on the door and could feel the chakra that was just in the door itself.
"You haven't opened this door yet have you?" Sandual asked beckoning him over to it. Naruto just shook his head as he approached and was surprised when Sandual grabbed his arm and placed his hand on the middle of the door. He didn't even notice right away that his fingers where bleeding until after the door formed and opened the five finger prints clearly in the door. He looked at his hand and could see razor thin cuts on each finger, smaller then paper cuts.
He wasn't sure how it had happened but Sandual just chuckled a moment and walked in. Naruto followed behind him and was surprised to see that the room was fairly large considering how much space his apartment took up. He could feel chakra running through the room, all over the place, it was like alive in the very air and he felt very empowered by it. Sandual just watched him as he took a look around. It was a empty room after all but he understood the meaning pretty quickly.
"Training room right?" to which Sandual nodded.
"I made it so that only you could open the door by touching it and now its all yours, these rooms have risks obviously as the high content of chakra can make normal small jutsus have a greater affect whilst they are used in here so be careful, however it will make learning new jutsu easier on the flip side because you can focus and mold chakra much easier in here." Sandual said as he walked back out of the room and into the living room.
"So I hear you are about to enter the Academy, is that correct?" He asked Naruto as he retook his seat on the couch and got comfortable. Naruto nodded and sat down on the couch next to him and wondering what kind of ninja he was, He had never seen him before in the hidden leaf nor had he ever noticed him during any number of the times the ANBU stepped in to protect him from other people in the past and with the waist length green hair he certainly would stand out.
"I start in a few days and I hope things will just go well and I can make it to graduation without getting kicked out" Naruto said seriously as he thought about how unlikely his wish would happen.
Sandual could see the worry on his face as thought about how the years in the academy would most likely go and attempted to reassure him that it wouldn't be as bad as he thought.
"Don't worry about that, Lord Hokage will make sure you are safe at least in the classroom... Now on to a important matter, I observed during the festival that you had ventured back into town and that a ninja followed you out, he never returned and no body was ever recovered but the nine tails chakra was felt by myself and a few others during the evening and I am fairly sure I know what happened... Are you and the Kyuubi in contact with each other?" Sandual asked as he started intently at Naruto who paled slightly.
"She protected me from him, he tried to kill me and her... but I don't know what happened to him after" Naruto said as he looked down at the ground before a thought crossed his mind.
"How would I get her out so I can talk to her again?" Naruto asked making Sandual freeze. Several thoughts ran through his mind at the prospect that the Kyuubi was able to materialize outside of the boy and that it could be extremely dangerous.
"Has she been out before?" He asked slowly as he looked at Naruto, who actually smiled and nodded.
"Yea whenever I go by this tree she is able to walk and talk and I miss having her around." He said sadly as he tried to think of ways to get her out.
"Tree...? Can you take me to where it is and show me?" Sandual asked as he got up expecting to leave at that moment, Kivira had been listening to this whole conversation and wasn't liking where it was going and sent a warning to Naruto about it. Naruto hesitated as he heard her saying that he should keep it a secret, they could figure it out themselves right? He was about to say no when Sandual placed a hand on his shoulder and looked him right in the eye.
"We could bring the tree here if you show me it then she could be out and about here as well." Sandual said as his curiosity was in overdrive.
Naruto could feel the want welling up inside him and Kivira figured she could just kill the ninja if he meant to hinder them, so she told Naruto to lead the way. He didn't need to be told twice he was out the door and making a mad dash for the gates as Sandual followed behind him. He wanted to make sure that this was a safe thing before he went forward with the idea he had formed on how to take advantage of this situation.
They made it outside the village and headed into the woods where it suddenly became difficult to keep up with Naruto as he took off not even leaving a trail behind him. He assumed it had to do with the Nine tails and just smiled as he managed best he could to track the kid. It wasn't long before they arrived and Naruto stepped into the clearing that circled around the red tree and only a moment passed before a fox appeared with nine tails that nuzzled against the him.
Sandual watched them for a moment before his focus was drawn to the tree itself and walked up to it to examine it. He could feel a strange energy being released from the tree and into the clearing. He wasn't to sure about his plan even working but just from watching Naruto and the fox run around and play he decided he would do this one thing for the kid before he put him through hell learning everything that he intended to teach.
He created a clone of himself with the intention to find and bring Yamato here to see what he could do and then he sat down to meditate while Naruto and the Kyuubi played. The only thought that was running through his mind now was how Naruto knew the fox was female if that was the form that it came out in.
Naruto watched the clone leave but he didn't really care as he was finally back here and able to be around Kivira again and was happy as hell. He laughed and ran around as she chased him back and forth and then tackled him, and licked his face making it all sticky with drool. He was surprised she hadn't gone into human form but at the same time was glad because she would probably be naked and it would've been embarrassing to explain so he didn't think about it long. He finally got free and took off running again as she gave chase and once again pounced on him and he could only laugh and cry out as she somehow was managing to tickle him and he wasn't able to fight her off anymore.
"I give up!" He basically squealed out as he was laughing to hard to do much else. She got off him before nuzzling her head against his cheek and laying down next to him as he caught his breath. He just smiled and laid there forgetting about Sandual and why they where even here in the first place.
"I missed you Kivira." He thought as he glanced at her.
"I know you did, I can hear all your thoughts remember." she thought back as they laid there, the sun shifting overhead. The rays of light dancing across them as clouds moved across the sky blocking the light briefly before it reappeared and then vanished again.
Sandual watched all of the interactions that had gone on between the two and had decided that this was probably the best decision he had ever made in his lifetime. He wasn't surprised when a moment later Yamato walked into the clearing following his clone who walked over to him and then dispersed in a cloud of smoke.
"What's going on Sandual?" Yamato asked as he stared nervously at the fox with nine tails.
"Oh nothing serious, just wondering if you could help me with a little investment I am deciding to partake in and it isn't Hokage sanctioned before you ask, just like I know that your little remodeling project wasn't sanctioned either..." Sandual let on with a smile as he watched Yamato squirm a bit.
"What exactly do you want me to do?" Yamato asked with a sheepish smile on his face.
"I just want you to examine this tree here and tell me if you can transplant it or part of it somewhere else." He finished with expectation to start written all over his face.
Yamato sighed as he walked forward and reached out for the tree before he felt a jolt of energy and jumped backwards from it. He wasnt sure but he was certain that the tree was alive in some weird way. He walked around it multiple times before he attempted again, this time turning the extended hand into wood and reaching for the trunk. He made contact and could feel something similar to what he had built in the training room in Naruto's apartment only more dense and powerful. He reached up and broke a part of a branch off and could feel the energy leave the branch and watched it turn to dust.
He tried again with a larger branch and again watched it break down and blow away as dust before he reached for a smaller branch again and tried focusing his chakra around it to keep the energy trapped in it. It held a bit longer before breaking down once more and blowing away. He was growing frustrated and placed a hand on the trunk again and let the wood talk to each other trying to figure out a way to move part of the tree. It was a few minutes but he finally got the answer, he knelt down to the ground and let some tendrils of wood burrow into the ground to find the roots and after a few minutes pulled one out of the ground breaking it off from the tree. There was a weird energy that pulsed as the root broke and then he had it contained, and everyone watched in awe as a new root formed and then reburrowed into the ground as if it had never been dug up in the first place.
"I have a short time before the life of this root dies so lets get it to where it needs to go" Yamato said as he could feel energy pulsing rapidly.
Sandual nodded as he walked over to take a look. Naruto and Kivira were curious as well and wandered over to see the root themselves, and could both feel the energy that was being given off.
"Where gonna plant that in Narutos apartment." Sandual said surprising Yamato and Naruto before he directed both of them out of the clearing. Kivira vanished as they left and Naruto could feel excitement welling up inside her and even felt it bubbling in himself. She knew what he was thinking and was glad that they had come although she wasn't sure what the motivation was for, that this ninja they just met would do something for Naruto knowing that she was inside him.
They made it back quickly to the apartment and went inside and then stopped unsure what Sadnual had in mind or how he intended to plant it.
"Plant it in the middle of the floor and have the roots run through the house." he told Yamato who immediately understood and ripped a floorboard up. As soon as the root touched the wood it imbedded itself in it and started spreading through the wood until it had run all the way down into the ground. After a moment the root began to extend upwards into a trunk and grow until it hit the ceiling where it fused with the wood and tendrils grew up onto the roof blending in with the red tiles as it fanned out encompassing the entire area of the roof, little leaves sprouted outwards towards the sun.
Yamato was amazed at what had just happened and Naruto could feel unparallelled excitement well up inside him as Kivira materialized as a fox once more and ran around the apartment. Sandual smiled and then tapped Yamato on the shoulder to head out for the day.
"Naruto, remember what we did today, because once I start training you there wont be any mercy." Sandual said as he walked out the door followed by Yamato who looked exhausted now from having to use so much energy to protect the root. As soon as the door shut, Kivira transformed into her human form and hugged Naruto before doing a fast walk through of the apartment.
"Well not completely my taste but at least I can walk around here, right?" Kivira said as she turned to look at Naruto who was frozen in place staring at her.
"Oh right, clothes" she thought as she materialized some on herself and then waved a hand in front of Naruto.
"Hey, move or blink..." No response so she swatted him upside the head and that got him moving again.
"Ow, why do you keep hitting me?!" Naruto yelled as he rubbed the back of his head.
"Because you aren't paying attention..." She smiled sweetly at him before walking off to the kitchen.
She was glad to at least be able to look after him here and would have to figure out how far she could travel around before she dematerialized but it was worth it for now, she would have to thank Sandual for sure for this opportunity. She noted as she started pulling food out of the fridge that it would need to be restocked soon and he would have to do it unfortunately. But for now she began to cook food for him and a little bit for herself to try it and see if she could even cook anymore.
Naruto just walked into the kitchen and watched Kivira cook the entire time, he was really glad that she was here because now there was someone physically in the apartment with him and he didn't feel alone, not that he felt completely alone knowing he could talk to her inside of him but it was still different. He saw her finish up and bring two plates to the table, it looked to be just a simple meal of noodles, peas, cheese and surprisingly soy sauce. He sat down and dug in to it surprised that it was actually really good. She watched him plow through the food, a smile on her face before trying it herself, it was strange because she could taste and feel it enter her mouth run into her body and yet it was like it just stopped existing after it went down her throat but she was able to enjoy the sensation none the less.
They spent the next few days just getting used to each others company and had also decided to share the bed instead of getting a secondary one, he usually would snuggle up to her and sleep soundly throughout the night and then wake up with her holding him with one arm wrapped around him in place so he had to fight his way free. He had to make sure not to wake her though otherwise he would get hit and so he had to be extra careful in the mornings, she had a vice grip usually and it only tightened when he squirmed.
The tree, they had planted had fully bloomed over the course of the few days that it had been planted and the leaves on the roof had pretty much merged with the wood making themselves as unnoticeable as possible much to Yamato's dismay as he was very curious about them and didn't want to tear the house apart to figure it out.
Sandual was glad that nothing bad had happened as far as he could tell with the nine tails being free at least in a physical form, but he was certain that she was still bound within the seal that contained her and was curious as to why this tree enabled her to materialize so it would be a interesting thing to study. As the sun went down on the final day before Naruto would begin at the academy he dropped in to inform him to be up at such and such time and to remind him that once he started, he would be taught on the side as well and to be ready.
It was also how he discovered how Naruto knew that the Nine-tails was a woman, he knocked a few times and heard a female say some in. He made it as far as his head sticking through the door to see a woman standing in the house wearing a kimono and being utterly breathtaking. It wasn't until Naruto walked up to him and asked what was up that he was able to pull himself together for a moment and told him that after class they would begin lessons. With that he let his mind wander for a moment before he got hit by a deadly KI that made his blood run cold and so he backed out slowly and left.
Naruto was confused as to why Sandual had booked it out so fast but when he turned to look at Kivira, she just had a big smile on her face and said that he was probably just tired from the day.
"You know Naruto you should probably get to bed soon also so you aren't late for your first day..." Kivira reminded him as she finished washing the last of the dishes.
Naruto nodded but as he laid down he couldn't turn off his mind. He was way to excited and was looking forward to tomorrow because it would mark the start of his ninja career and he could begin to learn how to be a ninja and make Kivira and those two people he dreamed about proud one day...
The crystal ball cleared up as Hiruzen leaned back in his chair, pulling the Hokage hat off his head finally allowing himself a smile, Naruto was finally happy to have someone around him although it came with much surprise at who it was in particular. The Kyuubi in human form was a sight to be hold although during the first and only glimpse of her he got he felt a ominous Killing Intent hit him and immediately stopped watching and only observed them briefly from then on. On that note he rose from his chair and walked to the balcony watching the sun set as he gazed out over the village, his home where all the people, his children in a sense lived there lives safe from everything for the moment...
"Tomorrow would be a interesting day with Naruto starting at the academy..." he thought before shunshining home, his paperwork fluttering off his desk and scattering all over the floor.
Authors Note
Hey guys sorry about the ridiculous delay, I moved and have been looking for work since so I haven't had any time to write. I'm settled in now but im still job hunting but I have more free time so I should be more active and hopefully I can spend a lot more time writing. I hope you guys enjoy reading as much as I am writing this story. I hope if you guys can to review, critique and send me feedback for how my writing is.
Til chapter 5
Noblesse Oblige MG