Author's note – Kishimoto Masashi owns Naruto while Guyver is written by Yoshiki Takaya.
I make no claim to either, I am merely playing in their sandboxes.

On other news, happy birthday E-B, and Happy International Star Wars Day! (4th May...)

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Chapter Thirty-Six

Plans

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"…so your armour is now part of the seal?" Jiraiya asked for the fifth time and Naruto glared at him.

"Yes." He repeated. "I saw the seal as a cage with the armour attached to one corner, a larger version forming on the second and two large pillars at the back. The Kyuubi told me that the armour has been stealing its chakra from it."

#Youki, not chakra.# A mental voice grumbled and Naruto blinked.

"Youki." He corrected. "And apparently I can now hear the Kyuubi without needing to be in the mindscape."

#Not like there's anything intelligent to listen to out there.#

"And he's being sarcastic." Naruto sighed, ignoring the way that Jiraiya's left eye was twitching.

"This doesn't make sense!" Jiraiya exploded. "The seal was supposed to leak some of the Kyuubi's chakra through, boosting your reserves. In emergencies, it would let you access more of its chakra like the other Jinchuuriki… but now? That armour of yours has totally screwed things up and I don't understand what it's doing!"

#Can you tell that frog to stop croaking?# The mental voice grumbled. #Some of us are trying to get some sleep.#

#Can't you switch off the sound?# Naruto sent back, then he felt something shift. #Hello? Hello?#

"…and I think he's decided to go to sleep." Naruto sighed.

"Dammit!" Jiraiya cursed. "I've done loads of research into Jinchuuriki and how they use the power of their Biju, then you come along and do something completely different!"

"…sorry?"

Jiraiya glared at him, then sagged."Dammit. All that research into the Biju when I could have been researching Kunoichi instead. Months… wasted."

Naruto blinked. "What?"

"Never mind." Jiraiya said quickly."So, the rasengan…"

"I had thirty clones practicing with the best one dispelling every half hour to spread the knowledge." Naruto said as he accepted a water balloon from one of the clones doing the chores. Holding it out, he frowned slightly in concentration, then the balloon started shaking and rippling before the swirling water inside it shredded the rubber.

"Not bad." Jiraiya mused. "Okay, the next step uses rubber balls. You do the same again, but with more power."

As Naruto watched, Jiraiya pulled out a small rubber sphere and held it. A few seconds passed, then the sphere ripped itself into shreds.

"On it, boss." The clone said, moving to a nearby shelf and grabbing a small tin before running out of the door. Jiraiya watched him go, then turned to give Naruto a quizzical look.

"He's gone to buy a box of those balls." Naruto explained.

"Ah."

Naruto shrugged. "Well, I've got another patrol, then I'm meeting Fu again to help her prepare…"

"Right."Jiraiya said as he turned towards the door. "I have more research to do and I need to talk to Sensei about this. See you tomorrow."

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"Fu doesn't like how these taste." Fu complained before downing the pill she had been given. Naruto looked up from where he was placing a small bandage over the needle inserted into her left arm.

"I know, they are pretty yucky, but a single one of those can easily be the difference between life and death."

Fu sighed. "Fu is grateful for your help and for helping Fu learn to read. Fu did not know that there were stories like that."

Naruto glanced over at his copy of 'The Legend Of The Utterly Gutsy Shinobi', a book that he quite liked (and not because he had been named after the main character).

"It's a pity that Jiraiya didn't write a sequel to that." He admitted, then he turned back to Fu. "I never asked, is the Kage Bunshin proving useful?"

"Oh, yes." Fu said with a wide grin. "Fu is using it to attend meetings with sensei-teme or to stay in view when Fu is really here. Fu really likes the shadow clone.

"It is a very useful technique, even if it is almost useless in combat." Naruto admitted, fighting the urge to laugh as his clone in the kitchen briefly preened, then pouted. "So, for the next hour, shall we continue the story?"

Fu nodded and Naruto passed her the book. Carefully opening it, Fuu leafed through until she came to the start of the second chapter and Naruto moved to sit beside her.

"Naruto woke up with a smile on his face. Today was going to be the first day of his proper ninja career alongside his… his…?"

"Team-mates." Naruto supplied as Fu paused, perplexed by the unfamiliar kanji.

"Team-mates." Fu repeated. "Team-mates. …the first day of his proper ninja career alongside his team-mates. Together, they would show the world how… how strong they were…"

Naruto smiled as Fu continued to read the chapter with increasing confidence. Suiren may have tried to keep her ignorant as a method of controlling her, but with his help, she was breaking the shackles without anyone noticing.

And when the time came, she would be free from the shackles with no-one the wiser.

Well, no-one in Takigakure, anyway.

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"There." Yoromaru said, staring at the distant shape.

"She was ordered to stay with us." Hoki fretted and the older boy swatted him.

"It was ordered to stay where we can see it." He corrected and Hoki glared at him. "What?"

"She is a person, not a thing." Hoki ground out and Yoromaru shrugged.

"It stopped being a person when the seven-tails was sealed into it. I've heard my dad's team-mates discussing it and the only reason that thing is even allowed to remain near our village is because having it means that Takigakure is respected by the Five."

Hoki gave Yoromaru a long look before turning away.

"There are times that I don't want to know you."

"Just because my dad's a Jonin and I know these things…" Yoromaru sniffed. "Doesn't matter. As long as it does its job, we'll be fine. Being with a Jinchuuriki means we'll get through to the finals no problems."

Hoki stared at Yoromaru, then sighed and walked away.

"Dammit." He murmured to himself. "Am I the only one in the village who sees her as human?"

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Hiruzen handed the scroll to the clone who had brought it to him.

"There you are, one adoption request approved and signed. As requested, the date on it is the day after the end of the second exam."

"Thanks, Jiji." The Naruto clone grinned. "Boss will be very happy to hear this."

"Re-establishing the Uzumaki Clan in Konoha has become something of a priority." Hiruzen admitted. "Ambassador Honoka has confirmed that there is currently another confirmed Uzumaki in Uzushiogakure…"

"Uzumaki Karin." The clone supplied."Danzo mentioned her when Boss was picking up Honoka."

"…indeed." Hiruzen mused. "Anyway, by adopting Fu into the Uzumaki clan, it brings the numbers up further and establishes that the main branch of the Uzumaki clan is in Konoha. From a political perspective, this is quite important."

"I guess." The clone shrugged. "Where is Honoka, anyway? We haven't seen her around lately…"

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Honoka pushed the empty bowl away from her and looked at the others sat around the table. Opposite her, the disconcertingly beautiful Yuki Haku ate neatly, his calm face hiding his thoughts. To his right was Suchīrukuran Taromaru, the genin who could turn himself into living metal. On Honoka's left, Hozuki Suigetsu took another deep drink of water, a requirement forced upon him by the kekkei genkei of his clan while at the end of the table sat Terai, his eyes the only thing betraying his sense of pride in the team that he led.

Once everyone had finished, Terai tapped the table to get their attention.

"Tomorrow is the first stage of the chunin exams." He stated. "Honoka-sama has provided you with as much information on the other teams as she could find. I am certain that you will perform as best as you can, but I ask you to remember that you are a team. As I cannot accompany you in the tests, Haku will lead as he has proven himself capable."

Suigetsu scowled and shifted slightly, then froze as Terai fixed him with a flat stare.

"Suigetsu, your attitude still needs work. Needless belligerence will cost your team greatly during the tests. Understood?"

"…hai, sensei."

"Good." Terai said, reducing the amount of Intent he had been radiating. "Follow Haku's orders during the test. Taromaru…"

The bulky boy turned slightly, his silver eyes showing his curiosity even though the rest of his face was as expressionless as the sensei he idolized. "Hai, sensei?"

"How are you getting on with your partial transformation techniques?"

Taromaru held up his fist and concentrated, turning it into moving steel. Pushing his sleeve down, he showed that the metal stopped just above his elbow, his limb's flexibility unimpeded by the change.

"Excellent." Terai nodded. "Combat potential?"

"Enemies will think I'm wearing metal gauntlets rather than actually being metal." Taromaru rumbled and Terai nodded again.

"Good. Honoka-sama, do you wish to add anything at this point?"

Honoka shook her head and Terai turned his attention back to his students.

"Have an early night. You will need to be well-rested for tomorrow."

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"I'm sure she's doing fine." Hiruzen said reassuringly. "Any other questions?"

"Well, Boss saw the ninja from Wave earlier… Stabitza? Rabbitza? Zabuza! That was it. He's got a team?"

"He does." Hiruzen stated. "Although I don't know if they'll survive, given his reputation…"

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Zabuza glared at the trio before him. Only Kimimaru met his gaze, but the Kaguya had been his apprentice for years and so was used to him.

"Tomorrow, you take the exam." Zabuza stated. "You will do well, or you will answer to me. After that, you will answer to Mei."

Even Kimimaru paled slightly at the threat.

"Kimimaru will lead you during the exams." Zabuza continued. "He is far more experienced than either of you. Follow his lead."

Chojuro and Kajika both nodded and Zabuza smirked beneath his facial wraps.

"Excellent. Get some sleep. Go!"

Chojuro and Kajika almost teleported away and Zabuza raised an eyebrow.

"You have a question?"

"Do you wish me to try to find out more about Uzumaki Naruto?"

Zabuza's face briefly tightened, then he shook his head. "No. I'll be in the Jonin lounge tomorrow, I'll get the info I want there."

"As you wish, Zabuza-sama." Kimimaru bowed.

Zabuza watched him leave, then shook his head.

"Damn kid, how the hell did he become like a son to me? Ah well, at least he was the only one it could have happened with. Not like anyone else would have been as good as him."

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"I'm worried and excited." Ino mused as she handed her empty mug over to the Naruto-clone in the kitchen. "How are you so calm about this, 'nata-chan?"

"I'm not." Hinata admitted from where she was snuggled up to Naruto on the couch. "I just try not to show it."

"It works." Ino grumped as she flung herself onto the sofa next to Naruto, then wriggled across so that she was lying on both Naruto and Hinata's laps, looking up at them. "You don't look like you have a care in the world."

Hinata smiled as she snuggled closer to Naruto, who responded by wrapping an arm around her shoulders. Ino pouted, then suddenly her hands flashed to Hinata's flanks.

"EEEEEE! EeeEEEeeenooOOOooOOO!" Hinata wailed as Ino mercilessly tickled her, then suddenly Ino froze.

"Naruto-kun…" She said nervously as she became aware of the hands on her flanks. "what are you do-EEEEEEEEE! NooOOoooOOOO!"

Naruto laughed as his clones ticked Ino until she fell to the floor, beside a recovering Hinata.

"Now behave, you two." Naruto mock-scolded, only for both girls to glance at each other mischeviously, then they both pounced him, hands moving quickly.

"Hiiinaaaataaaaa! EeeeEEnnoooo!" Naruto protested as both girls tickled him. In the kitchen, the clone looked through the hatch curiously,then chuckling, he returned to doing the washing up.

"I'm back with the adoption paperwork!" Naruto's voice called from the back door and the clone doing the washing up turned to nod at the newcomer.

"Excellent. Once I finish here, we can rescue Boss."

The newcomer blinked, then the sound of helpless laughing registered.

"What? What's going on?"

"I think Boss is getting the childhood he was denied." The dishwashing clone laughed.

"About time."

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Authors Afternote - Regarding International Star Wars Day, it comes from the date.
May the Fourth be with you!