Hello everyone! Welcome back to the story! It's time to continue the tale of Goku and Naruto's time together. It will be thrilling, it will be exciting, and it will be something you won't want to miss! I'm excited to show you everything that has changed and is the same from the previous versions of the story.
With all of that said, let's get on with the chapter. I don't own Naruto or Dragon Ball in any capacity. I do own original characters, concepts, and ideas unless stated otherwise.
Voices
"Talking."
'Thinking.'
"YELLING!"
"Author/Guest/High or demonic entity talking. Also, a big twist at the end of a section."
"AUTHOR/GUEST/HIGH OR DEMONIC ENTITY YELLING!"
"Whispering."
"Author/Guest/High or demonic entity whispering."
Mt. Paozu, Time Branch 147
Two weeks had passed since the arrival of Goku on Mt. Paozu, the monkey boy quickly growing used to life away from civilization. The Son family was a very interesting duo, Gohan for his wisdom and Naruto for his manic energy. Just as they decided during that first night, the Saiyan and the Jinchuriki began to teach each other techniques that Fu had yet to even bring up to each other, though certain things like flight were clearly beyond Naruto's skill level at the current moment. Even with such limitations, the boys quickly began to accelerate their own skills. Though if one were to look at them in the current moment, they would think the duo were making no progress.
The boys could be found sitting in the midst of the clearing that they made their decision in. They remained still as statues, twitching only slightly as signs that they were alive. To those trained with sensory abilities, however, the duo would be found as a very active pair. Each of them had an aura around them, a visage of their chakra. The area pulsed around them, changing the view to a world within their own minds.
This was a space made in between their minds, a ki technique Fu taught Goku and Lee to do when he was busy with paperwork so they wouldn't bother him with their sparring. The mental arena was a cross between a ruin and a peaceful lakeside. There were strange columns and white tiles littering the plane. The lake was crystal clear, perfectly reflecting the purple sky and a flowery hill nearby. This hill was accompanied by another barren one, both of them currently being occupied.
Goku and Naruto stood across from each other, smirks on their faces. It was obvious that they had been at this for a while now, the area around them showing some scuffs from their training. It appeared that Goku was doing the teaching at the moment as his stance was relaxed. Meanwhile, Naruto looked to be in a ready stance, his arms crossed in impatience. The saiyan of the duo decided to start things off by bringing his hands together in front of him.
"Alright, Naruto." Stated Goku. "You've made some good progress with energy sensing, so I think it's time we work on something that can boost your training further." Naruto grinned as he gestured to the other boy.
"Come on then!" cried the blonde. "Show me it! I'm starting to get hungry, and that ramen is calling my name!" The boy accidentally created a floating bowl that was saying his name, only to slap at it as it turned into a puff of smoke. Goku smirked as he brought his hands together.
"I'm going to show you the Shadow Clone Jutsu, formally known as the Kage Bushin. You'll have to start off with all three normal hand signs but once you master it, you can do it with only one. You create the hand signs of Ram, Serpent, and Tiger in that order. Repeat after me." Goku slowly performed the hand signs, allowing Naruto to attempt them.
They did this a few more times, the blonde soon getting the hang of it. "Once you complete those, create a cross with two fingers per hand. Then push chakra into it, like this." Goku went through the motions at a much faster pace before creating the cross as he instructed. "Kage Bushin no Jutsu!"
Two clones popped up on either side of him, startling Naruto with the plumes of smoke. "The difference between these and the regular Bushin is that they're solid, even casting shadows. As you remember from our fight, a strong enough hit can dispel them. Give it a whirl." Naruto nodded as he quickly moved through the hand signs, being surprisingly efficient.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Two columns of smoke appeared right beside him. The boy closed his eyes, not wanting to get smoke in them. Upon opening them, he was surprised to see two identical clones of him standing on both sides. Unable to contain his excitement, he and his clones raised a fist into the air.
"I DID IT!" shouted all three Narutos. The trio blinked a few times before pointing at each other with glares. "What do you mean you did it!?" Goku tried not to laugh, remembering his own experience with using the jutsu for the first time. Knowing they'll quickly get off track, he snapped his fingers to catch their attention.
"No fighting guys." said Goku with a wave of his finger. "Infighting is a problem many shinobi face when learning the Shadow Clone Jutsu. Once you master this technique, you can make hundreds of clones. For example..." Goku repeated the use of his technique, this time creating a much larger collection of smoke clouds. All the Naruto clones were surrounded by 200 Goku clones, each one of them identical to the original.
Naruto's jaw dropped to the floor as all of the clones, including his own, dispersed in an instant. Goku huffed a bit as he stretched his arms. "If you have enough chakra and the health to make an amount this large, you can tackle a fortress with a small army. It took me a week to get that good, but I'm not the best example." Naruto raised a brow at the saiyan's statement.
"Why not? You can obviously perform it perfectly." Goku chuckled in embarrassment as he rubbed the back of his head.
"Thanks, but I've been told that I'm a prodigy. I don't know exactly what it means or how it affects me being an example." Naruto's eyes widened, surprised by the renown of his companion. In his mind, Goku was on a completely other level than where he was. The Jinchuriki sat on a nearby rock, sighing in defeat.
"It's gonna take forever for me to get it. I can't keep up with a prodigy." Naruto felt something land on his shoulder, causing him to look his way. He was suddenly slapped by a miniature orange tail, Kurama being in a shrunken form with a trail leading to the bars of his cage. Goku still wasn't used to the sight of the small nine tailed fox.
"I'm not gonna let some punk who I'm stuck with say he isn't good enough." said Kurama. The Kyūbi had a much lighter voice due to this form being an extension of his imprisoned self. "You're my Jinchuriki for crying out loud! Shape up!" Naruto looked away from the fox with a pout.
"I didn't say that I wasn't good enough. I just have a long way to go." Even though the fox was being harsh, Naruto knew that Kurama cared about his predicament. Tough love was just his way of getting his point across. The fox groaned as he hopped off the boy's shoulder.
"Stop mopping and use the large chakra reserves you have! You didn't think that all your power came from me, did you? Most shinobi would kill for the reserves you have." Naruto looked at Kurama, reading his expression for any form of lie. He stood up as he slowly went through the hand signs.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Smoke filled the air, covering the view of Goku. Kurama smirked as he saw everything from his real body. Goku's eyes widened as there were many more clones this time around.
"HOLY COW!" cried the saiyan. He flew high into the air, beginning to count all of the clones. He had to stop and count on his fingers a few times, ultimately stopping halfway through counting. A grin formed on his face as he flew back to the original Naruto and Kurama. Said blonde was panting as he sat back down.
"Now I know why he gave me that warning. That was intense." Goku landed in front of the duo as the clones all dissipated.
"There must be a lot because I only got around halfway when I lost count at 350. Looks like I'm not the only prodigy around here." Naruto smirked, happy that he had this kind of power. They both noticed the area grumbling, the columns around them cracking slightly. Normally, one would fear an earthquake, but being in the mindscape meant only one thing.
"Can we go get food now? I'm starving!" Goku chuckled as he rubbed the back of his head.
"Alright. We'll call it here for now." Naruto cheered as he and Kurama's side of the shared world disappeared. The blonde opened his eyes with a grin on his face. This expression turned serious as he realized that Goku had a dread filled look on his face.
"IT'S NIGHT!" He looked around at the trees, trying to spot something. He turned his face to Naruto, a pleading look in his eyes. "The moon is right behind me. Please tell me it's not a full moon."
Naruto looked up at the moon, as confused as he was, noticing how it wasn't exactly full. It was extremely close, but not there yet. The blonde smirked as he looked at his companion.
"Nah! It's close though." Goku looked back just to make sure, sighing as he looked down.
"OH, THANK GOODNESS! I thought the monster was gonna come out!" Naruto's eyes widened as he stood up.
"Monster!? What kind of monster are ya talking about!?" Goku looked down in thought, as if considering whether to tell this story or not. Knowing what Naruto was, however, gave the boy the courage he needed. The saiyan looked towards his friend with a serious frown.
"Grandpa Hiruzen always told me that if I go out when it's a full moon, a monster will appear and attack the village. It's a curse that follows members of my clan that are born with tails, the monster appearing whenever we look at the moon and knocking us out. They destroy everything in their path. I don't know if this place still applies, but I don't wanna take the chance of accidentally hurting someone. You guys have been so kind to house me, and I don't want you guys to be killed."
Naruto looked at Goku, shock still present on his face. A monster that this kid fears. That had to be one horrifying monster story. Still, with a Biju in his gut he couldn't really say much about giant creatures. Naruto suddenly thought of something.
"Why should you worry about it? I bet you're powerful enough to beat it on your own. Even if it tries to knock you out, I'm sure you can dodge it in time. You're like a superhuman or something." Goku shook his head with a frown.
"Uncle Fu says to take the warning seriously. He said I wouldn't be able to help if the monster comes out, at least until a few more years into my training." Naruto smirked at Goku with determination.
"Well, he doesn't know everything, right? I say we could both take it on. I'll distract it and watch out for ya so it can't knock you out. The two of us can probably do anything we set our minds to!" Goku lowered his head and sat on a large root, not unlike how Naruto was sitting on the rock in the mind scape.
"I'm afraid of the people I care about, friends and family, getting hurt by a stupid wonder or a brash impulse. You and Gohan-sama are part of that group now, so I don't want to harm you guys in that way. The truth is, I'm afraid of losing everything I ever knew. I'm not like Uncle Fu or even my grandpa. I'm just a stupid kid."
He turned to see Naruto with his head down, a quiet growl escaping his throat. His eyes widened when the blonde looked up with foxlike pupils in his eyes. His friend grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, his teeth bared.
"Listen here kid! No friend of mine is gonna insult themselves on my watch. You can fly for crying out loud, which I'm still jealous about by the way! Not only that, but you have someone to back ya up! I promise I'll back ya up against this thing, and I NEVER. BREAK. A PROMISE!"
Naruto realized the situation as his pupils returned to normal. He let go of Goku and backed up, lowering his head once again. "Sorry." He heard a chuckle come from the saiyan, causing him to look up again. Goku now had a look of determination as he nodded his head.
"Well, we can't plan on an empty stomach." The saiyan flew up into the air as his expression transformed into a cheeky grin. "You better hurry up! Otherwise, I'm taking your share!" Goku suddenly flew towards the house, leaving Naruto to process his words.
"DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH MY RAMEN, MONKEY BOY!"
Konohagakure, Time Branch 149
A month had passed in Konohagakure since the day Anko arrived at Fu's home. To say that it had been an eventful period since then would be an understatement. Fu had seen a huge drop in random marriage requests, as well as Danzō's ROOT shinobi. To say it was a welcome change didn't do it justice. The purple man came to enjoy this time of peace for himself.
Of course, he was still very active during this time. He still had his students to teach, and Yota was beginning to show strong signs of improvement. Then there was paperwork he still had to do thanks to the popularity of his dojo and his current placement on the council. There was also one more thing he had to deal with over this period. He heard the front door to his home open as he was sealing away some paperwork to deliver to the Hokage's office.
"I hope you're actually finished with those papers." Stated a familiar voice. Fu smiled as he turned to the door, locking eyes with Anko once again. This time she was wearing a purple kimono with a black sash holding it together, golden flowers embroidered on the fabric. She was also wearing a pearl bracelet and wooden sandals. "We've been planning this for the past few weeks.
Don't tell me you're getting chicken now. Wouldn't want Yota-kun to think you're a coward." Fu chuckled, sharing the woman's growing smile.
"I just finished, actually." Stated the false demon. He stood up as he stretched a bit. "I'm ready to go if you are." The woman nodded as she moved to wait outside. Fu couldn't help but soften his smile as he thought back to that fateful day.
Flashback no Jutsu!
Fu still had the paper in hand, still shocked by the fact that his bride was picked for him. He expected something like this to happen at some point, but he didn't think Itachi would hand pick someone for him. There was definitely something that the young leader had planned with this arrangement. This must have been what Shenron meant when he said something would happen. Realizing that he had left Anko in silence, he quickly cleared his throat.
"Well, this is sudden." Stated the purple man. "I wasn't expecting to have this thrusted on me so fast. I was so caught up in searching for a bride, signing paperwork, and running my dojo that I must have missed the memo. The first and last activities I can do easily but you know how all of that stuffy, boring office work can be." Anko actually responded with a small smirk.
"Have to do it every time I make a report." Groaned the woman. "It sucks but it's part of the job. You should see the mountains of it we have to do for the T and I department. Makes me feel bad for the Hokage, if only a little." Fu winced as he nodded his head.
"Yeah, I would not want that position. I'm sure it puts food on the table, but that paperwork level is beyond even my enjoyment." The purple man gestured to Anko with his smile still visible. "I don't mean to assume anything, but your expression from earlier kinda tells me you don't want to go through with this whole thing." Anko frowned as she sighed.
"Look, I don't know why Lord Fifth decided to choose me for this. I'm content to live alone and just do my duty for the rest of my life. Still, he probably thinks I'm your best shot at not being strongarmed by a certain mummy we both know. Regardless, I take my orders seriously. Besides, maybe having someone to come home too won't be so bad."
Fu hummed as he crossed his arms, deep in thought. It was becoming difficult to find a partner in this village. He needed to be here to keep an eye on Danzō and make sure that whatever caused the breaking of reality in the first place doesn't occur again. Plus, Konoha was the most likely source of the breakage on this side. Before he could say anything, the door to the bathroom opened wide upstairs.
"I'm clean as a spring shower!" cried Yota. He slid down the railing of the stairs, thankfully back in his usual attire. He landed on Fu's shoulders, causing the purple man to chuckle.
"Watch it bud!" cried Fu. "Nearly took my head off!" Yota chuckled as he tilted his head with a grin.
"Sorry Tou-san! I'm just excited for dinner and…" Yota looked towards Anko, tilting his head. "Who're you?" Anko looked like she was about to speak, but Fu quickly put the growing boy down on the ground.
"She's my new girlfriend. We're gonna try this out for a bit and see where it goes." Yota grinned as he raised his hands into the air.
"YAY! Tou-san won't be lonely like an autumn breeze anymore! I'm gonna go get some fruit!" Fu quickly chased after Yota, crying about why the boy thinks he's lonely. Anko couldn't help but chuckle, feeling like this was going to become a regular thing.
Present Time
That was only the beginning of their potential relationship. Fu actually found himself enjoying the snake woman's company, especially when she helped him remember the ethics when looking at things he wanted to study. He knew her past under Orochimaru and decided to steer clear of anything biological. When not helping him look over his research, she actually began coming in to watch the lessons he gives to the kids in his dojo. She even inspired some of the girls, especially that pink haired one, to take training seriously.
Of course, like standard courting goes, they did go on actual dates. He did his best to be courteous, though he was understandably awkward at times. Still, she hadn't left him or said she was dissatisfied so he must have been doing something right. Realizing that Anko was probably waiting outside for him, he quickly put the sealed scroll away in his sleeve. He looked towards the dojo with a grin.
"I'm heading out with Anko, Yota-kun!" cried Fu. "Make sure to watch over the house while I'm gone!" Yota popped his head into view of the dojo door, grinning with his eyes closed.
"Okay Tou-san!" cheered the weather boy. "Bring me back one of those candied apples please!" Fu chuckled as he walked away, waving his hand dismissively.
"Sure thing! Just keep the place clean!" He stepped outside, where Anko was waiting with her arms crossed. "Yota wanted to say goodbye and ask for a candy apple." The woman smiled as she let her arms fall to her side.
"That kid just loves to take up your time." Stated the woman. "Still, it shows how attentive you will be towards your own flesh and blood kids. That's a plus any woman who wants to have children could want. So, what surprises do you have in store?" Fu smirked as he shook his head.
"Where would the fun be in telling you? You're just gonna have to take it as it comes." Anko couldn't help but chuckle as the duo began their walk. He always had to surprise people with his plans. Still, it was something she actually came to appreciate about him.
They started things off slowly by just a general walk around the village. They then went to look around the market street, Fu making a few kids laugh with a funny looking mask. After that they grabbed some candy apples, another food item Fu introduced the recipe to the merchants of the village. There were looks directed at the duo by adults, but they didn't let it bother them. It was just the two of them right now, no troubles in the world.
The sun was beginning to set as they made their way through a district popular for its restaurants. Fu sounded his delight as he rubbed his stomach. "Man, am I starving. I say we go to that dango place for some good eats." Anko's eyes lit up like stars as she clenched her fist.
"Yosh!... I mean, sure. Whatever sounds good." Fu chuckled at his potential bride's hidden childishness. His smile disappeared when he heard a drunken hiccup nearby.
"Well look who it is." Stated a man nearby. He had an empty beer bottle in his hand and a posse of other men around him. "It's the demon freak and his snake toy. Guess you decided to slither your way to our part of town." Fu rolled his eyes as he got between Anko and the men.
"There are no specific parts of town, Tachi-san." Corrected the purple man. "We all live in this village together. The Hokage even restructured certain property lines to increase productivity in the village. Now, you're clearly under influence, so why don't you let your pals take you home and…" Fu quickly caught the empty bottle that was thrown at him, using ki to keep it from shattering.
"Shut up, demon scum! Keep the Hokage's title and name out of your cursed mouth! You shouldn't even get to walk the grounds of our fair village! It's because of you that the civilian council has lost power in Konoha!" Anko decided to speak up as she pushed past Fu.
"A council whose legality and origin have been called into question." Growled the snake woman. "There was no record of Lord Third or even Lord Fourth allowing for such a group to be made. There's also the fact that these days your council doesn't even contribute to the civilian population, which is already a minority when trying to separate them from the shinobi. If you 'nobles' can't keep yourselves in line the Daimyo might just allow the Hokage to dissolve the council." Tachi growled as he pointed to Anko, another hiccup leaving his lips.
"You don't get to talk either! You might not be under his thumb anymore, but you're nothing more than Orochimaru's lost pet! That tramp stamp on your neck says it all! I bet you're planning to carry this demon's offspring straight to Orochimaru!" Anko frowned as she brought her hand to her neck, clutching at the curse mark that was pointed out.
It was the one reason she thought Itachi wouldn't pick her out of the bunch. Many would talk badly about her behind her back, too scared to say anything unless they were drunk out of their mind. Speaking of drunkards, Tachi grinned evilly as he kept his finger pointed at the woman. "Do us all a favor and run back to your master, you B…" The sound of slicing quickly filled the air, cutting off the man's words.
Tachi stood still as his smile slowly turned into a look of fear. Anko's eyes widened, surprised by what she had just witnessed. Each and every man amongst the group was now bald and in their undergarments as a breeze caused them to shiver. The drunkard looked up at his head, now very sober. "MY HAIR!" Fu put his hidden blade away before leveling a glare at the group.
"Next time you talk about the people I care about that way it'll be your life you lose rather than your dignity." Threatened the purple man. "Oh, and by the way, you better get your brat Kazuto under control before he gets himself killed. Now get out of my sight, before I show you why my clan is known as the 'False Demon' clan." The group of men cried in terror as they ran away, doing their best to cover themselves. Fu harrumphed as he looked down towards the ground.
Anko continued to keep her eyes on him, surprised by how he reacted to the insults thrown her way. Fu looked up again as he sent her a smile. "That's behind us now. How about we head for that dango place?" Kurenai looked down as she tried her best to hide her expression.
"Let's just go to your place." Requested the woman. "I'm done for tonight and just want to get away from what happened." Fu looked towards her, trying to gauge her emotions. Realizing that the night was probably ruined for her, the man relented and walked her to his home. He couldn't help but think about why she wanted to go to his house rather than straight home.
'Maybe she wants me to call this off. It'd be tough to find a bride before the deadline, and I was kinda getting invested. Maybe I can convince her to give this a chance.' They soon reached the building, the lights turned off. Fu checked for Yota's energy, finding that it was still in the dojo.
Upon entering the building, they found the young boy sleeping on the training mat. Due to the signs of weather damage on some of the dummies, it was concluded that he had spent the whole time that they were gone training. "The scamp worked himself to sleep. He's so much like Goku." Anko smiled for the first time since the men insulted them as she scooped the boy up.
"I've got him this time. Show me to his room." Fu nodded, happy to lead Anko upstairs. It was nice seeing her carry the sleepy boy up the stairs. As soon as she laid him down on the bed, the weather boy lightly grabbed her arm in his sleep.
"Night-night… Kaa-san." Moaned Yota in his sleep. Fu blushed as he looked away, trying not to show off his emotions. Anko smiled softly with a blush of her own as she gently removed his hand from her arm.
"Sleep well, Sochi." Fu's blush disappeared as his face turned to a shocked expression. Yota smiled in his sleep as he rolled over onto his side. The adults stepped out of the room, an awkward silence passing between them as Anko shut the door. Fu tapped his fingers together as he tried to think of his words.
"So…" began the purple man. "This has been an interesting night. It didn't exactly go according to plan but…" Anko looked towards him, shutting him up. The expression on her face was a sorrowful smile, something that had Fu off guard.
"Thank you for standing up for me back there, but I'm used to those kinds of comments. This curse on my neck is a constant reminder of who I used to devote my time to. I wouldn't be surprised if I was approved by the council for the case where you might betray us. Lord Fifth might not have that on his mind, but Danzō definitely does. I understand if you wish to never see me again.
I'll show myself out." Anko moved to walk down the stairs, only for Fu to grab her by the wrist. She turned back his way, noticing the serious frown on his face.
"Please don't say those things. You shouldn't have to be used to being cursed at or spoken poorly of. You are a loyal shinobi of this village and deserve the same respect they have in the least. You are fierce, kind, courageous, and beautiful just to name a few of the many things that make you wonderful. We went into this with uncertainty, but now I can't see my or Yota-kun's life being the same without you."
For the first time since meeting her, Fu watched as Anko's face turned from one of sorrow to a blushing look of shock. She turned his way as he took her hand in both of his. "If there is any way I can convince you to stay, to be the mother of my children both present and future, say so and I will do it. Anything at all." The woman's face turned from shock to an unreadable expression as she brought her free hand up to where the curse mark is.
"I will not make you do anything to have me stay. I have heard you can do amazing and impossible things with seals, however. All I ask is that you look at this accursed seal. If you can remove it, I will entirely devote myself to you. The only one who could ever come between us at that point would be our children."
Fu smiled softly as he pulled Anko along to his room. She laid down upon the bed as he looked over the seal made by the accursed Orochimaru. He frowned as he looked over each and every detail.
"This is both the best and the worst seal work I have ever seen in my life. That freak had no idea what he was doing, and yet he knew how to get what he wanted. If normal methods were used to remove it, the afflicted would be killed before the process is complete. Luckily for both of us, I do not work by normal methods. I will apologize, as the mark is so horribly yet beautifully put together that you will still feel pain."
Anko nodded her head, as if asking him to proceed. Fu quickly brought his hands together, channeling a purple energy through them. He held his palms out toward the seal, causing a purple bubble to envelop it. He slowly pulled back towards himself, causing the bubble to expand across the woman's body. This caused the seal to expand to its awakened form to fit the bubble, glowing red as it began to attack Anko's body.
The woman let loose a silent scream as she heard the cry of her former master in her head. Whatever this bubble was doing, it was harming the essence of Orochimaru within the cursed mark as well. The mark soon reached its full size across her body, the bubble encompassing it all. Fu growled as he pulled harder, causing the bubble to lift at the edges of the seal. "Get… off… my… love!"
A seal at the back of Anko's nape began to glow as if it were trying to do something. Before it could even cause an effect, the bubble popped off with the entire curse mark inside it. Fu then brought his hands closer together, causing the mark to shrink back to its dormant state as the bubble shrank. The sphere crystalized like glass, creating a clear purple orb that displayed the curse mark within. Fu took deep breaths as he held the object in his hands, leveling a glare at it.
On the bed, Anko took deep breaths as the pain subsided. She slowly sat up, feeling at the area that used to burn her as a reminder of the seal's place. She felt nothing but the sting of fresh skin being touched. Seeing a mirror nearby, she quickly ran over to it. To her shock and amazement, the seal was gone in its entirety, the areas where it was once stained upon now red from irritation.
Fu put the orb away for later as he stood up. "I'm going to research this later in order to find a less painful way to counter it. Maybe I can even find a way for Orochimaru to be punished for even attempting the seal. So… how does it feel to be…" Fu looked around the room to find Anko missing, only to be pushed onto his bed.
He turned to where he would be able to sit up, only for the woman he was looking for to straddle him. The purple man didn't get a chance to say a word as she caught him in a lip lock. Not used to the sensation, he couldn't help but melt into the kiss. It ended much sooner than he wanted it to as Anko rose back to her sitting position. The smile on her face told him this wouldn't be the last time he'd have that sensation.
"You really are a miracle man, aren't you? Sweeping a woman off her feet, defending her honor when many in the village sees her as a betrayal waiting to happen, and doing the impossible all in one night." Fu chuckled in embarrassment as he scratched at his cheek.
"Well can you blame me? The beautiful Anko Mitarashi deserves way more than even what I did." Anko smirked deviously as she held her finger up in a matter-of-fact manner.
"Nisekuma. From here on, it'll be Anko Mitarashi-Nisekuma. I'm a woman of my word, and an overachiever such as yourself isn't going to change that. You've got me excited with this new level of freedom." Fu was about to say something in response, only to blush as he noticed what Anko was doing.
The woman's kimono hit the floor, pooling at the side of the bed. "You better take responsibility for that." Fu would never forget this night for the rest of his life.
Mt. Paozu, Time Branch 147
Days had passed since Naruto and Goku agreed to take on the monster that cursed the Sarutobi clan. The duo trained in the three things they felt would be essential in their quest to destroy the beast: Ki, Chakra, and the various forms of ninja techniques that they believed would do the trick. It was as if Fu's schedule for training was a thing of the past, the duo pushing each other to excel. Naruto even taught Goku how to do the tree walking exercise, allowing him to train his control to a better degree.
Today, however, no training was being done. The reason for this was that tonight was the fateful night of the full moon. The duo did their best to conserve their strength as they prepared every tool in their arsenal. Naruto had the Power Pole strapped to his back as he rolled his shoulders. He smirked as he looked towards a shaking Goku.
"What's wrong, Goku-san?" questioned the blonde. "Nervous about the big fight?" Goku smiled as he shook his head.
"For the first time in years, I'm stressed out of my mind." Admitted the Saiyan. "Looking at everything now though, I can't help but feel excited. This monster has plagued my clan ever since its founding. If we can defeat it, it'll be such a load off of everyone's minds." Naruto hummed as he rubbed his chin.
'Since its founding? Yo, Kurama!' The Jinchuriki heard a growl in his head as his tenant was awoken.
'Is it that time already?' questioned Kurama. 'I've been waiting to see what this monster looks like.' Naruto rolled his eyes in response to his partner's laziness.
'The moon is almost over the horizon, but I just heard from Goku that this thing has been around since his clan came to be. You've been around way before that, right?' Kurama grunted as if he was stretching, annoying Naruto slightly.
'I have lived way longer than you could possibly imagine. I wager that you think I know something about this monster.' Naruto nodded his head in response.
'Exactly! With how long you've been around, I'm sure you've heard about the Sarutobi clan's monster.' Silence was all the blonde received in response to his statement. It was an eerie silence, one he was not comfortable with. He felt his senses run on high alert as Kurama forced a small amount of chakra into his system.
'Sarutobi? Is that this monkey brat's clan?' Naruto nodded his head once more, confirming the fact. 'I have only met one kind of monster that comes from that clan.' The boy's eyes widened as they turned into the red slitted eyes.
'From? What are you talking about?!' The Kyūbi seemed to be weighing his options before speaking again.
'There was a tailed warrior much like Goku within the Sarutobi clan. He was their founder, a pillar of their strength. I once had to fight him before Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha came into the picture. He unleashed this monster, stating how he wasn't a child who would turn mindless by using it.' Naruto's eyes grew as wide as they could at this information.
'The history lesson is nice and all, but can you hurry up!? The moon is almost in view and you're scaring me!' Kurama decided to speed things along as requested.
'When this warrior looked at the moon, he transformed into a monster the size of a Tailed Beast. He had so much power that, accompanied by his strategy and the sheer surprise factor of his transformation, he ended up destroying me. If this tailed boy really is of Sarutobi blood and not some strange mutant, he will likely transform just the same but with no control!' This news tore their plan to pieces, shattering Naruto's will to fight. He suddenly jumped in front of Goku, attempting to block his line of sight with the coming moon.
"Goku! Don't look at the full moon!" The Saiyan jerked backwards in shock at the sudden movement.
"I have to, Naruto-san." Stated Goku. "I have to look at the moon for the monster to show up." Naruto quickly waved his hands in denial.
"You have to listen to me! I talked with Kurama and he said he fought a member of your clan that had a tail. He was the guy that started it and everything! He knows what the monster is, and we cannot fight it!" Goku was taken aback by this reveal.
"WHY!? WE'VE BEEN PLANNING TO FIGHT IT FOR DAYS!" Naruto decided to not beat around the bush as he grabbed Goku's shoulders.
"The man turned into the monster, saying that he wasn't an inexperienced child that would be a mindless beast. The monster doesn't knock you out. You become the monster!" Goku felt his perception of the world shatter at this new bit of information. He looked down at his arms, the libs now shaking in utter terror.
He was the reason Konoha was always in danger whenever the full moon came out. If he had looked at it even once, the village would have been doomed. He looked up to say something, only for his eyes to widen as his expression turned blank. "Goku, we have to get out of here before… The full moon is right behind me isn't it, Kurama?" A growl rose from Goku's throat as his body began to twitch uncontrollably.
'MOVE!' roared Kurama. Naruto jumped backwards as the Saiyan continued to growl and twitch due to his attention being placed on the moon. His clothes began to tear apart as his body began to grow in size, fur growing all over his form. His eyes began to turn full red as his mouth extended into a monstrous, toothy maw. Naruto took a step back as he was covered by the shadow of the giant monkey that used to be his friend.
The Great Ape pounded his chest as he roared into the night, the sound carrying on for miles. The beast paid no mind to anything below it as it began to walk forward. Naruto became worried about this movement as he was in the path of the ape's foot.
"CRUD!" Naruto quickly leapt out of the way, narrowly avoiding becoming roadkill. He looked up as the beast continued to stomp across the land. "What the heck should I do!? If no one stops him, he's going to destroy the closest village!"
The blonde grabbed at the sides of his head as his freakout continued. "I'm the only one who can fight him right now, aren't I!? I don't wanna do it! I can't just kill my friend!" Kurama hummed from inside the mindscape, seeming to gather an idea of his own.
'You may not need to, Kit.' Naruto stopped his panicking as the fox pressed on. 'If you can hold him down long enough and get me to the base of his skull, you can create a link between your mind and his like that one training session. From there I could find a way to knock him out or at least knock some sense into him.' Naruto smirked as he cracked his knuckles.
"Worth a shot pal." Naruto blitzed through the proper hand signs, quickly bringing his fingers to the cross position. "Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu!" A multitude of Naruto clones appeared out of smoke, rushing off to combat the Great Ape. They began bombarding the beast with ki blasts and kunai, causing it to stop and look their way.
The monster simply roared as it swiped at the clone army, sending many of them flying into the air. Each and every one of the assaulted clones dissipated into smoke, causing Naruto to grab at his head. A few more tried their luck, but this resulted in a repeat of the previous attempt. The clones switched to using the heavy hitting attacks, causing the Great Ape roared in pain as they stunned it. The original ran up its back, hoping to reach the base of its skull.
He nearly reached his target destination when the monster used its tail to bat him off. Several of his clones ran over to catch him before he could hit the ground, saving him from a gnarly hit. He looked up just in time to see the Great Ape glaring down at him. The remainder of the clone army let loose a battle cry as they leapt into the air, preparing Naruto's signature energy beam attack. They were flattened by a hand smack, causing Naruto to scream as the memory of their painful end hit him.
The beast raised its foot to crush the boy he considered his friend. Naruto opened his eyes, staring back at the massive eyes of the Great Ape. "Goku! Wake up!" The beast's foot stopped midair, its expression slowly straining.
"NNNNAAAAARRRRUUUUTTTTOOO?" questioned the Great Ape. Naruto looked relieved by the sudden recognition, only for the beast to shake its head and roar. It prepared to renew its attack, only for a blue light catches its attention. It set his foot down away from its target as it focused on the light. Naruto turned to where he was laying on his stomach, his eyes widening as he watched Grandpa Gohan charge up a strange energy blast.
"KA...ME..." began Grandpa Gohan. The ball of energy in his hands expanded as he crouched lower. "HA...ME...HA!" He thrust his hands forward, sending the attack towards the Great Ape. The attack hit the beast square in the face, causing it to hold its head in excruciating pain.
The ape landed on its rear, still howling in pain. Gohan fell to his knees as he looked at his grandson. "Now, Naruto! While the beast is distracted!" The blonde nodded his head as he performed a familiar set of hand signs once more.
"Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu!" cried Naruto. More clones were created by the technique, rushing to surround Goku's massive form. They literally jumped into action, linking together like chains as they began to hold the mighty beast in place. Naruto sent a clone to check on Grandpa Gohan before he jumped up to his friend. He put his hand on the base of Goku's giant monkey head, allowing Kurama to create the shared mindscape.
The fox walked through the red dusty planet that was the monkey boy's mindscape, trying to find his subconscious. He soon found red chains that appeared to be similar to chakra heading in the same direction. He followed them to find Goku unconscious, the boy being hung by his arms and legs. He walked over and cut most of the chains, leaving one on each ligament just in case his mind had a bad reaction to the added weight. Goku hit the ground as his mindscape became more similar to Konoha, but the area still held aspects of the red desert.
He sat up from his spot on the ground and wiped some tears from his eyes. It was clear that he was still broken by the truth that was revealed to him, his sorrowful expression being an indicator of this. He looked up at the giant fox, his expression never changing.
"I'm the monster of the Sarutobi clan." said Goku. "I'm the reason parents have to keep their children inside every full moon." Kurama sighed as he shook his head.
"Boy." Interrupted the fox. "Take a moment to breathe and…" Goku's expression twisted to one of fury as he glared at the Kyūbi.
"You don't understand! I'm the most feared and hated monster in the Hidden Leaf! I…" Kurama growled as he stomped his foot. This shut the saiyan up, though his expression remained the same.
"You are neither the most hated nor the most feared being to that accursed village." Goku looked up at Kurama in confusion. Goku never told him or Naruto the name of his village, let alone its full name. How did he... "I am."
Goku looked at the giant fox with wide eyes and ajar mouth. The Kyuubi no Kitsune began to tell him the story of the night he attacked Konoha. He told him every detail from the masked man who controlled him, to the Hokage who sealed him away. He avoided mentioning Naruto's true heritage, just because he didn't feel like mentioning it and definitely not because the boy would be in danger if his father's enemies found a way here. He waited for Goku to process it all, then the boy looked at him with inquisitive eyes.
"If Naruto is from Konoha, then what is he doing here? Doesn't he have family somewhere?" The fox shook his head in denial.
"His stupid toad of a godfather was out of reach and he had no clan members in the village to go back to. The third Hokage didn't want him to leave the village, but a certain individual reminded him of the persecution he'd face being my jailer." Goku smiled as he looked up to the fake sky, knowing exactly who would do such a thing.
"Uncle Fu." The saiyan frowned as he looked to the ground. "I'm sorry that you had to go through all of that, but it still doesn't change the fact that I am an uncontrollable monster during the full moon. I have to keep myself from looking at it to protect everyone else." Kurama groaned as he shook his head.
"Brat, if your ancestor could see you now, he'd punch you in the face for thinking that way. When I fought with that man, he made it clear as the beast that he learned to control it. If he can do that, I have no doubt you will too. You're like Naruto in that way. When presented with something you want to learn, nothing can stop you from achieving it and going beyond."
Goku slowly let a smile form on his face, the fox's words striking a cord within him. Many questions began to fill his mind, such as who this ancestor of his was, but his body started to feel different. He looked down to see the last chains dissolving, the world around him turning black. "It's time to wake up, kid. Don't keep the brat waiting and never tell him that I spoke to you this way."
Goku chuckled at the fox's request, only for the world to fully go black around him. His eyes suddenly opened in the real world, revealing that he was sitting with his back against a tree. He saw Naruto standing in front of him, an excited look plastered on his face. He pulled Goku into what to normal people would be a bone crushing hug.
"Goku!" shouted Naruto. "You're back to normal!" He squeezed harder, making Goku gasp for air.
"Naruto!" wheezed the saiyan. "AIR!" Naruto quickly let go of him, an apologetic look on his face.
"Sorry. Still powered up from facing King Kong." The blonde covered his mouth at that last sentence. The saiyan looked at him, making Naruto sure that he hurt his feelings. Suddenly, Goku went into a fit of laughter that left him confused.
"At least I'm not a skunk. Then this place would have to be quarantined." Naruto blinked at him for a bit, surprised by the sudden humor. He suddenly joined his friend in laughter, unable to help himself. They laughed for a bit longer before the blonde's laughter died in his throat, his expression twisting in horror.
"GRANDPA!" Naruto quickly ran to the east, leaving a trail of dust behind him. Goku stood up to join him, only to feel a chill as the wind hit him. He looked down at himself, only to let out a silent scream as he saw that he was completely naked. Feeling that it wasn't too important at the moment, he quickly attempted to cover himself as he flew off after his friend.
His expression turned to horror as he saw Naruto on his knees while Gohan was lying on the ground. He lowered down to their level, noticing that the blonde was holding one of his grandfather's hands in both of his own. "Please be okay, Grandpa." Grandpa Gohan coughed a bit as he looked up towards his grandson.
"I haven't used that move in years." stated the old man. He coughed once more, sounding rather pathetic at this point. "I think my fighting days are really over now..." The old man closed his eyes. Naruto gripped his hand harder as he began to cry.
"DON'T DIE ON ME GRANDPA!" Goku lowered his head, as the blonde's sobs cut through the air. He couldn't help but feel that even if he wasn't the demon of Konoha, he was still a monster. He looked at the old man as he was reminded of his... Gohan slowly brought his hand up before slapping Naruto on the back of his head, eliciting a cry of pain from the boy.
"If ya squeeze my hand hard enough and cut off my blood flow I might actually die! I meant that I won't be fighting after that move! Let an old man finish his words or get the meaning behind them!" Naruto blinked multiple times, before rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment. He helped Grandpa Gohan up off the ground, Goku breathing a sigh of relief.
"I'm glad you're okay." Stated the monkey boy. "I'm also sorry for troubling you guys with this. If I had known about the true nature of the monster, myself, I would have never brought it up. I caused you both a great deal of pain." Naruto looked like he was about to tell Goku off for talking like that, only for Gohan to rub the saiyan on the back of the head.
"You are many things, Goku, but a monster is not one of them." The saiyan looked up at the old man, surprised by his words. "A monster would have known about that form and used it intentionally to harm others. Partway through Naruto's attempt to calm you, you called out to him in recognition. That shows that it is possible to gain a handle on your inner beast.
If you can accomplish that, I dare say you'd be considered a valuable member of your family. That kind of power, when used to protect others, is a wondrous gift that should not be taken lightly." Goku couldn't help but smile at the old man's words. He felt like they were the same kind of words his own grandfather would tell him. Naruto clenched his fists as a grin grew on his face.
"Heck yeah!" cried the Jinchuriki. "From here until Uncle Fu gets back, we're going to work on every exercise I know that works with control! If we play our cards right, we'll be done before he ever shows his face! Let's get started right now and…" Gohan shook his head in denial as he held up his hand.
"Perhaps it would be better to hold off on that for now, Naruto. One, it's way too late to be doing any training. Two, I think you're ignoring a dilemma our friend here is currently going through." The blonde quirked his brow, not sure what he was meaning. It was only when he fully paid attention to Goku that he realized the truth, crying out in shock.
"HE'S NAKED!"
That's the end of another chapter. Goku and Naruto decide to work together to deal with the Oozaru, not knowing that Goku is the beast. At the same time, Fu has safely removed the curse mark from Anko. This has earned him her hand in marriage. It looks like a lot can go on when Goku goes on a trip, lol.
Anyway, what did you think about the chapter? Will Goku learn to control the Great Ape form? How will the boys react to the news that their Uncle is now officially engaged? Let me know what you think down below and I'll try to respond ASAP. Until next time, this is Inkaliber, signing out.
