Chapter Ten: Paper and swords.

"It is the perfect weapon."
Suzanne Collins, Catching Fire.

{White Fang Barracks, Section A: Melee Weapons Storage.}
[Three Hours Later…]

"Whoa-Whoa-Whoa!" Naruto hollers out as he spun uncontrollably whilst trying to swing a large two-handed axe. Aurum was ducking behind some bulletproof glass as the axe flew out of the blonde shinobi's hands, and soared right into it. "Oh crap, I'm so sorry, Aurum!"

"Corporal Aurum, brothers above, what the hell was that?!" Aurum screamed as he emerged, taking the axe out of the glass. "You were just trying to swing it as fast as you could, what the hell happened?!"

"I lost my balance, but I kept shifting it, and well…I sort of got stuck on one foot spinning!" Naruto sheepishly answers whilst rubbing the back of his neck with his right hand. "So, I'm guessing that axes are a no go?"

"No shit, what gave you that idea, moron!" The mechanic and weapon specialist of The Black Cats yelled out as he saw one of Naruto's other clones struggle to use a claymore blade. "Oh, for the love of the brothers, just put it down!"

"Sorry!"

A loud puff of smoke emerged from where the clone had been standing. Naruto grabbed the left side of his head. "Ow…" he grumbles lightly before sighing as he watched his other clones. One of them was trying to use a sword and shield, whilst another was flinging a mace around. "I might actually be terrible at weapons, man, Tenten was right!"

"Who the hell is Tenten?!" Aurum demanded as he glared at the blonde, seeing one of his racks knocked over. "No, not my halberds!"

"Crap, I'm so sorry!"

"Make them pop, damn it, make them pop!" The corporal screamed over and over as he waved his arms frantically, fire in his eyes from rage.

Naruto sighed, forming a hand seal, making them all pop whilst collectively gaining knowledge from them. He crosses his arms, frowning at the mess. "My clones really suck." He stated nonchalantly whilst observing the damage. "Sorry, Corporal Aurum."

"You might just be the single worst weapons user I've ever seen!" Aurum shouted as he marched over to Naruto, only to hear something. He looked over to see one of Naruto's clones, somehow surviving the pop looking at a short sword. "Oh Gods, one is still here!"

"Hey, Corporal, I didn't know you had one of these!" The clone called out whilst the original Naruto looked slightly annoyed. "Oh, hey me, look! It's a Wakizashi!"

"What, no way?!" Naruto ran over to his clone, seeing that short sword clutched in his clones hands. "Oh man, I remember a few of the ANBU black ops in my village having one of these!"

"Please put it down before, wait, did you say that you've seen these before?" The weapon's specialist walked over to him, nervously at first, watching as Naruto took the sword out. "So, your world has these?"

"Well, yeah, my world pretty much had everything here. However, these are something that I saw on a daily basis, and saw others train with too!" Naruto smiled brightly before looking at the storeroom where the racks were knocked over. "I can form some clones to clean this up, ya know."

"Please do, Gods above, I'm not getting any younger. Still, really, what a small existence we're in I guess." Aurum stated before watching Naruto give it back to the clone. "So, as a member of The White Fang's Black Cats, you're required to have a weapon."

"I mean I got my kunai, and I haven't showed you the paper bombs I can use with them!" Naruto stated proudly before crossing his arms. "I'm not much of a weapons user."

"I can friggin tell, but still…" The soldier sighed before watching Naruto form clones. "Don't put the wakizashi up, just meet me here in a few hours, and I'll get someone trained with katanas to teach you."

"Katanas, but this is a wakizashi." Naruto curiously pointed out whilst nodding his head to the side in confusion.

Aurum pinches the bridge of his nose, sighing. "Wakizashi are just a smaller version of a katana. Still, it's better you got some training. I know a few katana users…and he's looking at something else…" The man sighed whilst watching Naruto walk over toward a rack with polearms.

"Ooh…" Naruto smiled when he saw the red oak polearm, and it's curved blade atop it. It was about the size of him, a nice four feet long, with the blade about a foot and a half long to give it some more reach. It's blade reminded him of the wakizashi he held in his off hand. "What's that, it's some sort of weird spear?"

"That's a naginata." The soldier said whist opening the display case for the rack. "This is a polearm, not too unsimilar to a halberd. Technically, these aren't spears. In fact, it's rather similar to my weapon."

"Wait, you use that?!" The shinobi yelled out whilst pointing at the polearm in the case. "Why does it have a picture of woman on the display case?"

"Uh…" Aurum quickly opens the case, snatching photograph with a nervous look on his face. "What photo, I don't see a photo, you're such a great little kid for that imagination of yours."

Naruto smirked devilishly before looking Aurum in his eyes. "She ya girlfriend?"

"W-what, no, this is…um…" Aurum just took a deep breath. "Don't worry about it."

"I mean, she's got orange eyes, they're kind of awesome!" Naruto complimented the brief memory of the photograph in his head. "I once knew a girl who had orange eyes, she was in this village called Taki. Me, and my team went there to save it from a bunch of rouge shinobi. Let me tell you, that was one heck of a fight, ya know!"

"Okay…so you've actually seen combat against fellow humans?" The soldier crossed his arms before sighing, pulling the photograph out. "It's my daughter, in case you were wondering, my little Tangerine.'

"Tangerine, that's a weird name." The shinobi replied before smiling as he saw the blonde hair on her head. "I wish I had orange eyes, Fū, that was the girl's name! She was always picked on in her village…"

"You seem to miss her, little bit of a crush?" Aurum questioned the young shinobi, watching him blush a little. "C'mon now, don't be shy about it."

"I-it wasn't a crush because she got made fun of because of her mint green hair. Kind of like I got made fun for my whisker marks." Naruto defended himself a little before bashfully turning his head to the side with a blush on his face. "She was cute though, happy-go-lucky when you got her going."

"What happened?" Aurum asked him whilst looking at him.

"What do you mean, what happened? I went back to my village, last I heard, she was becoming a Genin…which is what new shinobi are called." The blonde shinobi answered him before sighing. "Still though, it was nice meeting someone who just like me."

"That's how I felt about Tangerine's mother. Gods, we used to sit for hours on end." The man then got a solemn look on his face before sighing. "If you're ever lucky enough to find the one, Spunky, never not be there."

Naruto got a frown on his face, whilst seeing the man frown more before taking a deep breath. "What happened to her mother, Corporal Aurum?" The shinobi asked whilst noting the look of pain fill the man's eyes.

"I was too late. Kuo Kuana used to have a lot of issues with Grimm hordes, and one day one managed to breach the wall. I remember going into the city, rushing as fast as I could. It was my first off day in such a long time, and instead of being home, I told my wife I was going on a fishing trip to the beach. We lived near the wall. I…" The man felt an ease come over him before he stared at the photograph of his daughter. "A large Deathstalker managed to topple our apartment, my wife died protecting our little cub."

Naruto felt his hands unconsciously grip into each other. "That's horrible, Aurum, I'm so sorry if I…"

"Don't you dare be sorry, you're just asking a simple question. When we go into the field, Recruit Naruto, we have to know who we fight with. Every time I walk out in the face of a Grimm threat, I give myself one objective. It's to die an honorable death, because I know for every Grimm, I lay low, it's one less Grimm my little girl has to grow up with worrying about it." The squirrel faunus proudly stated before placing a thumb over his heart. "Tell me about you, now, what makes Spunky tick?"

"What can I say, really? I kind of got here after having a death match with my best friend. I wanted to bring him home, and he wanted to go off seeking power. I chose to save him, instead of myself. Next thing I knew, I'm falling out of the sky right into The Belladonna Estate's garden." Naruto nervously chuckled at the absurdity of his story before coughing into his hand to get back to being serious. "Anyway, Kali Belladonna saved my life, fed, and took care of me along with all the other people. So, I figured that I owed them my life. Next thing I knew, I just kind of stuck around, wanting to help in any way I could."

"Yet…"

"Yet, I was a shinobi, I was raised to fight. I didn't have it in mean to just sit on my hands, especially not after learning what truly horrible monsters these Grimm are. I mean, then there's the cyborg thing that happened, ya know? So, it kind of solidified in me that I wanted to fight, no I needed to fight. Because something inside of me told me that it's not right, that everything the people who ever did to care for me like they have shouldn't suffer these monsters." Naruto rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly before giving Aurum a toothy smile. "I just guess, well, I want to do the right thing."

"You know what, Spunky, that's a damn good reason. People have hundreds of reasons for joining our ranks, mostly for money, mostly for fame. Then there's people like you, and me. We joined up because we sought a higher purpose than ourselves. Still, you seem to have a good spirit about you. So, do me a favor, kid. No matter what happens when we go out on missions, you come back to this place. Lady Belladonna would be pissed if one of us let you die." Aurum laughed heartedly before patting Naruto's shoulder before reaching into the case, and handing the naginata. "I know you said you liked the wakizashi, but give it a shot…just don't let go of it."

Naruto saluted Aurum, smiling brightly, "yes sir!"

{White Fang Running Course.}
[Two Days Later. 3:00pm]

Naruto was jogging besides the other members of The Black Cats. Bjorn leading them from the front as Aurum followed closely behind. A small bit of sweat had begun to form on his head. He had as the afternoon summer heat beat against his brow. The blonde shinobi had been jogging for about an hour now, ever since he got back into the barracks proper.

Bjorn wanted to test him, Luna, and Rojas on their readiness for long runs. Naruto wasn't struggling in the least bit, but Luna was. She was breathing heavily as she carried her full combat gear with her. Such was the order of Bjorn, who demanded that they get fully geared up. Naruto had to admit, the shimmering white chest plate, elbow and knew guards, and black combat boots made it slightly difficult for a breeze.

In total, Naruto's combat gear consisted of five additional pieces of equipment that he had never seen before. There was a pouch in the back of the back plate of his armor. It contained water, with a small tube going up and under his armpit toward his neck. The idea was for him to reach over, pull it up, and then drink the water. That was called a camel's hump.

The backpack he had on his back contained five days' worth of MREs which were meals that could be instantly cooked with water. Naruto had learned this after he had tried it for the first time when he was told to 'get nourished and hydrated' before the run. He had never tasted anything blander, but somehow, packed full of energy.

In the backpack was also a water purification kit, several bandages, and utilities with toiletries. In it was also no less than three days' worth of socks, an extra pair of combat boots. Blood absorbers, meant to be placed in open wounds to seal it, and even something called surgical super glue, meant to seal wounds shut if all else failed.

He also had two canteens inside of the pack as well.

These packs were meant for exploration missions, which were rare, but they came from time to time. That's what Naruto understood when he had talked to Aurum about the equipment he'd be packing. On his beltline was his pouches containing his kunai, shinobi tools, and no less than two small equipment scrolls.

"C'mon, Luna, for shit's sake!" Bjorn yelled out from his shoulder as the rabbit faunus fell to the last in the formation. Bjorn was not pleased by this! This woman was supposed to have been an elite sniper from Atlas during her tenure there. So, why was this hard for her? "Get the lead out, Luna!"

"I'm sorry, sir!" Luna apologized justly whilst struggling with her gear. "This recruit is not used to be so mobile in the field, sir!"

"This recruit better get her shit straight!" The bear faunus called back before yelling out. "Full sprint, ten minutes, then back to jog!"

The group began to pull forward whilst Luna was still struggling. She was struggling as the heat beat down on her. She missed the cold air of Atlas slightly right now, but with the recent union riots, she knew she couldn't go back! Not after being ordered to fire on her own people, not after getting thrown out of the military for not following that order! She didn't think she could hack it, and as she saw the backs of the larger members of the group, she felt something in heart tell her that it was over with.

That's when she failed to notice, until he was between legs midstride, and hoisting her up on his shoulder. "Eep!" She hollered out slightly as Naruto piggybacks her on his back. She saw the blonde mop of hair of the kid drenched with sweat as he began to take deep breathes between his strides. "What-are-you-doing?!" She fired off rapidly, blushing slightly at the embarrassment.

"Not leaving any one behind!" Naruto yelled out in response before his strides got longer. "Take a breather, Luna! I got ya, ya know!"

She slowly saw the back of the group getting closer, until Naruto went around them. Running backwards after passing Rojas, who looked at him with a shocked expression. Luna found her breath, taking deep breaths whilst relaxing herself. She reached over at the tube, sucking down the water greedily before watching as Naruto and her pass up Aurum who took a doubletake at the scene.

"Luna, you've better have caught up, or by the gods I will-what the fuck?!" Bjorn yelled in surprise as Naruto passed him up, running backwards before sticking his tongue out playfully. "Recruit Uzumaki, have Luna dismount you, immediately!"

"Hey, she was falling behind, looked like she needed a small break, ya know! Besides, I think she's goo now, right Luna?" He asked the rabbit faunus on his shoulders with a bright smile. The white-haired woman nodded her head before he let her down midstride. "C'mon Luna, don't you dare fall behind me, ya know!"

She found herself sprinting, her muscles relaxed slightly, and actually keeping pace with Bjorn of all people. When the first minute of free running passed, she wasn't falling behind. Bjorn was sprinting with all his might, which allowed him to pull away from her. He was aiming to take Naruto's place, who was currently running the track at what seemed a jogging pace for him.

"Recruit!" Specialist Bjorn yelled out as he got next to him in a full sprint. "What the hell was that back there?!"

"I was just being nice, sir!" Naruto yelled out in response whilst running backwards with a bright smile. "Sorry sir, hate seeing someone fall behind, is she falling behind again?"

"No!" Bjorn answered before shaking his head. "Look here, brat, if you're going to do that for one, you'll do that for all!"

"Yes sir!" Naruto saluted before suddenly flipping backwards and crouching down before sprinting towards the oncoming group. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

Bjorn stopped when he heard him call out, hearing the pops of smoke. Watching nine other Narutos suddenly sprinted forward, grabbing the rest of his troop. The specialist saw the annoyed looks on their faces as they passed them by. With Grisha's left eye twitching, and him flicking off Bjorn. The specialist was about to say something until he felt himself get grabbed.

"One for all, all for one!" Naruto screamed out with joy before sprinting forward. "Last me around the course is a vegetable addict!"

"Recruit Uzumaki, put me dow-ow-ooh-ah!" Bjorn felt the winds whip at his face as he saw the Narutos around suddenly sprint off into blurs. He heard his men screaming, the women screaming, and felt Naruto somehow power slide around a corner on the course with the others.

He saw the start of the course, and then saw them sprint pass it. Bjorn heard Naruto breathing hard as he began passing his clones one by one. "Oh, hell yeah, c'mon-c'mon-c'mon!" He mantras whilst gaining nearly leaping stride, with Bjorn hanging on for dear life.

He looked at his speedometer watch. He used it to keep a personal records of his best speeds. "What in the hell, this kid, he's going nearly eighty miles an hour!" Bjorn watches as they pass up several more of the team, with Naruto still going strong. "Gods kid, what the hell are you made of?!"

"I'm one hundred precent hyperactive knucklehead!" Naruto replied with passion before his eyes lit with fire. "Can I do a lap with you on my back, I need some good training, ya know!"

"Don't be a showoff!" Bjorn yelled before smiling when Naruto refocused on the trail in front of them.

It didn't take long before Naruto completed that lap, within two minutes. As soon as he did, he skidded to a stop to let everyone dismount him. Some of them groaned before getting their legs back, whilst Aurum was stretching. Bjorn himself stretched before hollering out.

"Alright, c'mon, we're gonna do a lap! Save, we're gonna carry a Naruto on our backs!" The Specialist yelled out before grabbing Naruto, and threw him on his shoulders. "Full march, maintain speed, no falling behind!" He ordered his troops before turning.

"In cadence!" Bjorn screamed out whilst everyone fell behind him as they began to final run, humming as they began to sing out once he finished. "Hot, the air and sun burning hot!"

"The air, and sun burning hot!"

"Push to keep the Grimm from coming." Bjorn sang out loud whilst Naruto bounced his shoulders.

"Push to keep the Grimm from coming!"

"This, for my brothers and sisters."

"Brother and sisters!"

"Fathers and mothers."

"Fathers and mothers!

"Feel the strength, of those who stand whole."

"Who stand whole!"

"For the land we call our home."

"The land we call our home!"

"Our song, for our sons and daughters, for Menagerie!"

"For Menagerie!"

"For The White Fang!"

"For The White Fang!"

Somewhere, at some point, Naruto felt himself begin to sing the cadence as well.

{Section A Barracks.}
[Four Days Later, 6:00pm]

Naruto took a deep breath as Grisha called out to him. "Again, Recruit, again!" He screamed whilst Kihana in front of him readied her katana. A small cut on his arm was tied with cloth. Naruto took up his wakizashi, breathing hard before him and the swordswoman circled each other.

Kihana, a yellow-eyed redhead with a badgers stripes across her exposed back readied her katana. It had some blood on it, where she had cut Naruto's arm during their bout. It was well known, after the last three days of him being here, he had no aura. Naruto grumbled under his breath, unable to use shadow clones due to the standing rule handed down by Bjorn.

His shadow clones, meanwhile, were busy reading books. He figured out that the longer they stayed, the more experience he would gain from them. The chakra drain was massive though, and not only was he becoming physically exhausted from today's modified exercises since the regular ones proved easy for him, but his mind was straining for each clone popped.

"Begin!"

Naruto's eyes widened when Kihana launched herself forward, slashing downward, whilst he countered with an upward slash. He held the wakizashi in a reverse grip, spinning around on his heels to try and get behind her. She merely sidestepped, not trying to challenge him, and simply exiting the counter. She slashes from left to right, catching Naruto's arm with a shall cut that sent blood onto the wooden floor. Taking a deep breath, Naruto got back to the starting position, letting his wound heal. She changed her stance, now with her blade pointed to the ground, hanging off her side with both hands secured on the grip.

"Again, begin!"

Naruto took a deep breath, and saw Kihana flinch when he didn't move first. She smirked, advancing forward with a lunge, Naruto who had his wakizashi at his side slung it upward. It caught her katana in a sparking clash. Metal meeting metal, with Naruto taking a deep breath as he channeled chakra into the blade to keep Kihana's aura enhanced blade from shattering his own. Instead of pushing, Naruto backstepped whilst Kihana did the same, fully having thought he was going for an attack.

The shinobi reverses his grip on the wakizashi whilst rolling to the, bringing up in guard as he and Kihana circled each other. She confidently smiles before holding her sword above her head. Naruto took a deep breath as she zigged and zagged toward him. Suddenly, she changed her grip and stance before slashing right to left. Naruto's instincts flared to life as he brought the wakizashi up, blocking the blade before closing the distance whilst forcing her to retreat.

She spins on her heel when she steps back, taking a deep breath before suddenly turning the opposite way. Naruto slides underneath the sword slash on his knees. Rolling forward before springing up, and readying himself. Grisha pursed his lips, slightly impressed by the kids agility.

"Definitely a lot more agile than Kihana, probably stronger. Yet, his lack of experience is why he's losing these bouts. Hmm…" Grisha watches as Kihana smiled before taking a deep breath. "He needs to learn how to breathe right, to flow with the strikes he makes, like she does."

"Yo, Kihana! You're pretty awesome, ya know! I'm starting to get the hang of this!" Naruto says with a smile before taking a deep breath. "I can't wait to actually give you a real fight, so, c'mon! Let's dance!"

"Heh," she smirked before suddenly sprinting forward. "As you wish, Recruit Uzumaki…"

The shinobi blocks the swordswoman's rapid series of slashes. Her blue katana blade glistened off the overhead lamps whilst Naruto's regular silver colored blade caused sparks to fly where he used it to block her strikes. It didn't really help him, despite her being much older than him, that they stood about the same height. Both clashed their blades together, with Naruto pushing the older woman back who smirked as her red hair flopped around in it's ponytail.

Both slash, slice, and jab at each other with their respective weapons. Kihana easily kept him at bay, predicting him with ease given her experience. Still, the sounds of metal clashing filled the room as Naruto took more and more steps towards her. They've been going like this, these rounds, for well over two hours now!

These daily routines, hardwired him, readied him to absorb any new experience to the fullest. From six in the morning wake ups. The first runs of the day, the running of the obstacle course, and lunch. His study hour for the books concerning The Black Cat Bullheads, and now with training by Aurum's appointed teachers for him. Kihana was gentle, swift, and flowed like water. Grisha, on the other hand, was coarse, deliberate, and hit like a mountain from the sky. Unlike her, his strikes brought Naruto to his knees on more than one occasion.

"Lotus Dance: Seven Heavenly Flowers." Kihana softly called out whilst suddenly increasing her movement speed. Appearing behind Naruto, who barely blocked the attack, and then appearing to his opposite again. "Higanbana, Foxtails, Sunflowers, Mistflower, Snowbell, Wolfsbane, and lastly…" Naruto's eyes widened when she suddenly backed away and sheathed her sword before dashing forward in high speeds, her misty blue aura around her. "Primrose."

He barely blocked it, but the force behind the slash sent him flying across the training room. Right into the wall opposite his opponent, making him form an impression in it. He fell out, breathing hard before readying himself as he heard the patter of soft, but rapid, footfalls. Naruto dodged to right as she brought slash down, sweat pouring from his forehead as she suddenly positioned her sword to point behind her before she thrusted backward.

CLANG!

Naruto barely brought the wakizashi up to block the strike, feeling himself being pushed back from the blow before taking a deep breath. "Seriously awesome, Kihana, that's all I can say…ya know!" He compliments her before taking a moment and smiles. "Can I learn that thing you just did?"

"Breathe…" She said before turning on her heel and charging. "Breathe before each strike, and impact. Let your body free itself, move with the thought of your mind, allow your limbs to maneuver freely without impact of your fears."

He listens to her words as he slashed out with his blade. She easily blocked him, keeping the pressure up as he was forced back onto the defensive. The blonde felt his eyes move to and from, looking for a slight muscle twitch from her. He found none, unlike with Grisha! He growls before breathing deeply and lunging forwards. Spearing himself forward, his wakizashi pointed out forward, Kihana backs off just before impact. However, Naruto does the same thing, flipping backwards and landing on the ceiling. He clung there with chakra. He took a deep breath. Dropping down whilst flipping forward, Kihana thought he was an easy mark, until he suddenly slashed downward with his offhand!

Her katana was deflected, with Naruto landing onto her. Pressing his knees into his chest, making her take a deep breath before trying to back away to deflect the impact before it took full effect. To her surprise, he lets her before landing feet first and charging forwards! Katana and wakizashi met in a flurry of slashes, with sparks flying everywhere as both combatants attacked. Master, and student, teacher and pupil, Naruto had been losing for the last three days since he began this evening trainings!

Grisha smirks as he watches Naruto somersault forward, using his momentum to deliver extra power to his attacks. It wasn't much different, but it was enough to start throwing Kihana's poise. She had begun to sweat as the shinobi's assault was entering a fever pitch. Now there was just sword slashes to worry about, she felt his legs nearly sweep hers on occasion.

"Fighting dirty, Uzumaki?" She inquired with a small frown before Naruto suddenly lunged upward with a rising slash. "That nearly got me, isn't…did he just copy the fourth flower? Mistflower."

The glint in his eyes, that sign that he had taken from her, learned her move. Naruto smirked before flattening his body out, and spinning to the side to deliver another downward slash whilst spinning to add power behind it! Kihana's eyes widened when he suddenly turned the opposite direction, and stabbed at her unguarded side. She felt the blade impact her aura, making it flex, and the bruise on her side formed!

"Yeah!" Naruto screamed in triumph before rolling backward, and springing upwards to the start position. 'Did I just get you, huh, Kihana?! C'mon, I thought I got you, right?! That was awesome, that breathing thing you told me to do really works, I mean you were right! Oh man, I'm gushing over here, ya know!" He celebrated with a proud smile on his face, madly blushing from his own excitement!

Kihana smiles before sheathing her katana. Bowing in respect to Naruto before chuckling under her breath. "That you have, Naruto Uzumaki, that you have." She confirmed for him.

"Yes!" Naruto fell to his knees, whooping before getting back up to his feet. He ran over toward Kihana, grabbing her hands with a smile. "C'mon, let's go again! Never was one to stop when I'm a roll, ya know!"

"You've lost forty-eight times, and only got a clean hit once." Grisha pointed out before seeing Kihana sigh, and then smile. She lightly bopped him over the head, more playful than anything. "Huh, is she…blushing slightly?!"

"You truly have been a great student, Naruto Uzumaki. However, don't copy me, find your own style of combat. Though I'm shocked, you copied something that I made originally for myself. I guess it fits, both of us being of small frame. Tell me…what made you focus of Mistflower and Higanbana?" She questioned him.

"Oh, um, well…" He rubs the back of his neck nervously with his unarmed left hand. "I just figured with speed being my advantage, something coming from below despite me coming from above would've got you off guard slightly. I know Higanbana is supposed to be your opening for a rapid slash, but I figured with me spinning midair, I could put my own spin to it!"

"Hmm…" She pats his shoulder, looking over at Aurum. "I think he's gonna go far with that weapon! Aurum, do me a favor, my katana needs sharpened." Kihana stated before tossing it over to him. She turned back to Naruto, smiling softly with her yellow eyes filled with warmth. "You're not half bad kid, I'd gladly go into battle with you anytime."

"Really, you mean that?!" Naruto gushed slightly before watching her laugh as she starts walking away. "Hey, what's so funny?!"

"Nothing at all, you're just always gearing up to take the next step. No fear in you kid, none once so ever." She softly said before walking off the towards the bedding area. "We'll train tomorrow some more."

He smiled brightly, and then gave her a thumbs up, "you betcha! I can't wait, Kihana, ya know!" He excited states before watching her waive him off.

His clones popped, making him groan before falling flat on the floor. "Ow…I really hate it when they stay around all day, ya know." He groaned before getting up whilst holding his head. He felt something run down his nose, seeing it bleed.

Aurum, and Grisha looked at each other, seeing that. Watching as Naruto slinks over to the beds. Aurum was the first to say something, he had his arms crossed before looking over at Grisha. "He's still a child, and does things impulsively. Still, if anyone wants to be here, it's him. However, I think he needs an off day from the clones. I've noticed that he seems to be getting a little sick." The mechanic and weapon's specialist said.

"Not our call, Aurum. Lady Sienna's regimen for him was very specific. You've seen the video, no matter if he's a kid, there's something wrong with him." Grisha replied before crossing his own arms, noting that the kid's blood was still on the floor. He walked over, collecting it. "You do know, she wants this monitored at any point he shows a change in health, or appearance."

"Spunky's not too bad with that wakizashi, but I've been thinking of training him on some polearms." Aurum stated before seeing Naruto go back to practicing his kata that Kihana had drilled into him over the last few days. "Then again, I'm not sure if it's a bad idea to give him a katana in the place of the wakizashi. He seems to enjoy swordplay."

"This isn't a daycare, Aurum. The boy is a weapon first and foremost." Grisha sighed before taking a moment to smile. "Cheer up though, it might not always be like this…unless he turns out to be like other humans in the future."

"Yeah…other humans." The weapon and mechanic specialist of The Black Cats grumbled dismissively before biting his cheek. "Are we supposed to take him up in the air for jump training this Sunday?"

"Hard to believe it's already been almost a week since he joined in. Bjorn caught him doing extra training earlier in the morning." A newcomer, a large faunus man who stood nearly seven feet tall stated, his mountainlike body towered over the others. "Kid has got some impulse issues, but no doubt, physicality was never the issue with him…it was the mental part."

"Ah, Fjall, where've been old man?" Grisha asked the taller man, noting the grey hair bear tied in three separate spots. The man's ram-like horns on his head was dressed in two charms representing axes. Grisha just snickered slightly, folding his arms behind his head "Getting your hair done?"

"I was gearing up for some sparring with Bjorn. He, like me, comes from Ta-Mons in the west. Our people ready themselves traditionally this way before wrestling matches." The tall man looked past two other members going at in a spar. "You young people always rely on speed, now that I'm old, I'm relying on my strength."

"You're nearing retirement, aren't you?" Aurum inquired.

"Yes," Fjall glared toward Naruto. "Never would've I imagine leaving my White Fang in such a state, my forefather would be disgraced to know that we allowed a human amongst our rank."

"To be fair to the kid, his DNA isn't fully human." Aurum offered up, only to see Fjall scoff. "What?"

"He may bear marks, but he doesn't have our features. He may talk, walk, and eat among us, but he'll never be one of us."

"Hear-hear," Grisha raised a hand up in agreement. "He's only here because Sienna views him as a weapon."

"Then let us pray that this sword she has gotten bears a sharpened edge, and moves when swung." Fjall growled under breath before turning away. "Or may The Gods preserve him for a painless death, because I shall not give it."

Aurum felt his hands tighten as Fjall, and Grisha walk away. Sighing, he just watched as the newer recruit, Luna, came walking up to him. "Fancy a spar?" She asked.

"Yeah, let's go."

{Belladonna Estate.}
[8:00pm]

Ghira was walking his garden alone as he looked toward the shattered full moon hanging in the sky. He sighed, walking toward the freshly rebuilt gazebo. Entering it, and sitting on the picnic table, the man took a moment to set the tea he was carrying down. The sun was beginning to fall over Kuo Kuana, casting long shadows, with the nightly cool air soon to follow.

"My love," Kali entered soon afterward. "Is everything okay?"

Ghira sighs, placing his hands at the table. "I worry, dear wife, worry about our daughter. I worry about our people, our city, our country." He told her before taking a deep breath. "I worry about the child we've taken into our lives, treated him as family, has now been whisked away to be used a weapon of war against Grimm he barely knows."

"It was his choice, my love." She sat down in front of him, giving him a soft smile. "We've treated him with the same respect as we've shown our daughter. His choices are his to make, we can only sit in place to guide them."

"I fear that our people in The White Fang are starting to become the very thing we've fought against. I hear whispers of Sienna only wanting Naruto there as a weapon…and there's not a damn thing I can do about!" Ghira roared out as he slammed his fists against the table. "I knew she was seeking political clout, to take The High Leadership of The White Fang since I've neglected my duties there. Still, this, this is the same behavior we've fought against."

She gently places a hand on his, squeezing it. "You must have faith, dear husband.' She cooed him whilst gently locking hands with him. "Not all of us are going to become like this, and I've heard equal whispers of people being grateful toward Dr. Vista, Castor, Pollux, and yes even Naruto."

Taking a deep breath, Ghira smiled. "I knew bringing Dr. Vista over here was the right choice. It took some convincing, but thankfully he's been here. Castor told me something interesting about Naruto, the other day, something he never really shared with us." He said whilst looking toward the garden.

"I've heard about the supposed monster that attacked his home when he was born. Heck, I even heard him sleep-talk sometimes, something about a Nine Tailed Fox. Such a thing most truly be a monstrous being. If they gave an entire village of people like him, possibly better than him, true fear. Gods know what we could, let alone the world, against such a monster.' The matriarch shivered lightly, thinking about this monster. "It's kind of interesting, because of the tale Castor told me is that he was born the same time the monster attacked."

"Fate plays an interesting hand, always has." Ghira sighed before turning back toward his wife. "Remember when we were young, and how you saved me from the rubble? That giant deathstalker rampaging through the town."

"I remember distinctly you being the one to throw dynamite into it's orifice. Getting blown across the city, and into rubble. Gods, that was what, twenty years ago?" Kali laughed a little bit, and then brought her free hand to his bearded face. "You're as devilishly handsome as you were then."

"Even with the gray hair, my love?" He joked.

"Yes, it builds character. Silly goose, I'm getting gray hairs here and there as well. Perhaps it's time that you consolidated? Let Sienna have the bleeding fang, and we forge our path fully onto the care of our people. The other villages surrounding Kuo Kuana, we work on making life better." She watched as Ghira's twinkled as the falling sun shined into them, casting orange into their normal amber hue.

"Perhaps it's time." Ghira sighed before looking over Kali's shoulder. "Oh, and look, our daughter comes to join us for evening tea."

Blake carries a fresh teapot with her, a tray of saucers. She sat by her mother. Placing it down in front of them, pouring herself some tea. "Dad, mom, are you two, okay?" She asked whilst pouring her mother a hot cup of tea.

"Perfectly fine dear, what's wrong?" She noted the slight frown on her daughter's face.

Blake sighs before refilling her father's tea. "I'm not sure, because in a way, the house feels a little emptier." She admitted before taking a moment to slightly smile. "I kind of miss that annoying blonde, as he would say, ya know."

"Heh, that does sound like something he would say." Ghira agreed with his daughter before focusing on taking a sip of his hot tea. "You two got close, it appeared."

"Meh, we were talking as friends would, dad. He just liked the same books I did, though to be honest, I never pegged him as a reader." She admitted before looking off toward the sunset. "I knew this around the time you would come to garden with him, on days he wasn't busy fishing for us."

"I always worried why he did that." Ghira said whilst frowning. "He never needed to repay us for anything."

"Naruto didn't grow up with any sort of family, dear husband. He was betrayed by his friend, and possibly lost all chance at his dream. If he was seeking some sort of grounding, a purpose. People need a purpose to keep moving forward, no matter what, we can only move forward if we have something to reach for." She spoke whilst smiling softly. "He told me these things when we had times to talk, when we talked, he regarded his childhood with a smile…but pain laced in his voice."

"I…never knew that, honestly." Blake bit her lip whilst looking away for a moment out of guilt. "To think, I made his life here for the last couple of months…hell."

"Language young lady." Kali chided her lightly. "We all make mistakes, we all are mortal, we err daily. What stands to make the difference is if we learn from those mistakes, grow from those lessons given by them. To continue forward, despite hardship. That's the mantle of someone who not only seeks comfort, but that of a hero in the making. To move forward, despite fires on your feet…and to walk into the darkness without a shred of fear."

"Do you think he fears things?" Ghira asked.

"Quite so, I just think he doesn't feel fear in the face of his own end. When he was injured by that ghastly cyborg person, the very first thing he asked was if we were okay. I think Naruto sees us as his reasons to stay grounded, a child he still is, but his mind is in a war with itself I believe." Kali held out her left hand, holding it up. "On one hand you have a twelve-year-old, who has not bloomed, and does things on impulse. He's kind, gentle, curious, and often energetic."

She held up her right hand, and frowned a little bit. "On the other hand, you have the warrior. The one who has to think before acting. To sacrifice his kindness for duty, to harden his heart in the face of terrible choices, to know his place, and to obey. These are water and oil, never mixing well if at all, only doing so under extreme pressure and heat." Kali stated before making her hands come together. "To walk gently, as to disturb yet no bird, but to be coiled as the snake ready to strike upon predators that come seeking you."

Blake sat there, thinking of her mother's words. She took a deep breath. "Do you think that he's lonely, right now I mean?"

"More than likely, dear, more than likely."

{Eastern Wall Of Kuo Kuana.}
[12:00am]

Naruto sat at the edge of the wall, feeling the winds whip pass the mountain and onto him. It wafted his achkan, wafting in the wind. His azure eyes stared into the desert sands pass the mountain pass. Winds whipping fast, winds twirling and swirling around him. His nose filled with the arid air, smelling only the cold sands. His mind clouded with sleepiness, but having no ability to sleep as the moonlight above shined brightly.

Taking a moment, he stood up before falling forward, placing his feet in quick succession on the wall as he ran down it. Using chakra to keep himself righted. He slid down the last part, landing on the ground past the wall and running toward the pass's end. Coming out of it toward a grand barren wasteland.

He had a pack on his shoulder, a satchel. Something he picked up on during sleepless nights during his time in The Belladonna household. Taking out two books, the blonde took a pencil, and pulled out a journal. His hands moved daftly as he formed a couple of shadow clones next to him. They were already going toward their tasks preordained in his mind. Naruto, himself, was writing in his journal. Whilst drawing some images before, and when the winds came to blow pages, he had written on. A page fluttered in front of him, and it was when he had first started this journey.

'This is The Belladonna Estate. Owned by Ghira, and Kali Belladonna. They are friends, they are kind, and I must repay the debt I owe to them. My scar itches every so often, I wonder if Sasuke thinks of me, or if anyone does. Pervy Sage is probably at his wits end worried about me. I miss them, I do, but I have only three choices in front of me. They're all painful in their own ways. Even as I lay here, nursing my leg, which Nine Tails takes stupidly long to heal.

Rotten fleabag never was my choice to be stuck with him. I wasn't the one who chose to shove him inside of me. I was too busy crying, and experiencing my first feelings of whatever it was when I came out of my mother. Wish he could understand that hell, I wish everyone back home understood that. .Had.A. Choice.

However, now that I'm older, now I'm a Shinobi, I have every card on the table in front of me. I can choose, I can discard, I can fold, or play. I've chosen to play. I'm sorry if I can't complete my dream, Gramps. I miss you, miss the times I used to play tricks on you, I miss your grandson, Konohamaru. Still, I think you'd like Ghira, he's smart, he's funny sometimes, but he also has a serious side.

Kali is just a sweetheart, probably the greatest mom on this world.

There's their daughter, she is beautiful, but she hates my guts because she thinks I tried to kill her mother. Guess it's another case of wrong place wrong time. Just like when I was born. Still, if I have The Nine Tails, that means Minato Namikaze chose me to contain it. Such a jutsu, as awesome as it was, probably killed him. I owe him, he died a hero, and he's, my hero.

I want to be like Minato Namikaze. Crap, I'm probably bouncing all over the place in this entry. I just got a lot of stuff on my mind. I thought about just taking a kunai to the neck, but I worry that maybe it's lying to me about dying. What right would I have to make their lives miserable, just because mine is?

Fuck you, Sasuke, and I mean that with all the hate I can muster. You selfish bastard.'

Naruto looked at the ending line, frowning, this had been one of his earliest entries. So much had changed back then, and he flips the pages a few times forward. Past the crude drawings of Sasuke with X marks on his eyes. Till he came to the chapter with a crudely drawn shark, Matilda, and Tucker. His friends, the ones he had saved from the razor fin. He smiled a little bit, finding a dampening in his eyes as he began flipping the pages forward.

He came to one, where his drawing quality had improved, having worked on it by reading books. Unlike his world, these books were more vibrant, and drew in more of his attention. So many different subjects, so many different things, and stories. Tragedies, romances, comedy, and even things like adventure.

Nothing ever ended the same.

The page he looked at, however, was one he drew of himself and Blake. Both of them reading books, both books titled "The Rusted Knight & The Girl Who Fell Through The World." This was his favorite memory of her so far, Blake, the girl who had hated his guts until she started to calm down. Both quickly formed a small bond, but a bond, nonetheless. She gave him more stories than he knew what to do with back at the barracks. Still, he read them every night, like he was doing now.

It was cheating, a little bit, but so what. Technically every bit of knowledge would go directly to him, and thus he'd read the book.

Slowly, but surely, his hand moved. Etching the graphite tip of the pencil down onto the book's blank pages. He wrote about his experiences from today. The looks he got from a lot of the people in the barracks was all too familiar to him. He knew they knew, somewhat, or knew something was up. Those stares would've only been easier to hide, but lately, he had begun to change.

Naruto Uzumaki wasn't just noticing facial expressions, hand gestures, body movement. No, it was deeper than this. He was starting to feel them. Those negative emotions, thoughts, and outlooks. Intentions, pain, sadness. All the negativity they held in their own hearts. Yet, somehow, he was feeling them.

Aurum, Luna, and maybe Bjorn were seemingly the only ones he didn't feel that from. At the very least, it wasn't distrust. Aurum, he felt sadness, depression. Lune obviously didn't feel like she belonged, she was always the runt of their gathered litter it seemed. Feeling slightly jealous that he, a twelve-year-old, was excelling better. Bjorn was the only one, it seemed to him, that sat aside his negativity about the situation at hand.

Naruto had crossed his legs now, and continued writing as he thought. "Who am I supposed to be here in this world? I'm like this barren wasteland out in front of me. Empty of all things, save sand, and dust. Winds ever shaping it." The shinobi took a moment to bite his lip. "Who really was Naruto Uzumaki to begin with?"

He stopped writing, picking up a hand full of sand. Holding it high above his hand. "Am I still the same Naruto that went into that void…or when I fell…" He let his hand open, spilling the dusty sand to the winds, scattering to where only Gods could discern. "Did I become a new Naruto? Am I Naruto Uzumaki, Naruto Belladonna, or just Naruto?"

Chuckling to himself a little bit, he leaned back, looking at the moon. "Naruto…Belladonna, has a certain ring to it." The blonde shinobi blushes a little bit at his own thought. "Still, that would mean asking them to formally adopt me, and that's…something no one has ever done before, and I'm not sure I'd still want that when I got out of here…and the only other way was if…" He shook his head, giggling childishly.

"Not in a million years, ya know." He said out lout to himself. Looking back toward the sands, he felt tiredness slowly come to him. "Hey guys, can you all do me a favor, and keep watch over me? Wake me up here in a few hours, alright?"

"Yep!"
"You got it boss!"

"Nice," the blonde snickers before stretching and then closing the journal. He rolled out a small scroll from his satchel, placed the journal on the empty open space amongst the drawings on the scroll. "Okay, I'm so glad Kakashi sensei taught us this. Shinobi Art: Equipment Storage Technique!"

The journal popped into smoke, appearing as a black ink drawing on the scroll. Naruto smiled before placing the scroll back in his satchel. Laying slowly down with his hands behind his head. He saw shooting stars across the sky, and felt his eyes drifting to a close. Dreams would come to claim him, and soon, perhaps respite.

"Goodnight, everyone, I hope you're doing okay."

{?}
[?]

Naruto awoke upon the desert ground, only to discover that he was in white robes again! He felt his body go into autopilot. Not even in control. He walked slowly, a wooden staff in hand. He came upon a village in the desert. There, he saw the folk in the arid plains. They were struggling, basing their village upon the side of the mountain to block the mighty desert winds.

"Lord Ashura." There was that name again, Naruto felt his…Ashura's head, turn around to an older man. "These people have no source of fresh water, their spring was polluted by dastards in the mountaintops. The dark creatures of the black pools from- "

"I know, Sumayoshi, I know. First let us see if we can't find these good people a spring from under the mountain's crust." Ashura lowered himself down, and placed his finger to the ground. He sent a wave of chakra out, and it pulsed through the ground until it reflected something and came back up to him. "I believe there is a rather large underground spring just a little up from where we are."

"Amazing, Lord Ashura, you've always known to attune yourself with nature justly so." Sumayoshi praised his master before watching as Ashura folded his hands amongst the robes he wore. "What shall I do to assist you, my lord?"

"Nothing at all, Sumayoshi, please sojourn amongst the people. Explain to them why I am here. If they choose to come and help me, that is fine. However, I must begin digging immediately." Ashura told Sumayoshi, and slowly he walked over to the point he felt the spring.

"It won't matter for naught if I can give them water. Still, they have to be trained in defending themselves. I cannot always be here to save them." Ashura took his two forefingers on his left hand, drawing an X mark into the loose dirt on the mountainside. "Still, my father has always told me that kindness begets greater kindness. To do nothing is to do something, and doing nothing as a something condemns those you've could've helped."

"Wind Style: Gale Palm!" Ashura screamed as he slammed an open palm into the ground, tunneling the dirt onto him. Staining his white robes tannish, and brown. The man saw that he had only carved about two feet into the dirt, sighing to himself he stood in the hole. "So, it begins here, and now."

The man took a moment to wipe sweat from his brow, and Naruto for some reason in his consciousness felt him smile. "Okay, let's do this again, this time with heart! Wind Style: Gale Palm!" Ashura screamed out without even forming hand seals for the technique before slamming it downwards.

It felt days, of this repetitive motions. Still, Naruto felt this man, Ashura continue on. What had only been a two-foot-deep hole at the start had grown into a hole thirty feet deep, twenty feet in diameter. The man continued doing these actions, but in this fast forward through his eyes. The blonde shinobi, who dreamed for the second time of this man's life, watched as more people came to him.

Many questioned him, some calling him a fool, and others turning noses up to his efforts. However, two, a woman around this man's age, and an elderly who identified himself as the girl's father joined his efforts. She would nurse his hands at night, scarred, and burned from the chakra he used. In the day, she would carry the dirt from the hole with her father.

Soon enough, however, she too had learned how to do that jutsu the man was using. In the days that turned into weeks, more people came to help. More people trained under him, more people gathered, and soon they had created a rather large spring. Naruto felt the forwarding stop when he felt Ashura's hand become covered in mud, followed by- "

"Water! We've hit water! Fresh water, everyone! We've got fresh water at last!" A village cried from the top of the crater Ashura had created as it began to fill up. "We'll no longer have to pay the dastards upon the top for water anymore, yes! Ashura saved us, Ashura! Ashura! Ashura!"

Cheers, thunderous applause filled the area. With some even whooping, and all the while Ashura's bandaged hands felt the comfort of the girl. She had red hair like a higanbana flower, eyes green as emerald. Her demeanor changed to one of comfort as she felt Ashura squeeze her hand back.

This dream, this lifetime, felt surreal to Naruto as he watched himself in the body of Ashura walk up from the crater. He was greeted by the village, which made him let off the girl's hand rather quickly, heat on his face alighting warmth upon it quickly.

"You saved us, Lord Ashura." The village chief stated as he knelt down, prostrating himself to Ashura, who quickly lifted him back up. "My lord?"

"I didn't save you, I only showed what was possible. You've learned from me, and my time here will be at an end. Let me teach you all, let me show you what I do. Take these lessons to heed, and with it, let body and soul be one. I only gift you with one thing, and all the others you've worked for. The water, which will soon fill this large spring, is something you've worked toward, in unity, together." Ashura gently grabbed the chief's hands, and smiled at the rather imposing man. "I gift you, a gift of unity, of both soul and body. Connectivity."

Naruto felt it, chakra, chakra leaking from this…Ashura into the village elder. Instead of pain, like others with foreign chakra injected into their bodies should feel, Naruto saw through Ashura's mind that the man began to have weblike network form in his body. That wasn't all, he saw the chief's memories, the fears, and feeling he had for Ashura. All of these things, and all these things more to come.

Something he hadn't paid attention to at first, until now.

Naruto felt the warmth, the connectivity, and then it all went dark!

"Huh, what in the, hey!" Naruto yelled out as he felt himself floating through the void. "Where the heck did I go, hey, c'mon!"

"You think it's that simple? That this is a dream?"

"Huh?" Naruto flipped himself around to see a strange being, it was that of a rabbit, talking in a deep voice. "Who the heck are you?"

"One day, Uzumaki, you'll go down the rabbit hole…and who'll come back?"

"Who the hell are you, you're annoying, ya know!" Naruto yelled out before creating a clone next to him. "Not this, I'm not having a nightmare this time, so screw you!" A blue ball formed in his hands, the rasengan. "I'm not letting you take this dream away!"

"Oh, dear child, if you only knew…"

Naruto ran forward, or flew forward, he wasn't sure at this point. He felt the rasengan slam into the rabbit only for it to shatter to pieces. Instead, much to his horror, it was…Kali that he had hit!

"Wha-what," he asked himself bewildered only to see there was no longer a rasengan, but a clawed hand. "K-Kali?"

"Mo-Mon-Monster…." She shuddered with a dying breath, and then found his reflection in a broke piece of glass from Kuo Kuana's ruins. "I…should've…let you die…"

"You can't run away from what you are, boy."

His now red hair, bloodstained clothes, and shining red eyes delivered back an image of pure hatred.

"You'll never be human, never a normal one, no one can ever understand us."

The image walked out of the mirror, facing him, holding a sword in his hand. It looked like the katana used by Kihana. He smiled, cocking his head to the side. All at once, the voice in his head, and it spoke as well.

"We are, but kindred spirits…you and I. Sailors out of home, across an endless sea of stars, bereft of choice by foolish children…nothing more or less."

He screamed.

{Near The Barren Wastes.}
[4:00am]

"Gah!" Naruto screamed as he shot up, breathing hard. He looked around, seeing his clones still around him. Yet they were too focused on their separate books. He felt his heart throbbing as he lurched, and ran over toward the edge of the mountainside and threw up. "Oh man, what a dream…and nightmare."

"You alright there, boss?" One of his clones asked whilst it looked over to him. "Kind of was tossing and turning for a minute there."

"Yeah, I'm fine, thanks for asking Ghi-oh…" Naruto sat down, sighed, looking back toward the wasteland in front of him. "So-sorry, I'm just…"

"Lonely, upset, I mean we're literally you, ya know!" One of his clones laughed before coming over to sit by him. "We're gonna get through this, no matter what, and that's coming from yourself!"

"Yeah…you're right, ya know!" Naruto smiled as he saw the beginnings of the morning sun start to crest past the eastern wastes. "It's a new day, so, we better get going…wake up is at five."

"Yep!"
"Alright!"

Naruto dispelled the clones before packing everything his satchel, and then smiling as he turned back toward the sunrise. "If I let go of the sand in my hand, it's still sand, just in different places I guess."

"I'm still, and always will be, Naruto Uzumaki I suppose. Maybe different in the respect that I have newer goals, and a new lease on life, quite literally. Guys, if you're out there somewhere, I miss you all…but I'm fine." Naruto reached into his pocket, pulling a picture of Team Seven out. Watching it flutter in his hand as the winds came from east. "You're always going to be in my hearts, ya know."

"Thank you, maybe we can meet again someday."

End Of Chapter.

Trivia.
Fjall is Icelandic for mountain.
Kihana is supposed to be a representation of Shinobu from Demon Slayer.
Aurum's daughter is named Tangerine because she was born with orange eyes, Tangerine is another type of orange.
Naginatas were more widely used by female warriors from Japan, but monks there also used them.
Ashura's wife, who isn't named, is the future starter of both Senju and Uzumaki. Thus, given reason for their red hair.
Naruto's eighty mile an hour running speed in base is based on him running from the train in The Land Of Snow movie. Which could be going much faster, but perhaps not so much.
Naruto's entire thought speech was based on THAT scene in Vol 9.
Foxes, Cats, and Tanukis are traditionally enemies of each other in Japanese folklore.
Kihana's name means yellow flower.
Traditionally, swordplay often incorporated hand-to-hand techniques into it as a means throw off opponents.
Naruto's likening himself to the sand is a representative of his affinity for wind. If the wind blows around mountains, and over rivers, is it still the same wind that started it's journey?