A sense of dire warning and danger flashed through his mind, roughly shoving Kakashi into action. He swiftly stood, turning to look at the wide expanse of trees. He saw nothing, and turned back to look at Naruto. He sacrificed a single moment of preparation time to watch his chest rise and fall. Naruto slept silently, exhaustion showing on his face.
He needed this, the fact that Naruto, Minato's son, the last link he had to the boy he was, to the man he'd become.
A connection to the innocence, wonder, joy, and invincibility of youth. To the heartless killer he was now.
He broke his gaze, allowing himself to slip back into the mind of a relentless assassin. A trained ANBU captain, given an essential mission.
And for this one, failure was NOT an option.
The mission was simple. Deny the enemy access to the VIP known as "Uzumaki Naruto". No details were necessary. Only the goal.
Fight.
Analyze any avenues of approach, and delay the enemy for as long as he could. This was it. No reinforcements, no supporting elements or components, he was on his own.
He'd made the necessary preparations more than 30 minutes ago. The warning seals alerted him to someone entering the 500 meter radius he'd established. He turned to face the endless greenery of the land of fire.
He'd chosen this location for it's observation potential. There were others slightly more fortified, but his enemy was elusive, strong and determined. No amount of defenses erected would be enough.
His sharp senses detecting subtle, yet noticeable disturbances about 200 meters out. He held up a hand in the seal of confrontation, "Kai." He whispered.
Two massive explosions sounded in the direction of his enemy. Kicking up a fireball of dust, debris and explosive energy upwards. The explosive tags were expensive, but worht their weight in gold. He heard shouting, his name being called.
His emotionless mask slipped, the voices were familiar...
'NO!' He chanted, slapping himself. The mission...
Only the mission matters...
He held out his hands, crossing his fingers. Two clones appeared, nodding to him. They knew the mission, as did he. They would execute it to the letter, or die trying. Same as him.
They sprinted off, and half a second later he heard the sounds of battle. Lightning, dust and fire erupted as a short exchange of ninjutsu broke out. Seconds felt like hours as he watched from afar, his mind conjuring up thousands of strategies at once. He made a seal, conjuring up a regular clone to deliver a message, and further delay the enemy. The clone popped into existence, immideiately running off.
The message was delivered, and a large dragon made of lightning appeared, slamming into something unseen. His eyes widened minutely as one of his many clones were popped less than ten seconds later.
Memories from his clone immideately filled his mind. Along with images of his pursuers. An middle aged man with long white hair and red lines tracing down his face. He fought like a lion, all might and grace all at once. The other was even more intriguing. An old man wearing...
'STOP!' He ordered. 'Focus on the mission. Protect Naruto. Do NOT let them take him!'
He snapped out of it, bringing a hand to his face to rub his chin in thought. These must be powerful enemies indeed... He considered making another clone, but he was rapidly running out of chakra as it was. He lowered his hands, clenching his fists as his options narrowed.
Seemingly out of options, he reached up to pull his Hitai-ate free.
He heard a shuffle of leaves to his right. His eyes widened, and then he was on the floor with a crash. He struggled with all his might, but the man's arms were as unyeilding as iron bars. He grunted, using his head to shift the ANBU mask free, and using his teeth to pull his mask free from his face.
"Uff! Calm down Kak—. Uhm, Inu! We're not tryin' to hurt you!"
'Don't listen. Never give up. Never surrender.'
He pulled his mask free, turning his body just enough to get a clear view of his aggressor. He was just as he remembered, a name swimming to the surface of his mind. He fought it, summoning the chakra to use one of the few jutsu he could use without hand seals.
"Water Style: Raging Waves!" A consistent, viscious torrent of water slammed into his face, sending him flying backwards, crashing into the wall. He grunted in pain and exertion as he fought the waves.
Inch by inch the man walked forwards, a hand pushed outwards, protecting his eyes and face. Kakashi poured more chakra into the technique, his mind racing as he thought of ways to escape without endangering Naruto.
Then a man stood in front of him, his hand outstretched, stopping the water in it's tracks. It spread as if it was hitting a wall of solid stone. His hand not even shaking as he walked closer and closer. The man spoke, but he could barely hear him over the sound of rushing water.
Kakashi canceled the flow of chakra into the technique, drawing his ninjato, swinging for the man's head.
The man's face didn't change at all as he smoothly, almost impossibly fast, he clapped his hands together, stopping the blade cold.
He gasped, the man's face suddenly recognizable.
He wore his ever persistent frown, deep lines showing age and endless storms weathered. Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Sandaime Hokage. A man he'd sworn to protect.
'Oh Kami...'
He felt the sudden urge to drop the sword an kneel when a rush of emotions and memories swam to the surface. Everything he'd tried so, so hard to deny, to suppress bubbled to the surface.
Tenzo breaking the news to him, wisely letting him know when he was fresh off a mission. Likely to reduce the chances of him doing something rash. Not that it mattered in the end.
Images flew by, memories of him fighting his comrades, trying his best no to injure any of them.
Memories of Naruto in a cage, his rampant, overwhelming rage at the betrayal. The image of Naruto, lying injured and terrified.
Anger welled in his stomach, his eyes widening as he jerked his sword free, preparing another jutsu.
"Inu!"
All movement ceased as Naruto rose from his bed, fresh clothes from Kakashi's youth draped over his thin, malnourished form. He ran for him, arms outstretched, tears in his eyes.
Kakashi dropped the sword, kneeling down to hug the young boy. He held him tightly, shutting his eyes tightly, willing Sarutobi and Jiraiya to leave the both of them alone.
"Naruto..." He opened his eyes to see Hiruzen approach. His eyes were soft now, none of the previous hardness in them at all. He reached out a hand, and Naruto raised his head, his eyes widening in fear. He whimpered, the sound being enough to make Kakashi's already broken heart shatter forever.
Kakashi growled, grabbing his dropped sword, leveling it at Hiruzen.
The room froze again, and Kakashi suddenly felt something. His eyes softened, the rage leaving him at once. A wave of understanding hit him at once as he realized, he understood the man in front of him.
Kakashi was not a man of substance. He never had very many possessions that ever cared much to him besides some of the few things his father left behind. He never understood what it meant to protect something you loved until he met his team. And even then, the world saw fit to rob him of that too.
Now, Naruto was all that was left really. He had friends now sure, but they could take care of themselves, he'd seen to that years ago. To protect something, fragile. Something you love more than yourself. That must be what it's like to live a day in the life of Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Their eyes met, a level of empathy passing through the both of them, for only a moment. Then Naruto's cries of fear increased in volume as Hiruzen edged closer and closer. Kakashi growled, thrusting his sword out again.
The Hokage backed up, looking shocked. Then he calmed himself, reaching out his hand once more, this time in surrender, "Calm yourself Inu. You're among friends here."
Kakashi's grip on his sword strengthened, the old leather crackling loudly, "Friends..." He growled. "Anyone who treatshis legacy, his blood, like this, is no friend of mine."
Jiraiya stepped forwards his hands held out in a calming gesture, "Easy now..."
The ANBU captain's eyes turned to him, "Jiraiya, you have to stop him! He—"
The Sage nodded gravely, turning to the Hokage, and sneer of disgust on his face, "I know I... I heard what happened. I'm here to fix what I can." He said. He sighed, "And I agree. No one who treats Naruto like he did is any friend of mine either. But, you can't go on like this. NARUTO can't go on like this."
Despair set in, the sword in his hands wobbling, his grip loosening, "I'll take him."
The Sage sighed out of his nose, smiling, both genuine and terribly sad, "You'll take him. While your in ANBU? What if something happens to you? How will you protect him while your gone?"
Kakashi shook his head, the words making far too much sense for him to handle, "Then I'll quit Please, I'll do anything! Just don't take him!"
Jiraiya seemed to relax, a bit of the fight leaving him as he truly contemplated the idea. He looked over to Hiruzen, who shook his head slowly, his eyes still firmly on Kakashi.
The Hatake's grip on his sword strengthened, glancing down at Naruto's fearful and confused expression, his mind racing as he tried to figure out what to do. He could run, but they'd follow. He didn't have anything in his arsenal that could take on either of the two legends in front of him. Let alone both. Plus, fighting would endanger Naruto. Yet he couldn't let him go, He just couldn't.
The Sannin took a step forwards, waving his hands, "We can figure out all of that later! For now, just let me see him. His seal is fragile in it's current state. Your know what happened, you know that I have to do this. We'll figure out the details together. Just, let me see him..."
A whoosh of air swept through the treehouse, two figures standing in the middle of a swirl of green and yellow leaves.
Guy stood as proud as ever, his usual grin was gone however, his lips forming only a thin, straight line. His expression was the same as the other figure, Tenzo. Standing a little less proud, but far more cautions. He knelt on the ground, almost as if he expected a fight. The both of them walked forwards slowly, their hands visible in the air.
Guy chuckled quietly, a false grin of confidence on his face, "Hehehe, my mighty rival. When your quiet friend over there informed me of your predicament, I halfway expected it to be a convoluted plan to catch me unawares! Imagine my surprise when I sense you battling the Toad Sage and the Hokage himself..." He said, his usual joviality having an edge of wariness.
Tenzo stepped forwards, edging closer and closer to him, "Inu... This isn't you. Let Uzumaki go."
Kakashi scowled under his mask, the rage he'd tried so hard to suppress coming out in droves, "He was hurt when I found him..." He said, shocking all but one in the group.
His sword shook like a leaf, his anger building as spoke, "He locked him up Guy. Kami knows for how long. All with bruises, scrapes, and signs of serious contusions on his upper arm. Possible humerus fracture, healed over time."
No one said a word, Kakashi's heart beating drowning out the noises of the forest, "He treated Naruto like a traitor, when we owe him fuckingeverything." He looked up at the Sandaime, a cold, sad expression on his face. "When we owe The Yondaime, everything."
The look on Hiruzen's face turned thunderous, his eyes narrowing to thin slits. Jiraiya waves his hands, sweat breaking out on his forehead, "O-Kay! Let's calm it down a bit—"
The Sandaime's head turned to face Tenzo, "Tenzo, take him."
Jiraiya's face whipped to the young ANBU, flaring his chakra angrily, then to Hiruzen, "The hell you will!"
He turned fully to face his master, stomping over to him, "This mess is on your head. I thought you understood that, but I'll skip the subtleties for you. We work through this together, or not at all. If you continue to self-sabotage like this, I willleave you to sort this out for yourself." He snarled.
Then the Sannin leaned in close, "And maybe, it'll be me who comes for Naruto next..." He whispered.
The Sandaime met Jiriya's glare with equal fire, trying to force the younger man to back down. Jiraiya only crossed his arms, as if daring Hiruzen to call him on his 'bluff'. The Sandaime's face relaxed, looking suddenly far older than he was, "Disregard ANBU. Stand down."
Tenzo relaxed, looking extremely relieved.
"Who're you?" A high pitched voice asked.
Everyone looked down to Naruto, his eyes bright and curious as he looked at the Sannin. Jiraiya looked surprised to be addressed, and smiled as he knelt down to Naruto's level. "My name's Jiraiya kid, you might not remember me, but I fixed the seal on your belly a little while ago."
Naruto's face scrunched as he tried to remember, shaking his head, "No, you look really weird, I'd prolly remember you." Jiraiya huffed, pouting as he crossing his arms, "Well that's not nice. I think I look rather dignified."
Naruto shook his head, the shadow of a smile appearing on his face, "Nope. Definitely super weird. You're wearing makeup! That's only for girls!" The Sannin bellowed a laugh, "Well, you got me there." He said, edging a little closer, "So kid, any problems with the stuff I put on your belly?" Naruto pursed his lips, looking more his actual age than Kakashi had ever seen him.
Naruto rubbed at his eyes, "Yeah I guess..."
Kakashi's stomach flipped in his chest, and apparently he wasn't alone. Jiraiya masked it well, but Kakashi could tell that the man was uneasy, "You, guess... Well, what kind of problems do you have?"
Naruto tilted his head to the side, humming in thought, "Well, when I'm tryna sleep, it burns a little bit. It's not that bad though, normally I can sleep though it, but it used t' hurt pretty bad."
Jiraiya nodded politely, "Well, I may be able to help with that... Mind if I take a look?" Naruto frowned, clutching onto Kakashi just a little bit tighter. Jiraiya gave Kakashi a pleading look, and the ANBU dropped his sword, holding Naruto's hand as he stood. They walked over to Jiraiya slowly, Naruto holding Kakashi's hand, his other hand holding his pantleg.
Jiriya knelt down, "Pull up your shirt for me Naruto." He said calmly. Naruto shied away from the Sannin, but Kakashi gave his hand a firm squeeze. The young Uzumaki looked up at him, and Kakashi smiled, his heart feeling like it was being squeezed out of his chest at the suspicion in his eyes. "Go on Naruto. I'll here." He said.
Naruto looked back at the sannin, watching him carefully as he pulled up his shirt. The seal was still visible, flashing along the beat of Naruto's heart. The added jagged lines and complex, strange letters tracing around the original seal. The first seal looked cracked, the skin raised, red and aggravated. Jiraiya's fingers traced the black seal, startling a giggle out of Naruto.
"Hehe, that tickles."
Jiraiya looked to be concentrating, everyone else watching the sannin work, holding their breath, waiting for the sannin to speak.
After several, agonizingly long minutes, the Toad Sage sighed, leaning back on his haunches, standing straight up. "The seal's fine, it's just latching on to new chakra pathways. He was too young for those pathways to be used, hence the injuries he sustained when he was kidnapped. The seal is more or less healing itself, unfortunately causing him some discomfort."
He flashed a look to the Hokage, "Certain, incidents caused Naruto to draw on the power of the seal too early. Aggravating the seal, possibly damaging it further. As long as Naruto avoids strenuous exercise, and anything too emotionally taxing, the symptoms will disappear. I give it a month tops."
Guy appeared next to Kakashi, laying a hand on his shoulder. Kakashi looked to his friend, Guy flashing a reassuring smile at him. Kakashi couldn't quite manage to return it, but appreciated the gesture.
Jiraiya walked up to him and Naruto, gesturing to the boy, "Time to let him go Inu."
Kakashi ground his teeth, looking down at his sensei's son.
Naruto's eyes flew wide, and he turned back to bury his face in Kakashi's chest, "Noooo!" He wined, "Don't send me back please, I—I didn't mean to do it!"
Jiraiya shook his head, "The only place Naruto is going is to his apartment. That, I promise you." He said, his tone final.
The Sandaime agreed quicker than he thought he would, nodding to Kakashi. He knew what to do, as much as it hurt, as much as he didn't trust the Hokage after all this, he did trust the Sannin.
During the rescue attempt he'd been nothing but critical of the Hokage, and protective of Naruto. He would make it right, they both would.
So he knelt down, pushing Naruto away so he could look him in the eyes, "Naruto, you have to go."
He shook his head, tears forming in his eyes, "They're lying! Don't—"
"You still want to be a ninja, right?" He said.
Naruto went still, a single tear falling from his left eyes as he looked down, nodding sadly. Kakashi lifted his head up, "Hey, it's ok Naruto. I promise. You'll be a great ninja someday. I'm sure of it."
Naruto sniffled, wiping his eyes as he nodded slowly. Kakashi looked past Naruto, specifically at the Hokage and glared behind his mask.
He held him by the shoulders, "Do you know what makes a great ninja Naruto?" He said quietly. Naruto thought for a moment, then shook his head.
"Someone who knows themselves. Who they are, what they're capable of. When to rest, and when to press on. When to change, and when to stand firm." He said.
He turned Naruto around, pointing to the trees outside the window, "You see the trees Naruto? The leaves and carried by the wind. They go where the wind tells them, and rest only when the wind lets up. The trees, they shift and change according to the wind, but when the wind relents, they return to their natural shape. They change when they need to, but after the storm, the return to their proper shape."
He turned Naruto back around, shaking his shoulders, "Don't be the leaves Naruto. Be the tree in a typhoon. Know who you are, and you'll surpass us all."
"Be the tree in a typhoon. Know who you are, and you'll surpass us all."
Old echoes of a memory stirred in his mind as his thoughts wandered. His thoughts bounced from place to place, every topic as slippery as oil. Never sticking for longer than a fleeting moment. The funk hung over him like an bitter thundercloud. Always hovering over his head, keeping him from moving on.
Goosebumps spread over Naruto's skin, flashes of bodies, lifeless anonymous faces appearing in front of him whenever he closed his eyes. He shivered, the warm gentle breeze doing nothing to coax him from the terror of his own mind.
He looked down at his hands, long, terrible claws extending from his fingertips. Bright red blood dripping from his knuckles. Naruto tried to breath, but his lungs quivered and shook. Almost as if rejected the air he tried to breathe.
His eyes narrwowed sorrowfully, 'Is that what being a ninja means? Killing people like they're nothing? Gato would've sacrificed everything, everyone who ever followed him just to kill us. Zabuza nearly sacrificed Haku... All those people...'
He closed his hand. The sharp claws piercing the palm of his hand. His own blood mixing with the blood already dripping from his hand.
"So why are we out here Naruto-nii?"
His eyes opened, and he looked to his left, and a little down. Inari stood there, eyes wide open, confused but eager.
He looked at his hand, and saw nothing there. The blood was gone, long scrubbed away after an hour in the bathroom with a few disposable toothbrushes.
'Oh, right...' He shook his head vigorously, clapping hands together, "Right, I wanted to show you the cool shinobi stuff I learned."
Inari crossed his arms, rolling his eyes, "Naruto-nii..." He whined, "I already saw all of that stuff... I watched you and Sasuke-san do that already."
Inari gave Naruto a look, a mischievous glint catching his eye as he kicked at the dirt, "S' probably super easy anyway. I bet if I tried it I'd figure it out in no-time."
Naruto scrunched up his face, looking at Inari, "You? How would you know?"
Inari 'Hmmed' dramatically, holding his chin, "Well... I guess I woundn't. Unless... Someone taught me..."
Naruto choked on air, "Y-You?"
Inari pouted again, eyeing Naruto intensely, "Well yeah! What, think your ninja "chakra" is too fancy for us dumb villagers?"
Naruto stuttered, then calmed down as he thought about it. "It would be pretty cool to teach somebody something for once..." His head turned from side to side, keeping his eye out for any witnesses, "I dunno Inari, Kakashi would probably kill me if I got caught..."
Inari nodded along, his eyes downcast, "Well, I don't want you to get in trouble... It's just, Kaa-san said you're all gonna leave pretty soon. Ever since, Gato... We've been just trying to survive. Now that he's gone, I don't want us to ever have to suffer like that again."
The blonde watched as Inari balled his fists, the look in his eye reminding him of when he tried to fight the thug in his kitchen, "When I grow up I wanna protect my village from anybody who wants to hurt us! Just like you and my Dad!"
He interlaced his fingers, bowing down to him, "I wanna be a guy like you Naruto! Please..." He begged. Naruto felt a strange connection between them, his pleas reminding him of how he felt after waking up after the battle.
'Ah screw it.'
Naruto thrust a fist up in the air, "Alright, let's get to training!"
Inari sprang up to joining, also raising his fist into the air, "Yeah, I promise to do my best Naruto-sensei!"
Then he froze, a crestfallen look on his face, "Uhh, I don't actually know how!" Inari face-faulted on the ground, rising to yell at his supposed 'sensei', "What do you mean you don't know how? Just teach me what your sensei taught you!"
Naruto raised a finger, "Ohh! Ok cool, I'll do that." Inari covered his face with his hand, "Don't make me change your name from Naruto-sensei to Naruto-baka!"
Naruto fake gasped, "You little squirt, I'll show you 'gaki'." He said, ruffling his hair. Inari giggled batting his hands away. Naruto laughed alongside Inari, backing off after a few seconds. "Anyway. Let me see." He sorted through his memories, thinking of what Tori always said about...
Then he froze, remembering that it wasn't Tori who showed him how to activate his chakra... It was Iruka-sensei.
Images of his old sensei lying in his apartment, his throat clawed out came to mind. Bubbles seeped past the deep gouges in his neck when he tried to speak. His words mangled, only quiet, barely audible croaks coming out.
He shook his head, his hands shaking as he tried to sort through his memories, preferably the ones without blood, death and misery.
After a few seconds of searching, he finally remembered, slamming his fist into his hand, "I got it!"
Naruto raised a finger, "First, you gotta make your hands look like this..." Inari complied, after a few seconds of explaining what the seal of confrontation was, he told the younger boy to concentrate. Inari complied, closing his eyes.
"Now, do ya feel anything?" He asked quietly. Inari hummed, squeezing his eyes a little tighter, "Um, not really. Am I supposed to?"
Naruto scratched his head, trying to come up with the words for what chakra felt like. "Well, it's kinda hard to explain. It's like digging in to a steaming pot of ramen for the first time. At first your hungry, and then you aren't!" He said, feeling proud of himself for coming up with a good analogy.
'And Sakura always said I was dumb. Take that!'
Inari's eyebrow twitched, "That, made no sense at all."
Naruto groaned, "But that was a good one. Fine, well, uhhh... You know when you're wearing an old shirt, and a thread is poking out." Inari kept up his concentration, fingers interlaced, "Yeah..."
Naruto shrugged his shoulders, "It's like pulling on that thread, pulling a longer bit of string out. After you pulled on the string, you don't have to grip it on the edge anymore, it gets easier to grab."
The blonde got closer, mimicking his student, "It's tricky at first, but you should be able to grab it. Concentrate, and find something new, something you've never felt before."
Inari shut his eyes even tighter, "I think, yes! I feel something!" He exclaimed, a grin forming on his face
Naruto's excitement grew, his heart beating fast, "Don't lose your concentration, feel it, and pull on the thread!" He said, pumping his fist in the air.
Inari bowed his head low, his brow furrowing. His hat slipped off his head, his deep brown hair suddenly shaking, as if being moved by a soft breeze. Naruto's face burst into a grin that stretched from ear to ear as he felt a soft presencepeeking through the veil of his senses. Like a new detail in a painting springing forth, now impossible to ignore.
His eyes glistened as he felt the chakra grow and grow. Topping off suddenly, plateauing.
Naruto jumped in the air, "Yes! You did it Inari!" The younger boy smiled, the chakra signature dying the moment he opened his eyes, "That was awesome! I've never felt anything like that bef—"
Inari's words cut off, his eyes appearing unfocused as he swayed on his feet. Naruto reached out for him, holding him by the shoulder, "Woah woah woah! You okay Inari?" Inari shook his head, holding a hand against his forehead, groaning to himself, "Wow, ok. That, felt weird. I'm really... Tired all of a sudden."
Naruto quirked his head to the side, "Tired? Tired how?" He said. He gently coaxed Inari to a nearby tree, setting him down gently on it's roots protruding from the ground. Inari nodded, "Yeah, but not like, sleepy tired, more like... I dunno. It feels weird."
Naruto's eyes widened, slapping himself on his forehead, "Oh yeah, that happens when you use more chakra than you're supposed to." He knelt down, Inspecting Inari, humming softly. "Hmm, well when Kakashi had it, he was out of action for a week. How do you feel?"
Inari shook his head again, his eyes snapping back to focus as he looked up at Naruto, "I think it's going away, I'm feeling a little better now."
He stood up on his own without issue, walking over to grab his hat. He plopped the hat back on his head sighing, "Well, that was cool. But it also kinda sucked."
Naruto laughed, "Yeah I bet. Take it easy for now. You did pretty good though! Just you wait! Pretty soon, you'll be as cool as me!" He said, jabbing a thumb into his chest.
Inari looked unimpressed, "Pfft, yeah right. But maybe I can do other stuff. I wanna protect my village just in case more bad ninja show up." Naruto smirked, "Then let me show some thing really cool."
Naruto turned towards his tree, breaking into a run. He made the small jump, channeling the proper amount of chakra as he headed for the the first branch he could see.
He made sure to keep in contact with the trunk, and the branch at the same time, until he was 'standing' on the underside of the branch. He chuckled, smiling at Inari, his chaotic yellow hair drifting down in front of his eyes. "Hehe, what about this Inari?"
The younger boy's eyes went alight, wonder and surprise glinting in them. His mouth hung open, "Whoah..." He said, smiling in excitement, "Someday I'll be able to do that!?" Naruto chuckled, "Sure! Just train every day, and work hard and—"
A loud cracking sound rang in his ears, the branch that held him dipping down suddenly, nearly making him lose his grip. He turned and watched as the base of the branch cracked nad splintered. The only remaining fibers hanging to the trunk by a thread.
"Oh shi-"
The branch finally snapped, sending him headlong for the harsh earth below him.
"Naruto!"
Then something hit him from behind, the familiar texture of rough, scratchy, fingerless gloves holding by the ankle. The other bracing his back. He was falling, then dangling by his ankle, held by a very annoyed Jounin.
"Having fun training Naruto?"
He turned around the best he could. Kakashi stood with his other hand on his hips, his eye narrowed as he glared at him. Naruto gave a shaky smile, "Hehehe, you know me Kakashi-sensei, always working hard. Hehe... he..."
Kakashi sighed, releasing his grip on his ankle. He yelped as he fell, dropping to the unforgiving ground.
"Ow..."
"Naruto!" Inari came running over, bending over to check on him. "Are you ok?" He groaned as he came to his feet, dusting himself off. "Yeah, I'm alright..."
Kakashi walked over, hands firmly in his pockets, "How about you Inari? Feeling alright?" Naruto swallowed hard as he watched the interaction. Inari nodded quickly, smiling up at Kakashi. "Yup, I'm ok. Why?"
Naruto's eyes widened to saucers, 'Shit shit shit! No Inari, please!" He made sure he was out of his sensei's line of sight, shaking his head and making an 'X' with his arms.
Inari looked over to Naruto, eyebrows furrowing in confusement. Kakashi tracked his gaze, turning his head. Naruto stopped immediately, holding his hands behind his back, looking off at nothing.
Kakashi watched him for what felt like an eternity, eventually just raising a single eyebrow, and turning back to Inari. "Well, I sensed a chakra signature I'd never felt before. Just wanted to check to make sure Gato didn't hire anybody else."
Inari's face darkened at the mention of Gato, but relaxed after a second. His eyes glanced over to Naruto, then back to Kakashi, "No. Naruto just wanted to show off a little." Kakashi looked at Inari for a second long than usual, then just turned to Naruto. "Hey Naruto, come with me for a second." He said seriously.
The blonde perked up, noting the change in his voice. He was serious, but not grave or angry, like he would've been if he was pissed off. He didn't go counting his blessings yet, but better to come quickly just in case.
He ran after his sensei, until he suddenly stopped when Kakashi did at the top of the hill. The Jounin turned over his shoulder, "Hey Inari?"
The boy in question turned to face Kakashi, "Yeah?"
"Question. What moves the tides?" He asked. Inari scrunched up his face, scoffing lightly to himself, "Easy. The moon. When the moon moves, the ocean moves with it." Kakashi nodded along, turning to face him fully. His hands still in his pockets. "Do the tides move quickly or slowly."
"Slowly." He said simply, turning to face the coast. The shimmering waters shining off the early morning rays, "That's what I like so much about it. It's gradual, usually it takes hours for the level of the water to rise that much."
"Exactly." Kakashi said sharply, nodding to Inari. "The water doesn't go easily. It takes time. No one, and nothing can change it's course or it's pattern. Divert it, avoid it, or embrace it. It comes and goes, gradually. Slowly. Consistently."
Kakashi winked at the boy, turning to go on his way. "Remember that for next time."
Naruto's stomach dropped, but Inari just smiled and nodded quickly, his eyes twinkling with joy, recognizing the advice for what it was.
Kakashi walked onwards, humming to himself as Naruto trudge on along behind him. "He's perceptive for a kid his age. Unlike some kids I know..."
About an hour of lecturing and a stern whack on his head later, and Kakashi finally let up, sighing to himself as Naruto gingerly rubbed at the knot on the top of his head. "I still don't know what you were thinking teaching Inari about chakra. Of all the foolish things to do..."
Naruto pouted, his knot slowly going away, although way too slow for his liking. "He asked!"
Kakashi groaned, rubbing his face, "That's not an excuse Naruto. You're damn lucky he had enough chakra to support what you taught him. If he were any other civillian, they'd probably pass out from exhaustion right there. Or maybe even just drop dead."
The Jounin-sensei sighed again, looking off into the distance, a hand scratching his mask, "Well, it looks like he may have an ancestor who used to be a shinobi. Chakra concentrations like that are pretty rare outside clans, or legacy shinobi."
Naruto felt a surge of guilt, burdened with the knowledge that he may have hurt Inari. Kakashi looked up, looking at Naruto. The look in his eye seemed puzzled, as if trying to find something to say.
The Jounin smiled, reaching down to roughly ruffle Naruto's head. The blonde cried out, "H-Hey!" He squeaked, a stray giggle betraying his true feelings past the false outrage. Kakashi chuckled, "Don't worry about it Naruto. No harm done at the end of the day. Just try to leave the teaching to me."
Naruto nodded, smiling at his sensei.
'Sensei...' He remarked to himself, a stunning sense of realization suddenly hitting him right where it hurt.
He'd promised so, so long ago never to grow close to humans ever again. Both for their safety, and his own. He bought the Fox's teachings wholesale. Rejecting everyone in his life that tried to reach out. All the times Tori tried to offer her help, all the ANBU and letters the old man sent. All ignored.
It'd served him well, he was safe. Safe and alone.
Now, there was light where there wasn't before. He could feel it inside him now. A longing for connection, for friends, for his team. Subtlely, the fear crept in once more. The same fear that plagued his dreams, the same fear that crippled him when he killed Iruka.
He felt a sudden urge to run, his hands felt sweaty and cold. His feet squared, as if he was about to leap into a sprint that would take him away from here. Far away.
Away from loss, away from fear and torment.
'No!'
He shouted in his head, forcing himself to relax, for the raging whirlpool of grief and terror in his gut to go away.
Kakashi's warm smile disappeared, as if it was never there. Replaced with a questioning eyebrow raise, and a stare of grim alertness as hard as obsidian. "What's wrong?"
Naruto forced himself to smile, waving frantically, "N-Nothing Kakashi-sensei, I-t's fine! I'm fine I promise." He said in a rushed, and self-conscious manner.
Kakashi was still for a moment, eye slowly glancing from left to right. Then he relaxed, his eye fixing on Naruto as he knelt to his level. "Naruto, of all the people in this village, you should know that of all people, I'm the least likely to judge you or fault you. You can tell me anything ya know." He held up his hands, backing off, "If you don't want to talk, that's fine too. Kami knows I don't always like to talk about feelings. But I have people in my life I can always talk to. If you'd let me, I'd like to do the same thing for you."
The wind picked up, the ocean breeze sweeping through Naruto's hair. He went stiff, his eyes grazing over every inch of Kakashi's body language, looking desperately for anything that might tell Naruto that he was lying.
Nothing. Nothing at all.
The desire to rest, to lean on someone for help felt nearly overwhelming now. He suddenly hated his own feelings, hated how one half of his brain seemed determined to keep him isolated, keep him alone. And the other half longed for someone to depend on, someone to trust other than the Kyuubi.
"Did you know Iruka?" He mumbled, the words pouring from him like a pot finally boiling over.
He expected a gasp, or a glare, or something. But Kakashi remained still, unblinking, "Yes."
Naruto felt tears in his eyes as he recalled his sensei, an echo of the easy laughs and stern, but kind smile he remembered. He wiped his eyes briefly, cutting a glance or two at his sensei, "Did you uh... Hear about what... happened?"
"...Yes Naruto. I heard." He said quietly. Kakashi settled himself, visibly uncomfortable. Almost like he was holding something back.
He swallowed thickly, "It's just, ever since... I've been scared. I don't want anything to happen to you guys." He looked down at his hands, "I didn't listen. You told us to train, to prepare, but I just thought you were trying to control me. Like all the other villagers. All this time I thought I was strong for what I went through. But I'm just as weak as ever. I couldn't protect any of you..."
He felt a sudden weight settle on his shoulder, and looked up to meet Kakashi's lone black eye, "Well, I've got good news and bad news Naruto. The good news, is that's normal. Everyone on your team probably feels the same way. Even me. If you had listened to everything I said, we'd both be dead right now." He patted him on the shoulder, smiling reassuringly under his mask, "Don't sell yourself short Naruto. You three performed excellently on this mission. Any failure on the part of this team lies on me alone. It was my role to prepare you, and I failed."
He stood with a soft groan, "The bad news is that for better or worse, you're stuck with us. So, sorry about that."
Naruto scoffed, standing up straight. Kakashi nodded towards the house, "Now hurry up and pack. I'm gonna go and scout out a wider perimeter. Make sure that Zabuza and Haku are truly gone. Then, tomorrow, we head home."
Naruto nodded jogging over to the door. He slowed, turning to his sensei once more. "Hey, Kakashi-sensei!" He called out. Said sensei turned, to him quizzically. Naruto smiled broadly, and bowed low, lower than he'd ever bowed to anyone in his life. "Thank's sensei!" He said, running into the house.
Kakashi smiled, waving a lazy hand in the air, "You're welcome Naruto." He said quietly.
A faint hum flashed in the air as the suitcase vanished before her eyes. Deep, intricate black lines suddenly emboldened, the ink suddenly burnt into the paper. She sighed, waving a hand in front of her face, 'Looks like Kakashi-sensei was right... I'm gonna have to find a place that sells some seals that are drawn on better sealing paper.'
She asked her sensei shortly after he woke up why her seals seemd to smoke.
'Ah, cheap sealing paper. I ran into this all the time when training new recruits. Real sealing paper is cut from trees built with, or influenced by chakra. The paper as mini-pathways that allow for sealing jutsu to be used. Cheap, shoddy sealing paper is normally too old, or too weak to last longer than a couple of uses. Talk to me when we get home. I'll show you a place that has some real good stuff.'
She shook her head, kneeling down to roll up the sealing paper and pack it in her backpack.
'Guess the former Hyuuga heiress isn't worth more than some spare change for some quality sealing paper.'
That wasn't a surprise in and of itself, what surprised her was when Neji turned up with a bag of neatly packed supplies. She was in the middle of packing when she opened the door. Neji told her that her father had packed it himself, carefully selecting the best gear for her mission. His words stunned her, a foul brew of emotions swirling in her chest.
She was about to bow and thank him, but her cousin simply dropped to basket on the ground, walking away without another word. She rose from the bow, confused and sad as she picked it up and closed the door.
The rest was rather superficial. Weapons that she had no use for, things she already had, or things that just weren't needed for a mission like this. In the end all she needed were the seals.
The fragile dull brown paper crinkled and creased in her hands as she fought to keep her emotions under control. After all, she'd proved her father right in the end. All that training, all those painful, bloody nights. Only to end up where she was, useles. Like always.
She shook her head, resuming her work. She hauled to backpack off the floor, pulling the strap tightly on her shoulder.
Tsunami met her downstairs, a heap of laundry in her arms. "Hello Hinata-san. All packed up?"
Hinata nodded, smiling back at her. A new shade of healthy red reflected off Tsunami. As if, since Gato's death, new life had been poured into her.
A soft thump drew her attention, and she saw Naruto sat at the stairs, staring off at something she couldn't see. Hinata walked towards him, slowing down as she grew closer. Naruto turned smiling brightly at her, "Hey Hinata, enjoy breakfast?" She smiled at him, sitting down, "Definitely. Tazuna's bridge is already helping the village. I can see the new carts of merchants brining fresh fruits and veggies already."
Naruto nodded, "I know right!? It's not even close to Ichiraku's, but it definitely hit the spot." He said, patting his belly. The Hyuuga heiress smiled genuinely, her heart beating hard as she scooted closer to the Uzumaki. "I'm glad you're feeling better Naruto-kun."
Naruto nodded, his bright blonde hair bobbing up and down, "I am feeling better." He said, more to himself than to her. His smile slowly disappeared, the happy glint in his eyes vanishing. His shoulders hunched, looking a shadow of his usual self. The confidence sapped from him.
"When I thought Sasuke was dead, I, I lost it. Completely. I didn't even know how much he meant to me, then he was gone." He turned to look her in the eyes, "That night, when you wanted me to tell you about the Fox, I was so scared you'd judge me, hate me." He smiled again, "You didn't do that. So thanks Hinata-Chan."
She smiled, "You're welcome Naruto."
Hinata's sharp eyes caught movement, catching the moment when a cricket suddenly leapt on top of Naruto's head. The blonde genin didn't seem to notice. She quickly, and gently flicked the top of his head. The tips of her fingers grazing the top of his head.
As the cricket leapt from Naruto's head, the blonde seeemed to jolt to life. He sat up right, a sudden shiver passing through him, his head leaning towards Hinata, almost unconsciously.
Hinata withdrew her hand, "What?" She asked.
Naruto's head snapped to face Hinata, his eyes wide, and pleading?
The Hyuuga heiress's face slowly grew more and more red as the seconds ticked by, neither of them saying a word. Until Naruto finally spoke, "Do that again."
Sasuke neatly wrapped the sealing paper and stuffed it in his pocket, briefly glancing around the room for anything he might've left behind.
The room was now as barren as they'd found it. All of his teammate's things probably packed away in their own sealing scrolls. Brief, high pitched chirps from nearby birds come from the open window. He walked up to it, the bright morning light illuminating the room. He shut it gently, the ambient sounds coming to a sudden halt.
He took a deep breath, so much had happened in so little time.
Zabuza, training with his team, that day on the bridge, Naruto...
An image sprung to mind. A picture from a book in the old Uchiha library. It went on and on about the exploits of the Uchiha's most famous member. Uchiha Madara.
Including a section copied from the man's own notes about the Bijuu. Legendary creatures of enormous size and power. He remembered a detailed sketch of the monster. Huge, flaming red tails shooting in every direction. Larger, malevolent eyes staring at the reader.
It was a lot to take in, even for him. The world of Sasuke Uchiha continued to grow stranger and darker by the day.
Naruto. A boy who grew up as the laughing stock of their class, held the most powerful force in the world inside him.
He raised a hand, clenching it tightly. He channeled his chakra, his faint reflection revealing a swirling tomoe pattern in his eyes. Two tomoe in his right eye, one in his left. The crimson stood out agaisnt the bright green and yellow that shone through the window.
He relaxed, the sharingan fading. He was stronger than ever, but it was still slow going. How much longer would it be. When would the time to avenge his clan finally come?
The Uchiha stood there for a moment, letting the words that always echoed through him bubble up to the surface of his mind.
"Foolish little brother... You're not even worth killing.
He grunted, clenching his teeth as the words rose in volume, "Only when you have eyes like mine... Only when you've killed the one you love most... Then, come and face me.
Sasuke scowled out the closed window, his eyes staring at nothing.
Frustration built up inside him at Itachi's words, he had no such person. Itachi had taken everyone, everything from him. And yet...
Faces popped up in his mind, new, almost forgotten emotions bursting to life. His team. Naruto, Hinata, Kakashi... He had a team now. Is that what it would take? Would killing them really make him strong enough to kill his brother?
Hate fueled him for so long. Ever since that day it's been all he's thought about. And in those long years, all that training, all the blood, the tears, the mornings when he was too sore to move. All trounced by a single week of training with his team.
In that short time, he'd grown stronger than he had in four years of training alone. And even then, he'd stagnated. He'd exhausted all his knowledge, all his training he could do on his own. Now, it was time to try something else.
A team.
Hope blossomed in his chest, recalling just how easily Naruto agreed to help him kill his brother. Just like that.
'Making a promise that easily...' he shook his head, fighting the smile that threatened to break out. 'What an idiot.' Still, a promise was a promise. Time to hold him to it.
He nodded sharply, turning away from the window. He marched downstairs, looking for his team, suddenly freezing in place when he reached the front door.
He frowned in deep shock and confusion, watching as Hinata and Naruto both sat at the steps, the Hyuuga heiress petting Naruto's head like a puppy.
Hinata hummed in contentment, staring off at the rising sun, Naruto leaning his head into her hand. His hands in his lap, seemingly without a care in the world. Smiling away as Hinata scratched and pet him, idly playing with his hair with her other hand.
Objectively, he was aware that the scene before him was hilarious.
But the shock of it kept him from laughing. The oddness of it made him distantly grateful that he didn't have his sharingan active. He had enough disturbing memories branded into his brain, any more and he'd probably go insane.
He heard familiar footsteps approaching, and turned to see Kakashi walk by him heading for the kitchen. Sasuke made a face, gesturing to the display. His sensei glanced at Naruto and Hinata, his eyes widening by a fraction, then turning back to look at him. He only shrugged his shoulders, not saying a word before walking away as if nothing at all had happened.
Sasuke rolled his eyes, and decided that he had enough. "I wasn't aware that the Hyuuga clan had ninja dogs."
Hinata and Naruto both jumped out of their skin, turning simultaneously to face him, faces as bright red as fresh roses.
He smiled viciously, while Naruto's shock and embarrassment, morphed into anger, "Shut up bastard! Didn't your mommy tell you it's rude to spy on people?"
"You're literally sitting in the middle of the doorway."
"You could've said something earlier! And don't call me a dog teme!"
"No problem Uzumaru."
Naruto's eyes widened, and Sasuke prepared himself for an attack, but his angry frown disappeared. A look of genuine shock blossoming across his features, "D-Did... Did you just make a joke?"
Hinata shared in his shock, a hand covering her mouth. Sasuke jerked his head back, slightly offended. Heat rising to his cheeks, "It's not like you make it difficult dobe." He said, crossing his arms.
There was a long moment of silence, before Hinata broke out into laughter. Naruto followed, bellowing out a laugh. Sasuke fought the temptation, but eventually smiled. Walking over to join his team.
Naruto sat back down, Hinata and himself sitting next to him. The Uzumaki stretched, "Well, not bad for our first mission eh?"
Sasuke frowned, staring out across the meager village, the newly built bridge standing out. "Not great either."
Naruto's mood darkened, settling back into his seat. No one spoke for a long time, the three of them staring out at the bright green of the surrounding forest.
"We lived though. That's something."
Sasuke and Naruto looked over at Hinata, she smiled, a hard look in her eyes, "We'll get stronger. It won't be so easy to beat us on our next mission." Naruto nodded along, looking down at his hands, clenching them tightly. He looked up, a vicious smile breaking out as he looked at them both, "Hinata's right. I swear. No matter what, we'll train hard when we get back home. We'll never be weak like that again." Sasuke nodded back, just as serious. "Hn."
"That's the spirit..."
Naruto's head jerked up, 'That voice...'
The bright yellow sunlight faded as a heavy mist rolled in from the treeline, the sounds of crunching branches and heavy footsteps coming from the mist.
Sasuke beat him to the punch. Moving quickly, throwing a brace of kunai and shuriken at the origin of the voice. He heard a series of loud clangs of hardened metal, a long, thick blade protruding from the mist. Naruto and Hinata appeared at his side, each readying themselves.
Kakashi ran out of the house, stopping next to them, "Ready?"
As one, they responded, "Hai!"
Tsunami and Tazuna stomped in behind them, both of them hiding behind the door as Zabuza approached. He burst from the mist, dragging Kubikiribōchō behind him. Haku approached from behind him, her left arm in a sling, a multitude of bandages covering her. Zabuza wasn't unharmed either, his arms and torso were completely covered in white wrapping, both areas stained with patches of blood seeping from wounds received the day prior.
The ambient noise of the forest quieted as the pair approached, the both of them stopping about a dozen feet away.
Zabuza crossed his arms, chuckling deeply, "Well well well, look what we have here."
Naruto growled, balling his fists. Zabuza's attention turned to him, "Ah, the special one. I don't know how the hell you brats managed to beat Haku so badly, but I gotta hand it to ya. Helluva fight you two put up. Shame girly here couldn't take part."
Hinata grunted, taking a step forwards, settling deeper into her taijutsu stance, "Don't speak to soon Zabuza. Anytime you want a closer look, just ask."
Kakashi raised a hand, "Steady Hinata. They're not here to fight. They know better... Which begs the question..." He said, walking closer to them both. "Why are you here."
Zabuza said nothing for a few seconds. Haku standing beside him, as quiet as a statue. Then the Demon of the Bloody Mist raised his sword slowly... sheathing it behind his back.
Naruto sighed in relief, watching as Zabuza bowed slightly. So slight, it was barely even a bow, "To extend a professional's courtesy."
"Inari, no!"
Naruto turned and watched as Inari sprinted full speed past his mother, crossbow in hand. Tazuna held Tsunami back as she reached for her child, too slow to stop him. Inari stopped next to Kakashi, raising his bow, pointing it at his head.
Zabuza was still for only a moment, chuckling darkly, "Hmm. So this is the brat that offed that bastard Gato. Nice shot kid."
Naruto's heart beat out his chest, afraid for the younger boy's safety.
Inari seemed unafraid though, saeemingly unaware of the danger he was in. His eyes were like hard obsidian, his hands still, his index finger hovered over the trigger.
Zabuza shrugged, seemingly unbothered, "If you think I'm upset cause' you killed my employer, I'm not. That mole rat of a man had it coming."
"So do you." Inari retorted, the venom in his voice taking Naruto off guard. He glanced at the younger boy, watching as Inari's body shook with rage, the look on his face eerily calm, "You worked for him. You knew what he was, and what he wanted. And you did it anyway." Inari spat, narrowing his eyes even further, "So If he's scum... What does that make you?"
Naruto and Kakashi exchanged a look, and nodded, readying themselves for anything.
But Zabuza bellowed in laughter, "Ahh, you got fire in ya kid." He said, wiping a tear from his eye. He squatted down, elbows on his knees, Inari's crossbow tracking him all the way. Aimed right at his forehead.
Zabuza shook his head, "Lemme tell ya something kid. If you think that me and Gato are the worst mankind has to offer, you're dead fuckin' wrong. There's shinobi way crueler than me. Stronger that me. More twisted than me, it's only downhill from here. Are you really up to defending yourself in a world like ours?"
Inari frowned, "I'll defend myself, and my village from anyone who threatens my village or my family. Any threat. Are you a threat?"
Zabuza stared at Inari for a long, long moment, everyone there holding their breath, waiting for something to happen. After what felt like an eternity, Zabuza stood, his dark orbs looking up at Tsunami, "Ya got somethin' special in that kid right there. Just make sure he lives long enough to use it."
With that, Kakashi laid a hand on Inari's shoulder. The young boy looked up him and then to his mother. Reluctantly walking over to Tsunami. She grabbed him, hugging him tightly as they both made their way inside.
Zabuza sighed, "As I was saying, Gato had his stach of money brought with him at his hideout. Me and Haku 'withddrew' our payment, but there's a sizable amount left over. It's under his bed, if you can believe it. Should be enough there to help out this pathetic excuse for a village quite a bit."
Kakashi raised an eyebrow, "That's... Charitable, of you. Why not just take it all?"
Zabuza shrugged, "I've got way more than that stored away for my own purposes. Bringing that much money where I'm going would just be pointless." He crossed his arms again, looking serious, "And... it's a repayment for saving Haku."
Naruto's eyes turned to the girl, a pang of sympathy striking his heart when he looked at the extent of her bandages. "Haku, are you..."
Haku nodded stiffly, smiling at him, "I'm alive thanks to you. The bandages make my injuries seem more severe than they are, I'll recover given enough time." She said. Then she bowed, "I also want to thank you for sparing my life when we fought. With everything I'd done, I surely deserved it." Naruto smiled, opening his mouth to speak...
"Damn right you deserved it." Zabuza said, cutting him off. "Your weakness will get one of us killed Haku. Never... Disappoint me like that again."
Naruto's head snapped up to Zabuza, suddenly furious, "Sparing life isn't weakness, if we were as ruthless as you, then you'd be dead as dirt."
The swordsman looked up at Naruto, sighing deeply, "True enough..." He held his hands behind his back, and after a brief once-over of the three of them, he nodded in approval, "You've got a solid team on your hands Kakashi. They could do with a sword or two among them, but they're solid. Solid as fuck."
Kakashi rolled his eyes, "How very kind of you."
Zabuza paced back and forth, a subtle, and yet unsubtle menace flowing off of him. After a few seconds, he snapped his fingers, "Tell you what... I'm starting a little trouble down in Kiri. Something big's gonna be going down over there, and I need some quality shinobi who know how to handle themselves."
Naruto, Hinata and Sasuke all glared and Zabuza held up his hands, "Yeah yeah, I know about the whole 'Will of Fire' thing down in Konoha. But just in case that schtick gets old, I'm always recruiting."
Haku bowed again, "I wish we'd have met under better circumstances, and I hope we meet as allies next time." She said.
Naruto frowned, he had mixed feelings regarding Haku. She did nearly kill Sasuke, but it was under Zabuza's direction. And he knew that she wasn't a particular violent person. He struggled for something to say, but all he could do was nod.
Zabuza turned and walked back into the soft embrace of the mist, "Till next time."
Haku followed dutifully, turning once to smile at Naruto, her face fading into the grey of the mist.
And then they were gone. After a few more seconds, the mist retreated as well. Leaving the tree line bathed in yellow sunlight, as if nothing had ever happened.
It wasn't altogether shocking that the village had gathered at the edge of the village to see them off, but that didn't stop him from bieng surprised. What looked like hundreds of people crowded them near the newly constructed bridge.
Newly purchased flowers, were being thrown from the crowd, the vibrant petals falling from the sky. Sasuke was the only one among them without a smile on his face, with Naruto being the only one confused on how to feel. The deluge of joy and celebration struck a cord in the young Uzumaki, but what cord of emotion was struck, he had no idea.
He had no idea what to feel. He smiled awkwardly, his eyes turning to movement in the crowd. Tazuna and his family emerged, Inari surging forwards, slamming right into him.
Little arms wrapped around his waist, sniffles and quiet sobs coming from him. "m'gonna miss you Naruto." He said, slightly muffled by Naruto's newly reconstructed jacket.
The Uzumaki felt a bob in his throat, smiling as he knelt to embrace Inari properly. Beads of liquid pooling in his own eyes as he hugged him back, "I'll miss you too Inari." He said, barely able to get the words out.
Inari wriggled out of his embrace, innocent, wet eyes staring up at him, "But y-you'll come to visit someday right?" Naruto never nodded so fast in his life, "Of course Inari. Don't you worry, we'll be back before you know it!"
Harsh, deep laughter came from over his shoulder, followed by a heavy pat on the back, "That's right Inari! And when that time comes, they'll be welcome on my doorstep, anytime!" Tazuna said, a sincere grin stretched wide across his face. Naruto rose, wiping tears from his eyes with his jacket. Hinata grabbed his arm, smiling at him as Sasuke stood behind her with his arms crossed. Fighting a smile, and failing miserably.
Finally, Naruto stood, joining his team as they walked off. Naruto sniffled, wiping his eyes with his sleeve as they walked. Hinata putting a gentle hand on his shoulder as they made the long walk back home.
After a lengthy goodbye, Team 7 finally set off back to their home village. The cheers and shouts of gratitude continued long after their silhouettes had disappeared past the horizon. One by one, grateful villagers left to go about their day, leaving only Tazuna, Tsunami and Inari.
Tazuna watched his grandson stare after the shinobi for a long time. He laid a hand on his shoulder, smiling to himself. "Well, all's well that ends well. We finally have our fresh start."
A thought appeared in his head, "Except..." He said, scratching the part of his scalp under his hat, "...what to name the damn thing."
Inari sprung to life under his hand, turning with youthful eyes, full of excitement, "Oh, what about "The Great Naruto Bridge" Grampa!?"
Tazuna let his hand drop from his head, exchanging a knowing look with his daughter. Tsunami gave a short huff, nodding to herself. Tazuna shook his head, laughing quietly, "Yeah... That'll do just fine."
The low, constant thrum of energy reverberated through his cage, mixing with the sound of water dripping to create a subltle, almost calming ambience. The Kyuubi no Kitsune, for all his glory, lay on his belly like a common beast, his eyes closed in contemplation.
Outside the seal, Naruto and his 'Team', made their journey back to that pathetic ramshackle the humans called a Hidden Village. Content to return home as victors.
The Fox huffed derisively, clenching his eyes shut, thinking hard about what had transpired. For the first time in almost five years, another wrinkle had been exposed in his plan. Somehow, his machinations concerning the Uzumaki brat had been upended. But only somewhat.
Naruto had taken his fist life. Or, lives as it were. A fact that was almost enough to bring a smile to his face. Watching as the offspring of his captor, the manifestation of his cage, the Jinchurriki, darken his soul in a manner such as this.
Well, it was rewarding in a sense.
But this action was taken in the effort to save someone Naruto held dear. Even worse, it was an action taken without his consent.
The Fox opened an eye, raising his head. He moved his paw out from under him, manipulating the appendage, letting a claw poke out from the fur. He sighed, to a Bijuu, one's chakra is as seamless an extension from oneself as any other body part. It was as inseparable as water was from being wet. And having it stolen...
The Kyuubi growled, letting his head fall on his paws once more.
"There will be a reckoning for this, insult.
And there would be. But this had to be handled gently, practically. Naruto would need to understand this violent, more primal part of himself naturally if he was to embrace it.
He was no scholar, but he had a rather astute, and powerful sense of self. If Naruto ever recognized this inner darkness as alien, he was nearly certain to reject it. And lashing out would only serve to further distance himself from the boy.
This would take time, wisdom, and patience.
Kyuubi turned to look behind him, the space included in his cell technically had no bounds. He remembered when he was first imprisoned in the boy. He walked for years. Learning every inch of his cell.
The distance was infinite in theory, but the sheer distance tended to coalesce into a slight fog. But within the fog... there lay the darkness within Naruto. It was invisible at first, but over time, over the years of pain, rejection, isolation... The form slowly merged into the shape of a person. Since Naruto's abduction, the form has darkened. Details have slowly become more and more defined, to reflect a near replica of the Uzumaki.
The Fox smiled, "Time, wisdom, and patience... My prey is as elusive as ever, but soon, it will be within reach. And then, I will feast on it's corpse."
And oh, how sweet it will taste.