A/N: Back for more, some things will feel familiar here, but I will explain myself at the end of the chapter.
Deep underground Tobi was speaking with Kabuto. "I thought you gathered intel that Naruto was being brought to turtle island." There was impatience in the masked man's tone.
"It seems plans have changed; Naruto will not stray far from the leaf village and will be on the front lines from the start of the war," Kabuto said calmly.
"I've told you that Yamato is necessary, without Hashirama cells being continually supplied to the White Zetsu army, they will pose very little threat to the allied forces." He said bluntly.
"Yes, you don't have to worry." Kabuto said.
He was frustrated. "It would be foolish to attack the village, it's going to be much harder to capture that walking experiment now."
Kabuto laughed. "I don't normally use myself as bait but I'm confident that will draw him out and get him alone he has no chance against me."
"I have little patience for further disappointment Kabuto." He warned.
"You have nothing to worry about Tobi." Kabuto said reassuringly before walking away.
A few days later…
"So you succeeded?" His tone was amused.
"It wasn't overly difficult, though he did put up a fight, the few others with him not so much," Kabuto said casually.
He was blunt. "Did you leave any trace of his capture?"
"I pride myself on being invisible," Kabuto said reassuringly. "I'll leave you now. I have things to do."
"I'm the one that knows what it's like to be invisible in this cursed world." Obito Uchiha said quietly.
Meanwhile, on the far outskirts of the Hidden Leaf Village, Naruto and Sakura took a break from training; they had been keeping score over the last several days.
"Do you think people hear all the noise we're making while training in these outer forests?" Naruto asked quietly.
"There's been a lot of explosions lately, mostly from you." Sakura said smiling.
"Is training like this working?" Naruto asked.
"Our regular training or your training trying to control the nine tails?" Sakura asked quietly.
"Either, both… I don't know." He sighed, watching the sky for a moment.
"Are you down because I've won our last three sparring sessions?" She asked with a small smile.
Naruto sighed."No, it's just the idea of a war with reality on the line that has me nervous."
"The future of the ninja world depends on the outcome of this war. You're allowed to be scared, Naruto," She said softly.
Naruto was hesitant. "I wish I could ask my dad how he handled it; I'm not capable of leading a war. I'm worried I'll do something stupid."
"Naruto," Sakura began delicately. "You are not stupid at all, impulsive, sure, but not stupid. If it helps, the five Kage and the intelligence unit will lead the war. All we have to do is follow their instructions." She smiled, bumping his shoulder affectionately.
"I wonder if this is how Itachi felt," Naruto said anxiously.
Sakura was sympathetic. "Itach was alone. You aren't…I won't leave your side; the medical unit will have to get by with wood clones." She encouraged gently.
"I'm starting to realize the nine-tailed fox might not ever cooperate." Naruto said evenly.
"I think if you fight it, you can win; that psyche plane exists for a reason!" Sakura said.
"What about everything outside my mind in the real world," Naruto said anxiously.
"That's why we make sure we're far removed from the village." Sakura told him calmly.
"Thanks, Sakura. I think I'm ready now," He stood up again.
Just as Naruto prepared to unlock the seal on the nine-tailed fox, multiple familiar voices interrupted him.
"Naruto, Sakura… the Hokage, and Kakashi are here," Sai said evenly, landing an ink bird moments later.
"It can't be anything good." Sakura said nervously.
"We have difficult news." Tsunade said seriously.
Kakashi was very blunt. "Yamato has been tracking Kabuto for several days with a small team, but they are dead, and he is missing, likely captured and taken underground."
They were shocked. "What? What do we do?"
Kakashi was blunt. "Going after Kabuto would be foolish; his power has increased exponentially and he is brilliant so anything he is trying to do this close to the war is calculated."
Tsunade sighed. "Yamato has Hashirama cells, which will be useful to a man who should have died generations ago; Kabuto could be working with Madara. We are going to war in another week; all of our tactical preparations are complete."
"You want us to make sure we spend all of our time making sure Naruto can control the nine tails," Sakura said seriously.
"Do whatever is necessary." Tsunade said seriously. "Don't worry about Yamato, he is most valuable alive and won't be killed."
Once Tsunade and Kakashi left, Sakura cut right to the point. "Sai, stay on standby high in the sky; Naruto's going to be fighting the nine tails."
Naruto was determined. "I'm ready, Sakura."
"Don't forget I'll be with you; my chakra is linked to your seal, I don't know how long it will be before he disrupts it, though." Sakura reassured him.
"Yeah I know…" He nodded. The nine tails was his usual unpleasant self.
"Trying to pick a direct fight this time, Naruto?" The fox said dryly.
"I need your chakra, and don't have time for you to be stubborn so I'm going to fight and defeat you." He said calmly.
"You can't match my power, Naruto and there is no way I will willingly cooperate with humans!" He growled.
"I need your power so I'm going to take whatever I can!" He said with determination.
Naruto unlocked his seal and the cage sprung open, and the nine-tailed fox charged after Naruto; one swipe of his claw shook the ground, making Naruto jump away, he entered Sage mode and ran behind the fox, lifting and slamming him onto the ground, creating a shadow clone as the fox got up again.
"Your pathetic shadow clones are no match for me!" He growled.
The clone began rotation until, "…Sage Art Massive Rasengan!" He shouted attacking with the improved ninjutsu.
Naruto drove the supersized ball of explosive energy right into the head of the nine tailed fox with his dominant hand, forcing him backward against wall but the beast was still able to defend himself due to his size and strength, stopping it rather easily.
"It'll take more than that to beat me Naruto!" He said, annoyed.
"You talk too much!" Naruto said defiantly.
The nine tails decided it was time to display his power and gathered chakra into a purple mass much bigger than Naruto could have expected.
"Take this, you brat!" He yelled.
"Oh…this is bad; I can't outrun it!" He said anxiously…
Sakura laughed. "You forgot I'm linked to your seal already, didn't you?"
"If you can stop that thing, go ahead!" Naruto said with exasperation.
"I just have to catch it!" She said.
"Damn her; she's holding it back with her hands… No human can catch this much-concentrated chakra!" The nine tails thought to himself in disbelief.
It wasn't easy, not by any means; the weight was immense, and it was painful to hold back so much volatile chakra, but eventually, she was holding the bomb size mass in her hands.
"You caught it!" Naruto was amazed.
The nine tailed fox was angry that this girl was linked to Naruto's seal, and even more angry that she had a constant presence in Naruto's mind as a result. It was impossible to take over his body when there always seemed to be someone guarding Naruto's mind and soul against his influence. First, the boy's father, Minato, the damn Fourth Hokage and now her, the Haruno brat, he had counted on escaping this hell, and his plan was constantly thwarted, A realization that fueled the fox's rage anew, and with a smirk, he swallowed the massive sphere of chakra.
"Wait… Naruto did the same thing on Tenchi Bridge that day." Sakura said slowly to herself.
"Take this, you brats!" He jeered.
"Oh no… NARUTO DODGE SIDEWAYS NOW!" She quickly shouted.
Sakura's warning was just in time as nine tails let out a laser-like explosion from his mouth; they could feel the intensity even as they avoided the blast.
"I can't believe…a fox fired a laser…you knew it was coming…!" Naruto said to her with astonishment, hunched over.
"You wouldn't remember…you've done that before, in your tailed beast state…" She said hastily.
"Stop helping him!" He was beginning to loathe the Haruno brat.
"Hey, speaking of, doesn't he normally try to possess me. What's he waiting for?" Naruto whispered.
That was a perfect point now that she considered it.
"I don't know; last time he engulfed you with his chakra, maybe he knows that he can't outright take over your body anymore." She answered.
"The stupid fox might hate it, but I'm glad you're here," Naruto said appreciatively.
"Nothing you do will help Naruto, steal my chakra!" He growled.
Sakura had an epiphany. "That's it; you're afraid of having your chakra stolen nine tails."
"Your constant presence in the tailed beast plane is infuriating, Sakura!" He yelled.
Ignoring the nine-tailed fox, Sakura turned quickly to Naruto. "Listen, Naruto; you can pull out his chakra and store it freely in your body!"
"But he's been sealed inside of me my whole life and I've never been able to do that." Naruto reminded her anxiously.
"You will if you separate his chakra from his body— "
"You'll never overpower me!" The demon fox roared furiously, charging at them both.
Sakura quickly weaved several hand signs. "Wood release, wood cocoon!" Wood began to erupt and surround the nine tailed fox. She spoke fast knowing she would not be able to hold the demon fox for too long.
"Listen, this is your mind, Naruto. You can overpower his chakra by latching on to his witch yours and separating it from his body." She was struggling to keep the fox at bay now.
Naruto was confused. "How do you figure that?"
She explained. "Healing jutsu works by giving the person chakra, especially if they are unconscious, that and the nine tails has begrudgingly given you his chakra before."
"Yeah and?" He wasn't following.
"I'm betting that if it's possible to give chakra, it's possible to take it away…ugh— " She warned hastily as she strained to keep holding the demon fox at bay. "I won't be able to help you do this, Naruto; my chakra might be linked to this plane through your seal, but he can force me out, And it requires a lot of concentration to get in again!"
Naruto had an epiphany. "Wait, that'd have to be why I couldn't synchronize my sage chakra with the toads on Mount Myōboku when I was training!"
"Yes, probably; his extreme rage is like a temporary barrier." She said through gritted teeth, "Damn too powerful…I'm sorry, Naruto, I can't hold him anymore!"
The nine tails exploded out from the wooden cocoon he was trapped in, And he was irate now. "I'VE HAD ENOUGH, YOU STUBBORN GIRL; GET OUT!"
As she predicted, Sakura was ejected from the tailed beast plane within Naruto's seal.
"Nothing, and nobody can help you, Naruto!" The fox said triumphantly.
He's not going to let me pick up and throw him again. If I could get close, just long enough to mark him with Dad's Jutsu formula…the instantaneous movement of Flying Rajin should help.
Unfortunately that was easier said than done. Naruto kept moving, avoiding every time the nine tails lunged or swiped after him, waiting for an opportunity.
"Come on; I need an opening…wait…maybe I can create one!" Naruto created shadow clones to ready another massive Rasengan.
"That again, that trick didn't even work the first time." The fox jeered.
The nine tails readied another chakra blast, and fired it, which is exactly what Naruto hoped the fox would do. It destroyed the decoys…
"Shadow clones took the hit on purpose; damn that Naruto, where is the real one…?" Suddenly the fox felt an odd sensation behind him and spun around, hitting the brat with several tails.
Naruto felt the wind get knocked out of him as he fell to his back on the ground. "Ow, that packs a punch!"
He gave a low threatening growl. "Did you really think I would let you steal my chakra that easily!"
"I got close enough, which is all I needed," Naruto said defiantly, holding up the palm of his dominant hand.
The fox narrowed his eyes, "The Kanji on your palm. You marked me from behind using shadow clones as a distraction!" His anger was rising quickly again.
"You can't catch me now that I managed to mark you with my dads flying rajin jutsu formula." He said, smirking.
"I WILL MAKE YOU REGRET THAT!" He was furious now.
Naruto was incredibly thankful for all the sparring Sakura continued to do with him; He felt more sure of himself thanks to that.
"You could make this easy, ya know, share your power instead of trying to possess my body," Naruto said casually.
"YOU ARE NOT WORTHY OF MY POWER!" The fox yelled angrily.
"Then I have to defeat you!" He said, it was apologetic yet blunt.
The fox laughed harshly. "You, defeat me? I crushed your village, I crushed your parents and I will crush you too, Naruto!"
Every time the nine-tailed fox attacked, he could get behind and punch the fox demon; Unfortunately, it was sure to take a lot more to subdue the nine-tails.
"I won't let you take over my body!" He said defiantly.
"You overconfident bastard!" He shouted. "You are already struggling, struggling to resist.
"No, not again…" As he be became cloaked in the nine tails chakra, unable to escape, terrible voices of agony, rage, and despair filled his head. "Go…away…and don't…come back!" He said desperately.
Here it was again, chakra so overwhelming that I threatened to swallow Naruto completely, like a drowning man trying to keep their head above water.
"No it's alright you can stay here… Naruto." Said a calming voice.
Naruto found himself somewhere else entirely with a woman standing in front of him and the nine tailed fox was nowhere to be seen.
"What is this, who are you, where did you come from and how do you know my name anyway?" He asked nervously.
The woman acknowledged she was getting ahead of herself. "Oh! Right you don't know yet… Well then, why don't you try to guess who I am, Naruto." She waited patiently with a smile on her face, giggling at the confusion on his face.
"Don't tell me…" His nervousness was mounting now.
"You figured it out, huh?" She said.
"Yeah, the nine tails is trying to trick me!" He said, pointing at her. "Your not real, this a genjutsu!"
"Wrong, ya know!" She said impatiently.
Naruto took a disorienting blow to the head for the assumption, it reminded him of Sakura. "Huh?" He slowly realized, "You just said ya know..."
"Sorry!" Kushina Uzumaki giggled apologetically. "I just couldn't help myself, I was born impatient so I talk fast and sometimes weird expressions come out, I try to co, but I slip up, like when I'm excited." She took a calming breath, wearing was an embarrassed smile. "But let's talk about you, I really hope you didn't end up with any of the weird quirks that I have!" She said anxiously. Kushina watched her son shaking with disbelief as it began to sink in who she was. "That Minato," he didn't say anything to you?" Her question was gently rhetorical. Naruto seemed unable to speak or move, so she continued. "Anyway, that's right I'm your— " Kushina was silenced immediately as Naruto ran into her arms and she hugged her son, sighing happily.
The remnants of the nine tails anger disappeared, Naruto's voice breaking with emotion. "I've wanted…I've wanted to meet you for so long now, mom, ya know."
"You just said ya know," She was overcome with her own emotional longing now "…there's no doubt you're my child." Kushina smiled somberly.
Meanwhile in the physical world Sakura was shocked to find that the transformation into the nine tails wasn't progressing anymore, instead caught in between the chakra cloak and full tailed beast state.
"He's just sitting there, perfectly still, this is different than last time, what's going on?" Sakura's was worried but did nothing.
Back within the space represented by Naruto's seal that was cut off from the nine tails; Naruto displayed the same hasty talkativeness as his mother.
"Where to start? There is so much that I want to ask you!" He said excitedly.
"You can ask me anything!" She assured. "But first, we need to tame the nine tails!"
"His chakra is so powerful, Mom; I'm not strong enough to take it!" He said anxiously.
Even as he said it Naruto felt an incredible surge of chakra and chains erupted from within him, completely entangling the fox.
He looked nervous for once. "This chakra… Kushina?"
"Kushina, huh… That explains the chakra I sensed, and why I could get back here so easily," Sakura mused.
"You again!" He said darkly.
"At First, I thought Naruto was in trouble, but it looks like you're on a leash, and Naruto is getting some much-needed time with his mother, so I'll watch you for now." She sat down.
Kushina and Naruto sat down, and she explained. "Minato embedded my chakra into the sealing formula so I would appear when you tried to take control of the nine-tails power so I could lend you a hand…" Kushina sighed. "Are you even listening?"
"I just can't get over how beautiful you are, Mom!" He said.
"Oh, thank you!" Kushina was flattered. "You you're your father's hair, but it looks like you got my face. I'm sorry about that, Naruto." It was very apologetic.
"Why? If I got my good looks from you that just means I'm even more handsome, I wish that I got your red hair too, it is awesome!" He said enthusiastically.
"That means you're only the second man besides your father to ever compliment my red hair."
"I wish I had time to ask how you and dad meet and fall in love but…" He trailed off with a sigh. The nine tails could be heard roaring with aggravation.
Sakura appeared briefly,. "I'll keep an eye on him for now, Naruto. You spend some with your Mom." She assured.
"Sakura, you're with the nine tails again but I thought— "
Sakura explained quickly. "Thanks to the seal link, he can't force me out indefinitely, especially with your moms chakra suppressing him, be with her okay."
"Thanks, Sakura." Naruto said calmly, Sakura left with a nod.
"I thought I sensed more chakra than just you and the nine tails." Kushina said in surprise. "So someone made use of the Yang sealing link; I taught that to your father along with several other sealing Jutsu because that's what we of the Uzumaki clan excel at and I feared that someone would come after me, they did when I was a child." She explained calmly.
"Why would someone do that?" Naruto asked in shock.
"It's a long story, a bit embarrassing ya know, but since you wanted to know how your dad and I fell in love, I might as well tell it." She said blushing a little bit."
Naruto was fascinated by his mother's story and the fact that she felt like such an outsider, he had always assumed that she was from the hidden leaf village.
"Wow." Naruto said.
"Naruto, there are certain words I only bestow upon the men who compliment my hair. Will you accept them?" She asked, he nodded rocking with a sort of childish euphoria. "I love you…" Kushina told her son with emotional longing. She watched her words sink in making him smile even more appreciatively. "Your dream is a continuation of the dream Minato and I shared." She told him gently.
"I won't ever let your dreams down no matter what." He assured his mother seriously.
"Thanks, Naruto."
"There's something I have to do." He said determinedly.
For perhaps the first time in his life, Naruto felt the kind of happiness that was always missing from his life, his mother's love. No hint of this nine tails chakra could affect him and just like that he was using his own to cancel it out entirely.
"Damn you Kushina!" The nine tails thought bitterly.
Back in the physical world all traces of nine tails transformation were gone, Sakura knew that continuing to keep watch was the best thing to do.
"My chakra can't suppress the nine tails much longer, so go get him while you have the chance!" Kushina encouraged.
"Alright…Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu!" More than a dozen clones appeared. "Let's go!" He said seriously running towards the nine-tailed fox.
"You brat!" The nine tails yelled angrily, finally ripping off the chakra chains.
"He's as strong as I thought." Kushina said, impressed.
Joined by a small army of shadow clones, Naruto readied multiple Rasengan, "Let him have it!" He said, launching himself in the air, amid the furious roar of the fox. "Rasengan Super Barrage!"
"You haven't won yet!"He growled, smashing through several clones.
"I can keep going, ya know!" Kushina said defiantly, binding his legs again.
"This is it!" Naruto said eagerly.
"Is that…Sage mode." Sakura said, still watching Naruto closely in the real world as he entered the toad-like state marked by the change in his eyes. "Come on, Naruto." She said, trying to contain her hopefulness.
"Alright, you're done… Sage art: Massive Rasengan Barrage!" He declared, slamming so much energy into the face of the nine-tailed fox. As the blast forced him backward, Naruto threw a Rasenshuriken, overwhelming the demon fox and exposing the the physical manifestation of his chakra.
"What kind of power is this!" He yelled furiously.
"Pull!" Naruto told all remaining shadow clones. "It wasn't that easy though, he was exhausted. "Dammit if I just had a little more!"
Even with his eyes closed, Sakura could see the struggle on Naruto's face. Without even thinking about it she placed her hands on his back and began to heal him.
"That chakra… yeah, I know that chakra anywhere. Sakura, thanks for the refresh…" He was no longer exhausted.
"Naruto's chakra's been restored? Kushina doesn't have...wait, the other brat Sakura must be healing Naruto from the outside…"
"GET OUT!" Naruto shouted, pulling with everything he had.
"You pulled out the nine tails chakra!" Kushina was so proud.
"This is the nine tails." He was mesmerized.
Absorbing the raw chakra of the nine tails was an unfamiliar feeling. It was intense but not volatile. It cloaked Naruto in a bright flame. Sakura, keeping watch, was left in awe of the transformation.
"YOU HAVE INFURIATED ME, NARUTO!" He screamed with outrage.
"You still have so much power…" Naruto resealed the fox, though he didn't know why the seal was much stronger.
"Is this the six paths? He growled bitterly. "You, You may have taken some of my chakra, but that doesn't mean you have control over your hatred… You better watch out, Naruto…" He said warningly as the seal locked him away again.
Kushina wasn't finished with her son. "I have to tell you the truth about what happened sixteen years ago, the day you were born." Kushina said seriously.
"I already know that you and dad died protecting me from the nine tails, mom," Naruto said sadly.
"Did someone tell you the truth already, that I were the nine tails Jinchūriki?" She asked, taken aback.
Naruto sighed. "No, I guessed after the nine tails boasted that he killed you; he hates the sealing link because he couldn't just take over my body anymore."
"I thought your father might get the chance to use that jutsu, but then I lost that argument, the only one I lost after we fell in love." Kushina sighed.
"What argument?" He asked.
"I tried to talk him out of using the Reaper Death Seal— "
"Just like Lord Third… Why?" Naruto asked quickly.
"He knew that the full power of the nine tails was dangerous but he also knew that power would be necessary to stop the one responsible for the attack that night. He used the Reaper Death seal on the nine tails and locked half of his chakra away forever and sealed the other half in you and mine as Well. Not that I had much left after that masked man extracted the nine tails from me." Kushina finished darkly.
"I guess Sakura was right." He was downcast.
"Sakura, she is the one who linked her chakra to your seal?" She asked.
Sakura joined them to explain herself. "I wanted to make sure I could protect Naruto from the nine tails influence, he tried to possess Naruto and break the seal more than once already."
"I can see that you are determined to protect Naruto from the nine tails so you should hear this information too. Please stay Sakura." Kushina said.
"Oh, okay." Sakura said.
"First you both need to know more about my clan. The Uzumaki clan was known for its longevity and sealing jutsu abilities but they were also a bit savage. That seal was designed to encourage a tailed beast to cooperate with its Jinchūriki but the nine tails has never been the cooperative type. The fact you were able to survive the Hashirama cell mutation and can suppress the nine tails is impressive." She praised, flattering her. "Anyway, that's why I was brought to the Hidden Leaf Village from the Hidden Eddy Village in the Land of Whirlpools."
"Nobody ever mentioned the Hidden Eddy Village," Naruto said blankly.
"That's because it doesn't actually exist as a village anymore." She frowned. "It was destroyed during the era of war an unrest between the first and second great ninja wars, targeted and destroyed because we specialized in sealing jutsu." I was born with powerful chakra, powerful enough to suppress the vast might of the nine tails. In fact, the only reason I came to the Hidden Leaf Village in the first place was for that very purpose, it was top secret, not even the Legendary Sanini knew, only Lord Third and a few Elders."
Kushina went on to explain everything she knew and everything that had happened the night of the attack.
"Dad didn't say anything," Naruto said in shock.
"It wasn't his fault, he keyed the sealing jutsu to give me more time with you than he got, and I am grateful." She said, smiling at her son.
"No, don't go." He said anxiously.
"It's almost time, "She said gently. "But before I go, I have a few more things to say."
"First, I'm sorry… I'm sorry for making you the nine tails vessel, for making you bear what should have been our burden." She was very sad. "Be wary of the nine tails, you will still need to learn to control the power, and he will take advantage of any weakness you show." Then she turned to Sakura. "You will have to keep an eye on Naruto. He will not have perfect control right away, and the chakra he managed to separate from the nine tails will not last forever, which means that eventually, he'll have to be dealt with again." Kushina told them.
"But— "
"You thought it would be as simple as taking his chakra?" She smiled sympathetically. "Not quite; He shouldn't be able to possess you anymore. Still, you only have so much of his chakra and the nine-tailed fox; he isn't the type to cooperate; I won't be able to help you next time you need to pull out more of his chakra in the future; I'm sorry that I can't be there to guide you."
"You don't ever have to apologize for anything. I had a hard childhood, but I always had a feeling that you loved me, and now I know for sure because you did sacrifice yourself for me, so there's more than just the nine tails inside of me, there's your love t, and that makes me happy...I'm glad I'm your kid." He began to cry unsure if the tears were sad or happy as his mother began to fade away.
Kushina noticed the sorrow on her son's face. "Naruto, there's no need to cry. It's thanks to you I became a mother and Minato, a father, so thank you… Thank you for being born to us!" She was so grateful that her cheeks hurt from smiling out of pure happiness, and then she was gone.
Back in the physical world, Naruto opened his eyes, tears still sliding down his face; Sakura waited for a moment and then helped Naruto stand.
"Are you alright, Naruto?" She asked quietly.
"Yeah... Let's go home!" Naruto said with a bittersweet smile as Sakura put her arms around him. Naruto knew that the first thing that he would do when he got back to the village—visit his pare's graves...
A/N: Yamato was unavoidable, I tried to spare him but it couldn't be helped. I liked the idea that Naruto couldn't just permanently use the nine tails chakra mode until it's willing to cooperate with him so that's what I did. It adds an interesting element to the war that makes it harder for Naruto during the war. His time with Kushina is mostly the same with minor changes. Anyway, next time our heroes go to war.