Hey everyone. Hope you're all doing well.
thtadthtshldntb: Really? Huh. That's interesting. I wonder how the story would have played out if there had been no executive meddling...
Naruto being based on Goku makes sense with how he was at the start.
Rusty Thebanite: Really. It'd been nice if Jiraiya had given Naruto some serious training.
BrazeRancor: I'd say she's average at reading people right now, but she has personal experience with this sort of thing. I was implying how Hinata reacted to trying to talk about her family was similar to how Fuu acted when Shibuki and Kiyo tried to talk about her parents after she met them. Of course, they're her loved ones, so they got her to open up.
GunBlade2021: I don't think she'd think that way. I'm pretty sure she'd have asked Shibuki and/or Kiyo about love, since she'd probably ask about bonds of all kinds. And when it comes to romantic love, well... yeah.
Tervannever: I heard about that, I mean when during the development process did he become a father? Had Naruto already been released? Had Naruto already met Kakashi? Or was it still at the drawing board?
JintoLin: Hmm... I'd never considered Karin learning Chidori. That's an interesting idea. And no, Kakashi won't be training Karin. Someone will, though...
You're right about Sakura just lacking perspective, but here's the thing. Sakura realized, in the span of a few days, that she had been terrible to an orphan who liked her, annoyed the boy she liked and had been extremely insensitive to him, and had knowingly made herself dead weight to her team in a profession that she knew involved near constant life or death battles and where not only their lives but those of their clients and maybe others beyond them would be on the line. Then not too long after she realized she'd been hypocritical as she was irritated by Naruto doing the same thing she was doing to Sasuke and severed a friendship with someone who had picked her up when she was at her lowest and helped her ever since for basically no reason. It was a while ago, but she's still being hard on herself because of all that.
Guest: I'm aware it was stated in the anime that his nature was lightning. Fire just makes more sense to me, given his clan and the age he learned the Fireball jutsu.
MoJoe: They don't wear their weights into battle like Lee.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.
Today was the day.
It had taken Naruto over a week. Lots of work with shadow clones and many deflated rubber balls, but now, he had it.
In the same rocky terrain that they'd started in, Naruto stood before his sensei, who looked on silently with his hands in his pockets. He was glaring down at a white rubber ball in his hand.
He closed his eyes, breathing in deeply, then, with a growl, he channeled a surge of chakra into the ball. Rotating the chakra within, he watched the ball distort until finally...
Pop!
The ball exploded, sending out a burst of wind that ruffled his hair. As its pieces fell to the ground, he turned and grinned at Kakashi before raising a fist in the air in triumph. "Alright!" He then made a V with his fingers. "Told you I had it!"
"Very good," His sensei said with a nod. "It's time you move on to the final step."
Naruto grinned. "Lay it on me, Kakashi-sensei! I'll get it down in no time!"
Just one more step and he'd not only add a super-awesome jutsu to his arsenal but a technique left by his father.
"I wouldn't be too sure. This steps the hardest of all." Kakashi warned.
The silver-haired jonin then reached into his pouch and pulled out a scroll. Naruto looked on in anticipation as his sensei used the unsealing technique. In a burst of smoke, his final test lay before him.
Naruto blinked. "More balloons?"
"Yep," Kakashi nodded as he picked one up. He then gestured for Naruto to approach." Can't throw these."
Naruto soon saw why. It was an ordinary balloon filled with air.
"Care to guess what the aim is this time? It's a bit different than the other steps."
Naruto frowned as he thought back to Kakashi's explanation of their training. The answer quickly came to him. "Oh, I get it. This time, I need to keep from popping the balloon!"
Kakashi eye-smiled. "Right. Take all that you learned from the last two steps, and keep it all contained within that flimsy balloon, and you'll have it."
Naruto nodded and then concentrated on the balloon in his hand, determination clear on his features. This was it, the final step. All he had to do was keep this balloon from bursting. Easy, right?
He had this.
He formed an orb of chakra within the balloon.
It exploded almost immediately.
Sakura knocked on the door before her and waited, putting her hands behind her back.
"Be right there," She soon heard a familiar voice say. The door opened to reveal Naruto, who grinned. "Hey, Sakura, good to see you."
"Sakura, glad you made it!" She heard Fuu call from her place at Naruto's table. She saw the green-haired girl raise a bag. "I brought snacks!"
"Well, I see someone got here early," Sakura noted with a smirk. "So, are we just waiting on Sasuke?"
"Yep. Knowing him, he should be here any minute." Naruto said as she stepped inside.
"Oh," She muttered as something occurred to her. "Um, Fuu? What kind of snacks did you bring?" She asked, afraid she already knew the answer.
Fuu smiled, closing her eyes. "Some sweets from Gekkoyume. They make some of the best mochi I've ever had!"
She and Naruto looked at each other. "Oh boy." She muttered before looking at Fuu, who looked at her curiously. "Sasuke hates sweet things."
Fuu's face fell. She looked at her bag in disappointment. "Oh. Damn it..."
Naruto waved off her concerns. "Don't worry. We'll still enjoy them. And I'm sure I've got something around here he can snack on if he wants."
"Well, I'll take some," Sakura said as she joined Fuu at the table. The mint-haired girl smiled as she held the bag to her. "You like that place, huh? Hope I'm not going to regret showing it to you."
"Huh?" Fuu blinked before she seemed to get what she meant. "Eh, this is the first time I've been back there since you showed it to me. Can't pig out on sweets every day, you know?"
"Unless you're an Akimichi," Sakura replied, jokingly as she took out a package of Dango.
Fuu blinked. "Hm, you mean like... um... Choji?" She giggled. "Well, he was the only one snacking during the prelims..."
Sakura didn't get why Fuu's team seemed to shun her. Sure, she could see how all the other girl's energy could get annoying at times, but she was a good sort.
Fuu had spent more time with Naruto, no surprise there, the exuberant pair got on like a house on fire, but she and Sakura had hung out a few times over the past few days. Fuu seemed to be able to find a way to make just about anything fun. And she was surprisingly good at just about any type of game.
And yet, it seemed she wasn't well-liked back in Taki. When your brother's the leader of your village and yet is pretty much your only friend... ouch.
It reminded her of her early days in the academy, before Ino. Back when she spent most of her time crying because the other kids made fun of her forehead. No one was willing to even talk to her aside from her parents. Either because they made fun of her too, or they were afraid of making themselves a target.
Well, Naruto tried. Sakura felt a bit ashamed about how she'd responded, now that she'd thought about it. Seriously, why did he have a crush on her?
It was part of why she wanted to be Fuu's friend like Ino had been for her, even if they wouldn't be able to keep in touch.
"Uh, guys?" Fuu began, getting their attention. She looked a bit uncertain, her orange eyes looking to the ground before looking back at them. "Is there a reason Sasuke's so distant? I mean, I get that he still doesn't know me that well, but... he doesn't seem to talk much to anyone besides you guys."
Naruto and Sakura shared a troubled look. Fuu quickly picked up on that. "That bad? Never mind then, forget I said anything."
Naruto sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "It's pretty hard to get him to open up. He's the type that doesn't really care for idle chit-chat, you know? He can come off as cold, but he's a good guy beneath that."
Fuu nodded. "I can tell. You guys seem really close." She then scratched her cheek. "I wish I had a team like yours."
Sakura smiled, briefly reminiscing how their team had started out. "I remember Sasuke used to be a lot more open," She began, thinking back further. "But then..." She trailed off and shook her head.
"Then I came home to find my entire clan dead," Sasuke said, startling all three of them and drowning out the sound of the door creaking open. They all turned to see him standing at the now open door.
"What!?" Fuu blanched her face paling as she seemed to shrink into herself as Sasuke walked into the room, joining them near the table. "Oh god, that's..." Her mouth worked for a moment, unable to find the words before her wide eyes fell to the table. "I- I knew you were the last Uchiha... but... I never heard how that... I thought the clan just... dwindled over the years."
"We owned an entire district," The Uchiha informed her, looking at her and then out the window. "It was almost its own village inside Konoha. And then in one night..." He trailed off, not seeming to look at anything as his eyes stared out at the village, his hand clenched at his side.
She could see emotions warring within him as he stared out. The tensing, the furrowed brow, the unseeing look in his eyes. Sorrow, loss, anger.
"Sasuke..." Sakura looked toward him with concern, a single hand raised to her chest. She still had trouble wrapping her mind around that. It didn't help that no one ever told them who did it. The adults probably knew, but they never told the kids, and no one was about to ask Sasuke about it.
Fuu looked at him in horror, her eyes wide and mouth agape before her gaze trailed down, her hair covering her eyes. The mint-haired girl was probably trying to put herself in his shoes. Sakura knew she had. Imagining coming home to find just her parents like that... it had really made her appreciate them more.
Naruto looked pained, while Sakura continued staring at the other boy with concern, neither sure of what to say. This was the first time Sasuke had actually talked about that night.
Fuu looked up, a slight watery shine in her eyes as she looked sadly at Sasuke.
A few seconds of silence passed before the Uchiha of all people broke it. "So, weren't we going to play cards?"
Seeing the effort to get them past that gloomy subject for what it was, Fuu sat back, shook her head to clear it, wiped her eyes, and nodded. "Uh, yeah. I've got the cards right here." Fuu pulled out a deck of cards from her pouch. She then looked apologetic as she placed it on the table. "Sorry, I brought snacks, but no one told me you didn't like sweets..."
Sasuke shook his head. "Don't worry about it," He replied as he sat down at the table. The other two members of Team Seven joined him.
Naruto gave Fuu a slight smile as he said, "Fuu, why don't you shuffle." He then winked at her.
The mint-haired kunoichi seemed to get it and smiled, and then she turned her attention to the cards in her hand.
Sakura blinked as she watched the Taki kunoichi work. The cards just seemed to flow and glide between her hands. They flew in twin streams between her hands with a flourish before she had the cards dance between her fingers.
"Whoa..." Sakura breathed, and she knew she wasn't the only one impressed. Naruto grinned as he watched, clearly having seen it before.
For a few moments, they watched the Taki kunoichi seamlessly shift the cards through flourishes. The girl's orange eyes gleamed at how they enjoyed her work, clearly happy to entertain and lighten the mood.
"Sasuke," Naruto spoke up, getting the Uchiha's attention. "I'm not going to say I understand what you've been through, but Sakura and I have your back."
"Yeah," Sakura nodded with a soft smile. "We're here for you if you need it."
"Me too," Fuu added as she placed the cards on the table. She looked at Sasuke sadly. "I know what it's like to lose someone you love, but that... I know I won't be here long, but whenever I'm around, you can count on me."
Sasuke closed his eyes, but Sakura got the feeling he appreciated the offer.
"They never told us anything about who did it. Did we ever catch them?" Sakura asked.
"No, he's still out there," Sasuke replied, looking out the window with a frown.
He? Did Sasuke know who was responsible? Wait, he was there that night. He just said it was already over by the time he got home, but did he actually see the culprit?
"So he's the guy you've been after," Naruto noted. "When the time comes, Sakura and I'll have your back." Sakura nodded, her brow furrowed.
"Same here. If you ever track this guy down, just say the word, and I'll come running," Fuu said with a nod. Then she rubbed the back of her head with a sheepish smile. "If you can get word to me, I mean..."
Right. Taki was a Hidden village.
After a moment, he looked at the other three and just said, "Thanks."
Another period of silence passed before Sakura spoke up. "So, does anyone have any idea what we're playing?" She'd been invited for cards, not a specific game. She didn't really have any preference.
Sasuke shrugged while Naruto cupped his chin and thought. Fuu meanwhile beamed. "If no one else has any ideas, I've got one!"
After a moment without any objections, Naruto said, "Ok, go for it!"
Fuu beamed before she began dealing out cards. "Alright, guys, the name of the game's Hearts..."
Kakashi made his way through the halls of Konoha's administration building. He greeted the few who crossed his path with a nod as he made his way to the Hokage's office.
The silver-haired man had been sitting back with his book after spending the day training his students before getting to work improving his own skills. There was always room to grow, after all, and he wasn't going to delude himself into believing he was a match for one of the Sannin.
Who knew what resources Orochimaru could have at his disposal, what he had planned or how insistently he'd pursue his student after placing that damn cursed seal on him. The Copy Ninja would do his damndest to be ready to protect his students and the village.
Then, out of the blue, an ANBU member had appeared at his door and told him the Hokage wished to see him.
That was one thing he would never be late for.
He knocked on the door upon reaching his destination. "Come in," He heard from within. He opened the door and stepped inside.
"You wished to see me, Lord Hokage?" Kakashi asked as he walked halfway to his leader's desk.
The Third Hokage sat at the table with his fingers steeple together. He nodded, "Thank you for coming on such short notice."
A formality. It wasn't like anyone could refuse. "It was no trouble. Now, if I may ask, why have I been called here?"
Hiruzen closed his eyes. "Someone wanted to speak with you, and I wanted to sit in on this discussion."
Kakashi frowned as he wondered who the Hokage could be talking about. It was then that a chuckle reached his ears. Someone else was in the room. Someone he hadn't even sensed.
For an instant, he tensed, but he relaxed again almost immediately. This was a voice he knew, though one he hadn't heard in many years. He turned, wide-eyed, to see a tall, white-haired man leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, smirking at him. "Hey, Kakashi. Been a while."
"Jiraiya," Kakashi said a hint of surprise in his tone. Jiraiya of the Sannin. One of the legendary students of the Third Hokage. The sensei of his sensei. One of the strongest shinobi alive.
And the author of his favorite book series.
"I didn't know you'd returned."
"Heh. Good, then I'm not losing my touch." Jiraiya mused, cupping his chin. He then lost his smirk, looking at Kakashi with a slight frown. "I can't imagine things were easy for you after the Kyuubi attack. You doing ok?"
Kakashi shrugged. "As well as can be expected." He replied, getting a hum from the man. "But I take it you're not here to talk about me."
"The old man told me about the Uchiha brat's new tattoo. Is your team alright? Has he shown any signs of trouble?" Jiraiya inquired.
"Thankfully, no, and my team is doing quite well," Kakashi replied. "They had a rough start, but I'm glad to say they're far more functional than either of ours were, especially so early on. But then, hardship and trauma can do that."
Jiraiya crossed his arms again and nodded. "Yeah, I heard about what went down in Wave. Don't worry; I'm not going to judge you for it. They're your team. Besides, I'm sure you've already had plenty of that."
He heard the Third make a noise of disapproval behind him.
"Well, glad to hear Sasuke's alright. From what the old man told me, they've come a long way." Jiraiya said. "So, tell me about Naruto."
Ah. Kakashi had been expecting that from the moment he noticed Jiraiya's presence. He closed his eye. "Well, he's not known as Konoha's Number One Hyperactive Knuckleheaded Ninja for nothing. When he was first assigned to me, he was a prankster who was always vying for attention. No surprise, given how he was treated. And he had a degree of overconfidence that was just staggering. Always trying to prove he was better than Sasuke, kinda like you and Orochimaru."
He then opened his eye. "But he had the same heart as his father. Even if he was a bit rough around the edges. And he's grown by leaps and bounds. Even if his mouth might still be a bit too big for his own good, at least now he can back up most of his claims, and he's quicker to recognize when he's out of his league. He's put that mind of his to good use, showing that all that time playing pranks was anything but a waste. And he has the same dream as his parents."
Jiraiya chuckled at that. "To become Hokage, huh? For the same reasons, I bet. Guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree."
Kakashi shook his head. "I can see a lot of them in him."
Jiraiya hummed in thought. "Tell me about what you're teaching him."
Kakashi did, from his admittedly abysmal first lessons that had Jiraiya frowning, to their new regime, and everything he tried to teach him.
The legendary ninja sighed. "Rasengan, huh? I'd hoped to pass his father's technique down to him myself." Jiraiya mused.
Kakashi thought to himself that if that was the case, he should have been here before. He'd had let Naruto down. Kakashi wasn't going to deny that. But, as much as he respected Jiraiya, he had failed the boy more.
"But, I can't blame you. You had as much a right to teach Naruto that technique as I did. And at least you were here, unlike me." Jiraiya said, somewhat bitterly. Huh, so he was aware of it.
"Well, it's good to know you didn't just follow Orochimaru here," Kakashi noted.
"I was planning to take over the boy's training," Jiraiya admitted, looking out the window.
Kakashi bit back an argument as he considered that wording. "I'm sensing a 'but.'"
Jiraiya buried his hand in his long white mane as he looked away. "But I know me, and I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have thought of taking advantage of Shadow Clones the way you did. And with all you've managed to teach him and his teammates... Yeah, you're doing as well as I could. Maybe better. I wouldn't be doing him any favors taking him off your hands."
Kakashi's eye widened slightly. That wasn't what he expected from his sensei's teacher. It helped put to rest some lingering guilt over his early days with his team.
"He wants to master the Uzumaki clan's art, is that right?" Jiraiya asked, and Kakashi nodded, "Well, consider me his tutor in sealing jutsu. I'll take him under my wing and teach him a few others of my own personal tricks, but I'll leave him to you, for the most part."
Well, he wasn't going to argue about that. Jiraiya was the foremost expert of sealing jutsu in the nations after all. "But there is one other thing I need to teach him ASAP."
"And what's that?" Kakashi asked.
"How to tap into the Kyuubi's power."
Kakashi frowned. Now here he had mixed feelings. On the one hand, Naruto probably should be able to. It was kind of the point of Jinchurriki in general. And he needed to know how to control it. Wave proved that. Still...
"Trust me, he's going to need it," Jiraiya said grimly.
Kakashi's frown deepened. "You know something I don't." It wasn't a question.
"I'm afraid," Hiruzen spoke up, drawing both pairs of eyes to him. "Jiraiya's absence hasn't been solely due to his pursuit of Orochimaru."
The next day, Team Seven met in the now-familiar rocky grounds outside the village.
"Before we begin training today," Kakashi began. "Naruto, there's someone who wants to meet with you."
The blond blinked as Sasuke frowned while Sakura looked curious. "Huh? Who's that, Kakashi-sensei?"
"I'll let that be a surprise," The Copy Ninja answers. "Meet them in the Third Training Ground at 5."
Naruto's brow furrowed. He crossed his arms and tilted his head. "Eh, I don't get why this guy can't just come here..." He then shrugged, "But, fine. I don't have any plans today anyway."
Naruto felt a bit nostalgic as he walked stepped walked up to the trio of posts near the heart of the Third Training Ground. It had been a while since he'd been here. It looked like he'd gotten there first. He didn't see any signs of anyone else.
He looked around the clearing, finding reminders of the day he and his team took the bell test, and smiled fondly at the thought. His expression shifted and became somber then as he walked up to the memorial stone. He read through the names of his village's fallen heroes until he found two in particular.
Obito Uchiha and Rin Nohara.
He didn't know them. But from what Kakashi had told them, he would have liked to. They were precious to his sensei. And sadly, they'd died around the same age he was now.
He closed his eyes and put his hands together in prayer for a moment.
"Well, well. Nice to see kids paying respect where it's due," A voice from behind him said. Naruto instantly turned around, tense and ready for a fight.
Leaning against a tree near the edge of the clearing was a tall, white-haired man he'd never seen before, watching him with a smirk.
"And who are you supposed to be?" Naruto asked. "You the guy I'm supposed to meet here?"
The man just chuckled. "Well, I'm glad you asked!" At that, the man placed his palm forward, his head held high in a dramatic pose. "My name is known throughout the Elemental Nations. A Hero of two Ninja World Wars. A man whose very name sends villains fleeing into the shadows. The one known as the Toad Sage of Mount Myōboku," He slid one foot forward, spinning his head so that his ponytail whipped through the air and raising his other hand over his head. "The one! The only! The legendary Jiraiya!"
Jiraiya. Jiraiya of the Sannin. Another one of the students of the Third Hokage and the man who trained his father, the Fourth Hokage.
... This... wasn't what he'd expected.
He thought it was a pretty cool introduction. Even if he didn't, it's not like he'd have room to talk. Just one look at his original ninja ID (which he still thought was awesome) would tell you that. Still, he kinda expected such a legendary ninja to be more... dignified, like the old man.
Besides...
Naruto glared. "Jiraiya..." He began, and the legendary shinobi dropped his stance a little, looking at him curiously. "You were close with my dad, right?"
"Ah, right," Jiraiya seemed to see where he was going, dropping his pose entirely and rubbing the back of his head. "Yeah, I was. He was like family to me." He sighed. Naruto started to say something, but Jiraiya interrupted. "Look, kid, I can make excuses for why you've never heard from me, but what it boils down to is I had too much on my plate to come back to Konoha. Hell, I hadn't set foot here for years before the Kyuubi attack. I'm Konoha's spymaster, and I've been on to something big. Too big for me to walk away from."
Naruto pointed accusingly. "And that stopped you from just dropping by for one day to say "Hi, I knew your old man?""
"It was sensitive stuff," Jiraiya argued back.
"And what the hell was so important you couldn't lay off of it for, what, a week!?"
"You don't need to know right now!" Jiraiya shot back. He then sighed. "Look, you've got every right to be mad, but it's not like I didn't keep my ear to the ground about you. Who do you think sent you that frog wallet you still hang on to?"
That drew Naruto up short. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his frog-like wallet, stuffed to the brim.
Jiraiya chuckled. "I wanted to send a toad-shaped one, but that's the closest I could find." He then smirked and pointed his thumb at himself. "Truth is; half the gifts the old man gave you over the years were actually sent by yours truly."
Naruto looked back at his wallet and briefly remembered, back to his fifth birthday, when he opened a gift box from the Third Hokage. He'd said it came from a friend of his father but wouldn't tell him anymore. So, it was...
"I know it's not quite enough, but part of the reason I came here was to try to make up for lost time, now that business brought me back around." Jiraiya continued. "And, I've got something for you."
With that, he clapped his hands together before slamming his palm to the ground. The toad sage vanished in a burst of smoke, and when it cleared, Naruto's eyes widened to find he was sitting on the back of an orange toad with blue markings. It was so big that Jiraiya could sit on the back of his neck. It had a necklace of blue beads hanging from its neck, the largest one at the center baring the kanji for loyalty, and in its mouth, wrapped up in its tongue, was a large scroll.
"Woah, a summoning jutsu!" Naruto said in amazement.
"Haha, that's right, brat. And this is for you," At Jiraiya's words, the toad opened its mouth, its tongue unfurled, extending to lay the scroll at Naruto's feet.
Naruto frowned. "What's th-?"
"Uh, uh, uh," Jiraiya stopped him, the toad's tongue pressing down on the scroll to keep him from opening it.
Naruto glared and raised a fist. "Hey, what gives old man?! What even is this scroll anyway?"
"That, Naruto, is the summoning scroll of the Toads," Jiraiya informed him with a smirk, causing Naruto's eyes to widen. "All you have to do is sign it, and you'll be able to summon them. Just like me."
Naruto blinked. "Really? That's all?" He'd thought there would be more to it than that.
"Yep, that's it. Just sign the scroll in blood, and you'll be a toad summoner too," Jiraiya then cupped his chin. "Of course, some of the stronger ones might not listen to you if you don't get their respect first..."
Naruto grinned, brimming with excited energy. "Awesome! So if you'll just let me sign it and..."
"Nope," The legendary shinobi held up one finger. "You've got to agree to something first."
"Huh? What is it?" Naruto asked eagerly; ready to answer whatever challenge Jiraiya threw at him.
Only for the Sannin's condition to take the wind out of his sails. Jiraiya looked at him severely and said, "You've gotta let me teach you how to tap into the fox's chakra."
Naruto stiffened. His mind went back to the bridge. To seeing Sasuke lying unmoving. Then how everything was consumed in red and all he could think about was hatred for the masked boy.
"I know. I heard about your only experience with it so far," Jiraiya said solemnly with a nod. "But you need to learn to control it. Not only so you can use the strength to keep from getting in that situation again, but so it doesn't control you if you pull it out by mistake."
That drew Naruto up short.
"If a Jinchurriki is consumed by their Biju's chakra, they become berserkers. At a certain point, they lose the ability to tell friend from foe, and that's just the start." Jiraiya explained before his eyes narrowed. "If you completely lose control of the chakra, the seal will break. The fox will be let loose, and I'm pretty sure the old man explained what'll happen to you."
Naruto flinched. Yeah, he'd die.
"Besides, it's past time. Most Jinchurriki are taught to tap into their Biju's power when they're a bit over half your age and given special training. I get that the old man wanted you to live a normal life, and I agree with him to a point, but just look at what happened. You almost flunked out of the academy because they didn't think to teach you to control your chakra properly."
Naruto grimaced. He couldn't lie: Jiraiya made some points...
"I'm sweetening the deal with this contract. So, kid. What's it going to be?"
Naruto briefly fought with himself. He really didn't want to use that chakra. But... Jiraiya raised good points. He didn't want to lose himself to it if he accidentally drew it out. And... if he was stronger, maybe what happened in Wave wouldn't have been so close.
Not to mention Jiraiya's former teammate was after Sasuke. They'd need all the power they could get.
Naruto was silent for a moment before he answered, staring down at his feet. "Ok."
"Not just 'ok,'" Jiraiya said. "I hear you don't go back on your word, so want your promise as a shinobi."
Naruto grimaced. Jiraiya had been keeping tabs on him. He absolutely refused to break his word. Ever.
He glared. "Fine. I give you my word as a shinobi of Konoha: I'll learn how to use the fox's chakra."
Jiraiya nodded and smirked, "Then let's get down to business."
With that, the toad's tongue unrolled the scroll, revealing several empty spots followed by names with their fingerprints at the base, all black except for Jiraiya's, which was written in red.
It was the name directly after his that caught his attention.
Minato Namikaze.
Naruto blinked, staring at the name for a second before looking up at Jiraiya, who chuckled. "Yep. He got the contract from me, and now I want you to sign it. The toads are one of the best contracts out there. Oh, and if you think that you might find another good one, don't worry. They don't mind if you sign two or three of these."
He placed one hand on his knee. "This isn't all I'm planning to help you with. I hear you want to learn sealing jutsu? Well, you're looking at the number one expert of sealing jutsu in all the lands. I can help you with your clan's lost art, and there's plenty of other things I can teach you, too. This is just the beginning." He then leaned forward.
Naruto wouldn't lie and say he completely forgave Jiraiya, especially not after that stunt, but... this guy trained his father. And he was one of the strongest shinobi alive! He'd be stupid to turn this down!
Besides, he was probably honest about wanting to make up for lost time.
He'd give the old man a chance.
"... Alright," Naruto said before raising a fist, grinning. "And when all's said and done, you can say you trained two Hokage!"
Jiraiya chuckled. "Well, we've got a ways to go. So, why don't you go ahead and sign the scroll?"
He kneeled down and bit his thumb, signing the empty space before smearing the crimson liquid over all his fingertips and pressing them onto the sheet.
"Congratulations, kid. You are now a proud summoner of the Toads of Mount Myōboku." Jiraiya said.
"Cool! So, I just clap my hands and-"
"Hold on there," Jiraiya said, raising his palm in a stop gesture, causing Naruto to freeze. "Before we do that, I want to do some training with you."
"Huh?" Naruto squinted at him. Why couldn't they do that after he tried out his new jutsu?
"I want you to walk on water while I take stock of your skills. I can give you some pointers in the meantime, but more importantly, I want you to use up all your chakra."
"What? Why?"
Jiraiya gave him a severe look. "So that when you try the summoning jutsu, you'll draw out the fox's chakra."
Naruto grimaced. Already?
"So, let's get started."
Hours later, and Naruto lay on his back by the river, chest heaving as he panted. It had taken the better part of the afternoon, but the blond was finally running low on chakra.
Jiraiya had put him through the wringer. Everything Kakashi had him do, at once, all on the water.
Still, Jiraiya showed that he was the man who trained the Fourth Hokage. He'd pointed out flaws in his fighting style, gave him some pointers with wind jutsu, and told him some things about the chains.
Apparently, he'd asked his mom about the Chain Barrier when he had been researching barrier ninjutsu. He'd told him the basics and promised to write down everything he knew on the subject in a scroll.
When it was all over, Jiraiya had actually had to catch him when he dispersed all the clones and all their exhaustion hit him.
Now he was lying on his back, trying to center himself amid his clone's experiences.
"Alright, kid," Jiraiya began, standing over him. "We need to do this while you're still good and tired. So, let's get to it."
"Ok, just... give me a second," Naruto replied, sitting up and putting one hand on his brow. He shook his head and stood up, facing the Sannin without his usual energy.
"Well, let's have it." Jiraiya closed his eye and held up one finger. "Now, what I did earlier was a more advanced version of the technique. For someone just starting out, you'll have to smear some blood on the hand you signed the contract with and then form the boar, dog, bird monkey, and finally ram hand seals."
He then frowned at Naruto. "I want you to reach deep into yourself. Draw out as much chakra as possible and summon the biggest thing that you can. Act as if your life depends on it."
Naruto nodded, frowning down at his hand. He bit into his thumb, smeared a line of red onto his palm, and closed his eyes. He tried to do as the Toad Sage told him. He then ran through the hand seals and slammed his palm onto the ground. "Summoning Jutsu!"
He immediately knew he had failed. No chakra other than his own and a small cloud burst around his hand. When it cleared, it revealed a small toad. Over twice the size of a normal one, but still, nothing compared to the one Jiraiya summoned. It was orange too and had purple markings around its eyes, lips, and chest. Oddly, it wore a tiny vest.
The toad raised its front leg in greeting. "Hey, what's up? Are you a new summoner?"
Naruto blinked. He could talk? Well, not the strangest thing he knew of, he guessed. He grinned and pointed to himself with his thumb "Yep, I'm Naruto Uzumaki! Nice to meet you."
"Same to you. The name's Gamakichi." The now-named toad answered.
Jiraiya sighed and crossed his arms. "Well, that was a bust." He then cupped his chin. "Still, it's something that even worn out as you are, you didn't wind up with a tadpole..."
"Oh, hey, if it isn't the old pervert? Well, I guess the newbie had to get the contract from somewhere." Gamakichi said, looking up at Jiraiya. "What's shaking?"
Naruto frowned and looked up at the Sannin questioningly. "Pervert?"
Naruto had expected Jiraiya to say something in his own defense but was severely disappointed. Instead, the white-haired man chuckled and crossed his arms. "Yep, you're looking at one of the most refined appreciators of the female form on the entire continent!"
The Kyuubi Jinchuuriki's eye twitched as he glared at the legendary ninja. '... And he's proud of that?'
This was the guy who'd trained his father? Yep, the man was a far cry from his own sensei.
He sighed and decided to change the subject. "So, you want me to try again? Can Gamakichi stick around?" The little toad seemed pretty cool.
"Hm... actually, let's call it a day," Jiraiya replied.
Naruto blinked again. "... What?"
Jiraiya gave him a grin. "I think we've one enough for one day. Why don't you get to know your new friend?" He then waved at the blond. "See ya!"
"Hey, wait a minute!" Naruto yelled in vain as the Sannin disappeared in a burst of smoke. He sighed before he crossed his arms and started to grumble. "Damn it, what the hell? After all that work to burn through my chakra..."
"Heh, he's just like my old man said..." Gamakichi noted.
Naruto looked down at the little toad. Well, if they'd be working together, they should probably get to know each other. Jiraiya was right about that, at least. "So, ever been to Konoha?"
"Nope, this is the first time anyone's ever summoned me," The not-so-little toad said before raising a brow. "Aiming for something bigger, I take it?"
Naruto rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Yeah, the old perv kinda wanted me to try summoning when I was low on chakra as an exercise." He then perked up. "But hey, why don't I show you around?"
"Sounds fun," Gamakichi said before leaping up onto Naruto's shoulder. "Hey, know any sweets shops?"
"Oh, got a thing for candy?"
"Yep, but nothing like my brother."
"Then let's make sure you bring something back for him."
"Alright, kid, let's try something a little different," Jiraiya said as he looked down on Naruto the next day.
This time, the Sannin had led the blond genin into a clearing far outside the village, deep into the forest.
"So, we're not going to talk about how you just left me high and dry the other day?" Naruto asked dryly.
"Hey, it's just as I said. It was a good chance for you to make friends with your new summon." Jiraiya replied, placing on hand on his hip. "Trust me; he's not going to be that small for long."
Naruto just stared and made a sound of annoyance.
"Think about it kid, would you appreciate it if someone called you out of the blue and then sent you right back because they were looking for someone else."
Naruto winced and rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah, you have a point. And he seemed pretty cool... I mean, it's not like I would have just sent him back but..."
"But he would have just wound up sitting around watching you train otherwise," Jiraiya pointed out.
Naruto sighed. Yeah, that was true. If he'd thought about it, he'd probably have wanted to call it quits then, too, after pulling Gamakichi from his home with no warning like that. He'd just been irritated with how the Sannin handled it: just up and leaving without any explanation.
After a few moments, Naruto sighed. "So, what are we trying this time?"
"Well, for starters, sit down," Jiraiya said as he sat down cross-legged on the ground. Naruto followed suit. "It's not exactly my area of expertise, I definitely wouldn't try to use it in a fight, but I do have some passing skill with genjutsu. Let's see if I can't help you get in touch with the power resting inside you."
The sage then grimaced. "This might be tough. If this doesn't work, we'll have to try to simulate what got you to tap into it in the first place."
Naruto shared his expression as he recalled that day on the bridge.
"Well, let's hope for the best," The Toad Sage said before he ran through a series of hand signs. Naruto felt the effects immediately and began to feel drowsy. Then, his focus turned inward.
As conscious thought began to float away, his attention turned to the power coursing through his chakra network. He'd never before felt so in turn with it. He could almost map its course through his body.
He managed to recall what he was doing this for and looked deep through the river of blue for the red he barely remembered. He dove deeper and deeper until he found it, like a crimson sun; shining deep in the sea of azure. He reached for it, and...
Suddenly, full awareness returned as Naruto's eyes shot open. But, as his eyes darted around his surroundings, he found he was no longer in the forest.
He stood in what looked like a sewer system with his feet were ankle-deep in water. Droplets condensed on the pipes that littered the ceiling above, dripping down and making ripples in the water below. As he looked up, he couldn't see, but he could feel the chakra coursing through the pipes.
But it wasn't his chakra. It was far more powerful and seemed to radiate a feeling of hatred he could sense.
Steeling his eyes, he followed the flow of the crimson chakra. He made his way through the halls until he reached a large room.
On the other side of the chamber lay a massive cage. Pipes trailing out from the corners where it met the wall.
Naruto knew what had to lie within. Taking a breath, he approached.
As he neared the cage, two massive eyes, ruby with slit pupils, opened within the darkness. Then sharp teeth were bared, each easily as large as he was.
"Well, well, if it isn't my jailor." A deep voice rumbled from within the cage. The eyes shifted, their owner seeming to weigh him. "I had wondered when you'd finally show yourself here."
So, this was the Kyuubi. The Nine-Tailed Fox that had nearly destroyed Konoha and cost his parents and countless others their lives.
He wasn't sure what to say. He felt anger, fear, surprise that it had spent these years in this sewer and wondering if that was the seals doing or what it meant for his mindscape.
In the end, he took a breath and went with his default. "Yeah, well, can you blame me? I didn't know you were here until half a year ago."
The fox huffed. "I'm well aware. I've been forced to watch your insipid life play out from within this cage."
Naruto blinked. "Huh? You can see what's going on outside?"
He wasn't sure how he felt about the Kyuubi watching his life.
"I see you still have a talent for stating the obvious," The Kyuubi replied in annoyance.
He frowned. "Then you know why I'm here."
"Obviously. The toad's latest prospect wants to teach you to use my power." The fox sighed. "Well, as much as I loathe being imprisoned, I can't escape from this infernal seal. Besides," Now those crimson eyes focused on him. "There might be something you can do for me..."
Naruto glared up at the fox. "What the hell could you want me to do for you?"
The fox laughed. "You have guts to glare at me like that, or is it ignorance? In any case, it's not something you need to worry about, for now. Don't expect me to let you use my power frivolously," Crimson chakra seeped through the bars, pouring towards Naruto like a wave before wrapping around him. "But, as I don't have much choice, I'll loan you my chakra."
Naruto opened his eyes back in reality, the once azure orbs now matching the fox's eyes as an aura of crimson surrounded him. The chakra felt hot like it might burn him. There was a slight haze in his mind, foreign anger that he fought to suppress. It was much easier than it had been on the bridge, with his own rage adding fuel to the flames.
Jiraiya smirked. "Well, well. Looks like it worked."
Naruto stared at his hand, the nails on his fingers sharpened to a point again. He'd need to talk to Kakashi about this.
So, Jiraiya decided to leave most of Naruto's training to Kakashi. I feel like Kakashi did do a better job than him. Not to mention there's no reason Jiraiya couldn't have thought up using Shadow Clones.
Speaking of, I recall Jiraiya knows who Gamakichi is. Figured he'd think it could only be a good thing for Naruto to befriend him, given who his father is.
As for the end of the chapter... I wouldn't say this is a Good Kurama fic, so much as rational. His behavior in canon makes no sense to me. I mean, it makes sense he'd hate people and Naruto and be antagonistic towards him... except for one factor. Obito. He knows Obito can mind control him, which has to be worse than being sealed, knows he can teleport, and must realize how easy his chakra would be to locate for any sensor. So, if he ever got free from Naruto, he'd be screwed. Obito would teleport to his location as soon as he found out, instant game over. Makes sense he wouldn't consider that during the night of the attack, already being free and heat of the moment and all, but after having years to think?
I'm assuming it's like Itachi. Kishimoto didn't originally plan on him secretly being a good guy, and I'm assuming he didn't initially plan Obito's involvement in the attack, either. That, or the Kyuubi wasn't impressed by Naruto's growth rate until later.
The logical thing would be to use Naruto to kill Obito. Worst case should this succeed, Naruto gains to much control for him to break free. Kurama can still just wait until he dies or try again with his next Jinchuriki if he's transferred. So, that's what he's doing here. He's begrudgingly cooperative, purely out of self-interest. He allows Naruto access to his chakra and makes no active attempts to influence him nor will he try to break free, but he's not going to filter out his will/rage or actually help him control it either.