"Know Thy Self, Know Thy Enemy, Know Thy Angel"

by Quick-n-Popular

Disclaimer: "Naruto" and its characters are not my property.

A/N: Thank you all for your reviews and responses. I'd like to make note that in this story, much like my others, Naruto and those who had graduated are all 14-15 years old. Just so there's no confusion.

Now, on with the story.


Chapter Five: The Heart of the Matter

Some minutes later after Naruto had awoke, Ino now was watching him eat the fruit she had peeled for him, as he was using his, currently, only good arm and hand. After finishing the amount the Yamanaka teen girl had prepared for him, he settled as he digested, thinking about getting back to making a new scroll despite being slightly unable to do it normally, at this time.

Ino, setting aside the bowl the fruit used to be in, looked at Naruto in thought before speaking.

"Hey, Naruto." When his eyes looked up at her, she continued; "Can...You tell me what that weird chakra is that heals you? I've seen it twice now and it looks painful when it heals you, so...I'm worried." Ino closed her eyes but opened them and looked to him to see his reaction and saw him staring at his lap in thought.

Naruto knew this would come up someday and now here it was. At first, he felt anxious by the idea of revealing of what he held in him, considering what it had done to the village and, of course, how the people who already knew he held it had treated him. Would Ino be any different?

Ino seeing that he was struggling and reluctant to answer her, sighed but smiled, "I have feeling it's something not easy for you to talk about, so you don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I'm just worried about you, is the thing."

Naruto looked up at Ino with a multitude of emotions running across his face and, after a minute, he smiled. "Thanks, Ino. Can you get me my book from my bag. There's...something I want to show you. It'll help me answer your question, too."

Ino nodded, now, even more curious as she retrieved what he had asked for.

"There's a picture in the beginning page." Naruto instructed her.

Ino found what he was talking about and she took a moment to look at the red haired woman in Shinobi gear pictured.

'She's pretty...Wait.. her face looks like-' Ino halted her line of thought as she looked up at Naruto who nodded in confirmation to what she had determined.

"That's my mom. Her name was Kushina Uzumaki." He said, smiling.

Ino looked back at the photo and back at Naruto before handing him the book and with his mother's photo, which she put back to its original place. Naruto took it and placed it on the table beside him.

"My Mom, or rather, the entire Uzumaki Clan, was great with Fuinjutsu and seals. Sealing, especially."

Ino nodded, unsure to where he was going with this or how it tied to that eerie chakra.

"Ino...Do you remember what happened in the Village fourteen years ago?" He asked.

Ino thought for a moment before something came to her knowledge. However, she still couldn't make the connection.

"The Kyuubi attacked the village but what..?" Her mouth closed and her eyes widened as she understood what Naruto was hinting at. Talking about the sealing of his family, how the red chakra seemed angry and evil as it healed him…

"No way…" She said in a hushed tone, "But...They told us that the Yondaime had killed it. Right?"

That was what they were taught at the Academy, after all. However, Naruto lifted his shirt and exposed his stomach before channeling some chakra and soon she saw a complex seal that covered his skin.

"The Yondaime had to...seal it with a design used by the Uzumaki. It couldn't be beaten otherwise. My mother was the previous container of the Kyuubi, after all."

Ino's mouth dropped open in shock, "Your mother was? Really?"

Naruto nodded before sighing, "And before her, the First Hokage's wife, Mito Uzumaki was the first to hold it. So," He then chuckled with dark humor, "It kinda runs in the family."

Ino knew there was some humor to be felt in that but she was still too stunned to join in with him. It seemed he knew that too as he dropped the humor and sighed.

"The Kyuubi is healing me since if I die, it'll die and then reincarnate at a later time. The thing is pure chakra. That's what you're seeing when it heals me." He finished and then looked at her, waiting for her response.

Ino's reaction wasn't immediate. After a moment, she slowly stood up and then went to Naruto's bed and then leaned in and hugged him abruptly, burying her face into his shoulder.

Naruto froze and with a shaky voice called out, "Ino...Wh-What are you…..?"

Ino tightened her embrace a bit more before she remembered the teen boy was still injured and she released him and stepped back as some moisture came to her eyes.

"You baka...You've...You've been dealing with this for all this time...All by yourself, haven't you?" She dabbed at her eyes and then smiled, "You're amazing, did you know that?"

Naruto stunned soon felt tears come to his eyes as he registered that Ino, the first person who he revealed his secret to, was accepting him for what he held and not thinking ill of him.

"Ino...Thank you…" He said as he stifled his bursting emotions.


Near the border of Water Country and Wind Country, Pakura sat at the campsite made by her retrieval team (who were currently still sleeping), sipping the tea that had been provided when she woken up in the morning.

Watching as the morning's light came in as the sun rose, her thought s went to her former savior and his group who were now no more.

'May you find peace in the afterlife, Zabuza-san.'

She saw the man fall after having killed the bastard of a business man who had betrayed him in the end and Pakura withdrew thereafter. Baki, the leader of her retrieval unit, found her as she made her exit and then her extraction began.

After the anxiety of her departure from Kiri, the tension of waiting for her return; now she felt at ease. However, what she learned about the situation in Suna wasn't pleasant.

The Wind Daimyo was in fact crippling their village by sending resources and jobs elsewhere. Unless Rasa, the Kazekage, could change his mind Suna would have to look for a sponsor elsewhere.

'Speaking of which,' Pakura thought suspiciously, 'HIS offer seems too well-timed..'

Baki had informed her as they traveled the other night of a visitor that came to the Kazekage's office not too long ago. The Snake Sannin, Orochimaru, of all people, came and offered to help their struggling village financially, politically, and militarily with his newly formed village, Otogakure. As to what he wanted in return? Well, the man simply smiled and said, "What you're worth."

Baki said that the Kazekage hasn't given him an answer to the offer yet, though he speculates that it's only a matter of time, at this point.

'We're about to make a deal with the "devil". Kami, help us.' Pakura sighed as she resumed drinking her tea.


With the Kyuubi's aid and after a night's rest, Naruto was well enough to stand guard with Chouji, Sasuke, and Asuma when they went to guard Tazuna while he supervised his men building the bridge that had been planned. Since he had it at his disposal, Naruto offered several Shadow Clones to assist the workers in the construction which Tazuna thanked the blond for, joking that the boy could gain some combat engineering experience.

Meanwhile, Sakura, Ino, Shikamaru, and Kakashi were in the woods near Tazuna and Tsunami's home, practicing the tree climbing chakra control exercise.

Sakura and Ino, having a limited amount of chakra, were able to complete the exercise successfully and thus were resting in the shade as they watched Shikamaru give his half-heart-ed attempt at it.

"I could use my Nin Dog Summons, if it would help, Shikamaru-san." Kakashi drawled as he turned the page of his book.

Shikamaru grumbled as he made a couple more steps before marking his place and then came back down a he lost his control.

The two girls watched him from the shade. Ino sighing in irritation.

"He CAN do this, he just doesn't want to put up the effort. Lazy bastard."

Sakura nodded before stretching her arms and then gave Ino a questioning look, "By the way, what were you doing up so late last night, Ino?"

Ino shrugged, "Just taking care of Naruto."

"Right," Said Sakura, "So tell me, why are you being around him so much? You've hardly talked about Sasuke-kun, as well."

Ino rested her chin on her knees as she thought about how to answer her. Talking about her curiosity in Naruto couldn't be talked about as it tied to what she learned about him last night and how she swore, despite her usual gossiping tendencies, that she wouldn't betray Naruto's trust in her.

So what could she answer with?

Ino sighed, "Naruto... has become a lot more interesting, lately. Actually, he's ALWAYS been interesting and I feel I, or really all of us; failed to notice it." She smiled, "While Sasuke is interesting in his own way, I just feel more connected to that orange clad idiot, really."

Sakura looking surprised at the honest answer she had been given, smiled herself. Even thoguh it wasn't the answer she was looking for from her friend, she decided to just drop it for now.

The two girls continued to watch Shikamaru's progress.


Inari fidgeted as he saw the group of Konoha Shinobi started coming back to the house with his grandfather in tow.

The young boy looked to his mother who nodded to him, encouragingly. He nodded back and turned back around as the group starting coming inside. When Naruto, who was looking over another one of his scrolls, came in, Inari called out to him.

"Um, Naruto-san!"

The blond teen looked up in surprise and then waited for him to continue.

Inari took a deep breath before he gave a nod to the teen, "I, uh, want to thank you. You and your group for protecting mom, grandpa, and myself. And," He looked at Naruto nervously, "I also want to apologize for what I said to you."

Naruto closed his eyes and shook his head, "You don't have to apologize." He then smiled, "But thanks, Inari."

Inari nodded and then retreated from the room in embarrassment.

Naruto watched him go before going to the living room and settling on to the couch and continued his scroll work.

Kakashi, who was also situated on the couch reading his adult book, chuckled humorously. "You've made peace with him, nicely."

Naruto, not looking up from his scroll, nodded, "He's a good kid."

Kakashi nodded and then changed topics, "By the way, did Ino-san talk to you about what's been bothering her? About your "special chakra"?" He chose not to say "The Kyuubi's chakra" as Shikamaru and Chouji were currently nearby eating sandwiches provided by Tsunami for their lunch.

Naruto looked up from his scroll and looked at Ino and Sakura in the kitchen chatting with Tsunami, and he smiled. "Yeah, we had a really nice talk."

Kakashi, who was watching him from the corner of his eye, turned back to his book. "That's good to hear."

Naruto continued to look at Ino before she turned and he quickly averted his eyes and went back to his Fuinjutsu work, a blush settling on his face.


Four more days passed and the Konoha Shinobi contingent's contract with Tazuna had now expired. Though the bridge the man was building with his crew had yet to completely finish, the danger posed to Tazuna had basically gone away at this point. Some finances we're accumulated to now be able to spend on some hired mercenaries to fill the job left from Konoha.

Now, outside Tsunami and Tazuna's house, the eight person group had gathered to say goodbye to their hosts. Tsunami hugged Ino and Sakua, thanking them and everyone else over and over.

Tazuna merely exchanged handshakes with Asuma.

"I'll be sending the correct payment for the mission in a matter of days. Please give my thanks to your Hokage for his thoughtfulness in addressing my not being upfront." He said.

Asuma nodded and looked to Kakashi to see if he would like to say anything, but the man merely flipped a page of his book waiting patiently for all of them to get rolling. The Sandaime's son rolled his eyes before he turned to address the six Genin. "We'll, this is it. Let's not overstay our welcome." He then waved at the family of Wave as Kakashi led them out, "Take care, may we see you all again soon."

Tazuna, Tsunami, and Inari returned the wave goodbye until their figures were no longer visible. It was at that point that Inari looked up at his grandfather.

"Grandpa, tell me, have you thought of a name for the bridge you're building?"

Tazuna scratched his chin as he replied, "Not as of yet." He then grinned as he looked down at his grandson, "Why? Does something come to mind?"

Inari looked back to where the group had been before and smiled as he said, "How about The Great Naruto Bridge?"

Tsunami chuckled at the name while his grandfather looked thoughtful about the title.


In a town in Lightening Country, Jiraiya of the Sannin looked thougtful at a report he was reading from the Sandaime Hokage, his Sensei, made to him regarding Naruto.

Sipping sake as he read it, he considered things now that soe truths had come to light for the boy. The Toad Sage was surprised that his teacher had revealed to the boy his mother's identity along with the information pertaining to the Kyuubi's history with the village; but, in the end he couldn't fault the Sandaime for doing so.

Now, as a result, Naruto was showing an interest and displaying some considerable skill in Fuinjutsu and Seal making, something both of his parents had excelled in. Hearing his own old teacher gush about what the boy did on his first high ranked mission with grandfatherly-like pride, had the man smiling. However at the end of the report, the Sandaime was asking him if now would be a good time to reveal to the boy his father's identity.

Jiraiya sighed as he put down the report and took a big sip of the last of his sake before he settled on his thoughts.

'I was hoping for more time for the boy to grow before he might be weighed down by his father's history and notoriety. Iwa and Kumo might come knocking if they suspect one whiff of Minato's blood in someone else. Can the boy and the village handle that at this point?'

However guilt was also in Jiraiya's thoughts, especially about Naruto's life up tot his point. 'The kid really didn't have an adult to look after him prior to the Academy. Sure, Sensei did his best but we...Or more likely, I, his "Godfather"; really dropped the ball on this. Forgive us, Minato, Kushina…'

Sighing despondently over people who were no longer here, Jiraiya looked at the report one more time and then nodded as if he were answering a question that had long since, haunted him. 'Iwa and Kumo be damned. I'll tell the kid and work with him and Sensei in protecting the information.'

He paid his drink bill and then made his way out. The Toad Sannin's return was going to be earlier than the Sandaime had predicted.


To be continued…

A/N: Apologies for this being a shorter chapter than the previous one. In the next chapter there'll be an extended time period before the start of the Chunin Exams, which will hopefully shed light on what I plan to do with that Arc of the story.

Again, thank you all for reading and until the next update,

Q-n-P