Camp Half-Blood

Thalia finally collapsed on the ground, completely spent. She didn't know how many wounds she'd sustained. A hundred, maybe more? Countless really. Her entire body had been writhing in pain and agony only a few moments ago. But now? Now everything was strangely numb.

Was this it then? After only twelve short years, was this how she died? Part of her knew she was living on borrowed time. Her mother had never failed to remind her just how much danger she was in because she was the daughter of Zeus, King of the Gods. And not just that, but apparently she was born from a broken promise that had evidently enraged the Lord of the Dead, Hades himself, so much that he sent a horde of hellhounds and his three Furies after her.

It wasn't like I asked for this, she thought, looking up at the sky and wondering if her dad was even bothering to look down on her as she took her last ragged breaths. I didn't ask to be a demigod. My only crime was being born.

And yet, for that, somehow it was decided that she deserved to die. She'd managed to make it 12 years but it seems that that was it for her. She could only hope that Luke, Annabeth, and even Grover had made it to safety. The only friends she'd ever had. Luke, who had provided her with genuine comfort for the first time in her life. Annabeth, the little girl who'd literally jumped into their lives, with a hammer no less. And Grover, who had done everything he could to lead them to safety despite his mistakes. Who'd even agreed to help out Luke and Annabeth even when he'd only been supposed to save her. She couldn't thank him enough for that.

They'd made to the hill, to the edge of camp. But one look back had told Thalia they wouldn't make it. There were too many monsters, too many enemies. Even if they had made to Camp, the other people down there would be in danger. Some of them would probably die in the ensuing battle, all because of Thalia. So she had chosen to hold off the monsters. If she died, then the others should be safe. Besides, she was tired. What kind of life would she have from this point on? To constantly be hounded and hunted for who she was, to put everyone else's lives at risk for existing? No, no that was no life.

Now, as she lay dying, she could only hope the others had made it in time. That they were safe and her sacrifice hadn't been in vain. If so, she could be at peace when she died.

It may have been a short life, but she had at least experience love before she died. She got to know Luke and Annabeth, got to know what it was like to actually be cared about, to be loved, something she never got from her own mother who always treated her like an inconvenience or her father who she'd seen a handful of times and who always saw her as a problem.

It's your own damn fault for not keeping it in your pants, she thought. Or toga or robes or whatever.

She sighed and somehow knew that that was her last breath. She didn't have the energy to make another. She was going to go to the Underworld now. Good. She had a few words for her dear uncle down there. Still, there was just the tiniest flicker of hope inside. Are you there Jason? she thought. Are you waiting for me? Part of me hopes you aren't, that you somehow survived in those woods. But if you are, the wait's over. I'm coming.

Her mind wandered towards her friends. I'm sorry Luke. Sorry Annabeth. And you Grover. Please take care of each other. Please live, for me. I don't want to see you down there anytime soon. Just keep living.

Those were her last thoughts as the blackness descended. Her last feeling was of somehow being stretched out, of something taking hold of her and wrapping around her, of growing her out in some way, before she knew no more, letting the void take her.

Outside Konoha, Across the Void

Naruto Uzumaki grinned in relief and accomplishment. He was panting hard, sweaty with exhaustion, and his orange jumpsuit was all dirty. But he'd done it. It had taken him a while but he'd finally mastered that damn jutsu that had escaped him all these years. The Shadow Clone Jutsu.

He'd just today failed the Ninja Academy's Graduation Exam for the third time in a row, leaving him depressed and dejected. But, before he could think too long on it, Mizuki-sensei had appeared and told him that there was another way. That if he took the Scroll of Seals and learned one of the jutsus in it, then he would be able to pass no problem.

Taking it had been easy but he knew he wouldn't have too long before he was found out. He was just glad he'd made it this long. He'd poured everything he had into the jutsu and finally, finally, finally, he'd made a clone. A solid clone that could speak back to him. After failing to do so for so long, he felt like jumping up in the air in celebration. But, as soon as he tried it, he felt a wave of fatigue and had to sit down again.

But whatever. He'd actually done it. Now he'd be genin for sure. He couldn't wait to show Iruka-sense. And the old man too. They would have to let him pass and then…

Wait.

As he was putting the scroll away, a thought hit him. If one jutsu learned from this scroll could make him a genin, then what about two jutsus? Could he make…chūnin?

The thought had barely passed his mind before he swiftly unraveled the scroll again, looking at its contents for whatever cool jutsu was there. He'd only been looking for the Shadow Clone one beforehand as that was the one he thought he needed. But now that he'd mastered that, he started looking more closely at the others.

Gotta be something really cool to impress them to make me chūnin. But what though? Let's see. Elemental Beast Jutsu? Ooh cool, but it says I have to master elemental jutsu first. Lame. Alright then…Flash-Step Jutsu? Hmmm, maybe, but I don't know. Still could go cooler. Then maybe…

He stopped, looking at one particular jutsu.

"Void Summoning Jutsu? Now that sounds cool!"

He quickly read the passage. 'A type of Summoning Jutsu that reached into the Void, the black expanse that exists between all realms and worlds. Due to the high amount of Chakra needed to even reach into the Void, all attempts to summon anything have failed. There is even doubt that anything exists in the Void at all.'

"Well, let's find out!" Naruto grinned, quickly looking at the instructions. "If I pull this off, they'll make me chūnin for sure! Now what do I have to do first…sign my name in blood? Ew! Ah, whatever. If it pays off, who cares?" he cried, activating the seal.

Instantly, a small black scroll puffed into existence and Naruto swiftly unraveled it. He bit into his thumb and wrote his name down with his blood. He looked at the instructions again and saw what hand signs he had to do. "Ok, here we go. Ooh, I wonder what will appear. Maybe a dragon? That'll be awesome! Then everyone will have to respect me! Maybe they'll even make me Hokage right away! Yeah! Ok, let's do this."

He made the hand signs and for the first time really focusing on getting them right. He couldn't afford to mess up here. Unbeknownst to him, there were two other individuals watching him.

One existed within a seal on his body. The Nine-Tailed Fox Kurama who spent most of his time idly sleeping, waiting for the time when he could be free again. Since the boy Naruto was loud and annoying and dull, Kurama did his best to tune him out. This time however, he got the fox's attention.

Void Summoning? he thought. He hadn't heard that jutsu in a very long time. The Void was a mysterious and endless space that had stumped even Hagoromo, the Sage of the Six Paths. If this boy attempted it, the chakra expenditure would surely kill him. Kurama would also die but he'd come back again and be free once more. He settled back down, contemplating his reincarnation, when a new thought suddenly struck him.

His other half. Maybe, just maybe, when Minato died, Kurama's other half wound up in the Void. If that was the case…

"Alright brat," he muttered, rising a little. "Don't expect me to do this again. But for the sake of my other half, I'll give you the chakra necessary to reach into the Void."

Just as Kurama began to do that, another figure entered the scene.

Iruka Umino had served as a teacher at the Konoha Ninja Academy for several years now and he could honestly say that out of all his students, Naruto Uzumaki was the one who annoyed him the most with all his pranks, escapades, and general disinterest in learning despite stating he would be Hokage someday.

Still, he was also the one who impressed him the most. Because despite all the suffering he'd endured from the villagers, practically forced into isolation and treated like a monster because of the Nine-Tailed Fox trapped inside him, he still kept going. No matter what happened to him, he kept trying, working hard to be a ninja and even, as impossible as it seemed, the Hokage.

Iruka had been disappointed when once again Naruto failed the exam due to his poor Shadow Clone Jutsu. But he'd been shocked when the Hokage had announced that Naruto had in fact stolen the Scroll of Seals, a dangerous scroll containing instructions for the most dangerous seals only to be read by the Hokage. Iruka didn't know why Naruto had stolen the Scroll, he just he knew he had to stop him before something bad happened.

But it seems he was too late as he arrived and saw Naruto just as the boy began to slap his hand down on the scroll at his feet.

"No Naruto! Stop!" Iruka cried.

"Void Summoning Jutsu!" Naruto cried out, his excitement and eagerness drowning out everything else. As he did, he felt a sudden rush of power flow through him like he'd never felt before, as if his breakfast was coming back up in lava form. Except it wasn't coming up his throat but spreading across his body. And it wasn't vomit. Or, it didn't feel like it anyway.

His hand came down on the seal and for a brief few seconds, nothing happened.

BAMPH!

There was an explosion of black smoke and Naruto swore he could even see some sparks flying out as well. But it was over soon and he eagerly leaned forward to see what he had summoned. Inside him, Kurama leaned in as well, a forgotten hope rising inside him.

But, to both of their shock, when the smoke cleared it was a girl lying in front of them.

"Huh?" Naruto asked, completely confused. "Uh…a girl? What the hell? Where did I go wrong? I followed the instructions exactly, so how did I mess this up? Oh man, oh man, oh man, what do I…wait…oh no."

He took another look at the girl and was horrified to see she was covered in blood, wounds and scars littering her body. Her clothes were torn to shreds and she looked half-dead. Naruto could only just make out the tiniest rise of her chest.

"Oh no!" he cried, grabbing his hair. "Did I do this to her? I was just trying to summon a dragon, I didn't mean for this to happen! What do I do? Should I take her to the hospital? Or-"

"Naruto!"

Naruto froze at his name, a pit growing in his stomach as he turned to see Iruka standing a few feet away, staring in shock at the bloody girl. "Wh-what's going on? What happened?" he demanded.

"It's not my fault!" Naruto instantly said before correcting himself. "Well, maybe it's my fault. But I didn't mean to, I swear! I was just trying to perform this super awesome jutsu from the scroll, the Void Summoning Jutsu, and then she just appeared and she was already like that, I swear and-"

"It's ok Naruto, I believe you," Iruka interrupted.

"Y-you do?"

"Yes, I saw you perform the jutsu just seconds ago. And while that in itself was a reckless thing to do, I don't believe this girl's injuries are your fault."

"Oh, whew. Thanks sensei," Naruto said, breathing out in relief. But that quickly turned to panic again as he realized the girl was still bleeding out. "AH! We've got to help her though! She's gonna die!"

"Naruto calm down. I know a little medical ninjutsu and should be able to stabilize her until…wait," Iruka said, stopping as he kneeled down next to the girl. He'd been about to perform the jutsu but he sensed off. He lay a hand on her and reached out, eyes widening in surprise as he realized she was already healing. He could sense her chakra knitting her injuries closed. But something about it felt off. He needed to bring her to the hospital at once. He carefully lifted her up and cradled her close to him. "Come on Naruto," he said. "Let's go."

"Right!"

As they walked, Naruto couldn't help but stare at the girl in Iruka's arms. She looked to be about his age but her clothes were weird. She had a black shirt on with some kind of lettering and imaging on it that was hard to look at due to all the blood. She also had blue pants that looked like some strange new fabric as well as tall thick boots that looked like they could kick through walls. She had short spiky black hair that barely reached her ears. That was actually surprising as most of the girls Naruto had met had long hair.

He also noticed she had a silver bracelet around her wrist and she also seemed to be clutching some kind of can in her other hand tightly. "What do you think happened to her Iruka-sensei?" he asked.

"I don't know," Iruka replied, wondering that himself. What could have done this to the girl? These injuries didn't look like they came from other ninja or something like that but more from wild animals. Had she gotten lost in the woods and come across some beast? But then, where was it now?

That brought him back to the reason they were out here. "How did you bring her here Naruto?" he asked carefully. "What jutsu did you use?"

"Oh, the Void Summoning Jutsu! I actually can't believe it worked!"

"Void Summoning Jutsu?" Iruka questioned. He'd never heard of it before. Must be some kind of advanced form of the Summoning Jutsu. Did that mean this girl was similar to the summoning animals? Too many questions. He had to bring this to Lord Hokage. Whatever Void Summoning Jutsu was, it was in the Scroll of Seals for a reason.

Before he could ask anything else though, the girl suddenly shifted in his arms and let out a soft groan. He looked down just in time to see her eyes flicker open, revealing a startling electric blue. "Hey," he told her. "Don't worry, you're going to be ok."

Thalia didn't understand what was happening. She'd been dying. She knew that. So then…where was she? What had happened? Was this…

"Is this the Underworld?" she muttered, trying to look around.

"Huh?" Iruka blinked at the question. "No, of course not. You're not dead yet. I'm taking you to the hospital now."

Not dead yet? Thalia didn't know how to respond to that. She'd been sure she had been dead. She had felt it. But…evidently not. She was actually going to live. She was going to survive after all. Tears appeared in her eyes as a wave of relief washed over her.

"Hey, don't worry, you're going to be ok," Iruka promised her, seeing her reaction. He couldn't imagine what this girl had suffered through to end up like this.

"L-luke," she muttered. "A-annabeth. Grover."

"Hmm?"

"Are they…are they ok?"

"I-I'm sure they are," Iruka said hurriedly, trying his best to place the names. But no one at the academy had names like that. They must be the girl's companions. They would probably launch a search for them though if this girl was summoned here, there was no telling from how far she'd come. "Don't worry, we'll reunite you with them soon."

Thalia leaned back in relief, letting herself be carried. They had all made it. It had looked like the end for her but somehow they'd all survived. Strangely enough, her injuries didn't feel so bad anymore. Instead there was this warm churning in her gut that spread throughout her body. It almost felt like it was healing her somehow. She guessed she must have been given nectar or ambrosia though it had never felt like this before. Maybe a special type at camp.

That's where she had to be, the camp Grover had told her about. Camp Half-Blood. Where she'd supposedly be safe. She'd been on her guard for almost her entire life. For the first time in a long time, she finally allowed herself to relax.

"Hey!"

Her eyes blinked open again as bright orange figure appeared in her line of sight. "Uh…"

"I'm Naruto Uzumaki! I'm the one who summoned you here!"

"Huh?" Thalia asked, not sure how to respond to that.

"I guess that means you belong to me now, huh?"

Ok, that she did know how to respond to. Despite her injuries, she was able to twist around in the man's grip and sock the stupid orange kid right in his face, glaring at him.

"Like hell I do!"

"Ow!" Naruto complained while Iruka did his best to hold Thalia as she struggled in his grip. "What was that for?"

"Please miss, calm down," Iruka said desperately. "I know you're healing but you were almost dead a few minutes ago. You won't want to make your injuries worse."

That stopped her. She didn't want to risk death when she'd come so close to dying already so she stopped struggling. Still, she managed to level a fierce glare the orange kid's way. "Say that to me again and I'll fry you!"

"Huh? What'd I say wrong? I summoned you after all so doesn't that me-"

"Naruto, enough!" Iruka stopped him before the girl could leap from his arms. "That's not how it works at all. She doesn't belong to you. And you shouldn't say that to people, especially not to girls! It seems I should have been teaching you other things at the academy as well."

Naruto blinked in confusion, not really understanding. But he just shrugged, brushing it aside. "Whatever. But does this mean I get to be chūnin now? You know, cause I mastered two jutsus?"

That made Iruka stop. "Chūnin? Naruto, what are you talking about? As a matter of fact, why did you take that scroll in the first place? Do you have any idea how much trouble you're in?"

"Huh?" Naruto looked at him in confusion. "What do you mean sensei? If you learn a jutsu from this scroll, you can become a genin. That's how it works, right? And I learned two! That means I get to become chūnin, right?"

Iruka stared at him, completely bewildered. Was that why he'd done it? But… "Naruto, where'd you get that idea?"

"Mizuki-sensei told me about it. Believe it! He told me how to find the scroll and this place…" Naruto trailed off, seeing Iruka's face.

Huh? Iruka thought, a sense of dread filling him. Mizuki told him that? But why?

At that moment, he sensed something and turned, seeing a flurry of kunai coming their way. "Look out!" he cried, throwing himself at Naruto and knocking all three of them out of the way, still doing his best to cradle the girl in his arms. The kunai kept coming though, striking him in the back as he shielded Naruto and the girl.

Thalia almost shrieked from the sudden movements but contained herself. In an instant, she was in battle mode, ready for anything. She should have known something like this was too good to be true. She had let her guard down and this was the price. She hadn't really understood what the orange kid and the guy holding her had been talking about but she knew situations like these ones. She clutched her mace can and bracelet, ready to use them.

"Stay down," Iruka told them both, grunting through the pain. Naruto just stared at him in shock, confused and frightened by what was happening. "Come on out Mizuki!"

A short laugh echoed through the woods and Thalia's eyes instantly went up a specific tree, spotting the figure squatting in the branches. Her years in the wilderness fending off monsters had taught her to be aware of her surroundings.

"Hello there Iruka," the man who must be Mizuki said in a chilling voice. Thalia wondered if he was secretly a monster in disguise. It wouldn't surprise her. But the way the other two had been talking…something didn't make sense in all this.

"Naruto! Give me the scroll, now!" Mizuki called down.

Thalia turned to look at the orange kid who must be Naruto. "Wait a minute," the kid said, trembling a little. "What's going on here?"

He stared at Iruka who was pulling the kunai he'd been struck with out, panting in pain. "Naruto, don't let Mizuki get the scroll!" he cried out. "It contains forbidden jutsu that could put this village in grave danger. Mizuki used you to get the scroll for himself, for his own power.

Thalia's eyes shifted over to the scroll on Naruto's back. There was still a lot about this she didn't understand but she got enough. Iruka and Naruto had helped her and this other guy was bad news. That was all she needed to know.

Naruto glared up at Mizuki, realizing everything he'd been told must have been a lie. He felt angry and ashamed at being used like that.

"Naruto, Iruka's just trying to scare you cause he doesn't want you to have the scroll," Mizuki said. His voice was calm but Thalia had heard enough monster voices to recognize the sinister intent behind it.

"Hey, Orange!" she said, rising to her feet and drawing everyone's attention. "He's lying through his teeth right now."

Mizuki eyed the girl carefully before turning back to Naruto. "Really Naruto? You're going to believe the words of a stranger who appeared out of thin air and someone who's been lying to you your whole life?"

"No Mizuki!" Iruka cried, instantly realizing what the man was getting at.

"They've all been lying to you Naruto, since the decree 12 years ago."

"What decree?" Naruto asked, lost and scared.

"Everyone knows except you. Iruka's trying to hide it from you even now. He'd do anything to shut me up."

"What is this decree? Why does everyone else know about it?"

Thalia was really lost now, her head moving back and forth between the three people as Iruka cried out, "don't tell him! It's forbidden!"

What is happening? She thought. What the hell did I blunder into? And where are Luke, Annabeth, and Grover?

"The decree is, no one can tell you the Nine-Tailed Fox is inside you!" Mizuka said, making Naruto gasp in shock. "The Fox spirit that killed Iruka's parents and destroyed our village has taken over your body. You are the Nine-Tailed Fox!"

"Stop it!" Iruka roared to no avail.

"They've all been sneaking around, hiding things from you your whole life. Didn't you think it was strange how they treated you? Like dirt. Like they hated you for just being alive."

As Mizuki talked, Thalia could see Naruto beginning to spiral from the information. "No! No, no, no, no!" he cried out and Thalia saw a strange wind pick up around him. It seemed similar to demigod powers. But from what Mizuki had said, was he a monster? He didn't seem like one. Despite his stupid comment about owning her earlier he hadn't given her any scary vibes. He just seemed like a normal kid. Then again, in her experience, looks could be very deceiving.

Still, something didn't feel right about all this. She had been dying earlier. She knew that. And then she wound up here. And from what Naruto said in his stupid comment, he was the one who brought her here. Which meant…he had saved her. A monster wouldn't do that.

"Naruto…" Iruka groaned, feeling for his student.

"That's why you'll never be accepted in this village!" Mizuki sneered. "Even your beloved Sensei hates your guts!"

"Die, Naruto!" Mizuki growled, twirling a large shuriken around before throwing it at the boy. Naruto tried to scurry away but was too frightened and uncoordinated, only managing to crawl a little.

"Naruto, get down!" Iruka cried, moving. But he was too slow, someone making it their before him.

Clang!

Naruto and Iruka stared up in awe as Thalia held her ground, the shuriken bouncing off the shield in her hand and falling to the ground. Mizuki stared down at it and flinched at the sight, a hideous visage of a monster on it that somehow made shivers run down his spine, forcing him to look away.

"The girl…" Iruka mumbled.

"Whoa," Naruto muttered, his fear being momentarily replaced with awe.

"Hey, Orange!" Thalia snapped, glancing behind him. "You going to just sit there or you going to get off your ass and help?"

"Wha- huh?"

"Hey, girl! Why you helping him out?" Mizuki called down. "Didn't you hear what I said? He's a monster, the demon Nine-Tailed Fox! He'll kill you in a heartbeat if he had the chance."

Thalia glared up at him fiercely. "I know monsters. I've been fighting them my whole damn life. I almost died from them. So trust me when I say the only monster I'm looking at is you."

She said it with such determination that the others could only stare at her in shock.

Mizuki didn't quite know what to do about this. He'd been taken by surprise when Naruto had summoned her here. He'd thought the brat would surely die in the attempt of that jutsu from overexertion but evidently he'd been able to do it.

When Iruka arrived on the scene, Mizuki had still laid low, curious about the girl himself and where she'd come from. It was only when his secret had been blown that he'd come out of hiding. But it seemed that was a mistake as it was clear whoever this girl was, she was a problem.

"I'm just like you, you know," Thalia said, surprising Naruto. "I've been hated and hunted for who I am. My own mother couldn't stand me. I spent years on the run, hounded everywhere I went by real monsters just because of what I was. I made some friends along the way, tried to help them out, tried to survive, but someone really had it out for me and…well, you saw the results."

Naruto blinked, remembering all the blood and injuries that covered her. She still had them, but just not as bad. Somehow, in the last few minutes, she'd miraculously healed. But still, someone had done that to her? He'd assumed it was some wild animal.

His mind had gone through a whole bombshell the last few minutes and he didn't know what to think, especially about the demon living inside him. But now, this girl came along and told him that she knew how he felt?

A few tears appeared in his eyes.

Several feet away, Iruka ripped out the last of the kunai but still stared at the girl in shock from her actions and her story.

"But I'm still alive," Thalia said. "I'm still breathing. So I don't care if the world has it out for me and neither should you! So what if you've got a damn demon living in you? It doesn't decide your life, you do! So get on your damn feet and kick this guy's ass!"

Naruto gaped up at her but before he could do anything, Mizuki started laughing.

"A nice speech girl, but what does a little brat like you hope to do against a ninja like me?"

Thalia smirked. "I'm about to show you, asshole."

She popped open the can of mace in her hands and her spear shot out, falling into her grip easily. Everyone blinked in shock at the sight but that was nothing compared to what happened next. Thalia raised her spear high and called on her inner power. Storm clouds instantly gathered overhead and thunder boomed out. With a crack, a bolt of lightning shot down into her spear, lighting up the forest. Thalia grimaced from the raw power before thrusting her spear forward, firing the bolt directly up at Mizuki.

"What the hell?" he cried, his mind going blank from the display of power. The lightning bolt struck him dead on, blasting him off the branch and to the ground where he lay groaning, his whole body giving off smoke.

Naruto and Iruka stared in shock at the sight. Iruka could hardly believe it. She had seemed like an ordinary kid, a heavily injured one at that. And yet he couldn't think of any ninja in the village outside of maybe the Hokage who could pull off a move like that. Who the hell was she?

"That…that was so cool!" Naruto cried. "How did you do that?"

Thalia turned to look at him with a grin. "Cause I-"

She didn't get to finish, a rolling wave of pain striking her and making her fall to her knees. She gasped, her breath becoming ragged. Her whole body felt like it was on fire. What was happening?

"Hey, are you ok?" Naruto gasped, hurrying over to her.

"Kid!" Iruka cried, rushing over as well. "What's wrong?"

Thalia tried to talk but only a groan made it out. She didn't know what was happening to her. That warm feeling inside and suddenly become an inferno, burning her up. She could hardly breathe anymore.

"W-well now…"

The three looked up and saw Mizuki walking towards them still smoking. Much of his clothes were scorched now but he was somehow upright.

"Seems that power of yours comes at a cost," he growled. "I'm going to make you pay for that stunt, little bitch!"

"Naruto, take her and run!" Iruka ordered.

"But sensei-"

"Do it now!" Iruka barked. "And know this, if she hadn't blocked that attack, I would have. No matter what Mizuki says, I have never hated you. I don't care if you have the demon fox inside you, you are my student and I will always care for you. Now go!"

Naruto stumbled back, tears in his eyes. He didn't know what to think or how to react. But he heard the girl groan again and grabbed her around the middle, running away with her as fast as he could into the woods.

Mizuki tried to chase after them but Iruka blocked him.

"I won't let you pass!" Iruka said, drawing his own kunai.

"As if you could stop me," Mizuki growled, though his own hand was still trembling.

"Are you sure about that Mizuki?" Iruka smirked. "Seems that girl did a real number on you."

"Shut up!" Mizuki cried. "Once I finish you off I'll take care of Naruto and that girl! No one will stop me!"

"You won't get to either of them!" Iruka replied. "Not while I'm still breathing."

"I don't get it, Iruka. He's the one who wiped out your parents! He stole that scroll because he's just like me. He wants power and vengeance. That's just how beasts are. He'll pour all his rage into the scroll and destroy everything."

Iruka contemplated that for a second before nodding. "You're right…"

Naruto hadn't made it far with the girl. He'd barely left the clearing with Iruka and Mizuki. He wasn't strong enough to carry the girl and she was still trembling and shaking. He didn't know what was wrong with her. One second she performed a super awesome attack that knocked Mizuki down like he was nothing, the next she collapsed and started rolling around in pain.

"Luke…Annabeth…Grover…" she muttered.

"I have to get you to the hospital," Naruto said, trying to hoist her over his shoulders. But as he did, he heard Iruka's words.

They were like a stab to the gut. Even Iruka, who had seemed to be one of the only ones who truly cared about him, hadn't really. It's true. Iruka Sensei never believed in me. He thinks I'm some beast. Some kind of freak!

He looked down at the girl and thought about what she'd said. At least one person believes in me. Even if she doesn't know me.

But Iruka wasn't done.

"That is how beasts are. But that's not who Naruto is."

Naruto gasped at the words, his eyes widening.

"He's nothing like that," Iruka continued. "Naruto's one of a kind. Works hard. Puts his whole heart into it. Sure he messes up sometimes, and everyone jumps on him... But his suffering only makes him stronger. That's what separates him from being a beast. So you're wrong. He's nothing like the Nine-Tailed Fox. He's Naruto Uzumaki, of the village hidden in the leaves."

Naruto couldn't hold back the torrent of tears streaming down his face at his sensei's words.

"Y-you see?"

He almost jumped at the voice, seeing the girl just managing to lift her head up to look at him.

"Your teacher b-believes in you t-too. So what are y-you waiting for, huh? Go kick that g-guy's ass."

"But you're…"

"I'm fine," she replied, forcing back a wince. "Just go do it."

Naruto nodded once and moved.

Mizuki glared at Iruka with hatred. "You really believe that dribble? Fine then! You're finished!"

He started to charge forwards, Iruka ready to meet him, when an orange flash appeared between them, head-butting Mizuki and knocking him back. Mizuki landed on his back with a groan, his body aching with pain. He didn't know how much longer he could take this. He just managed to get back up, glaring at Naruto with loathing. "Not bad for a little punk," he seethed.

Naruto glared right back at him, part of his face hidden in the shadows. "If you ever lay a hand on my Sensei, I'll kill you!" he promised.

"Such big words. I can completely destroy you with a single move!" Mizuki replied.

"You look half dead already," Naruto replied. "But don't worry. Go ahead and take your best shot!" He crossed his fingers over one another in a plus sign, channeling his chakra. I'll give it back to you a thousand fold!"

"Let's see you try! Show me what you can do, Nine-Tailed Fox!"

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

Thalia had managed to crawl away from the trees, despite the pain. And she gaped at the sight as there was a loud poof and hundreds of familiar orange-dressed figures appeared in the clearing and in the trees. "H-how did he…how did he do that?" she mumbled to herself. She'd never seen anything like it before. Was this a monster power? Or maybe he was a demigod.

Mizuki stumbled back, fear evident on his face as all the clones began calling out to him, heckling him. He didn't expect Naruto, the school loser, to be able to pull this off. He didn't want to admit it but he was in real trouble now.

"If you're not coming…" one Naruto said.

"…then we're gonna come after you," another finished.

Mizuki was only able to let out one final gasp before all the Narutos charged him at once, beating and kicking him as hard as they could. It was over a minute later, Mizuki lying there, completely beaten and unconscious, twitching a little still. Above him, Naruto grinned sheepishly while rubbing the back of his head. "Sorry, I kinda got carried away. You ok Iruka-sensei?"

"Yeah," Iruka replied, starting to think this student of his might actually be able to become Hokage someday. But that thought didn't last long as a new one took its place. "Wait, Naruto, where's the girl?"

Naruto's smile instantly dropped. "Oh right, she's just-"

"I'm here," Thalia said, just managing to stand next to the tree.

"Miss!" Iruka gasped, rushing over to her. "Please don't stand. We need to get you to the hospital immediately."

"I'm fine," Thalia said, trying to placate him. "It was just-"

She didn't get to finish that sentence as she pulled her hand away from her stomach where she'd been holding herself up and saw a pool of red on it. She glanced down and saw more red dripping from her clothes.

"Oh…" she mumbled before a fresh wave of pain engulfed her and she collapsed just as Iruka reached her.

"Kid!" he cried, lifting her up. He gasped as he saw all her wounds had reopened and quickly applied the small amount of healing chakra he knew.

"Is she going to be ok?" Naruto asked frantically. "I'm sorry sensei, I should have left with her. But she suddenly acted fine and then Mizuki and-"

"It's fine Naruto but we need to go now!" Iruka told him, already rushing off, trying very hard not to jostle the girl. Please don't die! he thought desperately. He recalled her words to Naruto and the conviction behind them. He hadn't missed Naruto's reaction to them either. He felt like she could have a strong impact on his student. A positive one. So he raced through the woods as fast as he could.

Back at the Village Hidden in the Leaves, in the central tower, the door leading to the office of the Hokage suddenly burst open and Lord Third Hiruzen Sarutobi rushed out.

"Go to the hospital immediately and inform them that Iruka is inbound with a gravely injured girl!" he ordered. "She will require immediate attention."

If the shinobi on guard were taken aback by this sudden request, they didn't show it. They bowed their heads and vanished into the night.

Hiruzen sighed, feeling a weight on his shoulders. He had been watching the whole thing through his crystal ball. He had never felt there was any real danger on Naruto's part when the scroll went missing so hadn't felt and real fear. But then, as he watched, he saw Naruto begin the Void Summoning Jutsu, an incredibly advanced and deadly jutsu that took an immense amount of chakra to work. He was sure Naruto would die in the attempt and he would have failed Lord Fourth and Kushina.

But no. Somehow, the Void Summoning Jutsu, a jutsu that had never worked for as long as he could remember, did do something. Somehow, Naruto had been able to summon something from the void. Or someone. A badly injured girl, looking more dead than alive.

Deep down, Hiruzen knew that the Nine-Tailed Fox had to be behind Naruto's survival. But he was more shocked by the girl's arrival and what it might mean. To think that there was actually something from the Void that could be summoned. The possibilities raised were endless.

Still, his first thought was getting that girl to safety. However, she actually seemed to be recovering before Mizuki attacked. Hiruzen had debated whether or not to intervene, especially when Mizuki revealed the awful truth to Naruto about the Nine-Tailed Fox. But then the girl stepped forward and shocked them all with her lightning attack. Hiruzen had never seen anything like it, especially from a young girl like her.

But right after that, she had collapsed in pain. At first, Hiruzen thought it was chakra exhaustion. But no, this was something else.

After that, things were a blur. Hiruzen could barely focus on the fact that Naruto had beaten Mizuki by finally gaining mastery of the Shadow Clone Jutsu. He was too concerned with this young girl. Still, there was one last thing to take care of.

"Go inform the rest of the shinobi that you no longer need to hunt for Naruto. Iruka has found him and is returning him and the scroll," he said.

"Yes sir," the shinobi replied and vanished as well.

Hiruzen sighed and returned to his office. It would seem tonight would not be a restful one.

"A girl from beyond the void," he muttered. "What kind of impact will she make on all of us, I wonder?"

When Iruka and Naruto had arrived at the hospital, the doctors were ready and waiting for them, swiftly taking the girl from their hands and placing her on a gurney to be wheeled inside. Naruto wanted to follow but Iruka held him back.

"She's in their hands now," he said. "There's nothing more we can do."

Naruto sighed, kicking a small pebble off the road. He hated feeling like this. He'd been able to help Iruka against Mizuki no problem. But for the girl who'd saved them both…he couldn't do a damn thing. Just wait.

"Naruto," Iruka said, drawing his attention again. "This might not be the best time, but there's something I have to do for you. Close your eyes for a second, ok?"

"Why?" Naruto asked, frowning.

"Just do it."

Naruto complied, shutting his eyes tight. As he did, he felt Iruka touch his head, removing something and then replacing it with something else. He almost jerked back but held himself in place "Sensei, how much longer?" he asked.

"Ok, you can open your eyes now." Naruto did and noticed his goggles in Iruka's hands. "Congratulations," Iruka continued. "You graduate."

Naruto gaped for a second before gently touching his head, feeling the metallic touch of a headband. It was then that he noticed Iruka's was missing.

He should have felt joy or elation at finally accomplishing what he'd always wanted. He was a genin now, a certified ninja-in-training, no longer a student of the academy.

But it felt hollow with the fact that that girl was fighting for her life in the hospital. A girl who'd found out the truth about him but hadn't judged or hated him. A girl who had actually accepted him despite not knowing him at all. A girl whose name he didn't even know.

"I know Naruto," Iruka said gently, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder. "This probably wasn't how you wanted it to go. But still, take some comfort in it. And try not to dwell on the girl. Our hospital has some of the best doctors and healers around, I promise."

"Ok," Naruto nodded.

"Alright. I need to go return this scroll now," he said, taking it from Naruto's grasp. "How about we meet up later tonight for some ramen. My treat."

That did perk him up a bit as free ramen always did, but not nearly as much as it used to. "Thanks sensei. That sounds great."

Iruka gave him one last look before he left, leaping off towards the central tower. Naruto followed his form for a second before he disappeared. He sighed, kicking another pebble, before looking back at the hospital. "I wonder what her name is," he said.

"So what can you tell me?" Hiruzen asked.

It was later in the day, close to evening in fact, when he'd received word from the hospital that the girl had stabilized and was no longer in any danger. It had been touch and go for most of the day but she'd finally pulled through, despite the fact that she was still unconscious.

The head physician of the hospital Kandai looked through her charts, seeming a little confused. "I honestly don't know where to start, Lord Hokage. This girl's case is one I've never seen before. And we have nothing like it on file."

Hiruzen frowned. "What do you mean?"

"To start off, she was covering in injuries. From the looks it, it appears to be wild beasts as we noted claw and bite marks all over. But there were other injuries as well, burn marks specifically that made it seem like someone was striking her with a fiery weapon."

Hiruzen sighed. A tragic thing for a child of her age to have to suffer like that. At least she was still alive. "What of her chakra?"

"For one thing, it seemed she had no chakra pathway system inside her."

Hiruzen gasped for a second before he caught himself. "How is that possible…wait, she had no system?"

"Yes," Kandai affirmed. "It would seem that somehow, one has molded itself inside her. From what we can tell, that seems to be what was causing her to collapse. The surge of pain of having a chakra system molded throughout her body like that, the kind of damage it could to her…well honestly, it's a miracle she's still alive. Especially considering from the tests it seems like the chakra was originally the Nine-Tails.'"

Hiruzen contemplated that. The Nine-Tails' chakra was highly corrosive so only Naruto was able to handle it since the fox healed itself. But this girl was able to not only handle it but to have it shape a whole chakra system inside of her and then fuse itself with her to become her chakra? Such a thing was truly unheard of.

Hiruzen nodded. "But she didn't have a chakra system before," he said, half to himself.

"No, sir. Not that we can tell."

"But I saw for myself her channel lightning. How is that possible?"

"We checked her blood and DNA and found some…anomalies. It almost appears that half her DNA is somehow missing."

"Missing?"

"Or not quite missing her perhaps. More like it cannot be analyzed. Half of her seems to be composed of something very different. When we first started looking at her, we thought it might be a new type of chakra form. But this is something very different. It sort of reminds me of…" she trailed off, hesitant.

"Of what?" Hiruzen pressed.

"It reminds me of the Nine-Tailed Fox."

Hiruzen's eyes widened at her words. "Are you positive?" he asked in a whisper.

"Well, no," she said. "I just said that because the Fox's DNA cannot be analyzed as it is more of chakra-made animal than anything else. And this girl's DNA is similar. Whatever that part of her is, it is something…other, for lack of a better word."

Hiruzen nodded slowly. "Keep running tests and see what else you can find out. And tell no one of this," he ordered. "Not until we know more."

"Of course sir."

As she left, Hiruzen exited the hospital and snapped his fingers, one of his shinobi snapping to attention instantly. "Go find and bring me Inoichi Yamanaka at once," he said.

It didn't take too long for the shinobi to return, the head of the Yamanaka clan in tow. "Lord Third," Inoichi said, bowing. "How may I serve you?"

"Come with me," Hiruzen said, walking back into the hospital. "There is a young girl unconscious here. I need you to peer into her mind for me."

"You believe she is an enemy spy?"

"I do not know what to think about this girl," Hiruzen said honestly. "She was summoned here, by Naruto Uzumaki."

That caught Inoichi off guard. "Naruto summoned her here?" he questioned. "But…how is that possible?"

"He used one of jutsus kept sealed in the Scroll of Seals, the Void Summoning Jutsu. It was designed to reach into the void between the different realms and pull out whatever was in there. Until now, it has never worked and so it was believed that nothing existed in the void. And yet Naruto somehow managed it."

Inoichi nodded, following along now. "And you wish for me to see what kind of threat she might pose."

"Based on her actions, it's hard to say. I don't believe she herself would pose a threat to this village. She protected Naruto and even learned of the Nine-Tails within him and did not judge him at all." That also caught Inoichi off guard. "But according to the doctors, her powers are unique. She was able to attack Mizuki with a powerful bolt of lightning. And yet, she had no chakra."

Inoichi stopped completely. "No chakra?" he gasped.

"No. Evidently, she has a chakra system now as when the Nine-Tails' chakra helped summon her here, it bonded with her and forged the system inside her, nearly killing her. But that is now. I want you to find out everything you can about her abilities. How she was able to use that lightning without chakra and what else she can do. And, more importantly, what else we need to know about who she is and where she's from. The void has always been sealed from us and now, unexpectedly, Naruto has opened the way. As much as we may not like it, there is no closing that path now."

"Understood," Inoichi nodded.

They reached the girl's room and walked inside. As they did, both winced slightly at the sight. The girl was wrapped head to toe in bandages. Several machines were hooked up to monitor her and they all seemed to be beeping normally.

Both had children of their own, Inoichi having a daughter this girl's age. So to see someone like her in a position like this tore at them. It wasn't hard to picture their own children in her position.

Inoichi shook it off though. This girl could represent a grave threat to the village which meant he had a job to do. He carefully placed made the correct seal with his hands and held them above the girl's head. "Mind Transfer Jutsu," he murmured and his own mind left his body, traveling into the girl's.

Hiruzen waited patiently, knowing such things did take time. However, it was more than an hour that went by before Inoichi suddenly twitched and gasped, once more in his body.

"Inoichi," Hiruzen said, stepping towards him. "What did you learn?"

The blonde rubbed his head, eyes wide from all that he'd seen. "A…a lot. This girl…where she comes from…" he looked at Hiruzen, his expression becoming deadly serious. "She changes everything."

Hiruzen nodded slowly. "Let's return to my office and discuss this in private."

"Hey, long time no see Naruto!" Teuchi, the owner of Ichiraku Ramen, greeted.

"Hello Teuchi, Ayame," Naruto greeted, though it was only with a bit of energy, giving a half-hearted wave their way that made Teuchi frown. He glanced up at Naruto's forehead and saw the headband, a smile cross his face.

"Hey, congratulations Naruto! I see you graduated!"

"Oh, uh, yeah," Naruto said, touching his headband like he'd forgotten it was there. "Yeah I did."

Again, Teuchi noted how lackluster Naruto seemed and frowned again. For the past few weeks, whenever Naruto came by, all he could talk about was his desire to finally graduate after failing before. Teuchi would have expected to see him bouncing around with excitement and trying to eat them out of house and home. Yet, he looked depressed for some reason.

Naruto hadn't known what to do for the whole day. He'd tried to sleep earlier after spending the whole night awake, running around with the scroll and then fighting Mizuki. But after what happened to the girl, he just couldn't close his eyes, his adrenaline still too high. He finally managed to fall asleep from sheer exhaustion.

When he woke up, he'd tried to visit her in the hospital but was denied entry, the doctors there claiming she was still in critical condition. So he just wandered around, idly moving from place to place with no idea what to do. He usually played pranks or did his own kind of training at this time but he just didn't feel like it anymore. Not when someone he knew could die at any moment.

His stomach eventually rumbled and he found himself walking towards Ichiraku's on instinct.

"Hey, Teuchi?" he asked suddenly.

"Yeah Naruto?"

"Did you know? The truth about me, I mean? That I'm…that I have…" he pointed towards his stomach but didn't finish his sentence. He didn't need to though, Teuchi understood immediately what he was talking about. He shared an uneasy look with his daughter before looking back at the young boy.

"Yes, Naruto. We did," he affirmed. "I admit when we first met you, we were wary at first. But you became a loyal customer and as we got to know you, we saw you weren't the demon that everyone else saw you as. I'm sorry for judging you in the beginning."

"No, it's alright," Naruto said, waving him off. "Thank you, for always treating me well."

Teuchi looked at Naruto with concern now. Was that the reason behind Naruto's state? That he learned he was the carrier for the Nine-Tailed Fox? It was supposed to be a secret, everyone in the village swearing not to discuss it. So how had he found out?

"I met a girl yesterday," Naruto suddenly said, surprising them. "She…she found out about what I am. But she didn't judge me at all. She said she understood what I was going through. She said it didn't matter if I had a demon inside me or not, that it was my life." He grinned then. "She was amazing. And now…" his grin dropped just as fast. "She's in the hospital and…and I don't know if she's going to make it. She was the first person to not judge me from the start and…"

Now Teuchi understood. He sighed, looking down, wishing he knew the right thing to do to help. When he'd first met Naruto, he had been a little wary of him, especially for his daughter's sake. But, the kid who ordered the extra large bowl of ramen hadn't seemed dangerous. A little eccentric and definitely energetic. But he'd also been polite. And he did have a huge appetite, paying well for it. So, Teuchi had pushed his wariness aside and just focused on serving the boy. And over time, as Naruto became his best and most loyal customer, he got to know him and saw him for who he truly was, not just the demon inside. And in all that time, he had never seen the boy as depressed as he was now. All because someone had treated him with kindness right from the start and now might die.

"Hey," he said. "How about all the ramen you want tonight is free? How about it?"

Naruto smiled. "Yeah," he said, a little of his old spirit returning. "Yeah, that sounds great!"

"You know he's going to clean us out, right?" his daughter Ayame told him.

"Yeah, I know," Teuchi replied, already getting to work. "But look how happy he is now."

Ayame glanced back and smiled as well. "Yeah. It's worth it." She then paused, musing to herself. "I wonder who that girl was though?"

"Me too," Teuchi nodded. "I hope she makes it."

"Hey, Naruto!"

They all looked up to see Iruka running towards them. "Oh, hey Iruka-sensei," Naruto greeted.

"Hello there Iruka," Teuchi said.

"Teuchi, Ayame," Iruka said swiftly before turning to Naruto with a frown. "I said I'd take you out. Don't you remember?"

"Oh, right," Naruto nodded, suddenly remembering. "Sorry, I guess I forgot."

"Hmmm. Well anyway, I have some good news," Iruka told him with a smile. "That girl is out of critical condition. I just found out she's stabilized."

Instantly Naruto was up on his feet. "You mean she's going to be ok?" he asked, a familiar grin reappearing on his face that made Teuchi smile as well.

"Well she's still unconscious, but yes, she should be fine now," Iruka told him.

"Wahoo!" Naruto cheered. "That's awesome! Can I see her?"

"I think for now, let's let her get some rest. But tomorrow I can take you to her if you want."

"Thanks Iruka!"

Naruto's belly suddenly let out a loud growl, causing them all to look at him. He grinned sheepishly. "Looks my appetite just came back," he said. "Hey, just keep those ramen bowls coming, ok?"

"Out of house and home," Teuchi muttered, shaking his head. But it was definitely worth it to see that kid smile again. He didn't look right without it somehow.

Hiruzen sat in his office, contemplating all that he had learned.

Gods. That was what Inoichi had learned from the girl. She came from a world of gods and monsters. And she was apparently the daughter of a god. The most powerful one of all, it seemed. Zeus, God of the Sky.

That would explain a few things, as impossible as it seemed. Kandai had told him that half her DNA appeared to be something other like the Nine-Tailed Fox. A god might certainly fit that description. And Hiruzen also recalled when she called down the lightning, she hadn't created it so much as summoned it herself, calling it down from the clouds. From the sky.

Evidently, this girl who he now knew as Thalia Grace had been hunted by monstrous creatures because of her heritage to the point where she'd eventually been forced to fight off a whole horde of them in order to save her friends. She had died then, or come very close to it when Naruto had incidentally activated the Void Summoning Jutsu and managed to reach her at that exact moment, bringing her here where evidently the Nine-Tails' chakra somehow bonded with her godly DNA and forged a new chakra system with it.

"Gods and monsters," Hiruzen murmured.

The girl herself seemed to be no threat. Inoichi affirmed that. She was just a child on the run, looking for a home. From what had been gathered, the village wasn't in danger from her. But from her homeland? That was a different question.

Hiruzen knew he needed to keep all of this under wraps. Void Summoning had been a failed jutsu for so long that if people found out it actually worked, it would no doubt change the world. Especially when they learned just what they could summon over. Naruto had summoned a dying demigod, as Inoichi had put it. But where did it end? Could they summon these monsters too? Or the other spirits and creatures Inoichi saw through her memories?

Could gods be summoned here?

Hiruzen shivered at the thought. To be able to summon a god here to do your will. It would be like having another version of a jinchūriki. Except in this case, seeing as the Village Hidden in the Leaves was the only one to know about it, they'd have the upper hand.

That was what terrified him. He didn't want them to have that power. The world was currently in a delicate state of balance but it could easily tip in any direction. This new information wouldn't just make it tip. It would break the whole thing. Hiruzen had no doubt the other elders, especially Danzō, would use this to make themselves the dominant village and destroy the other nations if they disagreed.

This had to be kept quiet because of all that. Inoichi was already gone to take care of Mizuki and make sure he didn't talk. Iruka and Naruto wouldn't either, Hiruzen would ensure that. Kandai from the hospital was also sworn to secrecy. But still, there were risks.

It was days like this that Hiruzen regretted taking back the mantle of Hokage. It was a thankless job, the weight of the whole village upon his shoulders. He had to make decision after decision, most of which he loathed, to protect the people here. It was really meant for someone younger, not someone of his age. But if it wasn't him, who knew who would take up the mantle. Danzō? No, that Hiruzen could not allow. The two might go way back, but Hiruzen knew the kind of dark deeds Danzō did. And even only a little. No, he was not right to be Hokage.

Hiruzen knew it had to be him. For now at least, he was the best person for the job as much as he hated it. So it was up to him to make sure this information wasn't leaked and misused. And above all else, that girl had to be contained. If Danzō or another village or anyone else got their hands on her…there was no telling what would happen.

The best option would be to send her back to her home but…somehow, Hiruzen didn't think that would work. It was time to see if his hunch was correct.

He bit into his thumb and placed his hand firmly on the ground. "Summoning Jutsu."

There was a poof and suddenly the Monkey King Enma appeared in front of him.

"Hiruzen," Enma greeted. "What can I do for you?"

"What do you know about Void Summoning?" Hiruzen asked directly, getting straight to the point.

Instantly, he saw the twitch in Enma's eyes. "I know n-"

"Naruto Uzumaki was able to summon a young girl through the void last night," Hiruzen informed him to stave off any misdirection. "I'm afraid the time of subterfuge is gone. I already know all about the realm on the other side of the void."

Enma looked him in the eye and sighed. "That damn boy," the monkey grimaced. "It has been many centuries since a Void Summoning was effective. Even I was not around at that time but I am aware of it. The realms are kept apart for a reason. They operate under different systems than ours and could upend our entire way of life."

"I recognize that," Hiruzen nodded. "So far, information about this has been kept quiet. Only a few know of the girl and only two about the other realm. Three including you."

"Good," Enma nodded. "I do not know much about this other realm, only that it is where true gods reside alongside other beings with the power to reshape the earth, even more power than a jinchūriki."

Hiruzen's eyes widened at that. More power? That was a terrifying thought. "I have asked you here not to learn more of this realm but to see if it was possible to send her back."

"Yes, it can be done," Enma nodded. "It will take an immense amount of chakra but with the right steps, we should be able to-"

"I must inform you though that the girl now has a chakra system forged into her. It seems the Nine-Tails reached out to her with its own chakra and somehow bonded with her."

Enma stared at him for a minute before looking down, sighing. "Then that complicates matters a great deal. I cannot confirm this but I do not believe she can be sent back. It would take a godly amount of chakra to do so as if what you said is true and the Nine-Tails' chakra has bonded with her, it will just pull her back if you attempt to push her back through the void."

"Yes, I assumed as much," Hiruzen said, sighing. This was turning into a real mess.

There was a sudden knock at the door. Hiruzen glanced over, knowing someone coming this late could not be a good sign. "I'll keep you informed, Enma."

"Be careful Hiruzen," Enma warned him for disappearing in another poof.

Hiruzen walked towards the door and opened it, revealing the figure of someone he very much did not want to see right now. "Danzō," he greeted. "What can I do for you at this hour?"

The one-eyed, heavily bandaged man stepped forward. "Hiruzen," he said in his gravelly voice. "I just learned of a girl admitted to the hospital with grave injuries from the incident last night."

Of course Danzō knew, though it was a little surprising it had taken almost an entire day for that to happen. "Yes. Evidently, Naruto and Iruka found him during their scuffle with Mizuki."

"I assume she has been vetted for any sign of espionage or enemy allegiance?"

"Yes, Inoichi performed it earlier today. The girl is just a wanderer with no ties to anyone," Hiruzen affirmed.

"There are other rumors going around though about her abilities."

"Yes, I can assume as much," Hiruzen said, knowing such things wouldn't be hidden for long. "From what has been learned, she is quite powerful for one of her age. However, Danzō, no decision can be made of her future just yet. She is still unconscious from her injuries. We must wait for her to awaken before making such decisions."

Danzō gave him a hard look. "You already have a decision in mind, do you not?"

"I do," Hiruzen nodded, knowing he wouldn't be able to get much past his old companion. "Given what has occurred and her short but, it would seem, profound relationship with Naruto Uzumaki, I think it would be in both of their best interests as well as the village to attempt to pair them up on a ninja team. If she is amenable to it, of course."

Danzō eyed him carefully. "Do you not think that an outsider such as her would be better suited-"

Hiruzen raised a hand to stop him. "I know what you prefer Danzō, but I have already made my argument. In the end it will come down to her. Of course, we might just let her go. After all, she has no true ties to us or any other village. But if she chooses to stay, given the facts and recent events, pairing her with Naruto seems to be in the best interest of all concerned."

Danzō's expression was inscrutable as always but he still bowed his head. "Then I will cede to your judgment. We will see what happens when she awakens. I bid you good night, Lord Hokage."

"Good night."

Once the door was closed, Hiruzen let out a soft sigh of relief. That had been too close for comfort. He knew the girl's abilities would not be kept hidden. But their origin must be. Hopefully, any potential rumors had been crushed before they could even start.

"Thalia Grace," he murmured. From what Inoichi had described, she was brave girl, one who was willing to sacrifice her life to save her friends, who had gone through so much trauma for such a short life and come out stronger because of it. To him, she was the embodiment of the Will of Fire.

If given the chance, and from what little he knew, she could be a remarkable ninja indeed.

Kurama lay in his prison, restless. He had thought he would finally be reunited with his other half and that this would all be over. But instead, one of those damn demigods came through. He hadn't meant to give Naruto that much of his chakra.

Not only that, but when his chakra caught onto hers, it had molded itself into her and become her own chakra. She had stolen his power and made it hers.

At least it wasn't half like last time. Kurama didn't think he could handle being separated again like that. But it was still a nuisance and a pain. The worst was, he could still feel her out there. He was now connected to her and she to him. Which meant she was one of the few individuals alive who could actually repress him, even hurt him. He didn't like that one bit.

Those demigods always were troublesome, he thought.

Hello everyone and welcome to my new story. A few months ago, I found a story written by DragonKingDragneel25 with the same premise that sadly was unfinished. However, it interested me so much that I decided to give it a try and messaged the original writer and got permission to remake the story. So here we are.

I am so excited for this story and I have major plans going forward. I will say that in the beginning, the canon won't change too much though there will be some things here and there, but once we hit the end of the Chunin Exams, there will be some major changes. I can't wait to show you everything that's happening. This story will be released every two weeks for the first few chapters before going on to a different schedule.

Please leave a review and thanks for reading. And a big thanks to DragonKingDragneel25 for getting to write this.