A/N: Chapter 3 now updated.
CHAPTER-3: Realizations and Conversations
"Hm… So how do I go to wherever Kurama is? I forgot to ask him GAAH!"
Naruto murmured to himself in his bedroom. After successfully summoning Gamabunta, Jiraiya had given the blonde a day off owing to his exhaustion.
'He just wants get away from me to keep peeping on women…Damn Ero-Sennin and his damned research', Naruto thought to himself and quite correctly so. In the meantime, he was confused. He was angry, really angry at Neji for harming Hinata. But he didn't yet understand why he was so protective of Hinata. During her match with Neji, the blonde had cheered for her and was amazed by her resolve to stand up again and again. Sakura had told him that the Hyuuga might have been inspired by him. To say that Naruto was surprised by this was an understatement. He was blown away with that fact.
'I used to think that Hinata is all shy and weird but that day…that match showed that how ignorant I am. She's really amazing.'
Every time he thought about Hinata, he felt a very warm sensation in his heart.
'What is this feeling? I know Hinata-chan is amazing but why do I feel so warm when I think about her? I don't feel like this when I think about Sakura-chan or anyone else?"
Then he thought back the Hyuuga heiress's words just before she lost consciousness.
'"D-Did I… Did I change Na-Naruto-kun?" That's what you said before you passed out. Well certainly you changed the way I see you. Before, I hardly knew anything about you. You stuttered, turned red and fainted whenever you were around me but now that I know you're amazing, really strong, and after taking a good look at you, turns out you're really cute and beautiful. Even calling you Hinata-chan feels more right than calling Sakura Sakura-chan….' The blonde stopped dead in his mental when realization started hitting him.
'Do I… Did I just think that I may be...but will she even…aaahh! She's the Hyuuga heiress, she's like a princess, how could she even like someone like me, I don't think even if I try my best she'll look at me like that…what am I thinking…I should just know my own limits…Future Hokage or not this is just aiming too high…'
The blonde sighed. However, inside his cage Kurama was very satisfied.
'Looks like travelling back in time was worth it after all. Maybe keeping a steady chakra flow into his system instead of sending bursts after bursts of it not just helped with chakra control and physical strength, it strengthened him mentally even if only a little bit. Last time he didn't think much about that Vixen of his at this point. He only started thinking about her after she confessed and finally, on his last breaths did he realize that he thought about her in a romantic way even though he did that subconsciously for a long…long time. Hmmm…this time may be hooking those two would be easier and then the other serious tasks, The damned seal doesn't let me contact with Shukaku, even if he and his jinchuuriki are in the village, just a few kilometres away, the channel is just too hazy…and I may have been napping at inopportune times… Come to think of it, I wonder how well some of my siblings have been doing…
*Flashback The Year of the future Biju's arrival…*
Han and Roshi sat at a tea shop, contemplating the information that had been shared with them by their now older tenants (well, suddenly older by a decade tenants)
"It's crazy…just absolutely insane." The redheaded old man mumbled.
Han sipped the tea and nodded, only missing his cloth mask and steam engine but otherwise dressed in his armor. "Indeed."
"And the fact that we even believe this time travel nonsense is not just not sane in the slightest, but we should be discharged and institutionalized…" Roshi kept on mumbling.
Han hummed along.
But then Roshi's gaze turned distant: "But everything Goku and Kokuo said makes absolute sense. I could see myself going down to Kisame, I'd give the Shark Bastard a good thrashing and scar that sword of his for the rest of its days, but I don't think I could win a war of attrition, not without unleashing Goku."
"And my fate I could see happening as well." Han added. "But what do we do with what we know? Lay down, or fight?"
Roshi shook his head: "You and I both know it's not the Shinobi way to give up and die. We fight on and endure no matter the path ahead."
Han smiled: "Agreed. I suppose it might be beneficial to stay with Iwa for the time being. As much as I hate it, experience with the ninja here and other things makes this area a good place for a final stand."
Roshi nodded: "And there's a good dormant volcano nearby for me and Goku's Lava techniques. Worse comes to worst, we blow it and take out the Land of Earth but drag those Akatsuki bastards down with us."
Han chuckled slightly: "Even in old age you lack restraint…"
Roshi mockingly scowled: "OI! I'm not that old. I was planning on taking on a team of promising youngsters soon, give Iwa a good shot for this Fourth Great Ninja War."
Han stared with an eyebrow raised: "…words like youngsters does not imply youth but rather a lack of it, Roshi."
Roshi dropped the façade and shrugged: "Perhaps, though my future team of pupils does strike me as rather promising. Just wish that the youngest of them wasn't so art obsessed."
Han chuckled again: "I can't decide who I pity more in that arrangement. Onoki always managed to get you into these kinds of situations. Any luck convincing him to ally with Konoha?"
Roshi sighed: "None. He's set in his ways and he's traumatized from Madara's visit to the village during that negotiation back when me and him were still genin."
Han shook his head: "A shame. I believe this Uzumaki Naruto would have been interesting to meet, if for nothing else to see how he measures up to Goku and Kokuo's praise."
"I'm more shocked that there still an Uzumaki going by the name 'Uzumaki' out there and making waves with that name. Last one of those was…Nagato wasn't it, apart from Konoha's former First Lady that is?" Roshi enquired.
Han nodded in affirmation after a moment: "I believe so, he was part of the Akatsuki movement in Ame. Heard he possessed a powerful dojutsu. And that Danzo and Hanzo both tried taking him and the movement down. I wonder if there's a connection between the Akatsuki movement and the Akatsuki mercenary group? Or one between Naruto and Nagato?"
Roshi stroked his beard in contemplation: "The Akatsuki connection…I have no doubt of. Too much would make sense. Especially if this 'Pain' was Nagato. But that would make his dojutsu the Rinnegan, and few would be able to fight back against that. The Naruto and Nagato connection is quite a bit vaguer but I remember Jiraiya's first book being dedicated to an Uzumaki Nagato, with the main character being his given name corrupted into Naruto."
"So Jiraiya-san would be the connection?" Han asked.
"Most likely. In the editions that mentioned Nagato the most, it was the earliest one, Jiraiya expressed absolute belief that Nagato would change the world. A kid with the Rinnegan would be quite the thing to place that kind of faith in, and with the legends regarding those eyes' power it would make sense he had that kind of expectation." Roshi exposited.
"But it would seem that Nagato has forsaken such aspirations…" Han started
"…Or has gone about taking a bloodier path to it. One that made him into Pain, the man leading Akatsuki." Roshi finished.
Han sighed "This isn't going to be easy, changing fate. But most things worth aspiring to hardly ever are."
Roshi smirked: "I couldn't have said it better, Han."
Modern Day Kumo
10 days ago
"I'm tellin ya bro, Konoha would be a good fit for us. Help get Kumo out of that funk we been in." Bee spoke while Yugito watched flatly. 'I wish I could be riling up Omoi, Karui and Samui. It's so funny. Would beat these two arguing.'
"Bee, for the last time: WE ARE NOT IN A FUNK! Business has been slowing for a while. We've had more years of peace now than we got between the Second and Third wars. People are starting to think that the continent-wide cold war might finally be wrapping up." Ay, the Raikage, complained.
"And how did Kumo's business slowing down start?" Yugito cut in.
"The Hyuuga Affair." Ay sighed out.
The Hyuuga Affair had been an albatross around the Hidden Village's neck for almost a decade. Perhaps in a few years, it would stop actively affecting Kumo's international mission bring in.
The mission was a mistake from the start, but some in power wanted to have Kumo claim the glory of stealing the all-seeing Byakugan.
The mission showed just how little the Lightning Daimyo knew about ninja operations and Ay finally got the authority to override further mission orders for similar missions, but only after the mess was over.
Thankfully, as similar missions had been ordered over the years. No telling where Kumo's international revenue would be at if Ay had been forced to follow through on them.
Bee and Yugito had been pushing Ay to work towards mending the rift between Kumo and Konoha for years but they had been especially adamant about going through with it ever since the Konoha Chunin Exams had been announced.
The benefits to such an alliance were slowly becoming more appealing to Ay. The possibilities were appealing with the possibility of getting cadet branches to Konoha clans established in Kumo being a good means of convincing the more power-hungry Lightning officials to agree.
Ay sighed: "And how do you propose we get negotiations opened? It's too late to send a team, the exams are about to start and the deadline to register foreign teams passed yesterday."
Yugito shrugged: "Why not just organize a visit during the third exam? The exams are used for politics anyways." "You would be the one to suggest simply cutting the knot rather than untying it." 'I know Matatabi. I'm trying to help that Naruto kid. If his fate is what you and Gyuuki say it is, then we need to ensure we can get him to the Turtle Island.'
Bee added: "Yeah, bro. Organize a visit and get things cool between Konoha and Kumo. Get things right and apologize for that mess."
Ay stood silent for a minute: "I'll think about it."
Bee and Yugito smiled internally and shared a sentiment: "Score!/Perfect!"
Back with Naruto and Kurama in the present…
Come on Naruto get here quickly we have a lot to discuss!' Thought Kurama while he waited for the blonde to appear before him.
Meanwhile Naruto decided to focus on talking to his tenant for the time being and tried to focus on the seal and the fox while closing his eyes. He had watched Jiraiya meditating earlier when he was playing around with the summoning jutsu and perfecting his water walking. Upon asking him about it, the Toad Sage revealed that it helped him clear his mind and focus. So, the blonde decided to try it out this time and indeed while trying to focus on the fox, he felt a pull inside his mind and in a fraction of a second found himself standing before the fox's cage.
"Umm…You in here? Kurama?", the blonde asked quietly, he didn't really want the gigantic fox to yell at him for being loud. 'He calls me loud but I can bet he is a million times louder than me and scary as hell!'
"You do realize that we share this mindscape and I can read your thoughts?"
Naruto was suddenly snapped into attention as Kurama was now standing before him grinning.
"STOP SCARING ME LIKE THAT CREEPY FOX!", Naruto yelled only for the fox to widen his grin. Kurama didn't get many opportunities to tease his partner as they finally made friends in the midst of a war. So, this time he didn't plan on passing up any opportunity to tease the blonde.
"I also know what you are thinking about making that Hyuuga girl your mate, good choice by the way, far better than that loudmouthed pinkette."
Naruto couldn't help blush.
"SHUT UP BAKA-KITSUNE! Stop intruding into my mind!", Naruto yelled again but this time with a blush. The fox was forcing him to admit that he had started to like the shy Hyuuga romantically.
"Anyways I am sure you didn't call me here to just tease me so what is it that you want to talk about?", asked Naruto hoping to change the topic.
"I was actually hoping to train you so that you became stronger. I am tired of seeing my container being looked down upon and called an idiot."
"So, you don't think of me as an idiot, like the others do?", Naruto asked.
"I did see how you outsmarted that Inuzuka boy using his own strength against him. You fought him and won when you were handicapped by that five-point seal that the snake bastard used on you. So yeah, you may be loudmouthed and annoying (Naruto groaned at that) but you're not an idiot. However, if you had continued obsessing over that Pinky I would have believed that you really are stupid."
"Hey! What's wrong with Sakura-chan? She's pretty, smart and…."
"She doesn't think about any other boy other than that Uchiha brat."
"I bet she'll notice me when I finally prove myself to be better than Sasuke-teme."
"So, you think of her as some sort of trophy?", The Kyuubi growled making Naruto flinch.
"I really don't like those who treat girls like trophies, besides she doesn't acknowledge you for who you are likely never will for a long time."
"So maybe when she sees me for who I am, I might have a chance", Naruto asked giving a grin (A false one).
"ABSOLUTELY NOT! Besides you just realized that you like that Hyuuga chick more than that Pinky so it's better you stop lying to yourself. Besides I never understood the reason of your obsession with her in the first place."
"Because I wanted to be cheered up by her like she always cheered for Sasuke and I wanted to be called cool like she calls Sasuke. That's why I thought if I beat the teme someday she and the other girls would call me cool and all."
Kurama sighed.
"Gaki, it's far better for you to find someone that loves you for who you are. Thinking back, I guess that Hyuuga girl you are thinking so much about nowadays never drooled over that Uchiha brat like he's some God."
"Hinata-chan is almost royalty in this village. I doubt she'll ever accept if I ask her out and I don't know why but I am afraid that I won't be able to take a rejection from her. She's really nice and if she stops being friends for that then…"
"You need to find out more about her. Your nervousness also shows that you really want to spend time with her. Anyways! Now back to your training. Before we discuss the details of your training, I want you to tell me what you think of me. I can sense if you're lying or not so be totally honest."
"Well…I know that you attacked the village 13 years ago. People fear you and call you a monster. But after talking to you I think that even if you're a monster, you seem pretty smart. And someone as smart and powerful as you will never attack the village or kill people without a proper reason. Heck! Even I never attacked anybody without any reason.", Naruto explained. Kurama could sense that the blonde was totally sincere in his reasoning and was satisfied.
'I can't help but be reminded of Chomei by him…I wonder how the bug is doing…'
Meanwhile in Fu's mindscape…
"…And so, we just laughed it off and then fired a bunch of Bijudama at the place. Anyways, that's how the Land of Sky's empire got crushed and Reibi got sealed away."
Fu remained silent.
"Am I being ignored?" Chomei asked genuinely worried.
"Fu's trying to meditate Chomei." Chomei's Jinchuuriki responded.
"Oh. Sorry."
Then Chomei heard a distinct almost growling sound. "You're not meditating, you're sleeping!"
"N-no I'm not!"
"Yes, you are. I know the difference."
Back to Naruto's mindscape…
"Well, I am pretty impressed with your reasoning. Most humans never see us as anything other masses of chakra with no mind that are to be used as weapons only. That's why I truly hate most of your kind in general."
"But you can talk and that pretty much means you can think which means you have your own mind and from our recent conversation I can pretty much guess that you're intelligent. Although you do have a short temper just like me."
"Indeed, what you said is true I have my own mind and soul. Even if I am a humongous mass of chakra, I am not some weapon of mass destruction. However, fear and greed has clouded the humans' judgement for a long time."
"What do you mean?"
"Those who fear us Biju for our power just want us to disappear so that they don't have to live in the fear of getting annihilated by us, for them reasoning is out of question. That is very much the reason most of the people in this village hate you kit."
"And then there are those who want to use our power as a weapon to achieve their goals. They don't want to reason with us because you don't usually care about the feelings of those who you want to enslave. Just like Madara Uchiha.", Explained Kurama while spitting at the name of Madara.
"But this is so cruel."
"Indeed, it is, both for us Biju as well as those who are forced to carry us, the Jinchuuriki, people like you."
"WAIT! You mean there are other Biju like you and Jinchuuriki like me?"
"Indeed, there are 9 tailed beasts in total, characterized by the number of tails they possess. The one tailed Shukaku, he is contained inside that Gaara kid."
Naruto's eyes widened at the revelation. He knew for certain that there was something similar between the quiet and scary red-haired Sand Genin. He had realized that he could see the same pain, loneliness and rejection from people in Gaara's eyes. He now knew the reason. This motivated him to try to understand the Sand Genin even more and maybe even attempt to befriend him.
"Then there is Matatabi, the Two-tailed Cat, the Three tailed turtle Isobu, Son Goku-the four tailed monkey, Kokuo of the Five Tails who looks like a hybrid of a dolphin and a horse, then the six tailed slug Saiken, the seven tailed Beetle Chomei who also happens to have an obsession with luck, the eight tailed Gyuuki who is more or less a hybrid between an ox and an octopus. Lastly you have me, the nine tailed Fox, Kurama. Every one of us has our own personalities as well as special abilities. I will tell you about them in detail at a later time. However: for your knowledge, I am the strongest of the Biju."
"That's AMAZING! And if the strongest Biiju trains me then I will definitely take the old man's hat. Take that Teme! I am way more awesome than you." The blonde raised his fist in the air and jumped in excitement.
"So Kurama, when do we start training and what am I supposed to do?"
"You can start by opening this seal."
"WHAAAAT! ABSOLUTELY NOT! WHAT'S THE GUARANTEE THAT YOU WILL NOT GET OUT AND LAY WASTE ON THE VILLAGE! DON'T YOU FUCKING DARE TRY TO FOOL ME!", Naruto yelled.
"I expected that you will react like that. Now I need you to listen to me with attention." Unsaid was: "And I know that's difficult for you, why is questionable."
Naruto crossed his arms around his chest and gave Kurama an annoyed look.
"Gaki, being sealed not just inside you but multiple jinchuuriki before you for years, I do have some idea of how seals work. The seal that keeps me behind this cage can't be opened by anybody other than its creator, the Yondaime Hokage or someone who has the key to this seal, which I am sure that Jiraiya possesses. So even if you tried you can't open this seal, the damage would be too extreme for you and me. It also has a back-up mechanism to prevent you from opening the seal forcefully without the key."
"So, both of us get fucked up if I try to tamper with the seal too much?"
"Pretty much"
"And only Ero-sennin can open this seal without any problems because he has the key?"
"Exactly"
"So why did you advise me to try and open this seal if it can potentially harm you as well?"
"Because I can sense the Yondaime Hokage's chakra still inside this seal. I am sure if you try to tamper with it then he might appear here. And I am sure you might have some questions for him if you ever see him. And with those questions answered we can prepare a training schedule for you." Kurama half lied.
"So, you mean I can meet the Yondaime if I try to open this seal?"
"Yup"
"Then maybe I can ask him why did he choose me to become your container and maybe… just maybe he can tell who my parents were?" the blonde mumbled to himself. Naruto got emotional at the thought knowing something about his parents.
'At least he'll tell me why he sealed the fox inside me of all people and if the seal can't be opened without his permission, then there's nothing to lose here. Yup! Definitely worth a try.'
"So, what do I have to do to meet the Yondaime?"
"Just try to rip this tag with the kanji of 'seal' off."
Kurama then extended his nail on which Naruto stood and then raised him up to where the tag of "seal" was.
"Here goes nothing." Naruto said to no one in particular and started to rip the tag off. As expected, (By Kurama of course), Naruto felt a hand tap him on the shoulder and he turned back to see a tall and handsome man with bright yellow hair and azure blue eyes smiling at him. The man wore a standard jounin outfit and a white cloak with red flame designs on its borders and on the back of the cloak, the kanji for "Yondaime Hokage" was written.
However, what surprised Naruto the most was that he could feel a lot of affection and love in the eyes of the former Hokage and his smile gave him reassurance and…strength. The very presence of the man filled Naruto up with warmth… he couldn't understand why.
"Y-Y-yondaime-s-sama", the blonde stuttered out.
The man's smile vanished for a moment and Naruto swore the man was sad for a second but he controlled himself and smiled at the blonde again.
"It makes me really happy to see you Naruto."
A/N: To those who think how can Minato open the seal without the key think back to the fight with Pein when Minato repaired the damage to the seal. He didn't need to summon Geratora to tighten the seal. The seal was very loose at that time and he tightened it to its previous levels. However when Jiraiya wanted to loosen the seal a bit to experiment with Naruto's control over Kurama (during the time-skip), he needed Geratora and the key. So I concluded that Minato being the creator of the seal doesn't need the key to do anything with the seal. He can do anything he wants. As for others, they need the key to modify the seal. Here modify includes opening, tightening or loosening whatsoever.
The pairings in this story that I have decided till now are;
1. NaruHina
2. MinaKushi
3. ShikaTema
I haven't decided whether I should do SasuSaku or not, but that's the most probable one as I kinda left a hint for it in the first chapter but still you can suggest in your reviews whether I should do SasuSaku or not. (I do want to give Sasuke a partner even though he is the most difficult character for me to write a romance for)
As far as character bashing is concerned, I am not yet sure whether I am going to bash anyone in particular except for Danzo of course. As far as Sasuke is concerned, in the first chapter itself I made it clear from the way I presented him that I won't be bashing him. He may have his fall into darkness and a redemption but he won't be bashed. I truly believe that Hinata, Sasuke, Shikamaru, Gaara and Chouji are Naruto's closest friends. (Of course Hinata is much more but a best friend is definitely one of the things she is to him). Kakashi, Minato and Jiraiya definitely won't be bashed. Naruto might throw a rant at both his teachers but that will be it, no bashing. As for the rest of them (including Sakura) I would request you all to suggest in your reviews whether I should include bashing for anyone in the story. Another thing I would like to clear up is that neither this one nor any other fic I may write in the future will have harems. I hate them with a passion (romancing multiple girls is totally against the character of the Naruto I know) and all my fics will be NaruHina and that's non-negotiable.
Hope you all enjoyed reading this chapter. I thank you all for the support