AN from Lucius: About the Timeline, and Darker Story Tone.
The timeline won't be accurate, which should be obvious, due to Sabine being part of the story. While yes, we will attempt to not jumble up the timelines too much, we'll have to mix up a few things here and there.
I hope that answer's everyone's questions. That being said, this story will be significantly darker, and will have trigger warnings at times.
Anyways, enjoy!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
[The Prison of the Nine-Tails]
Officially known to a select few, inside of the boy named Naruto Uzumaki was a tailed beast. To be more exact, the Nine-Tailed Fox, aka "The Kyuubi", the same tailed beast that had attacked Konoha only a few years ago, was sealed inside of Naruto.
The Kyuubi, a creature made of chakra, whose size easily rivaled mountains, whose power can shatter the earth with a single cleave from its tail, was locked into the body and soul of a child. Locked behind the inescapable cage, the tailed beast could do nothing but sleep and observe the world through the boy's eyes. All because of the damned, late Fourth Hokage, who was known to many as "The Yellow Flash."
Since most of what its prison warden does was boring beyond comprehension, all the beast did was sleep for the most part. Right now, however, it was wide awake. That was because just a week ago, the blond brat had another interesting fight, where he needed his power to help him win. What was even more entertaining was the fact that he was fighting an Uchiha, or to be more exact, the last of its kind.
The Demon Fox smirked, reminiscing about the memory of the fight. Sure, he hated the annoying Uzumaki brat to hell, but he hated the Uchihas even more, and he took utmost pleasure in watching him beat the crap out of him, even if he didn't exactly walk away unscathed. Sure, the Uchiha brat wasn't killed, as he secretly hoped for, but he was still dragged back to the village in humiliation, and was no doubt going to be branded a traitor.
The Kyuubi frowned when his thoughts trailed from the defeated Uchiha to the Uzumaki brat that was containing him. He had to work extra hard to keep his ass alive, due to the two gaping holes in his chest. The worst part was that after his generous decision to keep the boy alive, he wasn't going to be thanked for it, which felt like another spit to the face he couldn't retaliate against.
Now he knew that the kid might be staying in this coma for another week or two, he found no reason to stay awake and just take another deep nap into his slumber.
But that wasn't what was occupying the fox's mind. No, it was the strange power that Naruto had just used moments before Sasuke Uchiha had been defeated.
It was...dark. Dark, potent, and powerful, it wasn't something that he had felt since...the day he was born. It was a power that was similar to theirs, and yet, it wasn't a power that they could use themselves.
Oddly enough, it gave him a sense of nostalgia that he knew was something he could never understand, given how he could remember everything from birth.
Before Kurama could think on it some more, something else caught his scent. He blinked, and he realized that something - or someone - had just entered this planet.
His eyes widened as he realized that he had felt and smelt this presence before. This scent, this aura, this power...he had felt it before. It was when they were born. It was when they saw the strange men retreat into the Heavens, sailing beyond the stars in their metal ships, with powers that rivaled theirs.
Kurama sensed a rainbow of auras, some darker than others, and some much brighter than the others. But only one of them stood out in particular. Yes, this aura...it was the one that he had met before.
"Yoda...my old friend. Have you returned after all these years?"
[Konoha - Konoha Hospital]
Jiraiya let out a sigh for what seemed like the millionth time that day. The old Toad Sage was sitting by Naruto's bed alongside another visitor, who was not human.
Small, old, and green, it was the eldest summoning toad, who was wearing a brown cape, had gray hair, and had noticeably thick eyebrows, which was also gray from old age. The old toad might not look like much, but he was the one that taught Jiraiya in his younger days as a Shinobi, which is why even Jiraiya held much respect for the old animal.
His name was Fukasaku, a resident of Mount Myōboku, as well as being one of their strongest warriors. Usually isolating himself from the human world, it certainly came as a surprise for Jiraiya when he actually came to visit him and the boy.
"So this is your new apprentice, eh, Jiraiya-boy?" The elderly green toad asked as he stared at the comatose blond on the bed. "He sure took quite a beating from that Uchiha kid you told me about."
"Yeah, I know." Jiraiya said plainly, still staring at Naruto's unresponsive body. According to Tsunade, the boy was possibly near Death's door, due to the damage he had sustained by the hand of the Uchiha traitor. It was only thanks to Shizune personally leading Naruto's surgery that the boy was still breathing - for now.
"You're angry, Jiraiya-boy." Fukasaku noticed the Toad Sage's grim expression. "I can see that."
"I'm a shinobi." Jiraiya sighed. "Death is part of our everyday life. We learn how to take lives, how to prevent others from taking them, and ultimately, how to deal with death, regardless of who it happens to. And yet, even after all these years, it still takes me by surprise when a close one is at the bastard's door. I walked into my village wanting to buy this brat a cup of ramen, only to find out that he nearly died to bring back a traitor, which, for some reason, seems to be more liked than this hero himself." He ended with a frown, angrily pointing to his injured student. It honestly took everything the old pervert had to not walk into the Uchiha's room and finish what Itachi started.
Fukasaku nodded solemnly, understanding the old man's sorrow very well, before turning back to Naruto. "This boy, you sure that he's ready to take his training to the next level when he wakes up?"
"Maybe not." Jiraiya grunted, standing up to walk over to the blond's side. "But ready or not, the minute he recovers from his injuries and wakes up, we'll leave this village to help him train to be ready for the Akatsuki. If my intel is correct, then this will be the right moment to do so."
"So how long do you plan on training this boy anyways?" The old toad asked, staring at the breathing machine that helps keep the boy alive.
"Two years." Jiraiya said with a determined look. "I want to train him non-stop for two years."
Whatever else he was going to say, he held his tongue, seeing the elder toad shake his head.
"Something wrong, Lord Fukasaku?"
"Jiraiya-boy." Fukasaku had a concerned look on his face. "We just found more bad news. There's something wrong with this boy's contract."
"Wait, what?"
"To put it simply...his contract's corroded." Fukasaku said carefully. "We don't know why, but somehow, his connection to us is just...disrupted. It's almost as if something evil just stepped in between our bond and poured acid all over it."
"Wait wait wait." Jiraya waved his hands around before speaking. "You're trying to tell me that Naruto's contract somehow got broken? How's that possible?"
"Not broken." Fukasaku corrected. "Just...corrupted. I don't know. All I know is that he can't summon us, and we can't summon him. The only thing we do know is that our bond can only allow us to know that he's alive, but that's it."
He turned his head back to Naruto's still form.
"Whatever it is, it's related to whatever happened at that valley."
"Come to think of it," Jiraiya snapped his fingers, remembering something that his friend had previously said. "Tsunade mentioned how Naruto somehow suffered from extreme mental fatigue, which may be the reason to why he's in a coma in the first place."
"Strange, but could be related." Fukasaku scratched his chin in thought. "Did the Uchiha boy say anything that'll help us solve this mystery?"
Jiraiya shook his head. "Damn kid hasn't said a word ever since he got back here and got his chakra sealed off."
"He's the only one who might know what could've happened in that fight that caused Naruto-boy's current condition." Fukusaku pointed out. "It's imperative that we get some answers out of him sooner or later."
Just as Jiraiya was going to say something else, the door burst open, revealing a panting Shizune.
"Outside!" Shizune gasped, trying to take in some air. "Something large! Come quick!"
"What? Another invasion?!" Jiraiya asked, but Shizune just ran back outside. Taking out a kunai, he followed the young woman outside, hoping for an answer.
[Konoha Shopping District ; A Few Minutes Earlier]
Life in the Konoha Shopping District was never a dull one, with civilians and shinobi alike always crowding the district, looking to buy or sell something of value.
Amongst the crowds stood the members of Team 8, Team 10, Team Gai, and Sakura Haruno. With everyone now discharged from the hospital, everyone agreed to visit Naruto at least once a day.
One of them was carrying a get-well basket, which was stuffed with cards and letters and an unopened cup of beef ramen, which was cleverly hidden underneath some delicious looking fruits.
"Hiding that cup of ramen underneath the fruits." Ino smiled at her friend Hinata. "Good thinking. I'm pretty sure Naruto will appreciate it when he wakes up."
Hinata did her best to hide the growing blush on her face with the basket.
"I just thought that when he wakes up, he might want to eat something else than what the hospital offers." She tried not to stutter with some success, which she felt was a victory on her part.
Everyone else couldn't help but smile at Hinata's good nature, as well as her obvious crush on the blond goofball, and for the fact that out of every one of them, she visited his room everyday almost religiously.
"CRUNCH!"
The moment was ruined by the sound of someone chewing on something rather loudly. They all turned to the source of the noise, and deadpanned at the sight of Choji eating his bag of barbecue potato chips.
"Hmm, so tasty…" He moaned in delight.
Ino turned back to her teammate with a tick mark on her forehead.
"Damn it, Choji! The Hokage told you to not eat that crap for another week!"
Chouji pouted at his blonde teammate. "Oh come on, Ino."
"Chouji…"
"Man, what a drag. Let it go, Ino." This time it was Shikamaru spoke, the only member of the group who's a full fledged Chunin, as evident by his jacket. "It's not like we're trying to stop Naruto from eating healthy."
"I do have to agree with the Yamanaka for once." Neji joined the conversation. "I also agree that it might not be the best idea to bring unhealthy food to someone who hasn't even woken up from his coma yet."
"Come on Neji, give them a break." Tenten, the weapon specialist of Team Gai, waved her hands. "You know what Lady Tsunade has told us: He'll wake up the next week or so, so that's no problem. Besides, there's a mini fridge in there so we can just put the ramen cup in there for the time being."
Tenten was one of the many people who didn't pay much attention to the spirited blond, seeing him as just another arrogant teen who had big dreams, but with no skill to back it up. After seeing him beat Neji - NEJI, of all people - in the Chunin Exams, she finally saw the boy for all of his potential, and ever since then, especially after the Retrieval Mission, she had finally decided to stop taking him so lightly, and to start paying more attention to him.
"YOSH!" Lee cried out (which at this point, failed to surprise them anymore). "I have faith that Naruto's Flames of Youth will help him awaken him from his coma sooner or later! If not, I shall run around the village 500 times on my hands!"
This actually got some of them to burst into laughter, with even Neji smirking at his teammate's antics. After the Retrieval Mission, it would seem that they needed this usual dynamic to help keep their spirits up.
Sakura giggled at Lee's declaration.
"You do you, Lee."
This got everyone to laugh and grin even harder at Lee's positivity, with even Lee himself smiling at their reaction.
Well, all except for Kiba, who was unusually silent in his thoughts, which was not unnoticed by his teammate, Shino Aburame.
"You've been awfully quiet, Kiba." Shino mentioned, which shut up the group effectively. "Just speak out your mind if you need to."
"... I still can't believe that bastard Sasuke tried to turn traitor." Kiba finally blurted it out, causing the others to stop and turn around after hearing this. Kiba sucked in some air between his teeth, and seeing as how he finally said what needed to be said, he decided to continue.
"Look, I've been pissed off about some crap some of the civilians are saying." Kiba growled. "They've been spreading some nasty rumors, you know?"
"...Yeah, I hear you." Shikamaru began to unleash his inner thoughts as well. "Pretty messed up how people turn on you…"
While trying to lose himself in his own thoughts, he couldn't help but overhear some very foolish statements coming from some of the villagers, who obviously held unwarranted animosity towards the blond.
Don't get him wrong, he knew exactly why they hated the blond from birth. Shikamaru, who held a very high IQ level, was one of the few people who quickly deduced just why Naruto was so hated. He was also wise and smart enough to not talk about it, else he would be punished under the law of the late Third Hokage. His suspicions were only confirmed after the Chuunin Exam, when Naruto used that chakra in his match against Neji.
Admittedly, it did frighten Shikamaru quite a bit, but if Hinata could still love him, especially for who he was, then he trusted her judgement.
"Some of them," Kiba continued, his teeth grinding from frustration, "have the balls to deny that the bastard was going to defect to the Third Hokage's killer, while Naruto's still breathing through a tube because his lungs were destroyed from that same bastard."
This got many nods of agreement, especially from Neji and Choji, who weren't very happy at the way their critically injured comrade was treated.
The whole story hadn't come out yet, but the people were already beginning to cook up lies and theories, which quickly evolved into spread rumors. The most popular one happened to be where Sasuke was a victim of some sorts, with Naruto somehow being responsible for the "kidnapping."
"I must say, Kiba," Shino began to throw his word in, "this is the first time you've been very outspoken for Naruto, given how you both weren't very good acquaintances."
"Hey, I'll admit that Naruto and I might not be on good terms, but you know what? He convinced me otherwise."
Seeing the stunned reactions from the others, Kiba decided to elaborate.
"Sure, he beat me in the Chunin Exams, sure, he's still a goofball and a loud mouth, but he's someone you can at least trust when shit goes down."
Everyone who was a part of the Retrieval Mission wholeheartedly agreed. When it came down to it, he was capable of being serious, and he was capable of holding his own and helping out out his comrades. Arguably, this was what really earned him their respect, and this is why they finally accepted him as a valuable comrade of Konoha.
Sakura bit her lip. She couldn't bring herself to mention the conversation she remembered having with Sasuke before, on how he talked about why Naruto wasn't truly moping about having no parents, and why he was still being positive after she made a rather insensitive comment about wishing to not have parents. From what she knew, Naruto was the only one who was orphaned at a very young age without even knowing who his parents were.
Similarly, both Tenten and Lee lost their parents on the day of the Kyuubi attack, but Lee was taken under Gai's wing as his mentor - and later on, a father-like figure, - while Tenten was adopted by her godparents.
Then there was Sasuke, who lost his entire family right in front of him by his own brother while they were just in their Academy days. He never did accept anyone's offer to adopt him, choosing to remain alone in the Uchiha Compound, perhaps as a way to remember and honor them while he trained and lived there.
While he never did have another parent-like figure ever again, he was adored by the village, with everyone always smiling at him, trying to cheer him up, and thanking him (and thus, his late-family) for their services as Konoha's ex-police force. Hell, he was also often given special treatment in the Academy, offering special tutoring and such, to which he happily accepted, hoping to quickly grow stronger to avenge his family.
When you looked at the facts, Naruto's life was the polar opposite of Sasuke's, which was funny in a way, considering how both of them turned out.
Shikamaru, out of everyone in the group, knew these facts, and the more he thought about it, the more he was surprised that Naruto didn't just up and leave the village a long time ago. Getting the piss-poor treatment he did up to this day, any sane man or woman would've just given up on the village and would've left in the middle of the night in a very Sasuke-like style.
But Naruto didn't. Instead of leaving much like how Sasuke had done, he had chosen to stay, for one reason or another. Looking back, perhaps the small interactions he and Choji had with the blond helped him stay rooted here. The fact that the Third Hokage and Iruka themselves paid some attention to him, even giving him a home, probably helped him keep treason out of his mind.
Shikamaru then imaged an alternate universe, where much like Gaara, he was treated much worse, with even the Hokage shunning his own citizen. He imaged an alternate universe where even he and Choji bullied him and shunned him from the group. He shuddered when he thought about the Kyuubi attack that happened when he was very young, and wondered if a repeat of that might've happened had Naruto reached his breaking point all those years ago.
His thoughts were interrupted when a large shadow passed over them. Noting how dark it suddenly became, he knew that this was no mere cloud.
"Huh?" Shikamaru and the others looked up, and what they saw caused their eyes to widen and their jaw to drop.
[Konoha - Hokage Building]
"I want all civilians to be evacuated to the shelters." Tsunade was barking orders to various shinobi. "Tell the Genin and Chunin to aid in the evacuation. Meanwhile, I want all Jounin to spread the word to all the Clans all over the village to do the same!"
"Yes ma'am!" All the shinobi flickered away, leaving nothing but dust behind as evidence of their former presence, leaving behind one purple-haired ANBU agent, who was wearing a cat mask.
"You, go back to the hospital. Protect Naruto with your life if you have to."
"Yes, Lady Hokage." The ANBU agent nodded, before flickering away. Just as the ANBU disappeared,Jiraiya opened the door and walked in with Shizune.
"Tsunade." Jiraiya walked up her. "Have you seen what it-"
"Yes, Jiraiya, I have working eyes." She said, turning around to the window, staring through it with her old teammate and her apprentice. What they saw was something that they could have never imagined in a million years.
A large, metal structure was flying directly over the Hidden Leaf, momentarily almost eclipsing the sun with its large, metal body, with its looming shadow cast over the area underneath it..
Years of training and discipline helped keep Jiraiya calm as he began to think about their options, as well as how to decipher the situation.
"What do you think it is, Tsunade?"
"I don't know."
"Maybe it's a scouting party from the Land of Sky?" Jiraiya suggested, sending a shiver of fear down Tsunade's spine.
"I hope not." Tsunade whispered, clenching her fists tightly. She and her surviving friends remembered all too well the terror the Land of the Sky had imposed on the Elemental Nations. She remembered how the Sky shinobi had rained fire from above, and how she lost so many friends as they could do nothing but dodge and hide from their fury.
"Its huge…" Shizune whispered, hugging Tonton a little tighter than necessary.
"What's the plan, Tsunade? We need to act fast."
"Wait a moment, let me think." Tsunade gritted her teeth.
"Look!" Shizune cried out.
The two Sannin turned back and saw that the ship was going for the outskirts of the village, to the training fields outside the village.
"The training grounds…" Tsunade muttered, before ordering Jiraiya to prepare every active shinobi they had.
[Konoha - Third Training Ground]
The Third Training Ground, which was the field in where many generations of shinobi had trained, was peaceful today.
The river flowed without disturbance, the winds blew naturally, and the trees were free to grow without the threat of it being destroyed in the process of training.
Taking advantage of this rare time of peace, a few creatures began to come out from the forest, whether to get a change of atmosphere, to get a bigger room to stretch their limbs, or to simply look for food and resources outside of the dark forest they usually confided themselves in.
A bird flew out from the forest, looking for fallen twigs and small branches to use to make their nests, which was usually the aftermath of the battles of the elemental giants.
A squirrel poked its head out from a bush, looking left and right and above and below for any signs of danger, be it natural or unnatural. Seeing no sign of danger, the little critter darted from the safety of the forest, sniffing around for any fallen nuts, which usually happened after the giants had their battles, their inhuman powers tearing up the trees without care. Finding one, it seized the fallen acorn, checking it for any signs of mold.
It froze in its tracks when it noticed a large shadow forming over its body. Reluctantly abandoning its lucky find, it ran back into the forest, making loud squeaks in terror.
A large, metal ship landed on the spot where the rodent was just a few seconds ago. The doors for the Consular-Class Cruiser slid open, revealing a group of Naboo security guards and a small group of Jedi.
Most of the foreigners stopped to admire the nice scenery, enjoying the sight of the blue sky and the crisp, fresh air. Yoda, however, merely frowned, as if seeing something he did not like.
"Master Yoda, are you alright?" Obi Wan asked the elder master.
"Returned I have, after so long." Yoda responded sadly. "Quieter it has been, since that day. Remnants of war in the air, however, I can still feel."
"I will say," Anakin walked up to the two Jedi Masters. "For a so-called warrior planet, they really didn't seem to notice our ship until we just landed."
The young Skywalker was obviously not impressed with this backwater planet, with Obi Wan rolling his eyes at his arrogance.
"I wouldn't be too sure about that, sir." Captain Typho looked around nervously. "I'm starting to think that they're just getting ready for a fight."
"Correct you are, Captain Typho." Yoda nodded, already sensing multiple lifeforms converging towards their location. "Fearful, these natives are. Be cautious, we must be."
"This is going to be extremely difficult if we're going to try and establish solid negotiations." This came from the senator of Alderaan, Bail Organa who joined in with Amidala on this diplomatic mission "What if they do see us as a hostile force?"
"Negotiations will be extremely difficult if the natives are much more hostile than we hope." The senator of Alderaan Bail Organa, said nervously.
He, alongside of every other senator of the Republic, have viewed Yoda's memory of the recently revealed planet of Elementia, and while it's obvious at this point that this Kaguya woman is still contained in the planet's moon, he was more worried about the fact that her son
Hagoromo had granted the people the power of "chakra." Throw in the fact that they were in countless wars before the rise of Kaguya, as well as Yoda's statement about feelings the "remnants of war," he couldn't help but wonder if the Naboo security guards would be able to keep them safe.
"I will have to agree with Senator Organa here, Master Anakin." C3P0 was the last one to exit the Consular Class Cruiser. "With what Master Yoda has told us, we might be dealing with a very dangerous group of people."
"Come on, C-3P0." Anakin replied smugly. "We have better skills and weapons. If they try anything, then we'll act in self defense, and we'll call it a night. Besides, with a Republic Cruiser flow above our heads, how much could they honestly do to us?"
Obi Wan walked up to his friend, and asked, "Anakin, for once can you think like a Jedi and not like a warrior?"
"Hey, what the-!" Anakin cried out.
"What is it, Anaki-" Obi Wan started, but he too quickly realized the new development.
He discovered that for some inexplicable reason, he was completely paralyzed! Furthermore, it would appear that he wasn't the only one, as evident by the Naboo guards and the senators struggling to move, only to be rooted firmly to their spot.
"Shadow Possession Jutsu, complete." Shikamaru said with a smirk. He looked up towards what he assumed to be the possible invaders. "Who are you, and what are your intentions for this village?"
Just as he said these words, numerous Leaf shinobi jumped out of the woods, and the Republic troops and delegates was soon surrounded. Jumping behind Shikamaru was his sensei Asuma and Kakashi Hatake.
"Good work Shikamaru." Asuma complimented his student. "You've bound them without them even noticing it."
"Yeah, nicely done, kid. Let's wait until Lady Hokage arrives." Kakashi said. He gazed at the strange men and women (and whatever the hell the other guys were), who looked rather confused. He guessed that their confusion derived from the Nara kid's jutsu, as well as the language barrier, due to the fact that they spoke another language that they weren't familiar with.
Just then, one of the foreigners - a woman in fancy clothing - said something in anger, which gained their attention. He wasn't sure what she had just said, but he guessed it had something to do with Shikamaru.
…
"They use children as soldiers?" Senator Amidala yelled in disbelief. She had just looked at the person responsible for their paralysis, and was shocked when it turned out to be a young boy. "That's just horrible!"
"Now are you in the mood for your method?" Anakin couldn't help but jab at his master. "It might be helpful now."
"Of course with your planning, it's no surprise it always ends up like this." Obi Wan playfully shot back as he stared back at the warriors in front of them. As predicted, the natives of Elementia had long forgotten Galactic Basic, which Hagamoro had quickly learned using his "Rinnegan," as Yoda had explained. Hopefully, they can get C-3P0 to talk to them before a potential war breaks out.
"C-3P0." Obi Wan said to the droid.
"Oh dear!" The protocol droid exclaimed, sounding genuinely surprised. "I do believe that this is the very first time that you have ever spoken to me by my name in forever!"
Obi Wan chuckled at that.
"Yes, yes, that might be true. Anyways, could you please talk to these natives and tell them that we are here on a diplomatic mission?"
"Oh." C-3P0 seemed reluctant to do so, given the number of potential hostiles that were standing in front of them. "Are you certain that is what you want me to do?"
"Go, and take R2 with you." Padme said, trying to free herself from the mysterious grip. "They don't seem to see you as a threat, so you may be our only hope of diplomacy."
"As you wish, my lady." C-3PO nodded, before turning to his buddy. "Come, R2."
The small Astro-droid beeped rather grumpily for some reason as it started moving forwards with the silver droid towards the three shinobi, which left them feeling nervous and quite confused.
Asuma was visible stunned by the approaching metal beings.
"Wait, are those...machines?"
"What a drag…" Shikamaru sighed, although he was secretly interested in them. "Looks like it...but who knows?"
"I've seen a lot of things in my life," Kakashi said with a raised eyebrow, "but this takes the cake."
"Hello, my name is C-3PO, human cyborg relations," He introduced himself, before turning to his friend. "And this is my counterbot, R2-D2."
The shorter droid wiggled and beeped to greet them.
The three Shinobi turned to each other silently, confirming C-3P0's suspicions about their language barrier..
"Oh, I see you don't understand me. Perhaps my knowledge of your language is severely outdated. Well, I can translate over 6 million languages, and I am built to quickly learn and adapt to all forms of communication, so please just say a sentence, and I can roughly translate it to my master."
Contrary to the droid's belief, the three shinobi could understand him. After all, this...machine, was somehow speaking their language. They were, however, too gobsmacked to even utter a single word. 6 million languages? What exactly was this thing, a walking computer?
"Oh my, how can I get you to speak?" C-3P0 wondered out loud. He turned to the astromech to his right. "R2, any suggestions?"
R2 gave a series of beeps that sounded suspiciously like snickers as he rolled over towards the kneeling Shikamaru, stopping right in front of him.
"Huh?"
A part of R2's body then opened up, revealing what looked to be a small pipe. Before anyone could even blink, a jet of black oil was squirted into the Nara's face.
"Argh!" Shikamaru jumped back and grabs his face, stopping his jutsu.
"Oh no…" Obi Wan muttered, hoping to the Force that the mischievous droid's actions didn't just started a war.
"R2, that's not what I meant!" C-3PO said, worried to death about the potential consequences of his friend's actions. The protocol droid kicked the R2 unit's side. "Stupid astromech."
"Hey!" Shikamaru shouted at the droid, trying to get rid of the oil from his face. "What was that about?!"
"Oh my!" C-3PO exclaimed, raising his hands up. "So your language hasn't changed after all! You can understand me! "
"...Yes, we can." Kakashi confirmed. "Our...apologies for the late reply. As you can see, we're rather mind blown at the moment."
"Quite understandable. Nothing to be ashamed about." C-3P0 assured them. "Anyways, so now that communications are quite clear, I can finally deliver my message: We are not here intenting for war. Instead, we are here on the behalf of the galactic Republic in order to discuss talks, especially regarding the possibility of open trade, the construction of space ports, as well as a spot in the Republic Senate Chamber."
"Wait wait wait, a space port?" Asuma asked carefully. "You mean…you all come from space?"
"Well, not necessarily from space, but from our capital planet, Coruscant." C-3PO answered. "With the Senators from Naboo and Alderaan, as well as a few members of the Jedi Order, we've come on an official diplomatic mission in the name of the Republic to establish first contacts between your world and the galaxy."
This turned every shinobi pale what they heard from a short distance from the droid.
Kakashi and Asuma turned to look at each other, and realized just how much bigger the situation - and their world - had just gotten. They barely understood half of what was going on, but they did understand one key thing: These strange beings are from beyond the stars, and they were intelligent life, coming on board a vehicle with technology far superior to theirs, with perhaps even weapons far superior to theirs.
"We need to escort them to the Hokage immediately." Asuma quickly noted.
"Right." Kakashi nodded.
Shikamaru, on the other hand, didn't seem to give a damn about the whole situation, and was still trying to get the oil off his face.
"Aliens and machines from outer space." Shikamaru sighed, grimacing at his new jacket's ruined sleeve. "What a drag."
Meanwhile, Master Yoda thought it now was the best moment to explore around so he said to the Senators and Jedi "Go to the leader, you will. Explore I will the village." He said walking with his cane away towards the village on his own.
…
While the droids did their talking, the dark shadow that held everyone prisoner was suddenly cut off from their shadows, and the members of the Republic suddenly found themselves able to move.
"Shall we prepare for combat?" Typho asked.
Obi Wan quickly shook his head.
"I don't believe that'll be necessary." Obi Wan said, watching as their droid was finally communicating with the native soldiers.
The shinobi saw a bearded man approach them and he introduced himself with a slight bow of respect, with C-3P0 making sure to translate each party's words.
"Hello, my name is Obi-Wan Kenobi of the Jedi Order."
"Kakashi Hatake." Kakashi introduced himself, before pointing at his friend. "This is Asuma Sarutobi. Your machine said that you're here on a diplomatic mission?"
"Droid, actually. And yes, those are our intentions." Obi Wan nodded, trying to ease the tense atmosphere. "Will you please take us to your leader, whoever he or she may be?"
"Our leader's name is Tsunade. Lady Tsunade." A voice appeared out of nowhere, making everybody jump in surprise.
A white haired man wearing sage-like clothing had just appeared out of nowhere. Despite his age, it was clear that he was a strong warrior, perhaps the strongest of the group, as evident by his tear-like red markings on his face, as well as the muscles that could be seen from underneath his clothing.
"The name's Jiraiya, and we'll escort you to her office." His eyes then gazed at the Naboo Senator, and suddenly his hard eyes turned into ones full of lust. "Together with this fine lady…"
Padme laughed rather awkwardly at the man.
"That's good to know." Padme smiled politely. "Please lead the way."
And with that, they all began to walk to the group, save for a few of the guards who stayed behind to guard their ship. Padme quickly regrouped with the Jedi with Senator Organa, following the Sannin and the other shinobi towards the village.
Anakin chose to cover the rear, where he was able to shoot glares at the white-haired man safely.
"That man's an open pervert." Anakin growled to his master. "He's been eyeballing Padme like a piece of meat for a while."
"I wouldn't be so worried if I were you." Obi Wan replied. "Senator Amidala knows how to deal with these kind of things. After all, she wasn't a former queen and the current senator for her looks, you know."
Obi Wan then raised his eyebrows at the Skywalker.
"Besides, why are you so invested into the senator's life?"
"I'm just concerned for the senator." Anakin said truthfully. "We don't know what kind of people we're dealing with. Who knows, their leader might be a ruthless woman."
"I suppose your concerns are valid, but do try to worry less, my friend." Obi Wan warned him. "Or else you may never become a Master."
"Yes, master." They all then walked in silence, save for the occasional light-hearted chatter amongst themselves to try to calm themselves down.
Despite their attempts to relieve their anxiety, they all couldn't help but be nervous at the meeting with the village leader. If a warrior, who hadn't even reached adulthood yet, was able to paralyze the entire group without warning, then just what could their village leader be capable of?
[The Hokage's Office]
THUD!
Everyone jumped a little when Tsunade Senju, the blonde-haired leader of the village, slammed down her now empty sake bottle. This honestly took the visitors by surprise, since they were expecting a very strict leader, with an equally harsh, hostile view on them for suddenly entering their village.
Tsunade looked up at the bodyguards, then Jedi, then the senators, who were sitting in front of her, before reaching down from under her desk. The human guards from Naboo tensed up, their fingers reaching for the trigger, until it turned out that she just pulled out another bottle of sake. Ripping open the cap, she downed it in front of everyone, getting sweatdrops from both the Republic and the shinobi.
Anakin whispered to his master, "I guess this is her way with coping with the fact that she's meeting people from outer space."
"Indeed it is, my friend." Obi Wan said, while trying to hold back a chuckle. "Granted, she is taking this rather well, I believe, all things considering."
Shizune cleared her throat, before she tried to step in.
"Lady Tsunade, please stop drinking." She pleaded. "This is not the way to make first contact with people from other world!"
CRUNCH!
The empty bottle shattered into a dozen pieces in her hands, making her assistant scurry away from her now-ticked off boss.
She cracked her knuckles after using a towel to wipe her hands dry, while observing the reactions form the delegation. Noticing that the two so-called sorcerers, who dressed similarly to the spiritual monks in the Fire Temple, didn't show too much of a reaction towards her. The armored men with strange weapons, for obvious reasons, but it was clear that they were tense and ready for combat if necessary. The machines somehow looked nervous as well, but if she had to be honest, they creeped her out. Especially the silver, humanoid one, with its glowing yellow eyes and it's blank, unchanging expression.
She shifted her focus onto the two senators, who were acting as the representatives for this "Galactic Republic" to act on their behalf to try to set up some negotiations. The guy on the right seemed to be slightly intimidated by the show she was giving, and was doing his best to not look uncomfortable.
The woman to his left - Padme, if she remembered correctly - didn't seem to be intimidated by her at all, but rather, she was glaring at her as if one would glare at a person they had a grudge against.
"You got something on your mind, lady?" Tsunade grunted. "If so, speak up."
C-3P0 quickly translated this to her, and that's when Padme stomped towards her desk. This caused some of the shinobi to move towards her, and some of her guards to raise their weapons, but Tsunade waved them both off.
"You use child soldiers." Padme said, slamming her hands on Tsunade's desk.
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me." Padme stated, challenging the Sannin. "Forget the fact that you're intoxicated while we're here to discuss the future of your village. You seem to not be ashamed at the idea of sending a child into the frontline and potentially risking his life."
"Senator Amidala," Bail began, trying to stop this from escalating. "Maybe-"
"Look, missy," Tsunade shot back to the senator. "What you saw is reality out here - our reality. While your mother was still in some stuck up school or whatever, I was already saving lives on the battlefield when I wasn't even sixteen yet. This place isn't such a peaceful planet, which, by the looks of your white knights, you probably already suspected. This place isn't such a peaceful planet like wherever you came from. So unless you're trying to start something with me, I don't want to hear it."
The blonde was now leaning over her desk, her face just inches away from the brunette's, glaring directly into the former queen of Naboo, who wasn't easily intimidated.
"Well for your information, I have seen my own people getting killed. I fought alongside my people when my planet Naboo was invaded by the Trade Federation. I fought alongside them to take back my home, and we won. I volunteered with a relief group and helped to relocate the children who had to flee from the Federation, some which died without even been given the chance to live their full life."
Taking a second to allow herself to breathe, as well as to allow C-3P0 to do his work as fast as he could, she continued to glare at the female leader, before she continued.
"I may know what other planets do, such as this one, but that doesn't mean I won't speak my mind about it, Lady Hokage."
The entire time this exchange went out, the atmosphere grew impossible tense, wondering which lady would strike at each other first, possibility igniting a war that one side will lose.
After one full minute of ominous silence, Tsunade smirked, making a half smile at the senator.
"Well, you've guts, senator. That, I can respect. I can see it in your eyes from one soldier to another that every word you just said wasn't bullshit. Looks like you aren't the stuck-up princess I thought you were."
Padme sat back down. " I assume you've lost loved ones?"
"Yeah, I lost some people…" Tsunade laid back on her chair wearily, her eyes lost in thought. She was brought back to those terrible moments, where she watched her brother Nawaki and her lover Dan die in her arms, with all those years of training as a medic seemingly gone to waste in that moment.
"I'm sorry for your loss, madam." Padme said in a respectful tone.
"Don't sweat it." Tsunade sighed, and turned back to the delegation. "It's been a long time. All I can do is to just try not to think about it too much. But I understand your concern about the age of our shinobi going into battle. Unfortunately this is the way it's been going on for centuries, and it doesn't appear to be stopping anytime soon."
"If I may join the conversation, I want to ask you a couple of vital questions." Obi Wan stepped in. "Before we came down here, we've done a planetary scan, and we've found more settlements like this village across the nation."
"You must be talking about the other shinobi villages." Jiraiya said, answering the Jedi's question. "There are numerous villages much like ours throughout the nation, which is divided into a few countries. Each country tends to have just one shinobi village."
Jiraiya pulled out a map from Tsunade's desk. Laying it out, he began to describe its contents.
"For example, our village Konohagakure (or just Leaf, for your sake) lies in the Land of Fire. As you can probably guess from the map, our village is one of the five great ones of the Elemental Nations, with the other four being Suna (Sand), Kiri (Mist), Kumo (Clouds), and Iwa (Rocks). The rest are smaller villages, like Taki (Waterfall), Kusa (Grass), Ame (Rain), and so forth."
Poor C-3P0 did his best to keep up. Anakin raised his eyebrows when C-3P0 noted to them the literal translations for the villages.
"Each village is named after what its known for." Jiraiya shrugged. "Kirigakure, or as your 'droid' translated as 'Village Hidden in the Mists,' is known to be always surrounded with a thick mist, due to its location being on an island surrounded by the sea. The mist is always so thick that if you tried to make it there on ship, you wouldn't see the rocks until the damned things sent your ships to the bottom of the sea."
Bail cleared his throat, effectively grabbing their attention.
"Is there any way to contact the other villages?"
"I wouldn't try it just yet." Tsunade shook her head. "Our village isn't exactly at ease with any of the other current villages right now, especially with the other four main powers."
Obi Wan grew more interested into the conversation. "Please explain just how bad the relations are."
"Well for one, Leaf and Rock haven't been in good contact with each other for almost over a decade after the Third Great Shinobi War."
"Third Great Shinobi War?"
"Everyone was involved." Someone said grimly. Everyone's eyes turned towards the new speaker, and found that it was the masked man named Kakashi. "The Rock and Leaf were fighting across the eastern lands of Grass, with many casualties on both sides in the process for months. The front was undecided until the battle of Kannabi Bridge, which turned the war in the Leaf's favor, but that was only one front. On the southwestern fronts, the Leaf was fighting against Mist, or also known at the time as 'Bloody Mist.' The casualty rates was almost like the one against Stone."
Kakashi's singular eye seemed to dim as he stared at the map.
"How many?" This time the one asking the next question was Typho, the Naboo captain who wore the blue armor. He had deduced that Kakashi was a survivor of that war. "How many comrades did you lose in that war?"
"...My best friend got killed at the Kannabi Bridge." Kakashi slowly answered. "My other friend died in a battle with the Hidden Mist. Lost my whole team in that war… "
Typho nodded solemnly. "I'm sorry to hear that. I really mean it."
"Much obliged."
"...Anyways," Jiraiya reluctantly cut in. "With the Rock Village, it's most likely that they won't talk to us, much less you guys. Hell, they'll probably try to shoot you down the moment they see you guys, using the natural terrain they surround themselves with. The Hidden Mist, on the other hand, is in complete chaos, last I heard."
"How so?"
"It's in the midst of a civil war." Jiraiya explained. "We don't know how it began but fighting broke off after a clan tried to rebel against the Mizukage, their village leader, causing him to turn a rampage against all the clans who either got slaughtered or forced to flee. We still don't know who's exactly on the winning side, whether it's the rebels or the Mizukage, so I would wait until speaking with them. Unlike us, they kill outsiders on sight."
"That's quite a way to send a message." Obi Wan said, stroking his beard. This would prove to be difficult in the future for sure. "What about the Hidden Cloud, or 'Kumo', as you would call it?"
"They've been keeping a very low key profile on their activities for the last ten years." Tsunade said, shaking her head from the alcohol's influence. "They keep to themselves, and are trying to stay out from everyone's problems after the Hyuga incident."
"Hyuga incident?"
"One of their Shinobi - the ambassador, actually, - tried to kidnap the heiress of the Hyuga clan, which ended in his death and one of the Hyuga members giving up his life to prevent a war." Tsunade answered. "The Hidden Cloud is what we believe to be the second most powerful shinobi village at the moment."
Bail Organa couldn't help but feel more uncomfortable about being on the same planet with these brutes. Their culture and their history of war was reminding him a little too much about Mandalore.
"And Suna?"
"Well...maybe not yet." Jiraiya slowly said. "Long story short, they were our allies until they teamed up with the Hidden Sound for an attempted invasion not that long ago. I mean, we won, and the Sand surrendered, but… "
Jiraiya's face turned grim.
"They… managed to take out the Third Hokage, as well as many of our own shinobi, before fleeing. But, since we all discovered that the Sand was tricked into the invasion by an...impersonator, the Sand is now asking for renegotiations."
Jiraiya looked at the map once more, before looking back at the senators.
"That's pretty much it for the big villages. The smaller ones are either neutral for the most part, or may be secretly allied with the Sound Village. Either way, it might not be a good idea to approach them for a while."
"Duly noted." Bail Organa nodded, knowing well just how fragile peace can be, and how there was a time and place to approach new life.
"Wait, something doesn't add up." Senator Amidala spoke up, just realizing an important missing detail. "You said that a while ago, the Third Hokage was killed, but if the woman in front of me is the Fifth Hokage, what happened to the Fourth?"
The air around them suddenly grew tense, and it was at that moment that Padme knew that she had just broken what seemed to be a taboo subject.
Finally, Jiraiya opened his mouth to answer.
"The Fourth Hokage died almost fourteen years ago, just months after he helped win the Third Great Shinobi War, and after being recently inaugurated as the Fourth Hokage."
He then pointed at a photo across the room. Everyone's eyes followed his finger, and looked at a portrait of a blonde, handsome man smiling at the audience.
"His name was Minato Namikaze, also nicknamed 'The Yellow Flash,' due to his ability to transport to almost teleport from one position to another in a blink of an eye."
Anakin's curiosity got the better of him as he asked, "How did he die?"
Again, the uncomfortable silence returned, and the security guards tensed up again, seeing the shinobi's fingers itch for their blades.
"...We're sorry, but that information cannot be revealed directly, due to the late Third Hokage's law that prohibits it." Shizune finally said, shivering at the tension in the room.
It didn't take a force user to notice the feelings of grief, regret, and sadness that filled the room. It also didn't take a force user like Obi Wan and Anakin to quickly realize that talking about the Fourth Hokage was a literal taboo subject.
"We're sorry for bringing it up." Obi Wan apologized on behalf of his partner, to which the Hokage nodded at him.
"Anyways," Organa decided to resume the original conversation before the situation grew more awkward. "Shall we discuss the future of your village and the Republic?"
The normal politics were resumed as the two Jedi sighed, as they had to watch and listen to it.
Anakin then began to wonder about something. "I wonder what Master Yoda is doing."
"For once my friend, you've outthought me."
Yūgao Uzuki sighed from behind her mask. The ANBU agent was tasked by the Hokage herself to guard the young boy she used to protect from harm years ago when Naruto was only a small child.
Together with Kakashi, they were one of the few to willingly stop anybody from harming the young boy from any harm while working in the shadows. Like the one-eyed shinobi, she was one of the very few to know about his heritage. After all, one of his parents used to be her sensei…
It pained her to see her sensei's son breathing out of a tube, in a coma where there was that scary chance that he may never wake up. Hearing that he had sustained potentially fatal wounds, her relief came from the news that Shizune was the one leading the operation. Knowing her medical expertise, as well as their mutual fondness for the boy, she knew he was in good hands.
She stroked Naruto's whiskered cheek with the back of her hand, and she smiled when his lips twitched into a smile. While she learned a while ago that it wasn't a sign of him waking up, it was at least comforting to know that he could still smile, and that he could still recognize her presence.
Watching the boy from his first day in the Academy to his success in the Suna/Oto invasion, Naruto had shown his loyalty and strength every chance he could, even when he had the worst given to him by the village's civilians, and even from some of its shinobi.
"Don't worry, Naruto, you've done your job." Yūgao whispered to the boy. "Your mother would be proud of you."
Just as she said those words, the door opened, making Yūgao turn towards the door to see who it was. Her hands immediately shot towards her sword, when two ANBU guards stepped inside.
"It's alright, they're...visitors." They both said a little too hesitantly. Narrowing her eyes, they traveled to the two strangers. Outfitted with brown and dark colored armor, they held strange, small items in their hands that she could only assume was their weapons.
"Who the hell are they?" She asked.
"My bodyguards, they are." An unfamiliar voice explained from underneath them. Her eyes traveled downward, and her eyebrow shot up at the sight of a small, child-sized green creature wearing what appeared to be monk robes.
"Yeah, I know." The ANBU guard nodded in agreement. "A bit much to take in. All would be explained later. Long story short, diplomatic mission, not from here, and they're friendly."
"Alright then… " Yūgao reluctantly moved her hands away from her weapon, making the guards relax. The short, green man(?) slowly walked towards the blond.
"What are your intentions with the boy?" Yūgao asked cooly.
"Just talk, I want to." The elderly being said. She raised her eyebrow at his strange manner of speech.
"He's in a coma, in case you hadn't noticed."
"Not him, I wish to talk to." He said, making her eyes widen. Before she could think about whether or not to execute him on the spot for knowing the forbidden secret, he placed his three-fingered hand on his stomach, and closed his eyes.
[The Prison]
Yoda opened his eyes, and found himself to be in what looked like a sewer system. Dark, dank, and ominously quiet, the only sounds that could be heard was the sound of water splashing as he moved around the large tunnels.
Before he knew it, Yoda had found a large cage in front of it, with the only lock being a large piece of paper on it, with some letters written with the native's language on it.
Yoda decided to walk closer to the gate. He thought about trying to enter the cage, but decided against it.
"WHO'S THERE?!" A loud roar echoed the hallway, which made Yoda step back in surprise.
Large footsteps shook the hallway as something large stepped up to the cage. Yoda looked up, and his jaw dropped at the sheer size of the being that stood in front of him. It was Kurama alright - but he had grown much bigger.
The Nine-Tailed Fox, who was once only the size of a small house, had grown to the size of mountains. The orange beast, who had once been able to look down at Yoda with ease, loomed over him. Had Yoda been any other person, he would've admittedly been afraid.
The large beast growled from above, the sound which would've frightened off an army of krayt dragons. Unable to see the intruder, the giant crouched down to take a better look at him.
His eyes widened upon recognizing the small man as he choked a little bit.
"Y-Yoda?"
"Kurama." Yoda grew a small smile on his face. "Grown you have."
"Yoda…"
CRASH!
Kurama slammed his hand against the ground, almost unbalancing Yoda from where he stood. The large fox growled at his old friend.
"You got a lot of nerve to come here after all these years!" Kurama roared at the Jedi Master with anger that shook the whole area. The water from underneath them ripples from the pure hate and power that radiated from the creature. Still, Yoda remained calm in the face of the beast.
"Angry you are, I can understand." Yoda said as he fearlessly made a step forward. "Assume your experience, bad it has been?"
"Bad? BAD?! It's only been bad after Hagoromo passed away!" Kurama hissed, slashing at the seal in anger. "Ever since his death, I've been hunted and hated by humans for the last six centuries! I wasn't able to see the others because we've been hunted by humans, who are after us for our power and want to use us as weapons! I have been sealed inside one human after another for the last hundred years, and now I'm stuck inside this annoying brat who's barely breathing because he's a reckless idiot!" Kurama shouted, unleashing his years of hatred and frustration at the old man. He huffed, glaring at his old friend, who simply stared back in sadness.
After a few minutes, his eyes finally dimmed down, hatred fading away from them for the moment.
"It's good to see you, Yoda. It's been too long since I've seen a familiar face…"
"That I agree on. But, forgot the lesson, you did."
"What are you on about, old man?" Kurama got off track. "And how are you even still alive? You must be-"
"Talk about age, I'd rather not." Yoda chuckled. "Makes me feel old, it does. But still, forgotten the lessons, you have."
Using the Force, Yoda banished the water away from beneath him, and sat down on the cold floor. The Kyuubi decided to have a seat as well, and noted that a ring of dry land remained around the green Force-user, despite the water's efforts to try to invade that area of dry space.
"Give this boy, a chance you should." Yoda looked up at Kurama. "Sign of ignorance, the prejudgment of someone is."
Yoda himself has faced a lifetime of bigoted comments, as well as many unpleasant encounters with some close minded people.
"Why should I?" Kurama narrowed his eyes at Yoda's suggestion. "The brat won't even speak to me unless he needs me, so why should I waste my time with him?"
"Both of you will need each other, when the time is right." Yoda stated rather bluntly. "Sense a dark future, I have."
"When will that happen?"
"Know, I do not. Trust in the Force, you should. Need each other, you both will."
Kurama narrowed his eyes at the little old man, but he could tell that he was telling the truth. He didn't know much about this "Force," nor about the powers that came with it, but what he did know was that at times, it helped warn the user about a future event that would happen.
"You still have trouble talking normally, old man,"
Yoda chuckled at this, which brought a small grin to his face.
"But, I'll take your word for it. Hagoromo trusted you, so I will too."
His eyes then glared at the seal that bound him to the boy.
"It's nice to know that you're still breathing, old man. The others would be very pleased to see you as well."
Yoda smiled at the Nine-Tailed Fox. "Chance in the future, there may be. Came, the Republic has, to establish ties with the village, it is doing right now."
Kurama raised an eyebrow at that.
"So after all these years, you guys finally decided to come back from your silly war to try to establish connections with these hairless monkeys? Hah, good luck with that. I've seen the people here fight so many wars that I learned to stop counting."
"Any word from the others?" Yoda asked, referring to the other Tailed Beasts. Kurama shook his head.
"Like I said, old man, they suffered the same faith as I have." Kurama knocked at the seal from behind his cage. "I did recently encounter that idiot Shukaku though. His container was a bit nuts, and he tried to attack the brat's village not that long ago. He pretty much got his ass kicked by my container, who only used a little bit of my chakra to defeat him at his full form."
Kurama roared in laughter. "I hate to admit it, but the brat started growing on me when he beat up Shukaku's ass!"
Yoda chuckled, delighted to see Kurama laugh. It reminded him of that innocent laugh that he had when he was just a small fox.
Curious, he then asked, "The name of the boy, what is?"
"Oh, the kid?" Kurama grunted. "His mother was actually my previous host, and her family was known to be the Seal Masters across the nation." Kurama chuckled. "And guess who's name is it."
Yoda listened as Kurama gave a brief history about the kid's mother, her family, and the kid himself. Yoda's ears drooped as he was stunned and saddened to know the fate of the kid's family, as well as his harsh life that he lived out in the village.
"Many hardships, life seems to have brought to him. Deserved it, he did not. Good heart, he seems to have, according to you." Yoda sighed.
"Yeah…" Kurama agreed. "The kid's annoying as hell and eats unhealthy, and there are times when I want to rip my ears out in frustration, but, as painful as it is to say this, the brat does remind me of Hagoromo at times. The boy's got determination, loyalty, strong willpower, and a strong convictions protect those who are precious to him."
The more he talked about Naruto, the more he realized that he kind of liked the kid after all.
"I see." Yoda nodded with a smile. He then glanced upwards, as if sensing something.
"Unfortunately, but go, I must. Speak to you again, I hope to do so soon."
"See you soon, old friend." Kurama gave a genuine smile for the first time in ages.
"Indeed, we will."
Opening his eyes, Yoda grunted after his mind exited the boy's seal. He frowned at what he learned about the tailed beasts, and how even after everything that has happened, it would appear that the natives have not learned their lesson after Kaguya.
That could, however, change, thanks to the boy named Naruto Uzumaki, who, despite all the hate and prejudice, had chosen to stay with the village, to try to protect those that he cared about. Perhaps with this boy's help, he can help bridge the gap between the tailed beasts and the natives. Perhaps with this boy's help, Kurama could learn to open up to others again, and be that small fox from many centuries ago.
"Unpredictable, this one is." Yoda said, before getting off the chair to leave the room. "Like his future, very unpredictable."
Just before he went out of earshot from Naruto's room, he noticed a group of teenagers approaching the boy's room. He could sense their worry for the boy, and their smiles from when the purple-haired woman assured them that everything was alright, and that they could visit the boy with their permission.
"Powerful Jedi, become you could. Looking forward to see your future, I am." Yoda said to no one, before putting his hood over his head, and walking away. "Your name, history has not forgotten. Traits of my old friend, you have."
Yoda knew that the moment they felt The Ripple, everything would change. He knew that with this planet now under the eyes of both the Jedi and the Sith, things will be forever changed. How, is the question. Unfortunately, only time will tell.
The Force itself was indeed mysterious in its ways.