Author's notes:
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
Edited by Izanagi-MS.
Ages:
Naruto, Izumi - 8
Misumi, Sasuke - 3
Minato, Kushina - 32
Fugaku, Mikoto - 35
"Character speech"
"Demonic/Intense Speech"
"Thoughts"
Jutsu
FLASHBACK
Normal text
Naruto woke up in a cold sweat. Nightmares had plagued him the last few nights as images of the dead members of the Squad 16 remained at the forefront of his mind thanks to his Sharingan. The man claiming to be Madara still haunted him like a ghostly shadow.
Wiping away the sweat, he got up to wash his face with some cold water, hoping that would clear his mind. Down in the kitchen he ate some leftover rice balls Kushina had left for him after yet another dinner he skipped since the failed mission.
Everything was still dark. The house was quiet when he stepped outside into the early morning. His thoughts still circled around the events of the past few days. The memories weighed on him and his head was filled with questions he couldn't answer. Frustration and sadness slowly ate away at him.
Blindly going wherever his body led him, he paid no attention to the quiet streets of Konoha. Usually bustling with life, they now seemed empty and silent to him. Passing the few restaurant owners who were preparing their shops for the day, he felt isolated from the world.
His body was on autopilot, something he didn't realize until he stopped at the cemetery. The funeral for the lost squad was held the day after his return, he couldn't bring himself to attend back then.
(Enter Naruto Shippuden: Senya OST)
Slowly he brought himself to the newest editions on the memorial stone. Kneeling down, he traced their kanji.
"Why did they have to die? They had families, friends, people who cared about them."
Images of the fallen squad clouded his mind, the brutality in which their corpses were mutilated. Three tomoe circled a scarlet void as the tears rained. Not a single detail was lost to his Sharingan. But then he recalled the words of that masked man.
"Maybe the death of your imouto will help you reach your true potential? Or perhaps the death of your Uchiha friend, Izumi?"
Slowly the faces of the nameless genin replaced themselves with Misumi and Izumi. Their pained expressions seemed to follow him even after death.
Shutting his eyes did no good either. Everywhere he looked, all he could see were his loved ones, cold and broken while the masked man's laughter seemed to echo.
"THEY DIDN'T DESERVE TO DIE!"
As he roared out to the sky, he could feel his mind clearing before he finally collapsed, panting on his knees.
"Grieving over the dead is meaningless" a new voice rang out.
"I'm not alone? I didn't sense anyone." Immediately weary, he whipped his head around, fearful of another assailant.
"Or-Orochimaru-sama" he stuttered out as he looked to the newcomer, losing his fighting stance.
"Such beautiful eyes. My, my, you've outdone yourself this time… Minato, Kushina" the snake drawled, admiring the boy's dojutsu.
Having met the man only on a handful of occasions, Naruto was weary of him. Hesitantly he questioned the man.
"What is the meaning of life then?"
"Nothing, if not to discover the secrets of this world." (1)
–
Reaching the top of the Hokage Monument, Naruto staggered to the end before sitting down. He'd wandered around the entire day, avoiding his family and friends as he tried to get the images of the dead squad and faces of Izumi and Misumi out of his mind, but it seemed that everywhere he went, the memories just returned in full force.
He couldn't get rid of the feelings of guilt and regret. He kept asking himself if it was all his fault. Naruto realized that the ultimate target of the man claiming to be Madara was himself, and that the squad 16 was just bait for him.
Sitting atop the Sandaime's head, the Hokage Monument was the only place he felt at ease now. Perhaps it was the familiarity and honor that he paid to the Sandaime each time that took his mind off it, or perhaps the sensory overload he got from looking over the vast village. Whatever the case, he was glad for some relief.
(Exit Naruto Shippuden: Senya OST)
Lost in his thoughts for a few minutes, Naruto didn't notice someone approaching him. It wasn't until a warm, familiar voice broke the silence that he looked up. It was Izumi.
"What's wrong, Naruto-kun? I've been looking all over for you" she asked, placing a hand on her friend's shoulder and looking down at him.
"Shit, I wanted to avoid her" Naruto thought, already feeling the memories creeping back up again. Panicking, he stumbled out of her grasp, crawling backwards across the ground while his Sharingan flared to life out of distress.
His breathing started going out of control as he tried looking everywhere but Izumi. He couldn't properly control his arms or legs at the moment, the rush of adrenaline and panic he was feeling was too much.
Seeing this, Izumi was immediately worried. She wasn't a shinobi, she couldn't possibly know what he was going through, but she was Izumi Uchiha damnit, Naruto's best friend so you best believe she would try and help her friend.
"He's looking everywhere but me" she noted. "It's best that I stay out of his vision then." With that she made her move. Quickly going behind him before he could move away again, Izumi kneeled down and hugged him from behind, her arms wrapping around his chest as her head rested on his shoulder, rubbing against the side of his face.
"It's okay. I'm here for you, always (2)" she murmured into his ear. That seemed to do the trick as he slowly stopped struggling.
"What's this warmth? It's so calm, so peaceful" Naruto thought. His Sharingan died down as his mind calmed, forgetting about the squad and their deaths, instead focusing on the warm feeling.
"IZUMI!" he finally realized, coming back to his senses. "Of course it's her, she's always had that effect on me. She's like my sun, so bright and calming, always knowing what to do."
Enjoying the feeling of tranquility, Naruto leaned back further into her embrace, wrapping his hands around her own on his chest.
"Can we… can we stay like this" he asked meekly, a hint of red on his cheeks.
Seeing that she got through to him, Izumi relaxed. "Of course."
–
Looking over the edge, both once again sat together on the Sandaime's head, watching the sunset fall across the village.
Looking to her right, Izumi studied Naruto's face. Gone was the tension and pain that wracked him earlier, now all that was left was peace and content. It made her all the more guilty for what she was debating on.
"He looks so calm now, I'd be hurting him by doing this. But he can't avoid it, what if he freezes up like that on a mission?" she thought, immediately shaking her head to get rid of those thoughts. She couldn't bear the thought of him dying on her, not when she could do something about it.
Making up her mind, she knew what she had to do.
"Naruto-kun…" He turned towards her, looking questioningly as she paused.
"What happened on your mission? I've never seen you like this."
Immediately he began tensing up again, but she steeled herself. She had to do this. For him.
"Please Naruto. I want to help you" she begged, an earnest look appearing on her face. A conflicted look came to his face.
"If I tell her what happened, she'll think of me as scum for sure. Those shinobi, they died because of me!" But looking at her face and how earnest she was, he mentally kicked himself. "BAKA! She's always been there for me. How could I ever think she'd leave me now."
Looking back up to her, he let out a breath, recalling what his father had ordered days before.
"Naruto, what was heard in this room remains a secret. No one but me and Fugaku will know the truth about this situation, and it better stay that way…"
"Screw that, she's doing this for me, the least I could do is tell her."
"It's because of... because of me," he began in a trembling voice, slowly opening up to her. He then told her about his last mission and the guilt that tormented him and ate his heart. Izumi listened patiently, not interrupting him once. She wasn't a shinobi so many of the details horrified her, she couldn't imagine what it'd been like in person, even more so when she heard how powerless Naruto was to the masked man. But she had to put on a brave face for him.
When he finished, Naruto looked down, a solemn look on his face. He couldn't bear telling Izumi that the masked man was Madara, the world wasn't ready to know that fact yet. At the same time, he was ready to leave, he couldn't take his best friend berating him and calling him a failure or saying she wanted nothing to do with him.
Before he could, Izumi scooched over, reaching out and grasping his left hand. Naruto immediately looked up in surprise, he'd expected to be abandoned, but here she was holding them together.
"It's not your fault, Naruto," she said quietly. "No one could have predicted what happened. They may have died because this man is after you, but it is his fault. The least we can do is prevent this from happening to more of our comrades by becoming stronger and stopping this man."
"WE" she thought incredulously in her head. "I can't believe I said that! I'm supposed to be helping him, not patronizing him. I wasn't even there, I don't know half of what he went through. What will he think of me now!?"
(Enter Naruto: Main Theme Slow OST)
Fortunately, or unfortunately for Izumi (3), Naruto hadn't caught onto that detail, remaining oblivious to her worries. "Argiatou, Zumi-chan," he said, smiling through his tears.
Standing up, he took her words to heart, recalling his encounter with Orochimaru earlier that day.
"What is the meaning of life then? Nothing, if not to discover the secrets of this world."
He knew what he had to do now. "Secrets of the world, huh. For Misumi, for Zumi-chan, for my family and my village, I will get stronger and find out more about this man. I will NEVER let him take my loved ones nor my village away. I will discover the root of our world's hatred and bring an end to it so that no one has to see their loved ones fade away." (4)
"Izumi-chan" he started, gaining her attention as he looked out across the village. "I swear I will get stronger and stop this man, to protect those that I cared about and to end our world's hatred." Flaring his Sharingan, he continued. "My power will bring a stop to this, so that we won't ever have to lose our loved ones again." (5)
Izumi could only look up in awe. Maybe it was the light of the setting sun on his face or the way his hair flowed in the breeze. When Naruto was determined, he made everyone around him believe in him and push themselves. Silently she vowed to herself that she would become stronger so she could stand by his side, so that he'd never have to endure the pain alone and would never fall in battle.
(Exit Naruto: Main Theme Slow OST)
"But how can I get stronger? Ever since Yondaime-sama passed the new law, I can only join the academy in April and would have to wait 4 years to graduate. By then I'll be so behind Naruto, how can I stand by his side in battle?" Izumi thought miserably. But then she got an idea. If she can't be on the battlefield with Naruto, then she'd just have to ensure he was the strongest and keep up with him while in the academy so when she graduated, she could advance through the ranks quickly.
"Ano, Naruto-kun… I'm entering the academy next year in April, but I wanted to start training now… even Ninjutsu. I've been trying to learn the Gōkakyū no Jutsu (Great Fireball Jutsu), but I can't make one large enough to impress my father and earn the rite of passage for the Uchiha Clan (6). I was wondering if you could help me?" she said meekly, looking down.
Chuckling, Naruto kneeled down to Izumi's level and put a hand on her shoulder. "I understand your desire well Zumi-chan. You must have someone that you cherish and that you want to protect. It's this that fuels your motivation to get stronger."
Hearing this, Izumi was surprised. How did he read her thoughts so well? "Wait, he said someone that you cherish. Does HE KNOW!?" she worriedly thought, a hint of red coming to her cheeks.
Unaware of her worries, Naruto took her surprise as confirmation. "I know because I felt the same way. When I laid my eyes on Misumi-chan, I knew that I wanted to always be her protector and her brother, to make sure her smile never goes away. But that feeling spread to the rest of those that I care about, tou-san, kaa-san, Fugaku-sensei, Mikoto-obasan, but most of all you. You're my best friend Zumi, I can't bear something happening to you. In fact I won't. I'll become stronger for all of you!" he declared.
Hearing this, Izumi's face went deep red. "He-he thinks that way about ME?" But another thought creeped into her mind. "Naruto-kun… you thought about this years ago too. It's why you joined the Academy and graduated so early. For us. Meanwhile I'm only now gaining my resolve. You truly are an amazing person." she thought with admiration.
Standing up, Naruto gestured for her to do the same and brought her to the forest behind the monument. "Alright, we've got little time before night falls completely. Release the technique over the pond and I'll use my Sharingan to see what's wrong," Naruto announced, three tomoe swirling to life in each eye. He focused all his attention on the girl's chakra flow.
Snake → Ram → Monkey → Boar → Horse → Tiger
Performing the hand seals and molding her chakra, Izumi drew a large amount of air into her lungs, transforming her chakra into fire In her head, she uttered the name of the technique: "Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu", then blew a stream of fire from her mouth that transformed into a ball of fire one meter in front of her. The ball traveled several meters further before falling and sizzling in the water.
The fireball she created was not very large - about 1.5 meters (~5 feet) in diameter - but it was still a satisfactory size to pass the Uchiha clan ritual.
"Hmm, the signs were done correctly, and the chakra transformation was also fine... The problem seems to be with her chakra manipulation," the boy thought, analyzing her technique.
"Zumi-chan, you did everything correctly; I would even say perfectly." Naruto announced, bringing satisfaction, but also sadness to her mind. She thought Naruto would discover something she was missing.
Seeing the sadness on her face, he just nodded because he expected what was on her mind. "However, you lack proper control over your chakra."
"Chakra control?" the girl asked, tilting her head slightly to the side, eyes trained on him as she listened intently.
"Kawaii!" Naruto couldn't help but comment in his head seeing her expression. Of course, he didn't say it out loud because he knew it was dangerous, thinking back to the times he'd angered her.
"Mhm," the boy cleared his throat, then added, "You need more refined control over your chakra. Right now when you use the technique, a lot of your chakra is wasted rather than being converted to fire nature chakra. It's ironic for me to say, but given that you're only 8, you don't have much chakra, so combined with the chakra that's being wasted, not much is actually being used in the technique."
"Understood, understood" she said, hand on her chin as she nodded sagely. "But what should I do to improve my chakra control" the Izumi inquired.
"Given that you can produce a fireball, I'm guessing you've already learned the nature transformation exercises for Katon jutsu?" the boy asked, to which he received a nod. He then added, "In that case, let's focus on your chakra control, not necessarily a traditional exercise.
FLASHBACK
On training ground number 11, Naruto struggled with the Great Fireball Technique. He focused his chakra, forming the appropriate seals: Snake → Ram → Monkey → Boar → Horse → Tiger. He blew a stream of fire from his mouth, but it again did not transform into a ball but only stretched into a pathetic flame.
Fugaku, watching the boy's struggles, sighed. "Boy, that's enough. No matter how many times you try this technique in this state, you will never succeed." Seeing the discouragement on Naruto's face, he added, "What you need is better chakra control. Have you been slacking on your water-walking exercises?" he asked in a threatening voice as he crossed his arms and his eyes seemed to flash red with the Sharingan.
Naruto immediately jumped up to his feet. "N-no Fugaku-sensei. Of course not." he said, proceeding to run to the stream traveling through the training ground to demonstrate.
"I see, it's time I teach a more advanced chakra control exercise for Katon jutsu. Grab some leaves" Fugaku ordered.
Nodding his head, Naruto concentrated a bit of chakra in his feet, crouched down, and shot into the air like a slingshot, catching a few leaves from a nearby tree.
"What I'm about to teach you is called the Burning Leaf Exercise," Fugaku explained. "It consists of keeping the flame on the leaf without burning it. It requires precise control over the chakra and the ability to manipulate its temperature. If you can master this technique, you will be able to create a real fireball."
END OF FLASHBACK
"The Burning Leaf Exercise consists of keeping the flame on the leaf without burning it," Naruto explained. "It is primarily a test of precise chakra control and the ability to manipulate its temperature. Fire is like a wild animal – untamed and unpredictable. To tame it, you must learn to control it, balancing on the edge of destruction and harmony."
"Ordinarily I would've taught you the Tree-Climbing Exercise or perhaps the Leaf Balancing Exercise for chakra control, but I feel that improving the quality of your fire now will be better as you naturally gain more chakra with age."
"So is this the key to mastering the Great Fireball Technique?" Izumi asked with hope in her voice, intrigued by her friend's words.
"Exactly, Zumi-chan. Mastering the burning leaf will give you the tools you need to create a fireball that will exceed your wildest expectations" Naruto confirmed. "Now, let me demonstrate how to do this exercise."
Concentrating a small amount of chakra in his right hand, a moment later several leaves needed for this exercise appeared in his hand.
"Hehe, I knew they would come in handy someday," the boy thought, keeping one leaf in his left hand and then handing the rest to his friend who sweatdropped at the action.
"Seriously, leaves in a seal. I guess he's always training." Izumi thought.
Naruto extended his left hand in front of him in an open gesture to show how the exercise works. When he knew he had his friend's full attention on the leaf in his hand, he began the demonstration.
"As I mentioned before, the exercise is about keeping the leaf on fire for as long as possible without burning it by alternating between increasing and decreasing your heat. It's all about balance" he announced, putting his hand to his mouth and then beginning to rhythmically blow air onto the leaf.
Although Izumi was not the target of this exercise, she still felt the temperature rise slightly in contrast with the cool air of the night. She finally saw the leaf ignite with a small flame, but it did not burn immediately; it just smoldered. After a few seconds, Naruto decided to interrupt the demonstration with a question for his friend.
"Did you notice anything interesting during my demonstration?"
Thinking hard about the demonstration, Izumi concentrated on everything she saw.
"Hai, a few things. First, the flame didn't burn the leaf right away, instead it just smoldered. Second, the air temperature around you increased when you started blowing air. And third, the flame wasn't uniform. In some places, it was brighter, and in others, it was darker. It looked like you were controlling the temperature of the fire in different parts of it."
"Great observations Zumi-chan!" Naruto replied with a smile on his face. "It's these nuances that are key to this exercise. You have to learn to balance and control the temperature of the flame so that it doesn't burn the leaf while keeping it strong enough not to go out. That requires precise chakra control and the ability to manipulate its temperature. But, you haven't discovered the most important element of this exercise yet."
"What do you mean by that?" she questioned, wondering what she'd missed. Going back through her analysis, she couldn't figure out where the key to this exercise was supposed to be.
"Rhythm," Naruto answered, and then demonstrated the same exercise again on the same leaf.
Taking his words to mind, Izumi focused on the rhythm of his breathing. She noticed that Naruto was blowing air at regular intervals, and the temperature of his flamed changed based on his tempo and intensity.
"You blow air in the rhythm of the fire," Izumi announced with admiration, unable to believe she hadn't noticed it before.
Naruto smiled. "That's right. Rhythm is the key to controlling the temperature of the flame. The faster and harder you blow air, the hotter the flame becomes. Slowing down the tempo makes the flame cooler. You have to learn to synchronize your breathing with the rhythm of the fire to keep it in balance."
Dropping the smoldering leaf, he positioned himself next to her to observe better. "Why don't you give it a try" he said, channeling chakra to his eyes as his Sharingan came to life.
Taking a leaf into her right hand, then bringing it up to her face, Izumi took a deep breath and began molding fire chakra, releasing just a sliver of it and igniting it as it left her mouth to produce hot air rather than a flame. She blew onto the leaf, trying to maintain a steady rhythm. At first, the flame was uneven and often went out.
Feeling a bit disheartened from her first attempt, Izumi looked to Naruto. But upon seeing his smile and determined look, she couldn't give up. Taking the next leaf, she practiced the exercise again under Naruto's watchful eye, gradually getting a feel for the rhythm of the fire.
–
Over time with Naruto's guidance, Izumi came close to mastering the technique. She learned to synchronize her breathing with the flame and control its temperature and shape. The fire became more and more obedient to her control.
Within an hour, Izumi managed to keep the flame on the leaf for a minute. It was a moment of triumph and great satisfaction. The girl felt a surge of euphoria, and tears of happiness welled up in her eyes.
Naruto, seeing his friend's success, ran up to her with joy in his voice. "Great job Izumi-chan! You've almost mastered it in…" looking to the sky, he was shocked. The sun had just barely set, no more than an hour could've passed since they started!
"Izumi-chan, you're mastering this even faster than me. You're incredible!"
Caught in the heat of the moment, Naruto wrapped her in a deep hug, startling her.
"With your help, I finally managed to do it." Izumi reciprocated the hug, leaning her head against his shoulder and releasing a sigh. Being with him, it all felt so natural. Unknown to her, a certain blond felt the same way.
A moment later, she felt a sudden weakness. Her head started to spin, and black spots appeared in her eyes before her legs decided to give out. Naruto caught her, slowly bringing her to sit on the floor with an arm supporting her back.
"What's wrong?" he asked, putting a hand on her forehead.
"I'm just tired," Izumi whispered, resting her head on his shoulder. "Not all of us have your insane chakra, baka…"
"No wonder. It was a tough workout." Naruto smiled warmly. Hand still wrapped around her back, he brought up his other hand to create a seal, a clone poofing into existence.
With the help of his clone, Naruto laid Izumi on a soft pillow from his storage seal that he'd set on the ground. Coming back from a stream, the clone put a wet cloth on her forehead to cool her down.
"Rest for a while," he said, leaning over her. "You'll feel better soon."
Izumi closed her eyes and relaxed. She was grateful to Naruto for being so caring. She knew she could count on him in any situation.
–
When she awoke, she found herself on Naruto's back as he trudged into the village. His arms were hooked under her knees while her hands were wrapped around his neck. How she hadn't fallen, she didn't know.
Sensing her movement, he paused as he craned his neck back. "You okay? It was getting dark and I didn't know when you'd wake up."
"Y-yeah, I'm fine" she stuttered, still surprised by the whole ordeal. Slowly she got off as Naruto turned around to her.
"Great, then that means I can do this," he said, grinning mischievously. Not liking that smile, Izumi was about to object, but before she could, he'd already scooped her up in his arms again, one arm supporting her under the knees while another was behind her back holding her in a bridal carry.
Concentrating chakra to his legs, the duo took to the rooftops in the glow of the moonlight. Naruto rushed off towards the Uchiha district, like an arrow shot from a bow. Their outline contrasting with the moon's background. (AN: Remember when Minato saved Kushina and jumped into the sky after she was abducted by Kumo?)
Izumi pretended to be outraged by this sudden turn of events, but inside she was filled with joy. Being carried in her friend's arms like a princess was extraordinary. At that moment, she didn't care about anything. But as she looked back up to her friend's face, she could only look in awe. The moonlight glowed against his face as his blonde hair shook in the wind, his smile gentle as he looked ahead. She could feel the blood rush to her face as her cheeks burned red.
When he looked down at her and his grin widened, that did it. Not wanting her friend to see her neon blush, she hid her face in his chest and wrapped her arms around his neck, causing him to chuckle.
Finally descending from the rooftops, Naruto entered into the Uchiha district, passing the gate guards who gave him a knowing look as he carried Izumi, causing him to grin embarrassedly.
Sensing the change in speed, Izumi looked up to see that they were already in the Uchiha district. "Fast" she thought. (7) Looking around, she noticed the surprised looks of distant relatives from the Uchiha clan, a change from the ever present seriousness.
"Nice," Izumi thought. However, her train of thought was interrupted by Naruto's sudden stop. Looking up, she noticed how his face had paled.
"Fancy seeing you here."
Fugaku stood at the front step of his door, about to look for his daughter when his apprentice saved him the trouble of doing so. But seeing his daughter in the arms of his student, that was something he couldn't tolerate.
"Care to tell me why my daughter is in your arms, boy?" Fugaku's 3 tomoe Sharingan came to life, spinning menacingly as he crossed his arms.
Naruto tried to find the words to answer his mentor, but nothing sensible came to mind. He honestly didn't know why he picked her up like that, it just felt right.
He was about to grab his head in a gesture of awkwardness, but stopped when he remembered that he was still carrying Izumi in his arms.
"Ahem, Izumi," the man coughed, trying to get his daughter's attention, but to no avail. Izumi completely ignored his attempts.
"Umm, Zumi-chan," the boy asked in a shy voice, but she ignored him too. Whether by on purpose or by instinct, the girl just snuggled up to his chest again.
"Why?" the boy moaned dejectedly in his mind. His fate was sealed, he'd be lucky if he escaped without 3rd degree burns that night.
"Do you know what you're doing?" he whispered with a hint of frustration in his voice.
"~Mhm..." Izumi replied quietly, so that only he could hear her.
"Why?" the boy asked again, but she only tightened her grasp on him.
During their brief exchange, Fugaku watched them closely. He realized that the boy had probably decided to carry Izumi personally, perhaps after joint training, but that didn't mean he couldn't take the opportunity to have some fun at his student's expense.
"The perks of having a student, eh?" Fugaku thought with a smirk before shutting off chakra to his eyes.
"Boy, maybe you could give her to me?" Fugaku suggested, though the tone of his voice made it sound more like a command as it gave Naruto goosebumps.
"Hai!" Naruto shouted on instinct and moved towards his mentor. He kept his head down on the ground in front of him the entire way. Izumi, on the other hand, was giggling inside at the whole situation.
"I was lenient and gave you a day off today, but remember, you have to show up on time for training tomorrow at nine o'clock," Fugaku announced, finally managing to take his daughter from Naruto's arms.
Initially Izumi was reluctant to let go of the boy, instead leaning in and hugging his arms tighter. After a minute or so, she finally gave up and went into her father's arms.
"Of course," Naruto replied, turning away from Fugaku. As he let go of Izumi, it felt strange, like a sense of incompleteness or emptiness that washed over him. Turning around, he added "See-yah Zumi-chan!"
–
Halfway home, Naruto stopped suddenly. A crazy idea came to his mind. He started going through seals, his hands moving at a dizzying speed.
Boar → Dog → Bird → Monkey → Ram
"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"
Biting his thumb and with a loud cry, he hit the ground with his bleeding hand. In the blink of an eye, a cloud of smoke flashed around him. When it cleared, a silver wolf cub stood in front of him.
Initially disorientated, Tsukinami looked around at the unfamiliar surroundings, until finally her gaze fell on Naruto. A joyful gleam appeared in her eyes when she recognized her summoner.
The wolf cub ran up to Naruto and wagged its tail happily. Kneeling down, Naruto stroked her head, feeling the soft fur under his fingers. The boy was glad that Tsukinami had a positive attitude toward him despite summoning her out of the blue.
"Ano Naruto-san, why did you summon me?" Tsukinami asked, sitting down on the ground in front of the boy. Her silver fur glistened in the sunlight, and her blue eyes looked at him with curiosity.
"I thought you might want to get to know the shinobi world and my family," the boy replied, standing up. Smiling, he continued. "I'm sure my kaa-san and imouto would love to meet you."
Tsukinami returned the smile, showing her sharp teeth. They were both in the middle of the street, attracting the attention of passers-by. However, after noticing who was in the middle of the street, people shook their heads and moved on. The shinobi, on the other hand, were surprised that it looked like the boy was talking to a wolf cub. The only ones who did this were the Inuzuka and their ninken.
"Hmm..." the wolf wondered, then nodded her head positively and jumped into the air, landing safely on the boy's head.
"Something wrong?" Naruto asked, feeling the extra weight on his head.
"No, nothing," the wolf replied, curling up and using his hair as bedding before she closed her eyes. Naruto, seeing that he would not get a longer answer, decided to move on.
"To get to know the shinobi world, huh?" the wolf thought, peeping an eye and looking ahead. Seeing the village of Konoha, she felt the vibrant life and warm atmosphere, even at night. "Maybe having a summoner won't be so bad, ~hehe."
–
When Naruto reached his family's home, he stopped in front of the door and reached for the handle. However, he didn't open it; he just stood there, grasping the handle in his hand. His mind was racing with thoughts on how to best surprise his family with their new guest.
His thoughts lasted so long that Tsukinami got bored of staring at the closed door and decided to react.
"Why don't you go inside? It's your den, isn't it?" the wolf asked, but received no answer from her summoner.
At that moment, the door was opened suddenly by Kushina, who looked at the boy standing motionless on the threshold.
"Sochi, why don't you come in? I was wondering where you were after you left so early this morning" she answered warmly.
"Umm... I had to clear my mind," Naruto explained a little downtrodden. Kushina immediately understood after receiving the details of the failed mission from Minato, not before strangling him of course.
Giving him a wide berth, she opened the door further and gently pushed him inside.
"And who's this?" She asked, looking at the guest lying on her son's head.
"Kaa-chan, this is Tsukinami, my partner from the Crimson Forest. I met her after another summon from her clan saved me in the forest. She's my personal summon" the boy announced proudly, introducing the wolf to his mother. Feeling that Tsukinami was still pretending to sleep on his head, he nudged her gently with his right hand. "Tsukinami, this is my kaa-chan, Kushina."
Tsukinami slowly opened one eye, yawning and extending her tongue as looked at Kushina. She smiled slightly, showing her sharp canines.
"You gained a summon already Naru-chan? That's amazing! Even your father didn't gain his summon until he began training under Jiraiya-sama."
Turning back to the wolf cub, she greeted her. "Nice to meet you, Tsukinami," Kushina said with a smile.
"Nice to meet you!" Tsukinami replied with a bit of vigor, finally waking up from her sleep as she stood on Naruto's head.
Kushina's eyes grew comically large as they gained a shine, staring intently at the little wolf on his head.
"Can I pet her?" she asked in a sweet voice, indicating that she would not take no for an answer. Suddenly, the fur on Tsukinami's neck stood on end as her tail went straight, fear appearing in her eyes as she looked at Kushina.
"I'm sorry, but you have to accept your fate, Tsukinami," the boy announced, catching the wolf as she tried to escape from his head. He then gently handed her over to his mother.
Kushina proceeded to snuggle the life out of the small wolf cub in her arms, eerily similar to a certain Madame Shinji and a demonic cat. Throughout the torture, Tsukinami's eyes seemed to say "Traitor!" as she stared viciously back at Naruto.
"Nothing will happen to you, Tsukinami," the boy replied to her accusations, stroking her soft fur. "Kaa-chan is one of the kindest people in the world. She will take care of you."
Tsukinami snorted but didn't protest as Kushina calmed down. She closed her eyes and snuggled into Kushina's hands, feeling their warmth and security.
"I already like you, Tsukinami. Welcome to the family," she said, smiling broadly.
"Hmm... did she really accept me into her pack so easily?" Tsukinami thought, eyes squinting lazily under the gentle ministrations of Kushina's hand.
"Let's go... Misumi-chan will surely love you too, Tsukinami-chan," Kushina announced with a warm smile, leading both to the living room where Misumi was playing on the floor.
Noticing her brother, the three-year old beamed, quickly abandoning her toys. She jumped up from the floor and ran towards him like a small missile. When she was two meters away from him, she shot into the air, shouting joyfully, "Naru-nii!".
Naruto, expecting this outburst, spread his arms wide and caught his sister in mid-air, hugging her tightly.
"What did you do today, Misumi-chan?" the boy asked, laughing at his sister's joyful reaction.
"Nothing, kaa-chan wouldn't let me go outside" the girl pouted, snuggling into her brother's arms.
Kushina opted to watch the scene with a smile on her face, happy that despite the recent events, Naruto was still able to feel happiness. Her hands gently scratched Tsukinami's soft fur as summon and mother watched with contentment.
"So this is what a human pack is like. It doesn't feel much different from my own." Tsukinami thought with approval.
"And what else?" Naruto asked with a hint of curiosity in his voice.
"I helped kaa-chan," the girl replied, her eyes sparkling. She enthusiastically began to list all the activities she helped her mother with. The boy patiently listened to her story before looking to his mother, seeking confirmation. Kushina nodded, smiling proudly at her daughter.
Her gaze suddenly fell on the wolf resting in Kushina's arms. The girl reacted immediately. Full of energy, she ran up to her mother and began to look at the wolf cub with curiosity. Tsukinami, in turn, watched the girl's actions with a mix of curiosity.
"Can I hold her? Can I? Can I?" Misumi asked dozens of times, her voice trembling with excitement.
"Of course, just behave and be gentle," Kushina told Misumi before gently placing the wolf cub on the floor.
Cautiously, Misumi approached the wolf cub before beginning to pet Tsukinami. Her delicate hands moved through the soft fur. After scratching a particular spot behind the ears, Tsukinami began to purr with contentment.
Hearing the pleasant purring of the wolf, began to wonder. After a moment, he spoke his thoughts aloud.
"Are you sure you weren't born a cat?" he humoured.
Her reaction was immediate. She tore herself away from Misumi's embrace and growled at her summoner, her ominous growl frightening Misumi.
"Naruto!" Kushina shouted, scolding her son. "It's not nice to talk about Tsukinami like that. She's a wolf, not a cat."
"But mom, look..." the boy replied with conviction, trying to plead his case. "She purrs when you pet her, just like a cat."
"Grr..." Tsukinami snorted in disapproval. "Has anyone ever bitten your fingers?"
Naruto shook his head vigorously.
"Do you want to see what it feels like?" the wolf asked, her menacing growl causing the boy to pale.
At these words, Naruto began to shake his head even more vigorously, which caused a burst of laughter from Kushina. Even Misumi found it funny, getting over her initial scare and began to giggle at her brother's funny reaction.
"Alright, I think that's enough, Tsukinami," Kushina finally announced, holding back from further laughter. "You've scared my son enough."
Knowing the mother of her summoner was right, she relaxed and laid back down in Misumi's hands, allowing the girl to continue petting her, though a wide smile remained on her face, canines on display as she locked onto Naruto.
A knock on the door suddenly interrupted the room. Naruto seized the opportunity to escape, opening the front door to reveal Tsunade Senju and Shizune Kato, as well as her loyal pig, Tonton.
Naruto didn't even have time to greet them properly, as Tsunade immediately grabbed him in a one-armed headlock, pressing his face into her chest, a place many men in Konoha would've died to be, especially a certain white-haired pervert. Shizune smiled slightly at the sight, shaking her head.
"Being a godmother has really done my master a lot of good," she thought, watching as the boy tried to catch his breath in Tsunade's embrace.
"Ca-can't b-breathe!" Naruto shouted, but Tsunade seemed to ignore his pleas, completely absorbed in showing him her love.
Shizune, seeing the worry on Naruto's face, decided to rescue him from her master's embrace. "Tsunade-sama, look at his face" Shizune objected, pointing her finger at the boy's purple face, who was struggling to breathe.
Tsunade followed Shizune's finger and finally noticed Naruto struggling for air. She immediately loosened her grip.
"Oh Naru-chan, why didn't you say anything?" she asked, completely oblivious to what she'd done.
"I... tried..." the boy gasped, taking deep breaths. "But... but your hug... was too strong..."
"I'm sorry, dear. I sometimes forget my strength." Tsunade said, smiling with embarrassment.
At that moment, Tonton, offended by being ignored, started barking loudly, kicking his legs, and nudging Tsunade's hand with his snout.
"Oh, you little jealous pig!" Tsunade exclaimed and picked the pig up, hugging him tightly. Tonton squealed with contentment, and his tail started wagging.
"It looks like Tonton is jealous of my hug." Naruto laughed.
"Maybe," Tsunade replied with a smile, winking at Naruto.
At that moment, Kushina appeared in the doorway of the guest room. She was worried when her son still hadn't returned after greeting the guests. However, the sight she saw told her all she needed to know.
"Tsunade-sama really loves Naruto," Kushina thought, watching their warm relationship as joy filled her heart.
"Tsunade-sama, it's so good to see you again!" Kushina announced it in a loud voice, focusing the attention of everyone gathered.
"Kushi-chan! I just finished greeting my godson. How are you and Minato doing?" Tsunade asked with interest, putting Tonton down on the ground.
"We're all fine. Minato is at the office, but he should join us soon. Come in; we won't talk on the doorstep," Kushina said, ushering them in.
"Now, how about my favorite godson (Naruto coughs: *you're only godson*) explain how he's been." Hearing this, he gained a stormy look not wanting to explain the events of that day again.
–
With the ruckus going on downstairs, Zetsu effortlessly slipped into Naruto's room. Placing a scroll on the boy's desk, he quietly departed.
–
Mountain's Graveyard
"Where've you been?" Madara inquired, looking up upon Zetsu's arrival.
"I've decided to move up our timeline and give the boy another scroll. It also seems Tsunade Senju is making a visit. The Hokage still hasn't figured out our plans, he runs himself ragged."
Madara hummed. "Good, that fool will never see it coming. I expect he'll alert Jiraiya and have his spy network track me down."
Mangekyou coming to life, Madara's body started blurring away. "It's time I pay Nagato another visit, Konan should be recruiting Sasori now."
(1) Seeing the deaths of those around him, Orochimaru became disillusioned with life. He saw no real meaning to it until he gained a new desire to learn all the jutsu that he could, or in his words to "discover the truth behind the world." That ultimately kickstarted his desire to become immortal so that he could learn every jutsu, and of course his desire to obtain the Sharingan to aid with that.
(2) Izumi's promise from Chapter 4 that she would always be there for Naruto.
(3) Internally Izumi may have been berating herself for saying "we" because she didn't want to come off as offensive and "act" as though she understands his pain when she's never gone through anything remotely close to that. Really though that's her desire to be supportive of her friend and stand by his side, she just doesn't realize that.
(4) This marks a fundamental shift in Naruto's character. Before he sought greatness and pride as the son of the Yondaime Hokage and to eventually become his own person, but now he sees there's more to the world than just prestige or power.
(5) This is a naive thought on his part, he doesn't yet realize the Cycle of Hatred that Jiraiya first mentioned in the anime. He will slowly come to realize the world is more complicated than that.
(6) In the Uchiha clan, a clansman earns the right to bear the Uchiha emblem on their back once they complete the rite of passage by mastering the Gōkakyū no Jutsu.
(7) After the Kyuubi attack, the Uchiha clan was moved to the outskirts of the village. This was a decision led by Danzo and the elders if you recall from the anime, and it happened before Minato decided to take a more commanding presence in the village.