"C'mon oji-san, teach me, teach me! Pleeease?"

Rōshi glanced down at the six-year-old, a rare smile stretching his lips at the determination in her pupil-less pink eyes. It had been a long time since someone had asked for his assistance, and it had certainly never been done so politely or adorably. "Aye, fine, I'll git yeh started." It wasn't like her father could teach her, what with his lack of a dual earth/fire affinity, and her grandfather was likely too busy – or some other such bullshit – to invest the effort in her training.

Besides, after over 30 years of near-permanent isolation, it felt…nice…to be needed by someone.

"Here's how yeh do it. Doton chakra in one hand," he demonstrated, bringing up said appendage in a half-seal, "Katon in th' other—" his other hand came up to complete the seal, bringing his fingers together in a roughly triangular shape, hands held in the sign of the bird, "—an' then yeh got ter mix 'em t'gether." His cheeks bulged out briefly before a blazing stream of lava escaped his lips to splatter across the barren soil. "Jus' like that."

His young protégé tried to copy his directions, but only succeeded in expelling a small flame instead. She frowned at her teacher's amused laugh, features scrunched together in childish petulance. "Oji-san!" she whined, stomping one foot against the ground. "It didn't work!"

Rōshi patted her head; he couldn't remember the last time he'd found something to laugh at, but he was overstaying his welcome, and there wasn't too much more he could do for her until her chakra control was better developed. "Keep tryin'," he advised. "It'll come ter yeh."

-l-l-l-

"Yer plan won't work."

Utakata looked up from where he was poking the fire with a stick, pulled from his thoughts. "Hm?"

"Th' brat," Rōshi continued, knowing the blue-clad boy had heard him. "He's stupid. Namikaze was a genius, an' a terror in battle; he woulda never stooped ter usin' some stupid jutsu that turns yeh inter a naked woman in a fight. Even if they're related, th' brat—"

"Naruto."

"—didn' git his smarts. Hell, he didn' even know who Namikaze was! Yeh can't tell me that Konoha don' teach its students history, which means th' brat—"

"Naruto."

"—don' pay atten—stop correctin' me!" Rōshi snapped.

Utakata laced his fingers together and rested his chin on his hands, leveling an even stare at his companion. "He has a name. Use it."

"Why? He ain't here."

"It's the principle of the thing, Rōshi," he explained patiently. "We're trying to get him on our side, and insulting him isn't going to do that. Try to treat him like a human being—"

The Iwa-nin let out a cruel bark of laughter. "Human bein'? No Jinchūriki gets treated like a human bein'. That's th' sacrifice."

Utakata was quiet for a long moment before softly saying, "Yagura and I—"

"Are special, so yeh've said," Rōshi interrupted snidely. "But fer th' rest o' us, there ain't nothin' but war an' hardship. We learned long ago that we. Ain't. Human!"

The fire lent a glint to the redhead's dark eyes, giving them the appearance of smooth, hard stone, like black obsidian. Utakata's one visible golden iris, keen and observant, was angled up, and Rōshi realized that he'd worked himself into a literal towering rage, his 4'10" figure hovering angrily over his companion. Seating himself once more, he inhaled the smoke drifting off their campfire, finding a fraction of solace with the action; Konoha's trees were nothing like the scarce, hardy vegetation that decorated the Land of Earth's mountains, and the scent they gave off when burned was far more aromatic and soothing. Gruffly, almost as an afterthought, he added, "An' stop sayin' we're on th' same side."

"You stayed, didn't you? Actions speak louder than words."

"Pft. Yer full o' pretty lines, ain't yeh?"

"Is it too much to ask for you to not be sarcastic? What happened to you?"

A dark, humorless smirk twisted the redhead's lips. "Yeh really want ter know? Yeh want ter know what happened ter th' Tsuchikage's son?" he sneered, and Utakata started at the admission, surprised that his companion had divulged such an important piece of his history. "Aye, he'll never say so, but it's true. Yeh've heard o' th' Nidaime Tsuchikage?"

Utakata nodded. The rivalry between the Second Tsuchikage and Second Mizukage was legendary, and according to the Hidden Mist's historical records, the Hidden Rock's leader had been able to completely disguise his presence from even the best sensors. That the Nidaime Mizukage had been able to go toe-to-toe with him spoke volumes of both their skills. "'Mujin'," Rōshi grunted. "That's what people called 'im."

The Non-Person… Sounds about right.

"He was ruthless," Rōshi continued. "Willin' ter do anythin' ter make Iwa successful, includin' sealin' a Bijū inter his student's kid. We needed a weapon ter win th' upcomin' war, he said, an' I was that weapon."

"Wait, what upcoming war?"

Rōshi barked a bitter laugh. "There wasn't one, not that it stopped Mū from gettin' as much power as he could. Th' Second Shinobi World War didn' start fer three years. Don' matter none. People were always weapons, but bein' a Jinchūriki, I wasn't jus' a weapon."

"You were a demon, right?" At Rōshi's raised eyebrow, Utakata added, "You're not unique in that regard." The redhead scowled at him, and the Kiri-nin managed to look abashed. "Sorry. You were saying?"

"No one wanted ter be 'round someone with a demon in 'em, so I got Ōnoki ter let me leave th' village ter train."

"So you've been by yourself for, what, 30 years?"

"40," Roshi corrected with a grunt. Surprise flitted across the brunet's features, and the Iwa-nin allowed himself an amused smirk; at this point, throwing off the Kiri-nin was almost like a game. "Aye, I don' look it, do I?"

"No."

"Don' matter none. I got a leash." Rōshi dug into his pocket and then pulled out his hand, opening it to reveal a smooth river rock, about one and a half inches in diameter. The character for 'four' was carved into its surface in neat kanji.

"How often did you go back?"

"Too often," grunted the Iwa-nin. "Yeh think they'd jus' let their weapon live in peace? When Suna's Jinchūriki attacked, who d'yeh think fought 'im? When th' Gobi attacked, who had ter stop it? When th' Third Shinobi World War was goin', who did th' Tsuchikage call ter turn th' tide, eh? Aye, I went back. Ev'ry time that old bastard needed a weapon, I was there ter fight, an' ev'ry time they got rid o' me fast as they could. Didn' want people scared o' me bein' in town, or what'd happen if I stayed too long. Like I'd explode or somethin'," he sneered.

"I'm surprised you didn't refuse," Utakata admitted. "You seem stubborn and…ornery."

"Better th' enemy yeh know than th' one yeh don'. An' I still got my pride as a shinobi. So long as I responded ter th' call, they left me alone." A pre-teen girl with pupil-less pink eyes and dark hair in a pixie cut, the last image he had of her, floated to the forefront of his mind. An' they won't find someone else ter be th' Jinchūriki.

Ōnoki had allowed his own son to become a demon to placate the priorities of a man hellbent on controlling everything he could; he'd do the same to his granddaughter if it was to the Hidden Rock's benefit.

"Seems…lonely." Not that I'm one to judge. "You said you left to train, but every time I mention that I talk with Saiken, you just laugh at me. You're telling me that after 40 years in solitude, you didn't connect with your Bijū?"

"Th' damn monkey ruined my life," snapped the redhead. "Yeh think I was gonna play nice with 'im? We had one talk. One. After that, I learned ter use his powers on my own."

To great effect, if he could take out an oinin squad led by Kushimaru.

Silence fell between the two, the older Jinchūriki staring into the fire, lost in his memories, while his counterpart digested his tale. Utakata could understand and relate to much of the Rock shinobi's story; it seemed to be the same tale of woe that was commonplace among Jinchūriki. The only difference was that the brown-haired boy had had Yagura to guide him and provide a modicum of kinship in his youth, with even his master Harusame serving as a (distant) parental figure in place of his deceased parents.

Alternatively, Rōshi's family had forsaken him, and the years of isolation had sheltered him from any additional relationships, including one with his Bijū. Products of different times, Utakata mused. "Based on what you've said…Iwa won't defend you if Akatsuki attacks, will it?" he hypothesized.

"Tch. Ōnoki's afraid o' 'em. Won't help 'im any ter fight 'em if they come fer me."

You told me you still had a village. Who were you trying to convince? "Is that why you're here? Are you afraid—?"

"I ain't afraid o' nothin'," the Iwa-nin snarled.

Utakata held up his hands to indicate he hadn't meant offense. "Sorry, I didn't mean to imply anything. I just mean…maybe you realize that we're your best chance going forward."

"What d'yeh mean 'we'? Yer hurt and th' stupid brat can't help with nothin'," Rōshi retorted. "An' don' pretend yer intentions're pure. Yer doin' this fer yer friend."

The renegade Kiri-nin frowned at his companion's sarcasm, but couldn't find the wherewithal to refute the claim. He's right. Stubborn, too. Sure of himself. And no wonder. He's lived my life three times over, and everything he's experienced has indicated he can't trust anyone. Is there a way to get through to him?

"You're right," Utakata admitted, and the older Jinchūriki's dark eyes narrowed slightly, one eyebrow arching in disbelief. "But that shouldn't be all this is about. Our lives are on the line. His, too," he added, gesturing in the general direction of Konoha. "I know you're set in your ways; I am, too. But if we're going to survive this, we're both going to have to make an effort here." A grunt was his only response, so he continued, "This isn't Iwa or Kiri, and it looks like Naruto will need all the help he can get. Can you please try to be less…I don't know, hostile? You get more flies with honey than vinegar."

"No yeh don'."

"It's a saying that—never mind. The point is, it would be better for everyone if you could just…tone it down a little. If it helps, pretend Naruto's like the first person you trained." Whoever that is.

Rōshi remained silent, the firelight flickering within his dark eyes. Utakata heaved a sigh, wondering if the matter was a lost cause, when the Iwa-nin finally grunted, "I promise nothin'."

This time, the bubble-user's sigh contained more relief than weariness. I guess that's as good as I'll get for now.

-l-l-l-

Uzumaki Naruto woke up earlier than normal, his body thrumming with energy. Strangely, he'd slept sporadically through the night, the idea of receiving personalized ninja training, and his meeting with Utakata and Rōshi, keeping him in a state of excitement as the hours passed, no matter that one of his tutors was a cranky old man. At least Utakata's nice, he thought, stripping out of his pajamas and throwing on his usual orange pants and jacket.

Not like Rōshi'll treat me any worse than the villagers do for bein' a…a…

Jinchūriki… That's what Utakata had called him. Called all three of them. A power of human sacrifice.

Is that what I am? A sacrifice?

He wasn't sure what that meant, but it did seem to make sense that the one thing that made him different from others would also make other people treat him differently. That still didn't explain what about his situation – why being a Jinchūriki – made people hate him so much, but at least the cause was now apparent.

Somehow, that knowledge gave him the power to ignore the harsh glares the villagers bestowed upon him as he left his apartment and wandered through the village. Before, not knowing why he'd been hated by everyone, why he had no family, had been a primary source of his sadness and solitude. Now that he had answers – he was the Jinchūriki to the Kyūbi and his father was the Yondaime Hokage – it felt like a new version of himself had been born and was ready to lead the life he'd always wanted.

Granted, he still had questions – for instance, who was his mother, and what had happened to her? – but his new companions had sworn him to secrecy, and there was only one person who might have the answers. But the Third Hokage was smart enough to ask him where he'd learned information as sensitive as being a Jinchūriki or who his father was, and then who knew what would happen to the two foreign Jinchūriki who had promised to teach him.

Something bad, he guessed. And then his training opportunity would be gone.

But as strange as it sounded, as dangerous as it might have been for Konoha, Naruto didn't want to betray the confidence of either Jinchūriki. All his life, he'd sought someone who understood him, someone he could empathize with. At age eight, he'd tried to befriend Uchiha Sasuke, who'd been just as alone and isolated as him following the massacre of his entire clan. But both boys had been stubborn – still were, to be honest – and their mutual solitude had bred competitiveness, not understanding.

Now he finally had people who understood him, friends all his own.

Well, friend, anyway. Even if Utakata seemed cool with him, Rōshi definitely didn't, though not in the same way Konoha's citizens didn't like him. The redhead's dislike didn't seem personal, not like everyone else's. He reminded Naruto a little of the priest character in the manga with the demons going out of control – grumpy and irritable, but not necessarily at anyone in particular.

"So, yeh finally made it."

Naruto jumped at the voice, the subject of his thoughts rising from the dirt before him as if summoned. Surprise fading, he thumbed his chest and proclaimed, "Of course! The future Hokage never—"

"Aye, shut up."

Naruto scowled at the interruption, but the expression fell quickly when Rōshi placed a hand on his shoulder and dragged them both underground, cutting short his yelp of surprise.

They surfaced in the same clearing as the previous day after a short period of darkness, the redhead shoving the young boy away with a rough hand. Naruto released another small yelp as he stumbled forward, catching himself after a couple of steps. He turned and opened his mouth to say something, but Utakata's blue kimono caught his eyes, the brunet offering him a brief smile in greeting. "Good morning, Naruto."

The teenager's kindness was infectious, and Naruto found himself returning the gesture with a wider grin. "Hey Utakata! So what're ya gonna teach me?"

"How ter fight," Rōshi grunted from behind him.

Naruto couldn't repress the shiver that ran down his spine at the older man's answer. One hand gravitated towards his stomach, where the other Jinchūriki had delivered a brutal beating just yesterday. "Uhh…"

The Iwa-nin's hand fell upon his shoulder again, its weight an imposing presence. Naruto felt his whole body tremble. "Don't worry," Rōshi said in a voice that wasn't remotely reassuring, "Yeh won't fight me. Yeh'll fight 'im," he finished, jerking his thumb at Utakata.

"Eh?"

"Sorry, what?"

Rōshi shrugged carelessly, a gesture only Utakata saw with Naruto's wide blue eyes fixated on him. "Yeh said ter take it easy on 'im. His taijutsu sucks—"

"Hey!"

"—an' yeh don' seem like a big hand-ter-hand fighter…'specially now."

Utakata grimaced, but conceded that Rōshi had a surprisingly perceptive eye. While he could hold his own in a physical fight, Saiken's unique capabilities accentuating his abilities to dodge and weave, his specialty was in ninjutsu. And given that he was still using Nuibari as a crutch… "Is this really the best idea?"

Another shrug, this time accompanied by the briefest of smirks. "Dunno. Closest we got ter an even match."

Utakata's eyes narrowed. You're enjoying yourself, aren't you? Prick.

"I can't train 'im without knowin' where ter start. This's th' best way."

Golden eyes darted over to Naruto, standing between the two foreign Jinchūriki with an expression somewhere between nervous and impatient. We need him. For Yagura. He sighed before nodding. "Fine."

Rōshi clapped his hands together. "Then let's start. Fight." Naruto shot Utakata a hesitant look – afraid to attack me? the brunet wondered – and after several seconds of stillness, the Iwa-nin barked, "Now!"

Naruto rushed forward at the demand, throwing a punch at the Rokubi Jinchūriki. Utakata maneuvered himself out of the blond's way with surprising ease, using Nuibari as a fulcrum. He tapped Naruto's back with a closed fist as the boy's momentum carried him past the brunet's position, marking a point for himself.

The Konoha native bent low and tried to sweep his opponent's legs, but the Kiri-nin placed the chōtō in the way, and his foot struck metal. Naruto bounded up and attempted to land an uppercut, but Utakata shuffled backwards, raising Nuibari and whacking the boy's side with it. He yipped at the contact, rubbing at the spot with his other hand.

"Enough!" Both boys stopped and looked over to Rōshi, head buried in his hand to conceal what Utakata hoped was embarrassment (on the blond's behalf) and not irritation. "Yer form's awful," he barked. "Who taught yeh taijutsu? No, don' care," he continued when Naruto opened his mouth to respond. "Firs' lesson: take advantage o' weaknesses."

He blazed towards Utakata as the last word fell from his lips, one heavy fist slamming into the brunet's side. The Mist Jinchūriki hollered in pain, doubling over as the injury from Kushimaru flared from the blow. Rōshi brought his fists together and brought them down in a hammer-blow that left the teenager splayed flat on the ground, gasping into the dirt. "Ass…hole," he wheezed, turning his face to the side to glare at the Iwa-nin. "Did…you…really—"

"Aye." Rōshi grinned, that same smug, self-satisfied smirk Utakata was getting used to seeing when the redhead was enjoying himself because he knew he'd gotten the best of someone. He turned his back on the floored teenager and told Naruto, "See? That's how yeh fight."

Blue eyes flickered between the redhead and Utakata's prone body. "Uh, is that really—"

"Aye," Rōshi stressed, a tinge of annoyance coloring his tone. "Yeh do what yeh got ter do ter win."

"But you're beatin' up someone who's hurt!"

"Jus' 'cause he's hurt don' mean he ain't dangerous. 'Specially 'cause he's a Jinchūriki. Don' drop yer guard 'round a Jinchūriki." Each word was enunciated with care, a hint of warning in every syllable.

"He's…not wrong," managed Utakata. He'd clambered to his feet during the pair's exchange, though he still appeared unsteady, hunched over with both hands clasped around Nuibari. "You have to treat every battle…like it's life or death. That's what it means…to be a shinobi."

It was one of the lessons the Hidden Mist's Academy taught, a lesson that had been taken too far in some cases. That Utakata had never been all that adept at following through at it was a story all its own, but Rōshi – who had lived through several wars – being a firm believer in that lesson wasn't all that surprising. "If I had done better, I wouldn't be in this position," he admitted. Maybe it's time to change that. He nodded imperceptibly to the Iwa-nin, a minor acknowledgement of the older man's tutelage.

While his tactics were crude and painful, they were effective.

If Rōshi noticed his companion's gratitude, he didn't mention it. Instead, he told Naruto, "Yeh need ter work on yer fightin' style."

The blond made a face, crossing his arms over his chest. "Taijutsu's boring." Quieter, he grumbled, "And no one wants to practice with me…"

Rōshi bristled. "Borin'? Taijutsu's th' bread an' butter o' fightin'. Yeh won't git anywhere with Yōton 'less yeh know taijutsu." His chakra flared with his temper, body becoming embroiled in a second skin of hot red and yellow. Both boys took an involuntary step backwards at the heat exuding off the older Jinchūriki. "Try an' attack."

Naruto visibly hesitated before shaking his head. Utakata felt an iota of respect for the blond's increased situational awareness. "I think he gets the point."

The Iwa-nin released his jutsu. "Yeh can't hit what yeh can't touch."

Naruto appeared to be almost vibrating in place, hesitation forgotten, excitement exuding off his form. "So when can I learn that?"

"Taijutsu first," Rōshi grunted.

"Aww. Lame!"

"Ninjutsu's harder to learn than taijutsu," Utakata placated. At the blond's dispirited expression, he offered the boy a small smile and added, "Don't worry, we're here to practice taijutsu with you."

Naruto returned the gesture, a grateful orphan finding a helping hand in the dark. For a moment, Utakata saw himself in the blond, the lonely Jinchūriki shunned by the village he served. He wondered if Rōshi understood what that was like; decades of isolation had likely dulled the redhead's tether to humanity enough that Naruto's quest for companionship didn't make sense to him.

But Utakata was still young, still afflicted by a village who had looked at him every day and seen a monster, a nightmare from the past, and the blond's scenario was just a slightly distorted reflection of that.

Rōshi's bark of "Stand straight!" tore the brunet from his reverie. Naruto's form stiffened automatically, arms clapped against his sides. Utakata coughed to hide his amusement at the boy's reaction, watching as the redhead approached from behind and placed his hands on the blond's arms, maneuvering his limbs to different positions. "Put yer arms like this. Legs apart."

Naruto's brows furrowed in concentration as the lava-user barked commands at him, correcting the way he held himself. The personal attention was beyond strange, it was…unfamiliar. New. There wasn't any sort of affection behind it, but he wasn't super surprised given Rōshi's gruff persona. Utakata was genial enough to make up for it, even if he was currently taking a more hands-off approach.

It's only the first day.

"Pay attention!"

"Ow!" He rubbed the back of his head, massaging the spot Rōshi had clocked.

"Git over it," the Iwa-nin grunted. A mound of earth rose from the ground in front of them and shaped itself into his likeness. "Set up like I tol' yeh. Now, follow my lead."

He stepped forward with his left foot, driving his right fist into his clone's chest. Hunching slightly, he brought his other foot forward in a giant step, lowering his shoulder and extending his left arm. A backwards spin completed the motion, left fist coming around in a powerful hammer-blow to his doppelganger's neck. The earth clone flew to the side, smashing against a tree and breaking into clods of dirt.

The entire kata took less than two seconds.

Rōshi turned around, gracing Naruto with an annoyed look. "Yeh didn' move."

"That was awesome."

"Simple's what it was." A second earth clone rose from the ground before the blond. "Yer turn."

Naruto took a deep breath and set himself up as Rōshi had shown him. He stepped into the kata, thrusting his fist forward in a punch. Clone-Rōshi didn't budge, and the blond's next move carried him too far inside the duplicate's guard, his follow-up punch losing some of its strength. Grappling for victory, his spin-kick ended with one knee caught between the redhead's bicep and side, and he tugged fruitlessly to try to free himself.

Clone-Rōshi yanked on his leg to draw him closer, grabbed him around the torso, bent over backwards, and slammed him into the ground behind him.

Amid his coughing and groaning, Naruto could still hear Rōshi snort. "Tch, pathetic. Yer too weak."

Anger coursed through the blond's veins, spurring him back to his feet. "Am not!"

As if to prove his point, he charged the real redhead, sliding through the same motions he'd been taught. Rōshi sidestepped the first punch, catching the boy's left wrist and wrenching it behind his back in one smooth move. Naruto released a yell of pain that was aborted as the Iwa-nin leaned his weight into the hold, pushing him to the earth. "Yeh ain't provin' me wrong 'bout yer smarts."

Naruto's nostrils flared, angry exhales causing puffs of dust to float into the air. His mouth stayed closed, taking care not to ingest any dirt. Rrr, stupid old man…

The older Jinchūriki's weight disappeared, and Naruto raised himself to his feet, wary of another attack. Rōshi did nothing but stand back and watch, arms crossed over his chest, dark eyes hard and unreadable. Naruto growled in his direction. "I'm not stupid! I'm gonna be the Hokage someday!"

"Aye, an' I'm a daimyō."

He growled again, fists clenched at his sides; the redhead's constant mocking, impersonal as it seemed, was getting tiresome. One foot was already posed to move in his direction and show him what-for when Utakata's voice stopped him. "Naruto, we're not doubting you—"

Rōshi snorted.

"—or rather your commitment to becoming Hokage," the brunet corrected, "but you understand that it's a long, hard journey, don't you? Just saying that you'll become the Hokage doesn't make it true, and your current abilities leave a lot to be desired."

"But—!"

"But," he continued over the blond's protest, "it's not impossible." Utakata saw Rōshi roll his eyes, though Naruto, attention on the Kiri-nin, missed the gesture. "I have a friend, Yagura. He's a Jinchūriki, too, and he's the Mizukage." The brunet allowed himself a smile at the younger boy's wide blue eyes, admiration glistening nakedly in them. "Yagura practiced hard and did everything he could to make himself worthy of being Mizukage. If you do the same, maybe you really will become the Hokage."

A determined look overtook the boy's features. "Yeah, okay!"

"So, yer ready ter go again, eh?"

Naruto turned to face the redhead – or his stone-faced doppelganger – and took several seconds of care to adjust the way he held his limbs in the ready position before charging. Like before, the attack didn't appear to affect the earth clone, and the blond found himself the victim of a counterattack that left him eating dirt once more. "Again!" Rōshi barked, and the youngest Jinchūriki rose to his feet, squared himself, and attacked.

After the third time Naruto met the ground, Rōshi no longer had to issue commands to get up and try again; beaten repetitively, the blond was bouncing back quicker with each successive fall, jaw set and hands clenched into fists. Rōshi moved to stand beside Utakata, occasionally ordering slight adjustments to the boy's positioning. There was silence between the older pair for a long time, both watching the youngest Jinchūriki, until Utakata finally asked, "Do you really need to beat him up like this? We're trying to endear him to us."

"Yer th' one tryin' ter make 'im like yeh. That's th' whole point o' yer story, right? Tell 'im a Jinchūriki can be a Kage. I'm tryin' ter see if he's worth it."

Utakata cast him a curious side-eye. "And?"

Rōshi didn't respond, and the brunet resisted the urge to grin. That the taciturn redhead was unwilling to voice – or even gesture – a reply was telling.

Utakata sat on the ground and quietly watched as the hours passed. Naruto collected dirt and scrapes like they were worth their weight in gold, but even as Rōshi and his duplicate worked the boy ragged, tutoring him in different combinations, he bounced back with just as much vigor as before. He never managed to destroy the earth clone, but he also no longer seemed deterred or angry by his lack of progress.

It's kind of…admirable.

Somehow, by using the promise of the Hokage title, he'd given Naruto a reason to bear Rōshi's rough tutelage and improve himself. Where he'd previously shown himself to be untrained and…blusterous, the brunet supposed…he now appeared to be taking the lessons the two Jinchūriki were offering to heart. It would take time to actually grow into the skills they were teaching, but having the seeds take root was a good step forward.

And now, as the day dragged on, Rōshi seemed just a tad less surly, as if the sharp edges to his personality were eroding away. Utakata didn't know what had triggered the change – perhaps finding someone just as stubborn as him had worn him down – but he was reluctant to look a gift horse in the mouth, especially with how often he'd been bit thus far.

Maybe I should take advantage of this, he mused. Taijutsu had never been a particularly strong skill of his, a fact that would be known by the Mist shinobi who were chasing him. Surprising them (and/or Akatsuki) with something different might be able to shift the tide of battle.

Besides, Rōshi's lava armor didn't seem all that different from Saiken's 'gift'. He'd used the acidic properties of the slug's chakra to dissolve plenty of things in the past; why not utilize it to augment his offense? He'd just have to practice hand-to-hand without his own secondary chakra layer active, maybe even strengthen the Rokubi's 'gift' by lowering the pH even further…

Utakata shivered at the idea, the prospect both frightening and exhilarating.

"Alright," Rōshi drawled, "let's see what yeh've learned."

The brunet started as he realized his companion had approached Naruto, taking the place of the crumbling earth clone. Rōshi took a defensive stance before the beaten blond. "Well?" he grunted. "C'mon."

Whatever momentary hesitancy had gripped Naruto fell away at the invitation, the boy sliding through the different katas he'd been shown. Rōshi dodged or blocked each strike, but never retaliated, instead moving with each of Naruto's motions and allowing the blond to transition between combinations.

His movements are better, Utakata observed. He's exhausted, but even still, it's better than whatever form he was trying initially.

Rōshi kneeled and caught the kick aimed at his knee with both hands, holding Naruto's foot long enough that the blond's face twisted with the trepidation of meeting earth once more. After several long seconds, he simply let go, and Naruto stumbled backwards a pace, surprised to still be standing. "Yeh can rest," Rōshi grunted. "I ain't gonna attack."

Naruto let out a long breath and collapsed to the ground, limbs splayed outward. "Phew…"

Utakata's eyes followed Rōshi as he stalked over. When he was within earshot, the Kiri-nin whispered, "You went easy on him that time."

"…He worked hard," Rōshi offered gruffly.

To the brunet, it sounded like an excuse to justify his magnanimity. "Thanks."

"Hn."

Utakata stuck Nuibari in the ground and used it to leverage himself up, rising with a groan. He walked over to Naruto's prone form and leaned over it. "Tired?"

Blue eyes opened wide, and the blond curled himself into a sitting position. "No way. I'm ready for more!"

Utakata's lips quirked into a small smile; the Kyūbi Jinchūriki reminded him a little of when he'd been young, full of pep and vigor, before the gloom of Kiri had taken root. His stamina's impressive, too. "How about something a little less strenuous?"

"Like what?"

"Maybe you'd like to learn ninjutsu?"

Naruto immediately leaped to his feet, excitement gleaming in his eyes. "Really?" He pumped one arm in the air. "Yes!"

Utakata chuckled at the boy's enthusiasm before growing thoughtful. "I suppose the best place to start would be with the element you're most attuned to. Do you know what that is?"

"Eh? What're you talkin' about?"

"Yeh've got ter be kiddin'—!"

Utakata turned his head to shoot Rōshi a withering look, and the redhead's outrage (thankfully) faded into grumbling. He returned his attention to Naruto, scrutinizing the blond's confused visage. I wonder if he even has a primary element, since he can use whatever the Bijū can use. That's at least Doton, Katon, and Suiton… Well, since he's a blank slate, maybe it won't matter? "Well, most ninjutsu is elemental; that is, it uses an element of the natural world, such as water or wind, as a base. There's also ninjutsu based on manipulating the shape of your chakra…but maybe that's a lesson for another time," he decided as Naruto's features continued to scrunch in confusion.

Using the tip of the Sewing Needle, Utakata began etching kanji into the dirt as he continued, "There are five main elements: earth, water, fire, wind, and lightning. These form the basis of elemental ninjutsu: Doton, Suiton, Katon, Fūton, and Raiton." He finished his etching, pointing at the arrows linking the circle of elements. "Each element is strong and weak against another. Suiton, for instance, is strong against Katon, but weak against Doton. …Perhaps a demonstration would help," he added upon noticing the blond's waning attention. "Rōshi, can you…? Thanks."

His hands flipped through seals, and he inhaled as chakra built in his mouth. "Suiton: Mizurappa!"

Rōshi clapped his hands together before placing them on the ground. "Doton: Doryūheki."

The Earth-Style Wall that rose from the dirt soaked up Utakata's attack. The brunet turned to address a visibly more attentive blond. "See? So Rōshi used Doton to beat my Suiton—"

"Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu."

"—and—Suiton: Mizurappa!"

The Wild Water Wave that Utakata spat out overwhelmed the incoming Great Fireball, a cloud of steam permeating the area. When it cleared, the Kiri-nin shot the older shinobi an annoyed glare. "Really? Was that necessary?"

Rōshi shrugged. "Didn' yeh want ter show 'im th' other side?"

"Yes, but when I was ready, not as an ambush!"

"A shinobi should be ready fer anythin'."

There was that smug half-smirk again. Prick!

"Awesome! So when can I do that?!"

Utakata fidgeted. "There's…no way of knowing," he said, voice gentle. "Training one elemental affinity could take months, maybe even years. To learn more than one, or even a dual-element like Yōton? I'm not sure."

As he spoke, some of the previous dread he recognized from the effort of his undertaking started to creep back. The idea of training Naruto from scratch had seemed reasonable in theory, but vocalizing the effort, even with him being a Jinchūriki, made it seem impossible. He chewed on his lower lip, suddenly questioning whether this idea was as feasible as he'd originally thought.

"What's a dual-element?"

"Combo," Rōshi grunted. He held out his hands, palms-up, a kernel of fire forming in one hand, a ball of mud in the other. Then he clapped them together and pulled them apart, revealing a sphere of molten red-yellow lava. For a moment, Utakata thought he was going to pitch the orb into the empty forest, but then the redhead seemed to reconsider, allowing the chakra in his palm to dissipate.

Blue eyes shifted expectantly between the Yonbi and Rokubi Jinchūriki. When neither made any move to continue their training, Naruto asked, "So when do we start?"

Utakata turned his attention to the blond, conveniently avoiding Rōshi's pointed look. "I thought I could teach you Suiton, but it's easier to learn with a natural source—"

"Easy?" Rōshi interjected. "Tch, life ain't easy. Either yeh can do it with no source, or yeh can't do it at all."

"Rōshi—"

"Watch." The redhead formed hand seals, slowly – patronizingly, Utakata thought, so Naruto could see each one – and then exhaled a third Great Fireball. "Yer turn."

Naruto's fingers twisted through the appropriate seals before he exhaled nothing but air. Rōshi let out a loud "Ha!" and the blond scowled in displeasure. "Try building your chakra in your stomach," Utakata suggested. "That's how Suiton works, anyway."

The blond made another attempt, to similar effect. Utakata couldn't tell if he'd actually taken his suggestion to heart, let alone understood it.

"Yeh can always say th' name. Helps beginners."

Naruto grit his teeth, flipped through the seals again, and shouted, "Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!"

Rōshi's snicker was masked by a cough when Utakata shot him a warning glare. "You shouldn't expect immediate results," he placated.

"Tch, even a kid can cough smoke."

"Rōshi!" Utakata hissed.

"Coddlin' don' work," muttered the redhead as Naruto continued to flip through seals and try to exhale a Great Fireball. "Yeh got ter push 'im."

"Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!"

"This isn't taijutsu," Utakata argued. "You can't just expect him to pick up ninjutsu like it's the same thing! We're not trying to break him."

"Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!"

"Speak fer yerself. Konoha's trainin's made 'im stupid. He'll bend or break. Again!" Rōshi barked.

"Did you learn elemental ninjutsu in a day? It takes time, Rōshi!"

"Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!"

"I learned ter fight in war. Yeh learn fast or yeh die."

"We're not in a war!"

"We're always at war," Rōshi asserted with obstinate authority. He shot the brunet a narrow-eyed side glance. "What d'yeh call yer fight with Akatsuki, eh?"

The Kiri-nin stood, thunderstruck, as the older Jinchūriki's words settled over him. Given his asocial tendencies, he hadn't considered the lack of external conflicts indicative of any overarching world issues, especially since the Hidden Mist's problems were more internal. That Rōshi, a hermit far removed from society's normal drudgery, had an opposing perspective – a world in continuous conflict – was contrarily expected and unexpected.

I guess it makes sense, he realized. After all, the Hidden Villages were in constant conflict just by taking missions that resulted in small skirmishes between opposing sides. Whatever peace existed among the villages was farcical, tentative at best. Rōshi would certainly have more experience with the triggers (and fallouts) of war than he did.

"Yer not focusin'! Mold yer chakra in yer stomach an' then breathe out."

"I'm trying! It's not working!"

"Try harder!"

"Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!"

Despite his apparent effort, no flames escaped Naruto's lips, though his face was flushed red with frustration. Utakata stepped forward as the blond placed his hands on his knees and huffed. "Naruto, you shouldn't wear yourself out—"

"Pft, is that all yeh've got? Yer pathetic."

"Shut up!" Naruto shouted. "I'll show you! KATON: GŌKAKYŪ NO JUTSU!"

A small lick of flame emerged from his mouth, aimed at the redhead; Rōshi flicked it aside with a careless bat of his hand, where it settled into the earth at Utakata's feet and promptly burned out. Naruto's blue eyes were wide with surprise, and for a moment, the Iwa-nin saw the excited visage of his niece's pink eyes and agape mouth where the blond stood. He watched the younger Jinchūriki, scrutinizing him as he slowly recovered from his successful endeavor, before turning and striding towards Utakata.

He caught the brunet's golden eyes, nearly as wide as the blond's, before the Kiri-nin managed to school his features. "He did it…"

"Aye. Katon's easy ter do when yer angry."

"Did…did you plan that?"

Rōshi smirked at his companion's disbelief. "I tol' yeh not ter coddle 'im. Suiton's too gentle, yeh got ter start with what he knows. He's easy ter piss off an' stubborn as a rock. Katon an' Doton'll be easy."

"Unbelievable," Utakata muttered. "To think you know what you're doing. You could've just told me."

"Yeh shoulda been smart enough ter know."

…Fair enough. "Does this mean you're staying?"

Rōshi paused mid-step, the brunet's golden eyes fixed on his back. "I got nothin' better ter do."

-l-l-l-

Naruto was happy as he walked back to his apartment that night. At least, the smile on his face and bounce in his step made it appear that way in the crystal ball displaying his image.

"Hmm…"

"Hokage-sama?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen, Sandaime Hokage of the Hidden Leaf, looked up. An ANBU operative wearing a porcelain mask with stylized markings designed to emulate a cat stood before him, hands clasped behind his back. "May I see your Bingo Book?"

"Here you go, Hokage-sama."

The image in the crystal ball changed to show two figures – a redhead clad in loose purple and a brunet in a blue kimono – seated around a small fire. "I know of Yōton no Rōshi," said Hiruzen as he rifled through the book set on his desk. "But this boy doesn't dress as if he's from Iwagakure. Ah, here we go. Utakata from Kirigakure. A reward of 50,000 ryō for his live capture and return."

"That is quite the sizable bounty, Hokage-sama. He would likely not be easy to subdue."

"Yes, quite true, Neko. However, there is no need to worry at this time."

"Hokage-sama?"

It was to the man's credit that the incredulity in his tone was only perceptible due to years of experience. "Tell me, Neko, can you imagine a scenario in which a Jinchūriki from Iwa and a Jōnin nukenin from Kiri would work together?"

There was a long period of silence in which the ANBU operative considered the query. "If the Kiri Jōnin's nukenin status is a ruse, it could be a smokescreen to hide an alliance between Kiri and Iwa. Neither are Konoha's ally, it could be a preemptive move to take out the Jinchūriki and leave Konoha open to assault."

"I have known Ōnoki for a very long time, and he is not that subtle. I don't know much about the Mizukage, but Kirigakure's leadership has been focused more on internal conflict than external. So while your hypothesis is possible, it does seem quite remote."

The ANBU shook his head. "I defer to your judgment, Hokage-sama. If you say that scenario is unlikely, no other situation comes to mind that would explain their companionship."

"No, me neither, especially if you consider the, hm, delegates, let's say, that would theoretically be forging said alliance. By all appearances, this coalition is a thing of circumstance."

"Even considering their target?" Neko posed. "Surely it can't be coincidence that one Jinchūriki is targeting another."

Hiruzen stroked his grey goatee. "Very true. But perhaps where our system has failed young Naruto-kun, this personal tutelage may help him find his way."

"Hokage-sama, if I may speak freely?" At the elderly man's nod, the ANBU continued, "While it may be considered…fortuitous…that Naruto will be trained in a capacity that benefits Konoha, the company he is with is not ideal. While an alliance between Iwa and Kiri may be unlikely, we have little guarantee that they will not influence Naruto in unforeseen ways."

"Ah, you underestimate young Naruto-kun's adherence to the Will of Fire. It's not an unreasonable theory, though." Hiruzen then smiled. "That is why I am tasking you with providing oversight of this…unusual union. If you determine that things are getting too precarious, you have full authority to interfere and restrain the foreign threats."

"As you wish, Hokage-sama. Are there any specific parameters I should use to determine when action is appropriate?"

"I leave that to your discretion, Neko. Your judgment is sound."

"Understood."

"Then you are dismissed."

-l-l-l-

Author's Notes: Rōshi's fighting style, and the taijutsu he's teaching Naruto, is based off his movements in the Ultimate Ninja Storm series.