AND BACK AGAIN [ NARUTO ]

[ 11 ] round of questions

///\

"Now, show me that Sage Mode," Jiraiya said eagerly, rubbing his hands together. "Was it a bluff? Can you really do it?"

"Of course I can!" Naruto raised his hand and created a single clone, watching with content as it made its way across the clearing to gather nature energy. He stood with his hands on his hips, oblivious to the confusion practically wafting off of the past Team 7 and his late sensei.

"What's it doing?" Past Naruto asked loudly.

"Impressive," Sasuke muttered.

Naruto stuck his tongue out, turning to face his comrades fully. "I'm charging up, ya know! It's no fun if I can't do stuff while I collect nature energy."

Jiraiya narrowed his eyes. "This sounds awfully like something you'd do, gaki. I can barely accomplish the mode properly without the help of two geezer toads, how're you supposed to do it with such lazy tendencies?"

"Shadow clones aren't for everything," Kakashi added, though he'd already seen this Sage Mode in action. It was amusing to let the Toad Sage think he knew better before Naruto surprised him; he was getting tired of being the one on the receiving end of the blond's unpredictability.

Jiraiya nodded in agreement. "I can't imagine teaching you Sage Mode and telling you to make a shadow clone. Slacker."

Naruto rubbed the back of his neck, trying to ignore the fact that his sole motivation to learn was his master's death, not his guidance. "Yeah, well. . .it works for me, okay?"

"You made a shadow clone back in the markets," Sakura observed. "Did you use. . .Sage Mode then, too?"

Naruto nodded proudly. "Sure did!"

"What about the glowing?"

He was surprised to hear the question coming from Sasuke. All eyes turned to the Uchiha who seemed to curl in on himself slightly at the sudden attention, uncharacteristically.

"I mean. . .you lit yourself up with a strange chakra," Sasuke clarified. "I can't be the only one wondering what that was."

"Actually, I'm curious too," Jiraiya admitted, studying his student from the apparent future.

"I have an inkling," Kakashi said, eyes glued to the pages of his book as he spoke.

Naruto felt the eyes on him, specifically the wide ones of Past Naruto. He had no problems revealing the true source of the power, but it was a fact that carelessly revealing information that was currently a secret for his past self wouldn't be fair. The majority of Naruto's team hadn't known of the Kyuubi's existence or its relevance to their blond teammate until they were years older.

Naruto brought a finger to his mouth, leaning forward. "That's a secret," he said slyly.

"Aww, come on!" Past Naruto exclaimed, dramatically falling back onto his bottom in the grass. "I need answers!"

Sasuke and Sakura leaned back in silent agreement, disappointed in the lack of answers.

Naruto grinned ,clapping his hands together. "Let's do something, then!"

"Do something?" Sakura asked.

He nodded, plopping down onto the ground himself. "You of lesser knowledge can ask me questions, taking turns. I'll keep some things to myself, but otherwise I'll tell you what you want to know!"

Past Naruto sat up with excitement. "Great idea, 'ttebayo! I deserve to know some things about my future self."

Sakura looked to her sensei for guidance, but ended up lowering herself down beside her teammate slowly. She couldn't deny her curiosity, and this Naruto was already proving to be full of surprises. She'd always been one to seek knowledge and logic in a situation, and this was one she needed more on.