Chapter 6: Meetings
-2 Months Later-
Naruto chose to live in his own apartment that was being paid for by the Hokage. He was offered to stay at Kakashi's or the Hokage's place, but he politely turned it down. The reason for doing so was because he had a dark side to him that he was still having to deal with. After being alone for the first time after the retrieval mission, Naruto broke down and cried for a while being comforted by only Kurama. Kurama became the only one who Naruto can turn to when he needs trouble dealing with the darkness in his heart. A month after the retrieval mission Naruto was starting to brighten up. Having accepted that he has a dark side, he has the light side to balance himself.
During the two months, Naruto took up training with Kakashi. Developing a new, unique taijutsu style for Naruto was difficult and still in a work of progress. Another thing Kakashi had Naruto do, was to increase his chakra control by first walking up a tree, then walking on water. Kakashi tried to teach Naruto how to stick a leaf to his head or palm by focusing chakra on a specific point, but dropped it when he burnt it after the 221th attempt. Poor leaves.
Kakashi had Naruto try to master the 3 academy jutsus before Naruto could try to use the ones he took from Danzo. The substitution jutsu was picked up quickly by Naruto, the transformation jutsu was harder for Naruto to pick up but he eventually got it down, however the clone jutsu was impossible for Naruto to get down. Kakashi had made a few guesses why but decided to take Naruto to the Hokage to get his opinion on his guesses though.
"Come in." The Hokage said through the door after Kakashi knocked on it. "Ah Kakashi, Naruto-kun, what can I help you with?"
"Hello Hokage-sama, I've come to ask your opinion on something and possibly a jutsu to teach Naruto if you agree with my opinion." Kakashi stated with an eye smile.
"Very well then, what do you need my opinion on?"
"Whether or not to teach Naruto the shadow clone jutsu." Kakashi said. "You see I think he keeps failing the clone technique because of his chakra reserves. I think they're just too big to use the regular clone jutsu."
Hiruzen had to think about what Kakashi was saying. He had to admit it did make a lot of sense on why the boy couldn't get the clone jutsu down after completing some chakra control techniques. "Well I'll let you teach it to him after I make sure just how large his chakra reserves are. ANBU, bring Hiashi here please, tell him I just need a quick favor."
The Anbu nodded then used shunshin to quickly ask for Hiashi and reappear with him in the Hokage's office.
"Hello Hokage-sama, for what do you need me for?" Hiashi asked as he looked around to see Naruto, who waved at him and Hiashi waved back, and Kakashi, who pulled out his book and started reading.
"I need you to give me an estimate of Naruto-kun's chakra levels. We believe he simply has too much chakra to complete the regular clone jutsu so Kakashi here asked for permission to teach him the shadow clone jutsu."
Hiashi nodded to the Hokage and activated his Byakugan to see Naruto's chakra. Hiashi's eyes widened but slowly returned to normal after a moment. "Hokage-sama, Naruto here has more chakra than me at this point."
"Hmm. Probably due to his time being trained with ROOT that made his chakra levels increase that high. Of course I already knew he had high chakra reserves due to being a jinchuuriki. I guess it will be possible for him to learn the shadow clone jutsu, you have permission Kakashi."
"Thank you Hokage-sama."
"Thanks Jiji!" Naruto spoke for the first time during the whole time being there.
"No problem Naruto-kun maybe after you master that jutsu I can buy you some ramen as a congratulations." Hiruzen said with a warm smile on his face.
"Absolutely Jiji! I have to go master it right away then! Come on niisan!" Naruto said, dragging Kakashi out. Hiashi and Hiruzen both chuckled at seeing that, glad that the boy still was happy even after everything that he had been forced to go through.
"Thank you Hiashi, that was all I needed. You can go now if you like."
"Hai Hokage-sama. It wasn't the same around here with him. I'm glad that he's back." Hiashi said with a small smile.
"I am as well. Without Naruto-kun here, the world would be a darker place."
-Later That Night-
Naruto was walking back to his apartment after working more on the shadow clone technique. He completed the jutsu after 2 hours of practicing it. Kakashi was impressed but he was even more impressed by the amount he summoned. He managed to summon 300 clones and didn't look slightly winded. After telling the Hokage about his success and showing him by creating 5 shadow clones in his office, he took Naruto out to eat as he promised earlier.
Naruto was pulled outside his thoughts when he realized that he passed his apartment. On his way back Kurama, using his Negative Emotions Sensing ability, told Naruto to head towards where he was sensing. Since he was still locked by the seal, he couldn't find out what specifically their emotions were. Arriving at where the Kurama told him, he spotted a Kumo nin carrying a sack where Kurama sensed someone in. As Naruto was about to yell at the Kumo nin, Kurama stopped him.
"Naruto! Don't let him know you're here! Catch him off guard and flare my chakra so your Hokage knows to come here. You'll lose the advantage that you have now by alerting him of your presence. I'll suppress your chakra for you since you don't know how to do it yourself yet. Once I do get close and separate him for the girl in the bag."
Naruto, thankful that Kurama stopped him from making a mistake, nodded and proceeded with Kurama's plan. He snuck up on the nin and kicked him away from the bag by sending chakra into his legs to give him more power in the kick. Once separated from the girl in the sack, Naruto stepped in between the bag and the Kumo nin, and flared Kurama's chakra and his. Feeling Kurama's chakra the Kumo nin took a step back right into Hizashi, Hiashi's twin brother. Turning around, the Kumo nin could only watch as Hizashi closed all of his chakra points.
"Thank you for helping me rescue Hinata, Naruto." Hizashi said watching Naruto help Hinata out of the sack.
"Y-y-yes t-thank you." Hinata stuttered while sniffling.
"No problem, I'm just glad you're safe. I hate kidnappers so I had to do something to help you." Naruto said, giving a warm smile towards Hinata, making her blush badly.
"HINATA!" Hiashi yelled leaping towards them as fast as he could.
"F-father. I-I'm s-s-sorry." Hinata apologized while looking at the ground crying. This earned a confused Naruto, Hizashi, and Hiashi. 'Why is she apologizing for getting kidnapped? What was she, a 6-year old, supposed to do?' They all thought.
"Hinata, sweetheart, why are you apologizing? You were kidnapped, yes, but you're only six. I wouldn't be mad at you for that. I wouldn't expect you to take on a jonin when you're just six years old. Even when you reach genin, I won't expect you to immediately be on par with jonin."
"R-r-really?" Hinata squeaked out.
"Absolutely." Hiashi said with a smile.
"Now let's head back to your mother and sister." Hiashi said to her. Before they left however, Hiashi turned towards Naruto. "You have saved my daughter Uzumaki, thank you. I owe you one." Hiashi said, still smiling.
"Nah, you don't have to. I chose to save her because I didn't want her to go through what I went through. Seeing her out of her captive's hands and into safe ones is all I want." Naruto said with a small smile. Hinata couldn't help but wonder what the boy went through but still smiled as she saw him smiling.
Hiruzen saw everything as he arrived as soon as Hiashi arrived but decided to stay in the tree and watch everything unfold. Seeing the small smile on the boy's face, Hiruzen proceeded to jump down next to Naruto, causing him to jump. "I'm glad everything turned out alright. Good job on stalling the enemy and flaring your chakra to let others know where you are, Naruto-kun."
"Heheh uhh it wasn't me that came up with the plan. It was the fox." Naruto nervously answered.
Hiashi and Hizashi widened their eyes when they heard Kyūbi was responsible for saving Hinata. Hiruzen on the other hand nodded. 'Maybe the Kyūbi is indeed working willingly with Naruto-kun.'
"Naruto-kun, can you ask the fox if we can meet?" Hiruzen asked, startling both Hiashi and Hizashi, and leaving a confused Hinata. Hiashi quickly bid the two farewells and walked with Hizashi home while carrying Hinata.
'Is it possible for him to meet you?'
"Yes all you have to do is make a fist and fist bump him while focusing on bringing him into your mindscape."
Naruto nodded to both answer the Hokage and to let Kurama understand the directions."Fox said yes but we have to fist while focusing on bringing you into my mindscape."
"Alright let's go to my office where we can do that without being disturbed."
-Hokage Tower-
"Alright here we are Naruto-kun. Now where shall we do this?"
"Uhh... I guess the floor." Naruto said, dropping to the floor, Hirzuen sat down more carefully.
"Alright. Let's go talk to Kyūbi. " Having said that, they fist bumped and Naruto followed Kurama's instruction and focused on his mindscape.
-Naruto's Mindscape-
Hiruzen looked around him only to find a sewer with dirty water ankle deep. He turned around to see Naruto facing a huge cage. Looking at the cage himself, he saw Kyūbi approaching him. His fight or flight instincts were screaming for him to run, very far away. But he wanted to talk to it to figure out his true intentions. "Hello Kyūbi, I am Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage."
"Yes I know who you are, you're like a grandfather figure to my kit here. Thank you for that, otherwise I don't know where he'll be."
To say that Hiruzen was shocked was an understatement. The Kyūbi no Yoko sounded worried about what would have happened if Hiruzen wasn't there for the child. "Why do you care so much about Naruto-kun here?"
"Because I believe the boy is different from the rest of humanity. Yes, the boy has his dark side, but its more like a grey side because his goal and outview on life are so bright."
"Oh I see. Very well then if you promise to protect the boy with his life and you can prove that you want nothing but the best for Young Naruto, I'll talk Jiraiya into loosening up the seal or opening it. Whichever Naruto wants."
"I'd like to have it open jiji. I don't like the idea of having Kur- uh i mean Kyūbi always behind the cage."
"Very well then, the seal shall be opened but only once you reach chunin. Deal?"
"Deal Jiji!"