Naruto's Age: 7
Naruto's Mental Age: 8
Its been two days since Naruto had left the Hidden Sand Village, and reached the next village to continue his training...the Hidden Mist Village. Although Naruto was much stronger then he was prior to the beginning of his journey and was shown a great range of jutsu from Baki in sand...he knew that he needed more training, jutsus, and most importantly experience. The problem was who he would get to show him what he needed to learn, other then Kyuubi. However luck seemed to be on Naruto's side once more when he entered Kiri.
"COME ON DON'T YOU PEOPLE HAVE ANY SKILL!?" A loud voiced roared.
"Who the hell is being so loud so damn early in the morning!?" Naruto thought, as he went to see what the ruckus was about.
Naruto was rather confused when he turned a corner and saw what looked like a sparring match gone to hell, which bled into the streets. Though it seemed to be a one sided fight to Naruto...there was a large man who appeared to be a Mist Jounin fighting about ten other shinobi, all looking to be Jounin as well. Suddenly another one of the Jounin was thrown into a near by building crashing right thought the wall with a loud crack, as the large man laughed insanely.
"ISN'T ANYONE HERE A WORTHY CHALLENGE!?" The man screamed, obviously talking to anyone who was within listening range.
"Naruto, I want you to challenge that man, but make him agree to show you jutsu if you win." Kyuubi voiced inside his mind.
"H...Hai Kyuubi-sensei" He responded just a little taken back at the prospect of fighting this man.
"I will fight you..." His voice rang out strong, making all the audience and the man turn towards him.
"HAHA...You people seriously insult me...sending a mere boy to fight against me, hoping I'll stop!? You really are pathetic! Its no wonder why we haven't won any of the ninja wars before!" He answered a disgusted and angry tone.
"If I beat you, you have to teach me whatever you you know." Naruto said in a slightly agitated tone, to be underestimated just cause he was a kid wasn't something he took kindly too.
"HAHA...so you are serious then boy? Hm...very well, however I don't wish to have an idiot child's blood on my hands...so to beat me all you have to do is hit me once. And my name is Momochi Zabuza."
"Tsh...he is just like Baki-san...underestimating me cause of my age, but it will be easier then actually beating him at least" Naruto thought sneering a little.
"I accept, and I am Kazama Arashi." Naruto answered before disappearing.
Zabuza grabbed a foot next to his head that seemed to come out of thin air, making the rest of Naruto appear. He flipped and sent his other leg towards the tall man, but getting blocked as well. Zabuza let go of him and sent a kick towards the boy's chest, though Naruto was able to block it, the sheer strength of the kick sent him skidding across the dirt.
"Damn he is a lot stronger then I thought he'd be...taking many hits from him isn't smart...now I see why those Jounin had trouble." Naruto thought, shaking the pain out of his arms.
Naruto tried this tactic again, and although lasting longer then before, ended up with the same result only this time being sent into a building instead.
"Arashi was it? Just give up...if these pathetic Jounin couldn't even touch me what makes you think you can?" Zabuza said with a superior smirk looking at the hole the boy made.
Slowly a blue light seemed to emanate from within the hole, before it disappeared surprising Zabuza. He only had a split second to duck before a leg phased past where his face had just been. He kicked up from where the leg originated and felt a connection, as a body flew into the air, but had been able to land gracefully on the ground.
"Hm...this boy is a lot stronger then I gave him credit for...he has enough knowledge of chakra control, and physical training to be able to match the speed of most Chuunins. Not only that but I was able to see his chakra on his feet. For a boy that age to be able to do that is...almost unheard of besides in strong bloodlines with Kekkei Genkai" Zabuza thought, his face unconsciously hardening while looking at the boy.
Naruto stood after shaking off another kick, letting the same amount of chakra coat his feet he launched at Zabuza with, before disappearing once more. Zabuza was ready for the boy to attack...but not for him to fluctuate his chakra so quickly...the boy's speed easily jumped to almost jounin level at that moment. Luckily from years of shinobi instincts and reflexes, his body was able to react faster then his mind did and swiftly moved his head back just in time for a fist to sweep by his cheek. Not wanting to be one-upped, Zabuza cocked back his fast and sent it drilling into Naruto's exposed ribs, sending the boy a good thirty yards in a bee-line before hitting the ground and skidding to a stop, while coughing up blood. Zabuza knew the boy was finished, and began to walk to him to make sure he didn't actually kill him.
"Oi! You aren't dead are you? I don't want to explain to the Mizukage why I killed a punk kid in the middle of a street."
"No...I'm not dead, but now you'll have to explain why you will be teaching this 'punk kid' everything you know." Naruto responded with a weez, while lightly coughing.
"What the hell do you mean boy? You never once touched me let alone hit me with anything." Zabuza said with a agitated toned, annoyed at the audacity of the kid.
"Check your cheek."
Zabuza did as was told and wiped a finger over the cheek he was close to being struck on, and noticed that there was...blood on it.
"You never hit me, it's probably your own blood...nice try there kid." He responded, before Naruto had taken out a Kunai and moved it to reflect Zabuza's face in the shiny black metal. "How...the hell did you cut me!?"
Naruto smirked, wiping the blood from his mouth. "You noticed the chakra flaring on my feet, but failed to notice the chakra on my hands. I used the immense chakra to not only gain speed, but I used it as a distraction.. The chakra on my hands however were there for a direct purpose. I could never hit you with the power and speed difference between us, so I did the next best thing. I used your reflexes as a weakness, making you move without even thinking. But you're body moving on its own would never needlessly over exaggerate a motion, so when I tried to punch you...I never expected it to connect. However the chakra on my hands had extended my reach another inch, and using 'Hein' (Flying Swallow) to harden that chakra to make it razor sharp, was able to cut you without you feeling a thing, and thusly giving me the victory in our fight."
Zabuza arched a brow at the boy's tactic. "Not bad kid, at least I know you have guts. That will make it partially bearable to teach you."
"This kid is a lot stronger and smarter then his appearance makes him out to be..." He randomly though while watching Naruto getting up from the wrecked wall.
"Well lets get going then kid...I don't have all day, and don't expect me to coddle you either. Once I show you something, I expect you to learn it on you own. Not only is that the best way to learn the jutsu, but it'll also keep you out of my hair." Zabuza said while heading to another part of the village with Naruto in toe.
Two Months Later,
For the last two months Naruto learned rudimentary through low Chuunin Suiton jutsus from Zabuza, as well as shinobi skills for any shinobi's use, mainly being assassination skills. Naruto took to learning the Suiton jutsus like well...water. He found them much easier to learn then the Doton he learned in sand. Mainly because water is the smoothest element to mold with chakra, it has an easy give and take making them simple to learn, in retrospect however are also normally one of the weakest elements to use in a fight being mostly used for defense or escape. The mental training sessions went on as usual, only with Naruto practicing Suiton jutsus and assassination techniques now.
Mindscape,
Naruto was currently working on one of the Onipou jutsus that Kyuubi showed him after he began being taught by Zabuza. Although the jutsus up until then were pretty easy for him to understand and apply. Onipou jutsu were ten times harder to learn, causing both exhaustion and frustration for Naruto. Throughout the entire time he was training in Kiri he was only able to learn a few Onipou jutsus. Naruto knew he was strong, but feeling himself lack in one aspect of his training utterly infuriated him, and although the Kyuubi would poke fun at him, would still help whenever Naruto swallowed his pride and asked for it.
Currently Kyuubi was watching it's student struggle with the Onipou jutsu, trying to henge himself into Sarutobi only being able to create a second rate disguise.
"Ag...DAMNIT!" Naruto screamed, causing Kyuubi to lightly chuckle and then shakes it's head at the boy's frustration while being impressed by his persistence.
A thought came to the Kyuubi's head suddenly making it leer at the unsuspecting boy, who was dripping sweat. Naruto felt a cold chill run down his spine, before looking at Kyuubi and seeing it leering at him. Now to most people that leer would scare them shit-less, but being Naruto he was already used to the fox's facial expressions, and knew the leer was the equivalent to a large smile...a sinister smile, but a smile nonetheless.
"Kyuubi-sensei...what did exactly you just think up to either make me a stronger shinobi or, just make my life a living hell?" He half joked.
"Ah Naruto you know me too well...sadly, for me anyway its the former of the two. Seeing as how you are getting frustrated with the Onipou jutsu I taught you...I thought having you concentrate on another aspect would make training more bearable. I wish to teach you some Kenjutsu...but first we'll need to take a little detour back to Fire Country. I have a sword there that you would do well to procure."
"Kenjutsu huh? Sounds like fun!" He answered back with a smile.
"Tell Zabuza that you will be gone for a few days to pick up your sword and that upon your return you wish to learn the basics of Kenjutsu. But for now continue trying to learn that jutsu, I want you as as close to mastering it as you can before we leave here"
"Hai...Kyuubi-sensei"
Two Days Later (Forest in Fire Country),
"Kyuubi-sensei is it around here?" Naruto asked while jumping from tree branch to tree branch.
"Hai...it should be right around here, remember look for a stone wall with claw marks in a certain sequence just like I told you."
"Hai!"
Naruto had been looking for the stone wall for nearly a day...though knowing how secretive foxes can be, he wasn't surprised. However he had finally found what he was looking for.
"Geez sensei...when you said it was hidden you weren't kidding. The wall has vines and underbrush all over it, I nearly missed it."
"It holds and has held many important things to me Naruto...I had to keep it secret from human view."
"Hai...I'll open it up and just grab the sword so I don't disturb this place too much."
Naruto slide his fingers across the claw marks in the sequence that Kyuubi told him and part of the stone wall began to slide inside the wall itself leave a cave opening the size that a Kyuubi-sized being could fit into. Naruto knew if anyone was around, would hear the sound of moving rock and become suspicious, so he rushed inside the cave. He noticed many relics inside that didn't seem to suit a fox at all but figured it wasn't his business to pry, and just continued to follow the Kyuubi's direction's in the cave. Finally landing in a dead end, Naruto looked upon what seemed like a large hay bedding lying against the wall. He was about to dig into it like Kyuubi told him to, but he noticed three bear-sized oval imprints on the hay.
"Ky...Kyuubi-sensei...did you, e...eat people in this cave?" He asked mentally a bit scared of the answer.
Kyuubi was wondering what he meant and scanned his last visual memories, and lightly gasped at what Naruto had discovered. Had Naruto been in his mind he would have gazed upon a very shocked and saddened fox.
"No...no...just leave it and look for the sword under the hay Naruto." It answer with a tone Naruto never heard before, if Kyuubi were human he could have sworn it sounded like a tone of sadness.
Naruto had wanted to ask if something was the matter but learned early on to never question his true sensei nor ask it about itself unless important to the situation at hand.
"Hai..."
He began to dig around and finally heard a clank of metal, and latched his hand around the object. Once he pulled it out ans examined it he latched it to his belt and exited the cave closing it with haste. Not even a few minutes with the sword and Naruto could feel something not quite right about it, and decided to ask.
"Kyuubi-sensei?"
"Hai?"
"Whats the story behind this sword...it has an 'unnatural' aura about it"
"Well there is a back story to this sword, but to answer your immediate question...it feel that way because the sword is alive...well partially. You see, back when I was younger and more brash...I became quite bored just terrorizing bandits and the like who invaded my territory. So to entertain myself, I decided to have the greatest blacksmith in the world forge a sword for me. I came to him in a disguise and told him that I found a few strands of hair from the Kyuubi, and wished them to be imbued into a sword. The blacksmith agreed seemingly excited from the prospect of using the hair from a bijuu to imbue a weapon. I returned after the designated time to find the blacksmith's entire family dead. Their bodies still burning and the blacksmith himself comatose with what I presumed to be my sword in his hands. I grabbed it an immediately felt a familiar presence in the blade. Seems that by imbuing part of a bijuu into a weapon it gives the weapon partial sentience, though because it came from me I had no problem controlling it. However seems the blacksmith was to weak willed to do the same and the sword had him kill his family. In other words...I found my new entertainment...for the next few hundred years I 'accidentally' dropped my sword in the middle of bandit camps and simply watched the carnage ensue...ah fun times. But I digress...that feeling you keep getting is the sentience trying to communicate with you. But because my influence in you and out chakras fusing together you also have the ability to control it without a problem. Although it isn't important for you know to now, because it is my blade I believe it should be respected and addressed by its proper name...Shinku Kaijin."
"Crimson Ash huh? Good name." Naruto voiced to no one in particular, while speeding back to the Hidden Mist Village to start his Kenjutsu training with both Zabuza and Kyuubi.
Seven Months Later (October 9th),
For the next seven months, Naruto's training regimen seemed to increase drastically with the implementation of Kenjutsu in it. However unlike learning jutsu which he was basically born to wield with who his parents were...swordsmanship was not. Naruto had a tough beginning, while learning the finer points of the basics to sword fighting. And having a person like Zabuza as a teacher didn't help matters in the least. He devoted most of his day training as well as his mental training to learning Kenjutsu, and Onipou jutsus, since those still gave him trouble. However after a few months of nothing but hours of constant practice of Parries, Thrusts, Slices, and the different Stances of basic swordsmanship he finally grew to out of his shell and showed a talent for it. Zabuza being who he was disliked the idea of having a miniature version of himself running around the world, and declined Naruto's request of teaching him his personal sword style, simply telling the boy to either find another teacher for it or make a new style himself.
Luckily, Naruto did have another teacher who was more then adamant about teaching him the different styles it knew. Naruto spent countless hours being lectured by Kyuubi about the styles it knew, before having Naruto pick the one he wished to learn...of which was ironically the favored style of Kyuubi itself called: 'Kitsune Issei-Ryu (Fox Cry Sword Style)'.
A style which relied heavily on a balance of speed, power and constitution. And while this style had normal maneuvers like any other sword style, this one had special techniques both offensive and defensive. Which if the user's body can't handle the strain of using could very well seriously harm them, or even kill them. The reason being that several of the strongest of each category needs the necessary chakra in order to use them, some needing more then many S-ranked level jutsu. However if either an offensive or defensive technique is deemed necessary...the style is guaranteed that the opponent WILL die if its offensive. Or the opponent will not gain a single inch of ground if defensive...there are no other results when using 'Kitsune Issei Ryu'.
After his decision, Naruto spent the rest of his Kenjutsu training time learning 'Kitsune Issei Ryu' from Kyuubi. Thankfully for Naruto, Kyuubi had basically been grooming his body for this sword style since the beginning of their training. Although the physical training was good for Naruto to get in shape for shinobi life, the sheer amount of reps he had to do each day was purely for getting his body ready for his Kenjutsu training. To be able to use 'Kitsune Issei Ryu' successfully a person must be fast to not only have almost instantaneous reflexes to strike blows or defend against them, but the physical power and constitution to dish out the offensive techniques with enough zeal to kill or enough to absorb attacks through defensive techniques. All of which Kyuubi's early physically training basically led him up to.
October 9th of that year was like any other day to Naruto. He woke up and simply began his almost machine-like training until it was nightfall, what he would never realize is that what was to happen to him the moment he fell asleep...would change the way he thought for the rest of his life.
Mindscape,
Naruto awoke to the all too familiar sound of dripping water. He got up and was about to head towards Kyuubi's cage like he normally did but found that the size of the tunnel had gotten...smaller, much smaller. Pondering what it meant for a moment Naruto simply shrugged it of and headed towards his sensei's 'home' only to be surprised once more.
"What the hell is this?" He thought looking on in confusion and shock.
What stood before Naruto was not what he was expecting at all. Although Kyuubi's cage was still there and quite intact...the cell and bars seemed only a fraction in size of what they were normally.
"Kyuubi-sensei!?" He called out, walking towards the darkness where the great beast resided...to only get a low VERY feminine gasp in return.
Naruto heard the gasp and moved closer to the cage, to barely see a silhouette of a body in the corner of the room in a sitting down fetal position. though Naruto hadn't had much contact with the opposite gender save for Temari, he could still tell that the body belong to a female.
"Ano...I'm not sure how you got in my head but...you are in my sensei's home and I don't think it'd appreciate you intruding! I'll help you somehow but you have to come out here!" He called out in a confused but warm tone, knowing that yelling with a harsh voice would do the opposite of what he wanted.
For the next few minutes it was silent, as Naruto just watch the figure trying to huddles even more against the wall...almost wanting to fuse with it and disappear. Though Naruto had grown immensely from the submissive kid he was in Konoha, he still had his limits on patience and he had just reached them.
"Oi...if you want I can come in there and help you out!" He offered with a little higher tone noting his slight agitation.
"No...don't come inside!" The female voice called out, causing Naruto's ears to perk from finally getting a voiced reaction from her, as well as the simple elegance of the voice itself.
Though Naruto hadn't reached that age where boys began to notice girls in 'that' way, he still couldn't help but blush when he heard the now clearly woman's voice for the first time. He didn't know why but it made him all warm when she spoke. And couldn't help but also smile a warm smile along with his blush...as well as wish he could hear her speak more.
"But...if you don't come out my sensei isn't going to be happy! come on I'll lead you out of here ne!?" He questioned in a happy tone walking through the bars towards the woman.
"I SAID DON'T COME!" She yelled but her voiced cracked mid-sentence.
Naruto's eyes widened and jumped back when along with her yell came a red...clawed hand that dig itself into the ground where he had just been standing. His heart pounded in his chest at the attack, and had no idea why she did what she did, nor what he could do now. He simply stood there watching as she continued to shiver and quietly cry. Naruto still couldn't tell what the woman look liked, the light from outside the cage immediately ended right after the bars save for a shimmer that outlined the walls and ground. He wanted to see what the woman looked like despite the danger and as silently as he could walked close to her.
The closer he got to the figure the more curious as to what she look liked...and as if answering his request, the entire cage began to light up. What Naruto saw next would make him question the last almost two years of his life while training. He now stared at a young woman dressed in a silver kimono, adorned with red fox ears except for the black tips and nine fox tails lying limply on the floor next to her of the same color. What really sent a pang of what could only be described as pain through his body was the fact that he could see the tear stains running down the woman's delicate face. Naruto simply stood there and stared at the woman while she in turn just stared back at him finally noticing his proximity. His mind raced at what was happening, but after a few minutes his shocked expression relaxed to a questioning one and voiced the answer he thought he came up with about the details of the situation.
"You're the Kyuubi no Kitsune aren't you?" He accused softly not wanting to make the woman cry more then she already appeared to have.
The women just lowered her head, facing the floor...that was all the answer he needed.
"So...whats going on Kyuubi-sensei are you alright?" He asked, never once seeing Kyuubi like this in both form and emotional state. "Gomen...that a stupid question...of course you aren't." He whispered more to himself berating himself for having no idea what to do at the moment.
Nothing was said for almost ten minutes before Naruto decided to leave. Obviously this was one of the 'don't ask about me' topics that she mentioned before.
"Anniversary..." Her voice lowly cut through the silence, causing Naruto to stop once more and turn.
He looked at her quizzically. "Anniversary?" He questioned, silently asking her to explain.
She pulled her head up to look straight at him with fresh tears flowing down her face. "I...its the an...anniversary of my k...kit's murder" She chocked out while crying.
Naruto's eyes went wide from her revelation, a million thoughts at once spun through his mind...but then one thought finally cut through them all after a minute...'comfort her'.
He bowed to her in empathy. "Gomennasai Kyuubi-sensei...I didn't know you had children. And for the first time to hear about them on the anniversary of their deaths...gomen." He spoke in the most soothing voice he could.
Kyuubi simply looked at him, and then broke down more before putting her face between her legs and cried. Naruto couldn't stand the feeling of uselessness at the situation...and decided that even if he doesn't really know her...he should do whatever he can. After all she has been helping him for nearly two years and wouldn't be who he was today if not for her. So it would be only right he should try to help her as best he could. Gathering his courage and before his body could protest, he walked over to the shuddering form of his sensei, knelt down and embraced her. The sudden contact made Kitsune's entire body freeze for a few seconds before going back to crying. Naruto knew he had gone this far already and was allowed to live especially with her attack from before, so he decided to go a little further and simply whispered soothing apologies to her. After what felt like an hour of seemingly useless words, Kyuubi finally reacted to Naruto's warm words and soothing contact by slowly her sobs to merely occasional hiccuping.
"Ne Kyuubi-sensei...are you feeling any better?" He ask softly next to her ear, causing it to twitch telling him she was slightly more relaxed, since the ear hadn't moved an inch for the prior hour as he had spoke.
A slight nod from the fox-woman was his only answer, and though Naruto was thankful he was still alive decided that he needed to know what was wrong with his usually unemotional sensei.
"Kyuubi-sensei...would you mind...telling me what happened? Maybe it'll help?" He offered with a slight squeeze to get her attention.
Silence ran through the room for a long time, before her soft voice broke it.
"It...it happened the day before I attacked Konoha..." She paused to wait for Naruto's reaction, of which was a rather shocked expression before he nodded for her to continue. "...I was coming back to my den with a few animals I caught in the forest to feed my kits when I noticed they weren't welcoming me back at the entrance of the den like they always did..."
Realization dawned on Naruto then and he involuntarily interrupted her story "So then those three spots I asked about in that hay bundle where I found Shinku Kaijin were from..." Naruto said but couldn't make himself finish the sentence seeing just how shaken the woman in his arms was.
Naruto's pang of pain for the mother in his arms rose to a new level and his body reacted on it's own when he simply picked her up and settled her down between his legs and just wrapped her up in his arms, doing his best to comfort her. He was happy that he didn't protest his movements, and hoped that he was helping her cope with her emotions if even only a little. He whispered in her ear to proceed with her story whenever she was ready.
"...so I went searching for them in the den but they weren't there either. I started to get worried because I told them to never leave the den unless I was with them. But kits will be kits and sometimes they did sneak out to go exploring. I left the den and searched the vicinity quickly picking up their scents and followed it, noticing that it brought me closer to Konoha...which got me even more worried. Eventually I reached the clearing where their scents stopped to find..." At this time Kyuubi began to cry again but tried to continue the story anyway. "...that *sob* all three of my little *sobs* kits were dead. I *sobs* investigated the area *sobs* and found some dead leaf shinobi with *sobs* claw marks all over their corpses. After that I...I just went into a rage...I *sobs* attacked the forest heading straight towards Konoha. I...didn't mean to attack everyone...all I wanted was vengeance on those who killed my kits. I followed my kit's blood scent to find those responsible. It was very pale man with yellow eyes like a snake, as well as a few dozen others with clothes still drenched in my little one's blood. I was about to attack them, when more shinobi and your current Hokage, got in my way stating that it was my kit's who attacked the snake man's group first and were only defending themselves. And tat I have NO right to seek vengeance." Kyuubi paused once more and twisted her body so now her side was resting against the boy's chest as he hugged her shoulders. "Naruto...my kits would NEVER have attacked them. If I made only one of my rules crystal clear to them, it was to NEVER attack a mortal unless in self defense, and then ONLY if absolutely necessary. Not only that but while those shinobi that showed up with your Hokage tried to fight me, the snake man and the shinobi in his company just smiled a knowing smile. From that I realized that nothing would happen to them for their transgressions and decided that the whole village was guilty for harboring them from me and not giving me a chance to explain my side of the story." She paused again to look at the young boy with fresh tears still falling down her face, while he held her tightly and rocked them both back and forth to comfort her. "Gomennasai Naruto...I never meant for your life to be so hard in your home because of me, and the ignorance of the village. I know nothing I do can make up for the pain and loneliness. But I hope that the training I've given you so far might be some sort penance for my past mistakes, and that maybe some day...you can find it in your heart to forgive me." She finished with obvious regret and sadness emanating from her puffy, red eyes.
Naruto knew she she wasn't lying about being sorry, nor lying about her story which could make her reasons for attacking her village more in her own favor. Naruto thought over her story for a while, allowing all the pieces of information he just received and had before come together giving him all he needed to come to a final conclusion about everything he's had to endure up until two years ago. A small, sad smile graced his lips when he looked back at Kyuubi's awaiting, sad expression...before he gently cupped her face in his small hand and wiped off the excess tears from her cheek with his thumb.
"Ne...its alright Kyuubi-chan I forgive you." He said softly smiling so wide his eyes actually closed mirthfully, which caused her to go wide-eyed, and have a slightly agape shocked expression upon her face, from not only his comforting touch on her face, but the familiar way he addressed her.
"Naruto?" She questioned still in a daze over his reaction, while Naruto warmly smiled at her and shrugged.
"Ano...well from everything you told me and everything else I know about that night and my life afterwards...it seems I can't blame anyone anyone that I personally know for what happened to the village nor how I was treated afterwards. I believe your story, and personally I'd have ripped the whole village to shreds before they could stop me knowing they defended my children's murderers. On the other hand I can't blame the villagers for defending themselves against you for what they thought was true...an attack on their home. Nor for attacking me when I was younger thinking that by hurting me they hurt you as well, especially with all of the loved ones they lost that night. Of course they should have tried to get to know me first before they condemned me as a demon and treated me as such, and for that fact I will never forgive them. But it seems that Kami-sama picked me as the scapegoat for all the negative stuff that happened in that village. And although it is true the experiences I've had as a child will haunt me until the day I die, the silver lining throughout all of this, which I would go through most of those past experiences again just to keep...is the fact that I have such a great sensei and...friend that will make me powerful enough to defend everything that is precious to me in the future. Not even the pain of four years of beatings, my blood, sweat, and tears could make me regret leaving with you to train and also gain you as a close friend to me." He admitted sincerely, giving her body another soft squeeze.
"He...he doesn't hate me? He...is actually is happy I'm with him? He really considers me his...friend?" These were just a few of the seemingly hundreds of questions that floated inside of her head at his statement.
"A...arigato Naruto..." She said slowly looking at him before bursting into tears again. "ARIGATO!" She screamed into his chest, now wrapping her own arms around him.
"Its ok Kyuubi-chan, everything is going to be ok." He cooed back as he stroked her hair and back reassuringly.
They stayed like this for a long time allowing Naruto to ponder about the new key bits of information he had attained this night. A thought hit him randomly when Kyuubi slightly nuzzled closer to him, causing him to smile.
"I hope this works I'll be disappointed if it doesn't." He thought, before leaning down next to her ear.
"Ne...Kyuubi-chan tell me...did the size of this place change because of the form you are in? And are you insulted being in a human form?" He whispered questioningly.
"H...hai it changed because of my size. And no I'm not...my fox form is just more natural to be in then my human one." She muffled out against his shirt, making him smile again from her answer.
"Ano...well there is something I would like to try, but I don't want you to look until I say so ok?" He asked only getting a quizzical look from the woman before she saw no malice in his request and nodded pressing her face against his chest closing her eyes.
Naruto smiled once more, and closed his eyes...his thoughts squarely on a scenery that he had loved to visit when he was a boy with his mother...one of the few good memories he still had of her. He concentrated hard, hoping his idea worked, when the last bit of the image was 'scanned', he opened his eyes slowly to only have him gasp lightly.
"Wow...it actually worked..." He thought for a moment before looking down at Kyuubi who was still resting against him. "...I'm glad, her punishment isn't deserved...and to live her sentence in that gloomy place was unthinkable...I hope she finds it acceptable." He finished with a worried smile.
"Kyuubi-chan you can open your eyes now." He said with a happy, but slightly worried voice.
She opened her eyes, to only shut them a second later wincing from the sunlight hitting her face.
"Wait...sunlight!?" She quickly thought before opening her eyes once more.
An audible gasp was heard from her as her breath hitched in her throat from what she looked at. Her cage and the rest of Naruto's mind wasn't was she had been used to seeing for the past almost eight years. The entire area was now a grassy and multi-colored flower filled valley. With trees every so often that blew in the breeze which she could feel against her skin. There were snow-peaked mountains in the far distance, and a river running through the valley as well. With the bluest cloud filled sky and yellowest sun she had ever seen above her. Which said something for an over millena old demoness. There were also animals running around across the valley and birds chirping while flying over head. She didn't know what to say or think about the situation, she just looked back at Naruto with a shocked and quizzical expression silently asking for an explanation.
"Ano...well as I see it, you aren't really guilty of anything in my opinion so this imprisonment isn't fair to you. But sadly I can't do anything about that so I just thought that since this is my own mind that I'd at least make it as enjoyable and comfortable as I can for you. I also couldn't do anything about the seal...so I just made it into a collar for you" He said with his ever growing smile.
She unconsciously brought her hand up to her neck feeling the snug leather collar with the word 'seal' written on the front. "B...but how did you do it?"
"Well I guess I could have done it at anytime...but the idea hadn't come to me until today when the size of my mind changed to fit your size better. Thats what gave me the idea that if the size can change, the environment could too so I tested it out!" He chirped.
She looked at him and couldn't help but smile, before looking back at the change and still being overwhelmed.
"He did all this...for me? Even after all my existence in him had awarded him?" She thought still not quite believing it was real.
Her attention was grabbed when he shook her gently. "Oi...you need to go and explore so I know you like it." He teased pulling her up slightly and pushed her towards the valley.
The push seemed to knock her out of her thoughts and she smiled at the shorter boy before grabbing his hand dragging him with her.
"Lets explore together!" She said in a happy tone, which made him smile that he was able to stop her from dwelling on her dead children which only seemed to cause her more pain.
The two took their time exploring the entire valley, Naruto however was keeping his eyes on Kyuubi...despite her reaction he was still a bit scared that she wouldn't like the changes that he made. However he was very mistaken...Kyuubi absolutely loved all the changes he made. She admitted to him that it reminded her of when her and her old mate would visit valleys like this while traveling. They had finally finished their sightseeing and went to rest against one of the trees. Naruto was a bit apprehensive about what he should do then. After all he had only been that close to Kyuubi to comfort her. But now that she seemed a bit better, he would feel it inappropriate to do it then. Not only since she was a demon and may find it 'disgusting', but his sensei and was so much older then him. As he thought back he realized his embrace was more akin to a lover's then a friend's and he felt quite guilty of that fact. However Kyuubi seemed to think otherwise and once Naruto sat down against the trunk of the tree she sat down in the boy's lap resting against his chest, though not painfully so considering their sheer body size difference. Naruto stiffened scared at her choice of 'seat', but after a minute of not getting killed finally relaxed and settled down comfortably against the tree, each of them just enjoying the company in silence, until Kyuubi spoke.
"Arigato Naruto...no one has been this nice to me in a very long time. I know you've said you've forgiven me but still gomen for making your life so hard in that ungrateful village." She said in a sad voice.
He smiled, though she couldn't see. "Its ok Kyuubi-chan, nothing can change whats already happened, despite my wishing it had. Plus you've made me strong enough now that I won't have to worry about being hurt like that ever again. You've sincerely apologized to me, something I know for a queen of demons like must be a hard pill to swallow for your pride, and that is enough for earning my forgiveness." He reassured her.
"Hai...and arigato for comforting me earlier. I know it wasn't easy for you, and gomen for putting you in that position and attacking you. I've tried to keep to myself this day during the year...but after going back to my den and seeing where my kits used to sleep...I...I couldn't contain my emotions. Arigato Naruto...you really don't know how good it feels to have someone's shoulder to cry on and to speak with about it with after so long of being alone to suffer through it."
"Anyone would have done the same Kyuubi-chan, I'm just glad you are feeling better and that I could help. Gomennasai again about your children...I promise that one day...we'll get you your revenge for your family. We'll find those shinobi and snake-man and wish they never touched your children." He finished with venom dripping off every word.
"Arigato Naruto" She retorted, while biting her lower lip in nervousness because of a thought that had been swimming around her head ever since he forgave her.
"Should I give it to him?" She mentally questioned herself...before surveying the valley once more and nodding.
Kyuubi moved and stood up underneath the tree confusing Naruto slightly, before smiling at him and doing a small set of handseals causing a puff of smoke to appear, and in her arms rested a large red scroll.
"For doing so much for me today I decided that you've earned this..." She said holding the scroll in front of the boy. "...this is the summoning scroll for Kitsune, which I had made several hundred years ago to 'entertain' my boredom, but found no one worthy enough to sign it. Although it is like any other summoning scroll...to be able to summon the Kitsune clan is a singular honor for obvious reasons, and the summoner will always respected by demons and mortals alike because they know that I'm the one who holds the contract." She finished in a happy and proud tone, giving the scroll to a now gawking boy.
"Are you sure about this Kyuubi-chan? I mean am I really one that you should be letting sign this?" He asked taken aback at her gesture.
"Of all the people whom I've met in my life...I can honestly say that you are the most worthy of them Naruto...-kun..." She paused with a smile, and a small kiss on his forehead for being the person that he was, which caused him to blush form embarrassment. "...simply sign your name in blood and put a hand print at the bottom of your name, and then I'll show you the handsigns."
Naruto did as he was told, and Kyuubi showed him what to do to summon correctly. Naruto follow the instructions and summoned a single tailed silver fox named 'Hayaigin (Quicksilver)'. Kyuubi then told him to use as much chakra as he could to try to summon the fox boss summon. He did so and slammed his hand on the grass making a giant plumb of smoke appear blocking his vision, when the smoke cleared the only thing around was Kyuubi. At first confused, Naruto soon understood and shook his head with a laugh.
"You're the summon bosses for Kitsune?" He rhetorically asked, making Kyuubi smile innocently. "Well since you are sealed within me, how exactly does this work?"
She shrugged nonchalantly. "Who knows...you'll have to test it outside so we both know. If I were to guess though because of the seal's chakra restriction...I'd only have about as much chakra as you put in the summoning itself. but like I said we won't know till you try it out." She said in a sing song voice, making him smile that she was slowly getting back to the Kyuubi he knew.
He bowed "Arigato Kyuubi-chan...I'll make you proud that you allowed me to sign this." He smiled , but held a clear tone of seriousness.
"You better Naruto-kun..." She teased with a smile herself, before another idea came to her. "Hm...now that I think about it...I have something else for you, and this will greatly help your training...especially since you wasted todays session on me." She finished in a sullen tone.
"It was far from a waste Kyuubi-chan, what kind of person would I be if I didn't help a friend of mine when they needed to be comforted ne?" He retorted back in a comically agitated pose, that made her smile.
"Arigato Naruto-kun, anyway this jutsu is called 'Kage Bushin no Jutsu' (Shadow Clone Technique), its quite similar to any other bushin jutsu. The biggest difference is that these bushins are solid and can almost be considered their own person because of the flexibility of choice they have. That reason being that 'kage bushins' are summoned using a piece of the user's own soul, which is why summoning many kage bushins at once isn't wise...a soul can only be stretched so far, which is one of the two limiters of the number Kage Bushins the user can ultimately summon." She paused and summoned a single clone of herself, which immediately jumped the poor boy and kissed him passionately on the lips before seductively moaning his name against his lips and poofing out of existence, leaving him blushing from her actions. "As you could see I gave no verbal command for the clone to do that...but it acted on it's own, though still based on my personality." She explained trying to hold in her laugh from the boy's reaction to her clone.
"You're telling me that she did is something that you would also do?" He asked a bit scared of her answer...but deep down was wanted to know if he could feel that again with the real one, he may not be 'of age' but still doesn't mean he didn't feel warm and happy with getting affection like that.
"Hai that is ONE part of my personality...I AM a warm-blooded woman just like any or man or beast after all, so I need certain 'urges' fulfilled every so often..." She said in a serious tone, before looking the boy up and down in examination. "...but you're a bit young for my taste Naruto-kun." She finished in a playful tone, winking at him.
"Not that I'm not grateful but why are you showing this to me now? You said it would greatly help my training but I'm not sure how" He questioned after the blush she caused him finally subsided.
"Its easier if I showed you Naruto-kun..." With that she summoned another clone. "...now I'm going to close my eyes, and I want you to pick out three different colored flowers in any order and show them to my clone only." She ordered while closing her eyes.
Naruto and the clone did as directed, and once ready signaled Kyuubi, who promptly dismissed the clone.
"The colors you picked: Yellow, White, and Red. The order you put them in: Red, Yellow, and White." she said with a smirk, causing Naruto to look shocked.
"How did you..." His question hung in the air for a few moments while he put the pieces together. "...the user can remember whatever a clone does?" He asked half-heartedly, getting a nod from his sensei.
She nodded in affirmation and smiled and his growing intelligence. "Thats correct Naruto-kun, however the 'memory' of the clone only works if the clone is dispersed voluntarily or the chakra on it gives out. Do you know what that means for your training?"
Naruto thought for a moment, thinking over his almost two years of training, and then it hit him like a ton of bricks, obvious by the shocked expression on his face.
"Time...the time to learn...well anything will be divided by however many clones are used for that task. A jutsu that would usually take a week to learn could be learned in a few hours if enough clones are summoned for the task...thats amazing Kyuubi-chan!" He shouted excitedly.
"Of course just like any strong jutsu there are consequences to using this ability too much or too often." She spoke waiting for him to calm down and listen to what she had to say next. "Doing Kage Bushin training causes a lot of strain on the mind of the user, because of sheer memory feedback when you use it. So I caution you to take the training slowly at first. And also don't forget that Kage Bushins can also be useful in battle, not only for this kind of training."
"Hai!" He responded, as ideas flowed throughout his mind for just how much he could learn from this training...until something occurred to him.
"Learn..." He though for a good minute before coming to a decision.
"Ne Kyuubi-chan, I don't think I'll be using the Kage Bushin training much...it seems like cheating to me. It'd take me only a week to learn what it would take a normal shinobi a year to learn ne? It seems like I'm spitting in their faces and their hard work if I do things like that. I think I'll only use this kind of training for special circumstances like learning the Uzumaki jutsu since I have no one from said clan to teach me those. Or the Onipou jutsu, and kenjutsu you are teaching me since only I can learn them and only from you. And of course any jutsu that I myself create too heh."
Her lips pursed slightly, as her brow rose. "Hm...a shinobi with a code of honor ne Naruto-kun?" She questioned rhetorically. "Well thats an oxymoron for your profession...but those kinds of shinobi always turn out to be the strongest and most respected. I have to warn you though it'll make your life a lot harder as a shinobi."
"Can't be much harder then what I've already dealt with right? Plus I have Kyuubi-chan to help!" He mused with a large smile.
She smiled at his enthusiasm. "Hai hai...but lets not worry about the future training, you should worry about today's." She playfully reprimanded.
"Hai...ano...do you think I could just rest here till I have to get up?" He asked a little apprehensively.
Kyuubi smirked at what his question really meant: 'do you think I can rest here with you...' before pulling him back to the tree. Only with their positions now reversed, his head on her lap and her resting against the tree. A long comfortable silence rose between them, each enjoying the scenery and the company, before Kyuubi broke it with a shaky comment.
"Nat...Natsumi..."
Naruto's ear's perked at her words but were confused by them.
"Natsumi?"
Her cheeks burned slightly. "Hai...thats...thats my name..." She answered embarrassment, though not quite knowing why. "...I've never told any mortal my true name before." She confessed turning away from Naruto's face.
He smiled gently, before closing his eyes "I see...well its a beautiful name Natsumi-chan" He retorted, never noticing the happy smile on his companion's lips at his words.
"Arigato Naruto-kun"
Hours seemed to pass as the two just stayed like that, continuing to admire what Naruto created and the new feeling of belonging they each felt. Of course as all good things do, this scene had to end when Natsumi told Naruto he had to get up for training.
He pouted, opening his eyes. "I was hoping you'd give me one day off after all I did Natsumi-chan" He playfully grumbled, getting up from her lap.
"No such luck I'm afraid Naruto-kun, if you want to get stronger you can't take a break unless absolutely necessary. And while we are training I'm your sensei not your friend so its Kyuubi-sensei to you." She said with an almost sadistic leer towards the boy.
"Crap!" He swore before booting himself out of his mind.
Three Months Later,
Training for Naruto jumped leaps and bounds after that day when Natsumi revealed herself, thanks to his shadow clone training. His kenjutsu skills were nearly on equal ground to Zabuza's. His Onipou jutsus began to grow less frustrating now that he had his clones, now giving him about a dozen of them under his belt. His physical and jutsu training continued on at their usual fast pace since he himself practiced them. While a team of about fifty shadow clones worked on the above mentioned aspects of his training. Natsumi even showed him which he later learned and mastered, two of the favored as well as most powerful Suiton jutsus of the Nidaime Hokage.
Although anyone could essentially learn the jutsus that he knew and use them in battle with a water source nearby. The reason the Nidaime was infamous for them is because he had mastered his water elemental affinity to such a perfected state that he never needed a water source to use any of his Suiton jutsus. His mastered affinity allowed him to create water from his chakra alone. However Natsumi mentioned a little trick to using a pseudo-mastery of water manipulation much like the Nidaime's true mastery. If the user summons enough chakra into the Suiton jutsu they can actually replicate the Nidaime's ability to create water from chakra. But the problem is that to summon water like that the chakra output would be close to is close to twenty times what the jutsu would normally would take if a water source were near by. Even the simplest of Suiton jutsu could wear out a seasoned jounin in one if not two attempts using this method, which is why its not a very well know fact amongst shinobi. She actually admitted that only a Jinchuuriki, and of the possible nine in the world, Naruto was probably the only one who could fight unhindered using that method because of his Kekkei Genkai combined with her chakra. All in all Naruto was glad for the power his new training allowed him to acquire...and it was all thanks to Natsumi.
Speaking of the vixen...since that day her behavior had changed noticeably. Although still a hellfox as his sensei which Naruto grumbled about anytime he could, though always thankful for her help. Looking at their personal relationship, she simmered down greatly and actually began to open up to the boy. Telling him stories of her past escapades and goings-on. To put simply their relationship though purely student-teacher when training, became much friendlier, open and unconsciously to both parties closer then they would have voluntarily admitted to the other while they hanging out enjoying each other's companionship.
Up until that point, Naruto had avoided trying to summon Kyuubi via summoning. He was afraid of the repercussions of what Kiri would think when a fifty story tall fox appears out of no where near the village. Finally after having enough of Natusmi's playful whining about not being let out into the open yet, he agreed and told Zabuza he'd be gone for a day. He left the village and found a good clearing to try the summoning.
"Ready Natsumi-chan?"
"Hai"
He bit his thumb. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu" He yelled pressing his hand on the ground as a set of symbols spread across the ground before a large plumb of smoke surround the area.
Naruto coughed until the smoke cleared, and couldn't help but laugh his ass off at what he saw. Instead of a fifty story tall red and black furred fox, all he saw was a small fluffy fox the size of a chihuahua 'yipping' at him.
"Ha ha very funny Naruto-kun...now if you don't stop I'll double your usual regimen for the next week." She spoke, causing Naruto to immediately stop his laughter.
He bowed repeatedly. "Go...gomen Natsumi-chan! I just didn't know you could get that...tiny." He scoffed holding in a chuckle.
Her eye twitched angrily at his teasing. "Well...it's not my fault you don't hold enough chakra to summon me at my full power yet...this is only about a tails worth of my power after all." She yipped back.
He words made him look towards the sky in a thinking pose. "So...you think the more chakra I put in to summoning you the bigger and essentially the more tails you'll grow?"
"If I were to guess...yes, thats about the jist of it. However this works out fine for me...since I can stay in this small form and watch you in the real world and also enjoy being out of that cage...no offense Naruto-kun." She said before running at the boy and pouncing on his chest and climbing onto his shoulder to rest there.
He laughed from her fur tickling him as she ran up him. "Its ok Natsumi-chan...I know you like the changes I made. But I also know they aren't anything compared the real thing." He smiled while scratching her behind the ears, making her purr slightly.
"I'm going to have to tease her about purring later" He thought with an evil grin, noticing she didn't seem to realize she was doing it.
"Naruto...since you finally used 'Kuchiyose no Jutsu' successfully, and are easily mastering the Suiton and Onipou jutsus both myself and Zabuza have showed you. I believe its time to move on to the next village to get shown more jutsus. I was thinking of having you go to Lightning Country and get some Raiton jutsu in your arsenal. I want you to leave tomorrow." She ordered with authority, lacking the '-kun' suffix so he knew she was serious.
"Hai Kyuubi-sensei." He responded back, deciding to head back to Kiri and get packed up to leave.
The Next Day.
Naruto headed to the favored training ground of Zabuza Momochi, to tell him he was leaving.
"Zabuza-san, I'm going to leave and head back home, its about time and my friends will get worried if I don't head back...I'm sure they found out about my parents already" Naruto lied through his teeth once again.
"Alright brat...don't get killed" Was the man's only retort before punching his sparring partner straight in the jaw sending him into a nearby building.
Naruto bowed lightly, knowing the man hated that 'respect' crap people were preaching to him about, so he just left after that. With Kyuubi still on the boy's shoulder resting peacefully, Naruto headed to the Hidden Cloud Village the next place that his training would continue.