Naruto, X-overs 1. The Wild Fox Cometh!

No I don't own Naruto, or any other character I depict in this story. Plus, I'm dirt poor and really not worth the trouble of suing. Just to be clear about that.

This is something I decided to do for fun, if nothing else. My other stories have gotten so bogged down, that I needed to produce a little crack to clear the air. None of the chapters, unless explicitly stated, will be linked so please treat them all as one shots. I know that I will.

This project is just to fulfill my desire to attempt a crossover. While I like crossovers, I'll be the first to admit the vast majority do not make any sense. So I will take that lack of logic, and make the craziest things I can with it! You all want a Super Naruto? Well, let's see what happens when he begins to gain the skills and powers of alternate Anime?

To begin with, a Ranma x Naruto crossover!

Chapter One: The Wild Fox Cometh!

Little Naruto was only nine years old when his life changed forever. Hungry for attention, he made it a habit of springing pranks on the citizens of Konoha. While the civilian population were more satisfying targets, given their treatment of him, the ninja made for more challenging prey. So whenever he felt particularly inspired, the blonde would plan out the most difficult and complicated pranks targeted towards known ninja locations, like training grounds or bars. However, one mistimed flour bomb would result in a discovery that would rock the Land of Fire, and then the world, to its foundations.

You see, when his flour trap malfunctioned, five ninja were caught in the crossfire instead of one. However, instead of wasting time laughing at the victim, this group instead decided to track the perpetrator down. None of the ninja were very strong, but Naruto was barely an Academy Student at the time. So hearing a lot of angry shouts with not a lot of time on his hands caused the kid to duck into the last place he planned on going. Uzumaki Naruto ducked into the Konoha Library for refuge.

Now most would think that this lack of interest was simply due to a hatred of studying. However, most of it came from various Librarians kicking him out whenever other patrons started causing trouble with him around. Luckily, it was a slow day, so the Librarian on duty was busy reorganizing some of their older and more obscure items. However, since most of the volumes were considered oddities of no particular value, she had simply stacked them on an out of the way table in the back before leaving for a quick snack. It was this stack of books that Naruto used as a hiding place, even taking one to blend in better.

After hearing the angry shouts fade into the distance, Naruto realized that someone was approaching his location. Panicking, the blonde child made his way out of the Library before running to his apartment the book still in hand. When the Librarian realized that one of the volumes was missing, she mostly shrugged it off. The book in question was a reprint of a minor biography from the distant past, considered by most to be fiction. Many of the described techniques were clearly pure fantasy and no one sane would ever attempt to use them. In addition, the lessons on warfare were so basic that they would not fake out a Genin! No, the loss of that one story was no great loss, and the Library could honestly use the space.

However, Naruto did not know any of this. Once he returned to his apartment, he realized that the book was still in his hand and almost freaked. If the villagers thought he was becoming a thief, then they would try to get him thrown in prison. Still, among all other things the orphan was a survivor. He would have to take a few days before pulling any more pranks, so maybe lying low and reading a bit would keep him occupied. Of course, with a title like "Adventures of the Wild Horse: The Incredible Truth" it was probably some sort of adventure novel. Those tended to be simple enough for him to read, and might even give him ideas for a new technique. Oh if only he knew.

* * *

_Before I begin, let me just say I don't want to write this. My life has been one long road of screw ups and insanity, and I don't really want a bunch of strangers reading about it. But like a lot of you I've got bills to pay and a family to feed. While I earn a lot from running the Dojo, I never realized just how much it cost to feed me until all my children inherited my appetite. As it is, I'm lucky to get away with just this book. My manager wanted to set this up as a manga series, and that would have just been too weird. Anyways, this is the life of Saotome Ranma, for better or worse, and I can only hope that you have more fun reading about this is than I had living it._

_Oh, and to be clear, this is all real. I know that some of what I am about to write might seem bizarre or like a drug trip gone wrong, but I swear on my honor that every word is what I believe to be truth. There are days I don't know if I should laugh or cry about that, but what are you going to do? I know that most of you will not believe me, and that is probably a sign of your sanity. Still, I hope that you can keep an open mind. Even if you don't believe me, at least you'll be entertained by one hell of a lie._

_Firstly, I want you to understand my dream and its price. I grew up wanting to be the strongest martial artist in the world. I began this dream before I could walk and accomplished it, more or less, by my early twenties. It was not a path of joy or laughter, but sweat, tears and sacrifice. Still, while I missed out on a lot of things growing up, and feel like I got screwed when it came to my parents, I have to say that it was the life I was suited for. But it was a solitary road, and there were few who could walk it with me. To be strong is often to be alone. After all, I had friends who, once they understood just how powerful I had become, could not wait to knock me down out of fear. It was not fun to discover._

_I might ramble a bit, and I might not make much sense in places, but looking back on my life, there was little I would have changed. I have seen things that most men could only dream of, and in the end I'm a better person for it. Still, despite the weirdness that cursed most of my life, I will admit to finding love to be the oddest. I had so many possible paths to explore, yet I ended up with the last girl I could have thought of. Still, I became the best as I wanted to do, so it was all worth it in the end. At least, I hope it was._

Reading the untidy scrawl in the opening dedication, Naruto felt his eyes widen with each passing sentence. This Ranma guy sounded like him, wanting to be the best and prove his strength to everyone. But at the same time, a lot of what he described caught the young child by surprise. What sorts of sacrifices would a martial artist need to make? Everyone knew that, next to ninja techniques, all the martial arts did was train your body in substandard Taijutsu! The only ones who really practiced it were court guards and mercenaries, and any Genin could take out a dozen of those punks in no time!

However, for Ranma to be the best probably meant that he had some super secret techniques! Naruto might prefer Ninjutsu to all other forms of combat, but that did not mean that Taijutsu wasn't fun too. Since he didn't have a clan or any special abilities, maybe he could adapt some of these training techniques to make himself stronger! After all, if he was going to be Hokage, every little bit would help! Interest renewed, Naruto began to read with gusto.

* * *

Little did the young student know that Saotome Ranma was more than any mere Martial Artist. At the time the book was published, Ranma was acknowledged as the strongest unarmed fighter on the planet, able to destroy tanks with a mere punch. However, between his desire for privacy and rumors about his personal life, Ranma had faded into obscurity a mere decade after this accomplishment. Despite several lucrative, long term contracts with the government to train Special Forces he always was willing to work extra hard to support his family. However, after a settlement that banned him from public tournaments for life, an autobiography was the only choice left.

As Naruto read page after page of the unbelievable story, a part of him thought it should have been labeled as fiction. This guy fought demons, gods, and every challenger who came his way before he was twenty? Even the Yondaime was not that strong! Yet, something in the story called to him like nothing else in his young life. Ranma had been forced to work without break or acknowledgement for most of his existence. Naruto had observed enough families to know that the parents were somewhat abusive, seeking to live through his accomplishments and efforts instead of their own. This was a rare moment that he was thankful for his lack of family. Some of the children in the Academy got pushed like this and a couple had nervous breakdowns as a result.

Nevertheless, Naruto was a ninja-to-be. While some of the honor code seemed a little too nice for the lifestyle, most of Saotome's upbringing dealt with the idea of survival of the fittest. Naruto knew that only the strongest could thrive, but there were some interesting parallels between their lifestyles. Both had needed to steal to live more than once, had others look down upon them and their goals, and only kept going through their dreams. It was at that moment that Naruto decided to honor Ranma's legacy and use these skills to be the best he could be!

Admittedly, Ranma did not describe the meat and bones of his techniques in any detail. The book was covered in warnings about not attempting anything listed without supervision of a master. However, that did not mean that some of the ideas could not be adapted for use. Hadn't he created the Sexy Technique through sheer willpower and practice? Surely the guidelines listed here would be enough to ensure that nothing major would go wrong. Everything seemed to go alright for Saotome-sensei, even with all the trouble. Hell, he even managed to get his own fan girls, and gave a bunch of tips with dealing with them! Soon, the class would be interested in him and Sasuke would go suck a toad!

Determination filling his every pore, Naruto designed a basic training schedule based upon the beginnings of the book. The running and calisthenics seemed straightforward enough, including pushups, sit-ups, and weight lifting. After all, when the book was originally sold it had been intended to generate interest in practicing martial arts. Some of the jumping techniques seemed out there, but Saotome-sensei's school was based in the air. Between his determination and Ranma's simple explanations, the training was soon approaching the level of a second year Genin. Of course, when Naruto tried to use the special techniques, things got a little trickier.

* * *

_To increase your running speed, you need a real element of danger. When I was first starting out, my Pop's had me carry him on my back with weights, coated with steaks while chased by wild wolves. Nothing forces you to push yourself farther than the threat of animals trying to kill you. Animals are better than people because a person thinks too much. Wild animals often try to box you in, lack morals to second guess their decision to harm you, and can track you obsessively. You never want to piss one off in the wild, but they can be useful training tools._

Thinking that such awesome running skills would be great for a ninja, Naruto had been forced to adapt the exercise a bit. Between the Inuzuka and various ANBU patrols, Konoha was devoid of most dangerous wildlife. Running from a pack of wolves sounded effective, but Naruto did not want to get too far away and doubted he could fight off a wolf pack anyways. According to Saotome-sensei, he had first tried this technique at ten, after nearly four years of training. He had to make sure such things were taken into account or he might get a serious injury. How could the blonde become Hokage if he died too early?

So instead, Naruto had begun to look around for local substitutes for the wolf pack. Getting chased by the Inuzuka clan dogs might work, but they were too smart to attack unless he did something major. If there was one thing he knew, pissing off the Inuzuka was a very bad idea. Almost giving up in despair, he had lucked out after hearing a couple of Genin complaining after their latest mission. Based upon the description, their latest target would be perfect for training, and was often around the village. All it took to prepare was a little spying and a special kind of bait.

Hearing that Tora, pet of the Daimyo's wife, had escaped once again, Naruto took a special paste of catnip and fish products and applied it to his skin. Running through the foliage, he prepared for the training of a lifetime! Thus was Naruto the first Academy Student to catch Tora before a Genin team could be assigned. The Hokage scolded him about rolling around in the trash, gave him a bit of pay for the effort and sent him on the way. Nursing a few slashes, the young blonde managed to bond with his new Sensei in a most unexpected way. From that day forward, Naruto would have a major hatred of cats, and swore his first pet would be a giant dog.

* * *

_Balance is on__e of the most important things that a martial artist can learn. Once you understand yourself and your center properly, it will take an act of god to destabilize your stance. Before you work on this, I HIGHLY recommend that you work on learning how to fall. Being able to minimize an injury is vital, because some of the advanced balance training involves significant height. By the time you master falling; three story drops won't even warrant a bandage. One of the most effective methods involves using sidewalk ledges, piles of stones, and the tops of fences. Just start off slow, or things can get messy._

Bouncing in excitement, Naruto headed to the edge of the village as quickly as possible. He had Taijutsu training today, and despite the best efforts of the instructor there were no problems with his form at all! Saotome-sensei had described any number of tricks to help you deal with the boring repetition of forms, most notably studying what others were doing while integrating those same skills into your own style. It not only improved your understanding of the techniques when seeing how different body types used them, but helped you read enemies movements. Once Naruto had realized that the Taijutsu instructor was making holes in his stance on purpose, he had used this technique to not only occupy his mind but improve his skills.

As a result, nearly every guy in class had fallen to his new combat skills! The only one to avoid an outright defeat was Sasuke, but their spar had been closer than ever before! Other than annoyed looks and laughter, his classmates had instead been mildly impressed. It was a sign of his improvement, and made all the effort worthwhile! That Uchiha had better watch out, or there would be a new top student in the class!

Even more important than his victory though, was that the lesson on falling had gone without any trouble. He had been working with the descriptions of training as much as he dared, using the sidewalk, roof ledges, and tree branches. However now he was ready to try a wire fence of serious height! Luckily, in one of his daily runs he had found an isolated training ground that seemed perfect for his needs. Taking a running leap, Naruto managed to get to the top of the fence in one try. Unfortunately, Ranma had neglected to mention that he avoided barbed wire fences out of sheer common sense. Slicing up his legs, Naruto fell head first into Training Ground Forty Four also known as the Forest of Death.

After patching himself up, the young blonde found himself in a world of monsters and death traps. Instead of being freaked out though, he saw the ultimate training opportunity. Since he tried his balance practice on a Friday, the whole weekend stretched before him for survival training. Unfortunately for him, Anko had decided that this was an excellent weekend to practice her own maneuvers and noticed the young blonde. Smirking, the Snake Kunoichi decided to have some fun with the brat and lost track of time. By the end of the confrontation, she had quite a bit of respect for the rug rat and the Hokage had Naruto on Suicide Watch for nearly a month.

* * *

_Never ignore information, because everything and anything can be useful. When I was growing up, I ignored school or barely studied. The Martial Arts were my life, and I saw no reason to change that. As a result of my ignorance, people unable to throw a punch managed to control and manipulate me like a puppet. After facing members of fighting schools from all over the world, I was forced to grow up and expand my horizons. You see, I was able to beat them up, but the finer elements of our conflicts always resulted in a loss. They managed to use and abuse this weakness to their profit, and it was with great satisfaction that I gained the tools to finally and utterly defeat them._

_Oh, most stuff besides fighting bores me to tears, until I started to look for the reasons to learn it. Many of my teachers were not interested in more than explaining their subjects, as opposed to how they could be used. But when you think about it, every subject can be applied to getting stronger. It can be different from person to person, but you need to really think about what school can do for you, not to you. It can be a pain, but studying sure as hell beats doing soft core porn to make ends meet._

Naruto was quick to agree with Saotome-sensei. Most of the lessons in the Academy were boring to the point of tears. However, he knew that as a Hokage, he would need to understand every part of the village and its ninja forces. The problem had always been focusing on the constant drone that was his lecture series. If he got confused,his questions would either be ignored or belittled to the amusement of the classroom. Attempts at tutoring either left him waiting for an appointment that was never honored, or an instructor who would provide him false information and claim innocence later. The only one who might explain things was the Third Hokage, and he was usually too busy to meet with him over school work. So something else would have to be attempted.

That was when his crush came in handy. Haruno Sakura, the one girl in the Academy he liked was top of the class in terms of book smarts. He knew she was obsessed with their classmate Uchiha Sasuke, but that did not mean he was willing to give up! The blonde knew that she would never agree to help him outside of class, but there was always another way to get information. Besides it would make her look good, and no girl avoided a chance to shine in the public eye!

Waiting until his next history class, Naruto launched his brilliant plan. "Hey, Sakura-chan! Sensei can't be right, can he? I mean, you're the smartest person I know, so what's the real answer?" Watching the class and Sensei focus on his crush, Naruto smirked. Sakura could not possibly hate him anymore than she did already, and this way he would at least work to his advantage. After all, if he thought of this operation as a prank, then it really one of his milder ones.

As expected, when put on the spot by the class clown, Sakura had been quick to defend the teacher, giving names and dates of specific engagements. Not to be outdone by her rival, Ino had questioned the validity of the facts, trying to find some flaw in the statement. That led to a screaming match slash debate for the rest of the lecture, despite the Sensei's best efforts. Much to his surprise, the class grades for that particular lecture were nearly twenty percent higher than average, including the class dead last. While the instructor did not think the Kyuubi brat was smart enough to initiate something like that on purpose, that did not stop him from adapting the debate technique. After all, even if Uzumaki was passing the others were still doing better so it all evened out in the end.

* * *

_Meditation can be both the most powerful and frustrating technique in any discipline. Everyone seems to have a different way of approaching it, from ritual chants to favored katas. The important thing is to center your mind, body and spirit into one purpose or goal. When focused in such a manner, there is very little you cannot do. The problem is that, since everybody is different, everybody has a different perfect method for accomplishing this. That does not mean that the effort is not worth it._

_There are all these urban legends of mothers lifting cars off their children or other panic inspired moments of power. All that really means is they managed to focus every aspect of their beings into victory. In theory, anyone can do this in moments of great stress and danger. But in practice a martial artist can cultivate and develop these skills to the point of instinctive usage. Such unity is the sign of a gifted fighter as opposed to a merely skilled one. In the end, it is totally worth the effort and will only help you develop as a martial artist and a person._

_Just a word of warning though; when you manage to accomplish this unity, be prepared for some disorientation. I first managed it properly at twenty five, and the sight was more than I bargained for. Be aware that you can slip into your subconscious, and it is rarely what you expect. Just remember that in the end it is your mind, and you are in complete control. Any monsters, fury or otherwise, are under your command. Although, if you see anything really bad, I highly recommend therapy; it did wonders for me._

Frowning, Naruto got to his feet, nearly drenched in water. After reading about the awesome stuff Saotome-sensei talked about using meditation, the blonde knew he had to get in on some of that! So, looking over the different methods to accomplish this, he managed to approach the discipline with the same determination as his quest to become Hokage. Thus it was no surprise that it only took him two weeks to reach his mindscape. However, being confronted with a giant sewer was not on the agenda.

Looking around, a part of him was depressed by the worn and decrepit look of his mind. According to some of the examples Saotome-sensei produced, he was a lot more emo than he realized. But remembering the declaration that this was his mind, and he was in control, the child knew what he had to do. After all, with so much water, he just needed some flowers to make things nicer! Thinking about his own amateur gardening techniques, Naruto imagined a bright orange flower that gave off sunlight and joy and the scent of a spring breeze. Before he knew what was happening, said flower was soon turned the walls of the sewer into a jungle corridor.

Walking down the path while spreading the new growth, Naruto was struck by a feeling of terror. Remembering Saotome-sensei's descriptions of devil cats and evil cooking monsters within his own mind, the child forced himself to keep going to face his fear. In the end, defeating it would only make him a stronger ninja and ensure he got the Hokage spot. However, never in his wildest dreams did he expect to see a giant fox there!

The beast was sleeping, with nine tails curled around its monstrous form. Even a goof like Uzumaki could recognize the Kyuubi when he saw it. But why the heck was he scared of a demon fox? He had been a baby during the attack and only knew the creature from stories. Besides, the thing was in a cage, and thus was no threat to him. Still, it was better to be safe than sorry.

Naruto was no psychologist, but even he knew that having a giant demon as your greatest fear was not a good sign. Still, firmly remembering that his was his mind, Naruto took what steps he could to prevent the creature from waking and attacking its cage. First, he imagined a set of large earplugs appearing in the Kyuubi's head. Next, he made a practical wall of chains to bind the bars of the prison even further. Finally, remembering that there was still a lot of water lying around, the child had a series of vines and trees begin to grow around the base of the cage, lowering the water level significantly and acting as yet another line of defense. Exhausted from his efforts, Naruto broke his trance with a major headache before passing out.

Upon waking, he noticed the differences immediately. Firstly, his chakra control was a lot better and much more focused. Secondly, content that his greatest fear was sealed away, Naruto threw himself into things with even more enthusiasm, the mental strain of fear and doubt banished for the moment. Finally, he began to distance himself from the Hokage, who shot down his idea of therapy after hearing about the experience. After all, Saotome-sensei had yet to steer him wrong, and not acting on his advice had to be a bad idea. Wary of being manipulated in some fashion, the Academy Student stopped going to the Hokage for help unless absolutely necessary. If there was one thing he had learned, no one withholding information for his own good could be trusted. Otherwise he would know who his parents were by now!

* * *

Thus was Naruto ready to begin his life as one of the strongest of Ninja legends. However, there was one small issue that he did not quite understand. Saotome Ranma, isolated and tactless as he was, had managed to attract the attention of numerous beautiful women by the age of sixteen. His strength, charisma, and bad boy image had drawn potential suitors like flies to honey. At the same time, in his quest for greatness, numerous rivals sprang up seeking to prove themselves. Now that the Uzumaki child was adopting some of the same habits, certain things were inevitable. After all, Fate and Karma hated a vacuum.

* * *

Peeking around a tree, Hyuga Hinata was doing one of her favorite hobbies otherwise known as 'Stalk-Naruto-kun-no-jutsu'. Her hero and inspiration had really been working hard lately, and she had been among the first to notice. While not the head of the class, his accomplishments in Taijutsu and improved Academic knowledge had pushed him closer to the middle of the rankings. Feeling his confidence growing with every victory, the shy girl could not help but feel that same emotion infusing her by proxy. Although she knew it was forward of her, Hinata took pride in Naruto's growth and only wished that she could help him as much as his bright disposition helped her.

Still, as the unofficial mistress of all things blond and ramen loving, the Hyuga Heiress was a little confused where these skills were coming from. Naruto had always been determined, but lately his abilities were rising to meet his drive. Although she was happy for such growth, which demonstrated to the people of Konoha that her crush did have what it took to become Hokage, she also did not want to be left behind. After all, if Naruto got too far ahead of her, what could the shy child have to offer a future Hokage? However, her persistence had paid off this day as she observed Naruto reading a training manual. Curiosity peaked; Hinata shyly activated her Byakugan to read alongside her crush. Looking over the contents the young girl was entranced by the story of romance, struggle and growth, interspaced with interesting training techniques. Although some of this sounded out there, it was easy to see that when Naruto-kun grew as strong as Saotome-sensei, nothing would get in his way. She just wanted to help follow him on such an impressive path.

At that point, a particular passage caught Hinata's eye.

_Of all the women I've met in my life, the one who impressed me the most as a fighter was Shampoo. Of course, I'm just butchering the pronunciation of her name now, but that's probably how I will always remember her. She could knock down walls with a touch, knock out enemies and cook within minutes of one another and always was willing to smile. While we had our disagreements, I can honestly state that Shampoo was to me a perfect symbol of what a female martial artist could be._

Deactivating her technique, Hinata began to walk away deep in thought. Clearly, Saotome-sensei had strong feelings for this Shampoo, and greatly admired her. In all honesty, she sounded a bit like Tsunade-sama. If Naruto was learning from that manual, maybe emulating his new role-model's significant other might make things easier? While she tried to emulate her old minder Kurenai-sensei most of the time, maybe being a little more aggressive would get Naruto-kun to notice her! Head nodding with determination, Hinata headed home to begin working on her new attitude. Unfortunately for her, she had stopped reading at the wrong point.

_On the other hand, Shampoo could also be rather needy, self-centered, and unwilling to compromise. We became good friends later on, but as a couple we probably would never have worked out. In my experience, complimentary personalities work better than identical ones in a relationship, if only to minimize friction. If Shampoo and I tried to work as a couple, we would just end up competing with one another instead of working with one another. I still have a very special place in my heart for the girl, but in all honesty I thank my lucky stars we never ended up together._

* * *

Checking over her scrolls for the evening, Sakura sighed. Ever since Naruto had asked her to challenge Sensei's lecture, the pinked haired girl had found herself the undisputed head of ninja academics in the class. While the attention was nice, she had to work twice as hard as before to stay ahead. Everyone had discovered that debating about the facts in the history book was a lot more fun than simply memorizing dates and names. Thus the young genius found herself with a lot more competition than she had initially expected. No one wanted to go back to the boring lectures of before. So suddenly, everyone was studying, if only to have the knowledge to maintain the debates.

Still, she had to admit it was nice to be the best at something. When she was younger, no one wanted to be friends with the girl who knew so much. They had thought her intelligence was weird, and did not want to play with her. Even at the best of times, Sakura was a simple wallflower who stayed out of the limelight. Then Ino had found her, befriended her, and brought her into the center stage. However, now she had the drive and determination to stay there by herself without anyone's help. That did not help the loneliness sometimes.

Looking out the window, Sakura thought over her crush on Uchiha Sasuke. When she had first seen the Academy Heartthrob, the little girl had been struck by how handsome and cool he looked, a sentiment that was shared by most of the girls in class. At some point, going to class had simply become another chance to be around her true love, and less about her abilities as a Kunoichi. She had even begun to distance herself from Ino, hoping to become strong enough not to rely upon anyone else. That way, Sasuke-kun would have no choice but to fall for her!

However, lately that drive to gain the Uchiha's heart had begun to wane. It had first started when Naruto had forced her to be the center of attention. Defending herself and her answers in front of everybody had been mortifying, but she had managed. As time went on, she began to focus more on her studies, enjoying the attention that her natural brilliance had produced. Sure that she had the inside track to Sasuke's love, Sakura had turned to comment only to be snubbed. Suddenly, it felt like all her efforts had turned to ash.

As the debates continued, Sakura began to realize that Sasuke never participated. She knew he knew the material, holding onto his number one spot in the class, but at the same time he refused to help others do any better. Everybody seemed to be getting stronger, but Sasuke never seemed impressed. Instead, he acted threatened. The Academy student had lost track of the number of times she caught him attacking the training grounds after class, frustrated that someone had nearly shown him up. Before, she thought such dedication was a sign of how strong the focus of her crush was. Now, as his training got progressively more violent, she began to get a little scared of his anger.

While Sakura was the first of her family to become a ninja, it did not mean that other Haruno's were not involved with the lifestyle. Several of her relatives had married into ninja families, and carried out their responsibilities just like any other villager. Although the majority were happy in their relationships, there had been times when it had not gone so well. It often resulted in some sort of violence and the intervention of the Konoha military police. Watching a boy who was so young release so much anger made Sakura wonder what the future Mrs. Uchiha would actually have to put up with, and the results left her feeling cold.

Besides, now that her intelligence was being recognized daily, the young girl had all the confidence she could ever need. For the first time in a long time, Sakura's self worth was not defined by how much attention Sasuke was paying her, and she found herself liking that. Perhaps she should rethink this whole rivalry thing with Ino? If Sasuke was really turning into a big jerk, then there had to be better things to fight about than being his one true love. Besides, she missed her best friend,

Putting away her homework, Sakura began to prepare for bed, deep in thought. While she was edging away from Sasuke as a potential boyfriend, that did not mean she wanted to end up all alone. Her best bet for a relationship was probably another one of her classmates, but most of them were kind of pathetic. Heck, she might just get stuck with Naruto! Blinking, she smirked a bit. Well, he was cute in a way, and getting a lot stronger. In fact, if he kept going like he had so far, the blonde might even beat Sasuke for the top slot of the year. Her mom probably would not like him, but she was due a little rebellion every now and then. After helping her out of her shell, the least she could do was one little date.

* * *

Smashing his fists into a fresh training post, Uchiha Sasuke growled in frustration. For the last few weeks, the dead last of the class had been growing by leaps and bounds. While his position as the top student was in no way threatened, as time progressed it was getting harder and harder to keep. He needed to prove himself and that stupid, orange-wearing goofball was getting in the way! That could NOT be allowed to continue!

He had only one goal in life that meant anything, and that was the death of his brother. Uchiha Itachi was a genius among geniuses, and the only way to kill him was to surpass him. Being the head of the class gave him access to extra training and special techniques not available to the general Academy population. But no matter how hard he worked or far he seemed to go, that stupid blonde was catching up faster than he could manage. At this rate, he could lose his standing and any chance of defeating his brother. That could not be allowed!

As an Uchiha, he was above stalking the brat to discover how he had gained such power. But it was becoming clearer that he would need to defeat Naruto completely and utterly before going on to crush Itachi. That meant he had to seek out power that would defeat the idiot and move on to bigger and better things! But with the Academy being useless, that only left one thing to do. He was going to have to use the secret library of the Uchiha clan.

With the power of the Sharingan, the Uchiha had been taking the ninjutsu of foreign clans for generations. However, not every ninja of the clan could unlock the fabled doujutsu, and despite the associated stigma, every drop of clan blood was precious. So, in an attempt to preserve the lives of the weaker members, the Uchiha elders established a ninjutsu library to instruct those without the Sharingan. No other clan could boast such a collection, and despite the efforts of some of the Council Members, those secrets remained within the clan to this day.

Normally, Sasuke would never think to turning to the library. Despite its amazing contents, it was still seen as a crutch for those with weaker blood. After all, as a true Uchiha, he would soon awaken his Sharingan. With the power of his eyes, learning ninjutsu would be as simple as breathing. Being forced to use scrolls to learn clan secrets was seen as a personal shame, and only the most cowardly sought out its secrets. In fact, many Uchiha ninja retired to the life of a civilian rather than remain in the core without a Sharingan.

However, Sasuke was desperate and knew there was no better recourse. He would learn every ninjutsu he could for now, and simply pray that the experience did not cause him trouble down the road. Once he activated his Sharingan, then the jutsu of the world would be his! In the meantime, it seemed like there was no other course but simple hard work. Sometimes life was simply so unfair. Grumbling, Sasuke started for home after making a new vow. This aggravation had better be worth it, or he would use Naruto to get the Mangekyo Sharingan! Believe it!

* * *

Eyebrow twitching, Neji walked behind Hinata-sama caring countless bags and purchases. Hearing the snickering from nearby civilians and their Chunin escort, the mortified Branch House member tried once again to shift the bags to hide the contents. For some ungodly reason the clan heiress had decided that it was a great day to replace her underwear, and the red bags were quite distinctive. Bad enough he had to act as a pack horse, but being thought of as a pervert was simply too much! Thanks to the Byakugan, he was accused of that enough as it was!

Over the course of the last six months, his once shy and hesitant cousin had evolved into some sort of Amazon. Everything from Hinata's clothing to attitude had done a complete one-eighty, leaving him with a much more aggressive girl to deal with. While she was in no way cruel or impolite, the result was enough to drive him insane. Ten year olds should not invest in leather clothing and whips, even in ninja villages! Especially the proud heiress of the mighty Hyuga Clan!

It had started so gradually that no one had recognized the signs. In fact, Hinata's initial actions had only brought surprised praise and admiration. She had stopped holding back in spars, defeating anyone with sudden brutality. There was no hesitation or mercy during training, culminating in the complete defeat of Hanabi, her younger sister. Hinata had not managed a win in that pairing for nearly three years, yet now there was no problem. As her personal protector, Neji had not participated in the battles, but even he could see that the formerly shy girl had become a potentially worthy opponent, Main Branch House or no.

But then victory was never enough for the girl. She began training long into the night, studying everything and anything concerning the Hyuga Secrets she could find. Chakra control, taijutsu, ninjutsu and genjutsu became her sole reason for breathing. Neji himself had found her passed out in the training halls, practice equipment constantly destroyed from her efforts. As much hatred as he held for the family Neji knew dedication when he saw it. The only other person he had ever seen with that level of drive was the dead last of his Academy class.

Then, maybe three months later, Hinata began changing her outward appearance as well. Instead of wearing loose clothing and chopping her hair off, the shy girl began to switch to tighter and tighter ensembles. Before anyone knew what had happened, the Heiress was alternating between spandex, leather and ninja mesh. Neji had even heard some of the elders talking of possession and mind altering ninjutsu. However, rather than show weakness by contacting the Yamanaka for help, everyone decided to ignore the problem. That was the final mistake.

That was when Hinata apparently asked her normal minder Kurenai-san to introduce one of her oldest friends. Thus Hyuga Hinata was allowed to ask advice from Mitarashi Anko and things went completely out of control. The girl began to practice with makeup, clothing malfunctions and a nice shiny bullwhip. What had once been a quiet, passive, and insecure preteen had morphed into some sort of wildcat in training. Such behavior was a disgrace upon the entire clan!

By this point, the clan elders and Hiashi-sama had apparently reached their limits. They met with the unruly girl and demanded that she watch her behavior. She was to be the face of the clan, and such wonton displays were a sign of disrespect. Instead of stuttering out apologies, Hinata calmly walked over to a wall and threw a punch. To everyone's shock and horror, the tempered surface of wood and plaster was practically atomized. In the dead silence that followed, Hinata had apparently asked if that was strong enough for the clan, or did she need to demonstrate her abilities in a more personal fashion. Looking at the ten year old girl who had used a technique thought lost since the Sannin Tsunade, the elders had left her to her own devices.

That left Neji stuck as the personal protector of a rebellious girl, and Hinata was surprisingly quick to take advantage of this. The young Genius was forced to act as personal pack mule, training dummy, and confidante to his cousin, who he had spent much of his young life hating. Yet, despite the occasional moments of embarrassment, he had to admit his cousin was not so bad. After nearly three months of this behavior, Neji was forced to drop his hatred, if for no other reason than frustration. He might be focused, but given the overwhelming evidence to the contrary, he could no longer hold Hinata as the representative of all his problems. Honestly, this rather pissed him off.

Luckily, being her newest confidante meant that he was in a key position to discover the catalyst of this change in the younger Hyuga. Apparently, she was trying to build up her confidence to emulate some character in a book she read. According to Hinata, this Shampoo person was the one true love of the main figure in the story that one of her classmates was trying to act like. It was for him that his kind and shy cousin had turned into an assertive and resolute Kunoichi. It was because of his influence that Hinata was now sure to become the next head of the Hyuga Clan. It was also his fault that Neji was stuck carrying female underwear down a busy Konoha street for all to see. Yes, for all of this, Uzumaki Naruto was going to pay!

* * *

Thus, for the next two years Naruto's life played out in a significantly different fashion than it would have otherwise. With his drive and skills, the former dead last of the Academy began to rise through the ranks. Before anyone could realize what was happening, the blonde had managed to climb to the second ranking within the class. Luckily, the number of instructors had been limited to two, and Iruka-sensei was always fair when dealing with the Kyuubi Brat. Despite some subtle attempts by the senior instructor Mizuki, Naruto still managed to thrive and succeed.

Sakura did end up trying to date Naruto, and found to her surprise that he was a lot of fun. Despite pressure from her family, the young Kunoichi became one of his first friends. Despite his crush, Naruto remembered Ranma-sensei's lessons on women well. Instead of keeping Sakura-chan as his girl friend, he focused on developing their friendship, and enjoyed the experience. Although Sakura lost some friends among the Uchiha groupies, she really could not bring herself to care.

Soon, others began to gravitate towards them, and the clever blonde found himself practically awash in allies. Ino was happy because he kept Sakura away from Sasuke and liked plants. Shikamaru and Chouji got dragged in as chaperones to protect Ino's innocence, and found that they liked his easy going nature. Kiba joined in because he thought Naruto was funny, but respected his strength. Plus, he was having a bit of trouble in class, and Sakura was always up to the odd tutoring session. All in all, the former outcast could not be happier.

That is not to say that everything was perfect. For example, ever since Hinata's transformation, she always seemed to try to insert herself into the group. Sakura did not like it, because she was beginning to really like Naruto and did not want a new rivalry. Naruto was not thrilled since, because of her recent growth, Hinata had begun to come across as arrogant and pushy. Luckily, Hinata never managed it due to the fact that all her new confidence went out the window once Naruto actually spoke three words to her. Despite her massive strides, when it came to her favorite blonde she was as hopeless as ever.

Another problem was Uchiha Sasuke's constant attacks on and off the sparring mat. The Number One Rookie of the year always made a point of rubbing Naruto's losses in his face. Over the years, he would randomly use various jutsu's whenever he thought he could get away with it. While Mizuki often looked the other way, other students began to notice the viciousness of his selections and gave the unstable kid some space. Even his civilian fan girls began to distance themselves from their previous crush, most of them unfamiliar with how destructive and brutal the average jutsu could be in real life. Naruto never let the defeats get him down, and tried to learn as much as possible from each confrontation.

Finally, there was the mysterious Aburame Shino. Always the quiet outsider, he had taken to making dry commentary upon the conflict between Uzumaki and Uchiha at the oddest of times. Many of his classmates were shocked that the bug boy could sneak up on them at will. Insulted with their dismissal, the young Aburame honed his survival skills by sneaking within striking distance of the principles whenever he chose to make an observation. While many of the class found themselves agreeing with his points, several dropped from the program for fear of his abilities. Both Naruto and Sasuke found him as annoying as hell though.

Despite the standard difficulties, Naruto continued to develop into a promising ninja. Before he knew it, the graduation exam was upon them. After spending weeks reviewing with Sakura-chan and sparing with his friends, the blonde had no fear for his future. Soon, everyone would get their headband and begin their adventures. It was going to be a blast!

* * *

Smiling at the instructors, Naruto fought to keep the fear off his face. The written test was a lot harder than he thought it should be, but thanks to all that studying he felt confident in his chances. The Taijutsu and Accuracy demonstrations went fine, and he knew there was no way for the instructors to mark off for his performance there. All that was left was the ninjutsu lesson, and the one skill he always had trouble with. The Clone Technique was simple, but it required a minimum of chakra that he just could not master. If not for Saotome-sensei's advice about turning a weakness into strength, things might have been hopeless!

Puffing his chest out in pride, the blonde made his grin as cocky as possible. "Hey Iruka-sensei! Is there any extra credit for doing extra Clones? I don't think that two more of me is anywhere near enough to demonstrate my awesomeness!" Seeing the annoyed twitch over his favorite teacher's eyebrow, Naruto knew his mission was accomplished. Iruka-sensei always got a little distracted when pissed off like this.

Cracking his knuckles, the Chunin cleared his throat. "Alright Naruto, if you think you can handle it, I'll add one forth of a point to your written test for each extra clone you manage to make. How does that sound?" Clearly, given his history with the technique in class, Iruka-sensei must have thought he was going to try for five or six extra clones. The expression on his face when two hundred appeared out of thin air in perfect working order was priceless. Despite the sour look in Mizuki-sensei's eye, that was the day that Uzumaki Naruto became a ninja of Konoha.

* * *

Rubbing his forehead in irritation, the Sandaime looked over the class rankings with a frown. Although Naruto had distanced himself as of late, the elder ninja made a point of checking the young boy's progress. In an amazing show of ability, the previously failing child had become the second highest ranked student within his graduating class. Even without Iruka's last minute additions, he would easily be in the top ten. Truly, it was an accomplishment to be proud of.

Unfortunately, it did cause some problems in balancing the Genin Teams. While there were mandates in place to ensure the best possible outcome, only three teams from this class were expected to pass. The others had some ability, but lacked the drive needed for the ninja lifestyle. It was a shame, but Konoha would be stronger in the end. Still, Naruto deserved to have a fair chance at success, so placing him with a winning team was an absolute necessity. That was how the politics of the selections would be particularly difficult this year.

Traditionally, the strongest, weakest, and top Kunoichi would be placed in one team. Since the opening of the ninja Academy nearly sixty years ago, there had never been a single Kunoichi in the top spot so no conflict had ever arisen due to this formula. In this class, that would make Uchiha Sasuke, Hyuga Hinata, and Nara Shikamaru the new Team Seven. However, due to their vicious rivalry, an Uchiha and a Hyuga would never be placed upon the same Genin Team. In addition, the Nara, Yamanaka, and Akimichi clans wished to recreate the infamous Ino-Shika-Chou squad from their youth. All the clan heads were now Jonin with significant positions of importance. Coupled with the fact that Kurenai wanted Hinata as a student while Kakashi had to mentor the last loyal Uchiha, such a team construction would be a mess.

Kurenai's request for a tracking squad was also impressive, but the idea had its own problems. According to the evaluations submitted by the instructors, both Kiba and Hinata would be in direct conflict for most of their training. The young Hyuga was not the sort to start trouble, but Kiba was encouraged to establish his dominance as strongly as possible. Against a fellow boy, his behavior would probably bring a sense of rivalry. But against a strong Kunoichi, he would try to show off his strength, undermining the team dynamic. Shino would probably play the peace maker to minimize stress upon the group, but he should not be forced to wield together a team that was broken in the first place.

In addition, most of these students would probably make horrible teammates to Naruto. Hinata had some sort of emotional breakdown whenever forced in close quarters with the blonde. Shino apparently found his antics disruptive and illogical, limiting his interaction as much as possible. Sasuke had almost killed Naruto using jutsu that most Chunin should not know, let alone a simple Academy Student. In fact, only Kiba and Shikamaru had any chance of working with him regularly, and neither was a ideal fit.

That left Ino, Sakura, and Chouji as other prospective team members. All had reportedly worked well with Naruto in the past, and demonstrated the needed flexibility to make strong teams. However, given the power and ego of the other Genin, each would have to be spread out amongst the teams to maintain the best possible balance. In addition, their personal skills did not quite fit the purpose of any specific team set. Sakura was the second best Kunoichi in Academics with high Genjutsu potential. Ino was showing the early signs of being an excellent information gatherer and seductress. Chouji was a fairly good student of Taijutsu, with special clan techniques that would turn him into a heavy hitter later on. Any one would make a strong team, but two would destabilize the other teams horribly.

Honestly, it was quite the difficult situation. However, after meeting with the Jonin Sensei's, Iruka, and reviewing the reports once again, Sarutobi thought he had a handle on the problem. Several people would probably be pissed, but in the end the teams would insure a strong generation of Konoha ninja. Admittedly they were not exactly ideal matches, but he felt enough was enough. Between Mizuki's attempted defection and the constant strain of the Hokage's position, he was getting too old for this shit.

* * *

Looking out at the sea of eager young faces, Iruka-sensei allowed a moment of nostalgia. This had been an exceptional class, and even if most did not pass their Jonin-sensei's qualification exam he had no doubt of future successes. Looking at his favorite student, the scarred Chunin felt a grin forming. Naruto had gotten off to a rough start in the Academy, but something big had changed him for the better. Going from the bottom of the class to second place was quite an achievement, and he had every right to be proud. He could only hope the fun loving prankster continued his path of improvement. If he kept this rate of growth up, Naruto might very well be Hokage someday.

Clearing his throat, Iruka pinned each Genin hopeful with a firm gaze. "Today, you begin your path down the road of the ninja. No longer will I be the teacher and you the student. While the lowest level of ninja ability, all of us are comrades of the Leaf. Remember that, and strive to protect our village from any who would dare threaten it!" Seeing the smiles and cocky grins, the Chunin almost felt bad for them. Many would be forced to relinquish those headbands before the week was out. "I will now read the team placements. Your team will become those ninja that you train and grow with the most. At this time, a Jonin will take over your training until at least your first Chunin Exam, helping you progress and grow. Now pay attention, because I only want to say this once."

Reading down the list of teams, Iruka suppressed a sigh. Many of these candidates had the skills, but currently lacked the drive to be ninja. Honestly, the betting pool on teams one through six passing was so pathetic that Tsunade of the Sannin would not touch them with a ten foot pole. However, the last three had excellent chances of success. "Alright, Team Seven will be Haruno Sakura, Inuzuka Kiba, and Uchiha Sasuke! Team Eight will be Aburame Shino, Akimichi Chouji, and Hyuga Hinata! Team nine is still in circulation from last year, so Team Ten will be Nara Shikamaru, Uzumaki Naruto and Yamanaka Ino! Report back here after lunch to meet with your Jonin Sensei s, and good luck to you all!"

* * *

Grumbling, Ino gathered her supplies for the bath. After hearing that Team Seven had gotten a C-ranked mission to Wave country, Naruto had begged Asuma-sensei to request one as well. As a result, Team Ten had been forced to escort a caravan to a nearby village about a day away. Not only had the whole trip been boring as hell, but the leader of the caravan apparently had a problem with the way she dressed! She was proud of her body damn it, and no stupid prude would be allowed to give her fashion advice!

By the time everything had been unloaded and prepared for market, it was far too late to head back. Asuma had rented a small suite of rooms from one of the local inns, and recommended that they all rest up. Unfortunately, that blue eyed idiot had loudly complained about being hungry, and dragged his teammates to a local Ramen stand. She had been forced to eat, covered in sweat and dust from the trail while feeling miserable. That idiot had even forced her to eat a large bowl, claiming that she was too skinny! What did that jerk know about a proper diet anyways? Everyone knew he lived off the noodles for breakfast, lunch and dinner!

Of course Shikamaru was no help, agreeing with Naruto just to shut him up. Ino did feel better after some food, but damn it she felt like a slob! It was bad enough that the annoying blonde forced them all to train day in and out. There were days she just wanted to stick him with a kunai to make an off switch! Why did Sakura have to get Sasuke-kun as a teammate instead of her? Now both friends were stuck with the guy the other one liked! Fate was just too cruel at times.

Her head filled with images of true love and potential romance, the young Yamanaka forgot that the baths attached to her room were shared with her teammates. Ready for a hot soak, she banged the door open just as Naruto got out of the water. Shikamaru had decided to wait for the morning to bathe and Asuma had gone quickly before finding his own dinner. Shocked by sight of her teammate Ino lost a hold of her towel, showing way more skin than intended. Both blondes found themselves riveted in place for three seconds before Ino calmly closed the door.

Ino had seen her first naked boy outside of a medical text, besides the odd bath with Shikamaru as an infant. She had seen every single bit of Naruto's muscled form, which would only develop with age. Even the shirtless pictures of Sasuke training had not been so impressive. Closing her eyes, the Kunoichi made a solemn vow. She and Sakura were rivals again because she wanted a piece of that and was sure as hell going to get it!

* * *

Sneaking into his room, Naruto could not help but feel a sense of impending doom. He knew he should have checked with everybody before taking his bath, but it seemed safe enough. If only he had remembered to let the girl know he was grabbing a bath, none of this would have happened. While he liked the view, this situation was one that even the great Saotome-sensei had never managed to solve! He was screwed!

_Now as I finish this book, I hope that you've enjoyed the tale. While it kind of sucked in places, my life had been filled with more adventure and excitement than I had any right to. Having finished I now leave you, my patient reader, with the last lesson I ever learned. To put it simply, the guy is always wrong. It does not matter what the situation or circumstance, you are wrong. If you encounter such a situation, pay your medical insurance, take a trip, and wait for everything to cool down. Otherwise, prepare for the pain. Reflect on this, and you will save yourself all sorts of trouble in the future._

Thinking about his Sensei's final lesson, Naruto wondered if he could request a leave of absence for a while.

* * *

Well, that was satisfying!

Again, I wish emphasize this is not meant to be a main story. I am simply using this file to blow off some steam, and to further develop as a writer. I can only hope that you can enjoy this as much as my other works. My goal is to try to stretch my ideas as much as possible.

Big thanks to my beta tallymark. I can only hope that she will soon be lured into working on Escape from the Hokage s Hat. ;)


	2. That Foxy Spirit!

Since I had so much fun with the last one, I thought I'd try again! :)

Again, I don't own any of the characters here, so please don't sue me!

A Naruto X Fairy Tail Crossover. :)

Chapter Two: That Foxy Spirit!

Looking over the seal matrix, Namikaze Minato sweated in fear. Despite his ability and genius, the Fourth Hokage knew that if even one stroke of his masterpiece was out of alignment, Konoha would be doomed. Even now, the brave ninja under his command were dying in the wake of the Kyuubi no Kitsune, and it was his job to ensure that their sacrifice was not in vain. Still, looking over the infant form of his son, a part of him wept in despair. His village would survive this day, and all it would take was his death and the conversion of his son into a prison. Such was the duty of the Hokage.

Poor little Naruto would have no family growing up. His lovely wife had passed in childbirth, and he would be fodder for the Shinigami. While he had faith in his village, Minato knew that life could be hard and cruel. Sarutobi would ensure his life, but would he ensure his growth? Jinchuuriki had troublesome lives, and the villagers might not understand his purpose. Jiraiya should step in along with Kakashi and some of the ANBU, but that was not the same as a family and friends. He could only pray that the little boy would be happy, despite the pain and suffering this first act of a father's love would bring him.

In his sorrow, Minato did not realize that there had been a slight miss-transcription to the summoning matrix. Designed to bend the Shinigami to its will, the language of the seals roughly translated into, "Bring forth the god of death, whom will seal evil for equal sacrifice." However, with his slight inattention, the matrix was a little closer to, "Bring forth the Lord of Spirits to pass judgment on evil!" The difference of maybe three symbols was all it took to twist his jutsu into something unexpected. The Destiny of Konoha would change that day, for the better or worse no one truly understood.

Placing the infant into the ritual circle, Minato turned to his predecessor. "Please Sarutobi, make sure that my son is seen as a hero. Today he will make the ultimate sacrifice for Konoha, insuring the end to the Kyuubi for all time." Nodding his head, the elderly ninja took back the hat he had given up such a short time before. After that there was nothing else to do but take on the demon head on. Teleporting to the edge of the battle, Minato prepared his hand signs. It was time for the Fourth Hokage to fight one last time.

Summoning Gamabunta, he leapt into action, saving the remaining ninja forces as best as he could. The boss toad slashed and parried the nine vicious tails while Minato launched attack after attack at the demon. He did not believe that he could take down a Biju, but every distraction was a welcome one. Unfortunately, to his shock and anger, someone appeared to be controlling the beast. While his features were hidden by a cloak and orange mask, one thing was clear. His enemy was an Uchiha! That Sharingan was unmistakable!

Out of options, Minato formed the hand signs for his greatest and most terrible technique. With the ease of falling water, the hand signs were formed in under a second. "Snake, Boar, Ram, Rabbit, Dog, Rat, Bird, Horse, Snake, Shiki Fuujin!" Feeling the coldness begin to fall over his soul, the young Hokage knew peace. This was the day where his village would be secured from all threats. However, instead of the darkness building, he felt a bright light form in the distance. This was not supposed to happen, something must have gone wrong!

Before the shocked eyes of Konoha, the very elements began to warp and twist. Earth, water and wind formed a giant before the Toad Summons. In the face of this power, even the Kyuubi found itself unable to move. The sheer presence of this creature was more than could be believed. Staring at the combatants, the mustached behemoth spoke. "I the Spirit King of the Stellar Spirit World have been called. For what purpose do you bring me here?"

Shocked by the unknown creature, the Yondaime reacted with all the knowledge and brilliance he was known for. "Great Spirit King! I , Namikaze Minato the Fourth Hokage, have apparently summoned you here! I apologize for this request, for I sought out the God of Death to defeat my enemy. The Kyuubi no Kitsune has brought untold death and destruction to my home, and despite my strength, I am but a mortal. I called for a power to help me destroy its darkness once and for all! If you help me, I will gladly lay down my life for its defeat!"

Narrowing its eyes, the majestic creature looked over the Kyuubi, still frozen in place. "It is Stellar Spirit Law that no Spirit of my Plane may take the life of another being. To do so is in violation of our most sacred oath. However, this is an infernal spirit, and thus somewhat outside the normal rules." Closing his eyes, the great being seemed to be lost in thought. The young Hokage could only hope that this creature would help. Even without the power of the Shinigami, he still would do anything to defend his home! Snapping his eyes open, the Spirit King boomed, "Very well then, Namikaze. Know that your blood will purge the evil from this beast for all eternity. That is the sacrifice you shall be called to make."

Turning to the shifting form of the Kyuubi, the Spirit King held out his hand. The light of the moon itself seemed to warp and twist, forming a blade of burnished silver. "Know that I do this to protect life, that you seem so interested in destroying. Be gone foul evil, and fall to the light of hope!" Swinging his weapon, the Spirit King pierced the chest of the Kyuubi. Roaring in pain and anger, the great demon fox disappeared into the night in a pillar of unholy fire.

Turning to the young Hokage, the Spirit King glowered. "Now know this Namikaze Minato. Do not call upon me again. Our deal is done, and as stated, your blood will forever imprison the beast. I will wish you luck and happiness in your future choices." Sighing, Minato prepared himself to fall from the price of the sealing. But at the Spirit King slowly dissolved, he began to panic. Why was he still alive? Why had the creature not taken his payment?

Apparently feeling his discomfort, the Spirit King sighed. "Remember my warning well, young Hokage. Creatures of my plane may not kill nor be used for war. However, I promise to insure the happiness of the child as best as I am able. Goodbye, and may your future choices be less onerous." Watching the spirit disappear, Minato had no idea what he was talking about. His blood was still in his veins, so what was holding the beast?

Suddenly, feeling darkness upon his soul, Minato ordered the Toad Boss to return to Konoha. Ignoring the cries of celebration in the streets with the defeat of the Kyuubi, the blonde returned to the secret cavern, anxiety filling his every step. But as he walked through the door, the Yondaime knew he was too late. Where his son should have been was nothing more than a burned patch of stone. Turning to the Sandaime, all he could see was confusion. "I am so sorry Minato, but young Naruto simply disappeared in a flash of light. What happened out there?" Falling to his knees, all the young Hokage could think of was the fact that his son would be holding back the Kyuubi after all. In payment, he would never be able to see the child again. Falling to his knees, the world's strongest ninja openly wept.

* * *

Traveling across the tranquil lands of his kingdom, the Spirit King observed the bundle within his arms. The young child had been tied to whatever technique the blonde had attempted, and was obviously his son. That the Hokage had been forced to sacrifice his offspring to protect against the Kyuubi showed just how desperate the situation must have been. Luckily, the consciousness of the fox was forever destroyed, removing it from causing anyone any more harm. However, such power must be contained and controlled, lest the world tip off its axis. Thus, to ensure balance was restored, the pure soul of the child was bonded with the Kyuubi's power, creating a new spirit altogether.

Honestly, the Spirit King was shocked by the raw potential of the child. Naruto might one day rival his own strength. However, there was no hate or malice in his soul. The baby was pure as the snow, and might very well be a force to be reckoned with. Still, as a new Stellar Spirit, he would at least need to make his family aware of the addition to the ranks. Entering the central glade, he sent out a call. All of the strongest spirits, unless currently summoned, would come to his side as quickly as possible. Luckily, he did not have long to wait.

Viewing his assembled subjects, the Stellar Spirit leader cleared his throat. "My old friends, I come before you with great news. Due to a series of unusual events, we have a new Spirit in this land." Holding up the bundle for all to see, the king smiled gently. "Welcome to the Stellar Spirit World, Naruto of the Fire Fox!" Hearing his name, the baby yawned, revealing two tiny fangs. Slipping out of his blanket was a series of tails, waving in breeze. Blinking at the assemblage, the baby gazed at everyone with feline, deep blue eyes. The reaction was immediate.

"Awwww! Look at the cutie! Doesn't he look adorable, honey?" Aquarius cooed at the baby, not noticing the grimace of her fellow spirit Scorpio. The other spirits were quick to crowd around the child, entranced with his cuteness and pure soul. As a Stellar Spirit, little Naruto's power rolled off his skin like waves. It was clear to see that he would become a powerful spirit with time. More importantly, new spirits were so rare, that the idea that their family was growing filled the group with joy. No matter what sort of battles the Stellar Spirit Mages might force them to fight against one another, they were all family.

Clearing his throat once again, the Spirit King smiled. "While I am happy that you are so welcoming, young Naruto needs to grow and learn. Therefore, I have chosen two of you to help guide him along the path of his destiny." Pointing at two of his most trusted Spirits, the King's voice grew grave. "Please raise this child, my old friends. I know no one else kind and brave enough to do so."

Fidgeting, the fluffy form of Aries looked at the tiny child. Gathering her courage, she took Naruto into her arms, only for the little fox to smile and snuggle in. Blushing, the Ram Spirit tightened her hold subconsciously. "Well, if you think so my Lord, I will gladly help to raise him." He really was too cute.

Feeling a pat on her back, she looked up into Leo's beaming face. "Don't worry Aries; I think you'll make a fine mother. It will be my honor to help you raise such a precious gift." Blushing from his praise, Aries stood up straighter. She had a new responsibility now, and with her friends, she would make sure that young Naruto would grow up into a strong and honorable Spirit.

Hearing a chuckling, she looked up into the beaming face of the Spirit King. "I know of your kind heart Aries, and trust you to help Naruto find his own kindness. I know of your strength Leo, and know that you will help him find and control his own power. I see a dangerous future for the young one, and he will need the love and support of special friends to insure his survival. Truly there is no one better suited to this task." Holding her new son, Aries firmed her resolve. Nothing would harm this child if she could help it!

* * *

Over the years, Naruto grew into a fun loving and happy spirit. He never failed to cheer up his extended family with good humor and kindness. His Aries-mommy always made sure that he played nicely with others while his Leo-daddy taught him to control his strength. While none of the other spirits disliked him, the young blonde's power ensured he mostly hung around the Ecliptic Zodiac Spirits. They were among the only ones capable of handling his strength when he lost control, and did their best to help him contain his massive power.

While Aries-mommy was his favorite, Auntie Aquarius and Auntie Virgo were a close second and third. Aquarius found his good humor catchy, and made a point of playing with him whenever possible. Given his fire affinity, Naruto found that dancing amongst the water spirit's attacks was excellent training and rather refreshing. Virgo was prim and proper, but often entertained her young nephew with games of hide and seek. While not the most expressive of Spirits, Virgo often saved her rare smiles for the bouncing child.

While the female spirits were kind and happy with Naruto, the male spirits made sure to develop his power. Leo-daddy taught him to use magic to release blast of energy, which often took the form of fire and light. Taurus taught him hand to hand combat while Cancer showed him the power of blades. Sagittarius helped him learn focus and precision, bringing his accuracy with his attacks to a new level. Between the four, he was considered a capable combat-type spirit by the age of six. Although Aries-mommy was always around to make sure the training did not get out of hand.

Of the others, only two acted oddly around the blonde. Scorpio was nervous around the Fox Spirit, fearing that Aquarius would take this as a sign it was time to settle down. He enjoyed dating too much to get married just yet! He had no problem with the kid, but avoided babysitting duty as much as he could. Gemini, on the other hand, could not get enough of the child. They showed him the power of pranks, and soon the two Spirits were running circles around the others for fun. All in all, it was a very happy childhood which left him constantly smiling.

Watching over all of this, the Spirit King felt a pang of regret. Naruto was a child of destiny, and would find things changing much too soon. When the Hokage sacrificed his only son, he had promised the man that the boy would grow up happy. Unfortunately, there were things in motion that would soon tarnish the child's joy. As the leader of the Stellar Spirits, he was charged with protecting his family and friends to the best of his ability. But some things were beyond even his control. He could only hope that Naruto would still be able to smile once everything was over. Seeing the young fox run over for another story time with Grandpa, the King forced himself to relax. Worrying now would accomplish nothing.

* * *

Sniffing, little Naruto looked around for his Aries-mommy. Ever since she had made a contract with the Stellar Spirit Mage Karen, Mommy had been coming home late every night. While she did not complain to her son, Naruto had noticed the bruises and exhaustion that the kind spirit had always seemed to be under. He knew that Stellar Spirit Mages had the right to make contracts with any Spirit that they held the key for, but he did not like the way they treated his family. Auntie Virgo had recently been contracted with a Duke Evaroo, and was constantly serving him as a maid. Uncle Scorpio and Gemini were contracted with some woman named Angel, who was always making them do bad things. From what he could tell, most Stellar Spirit Mages saw their Spirits as weapons to use and discard at will.

The only thing that calmed him down was that Leo-daddy was there to protect Aries-mommy. They had formed contracts with Karen at the same time, and Leo-daddy made sure to protect Aries-mommy as much as he could. But the longer the two worked with her, the more down both seemed to be. Naruto tried to cheer them up as much as he could, but nothing seemed to work at times. Aries-mommy still came back hurt while Leo-daddy got angrier. Naruto hated seeing his loved ones hurting, and was unsure what to do. Tragically, this was the day the choice was taken from him.

Finally sensing his Aries-mommy, the little Fox ran to her as quickly as possible. Seeing her dejected form staggering, he was quick to support her. "Mommy! What happened? Are you ok?" Much to his shock and discomfort, the elder woman grabbed him into a hug, crying her eyes out. "Oh no! Who made you cry. Mommy? Tell me and I'll beat them up!" All that did was make the Spirit cry harder. Out of options, Naruto hugged her as hard as he could. In his experience, hugs made everything better.

After calming down, Aries-mommy forced him to look her in the eye. "Oh Naruto, something horrible has happened." Seeing the serious expression on her face, Naruto felt a sinking sensation in his stomach. Aries-mommy should be smiling and laughing at his latest prank! She should not look so hopeless! Drawing him into another hug, she whispered, "I'm sorry Naruto, but Leo is gone."

The young child could do nothing as Aries-mommy explained what had happened. Leo-daddy had gotten angry at Karen, and forced himself across the Spirit Gate. With Leo-daddy there, Karen could not summon any Stellar Spirits, and had been forced to go out on a job without their aid. Unfortunately, Karen had underestimated her enemy and gotten killed. But since Karen had died because of Leo-daddy's actions, even inadvertently, Leo had been judged as taking a life. At this point, Aries-mommy could not bring herself to continue.

However, by now Naruto knew exactly what had upset her so much. One of the main things that every one of his family had taught him was that taking life was the ultimate taboo. Any Stellar Spirit that killed was cast out of the Stellar Spirit World, left to die in the summoner plane. Unless Naruto himself made a contract, he would probably never see his Leo-daddy again. Besides, once the elder spirit ran out of strength, he would fade to nothingness. Sniffing, Naruto grabbed his mother and cried his heart out. One of his precious people was going to die, and there was nothing he could do about it!

As the years passed, Naruto became somewhat withdrawn. While he kept up his happiness as much as possible around his family, the little fox child had discovered a new sensation. With the loss of his Daddy, he know knew one absolute fact. He hated Stellar Spirit Mages, and would never agree to such a contract. They had taken his Daddy and constantly hurt his remaining family. As far as he was concerned, such a group of lazy and self centered creatures deserved no loyalty whatsoever.

* * *

Staring at the majestic form of the Spirit King, Lucy Heartfilia refused to show weakness. She would never allow poor Loki to die because of something like this! Karen had died because of someone else's actions, and her own arrogance. Feeling the strength of her summoned spirits surrounding her, the young Stellar Spirit Mage held her head up high. "It is not a sin! Caring about the feelings of your precious people can never be a sin!" Feeling the rush of magic leave her, the young woman collapsed in a heap. Still, her message had to be delivered. "As a Stellar Spirit, you should understand his feelings too, right?"

Even as Loki berated her for pushing too hard, Lucy refused to break gazes with the Stellar Spirit King. As a member of Fairy Tail, she would protect her precious people as best as she could! Apparently her determination moved the Spirit King because he grinned just a bit. Smiling, she could only stare as Loki was allowed back into the Stellar Spirit World. Holding his hand, the young Mage felt tears forming as a golden key materialized in her hand. Not only had she gained a powerful ally, but a good friend as well.

Turning to the dissolving form of the Spirit King, she was shocked by his suddenly serious gaze. "I was quite moved, young Lucy, by both your determination and desire to protect your friends. However, there will be consequences for your actions, noble as they were. Do not summon my old friend for a few days. He and I have much to discuss." Dumfounded by the odd request, Lucy could only nod her agreement.

* * *

Feeling the air of the Stellar Spirit World begin to rejuvenate his body, Leo smiled sadly. He still hated himself for Karen's death, but now he had a new master who he would willingly die for. Lucy was a little vain, but her heart was as bright as the sun. The rest of her was not too bad either. Before he could get into some serious reflection on the girl's measurements, he was nearly toppled over by a high speed projectile. "Leo-daddy! You're back! You're finally back!" Looking down, the Stellar Spirit found himself face to face with a pair of blue eyes.

"Naruto, is that you?" In the years he had left the Stellar Spirit World, Naruto had shot up like a weed. He was nearly four and a half feet, with nine powerful golden tails. Judging from the strength of his embrace, he had not been slacking in his training either. Drawing his adoptive son into a hug, Leo felt tears forming. He had been so selfish. If Lucy had not saved him, then he never would have seen the loving face of his child again. He really owed her more than he could ever repay.

Suddenly, both spirits stiffened as a feeling of raw power washed over them. Looking up, they met face to face with the Spirit King. Knowing how his own power could overwhelm his fellows, the Spirit King usually maintained a high level of control over his own presence. In fact, he only allowed it to shine when there was something urgent to discuss. "My old friends, it is wonderful to see your reunion. However, there are consequences to pay and debts to be settled. Both of you come with me at once."

Holding onto Naruto, Leo followed the Spirit King to the edge of his personal waterfall. This was supposedly the strongest spirit's favorite meditation place, and was avoided without express permission for fear of giving offence. "My old friends, today I bent an absolute rule that has kept our people out of war for centuries. Numerous Mages have attempted to use our magic to fight wars and sponsor genocides, and it was only the absolute rule of no killing that prevented our complete exploitation. I do not regret my decision, but must emphasize how serious this is for the future of our people."

Sitting down, the majestic form of the Spirit King sighed. "Truly, if not for those like the Mage Lucy, I would recommend our people cut ties with that world. More and more Stellar Spirit Mages view us as tools and weapons. Our contracts should be formed from mutual bonds of respect and love, yet such things continue to grow rarer." Smirking, the King stroked his mighty mustache. "Yet that child, young and inexperienced, managed not only to gain my attention but summon six of the strongest spirits at once. Truly, this Lucy has a rare gift. Tell me, my old friend, would you have survived if not for her actions?"

Frowning, Leo shook his head. "I have been living on borrowed time ever since Karen's death. When Lucy fought for me, I fully expected to fail. But no matter how much I begged her to stop, she refused insisting that I deserved to live. I now owe her a debt I can never fully repay, because now I can live on and be with my family once more." Drawing his son into a deeper hug, the Spirit smiled. "Somehow, I don't think entering into a contract with her will be anything except a wonderful partnership."

Nodding his agreement, the Spirit King turned to the quiet form of Naruto. "I have known for quite some time that you have grown to dislike Stellar Spirit Mages, young one. Seeing what has happened to your family as a result of their actions, I can fully understand your reasoning. However, what you have never fully grasped is that such partnerships can help the Spirit as much as the Mage. We learn and grow together, and make one another stronger. What say you to this, young Naruto?"

Refusing to let go of his hug, the little Fox Spirit sighed. "I don't like Spirit Mages. They keep hurting or using us like toys. Auntie Virgo had to serve that old pervert like a maid and Uncle Scorpio and Gemini are used for crime. But if a Stellar Spirit Mage saved my Daddy's life, then I guess that they can't all be bad."

Smiling, the Spirit King chuckled. "While blunt, your words are heartfelt. That is why I believe that you are ready for the next stage in your training. As a new spirit, you are unused to the power such a bond can bring out within yourself. For when a Spirit has something to protect, that is when they can be trully strong. However, with your power not just any Stellar Spirit Mage can make a contract with you. I believed that none living had the heart and strength of character required. At least, until now."

* * *

"So wait, Loki was a Stellar Spirit?" Natsu Dragneel pointed at the blonde, visibly shocked. Lucy smiled at his rejuvenated appearance, knowing that the time in the Stellar Spirit World had already begun to heal his soul. Even as her sometimes partner and friend went on and on about how cool it was that he was really a lion, the young Stellar Spirit Mage could not help enjoy the atmosphere. If nothing else, it was always lively around Fairy Tail.

Holding up a hand to stop the questions, Loki suddenly became serious. "Lucy, while I cannot thank you enough for saving my life, the Spirit King did make a special request. I'm not exactly happy about it, but there was nothing that I could do." Blinking, the blonde began to wonder if maybe she had pushed just a little too much. That parting line about consequences suddenly sounded a lot more ominous.

Reaching into his coat, Loki removed a Black Key on a golden chain. Lucy was shocked by the little bit of jewelry. That was clearly a Stellar Spirit key, but nothing in her studies said anything about a black key! Apparently understanding her concern, Loki sighed. "A few years ago, the Spirit King brought a new Spirit into our ranks. We've been keeping a lid on him because of his age and relative power. While he's strong, the little guy has never had a contract before, and the King thinks the experience would be good for him." Holing out the key, Loki watched as her trembling hands secured it. "Please help him grow. I helped raise him and the little tyke is very important to me. He is known as Naruto of the Fire Gate."

Swallowing, Lucy tried not to drop the key in shock. Whoever this Naruto was, his key was shimmering with power. Being the first summoner of a new spirit was a great honor, but she was not sure if she was ready for such a responsibility. Still, if this was the price for saving Loki, then she would be proud to pay it. Forcing herself not to shake, Lucy used the key. "Come forth from the Gate of Fire, Naruto!" With the resulting explosion of power, it was all the young mage could do to stand up. Everyone stopped working, frozen by the spectacle.

Two towering doors of flame in the shape of a golden nine tailed fox appeared. Creaking open, a boy slowly walked through the doors. He was a little shorter than Natsu, with long and spiky golden hair. He was dressed in a yellow shirt with orange shorts, nine tails clearly waving in the breeze. Both his feet and hands had black claws, while his deep blue eyes had an animalistic slit. The appearance of two golden fox ears upon his head finished the look. If ever there was a combat spirit, this Naruto fit the bill. Of course, the moment was shattered with his brash commentary. "Hey Daddy? Who the heck is this Lucy I'm supposed to work with."

The entire guild nearly fell over when Loki answered, "This lovely young lady right here, Naruto." Patting the shell shocked Lucy on the shoulder, the elder Spirit grinned. "I owe this young woman my life, so please treat her well, ok son?" Lucy felt like a feather could have knocked her over with those words. Loki, one of the biggest womanizers in Fairy Tail had a son? It was more than she could believe!

Before the young mage could react, Naruto was invading her personal space. Darting all over, the young spirit checked her from head to foot. While there was never any inappropriate contact, Lucy was beginning to feel like some sort of specimen. It was rather disconcerting. Apparently satisfied with his examination, Naruto sighed. "Well, I admit you seem strong. Auntie Virgo and Auntie Aquarius like you and you did save my daddy, so I am willing to make a contract. But let's not do that just yet."

Gaping, Lucy could not stay quiet any longer. "What do you mean we cannot form a contract yet? I don't have the power to summon you here until you are ready to decide. With the amount of power you require, I won't be able to summon anyone else until you are sent back. Besides, what do I have to do to prove I'm worth making a contract with? Is there some sort of test?"

Frowning, the little spirit sniffed. "Before I go any farther, I want to make one thing clear. I don't trust Stellar Spirit Mages. They've only hurt used and abused my family for as long as I've known them. Because of that jerk Karen, Leo-daddy was nearly killed and Aries-mommy was constantly getting hurt and molested! Heck, Aries-mommy isn't much better off with her current Mage! The only reason that I am even considering making this contract is that Grandpa asked me as a personal favor. Well, that and you did save Daddy's life."

Smiling, Naruto scratched the back of his head. "Oh, and don't worry about the power thing. I'm using my own strength to stay here. Here's what we're going to do. I'll stick around for a bit, and once I see how you fight, we'll either finalize the contract or forget the whole thing. Do you understand?" Seeing that there was not much choice, Lucy simply nodded.

Clapping his hands, Loki smiled. "Now that that's settled, I have something for each of you." Taking out some passes, he handed them out to the assembled team. "Since I'm now Lucy's stellar spirit, it would not be allowed for me to go out on dates. So why don't you go have a vacation on me? I've already gotten Ezra hers. I think that you all deserve a break. See you, and good luck Lucy-chan!"

* * *

Hiding in the shadows, Naruto observed Lucy as she tried to free herself from the magic suppression ropes. While Leo-daddy had always taught him to help any girl in trouble, his whole family had taught him to stay true to his word. So far, he had to admit the Stellar Spirit Mage was friendly, with very interesting precious people. He could honestly see himself enjoying hanging out with them, and saw what Leo-daddy liked about the group. Still, he was going to stay out of things unless people would die from his inaction, or she impressed him enough to form a contract on the spot.

Seeing her free herself with the help of a trapped tourist, the blonde frowned. While she had tried to escape using the powers of his family, she did not call them lightly. Still, it was too soon to decide what to do here. Letting her rejoin her friends, the Stellar Spirit turned to the crowd encased within the playing cards across the floor. Feeling the magic within the construct, he released a burst of his power, shattering the prisons like glass. He was in no hurry, and knew that as long as Lucy had his key, there was no way he could lose the trail. In the meantime, there were a lot of innocent people who needed his help.

* * *

Watching the water user Lluvia trapped by the music master Vithaldas's control spell, Naruto frowned. While finding Lucy and sneaking around had not poised any major problem, holding himself back from fighting did. Despite his projected disdain for Lucy, he did not want anyone to get hurt while he could do something. Yet, he knew that these guys were strong enough to handle most of the trouble themselves. Interfering in their battles without due cause would have been a major breech of etiquette. Still, he had no idea how the girl in front of him was going to take on the more powerful opponent.

Seeing the Mage about to drown, Naruto found himself moving to free her. Much to his shock, she managed to escape and summon his Auntie Aquarius. Of course, he had to wince at her choice of mediums; summoning someone through a body made from water had to suck. Seeing his Aunt suddenly focus on his location, the fox spirit gulped. It seemed that the jig was up. "What are you doing over there, kid firecracker? I would have thought you'd be all over this sort of battle!"

Coming out of hiding, Naruto gave his best apologetic smile. "Well, I wanted to test her to see if she was worth the trouble. We don't exactly have a contract. Sorry you had to come out like this, Auntie Aquarius." Seeing her stance relax a bit, the fire Spirit let out a breath of relief. Hopefully Auntie would not take this problem out on him during their next training session.

Feeling a pat on his head, he looked up into the water spirit's serious gaze. "You know kid, I have watched you grow up from a baby. I know you don't like mages, and admit that Lucy can be lazy, forgetful and needy. But I wouldn't be doing my job as your favorite aunt if I didn't tell you to make a contract with her right now. Despite her flaws, there is no one else I would trust with your safety." Smile turning sinister, the mermaid turned to her summoner. "Most importantly, I know that if she messes with you, she knows that I'll take it out on her later, understood?"

Seeing the girl nod in terror, Naruto could not help but laugh. "Alright, I think that anyone you recommend Auntie should be fine. I love Leo-daddy, but he tends to get a little weird around girls. Besides, a person who can unify their magic like that so easily is going to be very interesting." Turning to the Stellar Spirit Mage, Naruto grinned. "Congratulations Lucy, I have decided to work with you! I only have two rules for my contract. Firstly, I have a lot of power, so only summon me for battle if you really have no other choice. Two, never put me in a position to kill anyone. Follow these requirements, and we will work well together!"

Seeing the girl smile, Naruto was shocked as she embraced him. "I, Lucy Heartfilia do promise to abide by the requests of my new partner and ally Naruto of the Fire Gate!" Facing him, the pretty blonde lit up like the sun. "I can't wait to work with such an impressive spirit!" Seeing her openness, Naruto could not help but blush. Maybe Leo-daddy and Grand Pa knew what he was talking about when he set them up.

* * *

Looking over the completed Fairy Tail, Lucy gave off a nostalgic smile. The latest adventure was difficult, but they had managed to come through it alright. She shuddered to think what would have happened if Naruto had not been there to destroy the Tower of Paradise. Without his raw destructive attack, so many innocent people could have died! Although she was going to make it a point to insure that she never pissed him off like Aquarius. Compared to her temper, Naruto's energy blasts were a thousand times worst.

Naruto had proven himself to be truly powerful, wiping out enemies left and right. His main abilities appeared to be bursts of concentrated light coupled with both blue and golden fire. This was of great help to Natsu, giving him an extra energy boost after his battle with some freaky owl man hybrid. In the end, he not only managed to save Ezra's previous precious friends, but knock out Gerard for capture. Ezra was going to sacrifice herself to destroy the tower, but Naruto would not hear of it. Once everyone was cleared from the infrastructure of the building, he had released a beam of energy that easily matched the power of the earlier celestial strike from the orbiting weapons platform.

After all that, the blonde had stated that he would need some time to recover after such an extended period of combat. Regrouping back in the hotel, the Fairy Tail mages had made their decisions. Despite offering Ezra's childhood friends sanctuary, Sihmon had decided to lead them into the world. After spending years working on the Tower of Paradise, they felt like spreading their wings. Although the separation was tearful, Ezra knew better than to hold them back. The special fireworks display at the end had been truly touching.

Dealing with Gerard had been significantly more difficult. Despite being a pawn to the spirit of some dark wizard, the councilman had plotted to kill and destroy untold portions of their world. Feeling like she had no choice, Ezra had turned the misguided youth over to the Mage's Council. Not only had that allowed the group to save face and maintain their positions, but it provided Fairy Tail some additional protection. While she had been offered consideration for a seat on the council, Ezra had respectfully declined, stating that she feared for the future of the guild without her to supervise. The thoughts of an even more disorganized Fairy Tail were enough to scare the Council into compliance.

However, now that they had returned to Fairy Tail, there was only one thing to do. Reaching for the chain around her neck, Lucy smirked. "Come forth from the Gate of Fire, Naruto!" While the later summoning lacked the pyrotechnics of the initial meeting, summoning such a spirit released quite a bit of power. In spite of the energy of the guild, everyone paused to observe this new development.

Coming through the Fire Gate, Naruto frowned. "Lucy, what seems to be the matter? There doesn't seem to be a fight, and everything looks peaceful. You aren't just summoning me to show off, are you?" Snorting, the young Spirit Mage poked him in the forehead for his cheek.

"Listen Naruto, I just wanted to show you something. Since this is your first contract, there will be a lot about this world that is strange and unusual. But the Guild is a family, and I wanted you to know and respect it. Once you agreed to work with me, you became a part of Fairy Tail. So I am going to introduce you around today, so you know who you are working with." Grinning, Lucy reached for the spot right behind his left ear and scratched. All the tenseness seemed to leave his body in an instant. "If there is one thing that we do well in Fairy Tail, it's partying! So get ready to go wild!"

Melting under her attentions, the shorter blonde smiled. "Hey, what the heck? I'm always up for meeting new friends." Thus the Mage and Spirit spent the day relaxing with their fellows of Fairy Tail. Between crazy stories and light hearted song, the party helped both bond on a much deeper level. By the end of it, Naruto felt his resentment of the Mages lessen just a bit. It did not hurt that every female member of Fairy Tail wanted to hug him like a plushy at one point or another. He was his father's son after all.

* * *

As time passed, Naruto started coming to Fairy Tail more and more under his own power. While not as experienced as Leo the little Spirit did have the purified essence of the Kyuubi no Kitsune at his beck and call. Between battles and arguments, he began to find himself growing from the constant interaction. While the Stellar Spirit World was peaceful and beautiful, Lucy and her precious people kept things entertaining. Before long, the little spirit found himself marked with the symbol of the guild as a fully fledged member. The Master said that if it was good enough for Loki, it should be good enough for his boy. The acceptance and sense of belonging further cemented his place in the group.

Natsu was always looking for a fight, although he meant no harm. As a fellow being of fire, Naruto understood his drive to prove his strength with greater and more impressive challenges. While the Dragon Slayer would sometimes eye him a bit when hungry, Naruto did not mind that much. Summoning fire was as simple as breathing, and proved to be a useful strategy in combat. Plus, as a master of all things flame related, the Fox Spirit could make different flavors with ease. Honestly, Lucy tried to keep them apart as much as she could, fearful that their synergy could burn down the town, or at the very least her apartment.

Grey, while not impressed with having to deal with another pyromaniac, did like his artistic flair. Both tended to sculpt their elements into more effective forms for combat. The Ice Mage could form weapons, barriers and cages with ease. Likewise, Naruto formed his flames into anything from weapons to mystical creatures. While they tussled every so often, both found their conversations interesting. It did not hurt that Naruto was guiding Grey to hang around his secret admirer more often. While they were not a couple yet, both Grey and Lluvia had nothing to complain about.

Ezra, surprisingly enough, latched onto the Spirit at the first opportunity. Emotionally vulnerable after the incident at the Tower of Paradise, the swords mistress found herself needing Naruto's upbeat and energetic attitude. While not quite as effective as Natsu, the little Fox was slightly more sensitive due to his surrogate mother, and was always willing to listen to her concerns. While Natsu distracted her with a constant stream of ridiculous antics, Naruto worked hard at making her smile more often. Between the two, her emotional scars were on the mend.

Lucy was the most changed from dealing with Naruto. While proud that she was recognized as powerful enough for such a strong spirit, the Stellar Spirit Mage had to fight a constant uphill battle to earn his trust. Naruto viewed all Stellar Spirit Mages in a negative light, and dealing with his prejudice forced the girl to recognize her own limitations. It was difficult to argue for a branch of magic that left his family as tools and puppets to the unscrupulous. However, with her signature stubbornness, the blonde refused to give up, finally culminating in asking the Sprit for training to be of more help in combat. Impressed by her determination, Naruto worked his hardest to push her forward. It left a few bruises, but in the end she was better for it.

The group continued to rise within the guild, constantly rumored to be the strongest team in Fairy Tail. Of course, nothing was perfect. Naruto, being a biological male on the cusp of puberty, began to notice the girls of Fairy Tail. While always the gentleman, Lucy found herself constantly blushing at his both his intentional and unintentional innuendo. Plus, being so warm and cuddly, several of the female members of the organization innocently offered him the chance to stay the night as a plushy slash heating pad. Curtailing a curious natural prankster nearly drove the woman up the wall. Still it was a rather idyllic time of happiness and light. Unfortunately, it was all about to change.

* * *

Smiling as Wendy, the newest member of Fairy Tail made her debut, Naruto sighed. It had been so sad when her guild dissolved into an illusion. Luckily, between him and Natsu, Wendy should remain cheerful enough to enjoy her new life. Watching everyone begin to celebrate, the Fox Spirit had to admit that no one threw a party like Fairy Tail. It was too bad that Lucy could not summon more of his family though. Some of those guys would have gotten a hoot out of this.

Heading over to join Leo-daddy, Naruto was shocked by a sharp pain in his chest. Crying out, the blonde ignored the sudden silence around his distressed form. Being a spirit, he was very sensitive to mystical bonds and issues of the soul. According to his senses, something was digging into his core with the subtlety of a fishing hook made of barbed wire. Seeing his mage running over in distress, the child could barely force a smile before disappearing before everyone's eyes.

* * *

The last thirteen years had seen a dramatic change within the village of Konoha. While the Kyuubi had been defeated, the heart of their beloved Hokage had become heavy with his pain. When the general population discovered that their leader was willing to go so far for the village, October Tenth was established as a day of mourning for both the ninja lost in battle and the sacrifice of the Hokage's son. The heir and progeny of the greatest Leaf Ninja in decades was now forever sealing the power of the Kyuubi from destroying the village. Truly, the young Namikaze Naruto was a symbol of what a real hero could be.

Desperate for a distraction from his pain, Minato took to the duties of his station with a fervor never before seen within the village. If Konoha was the last testament of his child, then he would insure it worthy of such a sacrifice. With no family to distract him, the blonde simply adopted Konoha itself as his kin. While such feelings had the best of intentions, it soon became his obsession. In fact, there were times the ANBU had to intercede just to insure he got enough sleep.

The first thing the Hokage had tackled was the divide between the Senju and the Uchiha. The remnants of the Shodaime's clan seemed to be constantly combating the Uchiha for prestige, power and position within the , the Senju's string of success, coupled with both the antagonizing advisors of the Nidaime's squad and the rumors of Uchiha involvement with the Kyuubi attack, led to significant tensions. Reading the signs, the Hokage knew it could boil down to civil war if nothing was done soon. So, after studying the situation with all the knowledge and subtly gained from his training under Jiraiya, Minato had a plan.

While the intricacies of the plan were truly mind blowing, it boiled down to a series of rather blunt actions. Calling a full muster of the Clan Heads, the Hokage presented them with a simple mandate. They needed to increase their ability to prevent the desecration of their burial plots, and should probably switch completely to cremation. He stated, based upon the skill level of the unknown ninja that someone had to be experimenting with kinjutsu, either using an Uchiha body as a puppet or taking on a sharingan to steal clan secrets. This was a threat to the entire village, and a stance of unity was needed to protect Konoha.

What followed was a lengthy debate about seals versus morality coupled with the Hyuga taking some flak for their Caged Bird Seal. As the discussion stretched into the twilight hours, sake was brought out and the various parties began to gamble. By the end of it, the Uchiha were given a key place within the defense of the villages kekkei genkai, Inuzuka Tsume had done a striptease, and everyone in the room was unified in their hatred of the Hokage anywhere near a deck of cards. With the ice broken, the wily leader took steps to integrate the Uchiha more fully into the village, despite the angry mutters of Homura, Koharu and Danzou. One little flashy technique later, and all three seemed to die from heart attacks from the shock of kunai sticking into their brains.

The next challenge was Kumo's plot to steal the Byakugan. When their envoy was killed in the process of attacking the Hyuga Household, the other hidden village began rumbling that war would continue. Pissed with their cheek, Minato led an attack on the enemy hidden village himself. Before the Kumo ninja could even activate their young Jinchuuriki, the Raikage and every Jonin was killed within seconds. In the resulting political backlash, Minato was quick to state that anyone attempting to misuse their political power to harm his people would be crushed without remorse. Seeing that their options were limited, the Village hidden in the Clouds was forced to sign a new treaty, insuring peace for another five years. By the end of it, they could barely claim a place as one of the great villages, with most of their business being cut due to the hit of their reputation.

Now, in front of the entire village, Minato was forced to face his greatest challenge. Orochimaru of the Sannin, known as the worst missing ninja of Konoha's history, had managed to build an alliance with Suna, the remnants of Kumo, and Iwa. Konoha was now alone against the strength of three villages and the power of three Jinchuuriki. Unfortunately, the wily Snake ninja had managed to seal the Hokage off from the main forces, and was facing him alone in personal combat.

Chuckling, the traitor faced down the Yellow Flash, his Akatsuki cloak billowing in the breeze. "You know, Minato-kun, I have long debated how to bring you down. With those irritating techniques you've developed, it would almost be worthless to use my greatest Kinjutsu upon you. However, I believe that I have the perfect way to end the Leaf, and you will be central in my plans." Lashing forward with his Kunai, Orochimaru barely managed to nick the Hokage. However, a drop of blood was all it took.

Feeling no indication of poison, the blonde grabbed one of his signature kunai. "What's your game, Orochimaru? If your goal was to kill me, then that was the only shot you're going to get! By the time I'm done with you, you'll be pieces on the floor!" However, the traitor's smile did not waver in the slightest. If anything, it only grew wider.

"Oh, I'm not the one to kill you brat. Instead, I'm going to become the instrument of fate itself! My research has brought me so many interesting techniques, including the power over the dead. So today, I will use that strength and bring about the end of this village!" Watching the madman forming hand signs, Minato took a more defensive stance. The power flowing off the bastard was as foul as it was dark. "Today, Konoha will fall to the power of the Kyuubi no Kitsune, as it should have years ago! All I needed was your blood to unseal the lock! Demonic Summoning!"

In a flash of unholy light, a figure appeared crouched as if in pain. Minato almost dropped his weapon in shock, unable to believe what was in front of him. The figure was a little less than five feet, with glowing blonde hair and whisker marks on his cheeks. Nine tails of gold waved in the breeze, radiating warmth throughout the air. But once he saw the slit blue eyes, Minato knew what this was his son. Holding his head, the child groaned. "What the heck is going on here? Where am I and who did this?"

Hearing a dark chuckle, the Hokage remembered he was facing one of the strongest ninja on the planet right now. "Oh, what an amusing reunion this is! That creature you summoned did not destroy the Kyuubi! Instead, it reincarnated that demon into your own son!" With an evil grin, Orochimaru darted forward, seal tag in hand. "I summoned you boy, so that you may do what I want. Kill your stupid sire for abandoning you to fate!" However, instead of being caught unaware, the golden child jumped out of the way.

Righting himself, the boy frowned at the twisted Sannin. "I don't know who you are or what you think you're doing, but I should probably explain a couple of things. One, I never kill anyone for any reason." Cracking his knuckles, the child settled into an unfamiliar stance. "Two Naruto of the Fire Gate, member of Fairy Tail, never takes orders from anyone except the person who holds my contract. Your bust line simply does not qualify. Now prepare for a beat down!" Confused, Minato nevertheless readied his weapons. He had lost his son once, and refused to do so again!

* * *

Franticly looking around, Lucy turned to her senior combat spirit. "Loki! What the hell happened? Where did Naruto go?" She had almost felt the pain of the boy, his laughing eyes twisted in agony. Whatever or whoever had done this to Naruto was about to find the full strength of Fairy Tail raised against them!

Narrowing his eyes, the Lion Stellar Spirit almost seemed to glow with restrained power. "That almost looked like a forced summoning. Sometimes, the weaker spirits will get summoned by multiple Spirit Mages at the same time, so only the strongest will be able to use the spirit. But Naruto only has the one key, and that's around your neck. This should not be possible. In fact, the only possibility is that he's been transported to another world altogether!" Turning to his partner, he barked out commands. "While you have his key there is nothing stopping you from going to him! Use Horologium to protect you, and focus your power on his key! That should allow you to shift through the planes and reach his location. Once you get in place, summon me and I'll protect you both!"

Nodding, Lucy was startled by a hand on her back. Turning, the young mage saw the determined faces of her friends. Ezra, outfitted in her strongest armor, spoke for all of them. "Naruto is one of our precious guild members as well Lucy. Make some room in that clock, because you're not going alone!" Touched by their determination, the blonde held back a sniff. This was why Fairy Tail was the strongest guild in the world!

Summoning the clock spirit, she became all business. "Alright, Natsu, Happy, Ezra, Grey; you four know my moves the best out of everyone in the guild. So get ready to kick some ass and get Naruto home!" Turning to Horologium, she bowed low. "I know that I normally only ask for your protection for myself, but this is an emergency! Naruto has been kidnapped, and we need to go and save him!"

Blinking, the clock face frowned. "Naruto-sama is in trouble? Well then, I'll make an exception this time. Hurry up now, we have not a moment to lose! Aries-sama will never forgive me if I let her little boy get hurt!" Settling on Ezra's lap and ignoring Happy's inappropriate commentary, Lucy drew Naruto's key and began to focus. Feeling the link that connected them, she pushed all her strength down the line, drawing close to the source. Before the eyes of Fairy Tail, their strongest team vanished in a flash of light.

* * *

Breathing heavily, Naruto tried to focus his attention upon the battle. Whoever this guy was, he was seriously bad news. Every single attack he launched was avoided with ease, while the counters hurt like a bitch. If not for a seriously high pain tolerance, the fire spirit would probably be dead a dozen times over. It did not help that he was stuck in close quarters due to an unknown magical barrier.

On top of that everything about this place felt wrong on a primal level. Despite his habit of visiting, the Summoners world always felt out of synch with his power. Naruto knew that long periods of time there was not healthy, and made a habit of rationing his experiences as much as possible. While this place was not his home, there was a constant sense of familiarity that should not be there. It was almost like getting dragged into a whirlpool; the longer he was here the more right it felt. It made no sense at all!

Then there was the other guy. The blonde he had been summoned to fight was trying to get the weirdo as well, and honestly was doing better than him. Yet, despite never seeing him before, Naruto knew that there was some sort of connection between the two. They were beginning to coordinate their attacks, and the longer that went on, the more the connection seemed to swell. It was maddening, and refused to be denied, despite his best attempts.

Licking at his knife like a popsicle, the snaky bastard began his third evil chuckle. "Ku, ku, ku, aren't you two the interesting team? It's a shame you don't carry around some of those interesting kunai's of yours, Minato-kun. That would make this all the sweeter!" Apparently done with his latest monologue, the freak opened his mouth wide, unleashing a flood of snakes upon the two. Gathering his power, Naruto prepared to fry the attack just like the last three waves. Of course, the sudden appearance of a clock landing upon the horde of reptiles was not expected.

Looking over, Naruto grinned at the sight that befell him. "Lucy-chan!" Running over, he was quick to hug his one and only summoner. Now that Lucy was nearby, the bond between them reformed even stronger than ever. This was the one person he was fated to serve, no matter what the freaky pedophile said! Feeling a hand on his head, he looked up into the smiling faces of Ezra, Natsu, Grey and Happy! Sniffling, Naruto felt himself being to tear up.

Clearing her throat, the red headed swords mistress broke the moment. "While it is gratifying to find you safe, Naruto-kun, I believe that we need to know what is going on here. Leo said something about a forced summoning. Do you have any idea who might have done this?" Blinking, the fox spirit turned towards the snake freak only to cringe. When Horologium had appeared so suddenly, nearly half the snakes launched in that last attack had been flattened. During that tearful reunion, the bastard had apparently begun to choke, unable to undo the technique in mid-stroke. That would not have been so bad if not for the fact that, being a master ninja, the older blonde took that moment to strike him in the back of the skull with a knife, resulting in instant death.

Frowning at their looks, the tall stranger sighed. "Look, that bastard was a traitor and psychopath who abandoned my village. As leader, his life and ending were my responsibility. As much as I want to discuss this with you, I have people to protect." It was only then that Naruto realized that they were simply the central point of conflict. As far as the eye could see, countless battles were being fought between hundreds of people. What was worse was the three monstrous forms in the distance; a giant raccoon, a cat of fire, and a giant bull with octopus tentacles. The fox spirit did not know what sorts of spirits those were, but he knew they had to be stopped. Innocent people could be in danger!

Turning to his friends, he started giving out his requests. "Lucy-chan, we have to stop those spirits! I don't know who re the bad guy yet, but we all agree that three giant out of control creatures need to be contained!" Seeing friends nod in acceptance, he focused his power into a tight beam. Before the four stooges could wrap their heads around Orochimaru's death, Naruto had blasted through the barrier, Fairy Tail members in tow.

* * *

Hiding behind a tree, Uchiha Sasuke prayed for someone to come and save him. The monstrous creature made of sand was screaming for blood, and no matter what he had tried to do, nothing would stop it. Glancing over his comrades, he frowned at their battered forms. Hinata had nearly pulled off a kaiten earlier, deflecting that fire cat's power with great personal injury. Sakura, while somewhat annoying, had pushed him out of the way of a giant tentacle. While both the cat and the ox thing were satisfied, that Sand demon kept searching for them. It would not be denied its prey.

Shivering, he wondered if being Rookie of the Year was really worth it. Sure he had made his family proud and gotten all the girls he wanted, but there were times like this he was expected to step up. Fighting against demons was the sort of the thing the Hokage was around to deal with, not some fresh Genin! He had met some crazy people, but this beat everything else hands down! Hell, if someone showed up to deal with these monsters, he would never complain to his mother about treating him like a child again!

Suddenly, the rampage was halted by a blast of raw flame. Looking over, the young Uchiha was shocked by the appearance of yet another demonic fighter. This one was the size of a human, but the golden tails and sharp claws were unmistakable. However, unlike the previous fighters, there was no aura of hatred or anger. This was power under control, without either a good or bad feelings. It almost reminded him of some of the clans more advanced ninja or the instructors in the Academy. The other important thing was that this one came with human allies who did not run to the hills at the sight of his power.

Turning to the others, a blonde who could have been Tsunade-sama's daughter started throwing out orders like clockwork. "Natsu! You go deal with the fire cat! Grey and Ezra, you deal with the giant ox thing. Me, Naruto and Leo will deal with the walking litter box! Let's take out the trash!" Nodding in agreement each leapt into action. Although, Sasuke did have to wonder who used a flying blue cat summons. That was just creepy.

Holding out a hand, the admittedly cute blonde woman held out a key of all things. Before he could try to understand the significance, Sasuke's Sharingan picked up a huge concentration of power building in front of the woman. Before his startled eyes, another figure appeared, radiating energy on the scale of a sun. Without another word, the three began to attack the Sand Demon, the men with blasts of light, while the girl used a whip of all things. It almost looked like the trick Shikamaru's mom would pull off when pissed off.

Before his shocked eyes, the older blonde managed to stun the demon with a blast of light. Following up his attack, the fox boy unleashed a beam of light, melting off the constructs left arm. Not to be outdone, the girl was launched by a golden tail right at Gaara, lashing at his exposed flesh. When the sand attempted to protect the red head, the older attacker twisted a ring, unleashing a wave of flame that melted the sand in seconds. Not to be outdone, the fox demon let loose a roar that knocked the creature back nearly a hundred feet. It took a moment for him to realize it, but Sasuke suddenly understood that the whole battle had only taken ten seconds from start to finish. There was no way it could end that easily.

As if to prove his point, the Sand Demon roared out a challenge, reforming from the various projectiles utilized earlier. The team backed off as Gaara, psycho that he was, began shouting about denying his existence before passing out. The feeling of demonic chakra only intensified, as the sand construct suddenly gained some sort of autonomy. That was the breaking point for the young Genin. Kneeling down, he prayed to any ancestor that could hear him, that if he got through this, he would be nice to his brother, give Sakura that date she wanted, and make a dozen offerings to the shrine. This was not the time for him to die. There was too much left for him to live for, and he would never forgive himself if his friends died here as well!

* * *

Grumbling, Leo dodged another strike from the Sand Demon, frustrated beyond belief. His experienced senses told him that this creature was not a full spirit. Somehow, something powerful had been tied to the soul of a human, causing this monstrosity to be born. It would not be so bad, if the child's mind did not seem to be on the verge of shattering from the pressure. Despite their best efforts, nothing was going to be accomplished using such basic tactics. A change of game plan was in order.

Grabbing Lucy out of the way of another air blade, he shouted to his son. "Naruto! This thing will not stop unless dead or completely immobilized! There's only one trick I know that can finish this!" It was a long shot, but the technique was their best chance. Too bad that only Naruto had the power to pull it off. It left him wiped out for days afterwards.

While most of his training had been overseen by the Ecliptic Zodiac Spirits, the Spirit King himself had recognized Naruto's potential. As a result, the strongest spirit had trained the fox in a number of advanced techniques that few if anyone had the potential to utilize. However, Naruto was still young, and had issues controlling these skills. Given the lack of practice due to both busy schedules, using these abilities was a tricky proposition at best. Still, there was only one trick that would put another spirit creature in its place.

Nodding, the golden haired spirit began to concentrate. The hairs on the back of Leo's head began to vibrate from the raw power in the air. Whenever this sort of magic was used, it made him realize just how far down the food chain he really was. At the same time, he could not be prouder of his son. Holding his arms wide, Naruto's limbs almost seemed to catch fire. Making sure that both he and his mage were safe, Leo had just enough time to close his eyes before Naruto shouted the attack phrase. "Light of Hope!"

When used with moonlight, the Light of Hope technique could be used to pierce the heart of evil. Refined and focused, it almost took on an elegant grace as the darkness was destroyed. However, when the technique used sunlight, it was more akin to a bomb going off. All the darkness, hate and pain of the enemies would be purged in a holy fire. The technique would not kill, but no one could guess the effects when used on these hybrids. In addition, using and controlling that much purified energy was so demanding, that the last time his boy had tried the technique, he had been knocked out for a month. Still, it was their best chance for success.

As the purifying flames engulfed the creature of sand, a massive scream ripped through the air. Massive brown limbs shrunk rapidly, becoming more human with every second. Leo only took a moment to observe the shockwave embrace the other two creatures before moving closer to observe the final product. Seeing two odd children move towards the new figure with unknown intentions, Leo quickly incapacitated them before moving onward. Seeing the holy flame finally die, a new creature was born. The result was a massive shock to the mighty spirit.

The figure was around Naruto's size, with long red hair and a single brown tail. Brownish skin, interlaced with bluish tattoos along with stubby claws marked the other obvious differences, while an odd reddish symbol marked his left forehead. While the figure was curled up into a ball crying for its mother, that was not what shocked Leo senseless. It was the familiar black key around his neck that demonstrated the severity of the situation. Turning to observe his own son, passed out in a nearby tree, he knew he needed answers.

Watching a familiar blonde enter the clearing, the Lion Spirit cleared his throat. "Lucy, I need to return. The Spirit King is the only one I know of who can properly explain this situation. In the meantime, can you look after this one? He appears to need a shoulder to cry on." Frowning, Leo sensed more people approaching. "You might also want to keep the others under control. Given the size of that last blast, I would not be surprised if others like this suddenly appeared. Please watch out for them Lucy. This is going to get complicated." Waiting until he confirmed her acceptance, the elder spirit left in search of answers.

* * *

The aftermath of the attack was painful for the Hokage, but he managed to keep his head about him. With the disappearance of all three enemy Jinchuuriki, the death of Orochimaru and his direct involvement with the remaining combat, Minato had the entire war wrapped up by nightfall. Confident that the power of Suna, Kumo and Iwa had been shattered for at least a generation, he had directed his ANBU to track down the golden haired child and his companions as soon as possible, unharmed if at all possible. The resulting meeting left him feeling every year, despite still looking as good as he did nearly two decades ago.

Assembled within his main office were a sleeping fox child, a busty blonde girl, a red head in armor, a brunette in next to nothing, and an odd child happily juggling fire to entertain a blue cat. While unusual, those were something he could handle. However, a half tanuki boy, a cat girl, and a man with horns and odd tentacles were a little much, even for him. Somehow, the strangers had managed to warp the foreign Jinchuuriki into completely new forms. The only reason he was not demanding answers was the fact they were clearly as much in the dark as he was. Despite their odd powers, these people were no ninja of any sort.

Before the tension could build any further, another stranger appeared in a flash of yellow light, similar to his most famous technique. Frowning, the Tsunade lookalike started things off. "Alright Loki, what the hell is going on here? Why the heck did these guys suddenly turn into Stellar Spirits?" Noting the unfamiliar term, Minato focused upon the messenger intently. If he dared to hope hard enough, this might just reunite him with his son.

Sighing, the figure looked incredibly old. "Well, it was a little confusing, but we really need Naruto awake for this. A lot of the trouble is going to land directly on his shoulders." Heading over to the sleeping fox child, this Loki did not pause for a second before trying to shake him awake. The Hokage could not help but feel the stirrings of envy, seeing in this a scene denied to him by both fate and the Kyuubi no Kitsune. The pang of regret was so strong it almost brought a tear to the ninja's eyes.

Once the Fox child was fully awake, Loki took a seat sighing. "I know that this will be troubling, but we need to confront it. Please remember that we are your family, kid. That will never and can never change, no matter what happens." Running a hand through his hair, the figure seemed to age right before their eyes. "That being said, this is significantly more complicated than we originally thought."

The tale was quite an interesting one. Apparently, the Spirit King was a powerful summons from a different plane. This Loki was one of his most trusted servants and thirteen years ago, he had been tasked along with his friend Aries to insure the safety of a new and powerful spirit. The purification technique the Spirit King had used killed the Kyuubi, but left its power intact. Fearful of someone stealing all that strength, the ruler had used Naruto, who was already attuned to the technique from his preparations, as an anchor. Infusing the purified demonic energies into the child resulted in the birth of the being before him. No longer human, yet not a true spirit. Naruto was a hybrid never seen before by anyone in history. Still, his blood was protecting the Kyuubi powers and would have remained out of touch for all time if not for a new set of problems.

When Orochimaru had summoned his son, his technique had damaged his connection to the Stellar Spirit Plane. The longer he remained, the stronger the connection. Now, nearly a day later, there was not much to be done. "While you're not going to fade away here, and Lucy can still summon you to her world, I'm sorry to say that you will never be able to return to our home. This is your native plane now." While he wanted to celebrate, Minato could not help but feel sorry for the child as his tears slowly fell.

Hugging Naruto, Loki sighed. "In addition, when you unleashed the Light of Hope on these guys, they became weaker versions of your kind of spirit. The Spirit King wants you to look after them and try to help them cope. Although, since they were older than you, we're unsure what sorts of mental instability might arise." Turning to the confused former Jinchuuriki, the blonde smiled. "You'll find that your powers and abilities have changed greatly from the transformation. Who knows; maybe you'll end up partnered with Lucy as well?"

Hearing a bang, the Yondaime turned only to see the pissed off visage of the fire user. "What the hell, Loki! That's not right at all! Naruto shouldn't be punished because of that snake freak! There has got to be something that we can do! He loves his family and our goal should be making sure he stays with them!"

Nodding, the Tsunade-look-alike moved to embrace the blonde fox spirit. "Naruto is one of my precious spirits, and I know how much he loves you and his mom! We cannot simply leave him here with a bunch of weird guys! Can't we just have Horologium take him back or something? He deserves to be happy! As our comrade, I won't stand for this!"

Shaking his head, Loki frowned. "Do you think I like this? Naruto is very important to everybody back in the Stellar Spirit Plane, but there's nothing we can do. Even the Spirit King is not sure what this Orochimaru used, but it's too late now. Besides, we cannot leave spirits this powerful running amok without supervision. Honestly, you're acting like you'll never see him again." Rubbing his eyes, it was clear he was trying to hold back tears. "Still, I was also told to seek out Naruto's birth father. Excuse me sir, do you know someone by the name of Namikaze Minato?"

Seeing everyone s attention had refocused upon him, the leader of Konoha cleared his throat. "I don't believe that we have had a chance to be properly introduced yet. I am the Yondaime, fourth to hold the title of Hokage and leader of the village of Konoha. Before taking that title, I was known as Namikaze Minato, the Yellow Flash. It is my pleasure to welcome you to my home." He enjoyed the shocked silence for as long as possible. He knew that this was not going to last much longer and it was best to savor it while he could.

* * *

And done!

For those of you who didn't know, I've been nominated for an award for my work on Escape from the Hokage's Hat. Please go show your support if you have not already! Details are on my profile page.

For those of you who did know, I am sorry that I was unable to get the next chapter of Escape from the Hokage's Hat done by today. I just cannot do a decent battle scene without music, and my CD player is having major issues. -_-;;;  
Hopefully I can get it fixed by next week. Please take this idea as a consolation prize.

Thanks again to Tallymark for her excellent beta work. I could not have done it without you. :)


	3. The furious fist of the Ramen!

I blame this one on the clerk who recommended me this crack in the first place -_-;;;

I don't own anybody here, so don't call your lawyers please.

Fusion: See Authors Note

Chapter 3: The furious fist of the Ramen!

Little six year old Naruto sighed as he trudged along the street. The old man had said they were going to get a special treat today, and he had been looking forward to it all week. But when he had gone to pick him up from the office, the Sandaime's teammates had been there, arguing with him about something. Apologizing, the Hokage had told him they would have to reschedule, and had his guards escort him from the tower. At least they had been nice about it; the Hokage's last secretary had thrown him out by his hair.

Turning down a narrow side-street, the young blonde was nearly knocked over by a rushing civilian. Looking up, he gulped as the apologetic look turned to a glare of scorn once his identity had been confirmed. "Well, well if it isn't the Uzumaki brat? Why don't you watch where you're going, you little piece of trash!" Normally, Naruto would have tried to leave or remembered his enemies face for later pranking retribution. However, after missing out on his special treat, the boy was in a particularly bad mood and not thinking very clearly. So he decided to simply stick his tongue out at the bully. It was not his fault the jerk was not paying attention!

Unfortunately, the older man took exception to this. Lashing out, he caught Naruto in the ribs with a wicked side kick. "You little brat! What gives you the right to stick your tongue out at me?" Cracking his knuckles, the civilian grinned at the shaking child. "I think I'll teach you some respect, bloody trash!" Whimpering, Naruto closed his eyes, praying it would be over soon. No one had ever tried to beat him up like this before. Usually, people just glared until he went away. All he knew was that nothing had ever hurt as much as this did.

However, before another hit could land, something large and metal lashed against the assailants face. Spinning, the civilian was launched into the wall across the alley bleeding and unconscious. "What the heck are you doing you punk? No one beats up little kids while I'm around!" The voice, while female, was loud and menacing. Sniffing, Naruto turned towards his savior.

A slender girl holding a ramen take out box stood there, snorting like a bull. Despite the rage filled eyes, Naruto thought she looked awfully pretty. With a short red skirt, long brown hair and clear amber eyes, she cut an impressive figure. Her obvious anger at his assailant was just icing on the cake. "If I ever catch you hurting a kid again, I'll rip off both of your arms and set you up as a kunai dummy at the Academy!" While he did not quite know what was going on, the blonde knew one thing with all his heart. This was an angel and he was in love.

Turning to him, the rage was replaced with a friendly smile. "Hi there, are you ok? This jerk didn't hurt you too much did he?" Seeing someone look at him with such kindness was almost too much for the child. No one had ever had such kind eyes when dealing with him before, besides the old man. Coupled with his aching ribs and previous fear, Naruto could be forgiven for breaking down and crying. Despite the troubles, this could now be thought of as one of the best days of his life!

Biting her lip, the mystery girl went down to check him over. "Hey, are you alright? Come on, why don't you come back to the shop with me and I'll have mom check you over. It's not too far away from here, and afterwards we can get you a bowl of ramen. How does that sound?" Having never been invited to someone's home or place business before, Naruto could only bring himself to nod. Smiling, the girl picked him up to leave. "I just hope that you aren't too hurt. Oh, and I've been really rude! My name is Onimaru Miki, what's yours?"

Holding back a bit, Naruto tried to return her smile. Hopefully, he would not be dumped in a trash can after this. "My name is Uzumaki Naruto, nice to meet you." Seeing no looks of hatred or disgust, the blonde allowed himself to relax. Unknown to both, this was the start of a beautiful friendship.

* * *

Looking into his crystal ball, the Sandaime Hokage frantically searched the streets of Konoha for his wayward charge. After hearing about the difficulty that Naruto had been having in securing food and resources, he had taken it upon himself to check for potential restaurants the boy would not be thrown out of on his own. Sending out some Chunin in henge, the Hokage had begun to check for potential eateries. Each was instructed to take no action that could be seen as either threatening or unusual, and despite some grumbling all had complied with his directives. The results had been most disappointing.

Of all the restaurants or local grocery stores that supplied business around Naruto's apartment, about seventy percent refused the Naruto impersonators service outright. Of the remaining thirty percent, about half of them overcharged for both supplies and services to an absurd degree, often offering the lowest quality goods possible. Those that did allow him to enter and served him properly were limited to a couple of smaller business with minimal selection. With these sorts of choices, Naruto might very well be forced to grow up living off of spoiled milk and instant ramen!

Luckily, one of the restaurants at least looked promising. An Ichiraku Ramen, only about six blocks from his apartment, had responded nicely to his agent. The owner was known as a fair and pragmatic man, never turning away anyone's business, especially those who loved ramen. While not the healthiest diet, the ramen stand would at least keep the child fed somewhat. In addition, the prices were well within Naruto's budget if he was careful. It was not like he would suddenly start eating twenty bowls in a sitting was it?

He was all set to take Naruto out for his first ramen when Homura and Koharu decided to visit. As much as he trusted his old teammates, Sarutobi had to admit that the two had horrible timing. What was worse was their recent strengthened alliance with Danzou of all people. Rather than move beyond their sensei's hatred, both had begun to undermine the authority and position of the Uchiha. With the recent rumblings of a coup, he was one of the few trying to keep the bloodshed down to a minimum. However, neither would be swayed this time, and the argument kept him from his appointment with Naruto. All in all, it was a very unsatisfactory end to the day.

However, just as he finally got those two out of the tower, word reached him of an injured civilian complaining that Naruto had attacked him. Wasting no time, the Sandaime had ordered Ibiki and Inoichi to review the incident, only to discover the man had been injured in the midst of beating the blonde into a pulp. Worried that someone had taken advantage of Naruto's injured state, the leader had wasted no time in ordering the assailant's incarceration and a search for the wayward child. He could not spare too many ninja, or people would start screaming about favoritism and demonic corruption. Thankfully for the old man's heart, he was able to locate Naruto's unique chakra signature within a few minutes.

Observing the boy happily eating ramen with an unfamiliar girl, the Sandaime racked his brains trying to remember the location. Expanding the view of the globe, he sighed in relief. About a year after the Kyuubi attacked, a number of displaced merchants had relocated to Konoha in an effort to recover from the horrible losses incurred in the disaster. While many dispersed into the general market, a number of the more eccentric ones had banded together to form a shopping district near the clan compounds. While not the highest quality, the area was a strong element of support for the middle class ninja and career Genin's of the village.

Still, the Onimaru family had a bit of a reputation. Highly skilled in the family Taijutsu, the current heir of the family had failed out of the Academy for a lack of discipline and chakra control. Rather than send her to try again, the Onimaru matriarch had instead instituted the girl as a waitress in their ramen restaurant. She had become one of the main sources of entertainment in the district, sparing with other academy dropouts with impressive violence. Given such a strong demonstration of power, no one neglected their tab in that area, be they ninja or civilian.

In all honesty, it was that penchant for violence that kept him from approaching the district in the first place. The last thing that Naruto needed was a role model who regularly beat up Chunin and Jonin deadbeats for fun. Still, all might not be lost. Perhaps he could still introduce Naruto to Ichiraku at a later date? The boy was only six after all, and would probably like one ramen stand as much as the next. What could possibly go wrong?

* * *

Despite what Sarutobi might have desired, nothing could have been that simple. Although introduced to Ichiraku, Naruto was more inclined to visit his new idol Miki whenever he could get away with it. Many of the merchants around the Onimaru restaurant were considered weird enough that one hyperactive blonde blended in without any problems. In the end, the child became such a good customer of both locations that they did not begrudge him visiting a business rival. In fact, Ayame and Miki even became good friends, and eventual drinking buddies. Between Miki's energy and Ayame's charm, the two found their social calendars filling at a surprising clip.

Discovering a district that would not refuse him service, Naruto found himself making more friends among the shopkeepers there than at any other time in his young life. Akihiko the vegetable stand owner introduced him to manga and anime, including the awesome show Star Rangers. They could spend hours in the park after business playing out scenes and using fake taijutsu to take on Hell's Bunny. While his obsession was a little strange, Naruto could not get enough of the cool poses. If that Jonin he had seen was anything to go by, learning such techniques was a great way to become a stronger ninja.

Megumi, Miki's arch rival was a little more difficult. At first, Naruto had viewed her as a threat to his second precious person. But after seeing a few of their fights, the little blonde could not help but enjoy himself. Watching to two girls smiling as they beat the tar out of one another, led him to think they were actually playing ninja. Wanting to get in on the action, the child would throw himself into the battles as much as he could get away with. In the end, Miki and Megumi ended up toning down their duels to play dates with the blonde Jinchuuriki, despite hating one another's guts. Naruto was just lucky that his puppy dog eyes worked so well, or he would have been turned into a pin cushion.

The only one that really troubled the young blonde was Kankuro. A Genin who had failed his third qualification exam for a team, the odd boy had settled down as a Jack of all Trades within the shopping district. A childhood rival of Miki's in the Academy, the odd boy had made it his life's goal to defeat the girl after years of abuse during their taijutsu competitions. Naruto might have worried about Miki's safety in facing a qualified ninja, if not for the fact that the silver haired teen had never won a match. Seeing her dismiss the boy to the point of never remembering his name was actually kind of funny.

Then of course, there was his own ultimate rival. A few years older than him, Inuzuka Wakana and her battle dog Toshiyuki were considered prodigies within their clan. However, for some reason, Toshiyuki seemed to enjoy picking fights within the shopping district and would often attack Miki during her combat runs. Seeing just how strong the dog was, Naruto swore to get even stronger than the Inuzuka no matter what! The way she blushed whenever he made such declarations went completely over his head.

As time went on, Naruto managed to wrangle some additional help from his new friends. None of them were considered to be particularly powerful by ninja standards, but since each had taken the Academy numerous times, they had a much deeper understanding of the material than average. On top of that, given their rather simple mind-sets, no one could be in a better position to dumb the material down for the hyperactive child. Therefore, a significantly different learning experience awaited the soon to be future Hokage; especially when a regular at the Onimaru heard about his upcoming enrolment.

* * *

Looking over the candidates for ninja to teach the upcoming class at the Academy, the Sandaime was distracted by a sudden knock at the door. Seeing his assistant's face, he could not determine if Naruto had pulled a prank or they were being invaded. Perhaps it was time to look into shuffling around the duty rosters this month? "My apologies, Hokage-sama but there is someone requesting an audience and she is not taking no for an answer." Wondering who could possibly scare his secretary that badly, besides Anko and Kurenai when they got on a bender, Sarutobi nodded his agreement to the meeting. Observing the subject, he now understood a fraction of that fear. Truly, this was someone you did not want to piss off.

Tomoka "The Ghost" Kayahara was once an exceptional Chunin Instructor, seeking to mold the minds of future ninja for many years. In fact, what made her so effective was the natural negative chakra aura she tended to put out. Anyone who lacked the fortitude to handle instruction under the woman who, besides this little natural quirk, was always concerned about her students, would not last long in the field. Sadly, due to personnel losses during the Kyuubi attack, they had been forced to move Tomoka into the torture and interrogation department. Despite her success and subsequent promotion to Jonin, the nature of her new job led the poor woman to become horribly depressed and negative. There were times even Ibiki had trouble dealing with her.

Nevertheless, as Hokage it was his job to look after those under his command. Smiling as much as he dared, the Sandaime did his best to ignore the phantoms that constantly seemed to surround the brunette. "Greetings Kayahara, is there something I can do for you? I don't think I've seen you in this office since your promotion." Of course, this was mostly due to Tomoka's naturally introverted nature and shy disposition. Even Anko could not manage to get the woman out to a party and that took real effort.

Standing straight, Kayahara cleared her throat. "After careful review of the T&I department, I have requested a transfer back to the Academy. Ibiki-san has informed me that such a request would have to be personally approved by you, Hokage-sama. While I am flattered that my skills are held in such high regard in the department, I do believe that it is time for a change." Keeping his smile in place, Sarutobi mentally cursed the head of the interrogation department. Of course Ibiki would have to pass the buck instead of bringing the request personally. On one hand, just a look at Kayahara was enough to break many infiltrators, while on the other hand she was an outcast within the entire department.

Looking at the woman's composure beginning to crumble, Sarutobi decided this was probably a great chance to kill two birds with one stone. The goals of keeping Kayahara from killing herself and toughening the graduating class up a bit honestly worked well together. "Very well Kayahara, as of this day you will be senior instructor with Umino Iruka. Your class will be starting within two weeks. Is that sufficient time to prepare?" Acknowledging his orders with a nod, the newly minted instructor walked out, her aura almost three shades lighter than before.

Leaning back into his chair, Sarutobi hoped that this would not come back and bite him later. The upcoming class was filled with the heirs of several prominent ninja clans, whose instruction into the ninja arts would be vital to the future of Konoha. While the Kunoichi was a gifted sensei, she had not expressed an interest in teaching since seeing many of her comrades and former students fall to the Kyuubi and the following skirmishes with Kumo. Even if she was depressed about working alone in T&I, what could possibly have motivated such a sudden change of heart? Of course, when the Sandaime later discovered that one of his best interrogators had become a regular opponent against Naruto in Ramen eating contests forming an impromptu friendship, he would not know what to think.

* * *

Looking around, Hyuga Hinata watched Naruto-kun heading towards a shopping district with one of their senseis. She had first noticed the blonde on the first day of class, smiling and cheerful even after going out in the hall for disrupting the lesson. Still, he was great in Taijutsu while having a firm grasp of the basics. By the end of the week, he had risen to fifth place on the class rankings, with second place in trap making. It did not hurt that he was really cute.

Blushing, the shy girl continued to observe Kayahara-sensei and Naruto-kun enter a Ramen Restaurant. The spooky woman freaked out most of the class, but Hinata's Byakugan neutralized the natural gloom that surrounded the educator. Hinata actually thought that she was nice to be so concerned for their welfare, and made a special point to pay attention to her lessons. Still, seeing the older woman lead off the subject of her fledgling crush made the heiress very curious, resulting in the current situation. If Naruto-kun and Kayahara-sensei had some sort of relationship outside of class, she had to find out!

Watching the entrance of the shop, Hinata tried to gather her courage. The Onimaru restaurant was a little more worn down than she was used to, but the idea of entering in such an enclosed space with Naruto-kun left her feeling faint. What if he saw her and tried to talk with her? What if she screwed up and made him angry? She was the Hyuga Failure after all, so what would a nice kid like Naruto see in her? The questions and insecurities froze the shy child in place, distracting her from an approaching figure. "Hey, what are you doing staring at my families shop?"

Shocked that she had allowed herself to be surprised, even in the laxity of the village, Hinata spun to face the speaker. A tall girl with long brown hair, a tight apron and short red skirt stood before her with a wide smile. Taking a moment, Hinata realized that it was the same smile that Naruto had in class. "Hey, I'm not going to hurt you. The name's Onimaru Miki and I'm the poster girl for that shop. What can I do for you, honored Hyuga?"

Biting her lip, Hinata looked down. "Ummm, I sa..aaw one of my cla..ssmates from the Academy go in. I didn't mean to be rude. I..I'll just be going now!" Her nerve finally failing her, the child began to head towards the compound only to be stopped cold. Miki, civilian or not had a very firm grip on the back of her shirt.

Walking towards the shop, Miki seemed to ignore her attempts to flee. "Now, now I'm never one to chase away a customer! Come on in and have a bowl on me! In fact, I think that you're right on time for the weekly contest!" Blinking in confusion, Hinata realized that she had somehow managed to enter the store unawares during her escape attempts. Looking around fearfully, she was surprised by a small crowd near one of the middle tables. Sitting there were both Naruto and Kayahara-sensei with solemn looks on their faces. Feeling the hand leave her shirt, Hinata looked up at her abductor in surprise. "Sorry dear, but I've got to get in place. After they're done with their second round, I'll get you a miso on the house, alright?" Confused, Hinata nodded before taking a seat. Something odd was going on here, and she was just curious enough to find out what.

Stepping in front of the table, Miki held a spoon up like a microphone. "Ladies and gentlemen! Today we have another battle for the title of supreme ramen lover of Konoha! In this corner, still champion at twenty two bowls in a hour, Tomoka Kayahara!" The group of observers hooted and hollered, shouting out love confessions and support. Turning to the blonde, Miki smirked. "Of course, no challenge would be complete without a worthy foe! Here he is, the current strongest runner-up at twenty bowls in a one hour period, Uzumaki Naruto!" Much to Hinata's surprise, the support for the blonde was just a strong with well wishers calling out left and right.

The battle between Kayahara-sensei and Naruto-kun was intense, not only for the competition, but Miki who had to serve both competitors and the rest of the observers. It actually took until bowl three of the challenge before Hinata got her miso on the house. Taking a bite, she was surprised to feel the warmth of the food infuse her spirit. Seeing everyone eating and having a good time as Naruto-kun and a smiling Sensei continued to consume vast quantities of ramen together, Hinata felt a sudden sense of belonging. Since the death of her mother, such emotions were all but alien to her way of life.

At the end of the hour, Naruto-kun managed an upset, raising the bar at twenty four bowls of ramen to Kayakara-sensei's twenty one. Smiling, both bowed to one another while the older woman took out a wallet to cover the cost. Joining the cheer, Hinata smiled at the sight, happy that her crush was so happy. That was when things took an interesting turn. Turning to go, Hinata was shocked when Naruto-kun got in front of her along with sensei. Nervous, Hinata gulped at their looks. "Miki-nee-chan said you were waiting outside the shop after we went in, Hinata-chan. Did you need us for something?"

Blushing at being caught, she poked her fingers together. "I saw the two of you leave and got curious. I didn't mean to be a bother." Already feeling the self recrimination for her stalking, Hinata missed the curious look the two ramen experts shared. Feeling a hand on her shoulder, Hinata looked up into a pair of kind eyes.

Face still flushed with the feast of ramen, Kayahara-sensei smiled. "It was alright if you wanted to come along, Hinata-chan. We try to do this for fun at least once a week. But in the future, please feel free to walk with us, alright? I would hate for one of my students to get hurt walking around unattended." Seeing Naruto-kun nod his agreement, Hinata let out a small smile. Maybe she would not be a bother after all.

* * *

Standing before the teacher, Yamanaka Ino felt absolutely mortified. She and Forehead girl had been running to get the seat next to Sasuke that morning and accidentally knocked over Naruto-baka. Unfortunately for them, Iruka-sensei was there and decided to ream them out in the middle of class. It almost looked like she would be getting a note to take home when Kayahara-sensei decided to intercede. As the senior member of the teaching duo, she had the right to override the Chunin at times. Still, being forced to deal with a detention with the creepy woman almost made the young blonde wish for the note. She could not even be within a foot of the Sensei without getting the shivers. Sakura had it even worse.

Standing before the two kunoichi in training, the tall Jonin frowned. Ino almost felt the temperature drop by the second. "I understand that young girls sometimes develop crushes, especially with the cute and well connected ones. It is a simple fact of life that, with all the extra physical work you children put in your development gets a little bit of a jumpstart. However, I will not have this silly crush endanger yourselves, your classmates, or your potential teammates!" Dropping to one knee, Kayahara-sensei forced both of them to stare her in the eyes. "Remember that being a kunoichi is not a game. If you are not willing to take this seriously, then I will work with you personally until that changes, understood?" Terrified of the close proximity to such a dark aura, both girls barely forced a nod before running off screaming.

Collapsing in a flower field ten minutes away, Ino tried to get her bearings. The mere thought of spending so much more time with the brunette was enough to send chills down her spine. As much as Sasuke was her true love, some things just were not worth it. Looking over to Sakura, she saw her thoughts perfectly mirrored in the brainy girls eyes. "So we're in agreement? No chasing Sasuke at the Academy, with the understanding that after school hours are fair game?"

Nodding, the pink haired girl paused. "Maybe we should also pick up our training a bit? If Kayahara-sensei thinks we are falling behind, she might try to tutor us or something." Just the thought of working with such a disturbing and creepy teacher in close contact froze any feelings of passion kicking around in Ino's heart. No guy, no matter how cute, was worth such horror!

"Agreed, with the understanding that we work together. That way, we keep the playing field equal as much as possible." No way was she going to undermine her chances with Sasuke by letting Sakura have any chance at extra access to the Uchiha genius! Seeing Sakura nod without complaint, Ino felt a little bad. Maybe, just for once, Sakura was not trying to fight against her destiny with Sasuke. "Tell you what. Let's meet here after school tomorrow and see what we can get done, ok?" Seeing her rival shyly nod, Ino could not help but smile. This might even be fun!

* * *

Looking over the newspaper ad once again, Tenten gathered her courage before leaving her apartment. Graduation from the Academy was only six months away, and she wanted to have the best possible gear before going into the field. However, as an unsponsored orphan, she was expected to pick up the slack for any unusual expenses, high quality weapons included. If she was going to reach her goal of emulating the mighty Tsunade-sama, only the highest shinies would do! After all, no matter how careful you were, cast off kunai from the practice fields just could not compare.

Her original plan was to work in the stock room of one of the local weapon smiths and earn extra cash that way. Unfortunately, she was told business was a little slow and a position for an unskilled Academy Student would not be available for another two months. Normally she might have waited, but the owner had pointed out an add she might be interested in. A bakery run by one of his old favorite customers was looking for a little counter help. Money was money, and if she threw his name in, Megumi-san was sure to help her out. That way she could gain valuable experience and cash before moving on to a position in the shop. Remembering how hard it was at times to stretch her stipend, Tenten wasted no time in setting up an interview.

Looking at the bouncy blonde, Tenten had to wonder just how this girl had ever thought of becoming a ninja. Of course, without her rank, the ditz was left with only her store and looks to make ends meet. Still, she was the boss and the ticket to a brand new set of shuriken by graduation day. "well, aren't you just the cutest little thing? Alright, Shiro-san wouldn't steer me wrong so welcome aboard! You'll be given a trial run for about two weeks, and if that goes alright then we'll see about something a little more long term, at least until your graduation from the Academy. I just need a bit of help dealing with my latest influx of customers. I honestly don't know what to do with them all." Seeing the little jiggle involved, Tenten decided to treat herself to an extra helping of dango if this twit's customer base did not involve a bunch of drooling guys.

However, before the bun haired girl could voice her acceptance, Megumi suddenly was a blur of motion. Trying to follow the movement, Tenten was shocked that a girl across the street seemed to be dodging bamboo spears like they were kunai. "So sorry Tenten-chan, but I just needed to deal with a little cockroach. That horrible girl is always making trouble, and it's better to be proactive." Sighing, the blonde began to sharpen a spear while smiling at the cursing Ramen delivery girl, at least judging from her take away container and waitress. "What I wouldn't give for the days when, as an Academy student, I could legally acquire kunai without issue. Such is the fate of a civilian, to my regret. Now just come back tomorrow at one during the lunch lull and we'll go over the procedures, alright?" Nodding, the bun haired girl left in a daze.

As an orphan with an unhealthy interest in weaponry, Tenten had always been left out of those female bonding moments that marked a normal girls development. Over time, she had simply disregarded such activities as frivolous, and made a point of being one of the guys. But after seeing a girly girl civilian with that sort of accuracy, the soon to be Kunoichi began to wonder if there might be something to this feminine thing. At least she would have a few months to get some pointers from the blonde. Smiling, the young brunette began to skip her way home, anticipating the next day with gusto.

* * *

Seeing Miki's little mascot struggling with practice, Kankuro frowned. While he might despise everything that girl stood for, he had to admit that Naruto was not so bad. Besides, compared to the absolute monster that the ramen girl was in school, the container of a giant fox demon was nothing. Still, while the kid's Taijutsu was passable and his Ninjutsu was going to be awesome with some more control, the Clone technique seemed to be really beyond his ability to use. For him to have such bad control meant either a lack of focus, or way more chakra than any kid should have to worry about.

While Kankuro still harbored serious issues about his Academy days, he had managed to graduate. Unfortunately, no Jonin sensei was willing to work with him while dealing with such deep personal issues. At the moment, he was simply a Genin in reserve, only to be activated again if there was a sudden manpower shortage. As part of that, he was given an exercise routine that was designed to keep him in shape. While most in his position simply dropped from the program and tried to get civilian employment, the silver haired ninja was too stubborn for that. Therefore, he kept pushing himself as hard as he dared, hoping to one day move up the ladder. Seeing someone else struggling touched something deep within him, and made up his mind. He would help Naruto when all these other losers failed to do so! That did not mean he was going to make it easy on the punk though.

"Man, oh man! You are just as much a loser as Miki, nyaaa! Having so much trouble with such a simple technique!" Forcing himself to laugh, Kankuro tried not to think of the little blonde's tears, barely suppressed by pride. Flicking the blonde's head, the silver haired Genin smirked. "Any idiot would know that if you can start off making a few clones because of too much chakra, then you should try to make too many clones and work your way down! If that's how Miki is training, I'd better go challenge her now before she gets her head together! See ya, blonde! Nyaaa!"

Jumping into the foliage, Kankuro smirked at the look of realization on Naruto's face. No one had ever told him he had too much chakra for the technique, just that he was bad at it. Iruka got frustrated with his inattention while Kayahara had her hands full with all the loser kunoichi that had made it in the program in recent years. No one had thought that an Academy student was overloading such a basic technique, just that he lacked focus. Still, it was like his first Jonin instructor had told him, before failing their squad. "While quality over quantity is a good path in theory, enough quantity has a quality all its own." Of course, what could you expect from Kakashi the Copy Ninja, master of one thousand techniques?

Seeing Naruto succeed in making nearly a thousand clones, Kankuro left, hopeful the little punk would learn from this. Trying to make fewer clones would force him to concentrate, and improve his control. Even a loser like him knew that the kid was destined for great things. Cracking his knuckles, the Genin began to write up another challenge letter. He was so inspired, in fact, that today had to be the best day to defeat Miki! That monster would not know what hit her!

* * *

Looking out at the assembled students, Iruka smiled fondly. It had been a difficult few years, but he had to admit that this class would go far. Despite some losses due to Tomoka-san's efforts to weed out the weak and raise standards, the scarred Chunin knew the remnants would go much farther than anyone would believe. In fact, the odds were that nearly sixty percent of these students would progress past their graduation tests as opposed to the normal thirty three. Such potential had not been put into place since the last ninja war.

Calling out the team assignments, he saw the cute brunette next to him smile. One of the next teams had been a personal project over the years, and the Kunoichi was clearly proud. "Team Seven will be Uchiha Sasuke, Inuzuka Kiba, and Haruno Sakura! Your Jonin Sensei will be Hatake Kakashi!" Observing the serious young kunoichi, crimson belt of miniature explosive notes and herbal extracts complementing the headband over her forehead; it was hard to believe that this child was once such a wallflower. Her smile at a similarly attired blonde two rows back was met with an easy grin of challenge. Truly, Tomoka-san had worked wonders with those two.

Looking at the confident blonde prankster, proud in his own headband and chatting with a pale girl in the back, Iruka felt confident in his next team construction. "Team Eight will be Hyuga Hinata, Uzumaki Naruto, and Aburame Shino! Your Jonin Sensei will be Yui Kurenai!" He knew that having a close friend as well as a neutral party would help Naruto more than any other form of support. The blonde was still unaware of his prisoner, and taking a few precautions before it was revealed would be better for everyone. No matter the Hokage's reasoning for Kakashi being the preferred Sensei candidate, Naruto would learn much under Kurenai. Besides, Iruka still owed the brat for helping him ask Tomoka-san out last week. She was just too cute when eating ramen!

"Team Nine is still in circulation, so Team Ten will be Nara Shikamaru, Yamanaka Ino, and Akimichi Chouji! Your Jonin Sensei will be Sarutobi Asuma!" This was the only group he was a little worried about. Ever since Ino had taken to carrying around a sword, both boys had gone out of their way to avoid her. Hopefully Asuma would be able to polish their rough edges before something happened out in the field. "To all of you, I wish you the best of luck in your future ninja careers! Remember, today you enter the family of Konoha ninja carrying the strength of your comrades and the Will of Fire. Trust in them and you will never be disappointed!" Feeling Tomoya-san's hand on his shoulder, Iruka fought down a blush. This was his last time as this class s sensei, and he didn't want that image tarnished with a nose bleed or goofy grin!

* * *

Following his two teammates after their successful Genin qualification exam, Shino took a moment to review what he knew of the two. Hyuga Hinata was a nice, if somewhat quiet kunoichi who was second overall in the female rankings with a specialization in taijutsu. As an heiress of the prestigious Hyuga clan. She had initially only been an average student, but had shown a sudden improvement in both technique and attitude a few years ago. Now, judging from both her actions in class and the exam, she would be a fine teammate.

Uzumaki Naruto, on the other hand, was a much more difficult nut to crack. Originally a loud and scatterbrained boy, he had demonstrated a significant level of improvement around the same time as Hinata. Many ninja and civilians held him in low regard without proper reasoning, including members of his own clan. Yet the blonde did not demonstrate any behavior that would bring his worth or loyalty into question. In all honesty, it was a puzzle that had bothered the Aburame for quite some time.

Still, with such reasonably skilled teammates, Shino had no concerns about his immediate prospects. However, he was curious about their current destination. The second Kurenai-sensei had dismissed her team, both Hinata and Naruto had told him to follow them to the victory party. Yet, their destination did not appear to be in the direction of either the Hyuga clan compound or Uzumaki's apartment building. Instead, they entered a middle class shopping district he had never been before. Clearly familiar with the route, both led him directly to a ramen restaurant with loud noises coming from behind the door.

Smiling, Hinata reached for the entrance. "Now Shino-kun, they are a little loud but the people are really nice. They invited us to this party, and I think that you'll really like them, right Naruto?" Nodding his agreement, Naruto smirked. For some reason, Shino could not help but be alarmed by that look in his eyes. It was rather foxy, and thus disturbing.

Entering the establishment, Shino was overwhelmed by the raucous laughter and song. Naruto and Hinata were quick to blend in, wishing others well and accepting the hugs and ribbing at the appearance of their new headbands. Before he knew what was happening, the quiet Aburame was dragged before nearly a dozen different people, loudly wishing him well while telling him to look out for their friends.

As cold and emotionless as he tried to be at times, Shino could appreciate the atmosphere of the establishment. While not everyone was friendly, enough good will and cheer filled the restaurant to make him feel that sense of belonging. While it was difficult, the boy had to admit the attention and inclusiveness was kind of nice. Allowing himself a small smile, he joined his teammates in celebrating their graduation. The first of many celebrations the three would share through both trials and tribulations.

* * *

Authors Notes

Fusion: Naruto X Ramen Fighter Miki

And yes, I completely blame the owner of my local anime store for this one. He showed an episode at his establishment, spoke well about it, and managed to intrigue me. The fact the DVD's were dirt cheap was only icing on the cake. It is funny, crazy crack that can break your brain. But with a premise like that, it was perfect to use with Naruto :)

Now then, just so we are all on the same page, I previously announced that I would be posting a poll for the forth chapter of Different Techniques over in Escape from the Hokage's Hat. The goal here was to provide some filler to take care of you all while I attempt **National Novel Writing Month**. I m still going strong there, but just in case some of you read only Different Techniques and have ignored my Profile page lately, I will leave the poll up for two more days. This is your last chance to decide what the next chapter I chose for Different Techniques is.

But if that is not enough motivation for some voting, I ll sweeten the pot a little. The voting will determine the order of production of Different Techniques! So even if you don t think your vote will count because there is no way you can overcome the current lead, still vote for your choice, if only to see it that much sooner!

Thanks for reading, and as promised, I will deliver another chapter of Different Techniques before the end of the month. So get out there and vote on the poll! (Reviews are nice and appreciated, but will not be counted as votes in the final tally. Sorry.)

Thanks again, and I hope you continue to enjoy!


	4. A Different Shade of Blonde

No I don't own Naruto. However, I do know enough to give the people what they want!

Chapter Four: A Different Shade of Blonde

Feeling her consciousness slowly returning, Ino suppressed an instinctive groan of pain. One moment she had been listening to Kiba making a comment about the enemy, and the next the air was filled with dust and blood. Still, keeping in mind just what her environment was, the blonde kunoichi kept as still as possible for several minutes before releasing a sigh of relief. Even with her limited senses, she was fairly sure that no one was in the immediate vicinity. Opening her eyes, the blonde then had to bite back a scream of horror. It appeared that the reason she had survived the explosion in such good shape was that Shino had managed to push her out of the direct line of fire. As a result, nearly half his torso had been splattered over the clearing across the lifeless forms of her remaining team. Swallowing her bile, the blonde staggered to the edge of the clearing before collapsing. No matter how rough things had been recently, nothing could have ever prepared her for seeing her comrades destroyed so casually. At that point, Ino knew she was not ready for this war. In fact, none of them were.

Ever since the Pain Invasion she had been running on auto pilot. Ino had gone without sleep helping at the medical camps, recovering materials from the Torture and Interrogation Department and coordinating with her teammates to clear rubble for construction. Honestly, a part of her had begun to resent the constant and unrelenting tide of chores that threatened to overwhelm everybody, including her. But when word had come from above about Sasuke and his full classification as a traitor, she welcomed the struggle. The constant effort distracted her from the fears doubts that filled her head at night. The exhaustion plugged the tears, and left her just enough energy to comfort Sakura between shifts at the medical tent. Ino knew it was not healthy and would probably burn her out, but the blonde could not find it in her heart to care. The first boy she had ever loved had helped engineer an international incident that put her friends in great danger. She could not face that reality without driving herself crazy.

She was not sure which had shocked her more, Shikamaru's demand that they kill Sasuke first, or Naruto's demand that he be allowed to handle it alone. While she would follow the lazy slacker to the ends of the earth, the cold and final way he dictated that their lost friend had to die sent shivers up her spine. Somehow, the blonde had to wonder if in fact he simply saw everything as a consequence of his first failed mission as a squad leader, and this was his way of making up for his mistake. But Naruto's determination had been even more unnerving. Instead of launching in a complex and spirited description about how he would make everything alright, the blonde had simply stated his intentions of dealing with Sasuke on his own terms. Normally she would be relieved, but something in Sakura's eyes when the promise came up made the Kunoichi wary. Ino just knew that the loveable idiot had a crazy scheme in play that would break the sanity of any other ninja into pieces. It was almost a relief to hear the Kage council had decided to hide Naruto and the Kumo Jinchuuriki away together. At least that way her friend would have someone to hold her when things got too painful.

But now, in the middle of a battle with an enemy that outnumbered and out powered their own forces by over twenty percent, Ino almost wished the blonde idiot would show up. Despite his flaws, Naruto always had this way of making people feel better just with a few simple words. Plus, after his battle with Pain there was no way she would believe that he was anything other than a powerful ninja. Her team sure could have used that sort of back up. She, Shino, Kiba, Hana and Akamaru had been dispatched behind enemy lines in order to flank the main column. Word had reached them from Kankuro in the Ambush Company that Anko-sempai and team had been nearly wiped out facing against Kabuto at the Akatsuki's base. In response, General Mifune had sent them to infiltrate the area in an attempt to use the chaos to confirm Anko's capture or kill, and unleash some retaliation. Either they were to attempt to track Kabuto to paint him as a target, or try to determine if either Anko-sempai or Yamato-sensei could be rescued. Unfortunately, due to one heck of a left over trap, it appeared their chances of success had just gone down to zero.

Forcing herself to remain calm, Ino pointedly looked away from her companions, unwilling to face that reality for now. Instead, she began to climb the nearest tree for some perspective. Her mission was a failure for now, but this far behind enemy lines, surely there had to be something she could do. The blonde's preferred method of information gathering involved taking over the local wildlife while hiding in plain sight. But without someone to watch over her human form, that practice was dangerous at best, suicidal at worst. She owed her comrades and herself more than that. Of course, any further attempts at self recrimination were halted by the sight that greeted her at the top.

Apparently she had been out a little longer than expected, because the battle was going full throttle. A wave of white forms lashed against the main column, with a cloud of sand dividing the two with the occasional flash of an elemental ninjutsu. Here and there were little circles of space that filled with even larger and more damaging attacks, some of which she could even feel from miles away. Frowning, she removed a spyglass and sent some additional chakra to her eyes. It was not the vision of a hawk, but the Yamanaka would take anything she could get. Seeing unfamiliar forms attacking, only to be blasted to pieces before attacking again, the Kunoichi shuddered. It appeared that their intelligence about the Edo Tensei, Impure Resurrection jutsu was accurate. She almost dropped the glass at a familiar head of hair, before smothering a curse. If even Asuma-sensei could be a victim of that technique, who could possibly avoid it? This was a war against monsters, and that involved monstrous attacks.

The only thing keeping her from launching herself at the battle ground was the fact things seemed to be stable. Despite the insane numbers of attackers, she was comforted that the line was being held by the Shinobi army's power, Gaara's defensive technique, and sheer stubbornness. Ino's studies of the mind had taught her a thing or two about morale and how it affected people. For some reason, those ninja were fighting with everything they had in order to smash the enemy to pieces. Either there had been some recent developments, or she had underestimated how other people had enjoyed Gaara's opening speech. After dealing with Naruto for so long, inspirational speeches tended to lose some of their bang, no matter who made them. Confident that the situation was well in hand, she decided that continuing her mission and sealing her teammates away from the battle field was all she had left to do. She might not get Kabuto, but both her father and Shikamaru had taught her the value of information. Every little bit gathered could help tip the balance in their favor.

Of course, that was when things had to go wrong. Out of the field of white came a massive figure encased in shadow and flame. Startled, Ino focused her spy glass as carefully as she could before her breath caught in her throat. It had been years since she had seen the boy within the spectral armor, but there was no doubt in her mind at all. Before the armies of the world stood Uchiha Sasuke encased in the power of the Mangekyou Sharingan's greatest known offensive and defensive attack, Susanoo. Launching himself at Gaara, her first crush declared vengeance upon the allied forces of the Elemental Nations. Swallowing back a sob, Ino forced herself to watch the display. No matter what Naruto thought or Sakura dreamed, it was clear that the choice was beyond their ability to change. The Uchiha was now and forever a traitor to the end.

The battle between the Kazekage and the Uchiha was amazing. Flashes of fire and lightning danced with sparkling sand. Even from her distance, Ino could feel the chakra being released and it made her shudder. For the first time since Sasuke's defection, she prayed that he would die. If Gaara could defeat the bastard, the army could break the line and spearhead an attack against the main base. Untold lives could be spared and that horrible jutsu could be released at last if only the Konoha traitor would just fall. But much to her horror and shock, Sasuke finished the fight with a brutality that was simply inhuman. A wave of black fire suddenly flowed from the demonic form of Susanoo to consume the front wave of attackers. Despite Gaara's defense she could hear the cries as nearly a hundred of the strongest ninja in the world were wiped out in mere minutes. The Akatsuki had broken their line.

With the loss of Gaara and the Alliance vanguard, the wave of white clones and undead ninja began to progress once more. Ino knew she should be launching her own attack, or making her way back to base to report her failures, but found she could not move. It was like all the hope and faith in her body had been ripped out, only to be replaced with horror and despair. Even with the other Kage's attacking, the young Kunoichi could see no path of victory. The enemy had stronger troops, greater jutsu's and a leader who was as efficient as he was merciless. Even if she launched her attack, what good would it do? The clones had probably been designed to reject her technique, and her father had warned against trying it against the reanimated ninja. Even hitting Sasuke would be useless while that technique was in place. Her mental projection radiated chakra, even if the amounts were miniscule, and Susanoo would just reject it like Gaara's sand. She was simply a weak useless girl that Shino should have let die to continue the mission alone.

But before the blonde could make up her mind, a warm wind seemed to pass across the battle field, freezing things in place. Watching everyone turn to this new aura, Ino directed her sight back within the mob only to feel her mouth go dry. Walking calmly along the path was Naruto, but he was so different. She had seen him during the Pain fight, and that still did not compare to his current look. The hyperactive, knuckle headed most surprising ninja of Konoha was encased in a shroud of chakra that glowed like the sun. While she had dealt with the Kyuubi Chakra before, not to mention gathered some data from Sakura when the girl was feeling worried, but that was nothing compared to what was before her. This chakra filled her with a sense of peace and hope that was just so Naruto she almost laughed. Kumo's Jinchuuriki must have taught him something, because this was a much more powerful figure than the little brat that used to paint graffiti across the village.

Then the spell was broken and the white wave fell once more. Only this time, instead of a wall of sand defending the masses, a creature of golden fire was everywhere at once. Even with her spyglass and a lot of chakra in her eyes, Ino could barely track the path of her fellow blonde before he was gone again, tearing a chunk out of the opposition. Watching the blonde joke of the Academy rip apart enemies with glowing golden arms of power was more eye-opening than any other Uzumaki event she had ever heard of. A grown up Naruto was a little cute, but still hopeless. A determined Naruto was dangerous and beyond human. A Naruto with Sage abilities was a force of nature. But all of that paled to the reality of today. This was a Naruto who mastered the Kyuubi powers and used them to protect the world. It was a sight that was awe inspiring and humbling at the same time. But then Sasuke's flame covered figure came forward once again, and Ino felt her stomach clench in fear. Clearly fate, destiny or someone with a twisted sense of humor had decided the two old teammates would be fighting once again. Hopefully things would go better this time than before.

Unlike the clash against Gaara, Naruto and Sasuke's fight was a battle of ninja gods. The flashes of chakra, both molded and raw was blinding, and Ino wondered how the people closer to the battle were managing so well. Then she realized that the opposing armies had regrouped, giving the two ninja plenty of room. In fact, her distance and position probably gave Ino the best overall perspective of the fight, and she was almost shocked by what she saw. Naruto was not holding back, but was actually striking to kill. Rasengans, both elemental and kyuubi powered were launched with abandon, even as spectral arrows filled the sky. Naruto tried to get close, but Sasuke did his best to maintain both distance and reach advantage. In response, Naruto launched limbs of gold at the traitor which actually grasped the spectral energies of Susanoo into place. Sasuke responded by unleashing some sort of shield that rejected the strikes. It was a battle of equals yet opposites, and Ino saw no easy path to victory.

However, that did not mean there was not a difficult path. Biting her lip, Ino realized that a distraction at this point in the fight could be fatal, under the correct circumstances. While she was sure her Mind Body Change Technique would fail if used against either opponent, it would probably distract one of them. However, given the raw amount of chakra in the air, her soul would barely be able to make the distance, with no chance of return. If she attempted this, it would be a one way trip, with no guarantee of success. The smart thing to do would be returning to General Mifune with an update of the battle and further instructions. Remembering the fallen bodies of her comrades in the clearing, Ino carefully made the hand sign, whispering. "Since when do blondes do the smart thing? Mind Body Transfer!"

Feeling the familiar weightlessness that came from detaching her soul, Ino forced her miniscule aura forward. The astral field of the battleground was awash with absurd amounts of chakra, and it was almost like wading through a muddy soup. But after what felt like an eternity, Ino was there before the monstrous bodies of chakra. Feeling her technique slow even further in the proximity of the Susanoo, Ino willed herself just a little closer, making contact with the spectral armor. Almost at once her soul was bathed by the darkness within Uchiha Sasuke's aura, and if she retained her body Ino would have puked for a week. Only the warm and comforting sensation of Naruto's chakra kept her sane. Luckily, even as her energy dissipated, Ino had a front row seat for the results of her interference.

For Sasuke had felt her attack, if only enough to flinch out of position. Taking advantage of this, Naruto launched a Rasenshuriken at his unprotected feet. Realizing that his mirror would no longer defend against the attack, Sasuke began to cry blood as a new technique formed in the air above the participants. Unfortunately for the Uchiha, it was too slow to deflect the most powerful technique in Konoha. Even as the small hole began to grow, a sphere of shredding wind chakra consumed the unstable base of Susanoo, taking most of Sasuke's legs and torso with it. Leaking blood and in shock, the ninja lost control of the technique, falling to his relatively quick death.

Ino allowed herself a moment of self satisfaction before something began to tug on her soul. Thinking that, against all odds her technique had properly canceled, the blonde was surprised to discover that the pull was straight up. Apparently, whatever technique the Uchiha had launched with his dying breath had absorbed enough energy from the Susanoo to continue, dragging her and most of the raw chakra into its depths. Saddened by the loss, but thankful for her contribution to victory, Ino allowed herself to look down upon the battle field once more before freezing in shock. While Naruto appeared unharmed, he had collapsed from exhaustion at the conclusion of the battle. Unfortunately, the leader of Akatsuki had taken that opportunity to capture their prize. Before her mind's eye, the freak in the mask faded away, a limp Jinchuuriki over his shoulder. Ino had a moment to scream in frustration and fear before her world became filled with pain.

* * *

The Kunoichi had no idea what technique Sasuke had unleashed upon his head, but all she knew was a moment of absolute agony. The only sensation that came close to describing the feeling was a blender combined with a black hole going to town on her very soul. Yet, after either an eternity or five minutes, the blonde found herself tangled in some sort of overheated prison. Regaining some control, Ino fought against her bonds, only to lose control of her balance and fall into the abyss. Of course finding herself on a familiar wooden floor, alarm clock blaring in the background was the last thing that the blonde expected. Why the heck did hell look like her old room in her parents' house?

Realizing that her overheated prison was, in fact, a pile of tangled bedding, the blonde blushed as she got to her feet. Of course, the notable differences almost caused the girl to fall over once again. As a kunoichi of Konoha, Ino was extremely aware of any number of things, including personal chakra levels, physical strength and reach. Such information could mean the difference between life and death on a mission, especially for Chunin level ninja. Yet the values that were coming back from her little self examination were so low, an Academy student would have better conditioning! To the experienced kunoichi, it was like having an arm lopped off at the elbow with the blood still gushing out. Just what had that bastard Uchiha done to her?

Glancing around the room, she then began to wonder just how Sasuke had known enough about her to build such an impressive mental representation of her old room. Being a fashion conscious little girl, Ino had remodeled her room at least once every three years, usually changing a couple of posters or painting the walls to make it seem cooler. It had been a lot of work, but having hosted the best slumber parties over the years, the blonde had felt the need to ensure that she remain ahead of the curve. Besides, it had taken her years to determine her favorite color scheme, and she had not gotten things down perfectly until she was ten. Of course the whole thing became moot with Pain's attack, but that was beside the point. Ino had not used this particular configuration since her second year at the Academy, when one of the other girls made fun of her pony wall paper.

Checking around toys and books that had mostly found their way to the attic years ago, Ino was further shocked by her reflection in the closet mirror. She looked like a kid again! Her hair was short and neat, with a chubby face and such big eyes! Feeling a wave of nostalgia, the blonde touched the features in wonder. She had forgotten just how cute she was as a kid! But this was impossible, right? The whole thing was probably some sort of dream or genjutsu from the Uchiha. Feeling her heart freeze at the thought, Ino almost began to mold the chakra to break the technique before stopping herself. Even if the whole thing was a genjutsu, she lacked the chakra needed to break an E rank technique right now, let alone one from a Sharingan. Besides, what would the point be of trapping her in an illusion of the past? As galling as it was to admit it, Sasuke had no reason to use something this complex on someone so insignificant. The leader of Akatsuki made even less sense.

Her musings were broken by a sudden shout. "Ino! Did your alarm go off? Get out of bed dear, or you're going to be late for your first day!" Eyes widening, the girl dug around her dresser to find the little kunoichi calendar her father had gotten her as a fifth birthday present. There, in a big red circle was the notation, "Start the Academy Today!" Unless she missed her guess, this was the first day of the Ninja Academy right after her sixth birthday! Since when do Sharingan attacks launch people through time?

Mindful of her mother barging in, the blonde began to dress, planning furiously. While she had heard stories about the Sharingan genjutsu abilities, Ino doubted that this was an intentional attack of some sort. There was nothing for the enemy to learn from her Academy training, so going back then would accomplish nothing. However, if this was some sort of trick, the best thing to do was go with the flow so that nothing major changed. That way, it would all be redundant data that Sasuke could produce himself if need be.

However, if this was a misfired temporal attack like she was beginning to suspect, Ino needed to be ready. It had been nearly ten years since most of this stuff had happened, so even she could not remember every detail perfectly. Her best bet was to determine a strategy from what information she could gather today, and try to stay flexible. It was clear that she could not tell her parents though. Best case scenario they sent her to the hospital to be treated for mental contamination. Worst case they sent her to Torture and Interrogation to be vetted as a possible enemy infiltrator. Shivering at the thought, the young girl went down the stairs for breakfast.

* * *

Shrugging off the constant wave of nostalgia was the first problem. Konoha had not weathered a direct attack upon its walls since the Kyuubi attack, and six years had removed any of the physical damage. Ino honestly had not seen the village so peaceful since before the invasion of the Chunin Exam, and it brought back a lot of memories. Her favorite park was still in one peace, equipment untouched by sonic attacks and explosions. The tree she used to climb to show off was standing tall and proud, unconsumed by a misaimed fire technique. The buildings looked old and sturdy, like they would last forever. While she knew it could all be a trick, seeing Konoha like this was a welcome change of pace from frantic reconstruction and constant fear of attack. This was the time that the Will of Fire burned without rival.

The second issue was the sheer headache involved in acting like she was six. While a little stuck up and arrogant when younger, Ino had mostly been an average girl from a ninja clan. Suppressing ten years of hard eared instincts and responses, just because they would have looked out of place, was not easy. Certain attitudes like her obsession with appearance where expected here, and it galled the woman a bit each time she was forced to act the part. But she was expected to be energetic, forward speaking and without a lot of shame. After all, that was just what kids did, ninja village or no. She should not have to know any better just yet.

The third was dealing with her old friends. Before entering the Academy, she had formed a small group of close friends that followed her like a bunch of lost puppies. She was the only one from a ninja family, simply because most of those had sons her age not daughters. Most were civilians, while others were sponsored orphans who could not live with family for one reason or another. All of them looked up to her because she was smart, cool and strong. The blonde had to fight back an urge to blush whenever she saw the raw adoration in some of their eyes. As a child, Ino had lapped up the attention with gusto. As a girl with ten additional years of life and memories, three of those working as a kunoichi, she only felt embarrassment.

In all honesty, she had not thought about most of these girls for quite some time. About half of them had dropped from the program within the second month of training, unable to maintain the physical demands of the position. About a third of the remainders became rivals for Sasuke's affections, cutting ties with potential competition. The rest had failed their qualification exam for a Genin team before giving up. While there had been some half hearted attempts at maintaining contact, everyone involved had found it too painful. She could not manage to deal with their increasingly civilian lifestyles anymore, unable to talk about her own training for security concerns. They could no longer look at her and bear with what they had failed to accomplish, just because she was that much better. It was one of the reasons that she valued Sakura's friendship so much. The cherry blossom was the one person who could really get her both on and off the clock.

Of course, the comrades she remembered were there as well, although they were nothing to write home about at the moment. Kiba was yawning over in a corner, scratching at his facial tattoos. Shikamaru and Chouji were near the middle of the classroom, chatting over a bag of potato chips. Shino was in the far back, quiet and unresponsive while Hinata was only a few seats away, keeping her eyes down. Ino was jarred by just how weak and pathetic they all looked at this age. The gossip around her was easy enough to manipulate with a word or phrase, so that she was able to find out the local take on the future ninja. The response was a little shocking when the future was taken into account.

The girls saw Kiba as a loud mouth idiot who was too stupid to last long. Chouji and Shikamaru were totally lame, unable to really show any skills worth admiring and firmly stuck in the girls are icky stage of their development. Shino was a freak who liked bugs of all things. What girl would possibly want to deal with a creep that liked to play with flies, worms and all sorts of gross stuff? Hinata might be the Hyuga Heiress, but no one wanted to get close to her. She was weird, with those freaky eyes and that stupid coat. No real girl would wear something like that. Her family might be powerful, but she was too strange and stuck up to bother with. Remembering the numerous times each of those people had saved her life, trusting her to do the same, the blonde felt her blood boil. It took all her personal control not to rip these jerks into shreds for talking about true ninja of Konoha like that.

But the three biggest eye openers were Sakura, Sasuke, and Naruto himself. It had been so long since she had seen the pink haired girl as anything but a rival or ally that the return to the wallflower look was like a bucket of ice water. Haruno Sakura was often alone, thought to be too boring and brainy for a decent friend. She was shy, meek, and only outdid Hinata in the energetic department because she would meet the eyes of the instructors when answering a question. Seeing the shy little thing sitting away from her, rather than the bold Chunin that mastered medical training from Tsunade of the Sannin, Ino knew she would have her work cut out for her. No matter what this situation was, Sakura needed the chance to bloom!

Instead of being the center of attention, Uchiha Sasuke was just the younger brother of the clan heir. Nearly jolting in her seat, Ino realized that the Uchiha Massacre did not happen for at least another year! Until then, Sasuke was simply a cute Uchiha from the head household with the cooler older brother. To her experienced eyes, the boy was no longer cold and aloof, but shy and determined. Thinking back, Ino realized that his popularity would skyrocket about a month after the Massacre, transforming into the cool and tragic genius practically overnight. This was the monster that had wiped out untold innocents? This was the creature that would one day betray his village and the rest of the Shinobi world? Somehow, the blonde could not quite accept that. She would have to consider him closely.

Finally, there was Uzumaki Naruto, the class pariah. Knowing what she did now, Ino could actually see the subtle hate filled glares directed at the boy. Most of the class appeared content to limit it to a few dirty looks, but one or two in the back made a point of exchanging dark grins. Wincing at that, the blonde girl knew the punks would probably plan to beat the kid up after school. The anger from the adults in the class was more intense, and she was honestly shocked to see that from the Eyes of Iruka-sensei. Knowing how close the two had become, she was morbidly curious to discover how that sort of bond came to be. Still, the boy did not allow the hatred to visibly affect him, acting like everything was beneath his notice. Hearing the cruel words whispered about his dream to become Hokage, Ino nearly drew blood from biting her lip so hard. Had it always been this bad for the guy?

Sure, once she had made Chunin and been briefed on the Akatsuki threat, Ino had put the entire thing into perspective. Naruto had been persecuted, but people had improved their opinions to the point he was mostly accepted by the death of Asuma. Observing the massive fight with Pain only tore down the last, remaining feelings of hatred, and normal ninja were now seen asking for his autograph. Truly, Naruto would go a very far way in the future. But here in the past or an illusion of the past, Naruto was an eyesore, constantly belittled for a burden that the ninja in her knew was not his fault. Remembering her own contributions to the nasty rumors that surrounded her fellow blonde, Ino felt even more ashamed.

Still, despite these complications, Ino managed to make it through the day without major incident. Returning home, she answered her parents' questions in the energetic manner she was supposed to have as a six year old, mind racing all the while. While she was no Genjutsu expert, the amount of detail today contained was enough to derail that as a realistic possibility for her situation. If there was one thing she knew by now, it was her own mind. There was no way that any genjutsu, no matter how powerful, could reproduce scenes that far back. So she was a Chunin in her six year old body, with memories of a future filled with war and hatred. Now, how could she best protect her village in a situation like this? Reviewing her knowledge, the little blonde let out a small but deadly grin. If things continued like she expected, then the next few years could be rather interesting.

* * *

Observing the young blonde finally going to sleep, the specter of Uchiha Itachi allowed himself a small, unseen smile. While this course of action was not his first choice, the genius had been forced to work with what he had available. It was only sheer luck that the young Yamanaka had launched such an attack at that particular time. As a mere chakra construct, left over from a particularly powerful genjutsu, the spirit's options were always going to be limited. But just as the original Itachi had intended, he would do his best to protect the future of his village and his brother. Breaking the laws of physics was a little much, but as any true ninja knew, there were no rules for victory.

He had been nothing more than an echo in Naruto's chakra, left to defend him if things spiraled completely out of control. But when the final confrontation between the blonde and his brother had occurred, the spirit had found itself powerless, bound in the combined essences of both the Kyuubi and Sage techniques that the boy had mastered. Helpless, he had watched his beloved brother become one of the greatest monsters in ninja history, twisted beyond all hope of redemption. Yet, some part of his remaining soul did not want Naruto to complete his plan either, feeling like it would be a waste. The blonde boy was the future of the ninja world, and dying for a mistake he had made rubbed Itachi the wrong way. The combination of a free floating Yamanaka soul and Sasuke's unexpected usage of Kamui provided a viable third option.

Kamui worked primarily by moving things into another dimension, manipulating both space and time to the will of the user. Hatake Kakashi was a novice of this technique, unable to master its nuances properly with his stolen eye. Uchiha Madara, on the other hand, had the ability to completely control the technique with his Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan so well he could match the legendary Yellow Flash in a direct confrontation. Sasuke's first usage of the technique was approximately between the two in terms of power and skill, but that did not matter overmuch. What did matter was that he used Itachi's own eyes to help craft the technique, so upon his demise there was still enough chakra to work with.

Taking control of the failing Kamui, the spirit had freed itself from the exhausted form of Naruto, headless of Madara's sudden appearance. Increasing its concentration while altering its time manipulation, the construct had watched in amusement as the Yamanaka Soul was drawn into the technique, before following in the form of free floating chakra. The experience had been hellish, but in the end it had been worth it. He had, through careful observation, confirmed that the blonde girl had managed to retain some, if not all her former memories. Now there might be a chance.

His chakra was too unstable to rejoin the Uchiha Itachi of this time, so Yamanaka Ino was his best chance. She was not important enough to garner major attention, but well placed enough to enact actual changes to the timeline. While he knew that the death of his clan was vital for the future of the village, Itachi cold only hope she could stop his mad plan of building Sasuke's hatred. It was his pride that had created much of this mess, and once again he had to rely upon others to clean up his problems. Naruto had paid the ultimate price for his efforts, so hopefully the little kunoichi would do better with clear perspective.

Still, he wished he could stick around to help. Unfortunately, it appeared that he was out of time. Looking at his own disintegrating hands, the chakra construct allowed himself a single sigh of regret. Things would have to be better this time. Otherwise, so many would die for nothing in the end. With that thought, the remnants of the future Uchiha genius and patriot dispersed ready to face its judgment. The night of Konoha seemed to pause, as if in mourning, before continuing on. If that night was just a little cooler or darker, the plant life and on duty ANBU saw no reason to comment.

* * *

Ino waited a week before deciding to treat her current surroundings as the actual past. While mostly convinced after a day, she needed the extra time to decide upon her course of action. Despite what some people thought, you did not become a Chunin without learning to think through a battle plan and properly evaluate your options. If she was going to change things, the very nature of human choice would make most of her information useless with the first major alteration. But before she could even contemplate that possibility, the girl had to examine what her resources were. In the end, they were depressingly few.

In all reality, what she could do as a six year old Academy Student was nearly nothing. None of the adults would take her seriously, thinking that she was just acting like a spoiled child. Proving any of her story would probably mark her as an enemy spy or crazy, which that would accomplish nothing except locking her up. Even bringing what she knew directly to her father would accomplish even less, since he continued to view her as his little girl for years after graduating. Besides, what did she have to offer except general hearsay and rumors that would not come to fruition for years? She had not gained the same security clearance as Miss Sakura-the-Apprentice-of-Tsunade, thank you very much! All she had was enough general information to be endangered, but nothing that she could directly act upon.

For example, she knew when the Uchiha Massacre was supposed to occur. After deciding that Sasuke was her eternal destiny, Ino had studied all the details she could about the brooding heart throb, committing them to memory. So, she could probably go to the Hokage right now and give the approximate date down to the hour of when most of Sasuke's family was wiped out. But at this point Uchiha Itachi was the darling genius of his clan, honored by allies and enemies alike. If she started accusing the prodigy of planning to wipe out his clan, not only would the Hokage never believe her, but the Uchiha Clan might move to censure her own family. Then, just to be careful, Itachi would show up in the middle of the night, and make her jump off a roof with genjutsu. So directly sharing what little she knew was definitely out.

So, direct changes were probably out in a big way. That left working on her immediate surroundings, which had its own set of problems. As an Academy Student, Ino would be spending nearly eight hours a day, six days a week under observation while being trained. Skipping classes would be noticed, and undermine her position within the class. Most of it had bored her to tears so far, but she just chalked that up to knowing how useless a lot of it ended up being in the field. So any changes she made would have to be to her classmates, and herself, in what little spare time would be available. After all, she would still be expected to help out around the store in her spare time on top of everything else.

A part of her thought that focusing on the kids she knew would graduate would be the place to start, but the blonde was hesitant to spread herself too thin. Most of the graduates had families and friends to help them out, so trying to influence people she already knew in a sense was only a waste of resources. Besides, at their peak most of the class would never reach a level of ability needed to affect the upcoming war without training she was honestly under qualified to provide. In fact, there was only one person in the class she knew could alter things for the better, but doing so would be extremely difficult. After all, trying to influence Uzumaki Naruto would catch everybody's attention really freaking quickly.

Out of all the students from their graduating class, Naruto had probably gotten the rawest deal. He missed dozens of vital lectures because of punishments removing him from the classroom. Instead of properly understanding his problems with chakra control, the teachers would yell and humiliate him in front of everybody. But she knew that with the amount of chakra Naruto had in his thumb, half the school could be destroyed. If he had gained the chance to learn control earlier, how much better would Konoha had weathered the upcoming storm? She knew that there was no one more loyal to the village than her fellow blonde, so she was practically obligated to help him reach his true potential. That, and if he got stronger, Naruto would probably end up saving her life someday.

However, the mechanics involved in helping out the blonde Jinchuuriki were daunting. If she openly associated with the village pariah, then most of the other girls would not want to be anywhere near her. Call it selfish, but Ino wanted her friendship with Sakura back, and that would not happen if the pink haired girl was told to avoid her. In all honesty, Ino knew she could do more from a position of respect in the classroom than all alone with Naruto. Besides, from a little careful observation she just knew her father was also an anti-Kyuubi ninja, and openly associating with Naruto would either earn her or the poor boy a mental probe strong enough to leave her seeing stars.

So that meant that she had to use subtle methods to teach the densest, if nicest, kid she knew. Feeling the impending headache coming on, Ino rubbed her temples in irritation. It might be easier to make Chouji go on a diet than train Naruto without showing her hand. However, she too had been given a chance to improve herself, so there was no way she would waste it. Besides, Yamanaka Ino never gave up and never surrendered either in Ninjutsu or love! Allowing her thoughts to drift, the girl slowly cracked a wicked smile. While the odds were not in her favor, the Kunoichi to be knew one, undisputable fact. If she could pull this off, than a new blonde would have the title of most surprising ninja of Konoha.

* * *

Watching the blonde struggle with his solitary training, Ino bit back a wince. The Chunin in her wanted to cry at all the holes in Naruto's taijutsu, intentionally sabotaged by a lack of oversight and who knew what else. However, even at the tender age of six the boy had stamina to burn. From her observations, Naruto had been training here for nearly two hours, working off steam from all that taunting the others had launched in his direction. In all honesty, after overhearing some of the phrases coming from the bullies, it was all Ino could do not to start screaming at them. No one should taunt an orphan about their family or lack thereof. Even she knew that!

Still, if there was one thing that Naruto had never really gotten, it was subtlety. So, moving to a clearing nearby, Ino took out a kunai. While the amount of chakra in her body was pitiful, the young girl knew that she had to push herself. It had taken the death of her mentor and countless friends in order to motivate her last time. Now she had years to develop her skills, and if the other blonde happened to overhear a few training tips along the way, then all the better right? Focusing chakra to her feet, Ino began running up the tree, kunai flashing in the light

It took only an hour to wear herself down, but the results were worth it. A line of cuts traveled up the innocent bark, and Naruto's noisy taijutsu studies had faded in the distance. Sensing his massive reserves off to the side, Ino decided one more pass before calling it a night. She could only hope that the young boy got the message. Slapping her cheeks, Ino began a normal, bossy rant, apparently ignoring her guest. "Alright Ino, let's try this again! You will be the best, so only the best techniques will do! Just concentrate the chakra to your feet, and carefully track the amount. Too much launches you off the tree and too little prevents you from climbing at all. Now move it!" Acting like her own worse cheerleader, Ino climbed the bark once again, managing to gain another foot.

Making a big production of cooling down, checking her work, and heading away, Ino gave Naruto about ten minutes before backtracking. She was thrilled to see the boy had slipped into her training area, and was carefully examining the tree bark. But it was all she could do to not jump up and down in excitement when the other blonde took his own kunai to copy the technique. She watched for nearly fifteen minutes before leaving, knowing that the boy had the basics down. With his stamina and determination, Naruto would probably master the technique within the month.

Honestly, chakra control had always supposedly been Naruto's biggest flaw. Sakura had sometimes spent hours moaning about all the power that he would waste in his attacks, ending up injured or incapacitated far too soon. However, Ino could sort of see how controlling that sort of power might be problematic, when you were dealing with Jonin level reserves as an Academy student. She was honestly shocked that Naruto could master any of the basic techniques at all with that level of control. But now he was a six year old kid with Chunin level reserves and exceptional stamina. Using the Tree Climbing exercise would make his life so much easier if he stuck with it.

That did not even take into account the results of her own efforts. The Tree Climbing technique was useful because, not only did it allow you to master the chakra you had, continuous use built up your reserves. Ino had no intention of retaining her Academy level chakra reserves for too long. All she had to do was let Naruto catch her practicing a bit, pretend to have an odd mental quirk where she had to outline the training to help understand it, and the boy should improve quite a bit. She wished she could do something about his taijutsu, but it was better to take things one step at a time. If she made herself too obvious, then the blonde might start getting suspicious.

Feeling her body getting heavy, Ino reminded herself to take it easy until she managed to befriend someone to train with. She would have a chance to recreate her friendship with Sakura shortly, but there was one other pet project she had in mind. While they had mostly been acquaintances in the future, Ino thought that there was one more blossom waiting to bloom in her class. Hyuga Hinata had launched herself at the closest thing to god Ino had ever seen on the battlefield before Naruto and Sasuke's fight, out of affection for the blonde knucklehead. The kunoichi in her could respect the strength that demonstrated, while the romantic in her heart was rubbing her hands together. After dealing with all the angst of the Team Seven love triangle, Ino was more than willing to get Naruto and Hinata hooked up. In a few years, they would make the cutest couple! That is, if she could ever stop the shy girl from fainting every five minutes around the boy. Oh, she so did love a challenge!

* * *

Holding up a picture, Sakura pointed to a Chinese-style dress. "I don't know Ino-chan, are you sure about this? I don't really have what it takes to pull off a look like this. Maybe I should just try that nice summer dress we saw the other day?" The dress in question had been modest, pastel and perfect for a little girl. Nothing like the daring black and red image in front of them, that was practically painted on the models body. However, as far as the blonde was concerned, it was perfect.

Looking over the selection of magazines, Ino smirked. "Hey, I think that you'd look great in black and red, Sakura-chan! It would be perfect for bringing out your inner passion. We just have to find a shade that won't clash with your hair and something appropriate for kunoichi wear. Want to hit the stores on Saturday after training?" Seeing the formerly shy girl nod, a smile on her lips gave the blonde a real sense of satisfaction. While she was not quite up to rival standards yet, Sakura was slowly becoming the happy and energetic girl that the blonde knew she could.

The fateful meeting during their flower arrangement assignment had been about two weeks ago, and Ino was thrilled to have a true friend back. While the other girls were nice enough, none of them really tried to get Ino as a person versus Ino the powerful kunoichi to be. Sakura's awe was giving way to gratitude, and the blonde discovered that she had missed that feeling. It seemed like just yesterday that the other girl had surpassed her as both a woman and a kunoichi, despite her struggles to keep up. Now, instead of molding Sakura into a perfect follower or rival, Ino contented herself with guiding the other girl into her own. After all, it was not like they would be fighting over the same boy any time soon.

Seeing Iruka-sensei returning, Ino put away her research into the fashions of the day. After all, it had been quite some time since these looks were popular, and she wanted to track upcoming trends as closely as possible. It was simply one of the ways she maintained dominance over the female population after all. Clearing his throat, the scarred Chunin waited for their silence before speaking. "The results of the latest run of tests are now available for review. I would recommend that everyone check their position in the rankings, before reflecting upon their future in our class. The ninja of Konoha are the vital protectors of our village, and there is no shame in being unable to maintain the high standards required. Otherwise, I will see you all after break." Knowing that the grades were not going anywhere, Ino chatted with Sakura while gathering her class materials. By the time they made it to the board, the crowd was rather extensive.

The test in question was an overall evaluation that the Academy ran on all its students every term. They would review both academic and physical skills before determining things about class rank in one of several categories. The overall ranks were private information given on a student by student basis, but these numbers pointed out the levels of proficiency in the general fields, including the best boy or girl at any particular skill. It was a simple bit of mental math to determine your ranking after that. Checking the numbers of her special candidates, Ino smiled widely. It appeared that she had nothing to worry about right now.

As expected, all the people she knew could pass were in the top third of the class. Mostly they hovered in the lower to middle rankings within that area, with a few minor exceptions. Sakura unsurprisingly had wrapped up the top academic score in the class. Sasuke had taken top scores in weapon control and chakra control. Ino herself had grabbed the top female taijutsu spot, barely pushing Hinata to the side. All of these rankings were well within the scope of her expectations. What was a welcome surprise was Naruto's jump in position. Seeing his face light up at the improvement, she could barely suppress her own grin.

Ino had carefully allowed the boy to observe nearly six more training sessions over the last month, and the results spoke for themselves. While he was nothing that impressive in terms of intellectual pursuits, Naruto's physical training and chakra control had taken a significant jump. From what she had observed in her own examinations of the training grounds and his personal lessons, Naruto had nearly mastered Tree Walking, and was about half way done with Water Walking. She had been careful to alternate the presentation a bit to keep things interesting and useful, such as timing herself in evasion drills in the trees and practicing the Academy taijutsu forms on the surface of the water. It was draining work, but her chakra and physical abilities were now growing by leaps and bounds.

However, with his energy and determination, Naruto could still run her into the ground. She had seen one practice where he had gotten the brilliant idea to launch kunai at leaves for target practice, all while running up a tree full tilt. Observing his aim, she had made a point of going over the basics of grips and throw mechanics in her next training session. The difference was astounding, especially considering that Naruto was firmly the bottom of the class. Now, if her math was correct, the boy was at least in the top fifteen.

Shaking off herself congratulations, Ino forced herself to think clearly. It was a small nudge that anything could change without proper tending. There were still a lot of weeds in her fellow blonde's mental garden, and she would be damned if she let them get the upper hand. Hearing a sniffle to her side, the girl sighed. It appeared that she had a few friends to comfort, especially after a loss to the class clown. It would suck losing some friends, but she would rather the girls live as civilians than die on a mission. Putting her most sympathetic face on, she led Sakura over to comfort the failed kunoichi students.

* * *

Hearing a door slam, the blonde girl grumbled before turning over. She had overdone it a bit the other day, and her entire body felt like it was made of stone. Just getting through the Academy had been a chore, and she was looking forward to a good, long nap before dinner. "Yamanaka Ino! Get your butt down here right now, young lady!" But hearing her father's furious shout somehow motivated her to find the energy to get up. Seven or seventeen years old, Yamanaka Inoichi was not someone she wanted to disappoint or piss off, even if he could turn into an overprotective old man at times.

Yawning into her hands, Ino stomped down the stairs like the little girl she was supposed to be. Acting like a child had taken some adjustments at first, but it was always easier dealing that way with her parents. After all, no matter what she had accomplished as a Chunin, they had never let her forget her place as their little princess. Of course, seeing how red her father's face appeared to be, Ino was actually happy about this turn of events. There was less chance that her beloved father would disembowel his dutiful daughter, right? Forcing back another yawn, Ino did her best to match his furious stare. "I'm sorry Daddy, but I was taking a nap. Did you need me for something?" Hopefully, the reminder that he had interrupted her precious nap time would calm the old man down.

However, Inoichi was apparently following a different script today. Not only did her little cute act not garner any sympathy, but his eyes were practically frigid. In all her years of life, Ino could not remember seeing the Jonin this mad before. Then he opened his mouth and all became clear. "I've been hearing some very interesting stories, young lady. Did you happen to suggest to a classmate that staying out in the training grounds was a good idea?" Remembering her actions the other day, the blonde girl suppressed a wince. Ah, it appeared her master plan had backfired.

As the date for the Uchiha Massacre had come closer, the time traveling blonde had contemplated her chances fixing things. Unfortunately, she was honest enough to know that taking on Uchiha Itachi at the peak of his power was just asking for death. Even if she convinced a few ANBU to help out, more likely than not they would all die in their attempt to stop the attack. No matter what her feelings as a person or kunoichi were, the Uchiha had no chance of survival. So since saving the entire clan was not realistic, that left her with the one person she could influence. Uchiha Sasuke had to remain safe and unharmed.

A part of her, covered with the spilled blood of allies and comrades thought the little ant deserved to die. His need for vengeance had led to so much death and destruction it was practically her job to kill the bastard at the first opportunity. However, after observing the boy for the last year, she knew that the Sasuke of today was not the crazy bastard of tomorrow. She had been given a second chance, so trying to do the same for the Uchiha survivor was probably her best option. Besides, she would ensure that if things went pear shaped again, she would be on that retrieval squad and kill him herself if necessary. That was the price of her failure and she was willing to pay it if need be.

So, that had led to her little brainstorm a few days ago. From what she understood of the situation, most of the passion of Sasuke's actions came from observing the Uchiha District after the Massacre. Plus, Sakura had spoken of some sort of super Uchiha Genjutsu that Itachi had used on both Sasuke and Kakashi-sensei which had not helped matters. So while she could not remove the sting, then maybe blunting it would work? Although, judging from her father's face, her idea had not gone over too well. "But Daddy, I didn't make Sasuke do anything! All I did was bet him he could not stay in the training fields until midnight. I figured his parents would come to get him and I would finally have enough for that cute, purple kunai pouch. It's not like anything could happen to a kid in the village right? There are too many ninja around to protect us!" Or ignore the situation if you happened to have a Kyuubi in your gut, but she would never dream of shaming her clan head in such a manner!

Seeing the unexpected defense had thrown the man off his game, Ino pushed ahead. "Did he complain to his mom or something? I mean, Sasuke is supposed to the strongest kid in class and younger brother to the Uchiha heir. I thought he would at least try to act like a boy before crying to his family." Seeing her father wince, the blonde knew she had struck gold. As a Jonin and apparently one of the investigators of the Massacre, the clan head knew that her words were rude and in horrible taste. Sasuke's entire family had been wiped out, and it seemed like the stupid bet she had forced onto the child was only reason he had survived.

But the important thing was that Ino did now seem to know just what she was saying. After all, she was just a little seven year old Academy Student who happened to poke another popular student. Therefore, the chances of her actually knowing something about the Massacre had just dropped from almost impossible to nearly nothing. Remembering how it took nearly a week for details to get out about the situation, Ino knew that her immediate punishment would have to be put on hold until Inoichi got security clearance to explain why it was needed. As expected, the older blonde temporized, "Sasuke ended up spending the entire night out there, picking up a small cold. Now why don't you go back to your room and continue your nap? We can talk more about this later." Shifting back another yawn, Ino trudged up the stairs. While it was too early to know if her gambit had done anything, at least she had done her best. Hopefully that would be enough to turn the tide.

* * *

"Ino-chan, are you there?" Hearing another call for attention, Ino cut chakra to her legs before flipping to the ground. After the third year back, she had gotten into the habit of training late into the evenings. Many of the distractions of her original time line had dried up with her more limited social life. No matter how much she tried, it was just plain hard to relate to other girls her own age in a meaningful way anymore. Between the numbers of drop outs from harsher training to her unrepentant title of tomboy, Ino was now considered a standard too cool to hang out with. It hurt a bit, but she was a big girl. Still, if she did not have someone like Sakura around, the blonde knew she might go completely crazy from boredom.

Waving her hand, she smiled at the pink head of hair coming towards her. "Hey Sakura-chan, I'm over here. Were we supposed to do something today? I'm sorry if I forgot again." While she admitted being so driven was probably unhealthy, Ino only had to think back to her own moments of uselessness to get motivated quickly. She had lost or been ineffective against every major opponent in the lost future, being little better than an advanced scout. So she sometimes found herself losing track of time trying to find new and interesting ways of pushing her limits. After all, she had almost re-mastered all the Chunin techniques she knew, and Daddy was being weird about sharing clan secrets at the moment. Probably would be until her graduation to Genin now that she thought about it.

Shaking her head, the other girl suddenly looked around carefully. "No, I just wanted your opinion on something. Is it safe to talk?" Nodding, Ino almost frowned at the memory. She and Sakura had been training in taijutsu when the pink haired girl had realized that Naruto was observing from behind a tree. Before she could come up with a reasonable way of spinning things, Sakura had screamed about him being a pervert and done her best to break the boy's skull. Ino really could not blame her friend, but ever since he stopped observing her training exercises, Naruto's grades had dropped a bit. She still thought he could pass, but would probably have to do something when the test came up. Still, that did not address what Sakura wanted to talk about.

Allowing herself to be led into the forest, Ino raised an eyebrow at the basic silence genjutsu Sakura used. It was nothing that a Genin could not deal with, but she was quite impressed with the skill level shown. Apparently, she was not the only one training hard these days. "Wow, Sakura-chan, you've got to show me that trick! But in the meantime, why don't you explain what's so important that you need to hide in the deepest part of my training area and throw up a genjutsu? Are we being invaded or something?" If so, they were screwed. She had barely managed to gain half her old chakra levels back, and that was pushing it in a nine year old body!

Biting her lip, her friend leaned closer. "I know but I'm just so embarrassed and I need to talk to someone I can trust." Closing her green eyes for a moment, Sakura pinned Ino with a look of such intensity that the blonde fought off the urge to jump back in shock. While rare, the times when Sakura's spirit shone with determination were truly a sight to behold. "Ino-chan, what do you do when you like someone?" Of course, having that spirit dedicated to a declaration of love was not exactly what the blonde expected.

Still, she was enough of a girl to realize just how important this was to her best friend. Smiling, Ino leaned forward, eyes shining in mischief. "Oh Sakura, I didn't know you cared! But I'm sorry to say that I'm only interested in men. I hope you'll stay my best friend though. Things just would not be the same without you." Seeing the other girl turn red in embarrassment, the blonde was quick to grab her into a hug. "Oh, I'm not trying to be mean or anything. I think it's great you might be interested in someone! Spill girl, and let little old Ino-chan be your guide!" Plus she wanted to make sure that Sakura did not have any tendencies she was not expecting. They said that there was a really small line between love and hate, and their relationship had changed quite a bit from what it was before. A little hero worship was nice and all, but she did not want to lead the poor girl on or anything.

Shuddering, Sakura fixed her with a death glare. "Please Ino I do not want to get caught up in those sorts of rumors. If you didn't show me some tricks for sticking up for myself, I would probably be seen as your little pet by now. That would be bad enough. No, I'm interested in the best boy in class, Uchiha Sasuke. He's so cute and cool, I just want to hold him and never let go!" Hearing this, Ino bit back a sigh. While she had almost hoped it would be something simple like this, the thought of Sasuke and Sakura sent chills down her spine. After what happened last time, she was hesitant to allow this to continue. Especially since, given her knowledge of the situation, she would be the reason the girl cried if Sasuke left the village a second time.

But the Sasuke of today was not the Sasuke of her memories. After his miraculous survival of the Uchiha Massacre, the boy had once again been the last loyal son of a once great clan. However, this time he had not experienced the event up close and personal, since the bodies had been cleaned up before his return to the compound. Without that moment of personal revelation, Sasuke was a lot less driven and quite a bit more depressed. Her father had even been called in to provide counseling and support a couple of times when the class genius allowed his grades to slip. For some reason he had become significantly more driven in the last few months, but the burning intensity and insanity that had made the Sasuke of her memories so cool was no longer present. Now, most of his admirers came from minor families that wanted ties to the Uchiha clan name.

Frowning, Ino bit her lip in concern. All her instincts were screaming that she should nip this in the bud before it turned into the mess from before. But Sakura had gained such confidence from her efforts to earn the Uchiha's love perhaps a compromise was in order? "Sakura-chan, I'm happy that you've found someone to like and would normally wish you well. But this is Uchiha Sasuke we're talking about. Do you know what you're getting yourself into? He's the last acknowledged heir of a powerful clan, and is going to be swamped with tons of fan girls within the next few years. He's a genius, rich, handsome and the top of the class to boot. That's a pretty tall order to deal with."

Frowning, Sakura looked away. "I know it's not going to be easy, but every time I see him my heart won't stop pounding. I might not be the prettiest or the best cook, but none of that matters. I know he's my one and only, Ino-chan, and I want to try and be his." Seeing the depths of devotion in those eyes, Ino blinked. Had Sakura always been this focused upon Sasuke or had she done something by accident? Either way, she had a good idea on how to handle this. Just telling the girl no would fuel her desire in secret and cause a rift between the two friends again. No matter what happened, there was no way Ino wanted a repeat of her previous rivalry. If the war had taught her anything, it was that the two worked better together than apart.

Putting a hand on the other girl's shoulder, Ino smiled. "So who says you aren't pretty? I just know you're going to bloom into something incredible one day, Sakura and don't you ever forget it. No, what you need to worry about it scaring the poor boy off." Seeing the question in her friend's green eyes, the blonde continued. "Try to put yourself in Sasuke's shoes for a minute here. His family was wiped out in a single night by a brother he worshiped as the ultimate ninja. Now, he has to not only live up to the expectations of the entire village, but those he puts on himself. So he will most likely need a wife and a family at some point to ensure the rebirth of his clan. But not just any woman will do. He'll need someone who s strong, smart, and cute in order to make his future generations of clan members worthy of his legacy. If you want to be that girl, expect a lot of blood sweat and tears because it will not be easy."

Seeing her words sink in, Ino decided to up the ante. "I'm willing to help you, Sakura-chan, if you want to be Mrs. Uchiha Sasuke. I will help you train, make you stronger, and do everything I can to allow you to win him. But remember that we're all of nine right now, and we don't even know if he likes girls yet. So let's take this slowly, alright?" Gulping, Sakura nodded her head, determination flickering but still burning in her eyes.

Of course, Sakura's follow up question was completely predictable, but still managed to blindside her. "Say, do you have someone you like, Ino? Maybe we could work to fix you up while I try and land Sasuke-kun!" Thinking about her classmates as romantic interests almost made the blonde try out an Anime face-plant. Just picturing the mechanics behind something like that made her slip nearly three mental gears.

Waving a hand in exasperation, Ino plastered a smile on her face. "Sorry, but none of the guys in class do it for me. They all need to grow up a lot before I get interested. I'm looking for someone a little more mature." Of course, there was also the tiny little fact that she was mentally about ten years older than any of her contemporaries. While she knew some of the boys would grow into loyal and great boyfriend material, right now it would be too much like kissing a little brother. Besides, if the facts behind her extra memories ever came out, there was no way she wanted to deal with a molestation charge on top of everything else. Seeing her friend nod in understanding, Ino let out a sigh of relief. One more crisis down, who knew how many more to go?

* * *

Waiting for her prey, Ino reflected that the last three years had gone better than expected. She was acknowledged as one of the strongest young Kunoichi, only losing the top title because of Sakura's academic record. Her friendship with the other girl had allowed both to grow stronger together, keeping any silly rivalry from wrecking things. Sasuke had gotten some counseling, and had even become friends with a few of her classmates. Even Naruto's abilities had improved dramatically, just from basic chakra control exercises. Plus, the second time around she could actually appreciate the artistry of his pranks! All in all, given her limited resources and abilities in the large scope of things, Ino was quite pleased with her overall progress changing the future.

In fact, there was only one little side project she had been putting off. Watching Hyuga Hinata slump in her chair at the latest test scores, the blonde decided that now was the perfect time to take action. She had observed the shy girl peaking on Naruto's training a couple of times and the resulting blush indicated that her crush was in full force. While a normal girl would have laughed at the thought of the Hyuga Heiress liking the unpopular boy, Ino knew that these feelings were stronger than that. Besides, the Hinata of the future had never been willing to share the details of her interest in Naruto before, and a part of her was dying with curiosity. Making a few excuses for Sakura and a couple of other friends, Ino began to track the girl as she followed Naruto through the village. It was difficult, seeing as Hinata did have a doujutsu that granted nearly perfect three hundred and sixty degree awareness of her environment, but not impossible. After all, most Hyuga she knew did not use the Byakugan in Konoha without a very important reason. The blonde did not think that shy little Hinata, no matter how big her crush, would bother doing something like that when she was just observing Naruto. The chances of fainting from a nose bleed were just too high.

Keeping watch from a nearby tree, Ino smirked as she observed both Naruto and Hinata. While it was a little rougher than she would like, it was clear that Naruto had been building off his experiences from those hints she had dropped. Although she had to admit that some of the ideas he used broke her brain a bit. Who would have thought of using the leaf balancing exercise while running up a tree like a corkscrew? Still, the results were what mattered, and seeing him perform a Replacement Technique before jumping off the tree was quite the sight to behold. If she did not know any better, she would say he was at least five years ahead of where he should be by now! The Akatsuki would have no idea what would hit them!

Still, just watching his practice was encouraging since she really did not have many chances to observe the other blonde. Ever since the little pervert incident, Naruto had been avoiding Sakura to hang around the class slackers more. While he still pulled off pranks and stuff, not hearing his constant declarations of love for the pink haired girl or angry shouts at Sasuke kind of left her feeling off balance. Although, given what happened last time she was not about to go complaining about making a difference. Observing another failed Clone Technique Ino reminded herself to drop him another hint about mastering the technique. Maybe he should work from too many clones and cut them down over time?

Luckily, even little boys with evil chakra creatures in their guts needed food. Naruto stopped training nearly three hours later, probably running off to Ichiraku's for a meal. Seeing that Hinata was getting ready to leave, Ino made her move. Jumping down with barely a sound, she approached the shy Hyuga. "Hi there Hinata, what are you doing out here? You would not happen to be watching a certain someone, would you?" Seeing the other girl's eyes go wide with fear, Ino almost took a step back. She had never had her very presence cause so much fear before, and did not like the experience.

Backing into the tree, Hinata visibly fought back her customary stutter. "Ino, why are you following me? Are you going to tell someone? Oh, please don't! I don't know what I can do for you, but I will try anything! Just, don't tell anyone that you saw me watching Naruto-kun." With that little inflection, the shy girl slapped her hands over her mouth, eyes wider than before. It would have been cute if there was a little less raw terror involved.

Ino, who had no idea that her presence would cause this sort of reaction, held both hands up in a nonthreatening manner. "Hey, I didn't mean anything by it. I just saw you there watching and got curious. I mean, sure Naruto's gotten a bit better the last few years, but I didn't know he had admirers. If he could grow up a bit, the idiot might just be an interesting little bad boy down the line. Some girls just love that sort of thing." Actually, now that she thought about it, making Naruto have fan girls might just piss off all the clan heads and civilian leaders. After dealing with the edge of the isolation and verbal abuse they liked to heap on someone important to her, Ino was more than ready to give those jerks an aneurism or two.

Still, even if her tone had been light, Hinata apparently felt the words had been uncalled for. "Naruto-kun isn't dumb. He tries so hard and works more than anyone! That's why, that's why I believe in him! So don't you dare talk about him like that in front of me!" Seeing the suddenly activated Byakugan, Ino suppressed a wince. This meeting was turning into a major FUBAR faster than Chouji emptied a barbecue place.

It took a lot of fast talking on her part, but Ino managed to calm the Hyuga princess down to something she could handle. Luckily, instead of becoming a massive gossip this time around, Ino had developed the persona of a confidant. People knew that if they needed to talk, she would listen and keep their secrets. While Sakura was the most constant recipient of this skill, some of the other girls would not hesitate to seek her out in times of trouble. While the blonde got a little frustrated having juicy dirt and not spreading it around, the Chunin in her knew that this was much more useful. The more she knew the more she could nudge into a better future. This particular confrontation might just be one of the more important in recent memory.

"So wait, let me get this straight. You were trying to find a nice place to cry and a bunch of bullies attacked you? Then Naruto distracted them, letting your servant come and save you while leaving the beat up little kid on the ground? I didn't know the brat had it in him!" Seeing the light blush on the girls face, Ino fought the urge to bang her head against a wall. Sakura from the future had once commented on Naruto's desire to protect a princess. She just had not believed the pink haired claims that he usually succeeded. Any boy saving damsels in distress by nine was a future catch, no doubt about it.

Leaning back into a tree, Ino licked her lips. "Well, if that's who you want, more power to you. If you manage to catch his interest, let me know ok? I might need a few notes when my chosen prince comes along." Seeing the other girl blush like a tomato, the blonde smiled. Hinata was quiet, shy and a little weird, but if anyone deserved to have their man, it was her. "Why don't you hang out with me and Sakura sometimes? I could use the sparring partner and I doubt that you're a threat to Sakura's love interests, so we should all get along. All in all, you are a very interesting girl, Hinata-chan." Smiling, Ino felt justified as her expression was returned. It would not be an easy path, but from what she knew it would be worth it.

* * *

Tapping her fingers absently, Ino flashed Sakura a grin as the girl was called before the teachers. It had been a long and somewhat annoying road, but seven years had gone by. The day of the graduation test was upon them, and she was more than ready for that promotion. Sure the downtime had been nice at times, but after years of drills and pushing herself, the Yamanaka was dying for a change of pace. Although if she had to deal with that stupid cat after a week of missions, she was mind switching with the bloody thing and jumping off a roof. None of her fellow Genin would ever convict her and the Fire Lord's Wife might learn to be nicer to animals as a result.

Seeing Sakura waltz back in, a spring in her step and shiny headband on her forehead, the blonde shot her friend a thumbs up. The years of extra encouragement and training had done wonders for the girl. Now, instead of looking like a stick figure, Sakura was a lithe, collected beauty who would gladly take on all comers. Of course, Ino had done her best to keep direct interference to a minimum, not really wanting to change Sakura as a person, but a couple of comments had slipped out here and there. Now the pink haired girl was studying medical techniques in her spare time, sure that having such a useful skill would make her the ideal mate for Uchiha Sasuke. Although the blonde thought her genjutsu techniques were nothing to sneeze at either.

Hinata's return, complete with her head hand in a position as a necklace was also met with a smile and a wave. Despite some of her best efforts, both Sakura and Hinata did not seem to get along. Oh, they were not enemies or anything but neither girl seemed to have much in common with one another. Ino refused to choose between them, and explained that, as kunoichi of Konoha, they might find themselves working together in the future. But Sakura could not seem to get over Hinata's interest in Naruto, and Hinata could not get over Naruto's once time interest in Sakura. Still, after spending some additional time together the blonde was thrilled that both girls had somewhat come out of their shells. Maybe one day they would realize that friendship was a possibility.

Hearing Sasuke's name being called was almost enough to bring a frown to her face. While not quite as cold and aloof as before, the Uchiha was still rather quiet and mysterious. He had a few friends, most notably Kiba and Shino, but went out of his way to avoid crowds. As she predicted, once the new reality had set in, a number of girls had declared their love for the class genius. It felt odd looking in from the outside this time, but the girl could not be happier. Sakura mostly listened to her advice where the boy was concerned, but still ended up looking foolish half the time. She could only hope that everyone grew up a bit before any shit hit the fan. Otherwise she would kill the little brat herself this time. Naruto did not need the aggravation.

Speaking of which, said pariah had come back from his own test, headband proudly affixed and smile firmly in place. It had taken a few, overly dramatic conversations with Hinata when she knew the blonde was sneaking around, but she had managed to slip him a hint or two about the Clone Technique. The Hyuga had been confused, but too polite to say anything. Honestly, given the restrictions she had dealt with, Ino was rather proud about how it had turned out. Maybe things would really improve and Naruto would not be teamed up with Sasuke in the first place. That way, the bonds that had caused the other blonde so much pain might be lessened just a bit.

After class was let out, Ino invited both Hinata and Sakura to her house for the celebration. Hinata begged off, explaining about a previous clan function to deal with, but Sakura agreed. Secretly, Ino was thrilled since her father had done most of the preparations. Therefore, she would have to deal with Shikamaru and Chouji alone while the original Ino-Shika-Chou group got drunk off their asses. Reflecting that things worked much better with a close female friend rather than a rival, Ino prepared for a relatively pleasant evening.

The same party had happened before, of course, but it had been rather different. Sakura had spurned her friendship that day, returning the hair ribbon as a sign of their rivalry over Sasuke. A few other girls had shown up, but left as soon as possible after seeing Chouji start to eat. In fact, Ino had made a point of avoiding the other two, not wanting to give Shikamaru any mental material to work with. The boy was not called a genius for nothing, and if anyone was going to figure out her unique perspective, it would be him. But, knowing that the party was unavoidable, she prepared for a test of endurance.

Of course the reality was nowhere near as problematic as her imagination. She ended up chatting with Sakura for most of the event, only sparing some time for Chouji and Shikamaru to be polite. Most of the invites where members of the three clans, and they were turning rather lively by the third hour in. Feeling like she had earned a break after all that hard work, Ino cut lose a bit. After all, with her changes to history, things had to go better this time, right? That was when the ANBU decided to show up.

The conversation was quick, but the orders were clear. Shikaku, Inoichi, and Chouza headed directly to the Hokage Tower, telling their families to go home at once. Ino managed to offer Sakura a chaperone home, pointing that her taijutsu skills were higher than the pink haired girl's own. Her mom was not very happy, but such was life. After making sure her friend made it home, Ino was just about to return when overhearing a whispered conversation from a side street. "I'm telling you Iruka, Naruto stole the Forbidden Scroll of Seals! We have orders to bring him in at once!" Eyes widening, Ino hid out of sight as Mizuki-sensei discussed things with Iruka-sensei. Just what was going on here?

Forcing herself to remain calm, the kunoichi began to review the night of the first party. That time around, she had gotten bored hours earlier and was already home brushing her hair around the time the ANBU had shown up with marching orders. Was this actually something that had happened last time? Or had she inadvertently caused this by screwing something up. Either way, she knew that going home was the last thing she could do right now. Watching Iruka-sensei leave in a rush, Ino was quick to follow from a discrete distance. If anyone could find the prankster of Konoha, it would be good old Iruka-sensei!

* * *

Now Ino was not a stupid girl. While she had done some things as a Genin that still embarrassed her years later, the blonde had earned her promotion to Chunin fair and square. She had been training hard and learning a lot as a field medic, not to mention some part time work with the Torture and Interrogation department. She had done her best to fix things so that the Fourth Ninja war would not hit with such force, or ideally be avoided all together. Even at her peak the blonde was not capable of taking out an S-class ninja, so working to make Naruto stronger from the shadows seemed to be her best bet.

But the thing was, no matter how much she warmed up to the goof later, Ino did not know much about the village Jinchuuriki. His file was covered in so much security that only the Hokage could look at it, and they had not socialized much outside of a rookie dinner or two. So she had made a number of assumptions based upon her spotty memories of Sakura talking about Team Seven, and her own briefings about the threat of Akatsuki. Nothing major, of course just some things that made sense in the context she had. Given what she knew, the blonde assumed that the Sandaime had overridden the instructors to pass Naruto, seeing it as a waste of resources and suspecting that Academy Instructors were the reason he had not passed. The more significant one was that Kakashi-sensei had been the one to teach Naruto the Shadow Clone technique. After all, how else would a fresh Genin know a Jonin level technique?

So it should come as no surprise that the girl was caught completely flatfooted at the scene before her. Iruka-sensei had found the exhausted form of Naruto, holding onto the scroll for dear life. After berating the blonde, Naruto had replied about some sort of special test from Mizuki-sensei. Hearing that little bit of data left Ino feeling cold in the pit of her stomach. Mizuki-sensei had been identified as a prisoner during the prison break about six months after the Chunin Exam Invasion. She had never really cared about why her former Sensei was in jail, but looking at his smug smile, weapon in hand, the blonde had a feeling that she was about to find out.

Seeing Naruto's face after the Kyuubi was revealed to him nearly broke the girls heart. It was a look of utter shock and rejection, as if everything in his life was just a lie. In fact, her own shock at the silver haired bastard's audacity was the only reason she did not react in time at his launched giant shuriken. But seeing Iruka-sensei take the hit, stating that he believed in Naruto was almost enough to bring her to tears. Naruto and Iruka's close relationship made a lot more sense now. Trailing along, she was further shocked by the additional confrontation between the two Sensei's. Iruka's defense of the blonde outcast was rather touching, and pushed the serious man up a few notches in her book. But watching Naruto come to the rescue, not only demonstrating Shadow Clones but the Shadow Shuriken techniques, was something right out of an Anime. Seeing the twitching, bleeding form of the traitor, Ino had to suppress the urge to throw her own kunai. If anyone found out about her being there, all sorts of unpleasant questions might have been asked. That would move her into a pond way deeper than she was willing to deal with.

Observing the quiet bonding moment between the two below her, Ino allowed herself a small smile. While she had to admit that the situation was a little surprising, it seemed to fit into the current time line quite nicely. That moment of acknowledgement was probably one of the defining pillars of Naruto's loyalty to the village. Suddenly picturing a world where Iruka died a little faster, the blonde suppressed a shudder. If Naruto had started to view Konoha as an enemy, while holding onto the Forbidden Scroll, who knew what could have happened. She then vowed to get the Chunin a very nice going away present before leaving the Academy.

Turning away, Ino snuck out of sight. The ANBU where probably out in force by now, and she did not want to get caught in this mess. After having her world turned on its head once again, the blonde made a decision. She would never, ever be able to win the most unpredictable ninja title from Uzumaki Naruto. Sighing a little at lost opportunities, she headed for home and her waiting bed. She was faster, stronger, and more capable than before, so wiping Team Ten into shape should not be that big of a problem, right? Besides, Shikamaru would never forgive her if she did not force him to become strong enough to save Asuma-sensei this time around. Reaching the lighted path to her house, Ino whistled a little tune while mentally preparing herself for the reunion ahead.

* * *

Gazing over the assembled Jonin, the wizened figure of the Sandaime allowed himself a brief smile. Seeing these children, heirs to the will of fire always left him feeling just a little bit surer about his decisions. After all, they were the present and the future of Konoha, so he must have done something right. Nevertheless, it was time to shake things up a bit. His instincts and facts were screaming that this was the correct course of action, but knowing these children as he did, the old man anticipated some serious resistance. "Today we are here to establish the teams for potential Genin squads. After the last round of promotions at the Chunin Exam, there is room for nine different squads. While only about a third are expected to pass, we must do our best for all potential comrades."

Most of the initial teams were a mere footnote. Despite the skill shown by some members, Sarutobi did not like their chances in the betting pools. Either they had survived the tests through skill, connections or luck, showing a lack of the teamwork necessary for true Konoha ninja. However, the last three displayed a certain importance in his designs. Now he just had to deal with a few upset fathers. "For Team Seven, Genin candidates Inuzuka Kiba, Haruno Sakura and Uchiha Sasuke will be assigned to Jonin Instructor Hatake Kakashi." Seeing the raised eyebrow from the silver haired Jonin, the Sandaime knew the next team would cause quite a bit of outrage. But he knew this was the best course of action.

"Kurenai, since this is your first team, a lot will be expected of you. I hope that you understand the level of trust that this indicates in both your leadership and skills." Seeing the firm nod, despite the rookie Jonin's blush, the old man gave a small smile. "As such, you have been assigned a special team of significant potential. Team Eight will contain Yamanaka Ino, Hyuga Hinata, and Uzumaki Naruto. I'm sure you will be up for the challenge." Ah the shocked silence of the young. Even now it made his day that much more enjoyable.

Stepping forward, Inoichi made his displeasure known. "Hokage-sama, I must protest! Ino has been specially trained to work with both Shikamaru and Chouji as another Ino-Shika-Chou team. No disrespect to Kurenai-sensei, but would she not be better served under Asuma? I mean, normally each team only has a single kunoichi assigned to it, does it not?" Any mention of Naruto's Jinchuuriki status was of course ignored. That did not mean that the inhabitants of the room were stupid enough to ignore another significant reason for Inoichi's anger.

Leaning back, the Hokage gave a small sigh. "Ah yes, Ino-chan's skill set. That is actually a major reason why I chose her for this team. You should be proud Inoichi, for I believe that we have a potential prodigy on our hands." Hearing this had a few of the Jonin shifting in curiosity. The Yamanaka were a well respected clan, but to name one of their members a prodigy was a significant event, especially if it was simply a twelve year old kunoichi.

Reaching for a prepared folder, the old man tapped the paper with just enough force to be notable. "According to the psyche profile that the Academy worked up from interviews and observation, your daughter is most unusual. Instead of competing with her classmates in terms of popularity and position, she makes a point of nurturing the talent around her. One Haruno Sakura went from class outcast to our top Kunoichi primarily from your daughter's influence, and the proctors are still unsure if she did not control her scores to some degree. The same happened when she began a friendship with Hyuga Hinata, although not to the same level. A nurturing instinct is unusual in one so young and untested. It really is quite remarkable."

Coughing, Shikaku moved forward to join his friend. "With all due respect Hokage-sama, why are these skills a reason to remove her from the preferred team alignment? If she is so good at encouraging her peers, then Shikamaru and Chouji could use the attention just as much as Hinata and Naruto." Again, no talk about the Kyuubi or pause in speech, but his meaning was clear. Unfortunately for them, the Ino-Shika-Chou group was not going to win this if he had anything to say about it.

Closing his eyes, Sarutobi sighed. "It is quite simple, Shikaku. Last night, Mizuki betrayed our village by using Naruto as a pawn to steal the Forbidden Scroll. Upon his return and explanation of the event, I questioned his reasons and methods, which included Tree Climbing. Naruto was kind enough to explain that he had learned the control exercise from observing Ino practicing when they were younger. He had no idea that it was training that you normally don't receive until Chunin consideration. Apparently, Mizuki promised Naruto his choice of teammates if he succeeded in his objective, and he wanted Ino so he could learn more cool things directly." Seeing Inoichi stiffen was satisfying. It appeared that the clan head had not gone beyond his authority in terms of training his heir. So either Ino stole the information from a fellow ninja, quite possible with the usage of the Yamanaka techniques, or had learned it from observation. Either way the girl was quite skilled to have hidden this for so long.

"Ino is not in any trouble per se, but I think that being put in this sort of situation will allow us to properly evaluate what sorts of skills she might have. Besides, given her perchance for taijutsu, a kunoichi instructor who is familiar with the normal sorts of limitations of that sort of field for a woman might be ideal to polish things along." That and it would allow the more astute Kurenai to notice if anything was wrong. As much as he loved his son, Asuma was sometimes much too thick for the subtle aspects of the ninja lifestyle.

Seeing that everyone appeared to have calmed down, the Sandaime continued. "Team Nine is still in circulation with Gai, so Team Ten will consist of Nara Shikamaru, Akimichi Chouji, and Aburame Shino. Given the change concerning the Ino-Shika-Chou arrangement, I thought that another little experiment might be in order. While it is traditional to pair up a Hyuga, Inuzuka and Aburame for tracking purposes, this time I divided them among the three teams most likely to pass. If each has a tracker, I propose that battlefield casualties might just drop a bit. Now you all have your assignments, so prepare to meet your teams tomorrow at one in the Academy building. Dismissed!"

* * *

Ino had known that changes were inevitable. It was one of the things that comforted her at night, in all honesty. The blonde would do anything she could to prevent that world from being a reality, and a little change kept the last few years from getting stale. But somehow, she just knew that this was some sort of divine punishment. "Team Seven will consist of Inuzuka Kiba, Haruno Sakura, and Uchiha Sasuke. Team Eight will consist of Hyuga Hinata, Uzumaki Naruto, and Yamanaka Ino. Team Nine is still in circulation, so Team Ten will consist of Aburame Shino, Chouji Akimichi and Nara Shikamaru! Come back here after lunch to meet with your Jonin Sensei."

She was going to be on Naruto's team? That was just plain crazy! She might be strong for a Genin, but that crazy blonde had faced enemies that would chew her up and spit her out in seconds! She was so sure that she would be assigned to Shikamaru's and Chouji's team, giving her time to stay out of the line of fire. What the heck was the Hokage smoking? "Ino, would you like to eat together before our Sensei comes?"

Seeing Hinata standing next to Naruto, blush firmly in place, Ino forced herself to get a grip. Sure things would be difficult, but freaking out would accomplish nothing. Besides, if Sakura's stories were to believed, at least she would always have a true friend to look out for her. "Sure, let me just get my stuff." Seeing Naruto's uncertain look, she flashed her fellow blonde a winning smile, making the effect reach her eyes. Despite her misgivings, there was no way she would ever snub Naruto, especially after last night. Receiving a bright smile in return, Ino followed her teammates out the door to face her new and hopefully improved destiny.

* * *

Authors Notes

Ok, wow that took a lot longer than I expected. -_-;;;

Sorry about the wait. National Novel Writing Month was a blast, but by the end there, my head was about to explode. The challenge of writing so much, for so long was a little more than I counted on, but in the end victory was mine! In fact, there are only two reasons that this chapter is five days late.

First, I caught a nasty case of the stomach flu and was barely able to remember my own name for about three days.

Second, you guys picked a long shot for the win that caught me by surprise. I thought that the time travel story was just a whim that would get a few laughs. Imagine my surprise when I actually started to write the bloody thing, and it turned into the longest chapter I ve done for this project yet.

While it is a little raw, I did not want to drag tallymark into this one. She did a great job on the last chapter (which I apologize for not recognizing; it was a stressful week) but this was a little more daunting in scope. So I hope you enjoy, and review! That would just make my day.

Also, as promised, the poll results have been finalized. While I won't commit to quite the update schedule involved with Escape from the Hokage's Hat, this will be the chapter order for the future pieces of Different Techniques.

In order of planned production;

1. Puppy dog eyes no Jutsu (Naruto Joins Akatsuki crack fic)

2. The Wild Fox Cometh! (Genin Exam: Team Seven)

3. The Wild Fox Cometh! (Genin Exam: Team Eight)

4. The Rise of Naruto Lamperouge! (Naruto X Code Geass crossover)

5. Naruto, the Space Cowboy (Naruto X Cowboy Bebop crossover)

6. Naruto and the Wandering Doctor! (Naruto X Dr. Who crossover)

7. The Wild Fox Cometh! (Chunin Exam! Sakura versus Ino!)

8. The Wild Fox Cometh! (Genin Exam: Team Ten)

9. Naruto of the Laughing Immortals! (Naruto X Baccano crossover)

10. Naruto the Natural Type! (Naruto X Ouran High School Host Club fusion)

Keep your eyes open for these exciting future installments! Peace out!


	5. NJtA: Puppy Dog Eyes no Jutsu!

No I don't own Naruto. I'm just trying to make a happier ending!

Naruto joins the Akatsuki!

Chapter Five: Puppy Dog Eyes no Jutsu!

Doing her best to remain undetected, Konan of the Akatsuki leapt through the unfamiliar forest. Despite the shining sun in the sky, all the kunoichi could feel was a burning numbness that had accompanied her for nearly eight years now. Not a single day passed where she did not remember the loss of her first love, nor the horrible wounds her dearest remaining friend had endured to save her. All that was left was a duty to both her country and people which allowed the woman to continue to push herself through the darkness of the ninja world. Every bit of strength she gained and mission she completed was another way she could preserve her comrades and her last tie to a happier past. As things stood, it was all she could do to keep by Nagato's side as he planned his final solution. She had to wonder what Jiraiya-sensei would make of his lost students or their ambitions now. Especially since Konoha's own forces were what inspired this path.

Nevertheless, it was Akatsuki business that brought her to the hated Land of Fire. Nagato's informants had brought word that the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki was now known to the populace of Konoha, a mere nine months after the beast's resealing. While they had known about the child through their contacts with Madara, Nagato had sent her to check his safety personally. It was far too soon to seal the baby's Biju, but the attitudes concerning Jinchuuriki were well known and well established. If the boy was allowed to die due to neglect or more direct methods, the Kyuubi would be lost for years before reforming who knew where. The God of Ame needed all his pawns in place for the final judgment, and that single baby was the key to a perfect end game.

Konan's mission was simple and straightforward. She was to infiltrate Konoha with the intention of locating the Jinchuuriki before evaluating his health and wellbeing. They did not need the demon container to be particularly happy or well treated, just healthy enough to survive for his part in their plans. Upon locating the baby, she was to record his chakra signature to make future tracking go more smoothly. Then, after gathering any information about Konoha's security and infrastructure after the fall of the Yondaime Hokage, she was to return to Ame for a complete debriefing. As always, no trace of either her or her organization could be allowed. Akatsuki was not ready to deal with the ninja world, at least not yet. Secrecy was their best chance of survival until more members were gathered.

The Ame kunoichi did not particularly care about the Jinchuuriki or their fate in Nagato's plan. She more than most knew the need for sacrifices in their world, and while she did not think these foolish souls were actually demons, Konan had nowhere near enough pity left in her heart to waste on them. All she could care about these days was Nagato and his dream, something greater than any single life on the planet, including her own. He had used his pain to be reborn into the new god of their world. While his ideas would wipe out entire countries, killing millions, Konan knew it would be worth it for a single moment of peace. Even if it only lasted two or three generations, those were still generations that would not know the horrors of war. The idea of those peaceful years was a soothing balm on a conscience long since collapsed from the pain of a harsh reality.

Checking her position against a map of the area, Konan released a number of paper butterflies to scout ahead. Given her close proximity to the gates of the village, it only took about twenty minutes for her constructs to reach the perimeter. Konan had to force herself to remain calm, knowing that a single Aburame would notice any unseemly rush or actions from the chakra infused substance. Luckily, the border patrols appeared to primarily consist of normal sensor ninja for the moment, so the miniscule signatures of the paper butterflies were able to slip under the radar. Suppressing her own chakra, the elite kunoichi extended her senses into the paper gaining an extensive understanding of Konoha's defensive layout. What she discovered was most problematic.

The village was encased in some sort of chakra barrier that appeared to extend nearly one hundred meters into the sky. Clearly, Konoha was not so foolish to rely completely upon their walls for protection. Most likely, the village had a dedicated team of sensor ninja in place, monitoring this security network for any attempts at infiltration. Frowning, Konan directed her butterflies to check the limits of the barrier, only to find herself frustrated. The only holes in the net were three separate entrances, including the main gate. All were easily defensible, well guarded, and would require more force to breach than she could safely use while remaining undetected. Clearly, directly entering the village would require a bit of finesse. Removing her Akatsuki cloak before closing her eyes in concentration, the Ame kunoichi disintegrated into a flowing wave of paper, all heading for the main entrance.

The process took nearly an hour, as slips of paper stuck to all the incoming traffic at the main gate. Mostly slipping into the merchant caravans heading to the market, no more than five sheets of paper entered at any given time. Thus, their limited individual chakra levels went unnoticed by the guards, despite their alertness. It was fairly unpleasant, but Konan had learned her lessons well. When the last piece of paper entered the village, she was quick to reform in a nearby park. The strain of separating herself for so long was almost more than she could take, but the young woman had a will of iron under her soft exterior. Knowing time was of the essence, she allowed herself a brief rest before dispersing again, seeking out her prey.

* * *

It had been a difficult year for the Village Hidden within the Leaves. Between the attack of the Kyuubi and the loss of the Yondaime Hokage, the populace was near its breaking point. Their ninja forces, once among the strongest in the world, had lost nearly one third of the best and the brightest overnight. The various citizens were forced to work harder and faster to preserve their peace, because any sign of weakness would bring their enemies' wrath upon their heads. Some called the tragedy an act of the Kami for their sins. Others believed than an enemy either internal or external had set them up. But all agreed that the Kyuubi was the main source of all their pain, and thanks to the decree of the reinstated Sandaime Hokage, they now knew the location of that horrible beast. No one had seen the creature's reincarnation just yet, but the masses eagerly waited for the day when their retribution would fall like an inferno.

Until that promised day, Sarutobi Hiruzen did his best to shelter the poor child. He had seen the violent loss of his successor, and knew that despite his best efforts the boy would have a very hard life. Konoha had grown arrogant, not knowing that the Kyuubi had been contained safely for decades by Naruto's predecessors, including his mother. They had assumed that the blonde child was their first Jinchuuriki, a weapon no longer wanted in this growing era of peace. They saw him as a poisoned dagger rather than the shield he was meant to be, and the Sandaime was frustrated with every attempt to change their minds. More and more, the needs of Uzumaki Naruto were falling to the wayside as the aging Hokage was faced with the needs of the village as a whole.

Most had called for the boy to be sent to the Orphanage, but Hiruzen was unwilling to risk the baby's life. He knew that no one would ever adopt the child, and he lacked the support to do so himself after the loss of his own wife. Whispers of demonic corruption would overtake him, and before he knew it Danzou would use such rumors to take his position. No, the best that the old man could do was the occasional visit, a couple of loyal ANBU guards and a carefully vetted caretaker. It had taken a few false starts, and a couple of aborted assassination attempts, but the old man had finally found an older woman unaffected directly by the Kyuubi attack to look after the boy's physical needs. While not enough for such a vital child, the Sandaime was an old man who could only do so much.

That being said, the ANBU guard would not be in place for the next few days. Despite some field promotions and wartime level training for the available ninja, Konoha's infrastructure was still horribly understaffed. The leader of Konoha would be in secret meetings with the Fire Lord and his cabinet for the next few days, and all available elites were needed to ensure their protection. Normally, this would be a prime moment for Danzou to make a move from the shadows, but he had been given a few secret tasks to distract certain foreign powers. It was distasteful, but the Hannya clan's destruction would turn attention towards Forest Country and away from the Land of Fire. All in all, given the secrecy of the child's location, and the lack of informed people capable of abducting him, Naruto should have been safe.

Unfortunately, the grand plans for Naruto's protection did not take everything into account. Old woman Hitomi might not have lost any of her own family to the Kyuubi, but any number of her close friends had. She had worked under the highest levels of security, only trusted because of her past levels of professionalism and a loyalty seal that protected the location from casual conversation. But after nearly six months of caring for that abomination, she just could not take it anymore. Every smile, laugh and breath that the little monster took was more than she could handle. Twice before the Hokage had talked her out of quitting either by making concessions such as higher wages or greater security. But on that night of inattention, she had enough.

Ignoring the cries of the little demon, Hitomi put a letter outlining her two weeks' notice next to the crib. She had contacted her family, and planned on living with certain relatives outside of the village for a while. Given the security involved no one lower than Elite Jonin knew of her position, so leaving would not spark any alarms until it was too late. While the Hokage would probably be furious, the old woman knew that she was doing nothing wrong. She cared for the needs of children, not monsters after all.

Now all that was left was the final sign of her resignation. Taking a small needle, Hitomi pricked her finger just hard enough to draw some blood. Before she could lose her nerve, the old woman lifted her hair, exposing the security seal on her neck. While a civilian, she had taken a few courses in the Academy before dropping out for an arranged marriage. Therefore, Hitomi was able to channel just enough chakra into her blood to break the seal.

As it was designed, the seal removed all her memories of Naruto, any of her orders concerning him, and implanted a strong desire to leave the safe house and forget its location. Moving with a sure step, Hitomi did just that, making a point of securing the door before heading towards the gate. She only had about an hour before sunset, and her escorts would not wait forever. It was too bad that Hitomi had not continued her ninja training. Otherwise, she might have noticed the slips of paper that seemed to freeze in place upon her departure. Unfortunately she had more important things to worry about.

* * *

Honestly, after all the effort involved with breaching the borders of Konoha, Konan was a little let down with the security measures around the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki. While undetectable to most, each sheet of paper that made up her transformed physical form was extremely sensitive to chakra. All it took was a moment of inattention and she had sensed the minute amounts of demonic chakra the boy released just by breathing. The safe house was not in the best neighborhood, but the barrier seals were extremely generic and uninspired. For the one-time student of a Seal Master, it was literally child's play to enter the residence. Honestly, was this village really so arrogant to leave the cage of the Kyuubi unattended? It was downright insulting.

Hearing said cage crying its eyes out, Konan quickly reviewed the internal security measures before heading towards the crib. Based upon just what the baby was, she had expected some secret, hidden layer of traps to deter abduction or harm. But all she found were a few minor monitoring seals and a Genjutsu barrier designed to trick Doujutsu. Looking at her target, Konan crinkled her nose at the smell. While she had never needed to do the infamous D-rank missions that normal Genin endured, she had learned a few things over her many years of service. Changing a diaper was not glamorous, but it appeared that this was the day such skills became useful. The blonde boy was absolutely filthy.

Cleaning the diaper up took some time, but everything she needed was available under the changing table. It was a simple matter to scrape the waste off the baby, but given the amount of neglect present, Konan actually had to run a fresh bath just to get everything. Honestly, given the lack of attention that Konoha was providing their weapon, she had to wonder if diaper rash would defeat the boy before the Akatsuki needed to kill him. Still, despite her concerns the kunoichi was able to clean him up, disinfect the reddening skin, change his diaper, and tuck him in without any interference. Honestly, she was beginning to wonder if Nagato would believe her report when she returned to Ame.

Satisfied that the child would survive, Konan was more than ready to leave the village. Already she knew that too much time had elapsed, and with her mission complete there was no real reason to stay. Given their current level of paranoia, she would not put it past Konoha to have a curfew in place. The Jinchuuriki would survive, would probably have a very bad childhood, and given the lack of attention not last for too long once they found him again. In fact, she was just about to disintegrate when the blonde boy did something completely unexpected. Giving a massive yawn, the bright blue eyes pinned her in place while he mumbled out, "Mama?" That threw the cold, aloof Akatsuki member for a loop.

Few people had bothered to look Naruto in the eyes before. Most of his caretakers, civilian and ANBU alike, would be overwhelmed by their hatred, and only did enough to ensure the blonde boy lived. Konan had done her best to avoid looking at the child knowing what his ultimate fate would be. But, at that moment, the blue haired woman saw a child's innocent smile and thought she had seen a ghost. While their facial structures were similar, that open gaze was completely Yahiko. The part of her that was not the perfect Akatsuki member or ruthless kunoichi allowed herself to wonder if she and Yahiko had completed their relationship, would the child have looked like this Jinchuuriki? Thus, with that one little phrase and a moment of cuteness, Naruto defeated his first S-rank ninja.

Konan knew it was a foolish idea, and that all she had left was Nagato, but the image of Yahiko refused to leave. Biting her lip, she decided to spend the night, just to make sure that nothing untoward happened to the baby of course. The letter she had discovered explained his current solitude, but what if some foolish ninja or civilian discovered his whereabouts while she was gone? That could put the entire plan in danger once again! Thus, Konan spent the entire evening watching over the blonde child, feeding him when hungry, changing him when necessary, and rocking him to sleep when he was fussy. By the next morning, she knew she had broken. No matter what the consequences, this baby would be coming with her.

Sneaking out with the child was significantly easier than entering the village had been. Given the rate of construction, it was a simple matter to pay for passage on an outgoing merchant cart the next afternoon. Given the high volume of traffic, a single mother carrying a child was nothing particularly noteworthy. Any of the kekkei genkai carrying clans handled their own security and any abduction would have either been stopped at the source or signaled an alert long before the kidnapper would have reached the main gates. In fact, sending her paper creatures to retrieve the Akatsuki cloak was much more difficult than getting away with Konoha's Jinchuuriki. By the time that the Sandaime realized the problem, Konan was already passing across the border towards Amegakure.

* * *

Looking at the withered form of her last remaining friend, Konan knew that she needed to be strong. After so many years of death and destruction, she was the only person that Nagato allowed to come so close anymore. She knew that he cared for her, and Konan felt the depth of their bond as well. So if she in any way left him thinking that she had betrayed him, the kunoichi knew that what little was left of that lonely child would shatter. Maternal instincts or no, Konan would not let that happen. "Nagato, I have returned from Konoha. However, there have been developments that we must discuss."

Lifting his head, Nagato's Rinnegan pinned her in place. Seeing the emptiness in his gaze, Konan knew he was angry with her actions. All she could hope for was enough time to explain herself. Pain was known for being a vengeful god after all, and no past tie would stay his hand if that fury was unleashed. "I believe that your mission was to evaluate the current safety and security measures surrounding the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki, Konan. what part of that mission description entailed abducting the vessel and bringing it here to our home base? I am most curious to hear your answer." Feeling the apathy in his statement, the kunoichi did her best to remain impassive. That particular tone never meant anything good for those who heard it.

Trying to remain calm, and gripping the silent bundle in her arms, Konan began to speak. "I successfully infiltrated Konoha after a few setbacks. The village is encased in a sensory dome of some sort, so I was forced to disassemble myself before entering through the front gate. Once inside, it was a simple matter to disperse and discover his location. There were no ANBU nor caregivers present, and it appeared that the vessel had been left alone for quite some time. I had to clean up quite a bit of waste before I was sure that he would not become sick from the neglect. I would have left at that point except for one thing." Closing her eyes, the kunoichi's voice dropped to a whisper. "I saw Yahiko's eyes on his face." The resulting silence was terrifying.

Yahiko's sacrifice had hurt Nagato down to his very soul. For that reason, Konan did her best never to mention their lost friend unless the Rinnegan bearer did so first. A part of the kunoichi that was still the simple, naive girl of childhood blamed herself for that death as well as the evolution of Nagato into Pain. So, to mention his name like this, in regards to the prey of the Akatsuki, could be seen as downright insulting. Or, it could be shocking enough to make the man before her listen. After what seemed like an eternity, Nagato finally said, "Bring the child before me. Let us see if you speak the truth."

Swallowing, Konan stepped forward, uncovering the child's face as she proceeded. The sudden movement woke the blonde , so Nagato was faced with the squirming face of the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki. Instead of crying at the sight before him like most babies, the boy smiled, reaching out towards Nagato's shining eyes. At that moment, Konan actually heard his gasp, a sign of emotion that she had thought her friend incapable of in his numb vengeance. "I think I see what you mean, Konan. That gaze, filled with so much hidden strength and open ambition, yet supported by such innocence. This is not a demon or a weapon for war. It is simply a baby seeking comfort."

Sighing at the man's words, Konan decided it was time for her to make her case. She had stood by for years, doing everything in her power to make Nagato's dream a reality. The kunoichi knew her friend, and saw his vengeance as an unstoppable tide that mere words could never impede. Ever since their alliance with Madara had solidified, she had been helpless to stop his descent into further madness, fueled by the Uchiha dog. Yet in mere moments, this baby had managed to make Nagato react more than all her unspoken pleas ever could. "Do you think that we should kill this child, Nagato? That the path of peace will call for blood is unavoidable, but do we have to stomp out such innocence? Can there be another way?"

The still form of Nagato was silent for a moment, simply gazing into the expressive eyes of the child before him. Then he spoke, and Konan felt her hopes soar to new and unexplored heights. "When I first began to gain the power of the Rinnegan, I killed for two reasons. The first time was to avenge the death of my parents, wiping out the Konoha ninja who dared to destroy my family. The second was to protect my precious friend. With the loss of Yahiko, I always thought that the path of protection was a foolish ideal, and that a wave of blood was necessary to bring new purpose to this world. But perhaps, the path of the protector is still a viable one." Smiling for the first time in so long, Konan was nearly moved to tears. This was her friend Nagato, not her god Pain, and she had not even realized how much the difference had hurt. "Let us see what other paths will bring, as long as you are there to walk them with me." Nodding, Konan rewrapped the struggling baby before heading for her appropriated baby bag. It appeared that their child was hungry.

* * *

Akasuna no Sasori, missing ninja of Suna, observed the figure before him warily. He had been on his own for quite some time, and had gained a significant reputation in the underworld of the Elemental Nations. Over the years, any number of groups had approached him, either trying to get his bounty or make him their subordinate. However, Sasori did not suffer mortal fools, and kept primarily to his own devices. If there was anything that his former village had taught him, it was to never let someone too close. Making companions using puppetry was much safer overall. Puppets would never leave you, and could always be repaired. Why would he need anything more?

However, the figure before him was different enough to catch the puppet master's limited curiosity. He stood at nearly two meters tall, encased in a flowing black cloak with red clouds. Besides the bright orange hair, the unknown man's most distinctive features were a series of piercings and an unusual doujutsu. But what was truly interesting was the fact that he did not move. Sasori was trained to observe and interpret body language from the time he was eight, so he knew that no normal human could be so still. That meant someone attempting to transcend their humanity, which was odd enough to warrant a few moments of his time. "What can I do for you? Obviously you're not here for your health, given your lack of a heart beat."

The figure, stepped forward, face frozen in an unnatural calm. "I have come from quite some distance to find you, Akasuna of Sasori. You may call me Pain, and I have an offer from my organization the Akatsuki. We believe that you might find working with us to be to your benefit." Although the voice was as monotone as the rest of the unknown ninja's appearance, Sasori still found himself surprised. He would never have pegged such a group of idealistic fools as the Akatsuki to be interested in him, given his reputation.

The Akatsuki had entered the world stage a mere two years ago, declaring their dominion over Ame. Their official goal was to establish a unified military power that would protect the Elemental Nations from the horrors of war. Most ninja had awaited their destruction at the hands of Hanzou, like one would anticipate the rising of the sun. It had always happened before, and was fully expected to happen again. But as time progressed it became clear that this new outfit had either neutralized the great leader of Ame, or had entered into an alliance with him. Despite the new administration, Ame remained dreadfully closed to outsiders, so no one was willing to pierce the veil just yet. Even his intelligence forces had been unable to discover their true motives or personnel. After all, no ninja powerful enough to circumvent Hanzou could honestly work towards a world without a need for their talents.

Still, that left Sasori in the awkward position of dealing with a zealot. "From what I have heard about Akatsuki, I doubt it would be a good fit. I pursue the path of true immortality, and have done many things that would clash with the ideals of such an honorable if foolish goal as peace. So tell me what place would I have in your illustrious organization? Why would I of all people be interested in such an alignment of fortunes?" After all, the missing ninja had been alive for far too long to trust such empty platitudes.

Unmoved by his rejection, the figure of Pain simply stood there. Then, in an oddly compassionate tone, the strange ninja sighed. "You are not quite the monster you believe yourself to be, Akasuna no Sasori. Many ninja such as you have been brought into this cursed world, trained to kill and strive for perfection, yet vilified when they actually reach it. You want immortality, but do not know what to do with it. My eyes can see through your technique, and recognize the core that is still human. You are a man who wanted to become an unfeeling puppet, or a puppet that wanted a taste of humanity. For anyone willing to look beyond the fearsome picture you present the world, it is clear that you have simply lost your way. You are adrift in a sea of blood and victims, but we the Akatsuki are more than willing to give you a path. Then, maybe you can be remembered as something other than a natural disaster."

Hearing the words from the Akatsuki leader, Sasori felt like he had been punched in the stomach by Tsunade. No one had ever read his motives so precisely before. For the first time in far too long, the puppet master felt the stirrings of empathy. Taking another look at the body before him, he knew suddenly what he was facing. This was another form of puppet, but graced with an eye that was supposed to be legend. No matter how strong he was, Sasori knew he could never defeat a better puppet master who commanded the Rinnegan. "You too are a product of our times, are you not? Otherwise, you would not have formed your own human puppet in such a fashion. Maybe there is room for negotiation." Seeing the body's smile, Sasori knew things would become much more difficult from now on. Yet, that did not stop a spiteful speck of hope from emerging in his wooden chest.

* * *

Sighing after another long day, Konan shucked her Akatsuki cloak before grabbing an apron. Acting as the Angel of the Masses was a daunting job, and it was only her firm control and power that she managed as well as she did. Most of the populace of Ame were true believers of the power of Pain, but she had evolved into the public face of their deity. After all, when given the choice between a man covered in spikes of metal and a beautiful woman with wings, most people would prefer to speak with the latter. It was only in her secret home that she was able to indulge in those practices that marked her as a woman first and a kunoichi second. That and it gave her time to spend with her greatest treasure.

"Kaa-chan! Kaa-chan! You're finally home!" Looking up from the pot of water she was tending, Konan sent a smile to her adopted son. The little blonde boy had shot up like a weed over the last four years, and filled her spare moments with laughter and joy. He was kept a secret from the populace for the moment, as Nagato did not want to put him at risk just yet. Besides the threat of the great villages discovering that the Akatsuki had a Jinchuuriki, Madara was a concern. The ancient ninja was still waiting in the wings, giving the two Ame orphans free reign until the time was right. Snorting at the image, the blue haired woman gathered her child into a hug. The bastard would be in such a surprise when the time was right.

"It's so good to see you, Naruto-kun. How did your lessons go today?" Originally, she had wanted to name the child after her deceased friend Yahiko, but Nagato had shot her down. He said that there was a name more suited to the child, and presented her with an old copy of their mentor's first book. So they named the child Naruto, knowing that he would be the maelstrom that reformed the world, one heart at a time. After all, look at what the child had managed so far!

Pouting, the small child gripped her tighter. "Kaa-chan, they're so boring! Can't I learn ninjutsu like you and Tou-san know? I want to be strong too!" Laughing at the child's expression, Konan ruffled his hair before turning back to the stove. Despite his energetic nature, Naruto was a good boy, if somewhat clingy. She did not know if it had to do with his treatment as a baby or some deeper desire for family, but the blonde was never one to turn down any sign of affection. Still, despite his trouble with academics he had proved to have quite the mind. She was the one to teach him Shougi, and he had nearly beaten her a dozen times this month!

Adding a pinch of spice, Konan stirred before kneeling down to face Naruto. "We know that you want to be strong, but all good things come to those who wait. I have a lot of things to tell you, and soon if you are a big enough boy to handle them." Although that day would probably come sooner rather than later at the rate things were going. Despite his lack of official training, Naruto's raw chakra potential had nearly reached that of a fully fledged Genin. If he was going to have a chance in their world, he would need to be trained.

However, Konan was unwilling to give him power without explaining the truth of his origins to the child. Her first family had been lost to the flames of war, while her second had nearly been shattered by manipulation and deceit. Her greatest fear would be that, upon discovering the nature of his burden, that Naruto would come to hate her and Pain. The Kunoichi had already sacrificed so much for the path of peace, but losing this spark of love was more than she wanted to contemplate. So she procrastinated day after day for as long as she could manage. But the truth would not be denied forever.

Pushing such thoughts off for the moment, Konan beamed down at her precious boy. "Now why don't you go take a seat? It's time for your weekly ramen dinner, and I know you don't want to miss any of it." Just like that, the blonde was gone in a flash. Sighing, the paper mistress wondered if Nagato's choice of name was more prophetic than they realized. Given his obsession with ramen, Naruto might mean fishcake more than maelstrom. Besides, if she remembered correctly, that was Sensei's original inspiration for the name. Smirking, Konan prepared the bowls of soup before heading to the table. Obsession or not, her boy was always too cute with how he attacked her cooking! She would enjoy it as much as she dared, before he became too big to spoil in such little ways.

* * *

The valley was hauntingly familiar to Nagato. It was the location of his betrayal, where Hanzou and his allies forced him to take the life of his best and truest friend. Like that day, the sky cried with the tears of pain and agony. Unlike that day, Nagato, now known as Pain to all, felt no regret. Instead, he thought it ironic that once again he had dealt with a threat to his family on this cursed spot of land. All in all, it was a fitting tribute to his long dead comrades.

Uchiha Madara was held secure by his Hungry Ghost Realm, futilely attempting to channel chakra. The battle had not been easy, leading to the destruction of both his Animal Realm and Asura Realm in a wave of unholy dark fire. However, between his Deva Realm's power and a few carefully timed resurrections, Nagato had managed to do the impossible. The only holder of the Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan was at his mercy, waiting for eternal judgment. Even with Konan and Naruto to ground the majority of his psyche, Pain could not help but feel somewhat divine at that moment. After all, what else was he to feel upon defeating a devil?

Taking a gasping breath, the broken form before him chuckled before going limp. "So this is how it's going to end? Some punk who gained a few minor powers has somehow decided he can kill me. You are truly a fool, little boy. I made the Akatsuki, granted you your place in the plan and you dare to turn on me? Without my power, this world will grind you to dust." Once again the elder attempted to channel chakra, and once again the Hungry Ghost Realm stopped him. Given the power and experience of his enemy, Nagato refused to budge an inch. The smallest opening could put his family in danger, and he would never allow that.

Directing his Human Realm forward, the Rinnegan bearer remained unmoved. "You are nothing more than an old, feeble man who has lived for far too long. Akatsuki will herald a new day of peace and understanding, without your pathetic manipulations. But given your unique skills, it is better to be safe than sorry." With that, the Path of Pain grasped the Uchiha's head before ripping all the madman's secrets from his mind. The resulting backlash nearly made Nagato vomit from his hidden location miles away.

The lies, manipulations and atrocities that the Uchiha had been involved with far outstripped anything that Nagato could have expected. The entire process took mere moments, but in the end he was thrilled to rip the soul from the diseased corpse. Just to be safe, Deva Realm tore the crimson, diseased eye from the dead man before pulping both it and the corpse. Knowing the depths that the bastard had fallen in his quest for power, Hell Realm summoned his Emma Head, which completely consumed the last of the remains. No matter what his abilities, Madara would not be getting back up from that.

Their tasks complete, Nagato directed his bodies to return to his base in Ame. Without the Animal Realm, he would be forced to have his remaining bodies return manually. While the loss of his two paths was unfortunate, the Akatsuki leader was not foolish enough to assume that his battle could have gone any better. In fact, given that his enemy had been Uchiha Madara, Nagato was lucky to have any paths left at all. Judging from what the Mangekyou Sharingan was capable of, if not for the draining properties of his Hungry Ghost Realm he would be dead right now. Despite his victory, it was a sobering thought.

The depths of the ancient ninja's manipulations were horrifying. He had engineered countless massacres and conflicts, just to keep the ninja world too weak to resist. No one person was more responsible for the destruction of their current world, nor was anyone more insane. Imagine, if he had followed the original plan, Madara would have a massive army at his beck and call. Either that, or subdue the entire world using an overpowered Genjutsu. Honestly, Nagato did not know which was worse, but made a note to check on the Gedou Mazou in the near future to deal with any tampering.

While many of the crimes would take time to absorb, and he definitely wanted to chat with Konan about a few, one image stood out. It was a proud and powerful boy who would become Mizukage only to unleash a wave of death and destruction. That was the fate of Yagura, Jinchuuriki of the Sanbi and puppet of a madman. It was a waste of both life and purpose, and would probably be hidden in the depths of history as an aberration brought on from demonic influence. That it was completely the fault of a small minded man consumed with hatred and vengeance would never be known. Even to Nagato's frigid heart, that was not something to ignore.

He and Konan had informed Naruto about the details of his acquisition from Konoha, and were most surprised by his reaction. He had cried, hearing about the lives that Jinchuuriki normally endured at the hands of the villages they protected, and thanked them for their love. Konan had broken down, but Nagato had always had faith that her feelings would reach the child. Despite her oft times cool exterior, the kunoichi had a heart that could encompass the world. Yet, he had not prepared for the blonde boy's desperate plea to save others as he had been saved. Pain had not known if such a path would lead to peace or ruin, but after seeing the extent of Uchiha Madara's manipulations of Yagura he now shared his son's desire. These poor souls deserved to be free.

* * *

The council of Taki shifted uneasily in their seats. Akatsuki had been moving rapidly recently, but every test that the greater powers threw against them was met with ease. More and more of the smaller villages and clans had aligned under the banner of the red cloud, and their effectiveness could not be ignored. Anyone that was approached with an offer of membership either joined directly, or wasted lives trying to kill the representatives before joining anyways. While they had a nonaggression treaty with Konoha, their village mostly relied upon their location for security. Given how the envoy had pierced that defense easily, it was probably in their best interests to hear the group out.

Honestly, the benefits from joining seemed almost too good to be true. Every village that joined would be allocated protection from the Akatsuki's primary membership, support in times of war, and a set number of missions guaranteed. Payment would be based upon a percentage system of missions successfully completed versus failed from everyone in the system overall. The Akatsuki also had a number of unique techniques that allowed nearly instant communication and much greater firepower. Honestly, as long as they followed some simple rules, Taki would barely change at all, besides a bit more business.

When it came to their demands, however, things were a little more confusing. Clearing his throat, the head councilman looked over the paper once again. "To be clear, besides the nominal fees for alignment you have two specific requests. One is to remove someone from our Missing Ninja roster, including any and all information on his abilities to be turned over at once. Given the age of the file, I don't see a problem with that particular request. However, your second demand is somewhat more problematic. I'm not even sure how you came to know of her, but Fu is a vital resource for the future of our village." After all, despite how distasteful the creatures were, Jinchuuriki were a sign of power within a village. Handing one over, especially one as strong as the Shichibi was just asking for trouble.

Tilting her head, the blue haired ninja retained a nearly perfect poker face. "The Akatsuki are interested in stability and peace above all other things. While we do not dislike Jinchuuriki as people, our leader recognizes that to retain balance within the organization no one member may have such a weapon. Besides, it is rumored that Taki has no interest in the wellbeing of Fu herself. I promise that, if released into our care, she would only be offered the options of any other ninja under our command. That way, you would not have to worry about her actions reflecting upon Taki in the near or distant future." That brought the group up short.

The Shichibi Jinchuuriki was always supposed to be a guardian over the people of Taki. However, in recent years Fu was simply seen as a reminder of the painful past. While they would be foolish to lose such a useful weapon, the life of a single person was a small price to pay for acceptance into such a group. This way, they would be able to protect themselves from the threat of the larger powers, while having the demon leave their presence forever. But rejecting the proposal could bring the wrath of Akatsuki, and given their ever increasing reach that was not a good idea. It was not an easy choice, but few such decisions were.

The councilors debated for a nearly an hour, but the result was inevitable. No matter how loyal she might be, Fu was just a weapon that was no longer needed. Thus it was a week later that the Akatsuki representative left Taki, a ten year old girl at her side and a folder upon the missing ninja Kakuzu firmly in hand. The councilors had no reason to complain. Between a sudden upswing in missions and an emergency summoning seal to call for aid, their village was secure. They could not wait to see Shibuki-sama's reaction to their choices when he returned. He would have to be thrilled with their brilliance.

* * *

The cold winds of the Land of Iron whistled outside, but none of the people gathered cared about the weather. The meeting that convened today could change the very face of their world. Standing up from his central position, a bearded man with narrow eyes cleared his throat. "I am Mifune, leader of the Land of Iron. Today, my country is honored to offer neutral territory to the five great ninja villages for this august Kage Summit. Please, place your hats in front of you as a symbol of your position and right to represent your people. Then we can begin to discuss the threat that brought us all together."

Sitting behind a blue hat with the symbol for wind, a tall man with rust colored hair cleared his throat. "I believe that I will start then. We meet today to deal with a threat to our people, our culture, nay our very way of life. Like ghosts these cretins have slithered across the lesser nations, recruiting criminals in the name of their so called peace. I am of course speaking about the Akatsuki." Grumbles of agreement sounded among the various leaders. This alliance had grown too large to ignore.

Taking a deep breath of his pipe, the Sandaime Hokage sighed. "We originally disregarded their threat potential, mainly because they were not the first to attempt this. Many such agreements wither and die in our world of shadows and betrayal. Yet, their leader is both charismatic and powerful, a dangerous combination. Not only did he reportedly defeat Hanzou, but now he controls some of the most notorious missing ninja in recent history. No, this threat cannot be underestimated." Some noticed that his primary bodyguard, Jiraiya of the Sannin appeared to frown at this statement, but most disregarded the sentiment. There was enough bad news left to go around.

Snorting, the squat form of the Sandaime Tsuchikage glared at his contemporary. "Well, now that we acknowledge the threat, what is there to do? The Akatsuki are efficient, effective and cheap, so the nobility have been utilizing their talents extensively. Any attempts to infiltrate their organization fail dramatically, at least from my efforts. Their numbers include some of the greatest disappointments that our villages have ever produced! Are we to wage war against a group of S-class ninja without any political or popular support? That will just label us as warmongers and tyrants, while Akatsuki becomes an even greater symbol for their so called peace."

Leaning back, the hulking form of Zabuza of the Mist, Godaime Mizukage growled. "If it wasn't for those jerks, we might be able to maintain our stability. But now the nobility are playing the two groups off one another for their amusement and profit. My people are starving because of their manipulations. But that's not all." Narrowing his eyes, the swordsman leaned back, frustration in every motion. "On top of recruiting S-class missing ninja, Akatsuki is gathering the Jinchuuriki to their banner. We've already lost Utakata of the Rokubi and the Sanbi is still unaccounted for after the death of Yagura." That brought the assembled forces up short.

Narrowing his own eyes, the Yondaime Kazekage pinched his nose. "If we are being that open about things, I guess it's only fair to mention that the Ichibi went missing quite some time ago. I had hoped that the boy had become lost in the desert after his latest temper tantrum, but I guess that was too much to ask. What do you say, Hokage? Out of the rest of us, you are the best one to understand the motion of the Jinchuuriki, given your village's past generosity."

Sighing, the hunched form of Sarutobi Hiruzen took another calming puff. "Relations with Taki have soured since their inclusion into the Akatsuki, but our spies have informed me that their Jinchuuriki was turned over to the group's leadership as part of their acceptance. In addition, the Kyuubi has been lost for longer than I like to remember. Given the timelines involved, it is possible he was the first to be abducted." Hearing that, the other Kages shifted nervously. The power of the Nine Tails Fox was legendary on its own, but to be in the hands of an enemy force? That was something truly terrifying.

Leaning forward, the Yondaime Raikage frowned into his hands. "While neither of our Jinchuuriki have gone missing, we are feeling the pressure from Akatsuki's manipulations. However, Kumo views this as primarily your issue, since not a single Kumo missing ninja has attained a position of prominence within their ranks. Therefore, while we will not support an outright attack, we will help in other, subtler ways. I am willing to share information and money if it means an end to the threat of Akatsuki."

Frowning, Oonoki grumbled. "I remember the days when such issues were state secrets! But if everyone else is putting their cards on the table, I guess I have no choice but to comply with the majority. Roushi of the Yonbi and Han of the Gobi have also gone missing. So if our information is accurate, then the Akatsuki might very well control the power of six of the Biju. Such an imbalance of power cannot be allowed to continue! Otherwise, we might find ourselves obsolete!" Being rendered useless was the one thing that no ninja wanted to deal with. Despite their differences, the five great ninja could agree on that point.

Smirking, the Mizukage stood. "I think I've got an idea. Organizations come and go with the tides, but what if we show their future weakness?" Seeing that he had their attention, the Demon of the Mist crossed his arms in confidence. "Invite them to send a team to the Chunin Exam, to showcase their abilities. Then, we can order our Genin to target them or, even if they emerge victorious, we can get a proper idea of their potential. What do you guys think?"

Frowning, the Hokage sighed. "While I hesitate to throw away the future of our village in such a fashion, information of our shared enemy is vital at this time. The next Chunin Exam will be in Konoha in three months. I move that we send the invitation with the intention of undermining the Akatsuki's position on the world stage. Can we agree upon this plan?" The other Kage's took only moments to signal their agreement. No one wanted the Akatsuki to grow even stronger!

Clearing his throat, Mifune stood. "Then, by a majority vote it is decided that the Akatsuki will be invited to the next Chunin Exam with the intention of undermining their position and gathering information. With that decision, this conclave of the Five Shadows is called to an end. The Land of Iron thanks you for your commitment to stability, and continued acknolwedgement of our neutrality." Retrieving their hats, the five Kages left, their business concluded and plots in place. Now all that was left was to make their preparations.

* * *

In a shadowy cavern, seven translucent figures met in absolute secrecy. The plans of the Akatsuki necessitated the leadership to constantly be on the move, gathering bounties and dealing with potential threats between missions. However, due to the genius of their leader, distance was not a deterrent to communication. Shifting in place, the huddled form of Sasori cleared his throat, voice distorted by the jutsu effect. "From what my spies can uncover, the Kages have decided to work together to undermine our position. A poor showing at a Chunin Exam would set us back dramatically, but ignoring the invitation would do nearly as much damage."

Growling, his partner Deidara snorted. "Those jerks are just jealous of our artistic vision! Soon, we'll make their entire corrupt society implode in a fiery explosion! We should just hold our own Exam, and invite them to send representatives! That would give us the home field advantage, and show how scared they are of our greatness!" While somewhat unstable, no one could fault the man's enthusiasm.

Shaking his head, Kakuzu shook his head. "It's not that simple. Sure, we might get away with hosting our own exams in a few years, but right now Akatsuki is still proving itself to the populace. The Chunin Exams are simply too great an earner for the nobility to disregard just yet. We don't have much choice but to send a team. The only question is, which should we send?" While somewhat mercenary, no one was stupid enough to disregard his wisdom. You did not fight the Shodaime Hokage and live by being weak, after all, even with somewhat disgusting personal habits.

Shifting his spectral sword, the hulking form of Hoshigaki Kisame smirked at his own partner. "Say newbie, the next Chunin Exam is based in Konoha, right? Since that's your old home town, do you have any ideas as to who would be the best choice?" Pain had been hesitant to include the last two members, based upon the information retrieved from Madara. However, both had proven their loyalty time after time, and ninja of their caliber were hard to come by.

Staring straight ahead, Uchiha Itachi replied in his customary monotone. "It would be best not to send any ninja that is currently registered as a missing ninja. Despite the supposed neutrality of the exams, given the situation any loophole would probably be utilized to disqualify our competitors. I would also recommend that we avoid anyone with ties to the recently reclaimed Oto. The last thing we need is for Konoha to increase their surveillance due to paranoia concerning the fallen Orochimaru. In fact, given the forces against us, I would recommend that Konan-sama's team be the one sent. There is no stronger group within our next generation after all." That was meant with some concern. Despite their hardened exteriors, the assembled ninja had a soft spot for the Genin in question. Sending those children into the figurative lion's den did not sit well with any of them.

Frowning, Pain turned to his own partner, and second in command. "Do you believe that they can be ready in time, Konan? Given what we're facing, I will only send them in if you believe that they can take on Jonin level opponents. Anything less would probably be suicide." The leader of the organization did his best to be impartial, but the children in question included a very special case. He had faith in his childhood companion, but the odds were far more dangerous than he would have liked.

Tilting her head to the side, the blue haired kunoichi smiled. "Do not worry about my students, everyone. They will be ready in time. I agree with Itachi that an unmarked ninja is probably the best figure to handle the situation. Out of everyone here, that leaves you, Kakuzu or me. Since you are far too busy for such a chore and Kakuzu does not currently have a team, it falls to me and mine to handle this challenge. Just remember who you speak of and everything should go fine. I will protect them with everything I am." After such a strong declaration, there was nothing left to do but arrange the details with the Chunin Exam committee. The Akatsuki would be going to Konoha.

* * *

Waiting at the gates of Amegakure, Konan did her best to remain relaxed. Today she and her team would go out into the world to demonstrate the strength of the Akatsuki's convictions. The hope of all their future dreams and goals rested on the shoulders of the Genin that she led. It was the first time that the kunoichi had ever placed her hopes on the younger generation. Honestly, it was almost enough to make her feel old.

Finally, after what seemed to be an eternity, her three children came walking up clad in the cloaks of their station. The leader of the pack, hair and face covered by the traditional Ame re-breather, could not hold back his enthusiasm. "Hey, Sensei! Team Angel, ready and raring to go kick some ass! Let's show those losers just what it means to deal with Akatsuki." Sighing at the choice of language, Konan could not help but smile at her son's continued enthusiasm. After all, if you use S-class missing ninja as role models, a few minor bad habits could come up every now and then.

Hitting him on the arm, the ninja to his left released a tired sigh. "Do you have to be so damn chipper, Sunshine? Let's just get to going so I can take a nap. It's not like these idiots are going to be any sort of threat, right?" Seeing the blonde stick out his tongue at his comrade, Konan stifled a giggle. Ever since they had fixed the seal of the Ichibi, Gaara had become quite the little comedian. It was so nice seeing her child make friends his age.

Smacking both their heads, the tallest of the three let out a small growl. "Oh stop joking around you two! This is going to be super hard, and our village is counting on us! So get your acts together so we don't embarrass ourselves or the Akatsuki! Isn't that right, Konan-sensei?" Looking down at her kunoichi, the older woman sighed. While she appreciated Fu's work ethic, sometimes the hero worship got to be a bit much to take.

Still, she had a standard to set. "Alright kids, this is the big one. Pain-sama himself expects you to be on your best behavior. No one will be fair to you in this test. The five great powers want us to fail to feel better about themselves. So I expect each and every one of you to give all you can for our victory. If all three of my students don't make it into the finals, then I will be most upset. Is that clear?" Seeing their determined nods, previous humor forgotten, Konan could not help but smile. Naruto of the Rain, Gaara of the Sand and Fu of the Forest were the strongest Genin that the Akatsuki had. Now was the perfect time to show those outdated Kages why it was time to make way for the next generation. Leaping out into the water soaked plains Konan led them to their ultimate destiny.

* * *

Authors Notes

As promised, a "Naruto Joins the Akatsuki Fic!" Although, if this is what happens when I attempt to write crack, I might need to get out more -_-;;;

Thanks again to tallymark for her excellent beta work. It was a major help!

Now, I'm sure that a number of you are rather annoyed with the lack of updates on my primary project, Escape from the Hokage's Hat. It is my most popular work, and something that I put a lot of effort into. That being said, things have hit a slight...snag.

You see, I do have a normal job to pay the bills and buy all those box set's I love so much. The thing is, I am REALLY tired of my current position, and have decided to do something about it. So at the end of last month, I began taking night classes on top of my normal responsibilities, hoping to transfer into a better position. That being said, going back to school while working full time is a little more daunting than I anticipated, and it s eaten into my free time rather badly. I have about twenty percent of the next chapter actually written, but I just need some uninterrupted relaxation or stupendous inspiration to finish it off. So hopefully, I should have something in another two weeks.

Please bear with me a little longer!

Oh, and for those of you who have no idea as to what I'm talking about, go check out my profile page and first story.

Now, on to the next chapter!


	6. The Wild Fox Cometh Missing Scenes!: GE7

No I don't own any of the associated characters presented here. Although I really wish I did...

Special! The Wild Fox Cometh Missing Scenes!

Chapter Six: The Genin Exam of Team Seven!

Tapping a clawed finger against the desk, Kiba began to wonder what the hell was up with their Jonin Sensei. Team Seven had been waiting for nearly three hours, and he was almost ready to rip his hair out! His former classmates had all left with their Sensei's, and even Iruka-sensei had only lasted an hour before bailing. He should be out walking Akamaru and training to get stronger, not stuck sitting next to the walking pile of angst known as Uchiha Sasuke. He could not even chat with his familiar, seeing as the small dog was curled up in Sakura's lap for a nap. It was times like this that he truly envied his partner. Being pampered by cute girls was right up there with licking himself! It was just too bad that all the Inuzuka methods of transformation were designed for combat instead of infiltration, or he would have had free reign of the kunoichi changing areas by now!

Still, at least he had one decent teammate. He and Sakura had met for lunch, while the Uchiha avoided his diehard fan girls, chatting about their team dynamic. The Inuzuka was a little bummed that she was too into Naruto right now to be interested in a date, but at least he still had a decent sparring partner. Kiba had no doubt that everyone would be too busy with their teams to meet for any informal training, so unless things changed dramatically he would be spending quite a bit of time with the pink haired girl. At least whatever product she used left the girl smelling pleasant. Too many of their classmates preferred harsh chemical soaps and dye treatments, and it was murder on his sense of smell.

Yet despite being on friendly terms, their attempts at small talk in the classroom had dried up after an hour of dealing with the glaring Uchiha. Kiba knew the guy made Sakura nervous, and honestly he could understand why. Some of the more aggressive members of his pack had to be reprimanded for their treatment of their partners, because of a desire to establish dominance. It was one of the reasons that Inuzuka tended to look for powerful ninja to mate with. It was just another way to keep them in line. In fact, his own mother had gotten so wild that his father had finally left when he was younger. Kiba did not know if that was some sort of euphemism for dying on the battlefield or not, but honestly did not care that much anymore. One parent was more than he could handle sometimes, and the knowledge would not change anything. But he would not want to be in a potentially abusive relationship either, especially with the last loyal Uchiha.

The Genin's thoughts were broken by the door finally opening. Looking up, Kiba was treated to the sight of a rail thin man with gravity defying silver hair. The man only had one eye visible, filled with some serious apathy. Yet despite his relaxed posture, Kiba's other senses were making him cautious. The man stank of dogs and blood, moving with the hidden grace of a predator. Akamaru's whimpers only confirmed his suspicious. This man had a very high level of chakra, and was clearly the strongest Jonin they had seen today. Looking through them, the Jonin almost seemed to sigh. "I have to say that my first impression of you three...is that you're boring. Meet me on the roof for team introductions." With that the Jonin seemed to disappear, a swirl of leaves the only sign of his passing.

Eyebrow twitching at the brush off, Kiba growled, "Come on, Akamaru. Let's go see the hot shot Jonin." Barking his agreement, the ninja dog leapt from Sakura's lap directly onto his normal position on top of his head. Walking quickly, Kiba led the pack, ignoring the glare from the Uchiha or the running steps of Sakura. He knew he was not an alpha yet, but being so casually dismissed after waiting for three hours pissed the Genin right off. That was a sign of contempt right there, and the Inuzuka would not stand for it! He was not sure how, but the Jonin would respect his team or suffer his wrath! He might even dust off the old urine acid bath prank from his younger days just to scald that look right out of his skull!

Unfortunately, their Sensei did not give him enough time to act. Once the trio of Genin had assembled, he pinned them all with his one bored eye before giving his first order. "Well, now that we're all here and chipper, I think it's time for a round of introductions. Say your name, likes, dislikes and goal as a ninja." Focusing on him, Kiba could practically feel the older man holding back a chuckle. "Why don't we start with you, puppy boy?" Hearing Sakura snort at the comment was almost enough to send Kiba over the edge.

However, he was a ninja now, and would not be baited so easily. Besides, after three hours of waiting around, the boy was raring to go anyway. Meeting the Jonin's bored gaze openly, he made his presentation while biting back any sarcasm. "My name is Inuzuka Kiba, and this is my partner Akamaru. I like cute girls, Akamaru, and my friends. I hate pricks who think they're better than me, cats, and people who pick on those weaker than they are. My dream is to grow strong enough to become the next head of the Inuzuka clan!" Of course, given the fact that his sister was considered a prodigy, the chances of that happening were less than ideal. That did not mean he would not fight for his dream with everything in his heart and soul!

The Jonin barely responded before nodding over to Sakura. Getting the unspoken message, the pink haired girl cleared her throat. "Well, my name is Haruno Sakura. I like my friends, people who are kind, and Genjutsu. I dislike stupidity, bigotry, and people who don't take me seriously because of my hair. My dream is to become a powerful ninja that can make my family proud." Remembering the little waif from back at the beginning of the Academy, Kiba had to bite back a snort. Both Ino and Naruto had done a number on this girl, but he had to admire the results. Maybe a date was still in the cards, if he was willing to work for it.

Of course, Kiba's romantic concerns were completely derailed with the punk's introduction. "My name is Uchiha Sasuke. There are not many things that I would consider liking, and none worth mentioning here. As to the things I hate, well it would not be accurate to say it is simple hatred. No, every bit of darkness in my soul is focused upon a single goal, nay and unshakable ambition. I will rid this world of a certain man, and remove all who stand in the way of my purpose." Feeling a chill run up his spine, Kiba realized that this was the most he had heard the so called genius say in years. Yet, it was delivered with so much raw hatred that he could barely believe that this was really the Sasuke he had always known. Seeing Sakura shiver as well, the Inuzuka knew that he was not the only one.

Clapping, their Sensei seemed to smile behind his mask. "Well, aren't you the dramatic one? Maybe this won't be boring after all. For your information, my name is Hatake Kakashi. I may or may not be your Sensei if you can't pass a special little qualifying exam. You see, there are only so many slots available for Genin, so out of the graduates from your class a grand total of three teams are expected to keep their headbands. Isn't that exciting?" Hearing that, Kiba wanted to punch a wall to vent his frustration. After all that time and effort, they get to hear now that it was all for nothing? That was not fair!

Moving his hands into a seal, Kakashi's unseen smile seemed almost sinister. "We will meet for the test tomorrow morning on Training Ground Seven at six sharp. Oh, and it's going to be fairly vigorous, so don't eat breakfast unless you want to puke. In the meantime, I'll leave you to discuss the specifics amongst yourselves." With that, the Jonin left his team alone except for a few dead leaves and a building head of steam. At that point Kiba began to wonder if passing was really a good idea. Maybe taking another year to get a new Sensei would be worth the delay?

* * *

Forcing her breath to remain calm, Sakura kept a steady pace along the edge of the village. The familiar movement was actually soothing and invigorating at the same time, allowing the girl to ignore the absurdly early hour. She had already finished a light workout routine, and the jog was her cool down. Changing her course, she headed towards training ground seven, smiling as she saw the running forms of Kiba and Akamaru approaching from the other side. At least she had one teammate she could count on. Remembering just who the last member of team seven was, Sakura suppressed a sigh. Why were the fates so cruel to stick her and her friend with the wrong boy? It just was not fair!

It was because of her second favorite blonde friend that she could even handle this schedule. When Hinata had started to overtake her position in class, Sakura had looked up every workout routine she could manage to keep up. Yet none of them had done anything but send the thin girl to the nurses office. Frustrated with her lack of progress, Sakura had eventually complained about the situation to Naruto, only for the blonde to offer some surprising advice. _"But Sakura-chan, you're not being fair to yourself! Hinata is the heir of the Hyuga clan, and has probably been doing extra physical training for as long as she's been walking. You can't just jump into something like that cold! Don't worry so much about how strong you are compared to her, and focus on how strong you become compared to yesterday. It's a lot better for your health."_ So while the other girl had finally claimed the top spot, Sakura had become nearly twenty times stronger with the modified routine. Having Naruto, Ino and occasionally Kiba join in had only helped to motivate her further. Although her current crush usually took things to extremes. Despite some of her racier dreams, no one should have that much stamina!

Falling into step besides the Inuzuka, Sakura smiled. "Hey Kiba, are you ready to go all out?" Seeing his rakish grin, the kunoichi could not help but giggle a bit. Whenever they trained together, Naruto would use encouragement to keep her going while Ino would taunt to get a few more minutes out of effort. But Kiba always did some stupid sign of male bravado that just got plain silly after a while. However, it was just what she needed to break the tension before such an important test. Especially given that Uchiha Sasuke was waiting for them at the training ground, scowl already in place. It was almost enough to break her exercise high.

Sighing at the sudden tension, she was broken out of her reverie when Kiba poked her side. "Hey Sakura, want a snack? He said we shouldn't eat breakfast before we got here, but I could go for a bite." Seeing the offer of some jerky and a bottle of water, Sakura nodded her agreement. She had once tried to combine her full training regimen with a diet, and had been unable to move for three days afterwards. Given that their enemy was a Jonin, she was going to need every bit of strength she could muster. Kiba then took out another strip of the dried meat, and turned to their teammate. "Hey Uchiha, did you want some? I brought extra." Sasuke's derisive snort was more than enough of an answer for them both.

Taking a sip from her canteen, Sakura started finishing up her cool down with some stretches, quickly followed by Kiba and Akamaru. Not only would it prevent a cramp, but it would also give her little meal a chance to digest. Wiping a slight sheen of sweat from her forehead, Sakura settled down to rest, Akamaru in her lap. While the little ninja dog might be loyal to Kiba, he was an attention whore, something that she honestly thought he took after his master in. It might even be cute if it was not sort of creepy. But there was nothing left to do except relax and pet the small bundle of fur in her lap while waiting for their Jonin to show up.

Of course, Sakura had not realized that being late was this ninja's personal quirk. They ended up stuck there for another two hours with nothing to do except make small talk, share a few more snacks, and listen to Sasuke's stomach growl. Honestly, with how constipated the boy looked, Sakura had to wonder how she could have ever thought he was cute. Just two days as Uchiha Sasuke's teammate had made the young Kunoichi appreciate the enthusiasm of her blonde crush even more. Ino was welcome to the broody bastard, even though she was too good for him. Thankfully, Kakashi-sensei showed up before she was tempted to chuck a few kunai at the source of the noise.

Smiling in that creepy way he used with only a single eye, the silver haired Jonin approached them without a care in the world. "Well, I see that nearly all of you decided to ignore my recommendations concerning food. Luckily for you, a black cat crossed my path and I wasted nearly an hour backtracking to avoid the bad luck. Odd twist of fate that." Seeing Sasuke's face twist into a grimace of pain, Sakura had to bite her lip to avoid laughing out loud. Judging from Kiba's barely suppressed chuckles, he was having more trouble keeping a hold on his emotions. Still, it was not like the jerk did not deserve it.

Reaching into a pocket, the Jonin retrieved two bells. "Now, your test will be a simple survival exercise. The goal of the test is to retrieve a bell from me directly. Anyone who gets a bell remains as my student. But if you are unable to accomplish this, I will send you back to the Academy." Reaching into a back pocket, he then presented them all with an alarm clock. "There is also a time limit until ten. Unfortunately, because of that little detour you have only an hour before time runs out. So I hope that you are prepared to give it your all." Thinking about what state she would have been in if she had actually avoided eating that morning, Sakura felt a chill. This man was as powerful as he was smart, and they were expected to face him head on? That made absolutely no sense!

Yet despite her own analysis of the situation, it was Sasuke who pointed out the obvious. "You seem to have forgotten something. There are three of us, yet you only have two bells." Narrowing her eyes at the comment, Sakura had to agree with the jerk. That was rather odd for the provided parameters. Then, giving one of the meanest smirks she had even seen, the last Uchiha snorted. "Perhaps you have the same aptitudefor counting that you do for teaching, as in none at all?" Gulping, the Genin edged away from her obviously deranged former crush. You just do not mouth off to a superior like that!

However, despite her fears, Kakashi-sensei did not scream or shout. Instead, he simply gave another one of those eye smiles, before replying, "Well, aren't you a plucky one? But no, I didn't miscount. The reason that there are only two bells is that one of you will definitely be going back to the Academy while the other two progress." Hearing about the possibility that she could progress without Sasuke, Sakura had to stop from cheering, even as she could feel Kiba tensing in excitement. The idea of dealing with a stuck up jerk like Sasuke for years did not fill her heart with joy, and working only with Kiba would actually be kind of cool. Still, somehow she just knew it was not going to be that easy. Nothing that this man had done so far was simple or straightforward, so what was she missing?

But then Kakashi-sensei started the exercise and she had no time to think anymore, only act. Rushing towards the trees, Sakura ran through all the information that they had before feeling a sudden jerk on her shoe. Looking down, she smiled at the grinning face of Akamaru. "Lead the way boy. We've got some planning to do." After all, no matter what she might believe, the best bet was to act on the information she had now, not some half formed thoughts that made no sense anyways. That meant that she and Kiba needed to get those bells before Sasuke beat them to their prize!

* * *

Forcing himself to appear relaxed and unconcerned, Kakashi mentally smirked at how well the group of Genin had hidden themselves. Oh, he could still smell Sakura's shampoo, and the Uchiha's chakra kept spiking for some reason, but for a bunch of green Genin it was a pretty good job. It was too bad that he had no plans to pass this team. He had responsibilities that did not include picking up some extra babysitting on the side, last loyal Uchiha or no. Besides, he was still pissed about missing out on training Sensei's kid, so the Sandaime could find someone else to do this shit.

Deciding that his prospective students needed a bit more of a push, the Jonin reached into his side pouch for the precious Icha Icha. Not only was the orange book a great read, but it was guaranteed to piss off kids with overly inflated egos or steady morals. So either Sakura or Sasuke should take one look at it and launch their attack. Given who Kiba's mother was, he did not think the Inuzuka would try anything besides stealing the precious tome for himself. Not that he would allow such a travesty, but it was best to be prepared for anything. He knew just how tricky his fellow perverts could be in the pursuit of the most holy of holies.

Hearing the distinctive twang of a cut line, Kakashi replaced his literature before making a quick seal-less substitution and transformation. Watching a barrage of kunai hit the transformed log left him shaking his head. Really, what was it with kids these days? A giant wave of deadly metal was useless if none of them were fast enough to connect. That was when a familiar hissing sound caught the Jonin's attention before the center of the clearing went up in flames. Observing the destruction, he felt a headache coming on. Who the hell gave a green Genin an exploding tag that powerful? He did not care if the brat was the Shodaime reborn! Someone was going to get a talking to as soon as this test was over, besides the stupid Genin playing with explosives!

Moving to end the Uchiha's games, he leapt towards the brat's last position, only to hear yet another round of hissing. Kakashi actually had to use a full blown teleportation to get out of the next booby trap of fire and shrapnel. Safely out of the blast zone, he began to feel a nervous twitch coming on at the sight of the budding forest fire. While he had no intention of passing Team Seven, until they were officially failed, he was responsible for any and all of their actions. That meant he might actually have to pay for this! Running through hand seals, the Jonin leapt towards the small pond on the border of the training ground before calling out his technique, "Suiton, Suiun Suishi no Jutsu!" At once, a highly pressurized stream of water hit the flaming trees, safely putting out the fire. Taking a quick breath, Kakashi returned to the safety of the trees, not wanting to remain a standing target for too long.

Wary of putting the other Genin in any further danger, Kakashi began to channel chakra into his ears and nose, hoping to find the little prick. As it was all this damage was probably going to cost him at least three B-rank missions to fix! Finally picking up the scent of the boys fire chakra, and tomatoes for some reason, Kakashi replaced himself right behind the brat in order to knock him out. Of course, he was actually surprised to see a used shirt and another exploding tag. Maybe he should give the top Genin of his graduating class a little more credit than that? Teleporting out of the blast range, Kakashi decided to stay in the clearing this time. When facing anyone who liked exploding tags that much, space to maneuver was just what the Jonin ordered!

At that point, the silver haired Jonin was ready for quite a bit. But given the traps demonstrated so far by the latest crazy Uchiha Genius, he was more than a little surprised by the sudden direct attack. Wielding a sword that was clearly compensating for something, Sasuke launched himself at the Jonin's blind spot, snarling and topless. Having battled with a blade since the tender age of five, Kakashi was more than prepared to handle anything the little boy could throw at him. Honestly, dodging the frantic swings of the Genin was the most relaxing part of their confrontation so far. Although, for all the trouble the brat had caused him, the Jonin was tempted to find a camera and take a few pictures for his remaining fan girls. Having a bunch of crazy pre-teen girls stalking the brat with renewed vigor would be just the sort of punishment that Obito would have appreciated. Too bad that he had not realized the boy's lack of modesty when angry, or that could have been an epic prank.

Tiring of the fruitless series of attacks, Kakashi blocked the boys sight for an instant before forming a Shadow Clone underground. Jumping high into the air, he then threw a few kunai around the genius who had no choice but to block. That was all the opening that the clone needed for a Shinjuu Zanshu no Jutsu. However, to his surprise the Uchiha did not start thrashing around. Instead, he channeled chakra to his feet, disrupting the technique long enough to gain some distance. Feeling an eye twitch coming on, he decided to make a point of contacting his Academy Sensei after this. Who the heck was teaching a child this unstable Chunin level skill? That was downright dangerous!

Deciding that things had gone on long enough, the Jonin simply channeled chakra into his legs to increase his speed. While he might not be at Gai's level, Kakashi was more than fast enough to dodge his student with pure speed. He simply had not wanted to waste the effort on a mere Genin before now. Moving faster than Sasuke could blink, Kakashi knocked him out with a blow to the head, taking care to keep the sword from injuring him on the way down. After that it took a mere moment of his attention to knock the blade away and tie the unruly Genin up with ninja wire. It was all in a day s work for any veteran worth their salt.

Of course, that moment was all the rest of his test takers appeared to need for their own attack. Moving in from his blind spot, Kakashi barely had enough time to move away from the immobile boy before meeting this new charge. Sakura came in low, her speed clearly enhanced with small, controlled bursts of chakra. Kiba attacked high, spinning furiously in the air with a partial clan technique he recognized. Honestly, with all the noise that the brat had made, the Jonin had forgotten about these two for a moment. Ah well, at least they showed better teamwork then the so called Uchiha Genius. Taking no chances, he channeled some chakra into each arm to meet their charge, catching their kunai on two of his own.

Now Kakashi had expected many different possible outcomes from that first clash. Logically, both Genin should have deflected off, hoping to get another chance to charge. Or perhaps they should have tried to launch a follow up attack while his hands were occupied. That was the logical and text book strategy that any Academy Student should have used after so little experience. So he was actually caught a bit off guard when both Genin simply took a second kunai and attempted a simultaneous strike to their blocking arms. Frowning, Kakashi twisted his blades, pushing the two kids off his arms, unwilling to get in too close after the mess that he had already had to deal with. So when the tinkle of bells reached his ears, Kakashi was honestly floored.

Because, in that moment of inattention when his full concentration had been on the two attacking Genin, Kiba's familiar Akamaru had launched another strike from his blind spot. Only this time, he had been so focused on Kiba and Sakura that he had not realized the possibility of an attack until it was too late. Before he could correct his mistake, the ninja dog had launched the two bells at his master, and Kiba had already tossed one to the kunoichi. Of course, that was when the alarm clock had to go off, signaling the end of the test. Swallowing, Kakashi shot a baleful glare at the bound Uchiha. Maybe he should just pass the other two and leave this brat to rot? Council or no that was looking like a very attractive possibility at this point.

* * *

Sullenly tugging at the ropes that bound him to the post, Sasuke was beyond angry. He had launched the most powerful techniques and strategies he could at the Jonin for nearly twenty minutes straight, and the bastard had simply played with him the entire time before claiming victory. Yet, the other two weaklings and their dog had launched a single attack and won the challenge. How could this have happened to an Uchiha elite such as him? Those bells should have been his, but the other two had stolen his victory, a necessary step for his vengeance. Someone would pay for this outrage!

Standing before them, unmarked by a single one of their attacks, Hatake Kakashi gave another of those annoying eye smiles. "I have to admit that I am somewhat impressed. The Hokage has given me countless teams of Genin to test, yet none of them have ever gotten this far. For all your youth and inexperience, Sakura and Kiba managed to get the bells when all those fancy fire jutsu and exploding tags failed." Sasuke stiffened as a focused wave of killing intent seemed to wash over him. "Yes, I do believe that we will be having words about that, Sasuke. I would really like to know who thought a Genin should have that level of destructive power. Dealing with the paperwork you generated is going to be quite annoying." For the first time since the massacre, the last Uchiha shuddered in fear.

Sighing, the image of the terrifying Jonin was shattered, leaving a simple ninja. "Still, while I think that you've got a good grasp on some of the basics, there is still some work to be done. For example, Sasuke was clearly the strongest direct combatant. If you two had incorporated him into your plan initially, then I would have had quite a bit more trouble. As things stand, I don't know what to recommend. You accomplished your mission, yet missed the true nature of the test." That little bomb shell left both Kiba and Sakura sputtering while the dog whined. It took all his concentration to hold back a smug grin. It served those idiots right, trying to take advantage of his actions to go forward.

Taking a sealing scroll, the Jonin released two boxed lunches, handing them to the unbound Genin. "Alright, I think that we need another round. Have a snack now, and we'll restart the test after you finish." Shooting him a very direct look, Kakashi almost seemed to grin. "The only thing that I request is that mister pyro over there not get any. He failed the test on all levels, and doesn't deserve to eat. Well, then, I hope you enjoy! I understand that the cherry tomato salad is particularly good this time of year!" Hearing that, the last Uchiha's stomach growled like an earthquake. Clearly, this Jonin was pure evil.

As soon as the silver haired man left, Kiba dug into his box lunch with a fury. However, before he managed three bites, the kunoichi stopped him. "Hold on Kiba, I think that this is another test. Nothing that man has done so far has been that simple. We need to think about this, and you can afford to wait a bit. I know you cannot be hungry after so little exercise." Much to Sasuke's surprise, the Inuzuka stopped eating almost immediately. He had known that Haruno had improved somewhat from the days she followed him around, but why would Kiba bother listening to her? She was still the weakest of their perspective team.

Putting down the lunch, which he noticed did hold a generous pile of tomatoes, Kiba snorted. "Alright, I buy that. I mean, we accomplished the mission goals, passed his test, and stayed free before the bell rang. Yet he says that we missed something." Slamming a fist into the soil, the Inuzuka snarled, "What the heck does he want from us? Two untested Genin outwitted a freaking Jonin, beating a test that no one else ever has. We should be getting metals or something, not being forced to retake it! That's just plain nuts!" While he thought that the boy was a fool, Sasuke mentally acknowledged he had a point. Despite their minimal actions, both of the other Genin had retrieved the bells. What else could they have done to win?

Eyes widening, the pink haired girl snapped her fingers. "Kiba, that's it! That's what we were missing! A barely graduated Genin should have had no chance against a Jonin! Especially one as strong as Kakashi-sensei! That explains the purpose of the test and why we didn't pass properly!" Seeing that the Inuzuka had a blank expression, Sasuke was secretly thankful. Maybe then the girl would explain her logic properly to all the sane mortals in the area.

Apparently impatient with their silence, Sakura got up and began to pace. "It's about teamwork and loyalty, Kiba! The lesson that Kakashi-sensei wanted us to realize was the fact that we are stronger together than apart! I could never have gotten those bells by myself, and neither could you! The only reason that the two of us succeeded was Akamaru! But in a normal squad test, the three Genin should have acted in concert to overpower Sensei! Then someone should have been willing to fail so that the others could progress!" Hearing the explanation, Sasuke resisted the urge to bash the back of his head against the pillar. The reason that he was being held back was because he had to work with these weaklings to succeed? That was downright cruel and unusual punishment!

Frowning, Kiba narrowed his eyes. "You know, now that I think about it mom and Hana never mentioned working with anything less than three squad mates. I think that the last group to work with less on a regular basis was the Sannin, and that was only because their squad leader was the Hokage." Scratching Akamaru's fur, the boy frowned. "So we got the teamwork part because we worked together, but failed the loyalty part because we didn't work with Sasuke? Well that just sucks!" Forcing himself to remain silent, Uchiha Sasuke had to agree. He only had his ambition, and it had to be done alone. A team like the dog boy and the wallflower would just get in his way.

Of course, his little monologue was interrupted by a pair of chopsticks holding a cherry tomato. Looking up, he was met with the determined green eyed gaze of Haruno Sakura. "Don't get me wrong, Sasuke. I got over you a long time ago, and this doesn't mean anything. But I have someone precious to me who I know will pass this test, and I refuse to be left behind. So eat up and work with us so that you can fulfill that ambition of yours. Otherwise, all three of us will be screwed." Surprised by the confident and unwavering tone, Sasuke inadvertently bit into the tomato, savoring the sweetness. Perhaps he threw this girl away too soon? If she really had this sort of will power, then she might make a good candidate to revive his clan. Of course, that was the moment that Kakashi-sensei chose to return.

The training ground was literally flooded with killing intent as the silver haired Jonin bore down upon them. "So you violate my orders, and aid this little child? Do you really think that you're able to ignore my demands so easily? Well, I guess there's only one punishment that will fit the crime." Forcing himself to meet that angry eye, Sasuke would not be cowed. He was an Uchiha and no one would stop him, test or no test! Smiling through his mask, Kakashi-sensei broke the tension like a plane of glass. "You three will have to work under me until I'm satisfied you truly understand your lesson. Welcome to hell, Team Seven!" At that point, Uchiha Sasuke, number one rookie of his class had to wonder if it would not have just been better to fail and try again next year.

* * *

Authors Notes

As requested, a missing scene from the first chapter! I've actually had this one on the backburner for about a month now, but I was hoping that tallymark could beta it before publication. Unfortunately, she has left for a trip, and will be too busy to help for a bit :(

Now, to be clear, what else did you think Sasuke was going to go for in a secret jutsu library? I mean, come on this is the boy who defined, "power at any cost!" Plus he is a ninja boy, and they appear to be addicted to explosions, especially the last heir of a clan of pyromaniacs. At least, that s my opinion. I could be wrong.

This is just a little mental break from Escape from the Hokage's Hat. I feel like I've become too predictable, and needed to shake things up a bit. In fact, once I got started, the next chapter of Different Techniques practically wrote itself! So expect another update within the week. Peace out!


	7. The Wild Fox Cometh Missing Scenes!: GE8

No I don't own Naruto. Although I really wish I had those sorts of toys!

Special! The Wild Fox Cometh Missing Scenes!

Chapter Seven: The Genin Exam of Team Eight!

Taking another bite from his bento, Chouji looked over his teammates with a mental sigh. When he had started training as a ninja, the Akimichi always thought he would be able to work with Shikamaru. Not only were they good friends who worked well together, but it was something of a family tradition. While he did not really care too much about the previous Ino-Shika-Chou team, the Genin knew that the three of them could have accomplished great things together. Shikamaru was smart enough to get out of any real trouble, and Ino was cute enough to make up for her personality. Despite a few bumps over the years, he thought of the two as good friends and was more than comfortable enough to work with them. Instead, while both were going to work with another good guy, Chouji once again got the short end of the stick.

To his right was the lone kunoichi of the team. Hyuga Hinata was perfectly poised in a skin tight black body suit and an unzipped lavender windbreaker. While Chouji would admit that the girl was cute, he had never really understood her. She normally came across as arrogant between her skills and lack of interaction, gaining the title of ice princess within the last year. Truly, Hinata was the perfect picture of Hyuga control and ability. Yet Chouji could honestly state that the girl was never cruel to him and those around him. In fact, she kind of looked lonely, between her solitude and constant attempts to join their clique. If there was one thing that the boy knew, it was the signs of someone looking for a friend.

To his left was the heir of the Aburame clan, Shino. Covered from head to toe in a grey trench coat and glasses, the other Genin seemed content to stare into the distance, only letting off the occasional buzz. Chouji had seen the taller boy use a few clan techniques in his quest to deal with Naruto and Sasuke's fights, so he knew better than to mess with the guy. Even so, the thought of working with someone who threw bugs around when pissed left the boy a little afraid. Who knew how many of his precious meals would be consumed by the horde within his teammate? That thought alone was almost enough to make him break out in a cold sweat.

Chouji knew he was no genius, but when it came to being on the outside, he was something of an expert. Both of his teammates were not friends, but he did not have any real reason to dislike them either. Hinata and Shino were good ninja, among the best in the class to be honest. However, they never joined in other people's games, always appearing content to stand by the sidelines. He had been the same way when younger, never thinking himself strong or cool enough to join with others. Yet, he had found Shikamaru, which had led to Ino, Naruto, Sakura and Kiba. Did these two really like being alone, or had no one ever managed to pierce their shells? As their teammate, maybe he should make an effort to change that.

Opening his mouth to break the silence, the Akimichi was thwarted by the interruption of an unknown voice. "Well now, I'm glad that you're all together. That will make this easier." Looking for the speaker Chouji's eyes widened in shock. Standing before him were two complete and utter babes! The one on the left was elegant, wearing a dress comprised of red and white wraps that hugged her figure. Midnight black hair framed a lovely face and a pair of reddish eyes. The woman on the right was just a bit shorter, features just as even with a spiky purple ponytail. However, her figure was just as lush, barely hidden by a mesh body suit and open trench coat. At the sight of the two goddesses before him, Chouji's slight crush on Ino took a major hit. There was something to be said about an older woman after all.

Looking them over, the red eyed beauty gave a small half smile. "It is a pleasure to meet you all. My name is Yuuhi Kurenai, and I have been appointed as your Jonin instructor. My colleague here is Mitarashi Anko, a good friend of mine." Seeing the trench coat wearing woman give them a smirk and two fingered salute, Chouji gulped. For some reason, he felt like a mouse being targeted by a snake. "Now that you know us, why don't you introduce yourselves to one another? While I'm sure you know a little bit from your time in the Academy information is always important, especially if you're going to be working with one another. But for the moment, just limit your descriptions to likes, dislikes, your name, and a possible dream please." Realizing that he only knew his comrades names in addition to his own impressions, Chouji mentally thanked the Jonin for the opening.

Clearing her throat, the Hyuga straightened her back, incidentally highlighting a certain area of her anatomy. Realizing that her eyes could probably pick up on any distracted glances, the Akimichi forced himself to focus upon her face during her introduction. "My name is Hyuga Hinata, acknowledged heiress of the Hyuga Clan. I like my family and those I admire. I dislike cruelty, shortsightedness, and intolerance. One of my dreams is to finally be strong enough to seek acknowledgement from someone I admire." Seeing the girl's face pink at the last statement, Chouji had to wonder who the heck she could admire. It was not like she showed any real interest in the boys in their class after all.

Adjusting his sunglasses, Shino went next. "My name is Aburame Shino. I like logical thinking and insects. I dislike illogical actions and willful destruction of insects without reason. My dream is to learn and develop every Aburame clan technique, while maintaining stability within my home." Hearing that introduction, Chouji fought back a wince. Suddenly, Shino's actions against Naruto and Sasuke seemed to make more sense. Having two Academy students throwing around techniques and fighting one another at that level probably could not be considered logical. Maybe he could convince the boy that Naruto was alright, because he did not start the fights normally? The last thing he wanted to do was have to deal with a friend and a teammate hating one another.

Realizing that everyone's focus was on him, Chouji let out a nervous chuckle. "My name is Akimichi Chouji. I like my friends and food, especially barbeque. I dislike bullies and people who make fun of my size. My dream is to be as good a ninja as I can be." Seeing Hinata smile at his reasons, along with Kurenai-sensei, the large Genin breathed a sigh of relief. Even without Shikamaru there, it appeared that he could still work with comrades who would not make fun of him. That would make things go so much easier.

Nodding in acknowledgement of their words, Kurenai sighed. "Unfortunately, at this time I must inform you that you are not yet truly Genin." Hearing this, Chouji's heart froze, even as he saw Hinata's eyes widen and Shino begin to buzz. Clearly, his team was not pleased with this news either. "Your time in the Academy and the final test were simply tools to determine if you have what it takes to potentially become Genin. Being a ninja of Konoha is a trying and dangerous occupation, and only the very best should attempt it. In fact, it is expected that only one third of the graduating teams from your class have a real chance of succeeding in the field."

Chouji wanted to protest, but something about the Jonin's words stopped him. His dad had always gone on and on about the true dangers of being a ninja, and how important it was to have able comrades to support you. Perhaps they had a right to be picky if that was the case? However, judging from Hinata's arctic expression, his opinions were not completely shared by his peers. "Very well Sensei, what must we do to become one of the three successful teams?" Like a switch, the ice princess was back in all her glory. Chouji hoped that she would not show up too much more. Now that he had seen the girl when she relaxed, he knew what he preferred.

Apparently, judging from her sigh, Kurenai-sensei liked the relaxed Hinata as well. "Well, given the raw potential of your squad, I've asked Anko here to help with my test." Holding up a scroll, she waited until they were all focused before continuing. "Your objective is to acquire this scroll, which Anko will be guarding somewhere in training area fifteen. I will be hiding, observing and analyzing just how well you do. You automatically pass if you manage to capture the scroll and return to this clearing within a three hour time limit. If you fail to acquire the scroll, I will evaluate your chances based upon my observations. Your test begins five minutes from now. Good luck!" Hearing that, Chouji scrambled to his feet while the two kunoichi disappeared into thin air. Their test was now? But he had not even finished his lunch yet!

* * *

Watching her Sensei disappear, Hinata used each and every trick she knew to remain calm. To work so hard for so long, only to be told it could all be rendered useless? It was almost more than the young Hyuga could bear! Closing her eyes and counting to ten, the young kunoichi regained her center with exceptional effort. Sure, the information was unpleasant, but had she not been acknowledged as the strongest kunoichi of her class? Had she not climbed from the pits of failure and weakness to become a ninja worthy of Naruto-kun's appreciation? The blonde boy would not give up in such a situation, and neither would she! Between herself and her teammates, they would pass this test and become the powerful ninja she knew they could be!

Opening her eyes, the Hyuga examined her teammates, using every technique and trick she could to analyze their reactions. Shino was, of course, difficult to read with his full body coverage and sun glasses. However, the slight buzzing and tenseness around his exposed facial muscles was more than enough to give his irritation away. Comparatively, Chouji's sudden sheen of sweat and shaking hands demonstrated a lack of confidence and fear. It was clear to her eyes, Byakugan or not, that both were concerned about their chances. However, they were in this together, and she would be damned if they failed! But the first objective was to get them focused and develop a strategy. "So, what do you two think about this?"

Pushing his sunglasses up, Shino was the first to respond. "Logically, a direct conflict with ninja of such skill and experience would not go in our favor. Given the emphasis that Kurenai-sensei made during our debriefing, our objective is to demonstrate the potential to work together as a team to accomplish an goal beyond our normal level. Therefore, the best method to succeed would be to pool our knowledge of both techniques and strategy to maximize their effect." Nodding her head, Hinata could understand the Aburame's analysis. It was cleaner than her own and showed signs of an excellent tactical mind. If they...no WHEN they succeeded, Shino would probably be the best person to develop their attack strategies in the field.

Seeing Chouji simply nod his agreement, Hinata smiled. "I do have a small advantage here. Kurenai-sensei was one of my guardians outside of the clan compound when I was growing up. She introduced me to Anko, and both gave me quite a bit of advice over the years. While I have never actually seen either of them in action before, I know quite a bit about their potential abilities. If we go over that information from top to bottom, then I'm sure that we can develop a winning strategy. Although it probably will take longer than five minutes to complete, I believe that it would be worth it. Better to be prepared than jump into a territory they probably have already seeded with traps and pitfalls."

Frowning, Chouji asked a question that caught her by surprise. "But wait, if they've known you for years, wouldn't the reverse be true to? I mean, as our Sensei and a Jonin, Kurenai-sensei probably knows everything she could about our abilities from the Academy files. You're the top Kunoichi in our class, so your skills are obvious, but spending all that time around you probably means that both of them know what you're most likely to do. Shino and I, on the other hand, are from fairly respectable clans with well documented techniques. So shouldn't we assume that they know everything we could do and have properly moved to counter it?"

Hearing the larger boy's argument, the young kunoichi could only blink in shock. While not exactly stupid, she had never thought that Chouji would notice something that subtle when she did not. Obviously she had been underestimating the boy. "That's a very good point, Chouji. No matter what, we need to plan as if they're our enemy. Both Anko and Kurenai-sensei probably know more about us than we do of them, are stronger, and know more techniques than we could even contemplate. However, I trust you two desire to be ninja just as much as I do, and will not let something like this stop you. Are we in agreement?" Seeing their determined nods, Hinata felts a warm glow in the pit of her stomach. So this was what it was like to have comrades who believed in you. It was a feeling that had been missing for far too long.

Standing up, Shino cleared his throat. "While I am sure that both of our opponents are very knowledgeable about our skills, my family does try to keep relatively low key. For example, while our main offensive abilities are based upon sending swarms of parasitic chakra draining bugs at our enemies, there are subtler tricks in our technique library." Holding out a finger, the young Aburame directed their attention to an off-red beetle. "For example, we can track females of our hives using their mates to detect a very subtle pheromone. As a precaution, I tagged both instructors before they left, so I can assure you that they will not get too far." Hearing that, the Hyuga gave off a blinding smile. While she might not have Naruto-kun as a teammate, at least she had both skilled and trustworthy people to work with. With that in mind, the three ninja began to plan in earnest.

* * *

Edging through the underbrush, Shino allowed himself a small smile. Between his logic, Hinata's drive and Chouji's surprise insights he was confident in the team's success. They had taken a full hour to review the information, sure that the data would be more important than catching the two women by surprise. Better to be cautious than rush into an ambush, after all. Judging from the raw number of minor exploding tags, rope traps, and pitfalls the area had been filled with, it was clear that the two older ninja had prepared their battlefield carefully. It was only due to their joint perception, attention to detail, and overall strength that the team had made it this far.

Releasing another six insects to perform recon, Shino backed away to the clearing chosen as their de facto base camp. Hinata had swept it carefully for any recording or tracking devices, and after confirming that his allies had not been replaced with clones or a genjutsu, Shino made his report. "I released a few more allies to double check the placement of my trackers, but from what I've been able to tell they are a mere twenty meters to the west. Kurenai-sensei is closer to our position, while Anko-sensei is five meters to the north. Other than the normal wild life present, they appear to be alone out there. No other sources of chakra were detected." This meant that there were no further tags or traps laced with chakra like they had been dealing with for the last eighty percent of the search. That made him nervous.

Activating her Byakugan, Hinata frowned. "I can confirm that both targets are in that general direction, and that there does not appear to be any traps or chakra tags nearby. However, I have their locations switched from your description. I see Anko-sensei as being closer to our location while Kurenai-sensei is five meters to the north. In addition, the scroll is placed in a position roughly equidistant between their respective locations but in full view of both." Hearing that, Shino raised an eyebrow in confusion. He trusted his insects, but the Byakugan of the Hyuga was legendary. What was going on here?

Noticing a familiar buzz, Shino held out his hands as his last wave of scouts returned. Their information only confirmed his suspicions. "Well, it appears that my allies are still stating the exact opposite. That begs the questions, how could they manage that and what are we to do about it? Either our opposition is familiar enough with my techniques to locate and reposition my trackers, or Kurenai-sensei, the Genjutsu Mistress of Konoha, possesses an upper level technique that can fool the Byakugan. Given the relative level of skill required for Jonin rank, either is a real possibility." Still that did nothing to help his pride. Noting the relative possibilities involved, the Aburame made a note to increase his training schedule after the test was completed.

That was when the logical Genin was caught off guard by the most unlikely source. "Send me in as a decoy against the one Hinata thinks is Kurenai-sensei." While he knew that the boy was loyal, Shino had no idea that he was suicidal! Of course, his shock must have been somewhat notable, because the Akimichi went on to explain his reasoning. "If you're right, and Kurenai-sensei set up a really powerful Genjutsu, I can distract Anko long enough for you two to grab the scroll and get out of there. Sensei is only supposed to be observing, remember? But if Hinata's right and I do attack Kurenai-sensei, then she's my best possible opponent in a surprise attack. As a Genjutsu Specialist, she's probably weak against taijutsu, so I will probably be able to overpower her for a little bit. Anko-sensei will probably have to shift in order to observe or help, and you two can distract her long enough to get the scroll. Either way, we accomplish our objective. Besides, I don't think that they'll kill us for something like that, right?"

Going over the plan, Shino hesitantly nodded. It was not so much that they lacked information, as opposed to accurate information at the moment. Chouji's plan was a little crude for his tastes, but it would probably work better than anything else they could come up within their time table. Besides, the longer they remained in place, the greater chance of their position being discovered and compromised. Hinata's descriptions of Anko-sensei did not leave him feeling confident in his chances for survival. "I will launch the second attack. My insects will be able to provide a greater chance of success than a direct Jyuken attack. Hinata, you are the fastest one here, so your objective should be to grab the scroll and leave. We'll make our way back to the main clearing separately as best as we can. Does everyone agree that this is our best chance?" Seeing the Hyuga's reserved nod and Chouji's shaky determination, Shino nodded his own agreement. Team Eight would pass or die trying.

Sure of their plan, all three moved as one. Chouji took the lead, somehow expanding his arm forward by nearly three times his height. Much to his irritation, Shino saw at once that Hinata's Byakugan was correct and his trackers had been switched. Flipping his choice of targets in midstride, the Aburame launched half his colony into the area where he knew the other Jonin was situated. Hearing a disgruntled cry and some shifting, Shino allowed himself a small smile at the success of their initial strike. Of course, that was countered when Anko-sensei, covered in bugs and visibly angry launched a vicious punch at his chest. Replacing himself with a Bug Clone, Shino observed as Hinata rushed towards her target, hand already extended to grab the scroll. That was when it all fell apart.

Apparently unnoticed by his colony or the Hyuga's Byakugan, a small snake suddenly launched an attack right at the Genin's arm. Like a true mistress of Jyuken, Hinata launched a strike into the creature's skull making it disappear in a puff of smoke. However, it fulfilled its purpose, as Anko-sensei had used the distraction to launch herself at the younger kunoichi. While talented for her age and stature, it was clear that the strongest girl of the class was outmatched. Shino was just about to rush to her aid before sensing something flying in his direction from behind. He barely had a chance to turn and catch his other teammate, clearly unconscious. "Nice try kids." Before his vision began to fade to black, the last thing the Aburame perceived was a small chuckle and a flash of red eyes.

* * *

Looking over her three potential students, bound with both rope and chakra suppression seals, Kurenai fought to keep her face neutral. Honestly, she was very impressed with the three Genin. Instead of rushing in after the five minutes were up, they had taken their time, gathered and discussed Intel both known and assumed about their targets, and constructed a strategy that was fairly respectable all things considered. They had assumed that their own abilities would be an open book, and planned accordingly as best as they could. Chouji had demonstrated low-Chunin taijutsu potential, Shino had shown exceptional control of his clan techniques, and Hinata had pushed high-Chunin levels of speed and strength in her efforts to both acquire the scroll and take on Anko. No, the skills of the potential Team Eight could not be questioned unless you were blind, drunk, stupid or some combination of all three.

However, she had never doubted the skills of the various Genin before her as much as their mentality. From both her observations and the Academy reports she had requested, Kurenai knew that each had their own issues to work out. Shino had isolated himself from the general population with unintentional intimidation and a distain for the opinions of his peers. Chouji appeared to have a codependence problem with his reliance upon the opinions of Nara Shikamaru. But the most concerning was Hinata, who had transformed from a shy and sweet girl into some sort of ice princess overnight. The Hyuga might be thrilled with the girl's improvements, but she was less than impressed. From what she had seen, Neji had turned his team into some sort of tool for his own goals. She would not have another Hyuga repeat the pattern with the Genin under her command!

Giving the three children one long, last look, the Jonin decided it was time for the real test to begin. "I have made my observations, conferred with Anko about her impressions, and thought long and hard about the results. There is only one point of consideration left before I give my final verdict about your future." Releasing a small amount of killing intent to test their will, the Kunoichi asked, "Why did you send Chouji to fight me directly? Your objective was to capture the scroll defended by Anko, not attack the observer. Please give me your reasons and thoughts on the issue and I will make my decision. But it had better be very impressive." Actually, she had already guessed their strategy for attacking, but was curious about their motivation. The answer would define their future, either as self-absorbed brats or the future leaders of the village.

Surprisingly enough, it was Chouji himself that answered. "I volunteered, Sensei. Hinata and Shino were getting different readings about who was who, and we were unsure about what you knew about our techniques and could do to counter them. So I suggested that I attack you as a diversion, because you are supposed to be relatively weak against Taijutsu and it's my strongest ability. Hinata's faster than me, so she targeted the scroll, and Shino had the best technique for distracting a target stronger than him. It seemed like a good idea at the time." Watching the larger boy describe the decisions, Kurenai could not sense any deceit or misdirection. Therefore, she turned her attention to the other two, making sure to ramp up the killing intent as she went.

Shifting in his bonds, Shino nodded his agreement with the description. "It was a matter of logic. The simplest possibility was the removal and rearrangement of my tracking insects while we had been planning our strategy. On the other hand, you had acted as a personal guardian for Hinata for years, and therefore had significant exposure to the Hyuga techniques. While outside the stated parameters of the test, it appeared to be the best method for accomplishing our goals. If we had more training in our techniques, more familiarity with one another's strengths and weaknesses, and more practical knowledge of your limits, we might of developed a better method for carrying out our objective. As it stands, I cannot determine another method that would have been more successful." Despite his brave words, she could hear the Aburame's hive react to her killing intent, even as his monotone remained unbroken. That was two down, and one left to go.

Doing her best to present a icy gaze at the young Hyuga, the kunoichi raised an eyebrow in inquiry. To one trained in the tricks and depths of body language, she might as well have been screaming. "I was the acknowledged top kunoichi of my class, with a specialty in taijutsu. While I could have launched a direct attack more effective than Chouji, as far as I am aware you are knowledgeable in the tricks and limits of Jyuken. I also know that I could never beat Anko-sensei with my current level of flexibility and experience, so my primary objective was the success of the mission. Any attack I made against you or Anko-sensei would have had to have been direct, while my teammates could buy extra time with techniques both unfamiliar and more adaptable. Given the elements stacked against us, I see no other way we could have possibly claimed victory." Hearing that, Kurenai-sensei fought back a grin. Not only had the entire speech been presented without a stutter, but the three might just have what it took to succeed after all!

Allowing the three to stew for a few more minutes, Kurenai decided that her point had been made. "After careful consideration, I have decided to pass the three of you as full Genin of Konoha. But before you start celebrating, I want you to listen closely to my first lesson. You need to know why you passed more than the fact you passed." Seeing that she had their attention, the Jonin sighed. "You picked up on the need for teamwork almost instinctively, which I honestly was not worried about. Both the Aburame and the Akimichi train cooperation into their members from the time you can walk. In addition, as heiress of the clan Hinata, you have been groomed for leadership for many years. Your working together was never in question. The concern was that you would work together for the right reasons."

Taking a moment to gather her thoughts, Kurenai treated her students with a warm smile. "In our world of ninja, it is easy to treat one another as tools or means to an end. But as teammates and comrades of Konoha, you need to be better than that. You need to work for the betterment of others just as much if not more so than yourselves. For example, if I thought for a second that Chouji had been forced into taking the decoy position because you two wanted to pass at all costs, all three of you would be heading to the Academy." Seeing the trio stiffen at that comment, she bit back a laugh. "Oh, you can relax now. Team Eight is official, and will meet for missions first thing tomorrow morning. Now why don't you three stop faking and stand up already?" Looking sheepish, the Genin stood the ropes and seals rendered useless nearly ten minutes into the lecture from a combination of Shino's hive and Hinata's chakra strikes.

"That's all well and good for the brats, Kurenai-chan, but I think that we need to have a small chat about compensation. I believe this sort of involvement in your test is worth more than a simple favor." Twitching, the Genjutsu Mistress turned to observe her friend dripping wet. Despite what Kurenai had told the Genin, Anko had barely said three words to her before looking for a stream to jump into. While the Special Jonin was far from squeamish, no one liked having a bunch of bugs crawling through their scalp besides the Aburame. Her twitch only increased at the reaction of the male members of her team at the glistening and form fitting outfit dripping off her friend's curves. That was the last sort of distraction she needed to deal with at the moment.

Sighing at the broken tension, Kurenai decided to quit while she was ahead. "Very well, it's late enough that I suppose we could all use a meal. I think that dealing with an Aburame Genin equals about ten orders of Dango and not a stick more. But since it's our first meal as a team, the whole thing is my treat." Unfortunately, the rookie Jonin only realized her mistake once Chouji began to cry in happiness. Realizing that she had just offered to treat an Akimichi, the kunoichi could barely hold back a sweat drop. Perhaps she should leave that little detail out of her report later that night. Otherwise, someone might challenge her ability to lead a team again.

* * *

Authors Notes

For those of you who are curious or forgetful, I posted a listing of all future chapters of Different Techniques back in chapter four. However, once that list is done, I plan on holding a new poll to determine the next set of chapters.

That being said, it's time to go write the Code Geass crossover! Stay tuned and review!


	8. The Rise of Naruto Lamperouge!

Ok, THIS one is clearly a sign of heatstroke!

I don't own any of the assembled characters. I'm just a humble fanfiction author, not the head shrinker these guys need!

Naruto x Code Geass Crossover

WARNING: POTENTIAL CODE GEASS SPOILERS AHEAD!

Chapter Eight: The Rise of Naruto Lamperouge!

Lelouch Vii Britania, formerly Lamperouge and Zero, stared into space, his eyes growing dark. Barely leaving his teens, the young emperor felt an odd sense of accomplishment. Even as he bled out in front of the world, the boy knew the seeds of true revolution had finally been secured. With his death at the hands of Zero, secretly his best friend Suzaku, everyone would curse his name for all time. That shared hatred and desire to prevent another monster from being born would unify humanity unlike anything else in their extended history. Finally, he could ensure his sister and friends lived in a peaceful world.

It had not been an easy path to walk. Many innocent lives had been lost, twisted or broken. While the cause was just, Lelouch knew that he could never properly atone for those taken in his quest for world peace. He only had to think of the innocent Euphemia gunning down Japanese civilians or the final love confession a dying Shirley had uttered before passing to realize this. Those he loved had been thrown down, beaten and bleeding from just being associated with his name. Despite what some had assumed, he knew that love could have been his a dozen times over if he truly desired it. But the amazing women he was surrounded with did not deserve his taint or pain. He knew when he made his contract that it would bring him darkness, but still, that did not mean he could not wish for the light every once and a while.

Now, they would be bound with his final secret and ultimate ambition. Only a select few knew what the attack of Zero upon him meant. Once they put things together, the remnants of the original rebellion and a select few associates would remain quiet, understanding his sacrifice and wishing to honor it. That was the depth of his Geass, his truest wish, and despite their love or hatred, none would dare to violate that sacred pact. Honestly, those in the know were just too smart for such a thing. Of course, Tamaki would probably only stay silent to make sure that none of his glory was wasted, but such was life.

Feeling his beloved sister Nunnally crying over his form, Lelouch gave off a small smile. His one regret, feeble though it was, was that she would fail to understand his logic and devotion. Nunally was the one that he had broken the world for, only to rebuild it in his shattered image. Now he could look over her, even if it was only symbolic. Despite his good intentions, Lelouch knew that he would be in no positionto guard over his loved ones. If there was a Heaven or Hell, he knew his judgment would be brutal and unyielding. That was why Suzaku was needed to protect everyone as he burned in penance for his egotism. Although with the building cold within his chest, perhaps that would not be so bad.

Feeling his strength leaving, Lelouch relaxed the last of his control over his Geass. Ever since the final evolution of his power, Lelouch had finally been able to turn off the king's eye. However, it required firm discipline and focus, both of which were limited by blood loss and exhaustion. Feeling the power build one final time, the would-be Emperor allowed everything to slip away, declaring the world destroyed to be rebuilt. With that final declaration, Lelouch found himself drawn towards a light, the physical world dropping away like so much shattered glass.

However, instead of a pit of fire and brimstone, Lelouch found himself in the familiar and disorienting C's world. Unlike the previous times he had visited, the boy found his control over space and self completely worn away. It was then he realized that he would truly end here, simply a misfired neuron on the face of humanities collective consciousness. Before he could completely wear away, though, an explosion drew him from the core. Fighting to maintain his individuality out of pure instinct, the deposed Emperor felt a strange tearing sensation before finding himself free of the bonds. Then Lelouch knew only darkness and flame.

* * *

The thing about the human consciousness was that, no matter how vast it appeared to be, certain links were inevitable. After all, most humans only had so many senses, so the number of ways that they could be manipulated was relatively few. While a touch or scent could inflame the passions of man, there was indeed some truth to the concept that eyes were the windows to the soul. A gaze could encompass an entire conversation, incite a riot or calm any beast. It just took the right circumstances to utilize them.

Therefore, when other techniques for control through commands and eye contact developed, a certain resonance was always a possibility. The realms of reality that contained the human race were numerous, and every new circumstance inspired innovation and creativity. Be it through survival or boredom, humanity was always looking for new ways to grow. Thus, when the greatest mental command from Lelouch's world coincided with the sudden mental domination of a massive creature of demonic chakra, the two events aligned like opposite sides of a magnet. Poor Lelouch's mind and soul were simply dragged along for the ride.

In all honesty, the meager elements that comprised the would be Emperor essence would have been shredded if not for a complex series of coincidences. Namikaze Minato, genius that he was, had the knowledge to teleport a massive demon through a few symbols and some applied energy. Lost and drifting, Lelouch's soul latched on to the strongest source of power it could. Even to the Sharingan, the extra speck of mental power would simply appear to be streaming off the great fox's tail. But when fate took its standard course, an entirely new situation developed. In all frankness, the Elemental Nations would never be the same.

* * *

It was a feeling of compression that finally woke the dying royal. He only had a moment to observe two people, a man and a woman, crying while impaled on something, before his very being was squeezed like an orange. Lelouch thought he was going mad, before he found himself in a abstract and unfinished corridor. Noting that he had returned to the familiar uniform of Ashford, he examined his surroundings carefully. However, the only thing of interest appeared to be a shaking cage at the end of the space.

Gathering the pride and courage that had brought his world to its knees, Lelouch headed towards the sounds. If this was Hell, he needed to understand his environment as quickly as possible. He would take every judgment that he could for his sins, but his quick mind was still looking for loopholes and patterns to exploit. The former Emperor was not interested in leading the underworld, but even now his being would not be subdued so easily. He had conquered and reformed the world in his image through guts and parlor tricks. There was no reason that he could not do the same now in some fashion to endure his afterlife.

However, with all the Britanian's thoughts of demons and Hell, the image of a thrashing malevolent fox spirit still threw him for a loop. Suzaku had sometimes spoken about Japanese mythology, and the closest thing Lelouch could compare this thing to was a kitsune. However, while he had heard they could be legendary in their vengeance, never before had he pictured that something this horrible could match those old fairy tales. Yet, when the beast fixed him with a blood red eye, it was all the young man could do not to run in mindless terror.

Issuing a thunderous growl, it took Lelouch's remaining willpower not to shout in surprise when the beast actually spoke! "What manner of creature are you? Is it not enough to have that blonde monkey and his red haired wench in here already? Now there is another soul taking up residence. Tell me your business before I consume you, pathetic boy!" Watching the monster crash against the bars for emphasis, Lelouch was fairly sure the creature would do so in a moment if free. Luckily for him, that did not appear to be the case.

Drawing upon his pride, Lelouch forced himself to match that monstrous stare without flinching. Feeling a familiar surge of power, the boy decided upon a desperate gamble. Despite its fearsome appearance, he did not know what crimes this creature had committed, but he was alone in an unfamiliar territory. He had used people for much less than this. "I don't think I will, you beast! I, Lelouch Vii Britania command you to obey my orders without question or complaint!" Seeing the familiar hesitation in its movements, Lelouch knew that something had happened.

At the creatures shocked expression, he was almost terrified that the technique had failed. After all, the power of Geass was the power of the king, a human conceit. Who knew if his will would be enough to master such a beast? But before his eyes, a massive, familiar marking covered the creatures eyes in purple radiance. But with three little worlds, the man of miracles knew his gambit had succeeded. "Yes, your Majesty." Leaning forward, the fox bowed in supplication, submitting to his will. With that one act, he knew he had won.

Now that his first challenge had been passed, it was time to find out what was going on. "Now that you have acknowledged me as your master, I think it's time for a little chat. I order you to inform me honestly, and without hesitation, the answers to any and all questions that I pose." With that little remark, the giant's eyes seemed to flash back to red for a few minutes before settling back on a subservient purple. Lelouch noted the phenomenon, recognizing his control was not as absolute as he might have wanted. Still, information was what he needed at this point, and every other consideration could be put on hold. "To begin, what is you name, what exactly are you, and where are we?"

Standing once again, the fox grumbled out its answer with an oddly subdued fury. "I am known and feared by humanity as the Kyuubi, or Nine tailed fox, mightiest of the Biju. The Biju are nine powerful demons, their position defined by the number of their tails. At full strength, we are seen as natural disasters, beyond the ability of mere apes to destroy. However, we are located in the seal of my latest Jinchuuriki, Uzumaki Naruto the son of Uzumaki Kushina, my former container." Noting the odd emphasis the creature was putting on his statements, Lelouch decided that he should be cautious. While the fox was subdued for now, it was clear that he was fighting the Geass at every step of the way. Provoking it too much might lead to the disruption of his Geass and result in a whole lot of trouble.

Nevertheless, those few minor comments had been quite telling. Since these Biju were supposedly well known and disruptive, he was clearly not on his own plane of existence anymore. Otherwise, he was sure that there would have been some sort of mention of the creatures in the files of Britania he had spent the last two months reviewing. After all, it would not do to have some long lost pet project of the Empire cropping up just when his goal had been achieved. But nothing like the Biju had been depicted, so that eliminated the past or the present, and started him down the path of science fiction and mathematical probability.

The other element was the power of the creature before him. If Kyuubi was as strong as it claimed, what could have bound it now? More importantly, how did it affect his existence? "You stated that we are within your latest Jinchuuriki, but stated that it was the son of your last one. How, exactly, does that work?" Seeing the fox's grin, Lelouch knew he was not going to enjoy the answer.

"Humanity is both foolish and power hungry. Long ago, the people of this land began to thirst for the power of the Biju, and developed techniques to bind us within containers. A Jinchuuriki is known as "The power of human sacrifice," for a reason. The military powers of those pathetic humans take a child, the younger the better, and use these hosts to contain our power. It is an imprisonment as the Jinchuuriki learns to steal our strength as a living weapon! Of course we fight to escape at every opportunity, so when Kushina began to weaken in labor, I fought for my freedom. But that damned Yondaime Hokage bound me again within his newborn son! That is where we are, your majesty." Hearing the edges of sarcasm creeping into the beasts tone, Lelouch decided to retreat for the moment. He had quite a bit to think about.

* * *

As the weeks progressed, Lelouch began to develop an understanding of his new existence. It appeared that his soul had been bound into this Naruto at the same time as the Kyuubi, although he had no idea why. Perhaps it was simply coincidence, due to the destructive nature of the beasts original unsealing? Or, perhaps this was some sort of punishment or chance at redemption provided by the soul of humanity? Or maybe Naruto had potential that the very essence of the world did not want to see wasted? No matter how many times he went over his questions, the young man was always left with a sense of frustration at the lack of hard data.

Nevertheless, it was not the first time that he had dealt with such ability. His mother's own Geass was similar, although Lelouch did not appear to have the knowledge to possess the child, much to his relief. Honestly, he had no interest taking the will of another innocent for his own purposes. He had accomplished what he had set out to do. Why would he involve himself in the life of some baby growing up in either an alternative world or a self delusion? Every action so far was more out of habit than some long standing strategy. That attitude changed, however, when he first managed to tap into the senses of his new home.

A child's mind is fairly simple, retaining only so much in those first few months. Unless they make a mess in their diapers or start to scream, babies are just a cute bit of furniture. So, knowing that was the case, few people bothered to hold back their words unless the tones would wake the potential little shit factory. It was not like the baby would understand or even retain the information later. Therefore, once Lelouch discovered how to interpret the information coming from Naruto's ears and eyes, he learned quite a bit the locals probably would not want him to.

The sheer amount of hatred was an unwelcome surprise. When he had heard about the description of the Jinchuuriki from the Kyuubi, Lelouch had assumed that the children would be carefully tended, since their lives were all that protected the populace from a demons wrath. Yet, from the conversations and arguments that constantly surrounded the boy, the leadership of his home was divided in favor of either killing the baby or turning him into some sort of weapon. Apparently, the Kyuubi had gone on a bit more of a rampage then he mentioned, and the amount of hatred was almost enough to freak the genocidal genius out. Since his own life appeared to be tied to the fate of little Naruto, he made it a point to learn as much as he could about the players in place. The end results gave him flashbacks to the Imperial Court of his youth.

The primary military structure of the village appeared to be some sort of ninja clan alliance. The nominal leader was known as the Hokage, or Fire Shadow. Supported by a direct council of advisors, he was responsible for and accountable to the heads of a number of ninja clans and civilian businessmen. While he was supposed to have absolute power, Lelouch saw the reality of the situation. The old man was a remnant, powerful but too weak to enforce his will anymore. It was clear he had been dragged out of retirement after the loss of the boy's father, and as far as Lelouch could tell that was a mistake. While he appeared to be on Naruto's side, he lacked the necessary conviction to maintain his control. To an Emperor, it was a disgraceful and shortsighted decision. After all, there was a reason the man retired in the first place.

While Lelouch had seen Sayoko in action, some of the descriptions of their abilities had his head reeling. What sort of power did humanity have here? There were eyes that could see in all directions, illusions that felt real, senses of smell that matched and exceeded the natural inclinations of canines and so on. Just from the snippets that he was able to make out or infer left the soul dying for a look at a history book. These abilities were not Geass, but something much more flexible and adaptable. The only problem appeared to be the number of people with access to said skills. This mystical chakra was freely given to many, and like any good humans, they appeared to be dead set on abusing the power as much as possible.

Still, despite all of these fantastic abilities, the potential harm of little Naruto inspired increasingly impressive amounts of fear. It was a simple thing to determine that the Sandaime was constrained in his treatment of the child. Lelouch thought it was particularly interesting how the older man made a point hiding anything and everything he could about the child's parentage from the populace. It was only about two months later when the village's last remaining "Seal Master" came to check out the boy that it all became clear. This Jiraiya was the boy's Godfather, but also the student of the Sandaime. After refusing to become the Godaime, Jiraiya was told to avoid the village, concentrating upon his intelligence network and tracking potential threats to Konoha. The Hokage promised to take care of Naruto, but his students talents were needed in the field. Somehow, Lelouch found that line of reasoning to be somewhat flawed.

Despite his calculations, the fallen Emperor was left enraged as time went on. Naruto grew as babies tended to do, and with that growth a clear pattern of conditioning developed. The Sandaime would make time for the boy, up to a point, but no other adult appeared interested in his wellbeing. While the treatment did not tend to be physically abusive, every adult made a point of ignoring or disregarding the child at every possible opportunity. Lelouch was left grinding his metaphysical teeth as Naruto constantly found himself given low quality food, materials, and childcare. In fact, he suspected that the energy of the Kyuubi was the only thing keeping the boy alive at times. Yet, the Sandaime always made a point of stepping in to relieve the pressure when it became potentially fatal.

Another interesting fact was boy's mindscape appeared to be shifting. Every bit of neglect and hatred was reflected upon his malleable psyche, transforming the corridor into a rotting sewer. While less squeamish than average due to his childhood, Lelouch did not fancy the idea of wading in filthy water for the rest of the child's life. Besides, had he not been known as Zero, the one who fought for the powerless? While he had passed that title on with his death, it would be in poor form for the young man to neglect his principles when the same thing was happening once again. All that mattered was finding a method of implementing his plan of attack. Much to his dismay, that took until the blonde boy turned two.

* * *

Little two years old Naruto curled under his blanket, trying to keep warm. His room in the Orphanage was always colder than the rest of his year mates, and the boy had learned to do everything he could to conserve body heat. The caretakers of the place did not like him very much, and he did not like them, the meanies. They always kept kids from playing with him, would not teach him anything, and fed him barely enough to keep the hunger pains at bay. While the nice old man would come and check on him sometimes, most nights found the child shivering and alone. Watching the other children get the love and support that he craved only made things that much worse. Why did everyone have to be mean to him?

Knowing that the darkness had no answers, the blonde closed his eyes in an attempt to make time go faster. Like any normal child, his dreams were filled with things he wanted. There was the pile of food that was just for him! Oh, and his mommy and daddy had come, saying that it had all been a mistake and they were sorry for disappearing! But they did love him and wanted to be with him always. Then all the mean people who talked down to him and ignored him came by and started apologizing, begging him for forgiveness, and because he was such a nice boy he gave it to them. This was the sort of world that Naruto wanted more than anything else and he escaped there whenever possible.

Of course, this was a child's world, and children do not stay that way forever. These dreams would sink into his subconscious, buried under painful memories and experiences for a very long time. The desire for all the food he wanted would evolve into his ramen addiction, fueled by the first people to serve him without regret. The dream of love and a family would degrade and die under years of neglect and hatred, leaving the boy unable to understand the emotions behind them while grasping at anything to fill the void. The dream for acknowledgement would shift into the dream of becoming Hokage, which was the most loved and respected figure within the village. These dreams were central to Naruto's development for the rest of his life, and that evening someone decided to change the script.

The blonde boy had just taken another bite of something steaming and delicious, when the landscape began to shift. Grasping his plate, he looked around in worry, hoping that this would not become a nightmare again. The last time that had happened, his mind had been filled with angry ninja trying to stab him! But instead, a new figure seemed to form next to him at the table. Naruto had never seen anyone like this. His clothes were nice and clean, his figure was way too thin, and his eyes looked like a girls! Why the heck was he dreaming about weird boys anyways? "Hey mister, who are you?" That was when the impossible happened. The unknown figure smiled at him! No one besides the old man did that! What sort of dream was this?

Adjusting the top of his strange clothes, the girly boy cleared his throat. "Hello Naruto, I've wanted to talk with you for quite some time. This is just the first chance that I've managed it. You can call me Lelouch Lamperouge, or Lelouch if you'd like. Do you mind if I sit down and join you?" Still shocked at the boy smiling at him, all the blonde could do was nod his agreement. This was way too strange for him! Deciding that enough was enough, Naruto grabbed his chopsticks and continued to eat. Since this was a dream, he did not have to worry about them falling down or snapping, so the important thing was to eat as much as he could handle.

The two sat in silence for quite some time, simply enjoying the feast before them. However, Naruto had not actually eaten that much good food before, so the selection was rather limited. Pushing his plate to the side, the stranger calmly said. "If you not mind Naruto, I would be happy to make something myself. Is that ok?" Confused by the question, the blonde nodded his acceptance. Why would this Lulu guy ask for his permission anyways? But much to his shock, the scene seemed to change into a clean yet strange kitchen. Unlike the sink and two counters he had spent hours washing dishes in, this place had a number of weird devices and foods he had never even thought of before. The blonde watched in silence as the older boy moved flawlessly though the space, making strange yet delicious looking treats in what seemed like no time at all. "Here you go, I hope you like it. It's an omelet with crispy bacon and mixed vegetables and fresh blueberry muffins. I trust you're still hungry because there's plenty."

Smiling shyly at stranger, Naruto took a bite before his eyes widened in shock. This was the best thing he had ever tasted! Normally, he was less than interested in vegetables, but every single thing on the plate was to die for! Fearful that the wonderful food was going to disappear, the blonde child started attacking it with a gusto. Even if this Lulu guy was a little girly and strange, anyone who could cook like that had to be a good guy! With that one action, the alliance of the Demon Emperor and the Demon of Konoha was forged.

* * *

The relationship he formed with the young Jinchuuriki was a little difficult for Lelouch at first. Not only did it remind him of the Rollo tragedy, but Naruto was young. Despite his father's absurd number of bedmates, the prince had never needed to deal with a sibling quite that much younger than him. Explaining the realities of life to the blonde was simply not possible with such a difference in their ages and vocabularies. When he simply tried to pass himself off as a soul lost on his way to the afterlife, the child had twisted it into the position of guardian angel. Lelouch would be the first to tell anyone that he was no angel, and such titles were wasted upon him. That did not stop Naruto from keeping the title until he suggested brother. The resulting astral hug was almost enough to crack his non-existent ribs.

Now if there was one thing that Lelouch knew how to be, it was a big brother. He took to visiting the blonde nightly in his dreams, and, once he received permission, chatting with him during the day. Lelouch had attempted to do so before with no success, so his current theory was that Naruto controlled the rules of the game. After all, it was his mind and body they were working with so it made sense that the blonde could chose what could and could not happen. It was that sort of thinking that led to myths such as the Easter Bunny and Santa remaining viable for so long in the younger generations.

Most of the initial visits had simply comprised of imaginary games and chats about his life. Lelouch knew his true story was beyond the boy's comprehension, so he limited it to simple recollections of his own childhood. Hearing stories about his siblings, both loved and hated, brought a sort of joy to the orphan's face that was beyond the prince. The more time the spent together, the more he grew fond of the boy. Naruto's earnest nature and boundless energy reminded him of the young Suzaku, and he could not help but remember the good times before the world was complicated with lies and blood. Lelouch had to wonder how many people would truly hate the blonde if they had simply taken the time to learn about him as a person rather than a prison.

That did not mean the paranoid soul ignored some practical concerns. First on his list was getting a sworn oath that his presence be a secret from any other person, including the Sandaime. When the blonde protested, Lelouch explained that his circumstances were very unusual, and the old man might overreact. There were techniques that could remove or seal memories and souls, so if the Hokage felt he was a threat he would be removed and his interaction with the young blonde halted. Fearing the loss of his first personal friend, Naruto grudgingly agreed, not knowing his real reasons for the request. After all, if the container of the world's strongest demon started mentioning the voice in his head who knew what the population would do out of fear?

But as the weeks turned into months, Lelouch began to worry about Naruto's future within the village. Even at his young age, the blonde boy was obsessed with the idea of becoming a ninja. Their culture apparently depicted ninja as the protectors of the people, respected by everyone who mattered within the village. The former emperor could see the Sandaime encouraging these thoughts, a clear effort to develop the potential weapon of Konoha into something worthwhile. But given the level of attention that the Jinchuuriki was given, Lelouch was sure he would die on his first mission, assuming he passed the training in the first place!

None of the introductory teachers bothered with the blonde, focusing more upon unwarranted punishments and isolating him from the other children. The library barely permitted him to breathe within its walls before being expelled for being a troublemaker. The training grounds were strictly forbidden for anyone lacking ninja identification or belonging to a ninja clan. Between the lack of physical, social and intellectual stimulation, Lelouch was sure that Naruto would not last long. But what other options where there for a village weapon? At that point, he made his decision. Naruto was worth more than an entire village of bigotry and hatred, so why should he protect them? It was with that thought that Lelouch began his quest to cut the ties between the Uzumaki and Konoha forever.

First, he began making suggestions to help instruct the boy. While not particularly strong himself, Lelouch had been the son and brother to a number of prominent military personnel. He would have the blonde go to some isolated stretch of forest and run through increasingly difficult physical exercises. Between his incredible stamina and determination, Naruto would be at it for hours before exhausting himself. At that point, Lelouch would train his mind, giving him simple logic puzzles, mathematic equations, and language lessons in both English and Japanese. Given their lack or resources, he had to practice his writing in a patch of sand with a stick. Then, he would run through some survival training, hunting for edible plants, small animals, and fish. While Lelouch had to request the child get a book on local fauna to pull it off, the end result was a child nearly three times as strong as he should be.

Once the survival skills had been gone over sufficiently, Lelouch began to fill the blondes head with stories about the outside world. Due to a lack of knowledge about what actually was available, the older boy kept it as vague as possible, simply talking about mountains and waterfalls and the ocean. However, to the blonde's undeveloped mind, these pictures were worth their weight in gold. However, the prospect of finding a country not filled with people who hated him was just the icing on the cake needed to seal the deal.

Unfortunately, mentioning that brought about a painful but necessary conversation. Looking over his stewed rabbit in the dream kitchen, Naruto asked a question that completely shocked the young prince. "Hey Brother, do you know why everyone hates me? I mean, Ichiraku's is ok, and the old man is nice, but most of the village keeps glaring or ignoring me. You're so smart, that you've got to know why!" Looking into the young boy's eyes, pleading and desperate, Lelouch weighed the pros and cons of that information. However, the idea of being the center of so much hate without knowing the reason sickened him, and it was only fair. Besides, what was the Sandaime going to do, kill him?

Sighing, Lelouch replaced the chef's hat on the counter, and held out his hand. "I do know why people hate you, Naruto, but it is difficult to explain in words. Will you come with me?" Nodding, the blonde boy dropped his fork before taking the offered appendage. The innocent trust in those blue eyes left the former Emperor feeling hollow. Today, some vital part of that innocence would be lost forever. But how could he maintain his containers trust without honesty? Look what lies and misdirection had gotten him in the past. Sometimes, it was better just to be honest rather than hide like a coward.

Forcing the kitchen to disappear, Lelouch began leading the blonde boy down a familiar path. "I have not told you this before, Naruto, because you did not ask me. From what I understand, every adult in your village is aware of your situation, and works to maintain it. However, while I have a few more details, I only see and experience what you do. You just don't remember everything that has happened to you over the years because you were too young to do so. Please bear with me as much as you can alright?" Seeing the hesitant nod, the former Emperor sighed. Now came the hard part.

The formless void began to decay, leaving the two in a long and disgusting sewer. Naruto grasped his hand, visibly startled, but Lelouch simply sighed and returned the pressure to reassure the boy. "I know this place is scary, but it's where I first ended up when I became aware of my own survival." Seeing that his companion was too scared to reply, the older boy kneeled down, ignoring the murky water to keep his attention. "Naruto, what can you tell me about October the tenth about two and a half years ago?"

Gulping, the blonde closed his eyes, clearly concentrating past their surroundings. "Well, the old man says that was when the Yondaime defeated the Kyuubi, saving the village. That's why everybody loved the Yondaime and thinks of him as the best Hokage ever! Oh, and that was the day that I was born." Frowning, the boy turned his blue eyes to meet Lelouch's purple ones. "Do you think that the Kyuubi killed my parents, brother?"

Patting the younger child on the head, Lelouch sighed. "I can state with one hundred percent certainty that it did. You see, before I ended up here, I think I saw your parents standing over your body. You were barely an hour old, but they looked so happy to see you. I could probably show you what they looked like, but I don't want to hurt you, Naruto. They were in pretty bad shape in the end." Honestly, the royal was unsure what to feel about Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina. It was clear that the whole event was simply a backup plan that they were forced to use, but it still left their baby at the tender mercies of a hateful village. Yet after discovering their last words to the child, he could not help but feel bad for the two. This was not a pair of manipulative power-hungry freaks using their blood as a pawn. This was a young couple forced to sacrifice their legacy to protect those they loved. It was a bad situation and they did the best that they could. What could he really say to that?

Shaking his head, the former emperor forced himself to focus. "You see Naruto, while I'm sure that the Yondaime was an impressive ninja, he was not immortal or all powerful. He simply could not kill the Kyuubi like you were told. It would be like trying to kill a flood with a kunai." Seeing that the blonde was still following him so far, Lelouch sighed. This was going to be unpleasant. "Instead, the Yondaime used his powers to isolate and contain the fox, imprisoning it within the only container that could handle the strain; a young, freshly born child." Standing, Lelouch continued down the hallway, Naruto's hand still firmly grasped.

The sight of the Kyuubi was still as terrifying as it had been that very first day. Insanely huge by their standards, the demon was still constrained by his cell and seal. However, Lelouch had made a point of ordering the Fox to sleep a while ago. This was the demon that killed so many loyal ninja. This was the reason that Naruto was an orphan and hated throughout his home. There was no reason to subject the child to the creature's full presence just yet. "You were chosen as the vessel of the Kyuubi, and it is only because you draw breath that the village is not leveled. Yet, people are dumb and cannot tell a vessel from what it contains. But never forget that you are not the Kyuubi, and that the villagers who cannot tell the difference are just idiots. Feeling the boy's hand drop from his grip, Lelouch had just enough time to turn before Naruto fell into a dead faint.

* * *

The explanations had taken several days and a lot of tears, but in the end Naruto accepted that his burden was real. Lelouch had done his best to be honest, but the blonde's age made comprehension minimal at best. While he might idolize ninja, what Naruto actually knew about the profession could barely fill a thimble. It certainly did not help that Lelouch was barely any better. In the end, he had been forced to project the memory of both the death of the Yondaime and the debriefing of the Sannin before the Jinchuuriki fully understood his situation. The results were painfully predictable.

Before his revelations, Naruto had idolized the Sandaime as one of the few people in the village who supported his existence. The old man had made time for him, acknowledged him, and seemed to care if he would live or die. But with what he had been shown, even at the tender age of two and a half, was a slap in the face. Konoha wanted him compliant, caring, and self sacrificing. He was their scapegoat, and no one would do anything to change that. No one, that is, except his secret older brother. With a few minor revelations, Lelouch had earned Naruto's trust, admiration, and undying loyalty.

Honestly, all of those things were nice but immaterial. He had no plans on making Naruto into his pawn or tool. Instead, he focused all his attention on making the boy ready to move. Lelouch knew the power and responsibility of the king, and Sarutobi had shown the necessaryviciousness the position required. But he had already lost countless brothers and sisters, loved and unloved, to such manipulations. There was no way he could stand idly by while another one of his precious people became a pawn to be thrown away. Naruto was worth more than that!

So the two planned and trained as best as they could, gathering supplies and information for the blonde's eventual departure. Lelouch assumed that Naruto would be able to make a break for it right before he enrolled in the Ninja Academy. While it would be dangerous to have a seven year old boy wandering the countryside, Lelouch knew enough about blending in to believe it could be done. Besides, the minute he entered the Academy, there would be ninja guarding and evaluating his every move, even as the denied him as a person. Lelouch and later Naruto had no interest in dealing with such foolishness.

However, Fate or something like it decided to smile upon them a little earlier than anticipated. From what they could overhear, Kumo had made a series of raids after the death of the Yondaime Hokage, seeking to take advantage of the chaos. Somehow the Sandaime had forced the rival village to the negotiating table, and peace was shortly on the horizon. Rumors stated that a peace envoy would be sent by December of that year, a mere three months away. Despite how early it was, the two knew this would be the perfect moment to slip away. Between all the extra ANBU assigned to observe the Kumo delegation and the official events and meetings, one little boy would be an easily overlooked footnote.

Now that they had a plan in mind, Lelouch and Naruto went over possible paths after Konoha. Or rather, Naruto slipped into the Library and gathered discarded newspapers while Lelouch looked over their options. Children did not have a long lifespan unattended in the Elemental Nations and the former emperor knew he would need multiple backup plans in order to survive. That meant data, preparation, and establishing their goals at the outset. Running around without a plan would kill them faster than any bandit or wild animal. Besides, disappearing only worked if you knew how to blend in. It was a lesson learned the hard way in Lelouch's youth, and he had no problem imparting it onto his newly adoptive brother.

One of their major concerns was making sure that Naruto was able to train in ninja techniques without building ties to a ninja village. Neither of them thought that Konoha could afford to lose their ultimate weapon, and the training would be necessary to prepare for the eventual confrontation. But the last thing they needed to do was cause an international incident by allying with another hostile power. The short term rewards would not be worth the long term effects. From what Lelouch had been able to infer from the history books, wars had started over less.

However, he was confident that such training could be acquired with the right resources. The secrets of chakra were well documented, and finding basic tutorials would be a piece of cake. That left Lelouch plenty of time to develop Naruto's greatest weapon. There was a potential genius that was lurking underneath the blonde hair and energetic expression. The ghost knew that even the basics could wipe out an enemy force with the proper application of intelligence. Naruto had grown leaps and bounds mentally just from their chats and discussions, and besides keeping the Kyuubi at bay, that was all the Geass user could really offer his younger brother. It was not like he had a Code lying around for the taking, after all.

So with an escape plan in mind, Lelouch directed Naruto to begin gathering his materials for extraction. Avoiding the patrols would be difficult, but between the blonde's determination and his adaptability, Lelouch knew that victory would be theirs. Sadly, years without a direct challenge had dulled the former Emperor's memory just a bit. No plan survived contact with the enemy completely and he did not have a monopoly on manipulation. Fate, it seemed, was not quite done with either boy just yet.

* * *

Making his way through the shadows, Naruto fought to keep calm. After careful consideration, he and his spiritual brother had decided to plan on escaping through the clan districts on the far side of the village. Instead of a massive wall constantly under observation by the ANBU, this district was protected by the scouts of both the Hyuga and the Inuzuka. However, after some careful scouting they had determined that none of the clans would react unless their compounds were breached or attacked directly. It was a weakness in the grid caused by arrogance and complacency, and Naruto was absolutely thrilled to take advantage of it.

Turning a corner, the blonde frowned at an odd sound. Despite his youth, either genetics or his status as a Jinchuuriki had granted the blonde higher than average senses of sight, smell and hearing. Therefore, the slight scrape that most would ignore as the result of a passing cat seemed to fill the air with the promise of trouble and danger. A shadowy figure climbing over a nearby wall, bundle over its back, seemed to justify his paranoia. It appeared that someone had decided to steal their master plan for personal gain.

Now this was the turning point that changed the fate of Konoha. If Naruto was anyone else, he would have ignored the activity before fleeing from the potential danger. He owed the village nothing, and another opportunity for freedom would probably not come again for years. Yet beneath all the talks with his brother, anger at the populace and sense of self preservation, the young Jinchuuriki had a core of iron. Allowing someone to get away with such actions for personal gain made him feel no better than the idiots in the village he wished to flee. But what finally decided him was the rapid heartbeat and sudden squeak coming from the bag in question. Over his brother's protests, Naruto reached into a side pouch for some toys. No true man could ignore such a cry for justice!

Staying as quiet as possible, the blonde flung several caltrops into the figures path. Distracted by its bundle, the enemy had no time to react before stepping on the pointed pieces of metal. Naruto and Lelouch had discovered over a year ago that his poison resistance levels were absurdly high, after a case of food poisoning that should have been lethal. So they had decided to coat many of his trap items with a mild paralytic, which would not even slow the child down, but would give him valuable time as his enemies froze up. Therefore, when the figure's form stumbled and began to fall, he was there to launch the necessary blow to ensure unconsciousness.

Stripping the unknown ninja of any noticeable gear, Naruto moved quickly to bind the now confirmed man with ninja wire before moving to remove his mask. Once Lelouch saw that their enemy was the cloud ambassador, he seemed to double in volume. _"This is very bad, Naruto! The only reason that the ambassador would be here like this was if the peace talks were simply a ruse! We need to leave before we are implicated in the attack that could spark another great war!"_ Gulping at the idea, Naruto quickly moved to leave before taking a second to review the contents of his package. Seeing a tiny girl, not much younger than him, made the boy turn and kick the prone figure once more for good measure before running.

He barely got twenty feet before an alarm began to sound. The young Jinchuuriki was forced to stick to the shadows as carefully as he could, wasting valuable spices and pepper in an effort to cover his scent from wandering Inuzuka. However, it appeared that Karma was on his side due to that little moment of heroism. All of the summoned ANBU he could see appeared more interested in securing the visible enemy and kidnapped child than searching for potential coconspirators. After a harrowing hour of dodging and misdirection, Naruto had finally reached the edge of the village, unmanned thanks to the alarm blaring in the background.

Now that he was actually faced with the prospect of leaving his home, the blonde took a moment to contemplate his choice. He knew that he was too young and too weak to pull this off on his own, but with his brother there nothing was impossible. That did not mean there was not a sense of loss with the decision. Konoha had treated him like dirt, denying his existence and hating him from birth, but it was all he had ever known. Could he find a place in the outside, or was the whole world going to be the same?

Frowning, Uzumaki Naruto ran through the gates without a second look back. He had faith that the world could not truly be that cruel. There had to be good people just waiting to meet him, to save him from the loneliness. But even if there were not, he would never allow that to stop him. He would change this world to be the place it should be, it could be, for everybody. Because a little thing like reality would not stop him! Finding a path, the blonde continued to run as fast as his little legs could manage towards his destiny.

* * *

Storming through the hallways like a force of nature, the Sandaime Hokage was ready to chew coal and spit diamonds. Months of negotiations with a hostile force, carefully leading to a badly needed peace accord, had all been for nothing! Those bloody Kumo ninja had thought they could enter his village, kidnap a child and steal one of their most powerful kekkei genkai! He did not know what angered him more the fact that Kumo had the guts to attempt such an action or that he had nearly fallen for it. Had Konoha really fallen so far that a young punk like Gashira thought he could act as he pleased?

Oh, Kumo was quick to disavow the actions of their ambassador. It would be bad for business if a village was revealed to practice abduction using diplomacy as a cover. With the capture of the ninja, his crimes were beyond the possibility of a cover up, and his orders had been lifted from his mind by the Yamanaka within hours of the cancelation of his diplomatic immunity. All Kumo could really do was recall their ambassador to be punished in their own village, and delay in sending another representative. There would be no war, but now the elder ninja had another enemy be wary of. Between rebuilding his forces since the Kyuubi attack and maintaining internal stability and security, it was almost enough to drive him to drink!

However, with the enemy ninja safely out of his hair, Sarutobi could concentrate on the next important factor in this debacle. Rather, who had been behind Gashira's capture? His ANBU had discovered a number of caltrops lining the ground, but between the chemicals coating them and the low quality of their material, no proper scent could be tracked. The Inuzuka had reported a third party, but any attempts to track them had been dissuaded by spice packs and scent disruptors. All they could tell was that the figure had run for the edge of the village, and with the alarm the attack had raised, no one had been in place to stop their escape. He would have to make a point of talking with the gate guards about that.

Unfortunately, his reflections were rudely interrupted by a hesitant knock on the door. Narrowing his eyes in irritation, the revered God of Shinobi forced himself to respond. "Come in!" In response to his call, Inu of ANBU, also known as Hatake Kakashi of the Sharingan entered. It had been a difficult decision to place the boy in ANBU after the fall of the Yondaime, but Sarutobi had needed that strength where it would be the most useful. However, looking at the younger man's posture, he knew that the prodigy was not going to be bringing good news. "Yes, what is it Inu? I still have quite a bit of paperwork to straighten out after that mess with Kumo."

Standing at attention, the grey haired ninja shifted under his gaze. "I beg your pardon, Sandaime-sama, but something serious has come up. With all the extra security concerns, several key positions were left empty as low priority, including the guard detail of Uzumaki Naruto. So after my last duty rotation, I went over to check on the status of the boy, only to discover that he has not been in the Orphanage since the attack. In addition, my Dogs were unable to trace any new scent traces for him less than a week old. I think we might have a major problem." Hearing that was just enough to force the old man to snap.

Naruto was the legacy and last testament of two fallen comrades that Sarutobi could never forget. Namikaze Minato was a Hokage beyond any before him, and Uzumaki Kushina had been a breath of fresh air badly needed in a village of ninja. It had broken his heart to isolate the child as he had, but there was no way to hide his status as a Jinchuuriki. No ninja of Konoha could know about the sacrifices of both Mito-sama and Kushina-chan, so the blonde child was left to shoulder a burden three times that he should have handled. Leaving him hurt and confused was regrettably what was best for the village, ensuring their unity while preserving the prison's life. But to have the blonde fall off the radar so easily was one issue too many.

Narrowing his eyes, the elder ninja seemed to shine with power. "I believe this is the last bit of patience I have. There is only one man bold enough to kidnap Naruto within the village. Round up your most trusted subordinates, Inu. I believe it is time for some house cleaning. Meanwhile, I'll contact the Inuzuka as backup. Go at once!" Shifting slightly, Kakashi bowed before disappearing. The Sandaime was too preoccupied to care.

Uzumaki Naruto was many things, but the most notable at the moment was his age of three years old. No child that young would disappear into the scary and unfamiliar world without encouragement or support. Therefore, the most likely reason for the blonde's disappearance was a kidnapping or subversion. Kumo was too focused on capturing the Hyuga to be a viable suspect, and his status as a Jinchuuriki was not widely known. Therefore, it was likely that the situation was an inside job, and there was always one person to turn to when the internal power of the village decided to shift. Danzou had better be ready, because after the week he had been having, Sarutobi planned on some long overdue gardening.

* * *

Shifting under her blankets, the little form of Hyuga Hinata sighed in contentment. The last few weeks had been very scary for the child, but now that her family was safe and sound she could finally relax. Father had been very angry about the bad man getting into the compound so easily, and had doubled the guard shifts, but that was not the reason for her current sense of security. The girl had a secret of her very own, and it filled her heart with glee. She had a guardian angel!

The night of the attempted abduction had mostly been a blur. Hinata had heard afterwards that the man had released a fast acting sleeping gas into her room before binding her. However, either due to constitution or destiny, she had managed to shake off the effects briefly. All she remembered was a flash of yellow and worried blue eyes, but the Hyuga knew the truth. If the figure had been a member of the village, he would have come forward for some sort of reward of acknowledgement by now. The fact that he had not meant that the unknown person who had saved her was no ninja of Konoha so he had to be something different. But given the nature of their world, the only creature she could think of was an angel.

Angels were not particularly popular within the ninja culture Konoha embraced. The idea of a spirit that protected the innocent and good seemed to be counterproductive to a village that survived on sabotage and assassinations. So Hinata had kept quiet about the figure, saving her knowledge like a personal talisman or treasure. Not that she had any reason to work very hard. Everyone assumed that she had been asleep the entire duration of the abduction, so no one was particularly interested in pressing her for answers. That left the shy little girl feeling all the more special.

Hinata knew she was not what her family wanted. The Hyuga were a proud and noble group of ninja, and having such a weak heir would reflect poorly upon them. She had only started training in the Jyuken a few weeks ago, but already she found the practice unnatural. Neji was being hailed as a genius, while she was simply weak. In the dark of night, the child sometimes could overhear her parents talking about trying again, with her father listing her faults and her mother pushing for patience. But now she knew that everything would be ok. She was not some complete failure or weakling. She was someone special who had a grand destiny waiting for her. Otherwise, the angel would not have bothered to save her.

Despite her young age, the girl knew that things could have gone very badly that night. If not for the angel's intervention, she could be held captive in Kumo, or war might have been declared. Not only did she owe her life to the unknown figure, but so did a good portion of the village. Therefore, every night before bed, Hinata would swear on her honor to be worth of the angels efforts, both as a ninja and a protector of Konoha and her family. No matter how tough, she would never stop fighting, for that would become her ninja way.

Nodding at her renewed vow, the little girl pulled up the covers, ready for another night of pleasant dreams. Beginning to doze, she prepared for fields of flowers, free cinnamon buns, and big lavender filled bubble bath. Maybe, if she was lucky, she would see her angel again! Then they could play in the tub, talk, share sweets, and be best friends! With that final thought, the young heiress drifted off with a gentle smile on her face.

* * *

Authors Notes

Well, for the nine people who actually wanted this chapter published, I bet you are all foaming at the mouth by now.

What, did you think that Naruto would be given a Code? That a Nightmare Frame would magically appear to protect him? Or maybe he could be sent to Lelouch's world to redeem the Mad Emperor? Sorry, but while I felt bad for the guy, he mostly did that shit to himself. Being a combination mentor/Jiminy Cricket for a little boy is honestly the most I could come up with.

Oh, and writing a two to three year old kid? That really, really sucks -_-;;;

All Lelouch is doing here is providing mental stimulation and companionship that a major dramatic reveal in the blonde's teens required. By suppressing the Kyuubi's chakra, Lelouch is also preventing any chance of chakra poisoning, a theory that is gaining credibility in the Naruto Fannon. During the next voting cycle, I have a couple of ideas I ll leave up to you, the readers to choose from.

But I bet no one will EVER figure out where I end up sticking him.

Please review and stay tuned!


	9. Naruto the Space Cowboy!

No I don't own Naruto. Although, if I ever write a book series that spans the hearts and minds of millions, I'll be sure to include an Amazon link in my profile. ;)

Warning! A semi-dark fic (at least at first). There will be blood, implied seduction, and innocent deaths!

Naruto x Cowboy Bebop Crossover!

Chapter Nine: Naruto the Space Cowboy!

In all his time as a ninja and Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen had never felt so helpless. Reinstated a mere few hours before, the elderly ninja was locked behind closed doors with his advisors, Jonin Commander, ANBU captain and the leadership of the Daimyo's court. The disaster of the Kyuubi's attack had swept across Konoha like a force of nature, and now he was left begging for resources to maintain the protections of his village from bureaucrats and civilians without a proper grounding in the realities of the ninja world. This latest demand only underlined their differences. "Daimyo-sama, I must protest! Uzumaki Naruto is not only just an innocent child in this disaster, but a true hero of the village! Without him, the Kyuubi would have continued until nothing was left but a smoking ruin! What you demand is too much!"

Adjusting his glasses, one of the Daimyo's head historians cleared his throat. "Forgive me, Hokage-sama, but everyone here knows that, unwitting though he may have been, Uzumaki Naruto is central to the attack. His very existence is the reason for the Kyuubi's release, after all. While Mito-sama, wife of the Shodai was able to bear a child safely, she was supported by the Moukton. As powerful as he may have been, Yondaime-sama was simply unable to contain the beast in the wake of his child's birth." That particular statement brought a deep scowl to the Hokage's face. The sealing chamber where Kushina had been giving birth was still being examined, and all signs pointed to a third party launching an attack. However, these stuffed shirts would not hear a word until the investigation was complete. By then it would be far too late to do any good.

Smirking at his silence, the bureaucrat continued as if his case was already won. "Another element to consider is that the previous two Jinchuuriki were both female and pure blood Uzumaki. While I completely agree that Namikaze Minato was exceptional, his chakra was only that of a mortal man. Most of his abilities stemmed from sealing knowledge and innovation, skills now lost to us with the exception of Jiraiya-sama. While the child might bear his predisposition towards the sealing arts, he could just as likely lack the needed patience and skill to master the discipline. In the end, we have a Jinchuuriki of exceptional potential as a ninja, but not necessarily the power to contain the beast properly. With the loss of Uzu, additional layers of containment are only practical."

Unable to handle the smug fool's tone any longer, the Sandaime slammed his hand on the table in frustration. "This is more than a mere additional layer of containment! You want to send a newborn into a medically induced coma until he reaches puberty, harvest his genetic material for multiple pregnancies, and reseal the beast into another container as soon as the best candidate is chosen! Not only are you spitting in the face of two of the finest people I have ever had the pleasure of working with, but you threaten us with the release of the Kyuubi! While I am still waiting for Jiraiya to return and evaluate the seal, from what we have been able to glean from the technique, it relies upon the containers willpower! An empty husk without the spirit to endure will end up possessed or dead from chakra poisoning within a few short years!"

Hearing a rustle of cloth, Sarutobi turned to his greatest ally and enemy. Danzou had officially retired years ago, but with his return to the Hokage's post, an alternative councilor had been needed. Regrettably, the old war hawk was the only one around with sufficient credentials to hold the position. "While I don't fully agree with the spirit of the Sandaime's decisions, I do agree that this plan is not only a potential danger to Konoha, but a waste of resources. Kumo already has two Jinchuuriki of exceptional skill, while Iwa is still said to be working on their own container's seals. Removing the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki from play completely could destabilize the tenuous balance of power between the villages and lead to war. With the recent tragedy, it would probably be a war we would lose." It was all Sarutobi could do not to sigh in relief. Thank goodness for Danzou's patriotism.

Frowning, his old teammate Koharu spoke up. "While the actions of both Kumo and Iwa are of great concern, this Jinchuuriki will not be a contributing factor to either problem for quite a while. It takes alot of time to train such a ninja, and we would be hard pressed to use a newborn as a deterrent regardless. While I believe that things will get very difficult in the near future, keeping Uzumaki Naruto in one piece would not really affect events in the grand scheme of things." Looking at his friend in shock, Sarutobi fought the urge to bang his head into the table. He needed Tsunade to come back, if only to check the council for signs of senility!

The Hokage's internal rant was interrupted by a swiftly closing fan. "That is quite enough." Turning, the Sandaime frowned at the annoyed look on the Daimyo's face. While a relatively good leader, he knew enough about the man to know he never contemplated such a situation would develop. The Land of Fire had grown strong under the protection of Konoha, and with that strength came quite a bit of arrogance. "We have heard the arguments of those assembled before us, and are most displeased, honored leaders of Konoha. Allowing a situation such as this to develop brings your very competence into question, as well as your ability to continue as our honored protectors." Hearing that, the old man cursed his students for leaving him with this thankless job, even as the assemblage burst into angry muttering. He was too old to deal with such shit!

Holding his hand up for silence, the leader of the Land of Fire continued. "However, we are not without some common sense. Konoha has stood firmly against those who would seek to disrupt our peace, and we could never disregard such ability. The attack of the Kyuubi was a terrible tragedy, but no more than a flood or a hurricane. So we will, of course, be making every effort to reinforce the strength of Konoha, until the honored Sandaime can bring it back to its previous glory." Despite hearing that statement, Sarutobi knew better than to celebrate. The Daimyo was known for his bold actions, and this stunk of one of the man's dramatic reveals.

Swiftly covering his face with his reopened fan, the Daimyo continued. "That being said, it is clear to me that some of your concerns have considerable weight. Mito-sama and Kushina-sama have established a very impressive precedent, and deviating from that path could spell disaster. Therefore, this is my decision. Uzumaki Naruto will be acknowledged by Konoha by the title "Guardian of the Kyuubi". Every single student of both ninja and civilian descent will know his name, and the nature of his heavy burden. He shall be remembered as a hero of both the Uzumaki and the Namikaze for his great sacrifice. In return, he shall be placed in a deep sleep with his body maintained by the greatest ninja healers that Konoha has avaiable while his mind will be developed by the Yamanaka. If there ever comes a time when the boy's power is needed to defend Konoha, he shall be elevated to his proper position. Otherwise, he shall live out his days in the strongest containment cell Konoha has to offer. On this topic, we have spoken." Hearing the fate of his good friend's legacy, the Sandaime kept his face blank with the ease of long practice. But on the inside, he cried countless tears for the fate of Uzumaki Naruto.

* * *

The Daimyo's decision was not well received by the populace of Konoha. In his infinite wisdom, their lord had decided that a number of secrets had to be released in order for the population to properly understand the level of debt owed to the young Uzumaki Naruto. So, not only did the people of the village have to work on rebuilding their lives, burying their dead, and trying to find peace with their new realities, but they also had to pour over a number of declassified documents that should never have seen the light of day. In all honesty, Sarutobi was not surprised that he was forced to call out the ANBU to quell the riots. Civilians were such simple creatures after all.

Konoha had always espoused their Will of Fire as a gospel, holding it with pride as something that all ninja should be. It was a concept that every Hokage had valued as central to their methods, and their followers absorbed such lessons easily. Yet, beyond talk of noble sacrifice and determination, the average citizen of the village found a welcome sense of moral superiority cloaked within the doctrine. Thanks to both their ability and their drive, Konoha had never needed to sink to the levels of depravity that most of the other five great ninja had required. Supported by superior techniques, clans and morals, the ninja of Konoha were a beacon in their world of darkness and despair. It gave them purpose and drive a level apart from the lesser ninja of the world, and that pride was sometimes all that allowed them to go forward.

But reviewing the details of the Uzumaki clan left many citizens of Konoha, both ninja and civilian, with a pit of ice in their stomachs. Never before had the average member of the village realized just what depths their leaders had needed to sink to preserve their peace. Jinchuuriki, weapons designed to unleash horrors upon the battle field, had originally been granted to their enemies by the Shodai to promote peace. Yet in the same breath, he had used his own wife as a final line of defense for the village itself. In addition to founding the village, the Senju had passed along forbidden techniques to preserve their creation and world. It was both humbling and terrifying, knowing that their very existence was due to the intervention of a foreign power, long since destroyed in the chaos of war.

It was like a safety net had been stripped from their lives without them even realizing. Without the Senju, the Uzumaki, and the last genius of the Namikaze, the village felt hollow. Some cried for the recalling of Tsunade, while others pushed themselves and their children to make up the gap. Yet, despite these oddities, the majority of those involved simply pushed along in a daze. If Konoha was a dream they aspiredto, how could they remain asleep in such hopeless times? For every individual who sought the answer in improving themselves, two or three would do so at the bottom of a bottle or the end of a needle.

However, despite this aura of darkness that enveloped the village, one fact was agreed upon by all. The Kyuubi attack would have wiped them all out if not for the supreme sacrifice of the Yondaime Hokage. He gave up his life, the life of his wife, and the freedom of his child to preserve their peace. For that, the blonde would be worshiped for the rest of the village's existence. His son would be well cared for, even in his righteous task, and hopefully dream away the rest of his life. After so much pain, all the people of Konoha truly wanted at this point were to find some measure of peace and a chance to lick their wounds. Sadly, the world was rarely so kind.

* * *

Staring out at the village before him, the Sandaime did his best to enjoy to peaceful evening. Only a few short weeks ago, Konoha had been full of life and hope, with celebrations spanning every corner of the streets. Long and difficult peace talks with Kumo had finally been concluded, and it seemed like the future would finally see the reboot that they had been searching for. How foolish he had been, wasting energy on such a stupid delusion! Now so many people, good people that he had helped raise and mould into the next generation, would have to pay the price for this mistake. His only meager comfort was that history would share the blame among more than his tired old bones.

As if summoned by his thoughts, a light knock sounded before his secretary revealed his latest guest. Senses, honed by years of molding and channeling chakra detected no genjutsu or ninjutsu at work. It was simply a mortal man who had already lost too much. Yet, thinking about the lives to be lost because of this individual, Sarutobi allowed himself the minor boon of being selfish this one time. "Please have a seat Hiashi. We have much to discuss." Dressed in mourning, the head of the Hyuga took his place without a word. The young Jonin was not stupid enough to question his leader when summoned in the middle of the night. It was his place to listen, and remain silent unless spoken to.

Deciding that any further melodrama would be excessively cruel, the Hokage turned to speak with his subordinate. "As you are no doubt aware, our arrangement with Kumo was concluded three days ago with the delivery of your brother's body. The messenger I sent was asked to remain so that the Raikage could deliver a response to our actions. That response, along with a terrified ninja both returned to the village an hour ago. Given the circumstances, I authorize you to review the contents. The specifics will most likely be all over the village within a day or two regardless."

As poised and controlled as his position required Hyuga Hiashi reached down to grab the document, wasting no time in reviewing its contents. A dark, twisted part of Hiruzen's soul took satisfaction from the increased pallor of his guest. "Hokage-sama, surely they cannot be serious. This must be some sick, demented joke that you are playing with me. There is no way this can be real!" In an almost surprising show of strength, the clan head stood quickly enough to throw his chair across the room. That did nothing for the man's growing hysteria. "Please tell me it isn't true! It has to be a lie!"

Taking a deep pull from his pipe out of habit, the old man shook his head. "That document has been reviewed and rechecked nearly a dozen times, Hiashi. Kumo is using the Caged Bird Seal as a sign you are unwilling to honor our agreement. Therefore, as of dawn tomorrow, Konoha will officially be going to war with Kumo due to the assassination of their diplomat and our poor faith in the peace negotiations. "All of this is happening because, in your pride and self-righteousness, you aimed to kill an intruder instead of capturing him." Any other man would have been shouting at the young fool before them, but the Sandaime could not find the energy. Such actions would serve no purpose at this point. Yet his calm pronunciation was dreadfully effective, practically breaking the man before him in despair.

Standing, the elderly leader of the village walked around the desk with a sigh. "Hiashi, as angry as I am I cannot completely find you at fault. The plan of that man is clear in hindsight, but that does us no good. Kumo and Iwa have been looking for an excuse to launch a proper attack since the Kyuubi, and this incident was simply the catalyst. However when the details of the incident come out, and believe me they will come out, someone will have to be held accountable for the severity of the situation. Because of the Hyuga clan, many Konoha ninja will be sent to their deaths. I must provide them with some figure to focus their rage upon."

Head still bowed in supplication, Hiashi whispered his reply without an ounce of his normal arrogance. "I will happily gut myself in the town square if it would lead to the end of this madness. I made the decision to launch that attack, and now my brother's life is spilled for nothing in the end. Truly, it is a sign that I am unworthy of my position, and I must make amends. All I would ask in my final moments is that you look after my daughter. Hinata is so small, and while she doesn't display much promise now, I hope that she will prove herself worthy of this sacrifice in the future."

Taking another absent puff of the dead pipe, the Hokage shook his head. "A moving speech and sentiment, but a little misguided. You are a fine Jonin level Hyuga, and the current Grandmaster of Jyuken in the village. I would be remiss in removing such a tactical assent from the upcoming war. I'm afraid that you don't get to run away that easily." Putting his hand on the fallen man's shoulder, the Sarutobi's voice turned to steel. "However, I am more than willing to punish the fools who thought the switch was a good idea in the first place. The Hyuga Elders will be expected to show proper remorse for their actions within three days, or face a public execution. In addition, since I cannot risk the Raikage decoding the Caged Bird Seal from Hizashi's presented head, you will remove it from every branch member to prevent possible sabotage. I need every ninja fighting at full capacity if we are to survive this." Seeing the man before him gather his courage, the Sandaime cursed his successor for once again leaving him with this mess.

* * *

Limping towards the Hokage's tower, Hatake Kakashi fought to maintain his pace. The war with Kumo had been raging for nearly two years now, and as an ANBU captain he had seen his fair share of combat. The enemy was strong, ruthless and itching for complete domination of the battlefield. It was only due to his exceptional ability and the teamwork of his comrades that they had not lost more ninja than they should have. But with this latest development, he knew he probably would not get to sleep an hour over the next three days. Things had gotten much worse, and it was only due to the quick thinking of that new guy Tenzou that he was even able to walk at this point.

Still, as leader of his cell, the Elite Jonin knew his responsibilities well. While his teammates went to the hospital for treatment, he would have to report the situation to the Hokage. The latest development would change the entire face of the war. Nodding to the leader's secretary, Kakashi waited for acknowledgment through the door. The Sarutobi was not known as the professor for nothing, and his chakra signature would probably signal the severity of the situation. "Come in Inu. I'm sure that your presence means we have much to talk about." Suppressing a sigh, the commander let himself in, body moving even when his mind was in turmoil.

Seeing the once mighty Sandaime stooped over a desk filled with war reports was still a shock. The man before him had led the village since his birth, but Kakashi knew that this latest war was probably too much for him. If only that blasted Kyuubi had not attacked, then maybe this whole situation could have been avoided! "Inu, reporting from the western flank. I'm sorry to say, Hokage-sama that a new front has opened in this war." Of course, that dry statement did not quite capture the image of boulders flying through the air as his comrades fought to remain standing due to artificial earthquakes. The entire mission had been a fiasco once they had entered enemy territory.

Leaning into his chair, the leader of Konoha took a deep pull from his ever present pipe. "So Jiraiya's information was accurate. It appears that Iwa has finally decided to enter the fray. Apparently, it took two years of being worn down by Kumo to make us acceptable targets. I'll need a full report later Inu, but in the meantime why don't you give me the bare bones of the situation? I cannot have one of my top operatives dying from blood loss due to pride after all." Wincing at the tone, Kakashi wondered if it would not have been better to get treatment before reporting the situation. Then the image of countless teams dying from a lack of information straightened his spine. If spending an extra week in the hospital with chakra exhaustion prevented that, then the little barb was worth it.

Forcing his mind to return to the events of a few days earlier, Kakashi began to rattle off facts as quickly as possible. "My squad was dispatched to the north west quadrant to check on rumors of a new supply base for the Kumo forces. As you are aware, such a base would have allowed them to launch attacks from three additional locations along the border, and as such it's destruction was a tactical necessity. We managed to confirm the location of the base, but when Tora did a recon sweep, we discovered that the forces manning it were mostly Iwa ninja with a couple of commanders from Kumo. Knowing that this information made our preparations mostly obsolete, we decided to withdraw and request further instructions via summoning. Unfortunately, that was when things began to go wrong."

Feeling a sharp pain in his side as a reminder, the ANBU did his best to continue. "Iwa apparently sent a powerful sensor of some sort, because before we could even attempt a withdrawal nearly a dozen Iwa ninja phased out of the ground to surround us. Luckily, their skill sets were Chunin at best, so we were able to escape and withdraw with minimal damage. However, Neko and I will probably be off active duty for about two weeks due to our injuries and chakra exhaustion. I'm sorry to state Hokage-sama that this mission was a failure." Not that he particularly cared. His comrades were still alive, and there would be future chances to kill the enemy. Losing them to a mission that could not have been accomplished was simply not worth it in his eyes.

Sighing, the Hokage stood. "I am pleased that you returned, Inu, but I'm afraid that your information will force me to do something that I have been putting off for far too long. You are to go to the hospital and get yourself treated, but I am afraid that I must pull you from the ANBU. There is a special mission that will require your direct input before too much longer. As such, you may remove your mask and retain it until I clear you for such duties in the future." Confused, the Jonin carefully removed the piece of porcelain, wondering what the Hokage could possibly need him for other than ANBU. Honestly, he hoped it would not take too long. He had spent so much time in this mask, that it was practically a part of him now. Bowing to the best of his ability, the Jonin left after taking the old man's silence as a dismissal.

* * *

Walking down the path before him, Inoichi fought to remain calm. There was always an element of danger to bringing someone new down to meet his current patient, and Kakashi's presence was making him uncomfortable. It had been three years since someone had been cleared for this level of access, and he was feeling oddly protective. While his professionalism allowed the man to remain detached from his patient, the part of him that was a father could not help but find some measure of pride in the child. Despite everything that he had gone through, Uzumaki Naruto had the potential to be a legend. Now, despite the circumstances involved, the Guardian of the Kyuubi would be given the chance to prove himself.

Other than his duties in the Torture and Interrogation Department, Uzumaki Naruto had been his only mission since the Kyuubi attack. It had taken a lot of effort to deal with his emotions on the matter, but in the end the boy had grown on him. Stimulating his mind enough to maintain sanity was a delicate process, but Minato and Kushina's genius bred true. Naruto had surpassed all expectations, and was now demonstrating a level of mental clarity and focus that was difficult for people five times his age to manage.

Finally seeing the main door, the Yamanaka formed hand signs out of habit before releasing a precise pulse of chakra into the door frame. Biting his thumb, the blonde then proceeded to trace a careful pattern into the locking mechanism before releasing a slightly different pulse. The Omega Vault had been in place before the Kyuubi attack, built directly underneath the Hokage's tower as a prison for SS-class enemies. But with the incarceration of its latest guest, security had been upgraded nearly three hundred percent. The only way someone was getting in here without an invitation was if they could modify time and space. With the death of the Yondaime, that was hardly much of a concern. Taking a well used tag, he finished the circuit traced earlier, releasing the final lock. With that, the door finally began to open.

Contained within an intricate seal matrix, a small five year old child slept. His skin was sallow from the limited light, and several additional seals were places along his form, centered on his abdomen. Several hydroponic farms were strategically placed to filter impurities out of the air, giving the entire cell a slightly tropical flavor. There was everything needed to ensure that Uzumaki Naruto would remain healthy and whole, even in his artificial coma. However, Inoichi had to suppress a smirk when Kakashi paused behind him. It was clear that the other inmate in their little piece of prison paradise was a bit of a shock. "Tsunade, what the hell are you doing here?"

The blonde and busty Sannin glared at the Jonin with traces of her legendary fire. "Who do you think the Daimyo meant when he called for the best medics available to tend to the Guardian of the Kyuubi? Sensei summoned me and Shizune back once the Omega Vault was retrofitted, and ordered us to secretly tend to the brat in return for clearing my debts. Its stuff like this that made me leave Konoha in the first place." Seeing her sallow glare and exhausted stance, Inoichi remembered just how much effort the medic had put into this project. For all her grumbling, it was clear that the Senju was willing to protect the last of her legacy. She just had too much pride to admit it.

Still, they had their orders and it was time to begin. "Tsunade-sama, by order of the Sandaime we are to initiate Code Legacy. You know what to do." Frowning, the blonde quickly formed hand signs before touching six key locations on the child's body. Feeling the boy's chakra slowly unwind from its customarily sealed position, Inoichi smiled happily. In his opinion, this action was long overdue. "Thank you Tsunade-sama for your efforts. As agreed, upon Uzumaki Naruto's full recovery you shall be granted the position of administrative head of the Hospital and allowed to establish the Combat Medic Core. Viable candidates will be screened and presented to you from the Academy within the week."

Nodding her agreement, the Sannin turned to Kakashi. "I know what your responsibility is here brat, and let me make one thing perfectly clear. If you do not train Naruto to his utmost potential, I will personally oversee a pineapple enema during your next checkup. Are we clear about that?" Feeling the normally unflappable ANBU shiver next to him, Inoichi felt his own ass cheeks clench in momentary fear. There were just some things that you did not threaten a man with!

Coughing, the Yamanaka began his own hand signs. "I'm sure that both you and Shizune will enjoy your new responsibilities, but in the meantime, it's time to wake our sleeping beauty. We have a lot of work ahead of ourselves." Feeling the scowls in his neck, Inoichi forced himself to continue the technique. It would not due to fry the boy's brain due to a loss of control. They needed him in one piece to prove his worth after all.

* * *

He drifted in the white expanse for what seemed like forever, but was probably only a few hours. Time meant nothing to him really, especially since he had never seen a day or a night. He was not even really sure what it meant to be known as a "he" to be honest. When he first became aware, he had no concept of gender or identity. That was before the other came and began to teach him. The one being who defined him as more than an odd collection of sensations and unresolved feelings and made him into a semi-coherent individual. Inoichi-sensei was the single constant in his life and he had no problems with that.

Oh, the man also saddled him with other titles and definitions, but he did not really care too much. In this endless world of white, there was only himself and the other. Names such as Naruto or Jinchuuriki were absolutely meaningless in such an arrangement. It was not like there were dozens of others to keep straight after all. Why bother with such a meaningless thing as a name? But Inoichi-sensei insisted, so when they spent time together he was known as Uzumaki Naruto. In the end, it honestly did not matter that much.

Feeling a familiar shift in the atmosphere of the space, he turned his attention to the focal point of the disturbance. There was Inoichi-sensei, a smudge of difference in the empty world. He had once asked about the difference, and received a short lecture on the nature of something called color. Honestly, it was more trouble than it was worth. "Hello Naruto-kun. I'm here today with a special surprise for you."

He never really needed to speak in this world. It was simply a reflection of his mind after all, so simple things such as vocabulary were unnecessary. He just transmitted his mild curiosity and interest to the figure before him directly in a much more efficient manner. In response, the other smiled. "Today, I am leading you to the outside world. There is much work to be done, and I need your help. Will you help me with this, Naruto-kun?"

The other had brought up issues like this before in the past. How, one day he might leave his own world and travel to this mysterious outside. He had never really thought about it happening, since Inoichi-sensei seemed to think it would be in response to something bad. Why would he want to go into a world where there were bad things? Here he was safe, secure, and relatively content. Leaving would serve no real purpose would it?

On the other hand, if he refused Inoichi-sensei might not come back. The idea of returning to the perfection of his own world alone stirred something foreign in his mind. He thought the word was fear of solitude. Being alone was his natural state of being. Returning to that state after spending time with another was oddly unpleasant. Perhaps entering the outside world would allow him to prevent such actions from happening? The idea of so many others, all there to interact with at will, filled him with an odd sense of longing. Perhaps he could give it a try and just come back if he did not like it. Focusing his thoughts, the world vibrated with his intent. In response he could actually feel the other's smile.

The change was immediate. His world began to shift and dissolve, turning into its opposite within minutes. Sensations he had never experienced before began to flood his consciousness, centering on an odd beat behind his mind. Confused, he sought out the previous light out of reflex, only to feel an unfamiliar movement. He would later discover that the action was known as blinking, the beat was a heartbeat, and the sensations were summed up by the phrase touch. Yet at that moment, all he could understand that the world had exploded into more colors than he had ever contemplated before.

Inoichi-sensei was the first thing he saw, but the difference was huge. While before the other had been some sort of blip on the horizon, nearly overwhelmed by the nature of his world, here the man was so much larger and real. He was surrounded by other figures, unfamiliar and looming, and he felt the first stirrings of a new sensation. Curious, he attempted to quantify it but could not comprehend the idea. Its true meaning would escape him for years to come.

His introspective moment was interrupted by the odd sensation of Inoichi-sensei projecting his intent directly. "I know that you are feeling confused at the moment, Naruto-kun, but we're all here to help you. The woman to my right is Tsunade, while the man to my left is Kakashi-sensei. Between the three of us, you will soon understand every single feeling that you are dealing with. Believe me, there is no time for us to waste. So we will bring you up to full speed as quickly as we can. For now, just rest and get used to your senses." Observing the others before him, a single stray thought focused in his mind. Did all creatures known as "female" have such big chests?

* * *

Dragging the fallen form of his best friend, Hagane Kotetsu did his best to hide behind the disintegrating stone barrier. Cursing at the horrible intelligence on the enemy stronghold, the Chunin fought to get his breath under control. He and Izumo had just been promoted to Chunin a year into the war, and the assignments were making him nostalgic for gate duty. The two had been working together ever since, and never failed to survive watching each other's backs. But now, after five years of close calls and fallen comrades, their luck had finally run out. Izumo was dead, neck broken by the Iwa ninja's technique, and he would probably die shortly. Lifting his mace, the Chunin said a brief prayer before flaring his chakra. He might end today, but he would make sure those bastards felt it!

But before the ninja could move to avenge his comrade, a wave of powerful chakra washed over the battlefield from behind his position. Looking up in alarm at the unfamiliar chakra signature, Kotetsu blinked in shock at what he saw. A boy, no more than seven or eight years old, was calmly walking through the battlefield. He wore a black bodysuit, covered by a coat of the deepest red, with a Konoha symbol as his belt. Seeing the blonde hair and blue eyes, with six distinct marks on his cheeks, the Chunin fought back his shock. There was no way this was real. He was dead and did not know it yet or something! Only one child could have those features and that level of chakra!

Ignoring his breakdown, the child continued to walk, passing his position before facing the Iwa stronghold. The rate of fire suddenly tripled, but the unknown figure did not even bother to react. In the one corner of his mind that was not bothering to go kaput at the sight before him, Kotetsu noticed that the enemy seemed to sacrifice accuracy for speed, as if they wanted to stamp this boy out of existence. Yet things took an even greater turn for the weird when the child formed a hand sign and called out a technique. "Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu." With that small, dry pronouncement, the entire field was filled with blondes.

What followed was no more a battle than a slaughter. Unlike their progenitor, the clones were fast, using the launched stone projectiles as jumping boards through the sky. The Chunin watched in fascinated horror as each started launching wind techniques backed by exploding tags. The combination turned the solid stone fort into an oven, roasting the enemy ninja alive. Those that escaped using earth manipulation to move through the ground, were then targeted by the clones in their decent. With a combination of excessive numbers and ruthless efficiency, every Iwa ninja was dead within minutes of revealing themselves. The base that he had been attempting to crack for hours, and had lost his best friend over, had fallen at the hands of a child. There was only one possible explanation.

Kotetsu, watched as the boy, not even winded from his extreme combinations of attacks, began to return from whence he came. The clones were still active in the background, breaking the fort down at a physical level while removing any and all traps safely, but the Chunin could not bring himself to care. Forcing his courage to the forefront, the Chunin stood before bowing to the boy as he walked by. "Thank you so much for your help, Uzumaki-sama. You have my eternal gratitude for avenging my friend and saving my life. One day, I hope to repay this debt to you."

Pausing at the use of the Uzumaki name, the child locked gazes with him for an instant. In the moment, Hagane Kotetsu was able to perceive just what had been done to the child before him to ensure their peace, and he felt both humbled and ashamed. Then the moment passed, and the blonde nodded his acknowledgement before continuing. Falling over from the strain, the Chunin grabbed his friend's body and began to return to the base camp. This battle was no longer some pointless skirmish in a war for survival. Now, he could brag on both his own and Izumo's behalf that they were there when the Guardian of the Kyuubi joined in the Fourth Great Ninja War. It would certainly earn him a few drinks for him and his buddy. Fighting back the sudden tears, the Chunin continued to move forward.

* * *

Strolling through the streets of Konoha, Uzumaki Naruto fought the urge to sigh in boredom. For some reason, Kakashi-sensei had ordered him to take today off without any training. Apparently, it was ten years to the day since the Kyuubi had been sealed within him and the Jonin thought that it would be a good day to relax as a result. He found the whole thing strange to be honest. Why would he want to celebrate a day he just happened to be born? It was not like it was really that big of a deal in the end.

Noticing the ANBU keeping an eye on him, the blonde wondered if he should lose his watchers for practice. However, remembering what happened the last time that he ignored Kakashi-sensei, he decided to allow things to remain as they were. Even if he could beat the four elite ninja guarding him, there was no reason to break a sweat over something so trivial. Besides he got enough exercise on the battlefield, why not save Konoha for activities that were a little more interesting? After all, there were only so many ways you could spill blood before it became routine.

Hearing the whispers from the various groups of civilians and ninja around, the blonde decided to focus his chakra to his ears. He did this occasionally, hoping for new information and experiences that would spark his interest. Unfortunately, there was nothing particularly new to be gathered today. The elderly civilians were fearful of the Kyuubi possessing him. The ninja were exchanging stories, both real and imaginary, of his actions during the war. The younger ninja and civilians were just looking at him with a mix of awe and terror. Honestly, it was the same thing every day since he had entered the other world.

It was not like the Kyuubi was that much of a problem. The additional sealing matrix he had been placed under had acted to suppress the beasts mind while filtering its chakra. As a result, despite his stunted muscle growth over the course of his coma nearly forty percent more of the demonic energy had been converted for his use. By the time Kakashi-sensei, Tsunade-sensei and Inoichi-sensei had finished conditioning him into something worthwhile, he had the power of nearly three Kage level ninja without the use of the Kyuubi's power. Over the course of his career, he had never even needed or felt the urge to harness it in the first place.

The accomplishments on the battlefield were just as mundane. Upon passing his qualifications and mastering some techniques, the Hokage had started sending him to key points in the enemy's defensive line in order to break any stalemates. As a result of his excessive chakra reserves, Naruto had managed to overwhelm the more experienced enemies with sheer numbers. Every battle made him stronger, and images of killing the opposition had dealt with any concerns about death fairly early on. His first kill left the boy a little squeamish, but in the end why should he care that much? He was himself, and the rest of the world either supported him or wanted his head. Honestly, getting worked up about it seemed like a waste of energy.

Then there were the younger members of the village. He had been told that the normal children of Konoha idolized him for his burden. They were raised to believe that he was the honored Guardian of the Kyuubi and legacy of the greatest ninja of the village. There were times, rare as they might be that he was interested in talking with these fans and understanding their interest. But the weaker children clamed up in his presence, while the stronger were blocked by his ANBU guards. Being admired from afar was all well and good, but given the difference in their abilities, it would probably be several more years before he could even talk to someone his age. It was a little disappointing, but nothing that he could not handle.

A sudden scent of gunpowder distracted the blonde from his musings. But the sight of fireworks put his mind at ease. Realizing that the village was about to hold a minor festival in honor of the death of his father, Naruto decided to head home. The celebration was always crowded with too many people, and he did not want to cause his watchers any trouble. Better he be out of sight than cause any undue complications. Walking down another side path to return to the Hokage's Tower, Naruto barely noticed the ramen stand he passed by.

* * *

Shifting in his robes, Uchiha Fugaku fought the urge to activate his Sharingan and be done with it. After nearly fifteen years of combat and loss, the Fourth Great Ninja War was finally at an end. So many lives lost, wasted because of the pride and manipulations of the men before him. Even with the traditional hatred of the Hyuga that all Uchiha embraced, he was not so foolish as to blame that commoner Hiashi. After all, Kumo could have as easily targeted his son Sasuke as the Hyuga heiress. They just happened to have superior security in their district.

But the war had cost everyone much. His own Heir Itachi had been lost in the operation to kill the Gobi Jinchuuriki. His predecessor the Sandaime had been killed successfully sealing the Hachibi Jinchuuriki. Danzou had been killed for colluding with Kumo for personal gain, while Homura and Koharu had been assassinated by a Kumo strike force. Hatake Kakashi was wiped out in a duel with the Nibi Jinchuuriki. Tsunade had been killed in a duel with the Sandaime Tsuchikage, taking the little dwarf with her. The only original instigator of the war left was the Yondaime Raikage, and he had lost an arm and a few ribs killing Jiraiya of the Sannin. In the aftermath of blood and tears, the whole war seemed so pointless. Although, breaking the Senju stranglehold on the leadership of the village was a nice little bonus.

Slamming his hand into the table, Kitsuchi the Yondaime Tsuchikage glared in his direction. "Iwa's final demand is that something be done about the spawn of the Yellow Flash! We refuse to stop fighting unless Uzumaki Naruto, Guardian of the Kyuubi is contained or killed to our specifications!" Quirking an eyebrow, the head of the Uchiha Clan noted the Raikage's interest at the statement. Honestly, it was something that he had also been concerned about in recent days.

Uzumaki Naruto, also known as the Guardian of the Kyuubi, the Red Claw, and the Blue Sage had become the strongest ninja in Konoha's history. Ever since his introduction into the Fourth Great Ninja War, no battle he was specifically involved with had ended in failure unless by design. Trained by some of the best and brightest in Konoha, the eighteen year old was established outside the normal protocols of the ninja forces, reporting directly to the Hokage. The only reason he was not named the Godaime himself, was because Fugaku was more social and better connected. Not to mention a distinct lack of interest.

Years of isolation and combat had left the blonde disassociated with normal life. It honestly reminded him a bit of Itachi before his death. Unfortunately, every year saw the man become smarter, stronger and more effective. While that was wonderful for Konoha in war time, once peace became a reality there was no telling what the boy might get up to. As galling as it was, he simply lacked the necessary connections and bonds required to control Naruto in day to day life. If the blonde ever decided to claim the title of Hokage, there was probably little he could do about it. The last thing the Uchiha wanted was a return of the Senju domination.

Thankfully, the Iwa idiot had given him an opening. "I admit that young Naruto-kun does tend to leave a bit of an impression. However, I am unwilling to remove such a vital resource without some additional compensation. Therefore, if you want Uzumaki Naruto to no longer be a threat, then I am afraid I must insist that Konoha is allowed to reclaim the Nibi and Yonbi from Kumo and Iwa respectively. After all, you did take our gifts and turn them against us in a vile and underhanded manner." Seeing the two Kages before him were preparing to launch another verbal assault, the Uchiha held up his hand. "Unless you would like to add another couple of S's to Naruto-kun's designation as he is sent against your villages directly?" With that thought in mind, the following negotiations went quite a bit smoother than before.

* * *

Narrowing his eyes at the Hokage's pronouncement, Nara Shikaku noted that any number of his fellow clan heads were unhappy with this decision. Despite some early concerns, Uzumaki Naruto was a hero of the village both through lineage and deed. Sending such a man into exile did not sit well with any of them. "Are you sure about this, Hokage-sama? Naruto has always demonstrated proper loyalty to Konoha and is singularly responsible for our survival during the war. Your plan effectively entombs him for the rest of his life like an attack dog we don't need any more. Somehow, I don't think that pissing off the Guardian of the Kyuubi would be in anyone's best interest."

Leaning back, the Godaime frowned. "I am not completely happy with the decision either, but what would you have me do? Iwa's hatred of the Namikaze has taken on fanatical elements beyond all logical understanding. Without such a concession, we would have to send the boy to completely destroy the other two villages and risk censure by the Daimyo. Konoha needs peace badly, and giving the man a suitable retirement is significantly better than killing him off." Left unspoken was the fact Uzumaki was a threat to the Uchiha's reign within the village. None of the assembled ninja dumb enough to ignore that little tidbit.

Buzzing, Aburame Shibi cleared his throat. "It is not like you can simply stick him back in the Omega Vault at this point. Not only is it holding those prisoners from Akatsuki, but Naruto is no fool. He would recognize what you are doing in an instant. How exactly do you plan to deal with the strongest ninja in the village in such a manner? It's not like he is some mindless beast that you can guide with scraps." Shikaku idly noted that over a decade of fighting and saving lives had earned the blonde significant support. Of course, people like Tsume and Shibi would step up since their own children and clansmen had been avenged by Naruto, but it all worked out in the end.

Sighing, the Uchiha held up a scroll. "The Sandaime might have had his moments, but the man was no fool. He made sure to retain the specifics of the Omega Vault's construction for any future leaders. A new, higher quality version is currently being worked on by our Research and Development department. It will have everything that Uzumaki Naruto would need to be content and strong, on the off chance that we will need his power at a later date. Besides, it's not like he would really care that much. In all his years as a ninja, Naruto has formed very few bonds with his comrades. Regrettably, every single individual that shared strong ties with him died in the war." Turning to see a nervous Ino-chan where one of his best friends used to sit, Nara gave Fugaku the point.

Despite the efforts of himself and several other councilors, Uzumaki Naruto's fate was sealed. In five days, the blonde would be directed into a new prison, where he would stay for the remainder of his natural life, or if another war broke out. To keep up the facade, any number of training scrolls and delicacies would be made available, up to and including gardens, special meats, and high quality alcohol. All food that would not be grown would come from a special storage seal matrix that could be renewed once every five years from the outside. Every possible stimulus would be provided in an effort to distract him, including his guards.

Despite some objections from the Yamanaka and the Hyuga, three kunoichi were chosen to be his live in guardians. Their purpose was to distract Naruto with their physical wiles, or incapacitate him if he attempted to escape. The Godaime was very strict on this point, stating that the bloodline of the Uzumaki, Namikaze and Senju must live on, to ensure that another guardian could be produced from their descendants. While the boy had been a little slow in demonstrating such interests, his physicals indicated he was a healthy, heterosexual male. Given the time and beauties involved, coupling seemed to be a foregone conclusion. Only the best of the best could be expected to keep the blondes interest for any notable amount of time.

While the idea itself had merit, the candidates chosen were a bit on the surprising side. Haruno Sakura was the rising star of the Combat Medic Core, trained by Tsuande-sama and Shizune-san in the earliest days of the program. The loss of both her parents to a Kumo raid had pushed the brilliant girl to heights only previously reached by the Sannin herself. Hyuga Hinata was an exceptional herbalist, and considered a master of a new form of the Jyuken designed for kunoichi. After the death of her teammates, the shy girl had become one of the most effective assassins and bodyguards in the village, rising to Jonin status by the tender age of sixteen. Tenten the Weapons Mistress of Konoha was a heavy combat specialist and Seal Master, known for her battlefield tactics. Her biggest claim to fame was wiping out nearly three hundred Iwa ninja in a battle that took the lives of both her teammates and her Sensei.

All three kunoichi were a high A-rank in the rosters and perfect for the mission at hand. But Shikaku could not help but wonder if there might be other reasons for their inclusion. Sakura was closely affiliated with the Senju Medical Genius, and said to be sniffing around Uchiha Sasuke, the new heir of the clan. Hinata was the heiress of the Hyuga clan who, with her removal, would be replaced by the less established and political Hanabi, who was five years her junior. Tenten was simply someone without the necessary ties to protect herself, and the skills to carry out the mission. While all three could accomplish their objective, removing them from play would also allow the Uchiha a greater stranglehold over Konoha's politics.

Still, in the end there was nothing else to do. Any other candidates were either too old, or were too connected to risk in such a fashion. While he knew that Inoichi would have fought the proposal, the Nara understood it was for the best. Besides, at least this would keep the boy safe from any revenge hungry pricks from Iwa or Kumo. Signing the authorization papers, the Nara wondered if his son would be up for another round of Shougi. Ever since Asuma's death, the poor boy had been somewhat more difficult to lure into a game.

* * *

Shifting around in her Chinese style dress, Tenten wondered how her career had evolved into this. After being acknowledged as one of the best and brightest of her generation, the Hokage turned around and spat in her face. Instead of being promoted to Elite Jonin, getting her own students to train, and bringing the Will of Fire to new heights, she was instead going to be some combination bribe and jail guard for the rest of her life. This was hardly the life she imagined back during the Ninja Academy.

Years ago, she probably would have started throwing kunai at the Hokage's ass for pulling such a stunt, but war had changed her. Constant combat coupled with so many dead comrades had taken most of the shine off of her occupation. While she specialized in combat, Tenten had been sent on the odd seduction mission over the years. Sometimes they could even be relaxing, allowing her to let her hair down so to speak. The actual practice of sex and seduction was a little messy in places, but everyone found their own ways of de-stressing. The day she realized that taking lives did nothing to her anymore, was the day she decided to change her own. It was too bad that no one had managed to keep up with Lee's stamina since that incident three years back. Well, there was Anko, but that required more alcohol than she was willing to drink on a regular basis.

Observing her company, the kunoichi thanked her lucky stars she was not locked up with a couple of fan girls. Everyone in her generation knew about Haruno Sakura. The best medic to come out of Konoha since Tsunade herself, the pink haired girl should have been training medics and finding a strong partner to enjoy her new career. Supposedly, before this mission was announced, the medic was slated to become assistant director of the Combat Medic Core under Shizune. From the tales Tenten had heard about her prowess, the slightly younger girl had more than earned her position. Now she was regulated as eye candy to keep a Jinchuuriki from freaking out. At least she looked good in the white and pink Kimono.

The other girl was just as notorious, if not exactly for the same reasons. Hyuga Hinata was seen by some as bad luck, since her kidnapping touched off the war in the first place. That was later compounded by the death of her Sensei and teammates, both of which had been clan heirs. While Tenten did not think herself particularly superstitious, that sort of track record did tend to make someone stick out. Although her track record was pretty impressive in the later years, the stink of early failure was just difficult to throw off. At least, with that figure, it would be more likely that she would be the first to be ravaged.

Each girl had only been given a day before the mission had started. None had been allowed to tell their friends or family about it, and all three would be listed as killed in action within the month. At least the prison was fairly nice. There were gardens, a scroll library, rooms for all four of them and more, assuming that children actually resulted from this perverted plan, and everything else they could ever want. They had been stuck here all morning, supposedly to familiarize themselves with the layout, but more likely to prevent any sort of last minute defection. Honestly, just sitting around, waiting for someone to break the silence was annoying, but not enough for her to take the first move. It was not the life she pictured, but in the end it would have to do.

The weapons mistress's thoughts were disrupted by the sound of the door opening. Glancing over to the entrance, she had a quick image of the exterior of the chamber before it closed again. She could almost picture the seals outside charging up their security procedures, ensuring that no one would ever be able to rescue them from this nightmare. Resigning herself to fate, the girl stood to address their fellow prisoner, noting the other two Kunoichi rising as well. Then the sight before her made it difficult to breathe.

Of course she had heard all about the Guardian of the Kyuubi growing up. He was the poor boy sacrificed in the defense of Konoha, just as his mother and great second cousin had before him. That reputation had only grown when the man had entered the war, sweeping across the battlefield like a force of nature. But now, faced with the lean and fit body of the actual guardian, all of Tenten's bravado left her in a rush. This was the man who held back the most powerful demon the world had ever seen. This man had practically destroyed the combined forces of two hidden villages all by himself. This man had the most delicious looking muscles underneath his coat, and eyes you could just lose yourself in. Even with the rumors of him being a cold fish, this might not be such a bad assignment after all.

* * *

Approaching the border of the Land of Fire, Nii Yugito contemplated her fate. As Jinchuuriki of the Nibi, she had been central in dozens of victories over the last few years. Her command of the demonic chakra was only second to the late Killer Bee, wiping out such illustrious names as Kakashi of the Sharingan and Body-Flicker Shisui without retaining a scratch. As an Elite Jonin, she was due each and every possible honor due to her actions in the war. Unfortunately, that was not what happened in the end.

She knew her escort was not happy with the situation. Omoi, Karui and Samui had been students of the late Hachibi Jinchuuriki, and as such only held her in the highest regard. Shii, personal medic to the Raikage, had also demonstrated a history of professionalism that some of her colleagues lacked. Yet, Yugito herself could not find the energy to curse her fate. As a ninja of Kumo, she knew that death could come at any time. If her sacrifice could prevent an attack by the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki, then she would gladly throw herself onto a poisoned kunai. Her comrades were proud and powerful, so she had no doubt that the Nibi would find its way back to Kumo before too much longer. Then who would have the last laugh?

Her musing was interrupted by a cry from Shii. Feeling instincts honed in countless battles screaming for motion, the blonde kunoichi pushed a startled Karui to the side before falling to the ground. Unfortunately, both Omoi and Samui were too slow to react. Before her horrified stare, a three bladed scythe flew through the air, cutting through the busty blonde only to impale into the swordsman's side. Before Shii could even attempt treatment her two comrades bled out in seconds.

Feeling a familiar fury, the Jinchuuriki prepared to meet her attacker when an unfamiliar whisper broke through the tension. "Atsugai." In response to this mild chant, an insane beam of solid wind chakra crushed Shii into paste, splattering her with gore. Trying to grab Karui and get out of range, Yugito was shocked by an attack of black threads launching from the ground. While she managed to dodge the strike, Karui was not so lucky. Before the brash girl could even draw her blade, her abdomen was covered with the insidious threads. Watching the fire die in her eyes, Yugito swallowed heavily. The entire ambush lasted less than five minutes.

"Man, what a bunch of weaklings! They weren't even good enough for a warm up. Jashin-sama will be so disappointed to drink their blood." Forcing herself to remain calm, the kunoichi turned to face the speaker. Two figures had her flanked on either side of the road. The silver haired moron who had spoken was shirtless, with an odd medallion his only ornament. At his side was a massive three bladed scythe, still dripping with her comrade's blood. The other was much taller, with only his piercing green eyes uncovered and a suitcase of all things in his hand. But when she saw that both wore the cloaks of Akatsuki, Yugito knew that things had become much more difficult.

Ignoring his partner's rant, the taller operative pointed his hand in her direction. "Normally, I might allow my partner to vent some of his stupid religion to get it out of the way, but we're on a deadline. Nii Yugito, Nibi Jinchuuriki, you are our target. Please give us a better fight than your comrades, because I could use the reimbursement after missing out on your bounty." With that statement, the blonde's control was shattered, as a wave of blue fire was sent flying at her enemy.

* * *

If he had suddenly developed extra sensory perception, Roushi of the Yonbi might have been intrigued at the parallels between his own situation and his sister Jinchuuriki from Kumo. At it stood, only his life time of battle experience had allowed him to dodge his unknown assailant. Unfortunately, Kurotsuchi-chan was not so fortunate. Before she could launch a single attack, nearly a dozen snakes had encased the girl before crushing her. Akastuchi-kun attempted to form a protective golem to retaliate, but the snakes were too fast and their poison too ferocious. The oldest living Jinchuuriki had just managed a single stream of fire before the boy died at his feet. Seeing the crushed and deformed bodies of his honor guard, all the red headed Iwa ninja could do was thank fate there had not been more people around. Bonds of blood meant little to the man, but the world would be a darker place without such rising stars of the next generation.

Cursing himself for his distraction, Roushi looked up the cliff only to see the familiar black and red robes of the Akatsuki organization. Noticing the pale skin and long hair of his assailant, the Jinchuuriki growled in rage. "Orochimaru you traitor! What the hell is the meaning of this? Your group was supposed to be on our side!"

Smirking in a gesture that took up way too much of his face, the last of the living Sannin appeared to vomit up a sword. "Now, now Roushi-kun, don't be like that! We of the Akatsuki only have one sort of comrade. That is, other members of the Akatsuki! I'm just afraid that our leader has a vested interest in you and is absolutely desperate for a meeting. Regrettably, I simply don't have much time to chat at the moment, so if you would be so kind as to come with me? It really would make things so much easier in the end." Hearing the smarmy self confidence oozing of the figure, Roushi saw red. Sannin or not, there was no way he would lose to this bastard!

Channeling his demonic chakra, the red head felt the familiar transformation take over. While his power had never been enough to transform fully into his Biju's form for an extended period of time, two tails should be more than enough to handle this jerk. Feeling the outline of an ape encircle his body like a shield, Roushi prepared to launch into the air to begin an epic battle not seen since the last clash of the war! So you could imagine his surprise when an attack from behind drained all his energy like a sponge.

Gasping at the sudden strain, Roushi leapt to the side of the pass to meet his new enemy. Between the spiky blue hair, obvious gills, and squirming package on his back, there was no doubt who the enemy was. Hoshigaki Kisame, missing ninja of Kiri and one of the Seven Swordsmen was his opponent. Grinning with too many sharp teeth, the deformed ninja chuckled. "Well now, for such an old coot your chakra is pretty tasty. Samehada hasn't been this energized since we passed a battle with the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki involved." Seeing the black soulless eyes pierce him like a gaping fish, the Jinchuuriki knew things had just gotten much worse.

To his right was a ninja capable of stealing his chakra with a single sword strike. To his left was an enemy who had killed two Iwa Jonin in seconds and had who knows how many techniques in his twisted brain. Each was more than capable of taking out a Kage level ninja, and seemed very interested in taking him prisoner. In short, he was totally screwed. Griping his kunai, the old ninja smirked. While it was not the sort of final battle he had dreamed of, at least he could go down swinging!

* * *

Forming a dome out of sand, Gaara attempted to launch a barrage of sand bullets at the flying opponent. Unfortunately, just like his previous six attempts, the enemy directed his clay construct to gain altitude. Gritting his teeth in annoyance, the Ichibi Jinchuuriki considered unleashing his prisoner to deal with the pest. However, remembering the speed and maneuverability of his blonde opponent, he decided against it. Even he could be worn down, and releasing total control this close to Suna would probably damage the village significantly. He just could not take the risk.

He had just been returning from the border as a sign of good faith, when the enemy launched a surprise attack from the sky. While his automatic defense prevented any major injuries, the amount of dust made breathing and sighting the enemy difficult. Launching himself into the sky on a platform of sand had failed when he had been targeted by high speed explosives. Attempts to burrow underground had met with disaster, when a high yield mine field had started going off. Three attempts at moving in closer had been countered by puppet-like clay constructs with high level taijutsu. After nearly an hour of fighting this bastard, Gaara knew one thing with absolute certainty. When he got his claws on this guy, a sand spike was going where the sun did not shine!

Reaching his boiling point, Gaara started channeling more and more chakra into the ground. Normally, such a technique required a full transformation, but between his temper and the decreasing number of explosives coming his way, the Jinchuuriki was sure he could pull it off. As his command, two one hundred feet tall claws launched from the sand, aiming at the flying demolitions expert. The strain was immense, but the red head held on, determined to end this threat once and for all. He was so close that victory was almost in his grasp! That was when a poison cloud started to move in his direction.

Cursing, Gaara dropped his technique before launching himself through the sand banks. Much to his dismay, not only did the cloud begin to saturate the sand, making it much more difficult to manipulate, but the crazy bomber bastard caught his second wind. Between the poison and the explosions, it was only a matter of time before someone slipped up. Unfortunately, it was him zigging when he should have zagged, leading to a successful combination attack. The resulting backlash sent him flying.

Fighting to remain conscious, the Ichibi Jinchuuriki finally caught view of his enemies. The poison user was hunched over, giving off the odd clicking sound with every other movement. The bomber had a long blonde ponytail and an evil smirk. Seeing the familiar cloaks, Gaara realized just what he was dealing with and felt fear. These were men capable of taking out the Biju for their own profit, answering only to themselves. He had been captured by Akatsuki, and there was no one in Suna able or willing to rescue him. Falling into despair, Gaara's last thought before the hunched figure put a seal on his head, was whether or not Naruto-sempai would have won where he failed. Then there was only darkness and demonic howls of pain.

* * *

The Godaime Hokage's first indication of trouble was a massive explosion focused in the middle of the village. He had been working on the necessary paperwork to support his cover story for the Guardian of the Kyuubi's absence, when the ground shook with the impact. It was the work of moments to get to the top of the tower to get a better perspective on the situation. What he saw made his blood run cold. His village, the home of his family, clan and comrades for generations, was being obliterated!

In one corner, a set of unknown boss summons were tearing apart the hospital and Academy sectors. In another area, giant explosions and screams of pain filled the air. Yet a third section was being blasted apart by some sort of wind technique he did not recognize. It was an absolute slaughter never before seen within the confines of the village. Even over a decade of wartime combat had not prepared the leader of the village for such as sight. It was as if Konoha was disintegrating like a sand castle at the beach!

Shaking himself out of the paralyzing horror before him, the Hokage called for his forces. "Inu, Tora, Neko, attend me! We must act to protect our village!" The three ANBU operatives were among the best of the best, and as such were assigned to his personal guard. Such a call should have resulted in an immediate response, allowing him to dispatch his forces quickly to counter threats to Konoha. So imagine his surprise when no one reacted to his cry.

"Oh dear, that is a shame. I hope you don't mind Fugaku-kun, but your subordinates were rather rude. I just tired to teach them a few matters, and well, they just seemed to break to little pieces." Turning at the unknown voice, the Godaime activated his Sharingan to face the interloper. Perched on one of the towers turrets was a figure draped in black with red clouds, an orange mask on his face. His chakra was a mystery to the Hokage, but one thing was immediately clear. In the single hole the mask sported, his enemy displayed a Sharingan. What was this outrage! Had someone copied Hatake's grave robbing ways?

Leaping down to meet him, the Akatsuki member seemed to smile behind his mask. "You know, Fugaku-kun, you really should be thanking me. If not for my intervention, the Yondaime might still be in charge of Konoha. Thanks to the war I helped instigate that night, you rose to power, and broke the back of the Senju domination of Konoha. Really, for a bunch of traitors, your clan has done quite well for itself." Suddenly, the air seemed to freeze from the force of the Killing Intent being released. "Unfortunately, you've managed to cage my old pet, and I really do need it back. So would you be a nice little boy and lead me to the Kyuubi?"

Grunting, the Hokage threw off his robes, revealing his battle gear underneath. Channeling more chakra to his eyes, the head of the Uchiha clan prepared himself for the battle ahead. "I don't know who you think you are, but never disparage the name of Uchiha in front of me. Our clan is one of the pillars of Konoha, and I will not have it spoken off with such disrespect! Who are you to act so superior? As Hokage of this village, I will crush you to protect those under my protection, be they comrade or innocent!"

Tilting his head to the side, the figure removed his mask. "I dare, because the Uchiha owe everything they are to me and my efforts. For I am Uchiha Madara, bearer of the Mangekyo Sharingan. I am the past, present, and future of the clan. Too bad you won't be around long enough to enjoy the fruits of my latest labor." Hearing the name of such a hated and terrifying ghost, Fugaku launched himself forward without hesitation.

* * *

Launching forward another kick, the Hell Realm of Pain watched as his latest opponent fell. While his Animal, Deva and Asura Realms unleashed their combined attacks upon the village as a whole, Madara had a special assignment for his remaining paths. His Human Realm was sent to the various clan houses, seeking our valuable techniques and secrets of the village, accompanied by a Paper clone of his partner Konan. His Hungry Ghost and Hell Realms, on the other hand, were supposed to test the viability of the Uchiha clan. Madara wanted to capture the strongest members of the clan for his own purposes, while the eyes of the weak were preserved as potential weapons. So far, only seven of the one hundred and fifteen clansmen and women he had tested had succeeded. The Uchiha should have felt honored the numbers were so high. Lasting against two of the Paths of Pain for five minutes straight was no minor feat.

Hearing a familiar crackle of fire chakra, the Hell Realm did not even bother to move out of the way of the attack. As expected, Hungry Ghost Realm jumped in the way of the technique, absorbing its power with barely a flinch. Turning to face the new threat, the Path of Pain noted the Jonin vest and similar features to his previous opponent. It appeared that knocking out the wife of the Hokage was enough to lure out their heir. Now it was time to see if Fugaku's remaining son was worthy of life, or just spare parts.

The furious young man did not bother with witty banter. He struck hard and fast, with Taijutsu of surprising quality. Hell Realm matched him blow for blow, but found the force of the boy's strikes were more than he bargained for. One particularly vicious combination launched him into the air and out of control. In a normal fight, it might have even been enough to kill him. Unfortunately for the young Uchiha, this was not a normal fight in the least.

Acting within the specifics of his design, the Hungry Ghost Realm disrupted the attack with its own body. Hell Realm took that opportunity to use the fat form as a springboard, gaining altitude before launching a devastating attack at the boy's shoulder blade. With his Sharingan blazing, the boy was able to shift out of the way in midflight, only to have the Hungry Ghost Realm grab his feet. Hell Realm did not hesitate for an instant, launching a haymaker that broke the enemy's nose in its fury. Unconscious, the heir of the clan fell to the ground in a pile of limbs.

Landing on his own feet, the Hell Realm started speaking. "After initiating combat, subjects Uchiha Mikoto and Uchiha Sasuke have both passed the preliminary test. Take them to the base and prepare them for the next phase of the plan. In the meantime, we will secure all the children too young to fight for Plan B. Otherwise, send your clones to gather the fallen for their eyes."

Phasing through the ground, the multicolored body of Zetsu seemed to smile. "It shall be as you command, Leader-sama. Oh, and the clones I set up are located in the base of the Hokage's tower. Please let me know when it would be appropriate to retrieve them. I so hate leaving parts of myself lying around." Nodding his acknowledgement, Hell Realm quickly analyzed the information retrieved by Human Realm before going to his next target, Hungry Ghost Realm in his shadow.

* * *

Ignoring the countless bodies littering the chamber, the Deva Path of Pain examined the prison of the Kyuubi. Despite his own hatred of Konoha, the leader of Ame had to admit their Seal Masters had really outdone themselves. With the number of suppression and stability seals present on this thing, it was likely that the Jinchuuriki was completely unaware of the situation befalling Konoha. It was almost poetic that Uchiha political maneuvering had led to the removal of their greatest weapon from play. "So this is the tomb of the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki. How fitting that they place you behind the head of the Yondaime Hokage. I didn't know that the clan council had such a sense of humor."

"Actually, it was just the most readily available location to plant the thing without raising suspicion. These used to be the escape tunnels for civilians in case of attack. From what I was able to learn from their leader, the old ROOT headquarters was being converted to fill that role next week. It's such a shame too." Looking up, Pain mentally sighed at the sight of his hidden partner. Madara was strolling along, uncaring for the blood splatter spreading from the package in his hand. Personally, the Rinnegan user thought that the old Uchiha had too much flair for the dramatic. Carrying around the head of the Godaime Hokage was completely unnecessary.

Returning his attention to the prison before them, Pain concentrated on the seal matrix. "I believe that I can unlock this prison at will, but that would be premature. The Gobi will probably not reform for another year and the Hachibi for another three. Since the Kyuubi needs to be sealed last, then alerting the Jinchuuriki would be more trouble than it's worth. We should make plans to relocate the prison to Ame to save time."

Shaking his head, the Uchiha sighed. "Pain, you truly lack proper imagination! We have destroyed Konoha, and according to Zetsu, each of our Jinchuuriki raids went without a hitch. We'll be far too busy sealing the Ichibi, Nibi, and Yonbi to deal with a prison of this complexity. It won't take Suna, Kumo or Iwa long to realize what we've done, and dealing with their combined forces would just distract us from completing our goal. What we need is a distraction, and it's right before us on a silver platter!" Focusing his attention on Madara, Nagato idly wondered if the lesser doujutsu drove people insane.

Putting his hand on the metal shell before them, the elderly ninja seemed to grin from behind his mask. "Every nation in the Elemental Countries knows that our goals are to capture the Biju. However, without any Jinchuuriki to protect, all of our enemies are free to launch attacks upon us before the grand plan can be realized. Therefore, if we give them some sign of hope, they'll waste time and energy in an effort to reclaim a secret weapon! We just need to launch this someplace that only we can reach, but that our opposition can observe. After all, it's not like this has never been done before."

Realizing what Madara was suggesting, Pain weighed his options. Agreeing with this sort of plan would put him at risk, leaving him open to an attack by the bastard before him. On the other hand, his plan would accomplish such actions, and had the benefit of putting the Kyuubi out of play for years. Even if the creature was killed in the attempt, the resonance of the other Biju would guide the malignant chakra back under their control. It was a plan only a god could manage after all, and one that no mere mortal could defeat.

Nodding his acceptance, the Deva Realm leapt upwards, blasting a small hole in the top of the mountain. Looking over the ruins of Konoha, he allowed himself a slight moment of peace at the sight. No matter what happened from now on, at least his parents had been avenged. Smacking his hands together, the god unleashed a ball of pure darkness towards the heavens. "Chibaku Tensei!" Almost at once, the village of Konoha was removed utterly, sacrificed to form the shell of a new moon. The Hokage monument, guardian of the Will of Fire for generations, was close behind.

Keeping a close eye on the situation, Nagato noticed that the holding capsule was among the elements forming the technique. Noticing that the chakra within was beginning to flex and flow at greater speeds, the Akatsuki member wasted no time in launching a Shinra Tensei at the mass. With that act, the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki was launched into space, safely out of sight until the final sealing would be required. Turning his back on the ruined crater that was once Konoha, the Deva Realm moved to complete its next objective.

* * *

Hinata's first indication that something was wrong was when the prison had begun to shake. Given the number of suppression and stabilization seals she had seen on the outside of the unit that literally should not be possible. Activating her Byakugan out of reflex, the kunoichi started. "Something has damaged the seals on the outer hull! We're being crushed!"

Standing from where Tenten had been flirting with him, Uzumaki-sama sat cross-legged in the center of the chamber. Hinata felt her mouth go dry as the blonde man, no, GOD before her began channeling chakra so pure and immense it nearly brought her to tears. She had dealt with powerful ninja her whole life, but the causal ease that the blonde harnessed such chakra took her breath away. "We are currently being launched skyward by a technique I don't recognize used by an individual of Kage level chakra. The seals on the hull are good, but they weren't designed to handle such strain. If we don't act, the pressure will kill us." Hearing their situation recited so calmly made Hinata want to hyperventilate. However, she doubted even Uzumaki-sama would remain so calm in the face of such danger if he had no plan.

With a slight application of chakra, the sitting figure formed three Shadow Clones. "Haruno-san, I believe that you are an Earth Element in addition to your chakra control. Take the chakra from this clone, and focus on reinforcing the materials of the hull. Hyuga-san, you are listed as a powerful Water Element in addition to your skills with the Jyuken. Please perform a combination technique with my clone's Wind Type Chakra and allow him to control the manipulation in an effort to cool the structure down. Tenten-san, you are listed as a Lightning Element, so please work with my clone to stabilize the sealing matrix and wiring within the shell. At our rate of ascension, we're going to need every bit of power you can manage. Now, please commence the operation."

Swallowing at the orders provided, Hinata formed a few hand seals, forcing herself to concentrate on the technique. The blonde clone matched her perfectly, allowing the combined elemental chakra to fuse into the stone beneath their feet. With her Byakugan still functioning, she could observe both Sakura and Tenten working together with their own clones. In the small corner of her mind not focused upon their task, she wondered how the blonde had managed to make clones that coordinated so well with their smaller chakra reserves. The idea that he had been able to match them with a simple scan from his sensing technique was just too terrifying to contemplate.

Still, the plan appeared to be working. The shaking stopped, as the seals on the exterior and interior were reinforced with Tenten's Lightning Chakra. Sakura's Earth Chakra was also effective, retaining the form of the hull with few issues, a Jinchuuriki-level of chakra just there for the asking. Her task was slightly complicated by the balance she needed to retain. If she made the hull too hot or cold, it could weaken the integrity of the structure even further. But by some miracle, all of them appeared to be fine.

Then disaster struck. They had just stopped shaking, when the entire structure was twisted upside down. She barely managed to stay on her feet using chakra, but both she and Sakura lost control of their elemental abilities. In that brief moment in time, she was barely able to perceive a flux of foreign energy striking the outer hull before impact. Then all the Hyuga sensed, was a pair of strong arms, and an earthquake beyond her understanding.

* * *

Forcing his eyes to open, Naruto looked over his companions. Seeing that all of his comrades appeared to be unhurt, he took the precaution of activating Sage Mode just to be sure. Seeing that their chakra was simply exhausted by the effort of maintaining the stability of their containment unit, he allowed the technique to end. He had plenty of chakra, and there was no reason to waste the energy on such a move for longer than needed.

He had known that this was his new prison, almost before the Godaime had finished his speech. The only reason that the man had gone along with the situation, was the fact he was tired of the outside world. Long ago, when Inoichi-sensei had first woken him, Naruto had promised himself that if he was disappointed with the outside, he would return to his mind and solitude. Doing nothing but fighting for years had firmly sold him on this plan. Konoha was simply not worth the effort, and none of those living there were interesting enough to have as a comrade. A simple piece of metal with a symbol carved into its face did not a true friend make.

Seeing the three girls before him had honestly sold him on the idea. Even if he broke out of the prison, these kunoichi would still be sacrificed in an attempt to contain him. One of the first things Jiraiya-sensei had taught him was that a true man never left a woman to cry. He did not completely understand all the lessons the old man had attempted to teach him on the subject, but Naruto would be damned to wipe out an innocent just for a temper tantrum. Besides, having some people to share his solitude might not be so bad. At least, that was his thoughts before the Godaime apparently attempted to kill them all.

Using Sage Mode and his own elemental chakra control had retained the form of the prison, but something was off. Right before they crashed back to the ground, and judging from what his senses were blaring before they impact it was quite a significant height, he had sensed an amazing amount of energy beyond his understanding. The power seemed to synch with the combination of Sage and Demonic chakra in his system before targeting him like a lightning bolt. The impact had caused his companions to black out, while even he was rendered unconscious before the event had ended.

Forming another set of Shadow Clones, the Jinchuuriki began to evaluate their habitation. Luckily, nothing appeared to be unsalvageable, including the planters. They had plenty of food, water, and scrolls for their use. Still, he knew that logistical elements such as this were not his strong point. That was what his support staff was for. "Haruno-san, are you stable? If so, I believe we could all use an evaluation."

Groaning, the pink haired medic stood from where his clone was checking her over. Meeting his gaze with her sharp green eyes, Sakura broke off with a blush. "I understand, Uzumaki-sama. Just give me a moment to get situated." Leaving his clone to support the girl, Naruto went to check on the other two. His support clones dispersed when he was knocked out, and wasting chakra on additional clones when walking would suffice was just plain stupid. They were better suited to making sure none of the internal seal matrixes exploded or broke down anyways.

Luckily, both of the other Kunoichi appeared to be fine. Hinata was curled next to a downed couch, her head and other vital organs shielded out of instinct. Tenten was propped underneath a set of chairs, pinned but stable due to their weight. Noting some discoloration around the upper arm, Naruto frowned. Hopefully it was just a bruise, because they did not really have the time to waste on broken bones.

Satisfied with the safety of his new teammates, the blonde headed towards the opening of the capsule. Normally, he might have allowed one of the other girls to take point, if only to maintain the illusion that he was safely contained. No reason to get them in trouble after all. But with two still out like lights and the third stuck on medic duty, it was probably safe to get a bit of fresh air. Plus, if the Hokage thought that little attack was enough to kill him, then he clearly needed to talk with the Uchiha about his suitability for the hat. Reactivating Sage Mode, the Jinchuuriki prepared for a fight.

Exiting the hatch, Naruto blinked in the painfully bright light. His first inclination was that they had been launched all the way to Suna. However, despite a mild interest in meeting with Gaara-kun again, the blonde knew that could not be true. As a Sage, he was aware of nature on a very detailed level. The very chakra of the planet sang to him in ways that were both glorious and humbling, hence the reason he did not use the technique lightly. It was like looking into the heart of the sun, and could burn your eyes out if you were not careful.

Yet, the planet before him felt both wrong and alien. The very soil cried out in constant pain, hammered by some sort of shrapnel. The air was dry and poisoned, tainted by odd chemicals and metals. To one in tune with nature, it was like the very sky was screaming. Given the age of the damage, there was no way they were still in the Elemental Nations. Even stasis seals could not keep someone under safely and in such good condition for decades!

Feeling a foreign energy, Naruto turned just in time to deflect a perceived attack. What he got instead was a bitten arm. Quirking an eyebrow, he looked over the assailant. The figure was short and thin, wearing an oversized white tee-shirt and black short pants. A dog of some unknown breed appeared beneath his feet, barking in his face. Seeing the eyes full of guile and open curiosity through the mop of red hair, Naruto just knew this was going to be one of those days.

* * *

Whoa, so that's what it's like to write a Dark-fic opening. It's rather cathartic...*evil grins*

I bet that you each have a number of big questions, so I'll try to answer those I can perceive right off the bat.

1.) Did anyone survive the leveling of Konoha?

Yes, there are four official survivors; Uzumaki Naruto, Hyuga Hinata, Tenten, and Haruno Sakura. Anyone who didn't get flattened in the initial attack, or the whole "turning Konoha into another moon" thing, is probably going to be wiped out after the various intelligence operations of Kumo, Iwa, Suna, Kiri, and Akatsuki get done with them.

2.) What did Madara do with those last eight Uchiha that Pain didn't kill? (Oh and the unknown number of Uchiha children?)

Oh, he has a fairly sick plan involved there. I might even show it to you if I'm feeling twisted. Hopefully, you will figure out parts of it from the little hints I dropped. Although, by the time he's done with them, none of the Uchiha survivors will think that they are from Konoha anymore.

3.) Will Naruto come back to save the day?

Nope. This Naruto is much more pragmatic than Cannon, and believes the whole thing to be an assassination attempt by the Hokage. With each and every ninja of Konoha he once cared about in some fashion dead, there really isn't any reason to want to go back especially once he figures out they sre on a completely different planet.

The three kunoichi share his viewpoint, and honestly don't have much of a reason to return either after such treatment. Sakura's family is gone, Hinata's treats her like shit, and Tenten has no loyalty to a place willing to throw her away so easily. So they are quite happy to stick around a new world with new opportunities.

4.) Was that figure who I think it is?

Yes, that's Ed. The time line is about twenty four hours after the last shot we saw after she left the Bebop. I have plans for those Bounty Hunters, and they will make an appearance. So no, wandering around with daddy issues for this little hacking genius!

5.) Is this going to be an Ed/Naruto pairing?

No, that is not the plan at all. The closest those two will get will be as older brother younger sister, and I am not a member of CLAMP. So no loliconing here!

Naruto's relationship with his teammates will be a little complex, but remember that they're battle hardened ninja fresh from a war. A little physical venting is seen as normal in this group, and jealousy won't be a major issue, at least at first. If I actually ever attempt to write a polygamous relationship, this will probably be my biggest attempt at making it believable. But that's in the future. (Maybe)

6.) How the F*^K did those guys end up in the Bebop Universe anyways?

Cowboy Bebop has shown several instances of the Gates between worlds having issues and quirks. The exact mechanics will be of minimal interest to the team, so I don't plan on wasting much energy on them either. In the end, let's just say that Naruto's chakra signature, coupled with the stabilization seals managed to phase them into such a gate and out around the moon. For convenience sake, they're in the same universe as cowboy Bebop, just a different planetary system.

7.) You've hinted that this is Super!Naruto. Just how badass is he anyways?

Well let's see. This Naruto has mastered elemental charka training for both Wind and Lightning. He knows the Rasengan, but was never inclined to continue its development due to a lack of need or desire. Therefore, he does not currently know the Rasenshuriken. Jiraiya taught him Sage Mode and Toad Summoning, but given the distances involved, the toads believe him to be dead. He attempts to summon a toad once, but after the chakra drain becomes unreasonable, he quickly decides never to attempt it again. They were just another tool after all, not comrades.

As to mastering the Kyuubi, between the extra absorption during his youth and his own mental development, Naruto's sense of self is sufficient to rip the chakra from the beast in his sleep. Once Jiraiya's allows him to attempt this, he tears the power from the beast without any problems. He still has the meetings with both the Yondaime and Kushina, but doesn't know how to deal with either. Oh, some part of him is touched, and both parents manage to get through to him, if briefly, but it's simply another element of his personality he cannot quite comprehend.

So yes it's a Super!Naruto in a ninja world. However, adapting all of those skills in a world fueled by unfamiliar technology and guns might be a bit of a challenge.

8.) Why did you have to kill "_"

I killed them because it was always the plan to leave the Elemental Nations to pull this off. Leaving a bunch of comrades he abandons just strikes me as wrong, so I had them leave first.

9.) How many Biju do the Akatsuki have anyways?

The Akatsuki have all the Biju besides the Gobi, Hachibi, and Kyuubi. The Gobi and Hachibi both died in battle during the war, and the Kyuubi is out of their reach forever. Or at least until Naruto dies, which will probably not be for a while.

10.) How is this a proper Cowboy Bebop Crossover, if the entire thing involved the Elemental Nations except for one scene?

Well that's simple enough. I was styling a Naruto whose past took on overtones of Vicious. Whether or not he becomes as big a bastard is completely up to his Kunoichi teammates and Ed. But we'll see how things develop ne? ;)

Thanks for the read, and here's hoping that this gets even better reception than "A Different Shade of Blonde!"


End file.

Naruto, X-overs