The Immigrant, The Refugee, The Cold Case

Haruno Sakura bows to her long-time classmate and opponent, Tsuneo. He's a thin, scarecrow figure wrapped tightly in padded clothes and pouches full of weapons. Tsuneo adjusts his glasses with the heel of his palm; just another part of him that's easily breakable.

"I look forward to this battle, Sakura-san," Tsuneo says lowly. He returns her bow. "I apologize in advance. I'm sure you'll have better luck next year."

Sakura's eyebrow twitches. "You think you'll win, Tsuneo-kun?"

"It's the logical conclusion," he says regretfully. "You're smart, to be sure, but you're still leagues behind me. Your brutish style is nothing compared to my intellect. I'm only sorry that you must learn this lesson here and now, in front of our comrades."

Alright, I'm sick of it. Inner barks. In Sakura's head, her phantasmal figure is baring her teeth. Let's crush this guy, Sakura-chan!

Agreed. Sakura can't help but say, "Tsuneo-kun… you know we're allowed to use weapons during our graduation test, right?"

Like, she's holding hers. Surely he can see that.

He is unconcerned. "I've already thought my way around that!"

"Well… okay."

Hanamizu-sensei blows her nose with the handkerchief she keeps on hand, interrupting their face-off. She's standing on the edge of the ring, Dee-sensei beside her, the rest of the class behind them both. Everyone is standing on their tiptoes trying to get a good view of the battle. Some are already wearing their hitai-ate.

That's going to be me, Sakura thinks with certainty. She'll have her hitai-ate soon. Maybe she'll put it around her neck — she's seen others do it like that, and it looks nice, out of the way. Her pink hair is distinctive enough. Sakura has already chopped most of it off, but it still feels like too much. She doesn't know if the hitai-ate will draw more attention to her hair or divert it.

"Are you two ready?" Hanamizu-sensei asks, stuffing her snotty cloth back in her pocket. "Remember, everything short of killing your opponent is allowed. Do what it takes to win. Do us proud, students."

Sakura bounces on her toes. Adrenaline is pumping through her system. She wants to leap into battle, but as arrogant as Tsuneo is, it isn't without reason. He's been at the top of rankings since... ah, it's been years, surely. Sakura is sure she can beat him. For starters, he's seriously underestimating how much it hurts to be hit with an axe. He's going to bleed today.

Hanamizu sniffles, shares a glance with the ever-quiet Dee-sensei, then declares: "Fight!"

Through great effort, Sakura doesn't move. Tsuneo waits, tension between them taut, before laughing. "I see. You want me to make the first move? That is more caution than I was expecting from someone like you, Sakura-san."

Sakura smiles at him. "You should start expecting more from me if you want a chance of winning today."

"Oh, I don't think so. Though, if you insist, I will attack now."

He throws a kunai. Sakura dodges with a quick movement of her elbow; it embeds itself into the dirt behind her. "Is that all?" Sakura asks, disappointed, when Tsuneo grins and throws more. Like, a lot more. Every single one misses. Tsuneo doesn't look worried, but Sakura's pretty sure he doesn't have anything nefarious planned.

Forget this. Go in there and pummel him!

Inner is right. Standing is boring. Sakura adjusts her grip on her axe, which has a steel head twice as big as hers and a wooden haft wrapped in bandages, as long and thick as her forearm. Carrying it around alone would have given Sakura a thin layer of muscle; learning to fight with it has bulked her up more than any other kunoichi in the Academy. Sakura's proud of it, even if she's had to knock out some teeth with her "mannish hands" for a few years.

Sakura lunges at Tsuneo and engages him. He narrowly dodges her wide, powerful swings, throwing punches himself that never land. One particular near-miss ends with her axe buried in the stone, just about to the haft. It would have split Tsuneo in half.

He laughs nervously at the sight. "You aren't going easy on me, are you?"

Sakura dislodges her weapon with a grunt. "Nope."

"Good. I'm not, either. I feel better about that now."

"You talk too much," Sakura says, and with speed he must not have expected, catches him in the ribs with the flat side of her axe. It knocks the wind out of him, and Sakura roundhouses him across the field. There are no out-of-bounds areas, no ring, so it isn't an automatic victory when Tsuneo collides with the fence several feet away from her. The only way to win is if the opponent cannot fight back or forfeits.

Tsuneo struggles to his feet. Seems he still has fight left in him.

"You know," Sakura calls mockingly, "you've already lasted longer than I expected you to! It's alright to give up now, before you really get hurt!"

Tsuneo shouts back, "Why would I, when I finally have enough distance to do this?"

… Do what—

Tsuneo pulls on — something — and Sakura hears the telltale whine of… wires. Crap. It sinks in a second too late: the kunai at the beginning, the narrow dodging during their encounter, him being sent to the other side of the field. He was weaving a web.

The dormant wires, pulled tight, leap into the air all around Sakura. She's tangled around the legs, arms, torso, even her neck. The wire bites into her bare arms; her shirts is one-sleeved, and it's not a super long sleeve at that. Thankfully her standard white corset is thick enough that being strung-up hasn't affected her breathing, plus her trousers are tucked into her boots. Her legs are fine. Tsuneo doesn't move any closer. To so would make the web collapse, and Tsuneo knows the only chance he has of winning is to incapacitate Sakura from a distance. She'd win in a physical battle. Really. She could snap him in half with her pinky finger.

"Forfeit," Tsuneo tells her. "Or I will electrocute you."

"As if!"

"Three…"

Sakura grits her teeth. The wires have forced her hands apart so she can't make any seals and she has no range of movement. Her axe is redundant. But what are seals except ways to focus her chakra, push them along the correct veins, in the right direction? She's seen shinobi call lightning from the sky with a gesture. Seals aren't necessary. They aren't.

Her hands don't need to be together.

"Two… come on, Sakura-san. Don't be stubborn. This is going to hurt…"

"Go to hell," Sakura barks, clenching her eyes tight. Her chakra flows inside of her, rising and falling like the tide. It's famously hard to direct: like a river, it needs a current to push it, which is what her seals do. They focus her chakra.

Well, not today. She's gonna have to do without.

"One… well, don't say I didn't warn you. Lightning Style—"

Come on, come on, come on…!

"— Static shock."

Lightning roars down the wires. Sakura pulls at the ocean inside of her, and splashes to the ground. Her axe clatters down beside her.

Using water replacement, Sakura fell through her binds, and lays prone on the floor as her body pieces itself together. Ugh…

That took a lot out of us, Inner moans. Sakura knows. Their chakra control is usually… well, usually perfect. Without the seals they expended an embarrassing amount for a relatively simple water jutsu; also one of the only ones Sakura knows. Their classmates roar jubilantly at yet another twist — honestly speaking, Sakura had forgot about their audience. Still, their cheers reenergize her.

With a net of live wires inches away from her nose, Sakura can't move. What she can do is laugh.

"Is that all you got?"

Tsuneo doesn't reply. The current of electricity continues. Sakura is content to wait him out, fingering the haft of her axe until it's back in her grip. Tsuneo is smart, sure, but he isn't a fighter — he's a strategist. His reserves suck and his control isn't like hers; he cannot keep up his jutsu for long.

Sure enough, it runs out after about a minute of use. Sakura immediately swings up and slices through the wires with her axe, springing up from the ground like a daisy. Tsuneo's hand disappears into a pouch. Sakura lunges one more time, bringing her axe down from above her head with both hands. It clashes with a trembling kunai.

"Look at your arms, they're shaking," Sakura observes softly. She pushes harder. Tsuneo's arms visibly strain to keep her back. He's using both hands on his kunai, and Sakura laughs in his face. "Hey, Tsuneo-kun, wanna know something?"

A drop of sweat rolls down his cheek. "What?" He snarls, knees buckling a little as Sakura puts a bit more pressure on him.

Sakura takes one free hand off, confident that she can keep him there with one arm, and cuts her palm on the sharp edge of her weapon. Tsuneo sees her hand, the blank ink that covers it.

"I have two axes!"

His eyes bug out as Sakura summons another axe in a cloud of smoke. She swings her left axe at his knee, shattering those fragile foundations and drawing that blood she was promised from the start. Tsuneo collapses with a cry of pain, clutching at his leg.

"Good fight," says Sakura. She cracks the haft over his head. Tsuneo is knocked out cold. He's landed on his glasses. Whoops. "Dee-sensei!"

Dee-sensei is at her side in a flash. He passes his hand over Tsuneo's neck, then declares, "He's out! Sakura wins!"

Sakura's classmates go wild, calling her name. Sakura grins and throws her arm up, waving at them all. Hanamizu-sensei wanders over with her hitai-ate. "Congratulations," she says nasally, glancing at Tsuneo. Dee-sensei is a medic-nin and is fixing up Sakura's defeated opponent. "I knew you'd do okay, Sakura-chan."

"Really, sensei?"

"You're too bull-headed to lose," Hanamizu-sensei chuckles. "Dee, how's Tsuneo-kun?"

"He'll be fine," Dee-sensei murmurs. "Well done, Sakura. Go join your friends. I'll take care of this." He picks Tsuneo up and carries him back inside. Sakura clenches her hitai-ate tightly, feeling like she's going to vibrate out of her skin. Hanamizu-sensei smiles at her and walks her back to the group. Sakura's met with a hug immediately.

"Netsu-chan," Sakura laughs. Her best friend clutches her tighter. "When is your match?"

Netsu pulls back. Her white fringe flops over her eye, and she tosses it back irritably. "Two more rounds. I'm so proud of you, Sakura-chan! That was amazing! Since when have you known how to do water replacement, eh? Are you holding back on me? And without hand seals?!"

"I didn't even know if that would work," Sakura confesses.

"Huh? You're so reckless, Sakura-chan, honestly… Congratulations. That was amazing. Are you going to put on your hitai-ate? Come on, I wanna see what it looks like!"

Sakura swallows nervously. "Ah… where should I put it?"

Netsu blinks at her. "What kind of question is that? Around your forehead, of course. It's a headband. Head. I thought you were smarter than this."

"What if it doesn't look good?" Sakura murmurs. Netsu makes a disgusted noise and smacks the side of her head. "Ow!"

"Get your priorities straight," Netsu flatly tells her. "You're a shinobi of Kumogakure now — the best village in the world, and the strongest. Wear your pride where everyone can see it. You've earned it, Sakura-chan."

Yeah… yeah, she has. Revitalized, Sakura moves her bangs out of the way and ties her hitai-ate tightly. It feels right. She drags her fingertips over the engraved clouds at the front.

She's a shinobi of her village, now. Emotional, Sakura covers her face with her hands, then groans. "Oh — I'm still bleeding…"

Netsu wrinkles her nose. "That's gross," she says, ripping off part of her shirt to first wipe Sakura's face then wrap around her hand. "You should get Dee-sensei to check that out, shinobi-san."

Sakura says, "I hope we're on the same team, Netsu-chan."

Netsu smiles brightly. "Me too."

\V/

Uchiha Sasuke stands across from a blushing girl, his hands in the pockets of his grey pants.

"Sasuke-kun, fight well!" She calls, with a little wave as well. Sasuke doesn't remember her name, but she's pink and it's safe to assume she's yet another person with an ill-advised crush on him.

Sasuke looks to Hanamizu. The woman looks bemused at the girl, then looks at Sasuke and actually laughs. She's always kept an eye on Sasuke. He isn't sure why. "When you're both ready, you can start whenever."

The girl lifts her head. "Have a good—"

Sasuke is not courteous enough to let her finish. He throws a brace of shuriken in her direction, the type that curve around from behind to get her to leap forward. He lunges as well, armed with a kunai. The girl yelps, ducking to avoid shuriken, and springs to the side to dodge Sasuke.

"Hey, now wait a minute…" She begins. Sasuke slashes. She shifts her chin up a fraction, his blade missing by a hair. "Sasuke-kun, this really isn't nice of you…"

"Shut up and fight," Sasuke kicks her legs out from under her. She falls flat on her back, and Sasuke comes down with another kunai. She catches him in the chest with her foot, then lifts her hips so her legs around locked around his neck. With a huff of exertion, the girl twists and throws Sasuke.

With her feet.

He skids on his shoulder, flips around, and slides to a stop, crouched.

"Jeez!" says the female. Sasuke has barely oriented himself when he's forced to dodge three kunai. And then a leg. Sasuke braces his arms over his head — her kick packs heat, like they're weighted or something. Sasuke wraps his hand around her ankle and throws her.

It feels like she's barely touched the ground before she's on him again. She's fast. Sasuke is instantly on the defensive, can't force enough breathing room for retaliation. She nails him in the kidneys, his left ribs, kneecap, cheekbone — there, she halts. "Oh, no! Your beautiful face!"

It's humiliating, but it's the only opening he's been given. Sasuke punches her in the throat. "Shit!" She croaks, disappearing from sight with a flicker. Next thing Sasuke knows, she's halfway across the field, rubbing her neck.

"You're fast," Sasuke says.

She narrows her eyes. "What do you mean? Of course I'm fast. Everyone knows that. If you paid attention to anyone other than yourself, you'd know that, Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke blinks.

"You're pretty," she continues, and pouts, "but that's it, Sasuke-kun. I hate that I have to break your perfect bone structure, but… I'm glad, too. To have such an easy opponent."

Sasuke's blood boils. "...What?"

"The famous Uchiha traitor," she continues. "Not so special it turns out… maybe if you stayed in Konoha, you might have made a name for yourself. I hear they make them weaker in the Land of Fire."

"If you shut up now, I won't punch your teeth out," Sasuke warns her.

She smirks, "As if you could touch me."

Before Sasuke can muster up a reaction to that infuriating claim, a powerful kick sends him flying into the air. She follows him, never refraining in her blows. After what feels like twenty consecutive blows, Sasuke gets a knee to the stomach. He plummets into the ground. His body feels like it's been through a meat grinder. He's one big bruise.

The female lands nimbly beside him. Her sandals are on either side of his head, and she hangs above him, hands on her hips, cheeky smile on her dark lips. "You'd be so much cooler if you were faster," she sighs dreamily. "Unfortunately…"

Sasuke looks at her. "Oi," he says, clenching his burning eyes shut. "What's your name."

He can't see her, but she sounds utterly unamused. "Seriously?"

"Just tell me."

"Why?"

"I want to know the name of the moron I'm gonna kick the ass of," Sasuke says. She laughs at him.

"It's Kiyona," she answers after a pause. "You might even be my trophy husband later, you know, so you better remember it this time, pretty boy. 'Uchiha Kiyona' has a ring to it, right?"

Sasuke's eyes are on fire. "You don't know the first thing about being an Uchiha," he sneers, and looks at her, sharingan ablaze. Kiyona's expression is wiped clean off. Idiot. She goes down like a sack of bricks, and Sasuke breathes heavily as he sits up. He's sure something is broken. Many somethings. Damn, he needs to work on his speed.

Dee comes over to check on Kiyona. "Genjutsu, she's out."

Hanamizu, not too far behind, raises her eyebrows: she looks surprised. "I didn't know you had your..." Sasuke's eyes are black. Understanding dawns on her face. Quietly, she asks, "Oh. How are your reserves, kid?"

Sasuke glares at her. "None of your business," he sneers, battling to his feet. A hand lands on his head. Dee. Warmth courses through his body, salvation, easing his bruises and mending his bones. Sasuke glowers at the presumptuous man. "I didn't need your help."

Dee raises his eyebrows. He never has much to say. "Congratulations, Sasuke."

Hanamizu wipes her dripping nose with her handkerchief, then pulls another hitai-ate from her pocket, one of an infinite amount, it seems. "Was getting the shit beat outta you apart of the strategy, or was your little trick a last ditch effort?" She asks as she hands it over.

Sasuke snatches the headband. "Strategy."

Hanamizu sees straight through him. "You didn't expect her to be so quick, eh?"

"Can I leave? Or do I have to wait until everyone finishes?"

She tilts her head. "Nah, you can go home. I'm sure your mom and brother are waiting for you. Got anything planned for tonight?"

"Nothing that concerns you, Hanamizu."

"Hanamizu-sensei. Shit, you are such a handful. Scram, Sasuke. Remember the teams are decided tomorrow, show up bright and early if you don't want to miss meeting your sensei!"

Sasuke stalks away from her. She's too nosy. Always has been.

\V/

Sakura toes off her sandals and lines them up at the door, sliding into her slippers. The hallway and living room are empty, so she wanders further into the home and cups her hands around her mouth. "Oba-chan!"

A voice calls, "In the back!"

Sakura follows her voice to their tin shed in their backyard, if it can be called that. Kumo is a village in the mountains, so they don't have much top soil. The section Sakura and her aunt live in is rock, stones. There are areas suitable for agriculture, of course, great big patches of grass for vegetables, fruit, and livestock, but not here. The only green around here are in planters: flowers, herbs, the works.

Sakura's aunt Ayuna spends most of her time in the shed. It's where her livelihood is. Ayuna is a potter. Her works fill the cupboards and line the shelves of their walls. Ayuna's on her stool now, operating the wheel-head with her foot. She's throwing a hunk of wet clay; at this point of the process, Sakura can't determine what she's making.

Chiyurai Ayuna doesn't look like Sakura. She looks like Mibuki, with a sharp face, short, spiky blonde hair, and violet eyes. She's tanned — mixed, while Sakura is about the color of a ripe peach. When they first met, Sakura wondered if her parents had gotten it wrong. This lady couldn't be her aunt.

It's been years since then. Now when she thinks of her mother, she sees Ayuna.

"Oba-chan, you're messy."

Ayuna looks up. She has a smudge of dried clay under her right eye. "Sakura! You have your hitai-ate!"

Sakura smugly adjusts it. "Right? Doesn't it look good?"

"It suits you. Come, come over here." Ayuna takes Sakura's face in her hands, surveying her proudly. "You look so confident, my darling. How was your fight?"

"Easy," Sakura sniffs. "I had to use my other axe, though."

"So, not very easy," Ayuna chuckles. She pats Sakura's round cheeks. "I'm proud of you. I have a surprise for you in the fridge, I knew you'd pass. Go on while I finish up with my piece."

Sakura beams, hoping it's what she asked for last week. Celebratory food; it's always a treat. "What are you making?"

"Just a ceramic for a friend. She wants one done of her husband. It's small, I'll be done before dinner. Go, Sakura. I love you."

"Love you too!"

Sakura returns to the main house and rummages through the pantry for a small snack. She's hungry from all the ass-kicking she's done. While she crunches on senbei, she looks through the refrigerator for the present Ayuna was talking about. There's a pink box behind their old lettuce — Sakura throws that in the bin — and takes out the box. It doesn't have a restaurant name on it.

Ah, but Sakura knows that smell. Syrup-covered anko dumplings. They're hard to get, Kumo doesn't have the produce, and would have been expensive.

Sakura screams as loud as she can — "THANK YOU!"

Distantly, Ayuna returns: "You're welcome!"

Sakura takes the box to her room with a pair of chopsticks, sits cross-legged on her futon, and stuffs her mouth until she's sick.

\V/

Hidoi is waiting for him in his reading room. The old man is drinking tea and has a scroll unfurled in his lap. Sasuke kicks the door frame to announce his presence.

"I'm a shinobi now," says Sasuke unceremoniously. "Tell your master."

A sigh.

"Technically the Raikage is your master too, Sasuke. And that kind of attitude doesn't come off well, I hope you know that."

"Where's my mother?"

"With Kagen. Does she know?"

"Thought I'd report to you first, sir," Sasuke says mockingly. Hidoi gives him a blank look. "Do you need anything else? A blow-by-blow, maybe?"

Hidoi sips his tea to gather his patience. Sasuke has been told multiple times by his mother to treat Hidoi with more respect, but the man isn't his father. He's earned nothing. Mikoto doesn't even like him. "Just one thing," Hidoi exhales heavily. "Your sharingan. Did you unlock it?"

Sasuke lifts his chin and spits, "You expect me to awaken my kekkei genkai during an Academy spar?"

"Your graduation test is hardly a spar," Hidoi says bluntly. "I suppose that means you didn't. Very well, you may go. I'll see you for dinner."

Unfortunately. Sasuke slams the door behind him. In Konoha, that would have been impossible — the Uchiha main house had sliding doors throughout, as traditional as it was. The house Sasuke lives in now isn't close in dignity or construction. The doors swing on hinges. At least it gives voice to Sasuke's irritation.

Mikoto is in the blue room bouncing Kagen on her lap. Kagen, his half-brother, is four years old and looks more like Sasuke than Sasuke is entirely comfortable with: both sons take mostly after their mother. He hopes the resemblance is superficial, that their bond doesn't run deeper. The Raikage doesn't deserve two sharingan. Or one.

Mikoto looks up already wearing a warm look. "You passed," she breathes upon seeing his hitai-ate around his forehead. "I thought you would."

"The girl I faced against was fast. Tricky. I won, though. Obviously."

"Obviously," Mikoto agrees. "Did anything come up?"

"I had to put her down with a genjutsu," Sasuke admits. Mikoto shoots him a severe look. "I know. Only Hanamizu noticed. She won't tell anyone."

"Yes… she's quite fond of you, I've noticed. Are you sure she'll keep it to herself?"

"Yeah, pretty sure."

Mikoto relaxes fractionally. Kagen murmurs something to her. He's old enough to speak full sentences, and intelligent enough, but around Sasuke he leans towards silence. Mikoto says he's nervous around his big brother. Sasuke had snapped at her: he wasn't Kagen's brother.

Mikoto says, "Kagen wants to congratulate you, Sasuke."

Sasuke stares at the back of Kagen's raven head. It's ducked. If Kagen wants to say it, he apparently isn't thrilled about it.

"Well?" Sasuke prompts, ignoring the sharp look his mother sends him. "Spit it out, then."

Kagen's shoulders inch up.

"Face me when you do it, Kagen."

"I—" Kagen sniffles, turning around on his mother's lap at her gentle urging. He keeps his head down. Kagen has Hidoi's eyes, a dark grey that contrasts his Uchiha skin tone and black hair. He never looks Sasuke in the face. Not since Sasuke told him he hadn't earned the right. "... Well done, Nii-sama."

Sasuke waits, but that seems to be it. "Thanks."

Kagen goes a deep purple, pushing his face into Mikoto's shirt. He doesn't cry, but it isn't like he's putting on a courageous facade. Sasuke rolls his eyes. "Get started on dinner," Mikoto orders, displeased but resigned. She's tried to get Sasuke to cooperate. It doesn't work.

"What are we having?"

"Your choice, but make it properly, please. And no peanut oil. If you keep trying to poison your step-father, it's going to cause problems."

"It'll solve some, too," Sasuke huffs. "Hey, Kagen?"

Kagen flinches. "Y-Yeah?"

"Keep your mouth shut about my sharingan, got it?"

"Sasuke…" Mikoto starts warningly. Kagen's voice trembles at the edges.

"Yeah, I will, Nii-sama."

\V/

Uzumaki Naruto is twitching on the floor.

"You have to do better than that if you want to get the Raikage off your back!"

They're in the containment room: a large, plain box made of a combination of thick concrete and powerful steel. It's built to take a hit. Naruto's broken it a few times. The newest iteration has scorch marks painting the walls black and gouges ripped out, scattered across the floor. One piece of rubble is at Naruto's foot. He kicks it away, irritated.

Yugito sighs at his childish behavior. "Naruto," she says. "Focus."

"I am focusing," Naruto snaps, wanting nothing more than to bang his head against a wall. That's what this entire exercise feels like, anyway, so what's the harm?

"You aren't. You're stalling. Get up."

Naruto grits his teeth.

"Naruto."

"Yugito-neechan," Naruto shoots back. "I know it isn't perfect, but me and Kyuubi — we're solid, okay? We're two peas in a pod. I'm ready."

"You're ready? You're ready?" Naruto nods rapidly. Yugito purses her lips. "Then stand up and show me three tails."

"Three tails?!" Naruto leaps to his feet, so enraged by the request that it's a boost of adrenaline to his system. Revived, he thrusts his finger in Yugito's face — she leans back, expression twisted — and roars: "Three is unrealistic! Why don't you show me three tails, huh?!"

"If I could, I would. Effortlessly. Naruto, come on. Take this seriously. If you can't show that you have control of your three tailed form, you won't be allowed to join a team. The Raikage can't risk other shinobi because you want to socialize. They're his people."

"More like his pawns," Naruto harrumphs. But it isn't like he wants to hurt other people, either. He just wants to meet them. Life is stuffy when it's him, Yugito, Killer Bee, and that crappy old man every hour of every day. Naruto only gets to see the sun when he's being taken on a walk. Like he's a dog! It's insulting!

"Can't you just tell him that I'm ready? Because I am. I can't do the three tails all the time, but most of the time, it's good!"

Yugito shakes her head. "Not good enough. I'm sorry, Naruto. You can't risk other people's lives. Show me three tails before the end of the day, and I'll report to the Raikage, tell him you're ready to join a team. Otherwise... you'll have to wait another year."

"I've already waited another year!"

"You'll wait another more," Yugito says. Naruto glares to hide the water he can feel gathering in his eyes. Yugito, seeing this, sighs. Her expression is all crinkled up. She comes close enough to pull him into a hug, one that Naruto spitefully refuses to return. "Naruto. You understand why we're doing this, don't you?"

"Kyuubi is dangerous," he huffs into her chest. "Which means I'm dangerous."

"That's right. Until you can get your beast under control, you're legally considered a loose canon. You could hurt people, the wrong people. We need that power pointed at the village's enemies, not the village. It isn't good enough to sometimes be sure that you aren't a threat. We need to prove that, under every circumstance, you're harmless to Kumogakure."

Naruto says, "But this is my home."

"... Naruto."

"It is! I don't give a crap that I was born in Konoha! This is where I was raised! This is home! I wouldn't ever — how could you guys think that I would —"

"The thing that they don't trust... it isn't you. It's what is inside you."

Oh, he bets.

"Kyuubi."

"The Niibi," Yugito says as well. "The Hachibi. Bee-sama and I have gone through it too. We know how you feel. We've done this training. And look at us — it can be done, Naruto. You can do it."

He can feel Kyuubi now in the recesses of his mind. It's always there, growling and snapping at its cage. It isn't that Naruto isn't as talented as his mentors; they're amazing, but they tell him he's just as good. His seal... it's stronger than theirs. Less flexible. When the beasts were sealed into Bee and Yugito, the masters responsible knew that the vessels would be using the monster's power. There were allowances in the seal for it. Not Naruto. His seal is all-or-nothing. If he takes it off, the Kyuubi goes wild, but if it keeps it on, he can barely control what he can take. It's like Yugito says: it's simply not good enough.

The seal makes Naruto a blunted weapon.

"Kyuubi doesn't like me," Naruto whines. "It doesn't want to get along. I try talking to it, but it just wants to eat me!"

"You're a likable kid. Keep at it. Listen, take a break. Eat something. We'll go back to meditation and you try to talk to your beast. Maybe... Maybe get to know it."

Naruto blinks stupidly at her. "What?"

"Niibi has a personality," Yugito shrugs. "She's quite maternal, if catty. I learned about what she likes, who she is. It was like making a friend."

"But... you guys said the beasts weren't human. That they're aggressive."

"They are. They're animals, Naruto. But you can make friends with animals, can't you?"

"Huh? Like having a pet?"

"Bit more dignified than that — the beasts are old, Naruto, and they are proud. Lonely, too. I think... I think you and Kyuubi have that in common, don't you think?"

Naruto supposes it makes sense, not that he's thought about it like that before. He doesn't have any friends. Bee and Yugito are family, so they don't count, and the old man Raikage is more of a pest than anything. When he's in a good mood, though, he's a bit like an uncle.

No friends, though. Naruto has never interacted with people his age. And yeah, Kyuubi is obviously older than him by... by a lot, but... He must be lonely. He must be.

Naruto's resolve is strengthened. "I'm gonna eat some ramen real quick, and then we're going right back to it, Yugito-neechan, dattebayo!"

The reappearance of his speech tic clearly amuses her. Yugito drags her hand through his hair fondly. "I'm glad you haven't given up," she says, casting a quick glance around the room. "I'm going to clean up while you eat, set up the place. Don't eat too quick or else you'll give yourself indigestion. Take fifteen, then meet me in the middle of the room."

"Got it." Naruto nods sternly, moving for his backpack. He stops, back-pedalling. "Wait. Would you be able to heat up the water for my ramen, Yugito-neechan?"

She stares at him, unimpressed.

"... Pleeeeaaase?"

"Fine. Just this one. Next time, bring some matches, Naruto. For crying out loud."