Ripples that Change History

Summary: Even the smallest pebbles thrown amongst the eddies of history, can change the course of events. This is a Companion fic to Eddies that Change History. This is a Companion Fic to Eddies That Change History.

General Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, its characters or licenses.

Author's Note: You may need to read the previous fic first. This took me three years to finish. I was 5000 words in and stopped by April 2017 but I didn't know how to finish it. Flash forward to 2020 and I re-read one comment and bam! My muse was back in business.

This work has been crossposted to Ao3 dot org under the same title and .

The current of time, much like the ocean, cannot be stopped. One must always move forward.

As the afternoon sun shines brightly upon the Land of Fire, the Rokudaime Hokage stands watching his village; taking a break from the never-ending paperwork that he'd inherited. Hatake Kakashi could feel an inner peace that he never thought he'd earn. And he knows many of the village and the rest of the Elemental Countries feels like they're on the verge of something great. He looks down to the streets of Konoha and spies his many comrades that had survived through the war… Even those he thought they'd lost initially.

Under the bright sun, Konohagakure no Sato shone in a light like never before. While darkness still lingers at the edges of his people's vision there was a guiding light for everyone. Out on the streets were cousins, Hinata and Neji holding hands with sweet smiles. He spies his rival and his two other students trying to be subtle but failing horribly at stalking the soon-to-be Hyuuga leaders. Kakashi chuckled fondly at watching his Gai being as subtle as a bull in a China shop. Of course, Neji's exasperated but fond expression while massaging his temple helped his amusement; though it did embarrass the poor Hyuuga main branch heiress having that they both knew they were being stalked upon.

Looking over to another part of the village he spies the Yamanaka heiress sitting with Sai as he painted the landscape of his Konoha. A Konoha that was reborn from utter destruction just a few years ago. Just near to the new couple were his dear friend Kurenai and little Mirai playing around with Kiba and Shino along with Akamaru being the good big brothers they were to the young Sarutobi.

At the corner of his eyes he sees three old men laughing the afternoon away walking the streets of the village like drunkards. Jounin Commander Shikaku, former T&I head Inoichi, and their friend Choza were having the time of their lives for their day off and drinking the afternoon away it seems. Kakashi heaved a sigh and sometimes he wonders just why he took up the mantle of the Sixth.

He spies a black blur and the infamous red and white uchiwa darting rooftop to rooftop followed by a pink-haired blur waving her fists around. "Yare, yare, Sasuke-kun… Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned and that is one woman you do not wish to be mad at you lest you want an unhappy marriage." Kakashi let out a fond sigh; it was only a few months ago when Sasuke and Sakura tied the knot. It had been a complete surprise. For so long, everyone had thought that Naruto and Hinata would end up together and be the first one to be married amongst them. Shy, quiet and beautiful Hinata who liked Naruto for so long would have her happy ending. Sakura got her Uchiha, so why wouldn't sweet Hinata not get her man?

Well, some say she acted too late, others say that she wouldn't have been the best fit with Naruto. Hinata believes that in another world, they would have been together, happy and content. But this wasn't that world, because here, someone else loved Naruto longer than her. Someone else believed and supported Naruto while she was too shy to do it.

And it was okay. In a way, Naruto was able to fulfill all his promises to his friends. Two promises of a lifetime, fulfilled: to return Sasuke to the village and solve the problem of the Hyuuga.

Because at the same time, someone loved Hinata before she ever knew Naruto.

Neji had loved her as a child, but he thought he lost his affections for his cute cousin after his father's death. Neji thought that the burning emotions within him regarding his useless cousin was hatred. But much like Naruto's winning punch, spending time together with Hinata once more, Neji finally understood the reason why his feelings burned bright and hot; but in a warm, good way. After surviving the Fourth Great Shinobi War, it was Naruto who opened Hinata's eyes to Neji who romantically loved the Hyuga Main Branch heiress for so long. Though they all learned that Neji didn't want to act on his feelings because he wanted Hinata to be happy; and if her happiness was with Naruto then so be it. But Naruto wanted both his precious friends happy. So, he and the rest of their generation, after being convinced thoroughly, kept at pairing the two Hyuuga until the shy heiress found that, yes; she loved Neji romantically even more than she did with Naruto. Their wedding date was set this winter near the bride's birthday.

Kakashi kept his musings as he watched the academy; Iruka and his newest batch of troublemakers and seeing Konohamaru helping out in keeping the academy kids in line. A knock on his door pulled him out of his musings as he called out for them to enter. In came Konoha's Fuuinjutsu Grandmaster and the newest member of the Konoha Council, the heir-apparent of the House of Nara. Both had easy-going smiles and their shoulder's brushing against each other subtly in a public show of affection. Kakashi smiled fondly at the pair. The two would bring a storm like no other and build up Konoha like never before. He just knows it. Naruto just needs to build up his reputation as a regular shinobi first and not just the incredible war hero and fuinjutsu master that he is so that he can finally pass down the throne.

"Jounin Uzumaki, and Jounin Nara; reporting for duty." Shikamaru saluted lazily. Naruto beside him just grinned and crossed both his hands behind his head in a relaxed form.

"Aa…" Kakashi gave his famous eye smile and walked towards the two. And if he felt the gaze of former comrades smiling proudly behind him and feeling as if they're also fondly looking towards the future, all the better.

After all…

When hope clings onto the fading light of day, it is said that the night that looms ahead will be darker than black. That when even hope calls for help there is no turning back the clock of time. As life tends to throw itself at death like lovers forever torn apart, one can only hurtle into the dark embrace of the void and cannot stop once you start. Whether it is by choice or chance, one must accept fate that there will always be an end.

These thoughts ring true in Naruto's head as he cradles a broken but freed bird; whom alongside him learned to fly out of the cage which is fate. As Naruto listened to Neji, opening his eyes that each and every person on the battlefield is held in his responsibility; was a bitter lemon to swallow for the Jinchuuriki. Had he not dragged so many of them into this war; his dearest friend would never have been in this position. As the Caged Bird Seal slowly faded on Neji's forehead Naruto created a clone. It quickly grabbed a scroll hidden in one of Naruto's pockets and activated it, sucking Neji inside. The clone then ran around the battlefield sealing each dying ninja and samurai, before the clone disappeared in a flash.

"Hinata, Hiashi-dono… minna… do you trust me?" Naruto sounded out to everyone who could hear. His eyes riveted to the blood that stained his hands. While many just nodded while still watching their enemy for the next attack, some spoke a resolute, "Yes."

"Then believe me that we have not lost a single one of them yet. Believe me as we speak, I've sent that clone to the bunker so that they can be safe. Believe me that I will make sure that no one dies, as long as you have chakra in you. So, hang on as long as you can and I will make sure we can all go back to our villages and families again." Naruto's eyes were resolute as he looked up and stared at all who heard his declaration.

For he was a Fuinjutsu grandmaster; and he has the ultimate stopper of death, The Life-Binding Chakra Stasis Seal. So long as there was a drop of chakra left in the body of one who is dying, he can bind their life force and soul to the body, so that it can be healed later. Taking elements from the Edo Tensei Jutsu of the Niidaime Hokage, he modified the seal and powered it with the Senjutsu chakra converter seal. Using the preservation and stasis seals that the Uzumaki created for the Uzumaki Bunkers he'd created a way to save all he could. He would not let anyone die without trying to save them first; not in his life, not anymore.

Many may have not understood his words at first but in the coming days, they will. When Hinata finally reunites happily with her cousin and Hiashi hugging his nephew tightly as if he was never lost to them, Naruto's name would be praised. Though Naruto couldn't save them all when the Juubi took the chakra of those who were reduced to husks, he saved the mortally injured from certain death; no one blamed him.

It is also said; that perfectly still waters were once turbulent eddies, fighting against the current.

The Allied Shinobi Forces could only stare in horrified awe, as the Juubi kept charging up and firing some truly massive tear-shaped Bijuudama. Already a far-off city bit the dust on just the second salvo. If it manages to tilt its head enough, just one shot at them and they'll be decimated. There would be no escape. But it seemed a worse fate was planned to befall them as the Juubi took aim and shot to a far-off target.

And the direction? The Allied Shinobi Forces Headquarters.

Shikamaru and Ino could only stare in horror, their hearts clenching in gut-wrenching fear and utter desolation. Their fathers, former Chief War Strategist and Tactician of the Allied Shinobi Forces and now current Field Operations Commander, Nara Shikaku, and his teammate, ex-Konoha Torture and Interrogation Head and current Allied Shinobi Forces Communication Corps Leader, Yamanaka Inoichi were holed up in a bunker deemed far enough away from the main battle were now the chief target of two Megalomaniacs and a still semi-controllable Juubi.

They, as well as the rest of the logistics team, communication relay officers, and central sensor corps were the target of the powerful-looking bijuudama. As Ao, one of the main sensor corps officers, who were observing the battle from afar using the Water Sensing Sphere, calmly explained to everyone in the room that an attack was imminent; all they could do was close their eyes. A sense of unmitigated fear swept through the supposed hidden headquarters but the leaders chose to cool their heads and continue planning the next strategy.

Without hesitation, Shikaku and Inoichi relayed the latest plan to their children and the remaining forces on the field. In the face of uncertain death, even the most experienced of veteran shinobi would let down their barriers and express sentiments that they otherwise wouldn't say. Unbidden, tears welled up in the corners of the two veteran shinobi's eyes as they thought and spoke of their loved ones. Shikaku and Inoichi said their goodbyes to their respective only child; pride and grief warring inside both fathers.

Though, it seems even Shikaku had his comical moments when he floundered to his son about a hidden box on a shelf.

With bated breath, the gathered shinobi waited as the far away base could be seen to have been hit by the powerful bijuudama. A large mushroom cloud of concussive force, blasted through the air and sky.

A beat of silence, before one loud command echoed through the minds of the frontline fighters, "Commence Operation in 5 minutes!"

The Allied Shinobi Forces were jolted out of their stupor as Shikaku's voice clearly echoed in their minds. To Obito and Madara, it just seemed as if the fighters in front of them lost their mind for their want to retaliate. But it couldn't be farther than the truth, headquarters was perfectly intact; and the shinobi fighting them were in no more turmoil than they were minutes before. The headquarters withstood the devastating attack, as it was meant to.

Shikaku quickly contacted Naruto through Inoichi. Their mental voices were palpable with gratitude and relief. "Naruto-kun, we cannot be thankful enough for this." The young human sacrifice could only smile gently, physically but his mental voice was joyous. "It's the least I could've done since I'm very much the cause of the war, as one of the last Jinchuuriki." There was an exasperated tone in the older Konoha-nin's mental voice; Shikaku carefully admonished the younger shinobi. "Boy, you've done more for Konoha and the world, than you care to admit to; and you know it too. Humility is not your strong suit, Naruto-kun." All the two elder shinobi got out of Naruto after that was crisp joyful laughter which the boy didn't express physically.

And when the reanimated Hokage came to help. ("You're late, tou-chan." "I can't be late when I wasn't invited to the party, my son.") They learned of the boy who they knew was destined to succeed them. (As the Hokage set for a four-point barrier, Kage Bunshin powered by Senjutsu took their place and activated the same barrier they were planning to erect. As jutsus fly across the battlefield, Naruto flashed around in an orange flash, helping those who he can. "His Flying Thunder God Technique is even smoother than both of ours, Yondaime." "My son has long surpassed our versions of it, Niidaime.)

When Shikamaru's thoughts and memories were shared with everyone, they understood that the embodiment of the sun was with them on the battlefield. (A lone child, scared and sad; growing and growing to be the light that shines everyone's path forward to something far greater than they can imagine.) And when they finally all wake up to sunlight, shedding the dried husk of the tree of immortality; they spied two friends holding one half a hand sign between them. They felt like they've passed an incredible dawn, one like no other and that Naruto's wide (beautiful, wonderful, sincere) smile was a sign of greater things to come.

But it takes truly tremendous forces to calm raging waters.

Naruto stood among the current set of Kage consisting of Tsunade, A, Oonoki, Mei Terumi, and Sabaku no Gaara. They were located at the war room of the Raikage Tower in Kumogakure, planning the upcoming war. Naruto laid out a large map of the Elemental Nations with markers indicating his clan's bunkers, created to last for eternity.

Pointing to the map points Naruto explained the protections that were powering the bunkers. "These bunkers were made by my ancestors in case that Kur… I mean, the Kyuubi and his siblings suddenly decide to work together and bring about the end of man." A looked up sharply at the slip-up of Naruto, who almost said Kurama's real name. If one would've taken the time to observe A, they would have noticed him giving a more respectful demeanor to Naruto. As it was, the blond jinchuuriki was already proving that he wasn't the idiot everyone thought him to be.

"The seals on the bunkers are amazing. It borrows on principles based on Jikuukan fuinjutsu, making a bubble of frozen time inside the bunkers for inanimate objects. This means that if we store, say, fresh foodstuff inside the bunker, it wouldn't spoil, not even for a thousand years. At first, I thought that if an injured person were to stay in the bunker, their lives would also be preserved but the seal doesn't work that way it seems. I took a few animals which I hunted alive and gave it an injury that, left untreated, would kill it eventually. Essentially, I just got a very fresh kill inside the bunker that day." Naruto smiled ruefully. He hadn't found a way to rewrite the stasis seal so that one could apply it on living beings and basically cryogenically freezing the trauma victim.

"With the kind of protection that these bunkers have, the Kyuubi would have to work together with all its siblings just to make a dent on the protection seal framework embedded into the foundations of the bunker." Naruto wished he could show the seal work to them so that they'd understand how the bunkers were pretty much heaven in a world of monsters and monster-like men. But other than Tsunade who had mediocre sealing expertise just because of her Uzumaki blood, he didn't think any of the other Kages would understand the sheer magnitude of the protection seals he's offering to them, as well as the bunker.

And when Naruto thinks back on this moment, he'd always feel just a touch grateful that these Kage has trusted him to do right by them even without proof. But the fact that even the great Daimyo of each country gave a respectful nod towards his way in the months after the 4th Great Shinobi War; meant the world to him. Because he kept these people safe; he kept the world as safe as he could, especially the vulnerable civilians and the "Kings" in this game of life; the children who hold the future.

These forces wither away steadfast rocks in the slow agonizing pace of time.

It's been a few days since Naruto achieved the title of Sealing Grandmaster and it hadn't been pleasant. Concealing his status from the rest of the population, never mind the Hokage wasn't only difficult but also treasonous as well. Being that there had only been a handful of Sealing Grandmasters in just the past century, not mentioning that Naruto was the only one in existence right now, it was difficult; to summarize. Naruto had the automatic position within the Hokage's council. But he can't; he can't take up the position right now. It was too dangerous and, frankly, no sane adult would trust the former Prankster King of Konoha.

And, oh, how he burns with regret when they hear that Danzo took advantage and gained the seat of Rokudaime. He should've been there at that meeting. He should've been able to tell them why he was so late. That Danzou was nothing but a snake slithering among the leaves. But he has their ears now and Kakashi sits on the throne waiting until Naruto builds up his credibility as a regular ninja in the forces.

It is an unfortunate truth, though, that small rocks in the face of the raging tides can only change things in one direction

When Naruto was but a small child, it wasn't always the cold and harsh treatment of the orphanage he remembers. There was a time, where he remembers being helpless, unable to do anything but cry and cry and cry…. Until a beautiful lady comes in and surrounds him in warmth and kept his belly full. He remembers her calling herself his nee-san. He remembers Konohamaru's mother calling herself Naruto's sister before he was taken away to be kept in the cold, unforgiving arms of the orphanage.

One day, as he was carrying an exhausted Konohamaru home, after a day of fun, before the Chunin Exams, he was greeted by a teary-eyed woman who takes Konohamaru from his arms and pressing a kiss to Naruto's hair; thanking him for being a good brother. He remembers the same woman standing next to Asuma-sensei, conflicted in whether he should grieve or rage at the father who died for his village. A father who chose to be the leader of a slowly drowning village and not the father to his children who've lost the mother that loved them in place of their father. Two siblings who've lost their baby brother before the child grew up to call them siblings.

He also remembers a teenaged Asuma, starting to grow a scruffy beard, looking so much like the man who called himself his grandpa. Though the teen was more broad-shouldered with kinder eyes. Asuma, who called Naruto his little Chimp, and raged against his father for listening to the council and taking away his little Chimp. Sarutobi Asuma, who left Konohagakure to serve the Fire Daimyo because like Kakashi was banned from loving Naruto. Naruto whom he saw as his baby brother, who was the last child his mother, Biwako, held in loving arms. He raged at his father for years and years, until he grew up enough to learn to keep his anger in check and return home.

He hoped that he would get Naruto as his student; he was happy that Kakashi got to take care of Naruto instead.

He despaired what the village has done to his little Chimp, who he can't call his little Chimp anymore. Much like Kakashi can't call Naruto his pup. Like Raido, like Genma, like Iwashi… who can't call Naruto mini-boss; because he has his father's coloring but his mother's everything.

To Asuma, the village was poison, but he loved it nonetheless. And its greatest and sweetest poison which he became addicted to for so long was the red-eyed black-haired beauty of Yuhi Kurenai. The woman who gave him his future king… A king he would never know and a king that would never know him.

In the darkness of Hidan's control, he wishes that his little Chimp knew that he has own little Chimp now. 'I think I'll call them little Limpet instead. Can't replace my little Chimp. But, ah… there's already a dear here who would love both my little Chimp and little Limpet….'

Naruto never recovered his little monkey family in full. But as Konohamaru show him a silly little toy monkey, playing cymbals; he remembers his big sister and big brother… both higher than the tallest mountains calling him little Chimp and waving the same toy to his face.

And, as he returns from their clash with Toneri… from seeing Neji and Hinata having their first kiss under the still hung moon and gently snowing mountains… if he hugs Konohamaru a bit too tight and whispers of stories he had long forgotten… And if Konohamaru calls him Nii-chan with a different flavor….

Well, that's another story to tell for another time.

At the same time, it only takes a butterfly's soft beating wings to start a tsunami of change.

There had been a lull in Naruto's training as he already caught up to his peers so Jiraiya decided to start Naruto in his family's legacy; Fuinjutsu. By the end of their lives, both Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina were known terrors in the battlefield; both having a Flee-on-sight categorization in all the nations Bingo books. And their brand of terror never truly went away as both are still being actively printed in Bingo books as many nations both allied and non-allied nations still fear the two; seeing both were high-level seal masters they could very well resurrect themselves from the Pure Lands.

When Naruto first found out about his parents; it felt weird to him to think that he actually had parents. Technically, he knew he had to have parents or else he wouldn't be alive. He doesn't know what he feels about it all, truthfully. While he had looked up to his father all his life but as a hero and not someone who could've been potentially a relative, even more so as his father. He's never heard of his mother, the Red-Hot Habanero, but after reading of her he couldn't help but also look up at her as well. He was the son of two very powerful and very intelligent people. Naruto couldn't help but feel ashamed that he had done so badly as a student when both his parents graduated and was widely known as the most stable, rookie and kunoichi of the year.

Jiraiya thought this hilarious but at the same time mortifying. If he had done his duty as Naruto's grandfather and not just Konoha's spymaster, he was sure that Naruto would've been able to graduate with grades the same with Kakashi or Itachi. But Naruto being the type of person he was told Jiraiya that it's ok.

"It doesn't really matter that I didn't graduate like Kakashi-sensei it's just that I… I feel like they would've been disappointed in me as to the type of goof-off student I was." Naruto mumbled out the last of his statement. Jiraiya felt something akin to a stab to his heart. The sage reached over and placed an open palm on Naruto's head gently ruffling it. "Minato and Kushina are not so shallow that they would be disappointed that you've failed multiple times or that you're the dead-last of the class. They loved you since they learned that they were having you. As long as you're happy, I'm sure they would've been happy too. You were the most important thing to them, almost more important than the village. You're so much like them that I'm sure you understand what it means if they're ready to put you above the village if it really came down to it."

Jiraiya could see Naruto's closed fists shaking over the scroll that they had been working on practicing his Fuinjutsu. The boy had made tremendous progress in learning the art of Sealing. His gene-inherited intelligence was truly showing in this field. While Jiraiya can see the potential, the boy had on the various practices of the shinobi; he can see that Naruto will do great and wondrous things in Fuinjutsu. He gave a sad smile, "I know because I'm proud of you as I'm sure they are as well." Naruto jerked back a bit and quickly hid his face under his bangs and looked to the side. Jiraiya sighed, knowing that even if Naruto acted as if he was fine, for far too long it had all been an act.

Picking up the discarded brush, Naruto continued his training; trying to avoid the previous conversation from starting up again. Jiraiya had to roll his eyes seeing his godson act this way. Sometimes, he felt that Naruto could be more emotionally constipated than an Uchiha-Hyuuga child trained in Danzo's ROOT. Jiraiya decided to let it pass and continue their lesson.

Observing his apprentice recreate his own version of the regular storage scroll, inclusive of customizable components; the sannin started thinking. While they were both enthusiastic that Naruto took to the Art of Sealing so wonderfully. He had to wonder why Naruto always seemed to just hyper-focus on Fuinjutsu when not even super flashy jutsu could hold his attention as much as sealing does now. Jiraiya tapped his fingers as he continuously inspected the seal Naruto was writing up to make sure that they weren't blowing themselves and the house sky high in the next few minutes. While Naruto was winding down from seal construction and finishing his work with his trademark embedded in the seal, Jiraiya asked Naruto in a serious voice. "What is Fuinjutsu for you, Naruto?"

"It's magic, Jiraiya-sensei." And Jiraiya had to pause his writing, staring incredulously at his apprentice.

"Magic? You're not a civilian."

Naruto had to chuckle lowly. "Not like that, sensei. Civilians see shinobi techniques as magic. We shinobi walk on water, bend the elements to our will, move faster than the eye can see, and seemingly vanish into thin air. To regular civilians, what we do is magic. But, as a shinobi, the true magic lies with Fuinjutsu." Jiraiya had an unreadable expression on his face as if he didn't know how to react. He gave a nod to Naruto, asking him to continue.

"In Fuinjutsu, it's not just about symbols, patterns, placements, or even chakra. It's the intent in each seal that is made. Fuinjutsu is a contract with reality. Look at me; I am a living example of one of the greatest Fuinjutsu formula conceived. An Eight Trigram Seal layered with the Four Elephant Seal with the initial catalyst seal of the Dead Demon Summoning Seal, my father was able to compute the only way to seal off the most powerful bijuu's influence on his host while also gradually siphoning and converting bijuu chakra into mine own. The Sandaime once told me, upon my graduation, that I have so much chakra that I actually saturated the whole village of my own chakra that our sensors are trained to actually ignore my chakra." Placing his hand on his stomach, Naruto smiled sardonically.

"Yes, the seal is visible on my stomach but it's not really like the Kyuubi, in its massive entirety, is in there. He's inside a pocket dimension where my soul, chakra, and mind are intertwined into. Sealing is a contract with reality, where you can bend time and space. Create rules and destroy rules, as long as you know how to word your contract. Fuinjutsu is the most downplayed of the all the shinobi arts; much like I'm downplayed by the rest of my peers as the dead last; a title that doesn't mean anything in the field."

And if Jiraiya had lived to see the day that Naruto had the ears of every leader of every nation; he'd like them to ask them what they think of his dead last godson now?

Tsunamis which brings destruction of everything one knows, but also a chance to change in the ebb and flow of the waves

As Naruto, Sakura, Chiyo, and Kakashi raced away from the corpse that was not Itachi; Naruto felt the foreign chakra of Itachi's raven summon slinking around his system. Trying and failing to find somewhere to hide. Naruto's chakra pathways were carefully lined with Kurama's chakra, a secondary protection to attacks like the Juken, or in this case against Itachi's little messenger parasite.

"Kurama, did you feel it?" Naruto asked his partner. He and Kurama had a working relationship, for now. Kurama may provide as many tail's worths of power to Naruto but it was up to Naruto whose job was to make sure he doesn't let the malevolent chakra of Kurama rampage. Kurama was a chakra beast but he doesn't control the chakra that Naruto takes from him. Once the chakra leaves Kurama's cage, no matter his good intentions, the bijuu chakra becomes corrosive and malevolent. It helps that Kurama and Naruto were able to lightly coat his chakra coils with Kurama's chakra; though the chance of it destroying Naruto's psyche before they find a way to work together was inevitable.

But there are perks to them working together rather than Kurama fighting the seal every chance he gets. Uzumaki are great sensors, due to their large chakra capacities, they are able to send out chakra pulses like a sonar. Combined with Kurama being the embodiment of hatred and malice, or so he proclaims, Naruto is able to suss out negative emotions or bad intentions.

"Yes, your village is hiding something. And that Uchiha brat of yours might not like it when we find out." Kurama's voice rumbled inside Naruto's head.

Because they knew, they understood… that Itachi did not have true malicious intent in his soul.

That is the only reason, he did not bring out his full arsenal. Why Naruto kept to Kage Bunshin and Rasengan only. Abilities everyone knew he had, the front of his farcical act of the still idiotic jinchuuriki.

"Hide the crow somewhere safe… for now." Naruto needed to talk to his godfather. Aside from Orochimaru's nearing time limit in his current body, things are starting to move and his godfather is hiding something from him… again.

As Naruto and his team dropped unto the river, Team Gai was already waiting for them.

Before they could finalize their plan to split up and open the barrier by simultaneously peeling the ofuda in which the barrier was placed, Naruto just walked up to the giant boulder and placed his hand on it.

"Matte, Naruto- "Kakashi was cut off as a large seal bloomed from underneath Naruto's hand. And as if it was a whirlpool, the new seal and the barrier keeping the boulder stuck in place was seemingly sucked into the center of Naruto's palm and the paper seal fell down from the center of the boulder.

Everyone was silent, not knowing what to say. Kakashi, who had a working knowledge of sealing and barrier jutsu, being the last student of the Yondaime and Tenten, a weapon's specialist who uses fuinjutsu in conjunction with her weapons were astonished.

"Of course, you've been Jiraiya-sama's student for three years. Of course, he would teach you his legacy." Kakashi muttered, loud enough for everyone around him to hear. There was a tone of disbelief in his voice.

Naruto turned his face to them with a slight smile, "I'm not the same kid that left Konohagakure three years ago, Kakashi-sensei. Jiraiya-kyofu thought it wise for me to underplay what I can do for now."

Facing the boulder again, Naruto lightly knocked on the stone, injecting his chakra with a miniscule amount of senjutsu. First, small cracks webbed across from under Naruto's knuckle. Then, the boulder crumbled as if made of sand and not solid stone. The expression of shock was evident on everyone's face but as Naruto stepped forward; everyone gathered their wits and charged forward to save the Kazekage.

There was nothing for Naruto to do… Gaara was dead. They were too late! The Life Binding Chakra Seal he had is USELESS. He needed the victim's own chakra to bind the soul to the body, it can't be healing or foreign chakra. It's too late!

Naruto could not hold back his tears anymore, "Why? Why did… Why is it always Gaara? Did he have to die like this? He's the Kazekage… He'd just become the Kazekage." Naruto heard Chiyo's words but he didn't want to listen. Turning, to the people behind him, facing away from his Jinchuuriki brother, Naruto's tears flowed freely. "Shut up! Did any of you actually asked how he felt?! He finally found acceptance! And maybe not everyone in Suna sees him as he is! But he's the Kazekage and he's been accepted! BUT! Everyone… everywhere! They're all the same! All Gaara wanted was to be loved! Jinchuurki, my ass. No one has the right to act so self-important by labeling us with that word you created!"

Naruto didn't care that his tears were so freely seen by these people. Part of him is ashamed that he's projecting that anger he thought he'd hidden away. Part of him feels relieved that his pain is out in the open to some of the people he trusts the most…. The people he trusts who will hurt him the most because there's no one else.

"I killed my parents by being born… I couldn't reach Sasuke for him to know he can depend on us. And now… I wasn't fast enough to save Gaara. What is the point of all this suffering?"

Then Chiyo started towards Gaara and started a jutsu on Gaara and immediately, Naruto could feel as if Chiyo's very life was being drained towards Gaara. As if an echo of a long-lost past, it reverberated in Naruto that Chiyo was doing a great sacrifice. He heard it in the voices of his teachers, in the silent grief of Sakura, in the solemn gaze of Neji. There was chakra… and there was life. Life… vitality is empowered by chakra, but chakra was nothing without life. And that is the essence of the Life Binding Chakra Seal. Life would be bound to the natural chakra of the body thus tying the soul down. Then the Senjutsu converter seal feeds into the body, providing just enough untainted chakra for that last drop of the body's natural chakra to not run out. And as long as that last drop of chakra remained, life and soul will cling to the body, without fail.

And as Naruto watched Chiyo, she was doing something even he could not do with his seals. Transferring life itself. But it wouldn't be enough, so he steps up and offers what he can. "Chiyo-sama, take mine… would it be enough?" Naruto watched as Chiyo's emotions flashed across her greying pallor

Chiyo's shock faded away and accepted, "Place your hand over mine."

Pain lanced through Naruto as he focused on letting Chiyo take what she needed. He did not know the jutsu enough for him to guide Chiyo to only take his vitality. He was Uzumaki and they are long-lived. More so as he has Kurama by his side.

They might lose Chiyo to save Gaara.

And in a dark corner of his mind, Naruto could hear himself laughing hysterically. Chiyo, one of the Sunagakure council members who chose Gaara to be Shukaku's host. One of the people who chose not to protect Gaara. To leave him in pain and suffering will now die to save Gaara.

But Naruto had to push it down, those dark thoughts that he can't let run rampant, because there's already so much hatred and pain in the world. He doesn't want to add his own darkness to it. Naruto was distracted from his spiraling thoughts as Chiyo spoke up.

"Amidst this Shinobi world created by us old fools, I'm glad that a person like you showed up. The things I did in the past were nothing but mistakes but in my last hour, it seems I shall finally be able to do the right thing… Sunagakure no Sato and Konohagakure no Sato… The future is likely to be different from the way things were in my time. That mysterious power of yours that Kakashi spoke of… is a power that is likely to alter the future greatly when you become the Hokage like none before…" As she spoke, Naruto felt that Chiyo was only drawing on his chakra and not on his vitality anymore. She was flagging as the end of the jutsu came.

"Naruto, this old lady has a favor to ask you… You are the one and only person who is capable of knowing the extent of Gaara's pain as much as he knows your pain, too… Please, help Gaara…" In that moment, Naruto felt himself being drawn inward, to a place he knew he'd one day come back to. He saw the people he loved the most standing behind him but he knew someone was lagging behind the rest. Pushing back his jiji ('Jiji, I miss you so much. I love you, jiji… no matter how many truths you hid and lies you've gifted me.') and ran. Calling his friend's name, "Gaara." Stumbling, running. "Gaara!"

Gaara's soul, ready to be reaped by the death god… was called back by the one he called his most precious friend. And as Gaara finally looked up, he saw the vast blue sky in the eyes of his savior.

"Naruto."

And tsunamis, as we all know, also dredges the past to the present.

"Man, I can't believe you're actually a Chunin! We all had to go through the Chunin exam and here you are, instant chunin without an exam!" Kiba loudly exclaimed as they all hung out in a shaded spot in the grassy hills of one of the few remaining training grounds. It was a rare moment of peace in between missions. It was the peace that everyone needed after the disaster of their last mission. Hinata, Chouji and surprisingly Naruto brought enough food to feed an army. Everyone thought that Naruto would have brought cup ramen, or something for their little gathering, instead he brought sandwich upon sandwich upon sandwich, with a lot of variety. Some were sweet, some were savory and some were even healthy. "Mah, you don't stay in Cha no Kuni and not appreciate a good sandwich with some good tea."

"Not really, dog breath. I had to do a lot to get my field promotion." Naruto replied as he ate some norimaki that Hinata brought.

"And? How did you get field promoted? Tsunade-sama never told me that you got promoted, even." Sakura asked as she snacked on some anmitsu Ino had Chouji bring. Every one of the Konoha 12 plus Sai looked to Naruto who was now snacking on some spring rolls. "Meh, me and Jiraiya-kyofu stayed in Cha no Kuni for a year and some months. So, we took on some work on behalf of Konoha while we stayed there. Ero-sennin's place there is big and he wanted me to do chores on top of training so that counted as my D-ranks. And the elemental nations never run out of bandits, so C-ranks." Then Naruto grinned slyly at Sakura.

"And I may have saved a princess or two and some nobles… You know B-ranks and A-ranks we usually get, right Sakura-chan?" This brought on some curiosity from the others.

Sakura giggled some, "Oh no, how many royal conspiracies does that add up to? Let's see…" Then she started counting off from her left hand, "Koyuki-sama from the Land of Spring, Michiru-sama from the Land of the Moon…." But Naruto waved her off, "I don't think we can keep track of that Sakura-chan. I've been on missions with the others with the same twists. Hey, remember that cursed samurai, Neji?"

Now everyone looked to Neji to confirm. "As I remember you were terrified for majority of that mission as you were convinced there was a ghost samurai." Naruto had to roll his eye at that. "They're real, Neji. Trust me, I had the right to be scared." Naruto had to suppress a shiver as a cold wind passed through their picnic area.

Everyone looked just a bit creeped out. "Anyways! So? That's not enough for a field promotion! I've asked dad and he said that a shinobi should have done something exceptional to be allowed a field promotion." Ino then spoke up to relieve the tension.

"Ah… Well, I guess, I faced a few B and A-ranked missing-nin in some of the missions too. Plus, by the time they awarded me my promotion I was a high adept at Fuinjutsu." Naruto was still snacking on the food they had. This time he took all the inarizushi that no one seemed to be eating. He had to lean back a bit as Tenten was suddenly in his face all of the sudden.

"There! I keep forgetting! You know seals now! Like, what the heck? That thing you did with that barrier back in River country was wicked! Like, I've been using fuinjutsu since I was a genin and I'm still a mid-tier adept right now! You're a sealmaster now, right?! What's your ranking? How did you learn?! Why are you calling Jiraiya-sama your godfather?! Tell me!" Tenten took hold of Naruto's shoulders and started shaking him. Naruto had to let go of the plate of inarizushi to save it.

Naruto was finally able to shrug off Tenten's shaking by standing up but fell and landed on the lap of the person sitting behind him… Shikamaru.

Naruto was sitting on the lap of Shikamaru and their faces were very close… and their faces very red.

"Well that looks familiar. Why? Because…" Shino tried to start speaking but was cut off by a blushing Naruto who scrambled off an equally red-faced Shikamaru's lap and looked at anywhere but each other.

Chouji was laughing beside Shikamaru and finished Shino's previously cut-off thought, "It's kinda like Naruto and Sasuke kissing all over again!"

"Anyways!" Naruto spoke up, not wanting to continue that line of conversation. "I learned Fuinjutsu after I finally learned how to read and write. I mean, how was I supposed to know that I could be good at Fuinjutsu and theoretical stuff when I couldn't even read most of the katakana and hiragana. Not to mention the kanji. Man, those were exhausting months. Glad, I have Kage Bunshin. I think I caught up to our age's reading levels three months after I left? Yeah, then Koyuki-chan, my tutor in Cha no Kuni then taught me calligraphy, and I'm now ambidextrous in writing now by the way. Then Ero-sennin started teaching me sealing as well. Of- "But Naruto was cut-off by Shikamaru's hand taking hold of Naruto's arm suddenly.

"What do you mean, you didn't know how to read and write? You studied with us throughout the academy!" Shikamaru's face was pale and serious. The rest looked slightly horrified. Had they all thought Naruto was only being stupid all this time?

"Naruto?" A voice not part of their little picnic group called out. Their surviving teachers, including the Hokage, and Shizune were there, finally arriving after the debrief about the strange orange masked man that curb stomped them as a whole. With them were some of their parents as well, the current clan leaders of Konoha. It was as if the world was conspiring to out Naruto's most hated secret.

The person who spoke out was Iruka.

Iruka walked over and kneeled beside Naruto, whose arm was still clutched within Shikamaru's hold. "Is… Is it true? You couldn't read?" Iruka was holding on to Naruto's shoulders, his eyes full of disbelief and self-admonition. Naruto looked on sadly to his friends, their parents, and his teachers; his eyes settled on Tsunade, not knowing what to do.

Tsunade, the only one who knew about it because Jiraiya told her. (Why does this village keep killing its protectors. Is this village worth it? Oh, Naruto, I want you to have this damn hat but what more do you have to pay for it?) It's about time people started realizing the horrible abuse this village inflicted on her beloved brat.

"H-hai." Naruto, was a bit lost for words as he never thought he'd be giving away this secret he'd held so long.

Kurama's sealing was an open secret.

His parent's identities were an open secret.

They were secrets that tormented him his whole life but everyone kept it from him.

His illiteracy was the secret he held for himself. Something he held close to his heart and never wanted anyone else to know. Because being illiterate was what almost destroyed him. Because being illiterate was the punishment the adults inflicted on him, that he never consented to. Being illiterate was the knife the village gave the world so that he would be vulnerable and humiliated at every turn.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." And Iruka was crying as he drew Naruto into a hug.

Being illiterate was the monster that prevented Naruto's right to protect himself.

But he's not anymore. He's been told he was smart, that he was a genius, that he had finally earned his own blade against the world so that he could carve through the path that he was barred from.

"It's ok, Iruka-sensei. It's not your fault." And as Naruto comforted the man who was brother and father and teacher to him, he then turned and saw his friends.

They looked horrified and guilty. All they ever saw was an idiot struggling to even say 'chakra' and none of them even thought to ask, why.

(Kurenai's face was dark with rage. One hand held the child Asuma left within her, and the other straining to reach out to the child, the sibling Asuma lovingly told her about, his little Chimp.)

Kakashi face was blank and deadened, as if trying to find the evidence that had been staring at his face since the beginning.

But it was Shikamaru who broke free of that horrible trance everyone fell into. He let go of Naruto's arm and cupped Naruto's face with gentle hands.

"But you're not anymore. You're a sealing expert now. And no one has better calligraphy, better mastery at words than a Sealing expert." Shikamaru was cut-off by Tsunade. "There are only 20 Sealmasters left alive. And Naruto, added to the four affiliated with Konoha, including Jiraiya is the largest number of Sealmasters under one village aside from the now gone Uzushiogakure no Sato" This made everyone look at Naruto with awe and astonishment.

"Sealmaster, huh. The best of the best, wisest of the wise. You're a sage on your rights, Naruto. Not even counting being a Toad Sage. You're like a magician for shinobi." Tenten cut off Shikamaru for a comment, "Magician? I don't think I want to be called a magician, Nara. I'm a kunoichi through and through. No magic tricks here!"

Shikamaru shook his head and started once more, looking straight into Naruto's eyes; whose eyes were shining in awe. "Civvies see shinobi walking on water, breathing fire, directing lightning, blowing whirlwinds, and shaping the earth and civvies call it magic. Shinobi find all those as normal… bland even. But Fuinjutsu… that's magic for Shinobi. It's beautifully written and scripted contracts to the universe. And you… you're the greatest sealing technique the Yondaime had ever created. I won't belittle your intelligence and say I understand the odds and ends of fuinjutsu formulas. But I know that the Yondaime gave you, not only a weapon but protection for not only from those to seek to harm this village. But more importantly protection from those who seek to harm you." Shikamaru lets go of Naruto's face, his hands now held both of Naruto's, gentle and firm.

"We've called you dead last for so long, but the truth was we were so scared of how utterly brilliant you are. I've heard about it, you know. After you left, I learned how you were able to master a B-ranked technique in hours and turn it into A-ranked. Tajuu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu. You said it took you months to get to the same level of reading comprehension as us? That should have still taken years even with Kage Bunshin, but you were able to assimilate all that knowledge and not just turn you insane. Sealing is a contract with reality, time and space. Nature manipulation can be done with machines… But sealing is the penultimate skill, to be able to create, bend and destroy set rules of physics, of reality. It's the least troublesome thing in the world because sealing is beautiful beyond compare…."

And Shikamaru took his first breath after speaking so much. "Because to me, you are beautiful beyond compare."

Sometimes tsunamis are caused by small waves getting bigger and bigger.

"Ne, tou-chan, why is everyone mean to the pretty blond?" A five-year-old Shikamaru asked his father after coming home from the playground.

"Oh? Is someone being mean to Ino-chan? I better go tell Inoichi." Shikaku hummed as he read his evening reports.

"No, I didn't say Ino-chan. I said the pretty blond… The one with the cute whiskers." Shikamaru had both his small pudgy hands to this sides of his face imitating whiskers.

"Whiskers?" Shikaku mumbled before startling, staring at his son. Before he could speak up Yoshino came out of the kitchen carrying a pot of soup with some handmade ramen noodles on top. "Oh? Did I hear you call someone pretty and cute, Shika-chan?" As she was setting down the pot, Shikamaru and Shikaku stood up and went to get three bowls, chopsticks, and broth spoons. Yoshino served their ramen and had some left over for seconds. As they all sat down and muttered, "Itadakimasu." Shikamaru finally spoke up.

"Well… I don't know if they're a boy or a girl. They have very pretty blond hair, it's brighter than Inoichi-jii-san and Ino-chan's hair. And really cute whiskers on their face, like a cat." Shikaku paused mid-sip of the soup while Yoshino finished up the line of ramen she'd already started. The parents looked at each other, already knowing which child their son was curious about.

"Shika-chan, sometimes people are confused and don't understand things. And when people don't understand things, they can become mean because they're afraid." Yoshino carefully explained. It's an irony that they're eating ramen, when the subject of their conversation was Uzumaki Naruto.

"Then why don't they look for the answer so they can understand it? You always tell me to solve my problems by looking into the best solutions. So why don't the other grown-ups do that too?" Shikamaru knew that kids were just mean sometimes, but if grown-ups are mean then kids would be mean too. So, the grown-ups should be the one that find out why it's bad being mean.

"Oh, you are so smart Shika-chan. Tell you what, why don't you find out yourself?" Yoshino challenged her son cheekily. They can't approach the child, but their son can. And, maybe, Shikamaru can pull along their dear friends' child and care for the tyke… just a bit. They don't want to commit treason, after all.

"Yes, I agree with your mother. Get to know them, and find out yourself. Maybe you'll be able to entice the other grown-ups to find their own answers." Shikaku teased his son, wanting the best for Naruto and Shikamaru.

"Mou, you're both so troublesome." Shikamaru pouted as he continued eating his dinner.

"Ne, tou-san, why is everyone so mean to Naruto?" Shikamaru and Naruto had been classmates for a few years now. He thinks that people are being unfair to him.

"Oh? You're asking me this again? Haven't you found your answers, Shika-chan?" This time they were on their engawa, playing shogi to pass the time.

"But it makes no sense! Naruto's so nice! He's like the sun!" Shikamaru was being unusually expressive today. The pre-genin was gesturing a large circle with his hands as he said the word 'sun'. "He's always so bright and colorful and pretty! Like, I'm not afraid that our shadows will eat me when I'm with him. Plus, he doesn't make fun of Chouji." The boy had laid on his back, his legs still crossed over on his zabuton. There was a small smile on his son and Shikaku can't help but find it cute.

Shikaku wonders if his son is aware of his crush on little Naruto.

"Sometimes things don't make sense, especially people. Find your answers, son. I believe in you."

"Kaa-chan, the teachers are sabotaging Naruto." Shikamaru mumbled into his folded arms as he sat at the dinner table, waiting for his father to come to dinner.

Yoshino startles a bit, as she was intently watching the door to the dining room, waiting for her lazy husband. "Oh? Why would you say that?"

"Naruto's not the brightest crayon in the box… well, he's bright. I mean, you can't get any brighter with blond hair and orange clothes. But he's not very bright, here." Shikamaru pointed to his head. At that point Shikaku already came in the dining room and sat at the head of the table without his usual evening reports.

"Oh? Are we talking about Naruto again? And, Shika-chan, sit up at least. It's not pleasant to eat like that." Shikaku spoke as he ladled himself some rice into his bowl. "Yes, anata. Shikamaru was just saying that he thinks that their teachers are sabotaging Naruto's academic work." Yoshino had a resigned face plastered on. They couldn't do anything for Naruto, no matter how she and their friends want to. Minato and Kushina were their precious friends, it hurts them that their beloved son is so abused by the village he's protecting every day.

"I've been trying to fix it so that I was gonna be dead last this year, so I've been switching papers with Naruto without the teacher's knowing. It's weird cause we just got our first test results today and it wasn't the paper I answered and switched for Naruto's. The test paper I answered was way harder and the test Naruto is supposed to answer for me are the same as the rest of the class and way easier. I thought it's because they see him as the dead last of the class and is quizzing him harder stuff for extra credit but it's just not. They switch his test and the results and he gets zero points when I know I answered all his questions perfectly." Shikamaru was sulking and playing with his food. "It's not fair. He already doesn't know the normal curriculum that much, but they're cheating him out deliberately…." After finally taking his first bite, he paused again.

"Do you know? He'd actually be third best in taijutsu class after Sasuke and Kiba cause he's so sturdy? Like he's so hard to hit and keep down. But he's so clumsy and unbalanced. The teachers never try to correct his form when we do group katas and try to teach him on the side, I think? I mean, they pull him aside every class or so for taijutsu practice. But his form is still so bad, it's like they're teaching him bad forms and enforcing it or something." This time Shikamaru ate a few more bites, starting to feel hungry after all. Shikamaru knows what he is saying, and he knows that his parents knew that Shikamaru was doing it deliberately. But Shikamaru was a child, and children are rarely listened to. But not his parents, his parents just listened while they ate, it might look like they were just indulging him but Shikamaru knew that they were listening. His proof is their fists clenching and unclenching trying to not grip their chopsticks lest they break.

"And, he's so good at stealth and sabotage too! Like, have you seen his pranks? Nobody catches him until he's done and even then, only Iruka-sensei can find him afterwards. I've seen Jounin and Anbu chase after him and he'd just disappear and those elites just run around like headless chickens. It's like, Naruto only LETS Iruka-sensei find him or something." And wasn't that the truth? As Jounin Commander, he's had a fair share of complaints lodged against Naruto for being a general nuisance. Harmless pranks and jokes, which his men would laugh about after a few hours and rescind their complaints completely.

Shikaku feels that sometimes the boy knew that something was wrong with the shinobi he targets and pranks them for their own good or something.

"He sounds brilliant, son. Why haven't you brought him over? I want to see how he'd fair in Shogi against us." Shikaku gave his son teasing smile, knowing that Shikamaru was too shy to actually do so.

"He… He probably doesn't know how to play shogi. But… isn't there anything you can do about his tests?" Shikamaru went back to his original point, now too impatient to be subtle and Shikaku had to sigh. "We'll see what we can do. But I can't really go to the principal, you're confessing to cheating on his behalf and that might cause more trouble than good." Shikamaru was about to protest but Shikaku beat him to the punch, "But this is a shinobi village. What's a little cheating to help out a friend, hmm? I'll go to the Hokage, instead. He has overall purview and control over the Academy higher than your principal."

The next day, they got Iruka-sensei as their new permanent instructor for their class.

"Oyaji, why am I the only one that was promoted to Chunin?" Shikamaru sat beside his father in the hospital waiting room. Most of his team were severely injured. Neji, Chouji, and Naruto being the worst off. He'd heard that Kakashi-sensei thought he'd found Naruto dead with a hole on his chest larger than the one on Neji. But Shikamaru knew about the Kyuubi for so long already. And even then, it scared Shikamaru, because how could Sasuke do this? How could he hurt this bright, beautiful, and kind person? The one he wanted for himself but couldn't bring himself to confess to.

He'd long admitted to himself that he liked Naruto more than anyone except his parents and his parents had known it.

"And, who do you think should've been promoted alongside you?" Shikaku sat with his son, because it was his son's first mission as a leader and it was a failure. Because his best friend's son was found bone dry because Chouji took the ultimate risk-taking the special Akimichi Food pills. Because he knew that while his son might act like everything was troublesome, he cared very much.

"Naruto. He was the reason why so many applicants passed through the first exam. When Orochimaru was gunning for Sasuke, I've heard Sakura say that Naruto was the one that held off most of the attacks. Sure, his win against Kiba was funny, but I heard his chakra was wonky because of Orochimaru messing with his seal. And that fight with Neji? Oh, man. I've never seen a Hyuga sweat it out like that. I don't think even Lee could push Neji like that and they're supposed to be rivals. And that winning punch? That showed cunning dad. The same type of cunning I showed. And in the invasion, he practically led us and motivated us to go after Gaara. Because he knew Sasuke couldn't handle it. He defeated Gaara, alone. With no more than a summoning contract, a henge, and pure bullheadedness. Why can't he have been awarded for those? I've heard people get field promoted for far less." Shikaku had to wonder, if his son would only be ever talkative now if the topic shifted to something or someone else.

"Politics, Shika-chan, are dirty and rotten. But it's needed." Shikaku wonders what his son truly knew. But Shikamaru's look of understanding was enough.

And each wave pummels hard stone into coarse, fine sand.

When Naruto finally came back from his latest training trip in Myobokuzan, it was to the sight of a Konoha flattened and dug into the earth. Naruto, who was still in Kurama Sage mode felt something akin to fear when he couldn't feel Kakashi-sensei (step-brother, we were supposed to be raised as brothers. Minato and Kushina loved him like a son and wanted Kakashi to be Naruto's big brother.) When the smoke and floating debris finally settled and saw the Hokage faces still carved to the mountain, a small voice at the back of Naruto's head commented that, 'From where I'm standing this would be that kind baa-chan's house where he and Sakura would get anmitsu and red bean soup. Where's her shop? Where's- '

Then, he could feel that there were fewer people in Konoha on any given day. Where were they? He can't feel some of the Sealing and Barrier corps, they never leave. And Shizune, Tsunade was in the village, but he couldn't feel her.

He wasn't listening to Granny Shima as he saw Tsunade land in between him and the people wearing Akatsuki cloaks. Naruto saw, Naruto felt the utter exhaustion of Tsunade. But most of all, Naruto felt the despair and grief of Tsunade. "You've trampled on the jewel, the dreams of my predecessors. I will not forgive you! I will settle this now as the Hokage!"

As soon as the enemy started towards Tsunade, Naruto destroyed the one making its way to Tsunade. Konoha was reduced to rubble because they were hunting him. If they want him, they'll have him. But before that, he needed to make sure those that are needed don't get in the way of his fight. "There's no need for the Leaf's Hokage to bother herself with the likes of them. Just sit back and sip some tea, Granny."

With a quick call to Gamakichi, Tsunade, as tired as she was, was scooped into Gamakichi's hold. "Granny, I'll take over here. Please tell everyone to stay out of my way. It'll be difficult to fight while trying to cover for everybody else." Tsunade offered a small Katsuyu to Naruto to keep. The little slug will be able to help as she had information about their enemy. Before Gamakichi leaped away, Naruto had to ask, "Now, maybe not the right time to ask this question… But now, I have both the Kyuubi and Senjutsu working together… I can sense everyone in the village. Is Kakashi-sensei on a mission away from the village?"

The silence was answer enough.

The next few minutes of fighting were a blur. Literally.

Naruto had quickly and efficiently scattered multiple Hiraishin kunai throughout the whole crater. The three chief toads were fighting the summon animals called forth. Futon jutsu roared towards the different paths of Pain. Suiton and Doton followed up, trying and sometimes failing to catch the various Pains from seeing from different angles. With Senjutsu and an opened cage for Kurama, Naruto was able to stay in Sage Mode longer than ever. The golden chakra that covered him, wasn't all for show. He was stronger, and faster than ever.

Unfortunately, Naruto hadn't thought ahead to incorporate his fuinjutsu into gathering Senjutsu passively for him. He only thought of it when he saw that Tsunade's Byakugo no In was already inactive.

And as Naruto dwindled down the paths of Pain to the last two, the superior jutsu afforded to a Rin'negan user was revealed to him.

There, he lay on the ground, his hands pierced by the rod Pain created. They had been speaking, all the while, Pain was explaining his goals and reasons. Pain had asked Naruto what was his answer to their shared master's question.

None.

Naruto didn't have an answer. How could he?

And as Pain readied to take Naruto off to extract Kurama, darkness and shadows slithered and covered Pain, trapping him in place. A chakra charged blade flew through the air and almost nicked Pain before being able to escape the shadows that kept him in place.

As the chakra blade landed, a sizable gash opened up in Pain's place. And Shikamaru landed in front of Naruto, picking up the fallen blade.

"This is so troublesome. But it would be more troublesome if I didn't do this." And for a few short seconds, Shikamaru fought with Pain, his just healed broken leg, protesting his actions and causing pain.

Naruto begged. And begged. And BEGGED for Shikamaru to leave. Outclassed and injured as he is.

"Don't. Naruto… I'm here because I want to be. This is me being selfish again…." Shikamaru heard Naruto's cries and objections. He couldn't look at Naruto right now because he can hear the tears in his beloved's voice.

"You don't need to this alone, you know? I promised to always be with you, right? No matter how troublesome."

(An embarrassed laugh, a sudden but welcome kiss, Yoshino-kaasan's happy squealing, and everyone else's hearty congratulations. And if some heard a heart shattering to pieces, they kept quiet about it and the others will just have to try to help glue it back together.)

"You're always helping and saving everyone. This time I'm going to save you, Naruto. I've always felt everything was too troublesome to put in any effort. I made the wrong moves at so many turns. But you're the guiding light to my shadowed path. I always watched you from afar but all I ever wanted was to be by your side. I wanted to be able to walk beside you, always. You changed me, Naruto. Your light saved me from drowning in the dark. That's why I'm not afraid to die, if it means that I can be with you… if it means that I can save you too. Because you're the least troublesome person in the world. Because, you are beautiful beyond compare. Because, Naruto, I love you."

Shikamaru goes down and so did Naruto's still tenuous control over Kurama's chakra. (Still missing a step. He and Kurama are still missing a step. Why can't they get their connection right?) And Naruto asked and asked and asked for more and more and more chakra. And while Kurama wasn't the corrosive, corruptive chakra that Naruto takes, Kurama still couldn't change that much chakra and turn it into something less… hateful. It took them more focus than Naruto was currently capable of to enter into Kurama Sage Mode. But Naruto was blinded with grief, and pain, and fear.

And so, Kurama could not stop Naruto transforming into a Kyuubi, the malicious, corrosive chakra from Kurama (which he hates, hates, hates. Because Rikudo-tou-san wouldn't have wanted that. Because humans were hateful, spiteful creatures and they've turned him into a hateful, spiteful and malicious beast.) showing a true beast's form to the outside world. When the Yondaime's chakra imprint finally showed up, Kurama enjoyed some vindictive glee as Naruto punched then hugged his father.

And finally, the last piece of the puzzle almost 17 years too late, was given to them. That Kurama's release was a premeditated attack by the orange mask-wearing fool who called himself Tobi. But Kurama knew it wasn't only the pretending fool; the foul taste of Kaguya's chakra was too close that horrible October night. And before the father and son's brief reunion ended, questions were asked and left unanswered. And Kurama's chakra returned to him to process for Naruto's safety.

When Naruto awakes from the rage, he felt the living pulse of Shikamaru's chakra. Its shadowy tendrils reaching out to Naruto, no matter the distance. And Naruto believed, as his father believed and as Shikamaru believed; he didn't have the answer to Jiraiya's question, yet. But he believes.

Waves, eddies, ripples, and tides… So much more stories yet,

After parting ways with Jiraiya, Naruto spent months in solitude. Where the silence was too loud, the long petered-out screams of the dead was deafening, and the ghosts murmured of not wanting to leave the living.

Whatever Uzushiogakure no Sato was before the siege; only a ravaged painting was left behind. After his first look at the administration building and the academy attached to it, Naruto ventured throughout the lost city. What Tazuna said was right, the bones of the dead glinted in the sun and watched him in the night. Iwa, Kumo and Mizu did not waste their energies in sparing anyone. He'd found the bones of children, no older than toddlers in some of his wanderings; the skeletal arms of their parents still holding on to them. Naruto wondered if the children died immediately or had they left to slowly starve to death as the maggots feasted on their parent's corpses.

The threads of the people's clothes have long been eaten by mother nature, but the headbands of the ninja and jewelries of the civilians glinted in sunlight and moonlight. In this he found that the world was cruel in equal parts. He'd heard from the tales of his godfather, that the invading armies of Stone, Cloud, and Water had their forces reduced to half of what it once was after the siege. Uzushiogakure was the village of longevity, and they were powerful for it.

The foolish villages paid their price in blood with Konoha standing victorious over their enemies… while its sister village laid tattered in ruins.

As Naruto picked up the bones of young ones, their hitai-ate glinting mockingly of the sun above their heads, he had to think of why their bodies weren't given their proper rest. Of why children had to die in their dead parent's arms. Of why, it seems, that Konoha never came. Jiraiya never told him of any mission to go and salvage what was left of Uzushio. "It's because they could not reach the island anymore, kit." Naruto's unvoiced question was answered by the voice of the demon he held at bay.

"I remember Mito ragging on her white-haired brother-in-law; why they weren't helping Uzushio. It was only when they brought Mito to the island's doorstep that they realized. The whirlpools that surrounded the island became deadlier and never calmed down. The Uzumaki had controlled the whirlpools for so long, that the loss of their chakra sent it all out of control." Kurama had to pause as he considered his next words.

"Many thought they could still hear the cries of children over the din of the raging whirlpools but nothing, short of flying, could get them across the waters. And man was meant to fly, kit. No one had created the jutsu to fly yet. Maybe, one day your damned machines could help… one day. But that time was not that day. And so, the greatest shame of Konohagakure is marked on the flak jacket of every chunin and jounin. That they bear the Uzumaki swirl in shame."

Was it shame though? Naruto never heard of Uzushiogakure, not even in passing. No one in Konohagakure looked more than twice when they hear the name of Uzumaki. They wear the village's shame but they don't understand its meaning.

After laying to rest the dead that had waited 50 years to be at peace, Naruto earnestly started his search for the lost knowledge of the Village Hidden in Whirlpools. The public library, and the academy's library were either swept clean by the raiders from the siege; or it was all ravaged by time and eaten by bugs. But Naruto couldn't give up hope. A village like this, who specialized in Fuinjutsu must have a hidden archive somewhere.

It took no time at all once Naruto entered the administration building. There, at the center of the reception was a huge hole exposing a block of protective concrete. Naruto spied a half blasted through staircase leading further down and around the block of concrete. The raiders tried to get into that block of concrete. But there was no dent nor damage to the structure except for a fine layer of dust. And Naruto jumped down into the hole and to the staircase, ran around the sides of the underground structure. Hoping against all hope that this was the hidden archive and that it stayed safe after all these years.

When Naruto finally arrived at the still blessedly sealed door, he knew he hit the jackpot. There was debris everywhere. He could see the remnants of long extinguished fires, water damage so forceful it was still visible to this day, and even some distinct markings left by powerful bolts of electricity. The shinobi of Iwa, Kumo and Kiri tried their damnest to get into the vault that lay in front of him, doors that stayed sealed for however long…. It filled Naruto with apprehension. If these people, who left evidence of such powerful attacks could not open the door. What chance does Naruto truly have?

Well, firstly, Naruto had time. Naruto was fully stocked on supplies to last him a month on his own. There was still living fauna on the island itself, not accounting for the saltwater fish the whirlpools sucked in and to the saltwater ponds and rivers that ran through half the village. Once the siege ended, the invading shinobi couldn't have stayed long. If Kurama's explanation told Naruto anything, was that the whirlpools surrounding the island were sustained and maintained by the living chakra of the village's people. It was tied to the living and when they all died, nature rushed back to take over, overcompensating years and years of monitored control.

Nature itself rebelled against the invading forces; whatever attempt they made to get into the vault was thwarted by nature wanting them off the island. Maybe if whoever fired these powerful jutsu had the time, they would have been able to open the door.

Second, Naruto was a Fuinjustu adept. As soon as he finds the time, he'll take his Sealmaster exam, here in the ruins of Uzushiogakure. It would be his greatest accomplishment to date if that were to happen. But he needed to open the vault first.

And that goes to his final point, he was an Uzumaki. Not only that but, as Jiraiya had once mentioned, probably the last royal Uzumaki. Jiraiya was sure there were still Uzumaki across the Elemental Nations, But the royal Uzumaki line was different and Kushina was the last of their line to leave Uzushio before it fell. If Naruto was reading the seal that locked the vault in front of him right; it didn't matter if he has all the time in the world to open the door or that he has the least talent in deconstructing Seals… All that mattered was that he was an Uzumaki. The last royal Uzumaki.

At that point, Naruto walked up to the seal, cutting a large gash on his palm and placed the bloody palm unto the seal. Momentarily the whole seal glowed and then he started to hear the mechanisms behind the door start moving. In minutes, the air was sucked into the opened door, like a vacuum. Whatever was in these vaults, was precious enough that it was built to keep it vacuum-sealed. As Naruto strode into the vault, no dust covered the surfaces nor a single thing was out of place. It was as if the whole room had been frozen in time.

The vault was deep and at the very bottom, Naruto barely saw a large seal, decorating the floor. As Naruto jumped down to the bottom, curiously the seal looked newer than the rest of the seals he'd seen inside the ruins of the city. Looking up, he saw a similar seal to the one on the fountain on the ceiling and it looked as old as the seal that resided in the center of the village.

Whatever the seal he was standing on, it could only have ever been created just before the vault was closed for the last time. Why? Because he could see that the seal was painted on with blood. Naruto could see that elements of genjutsu were incorporated into the seal, storage, recording, and memory, as well as a blood lock. Whatever the seal for was, at least Naruto knew that it wasn't for the intention of sealing off the vault from within. With a still slightly bloody palm, he let a drop of blood land on the seal beneath him.

It glowed an ominous red and the genjutsu activated. Slowly the form of a man materialized before him. With a startle, Naruto felt like he was looking at a much older red-haired clone of himself. Jiraiya never tired of telling him that he had his father's coloring and his mother's everything… and Naruto thinks he agrees.

Clearly the man was an Uzumaki, with his red hair and the same roundness that he'd seen in his mother's pictures and the face that greets him every day in the mirror.

Suddenly, the image's lips started moving and around him, he can hear a man's voice.

"Hello young Uzumaki. You have found the archive of Uzushiogakure. As I speak, the combined forces of Iwa, Kumo, and Mizu have already entered village and has started their slaughter. They have somehow been able to seal off the exits of the village and have surrounded the waters of the island. Our ancestor's decision to be an island nation to be safe from outsiders has cost us greatly. We are isolated, we are outnumbered, and we are trapped. We are a strong people, us Uzumaki, but I'm afraid that the quality of our warriors may not withstand the sheer numbers on our enemy's side. We hope that our enemies are kind to the innocent but we cannot hope for more than a swift death for the young ones that will surely be left behind. Young Uzumaki, and you are, without a doubt an Uzumaki for only those with Uzumaki blood can activate this seal…. And only those of my branch of the clan can open the seal on the door." Behind the man the Uzumaki spiral rotated to life, the symbol solidified and floated towards Naruto. It wasn't just part of the genjutsu but it was an actual object. Naruto reached out and plucked it out of the air.

"Now, you hold the key not only to this archive but to every sealed room and safehouse of the Uzumaki. Right now, we may be trapped here but if our enemies are kind enough, the children will be left alive. They know where to go, to Konoha our sister village or the scattered safehouses across the elemental nations. Young Uzumaki, it is with the vain hope that you are one of the children outside right now or a descendant of those children and found this sealed room. Kushina, if it is you, my beloved daughter… Father is sorry that I leave this world so early…. I know Mito cannot leave Konoha, not anymore, but she has always been stubborn my Aunt Mito. Perhaps it is you, Aunt Mito, who has stumbled upon this last message of mine…. But at the same time, I do not wish you nor Kushina to be here. For I'm sure the dead litter our streets and blood have washed our waters red. Our beautiful home will be gone soon. But our legacy will live on. Young Uzumaki, for I know the fiery temper of my daughter and the calm storm that is my Aunt will not have let this message continue… but you may just be one of the last of our royal bloodline. And none else will have the right to this archive than you. Please do not let the legacy of our family die, young Uzumaki. I am Uzumaki Arashi, Sandaime Uzukage, and I pass my will and our family's legacy unto you. May the tides rise and fall to your favor."

It might have been minutes; it might have been hours; Naruto didn't know how long he stood in place as he clutched the key in his hand and replayed the message countless times in his head. The man that spoke to him through the genjustsu assisted recording was his maternal grandfather. His father was a Kage, his mother a Kage-level kunoichi, his grandfather was also a Kage to a now-defunct village… and now he learns that he's also distantly related to the current Hokage. His mother was, possibly, second cousins with Tsunade….

There was a hollow feeling inside him, why hadn't Tsunade acknowledged their relationship? Tsunade must've known that Kushina was her cousin. (A strongly worded letter was sent to Tsunade a month after he found the archive, seeking answers. The reply that came was something that didn't shock him. After all, there's a reason his godfather also stayed out of the village… and it wasn't willingly. "Politics are dirty and rotten, brat. It victimizes all of us, no matter how powerful you become.")

And so, Naruto inherited one of the most ancient and greatest libraries of the known world. And it fit all into the palm of his hand. He learned that the vault didn't truly exist in the same plane of existence as the rest of the world. It was contained in the pocket dimension inside the key he received. As soon as he'd left the vault, the whole structure vanished and nothing but a solid stone wall greeted him. He tested and retested the seal and the pocket dimension; all he needed was a solid wall or structure and a door will appear. Then Naruto can enter and exit the door any time he wants, as long as he had the Uzumaki seal on his person.

He later learned that it was the same concept for the Grand Seal Master examination chambers across the nations. All the testing chambers were actually of the same space; not only did the time and space element of the chamber expanded the contained space into infinity it also existed in multiple points of space at the same time. And the time… the time that the testing chambers were set for 9 hours in the outside, didn't count in the inside. The testing chamber is semi-sentient and knows when a candidate brought up a worthy seal to be judged. When that happens, time essentially slows down to a snail's pace. Thusly, 9 hours outside is roughly one year inside the chamber.

When Naruto took his Sealing Grand Master Exam, he knew this and packed accordingly. In essence, he spent five months and some change inside the testing chamber. From scratch his Mass Human Teleportation Seal takes time and space to write out, literally. It was one of the reasons why the Grand Seal Master exam was so seldomly taken, it takes truly incredible seals to be recognized by the examination chamber. And the seals need to be done from scratch and nothing must be pre-prepared except for the sealing ink and brushes. The exam was strict, harsh, and tedious to the extreme.

Naruto stayed in the ruins of Uzushiogakure for a few months, finishing his Mirrored Water Seal and taking his Sealmaster exam. Afterward, he was off to the world. Carrying the Uzumaki key on him day and night as he kept kage bunshin inside the pocket dimension to continue learning while he traveled around. There were forgotten seals to study, ancient history to learn, stories to discover (stories that he should've heard as a child but never did), and other books and scrolls exclusive to the lost clan and village. But the most promising of all were the scrolls and scrolls of information regarding their bloodline and the various bloodline limits that were expressed.

He'd read that a distant cousin branch had the ability of the legendary Rin'negan and that it regularly skipped multiple generations and randomly activates in that branch of their bloodline. The Uzumaki Adamantine Sealing Chains was a bloodline limit that was accessible to all the branches of their clan but was limited to their women. Another branch clan had healing chakra so potent that one needed only to bite and absorb their Chakras for the patient to be healed. All Uzumaki shared their incredible vitality and huge chakra stores. Naruto's far surpasses all of his ancestors and relatives due to Kurama's chakra as well. And all Uzumaki possessed an innate understanding of Fuinjutsu.

In each Uzumaki Bunker that Naruto found, either pillaged or sealed, Naruto's hope to find any survivors from the village grew less and less. Jiraiya would not lie to him, there are Uzumaki left in the world… they may just be the ones who left long before the siege.

He meets Nagato, who had the Rin'negan. He meets Karin, who has the healing chakra. He meets Terumi Mei, who has a variation of Youton. He meets Omoi, who looks like an Uzumaki even if she says she isn't. He meets these people, they possessed Uzumaki blood; but he alone was from the royal lineage.

But he has Sakura, Sasuke, Kakashi, Iruka, Gaara, Killer Bee, Neji, Lee, Gai, Tenten, Hinata, Kiba, Shino, Kurenai, Mirai, Ino, Chouji, and so many more now. And best of all he has Shikamaru. Shikamaru who got excited hearing that Naruto is lugging around a library larger than most buildings. Shikamaru who didn't belittle his sealing knowledge, but made sure to help Naruto out when there are still concepts, he didn't understand. Shikamaru

These are the ripples that changed history.

"Hey kid, come on in. You hungry?" Teuchi called out to the Kyuubi child. Teuchi wasn't a shinobi, he was a civilian that knew a lot of shinobi secrets, though. He's had many famous and infamous shinobi eat at his humble ramen stand. The Kyuubi kid looked like the Yondaime and Kushina. Ah, he's missed his number one customers. Teuchi wondered if their child liked ramen as much as they did.

The ramen stand owner suppressed a frown when the child ran out of side and hid, only to pop his head back in with a curious stare. "Come in. Here's one bowl, on the house." Teuchi plopped down a steaming bowl of Miso Charsiu ramen. The smile as the boy took his first bite was worth it.

"Braised Pork Miso Ramen." Jiraiya guided Naruto's hand slowly across the words on the cardboard menu. Naruto's smile was fragile and heartbreaking but it was the sincerest smile Jiraiya had ever seen on his student… no, his godson.

Koyuki has been teaching Naruto or some months already and the boy was consuming books by the pound. But Koyuki felt that the boy only reading such boring rhetoric is a waste. She's been the caretaker of Jiraiya's Cha no Kuni estate for so long, she knows the passion Jiraiya held for being a pervert is only matched for his passion in writing. Koyuki was old enough not to be bothered by Jiraiya's perverted ways; though she doesn't allow his proclivities around her family.

And so, Koyuki brought out the first book written by Jiraiya and handed it to Naruto. "Naruto-yo, here. This is Jiraiya's first book, and the only one I recommend you reading at this age." As Naruto took the offered book, he read the title, "Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Ninja" Naruto took to reading the book after his daily lessons. A reward he set himself every day for working hard. As he neared the end of the book, he found out that the name of the hero was…

"Naruto." The Sandaime called out, Sarutobi Hiruzen stood in front of his village's jinchuuriki's apartment. "Please answer the door. It's not polite to keep a guest waiting." A muffled thud followed by tiny running feet could be heard before the door was flung wide open, "Jiji!" A blond blur jumped and latched on the third Hokage like a baby monkey. Though not as young as he used to be, Hiruzen was a sprightly old man; he could still stand toe to toe with the strongest of his village and win.

"Are you ready to go, Naruto-kun? Daylight's wasting, and I only have this whole day to be with you." The old Sarutobi set down the rambunctious child as a bright grin, as bright as the child's hair was directed at him. "Yes! I've got everything. Let's go jiji!" The boy only had a small fanny pack filled with some practice shuriken and kunai. His small pack also contained a tinderbox, a small water canister, water purifier capsules, and a collapsible but sturdy fishing rod.

Today, Sarutobi Hiruzen wasn't the Sandaime Hokage, the shinobi known as the Professor. Today, he is just old man Hiruzen, spending time with his pseudo-grandson. (He can never acknowledge this child as his child because it only means that the hurt, he'd inflicted on his older children was unjustified and hypocritical. It already is, as he can show his affection, no matter how limited, to this bright child. He's a selfish old man because he's not willing to share this child with his children who loved Naruto deeply.) They'll be adventuring the woods behind the Hokage mountain. He'll teach the scamp to throw shuriken and kunai. Then, they'll go fishing and foraging for their lunch and dinner. (The village is cruel, but even as Hokage, Hiruzen cannot do anything but punish those that go too far. The civilian council backed by his traitorous, ungrateful, spiteful former teammates outvotes Hiruzen in concerns to Naruto. So, he'll teach Naruto to survive.)

It was fun to both of them and will cherish the memories in years to come.

Survival training. That was the test set to them by Kakashi-sensei. Naruto can't believe it.

What they're doing is NOT survival training at all. They're being pitted against one another; and Naruto KNOWS that but cannot do anything about it. His teammates will not work with the dead last. But Naruto knows how to work with himself and so sends Kage Bunshin towards their annoying Jounin-sensei.

Jiraiya has punted him down bottomless ravines, over slippery slopes, and also into the gullet of the largest of toad summons. He's been made to stand on one leg on a stalagmite surrounded by bubbling magma, do a one-finger handstands on small, tiny, almost surgical needles while wearing gravity seals, and to balance his head on a toad as they practice their taijutsu, Kawazu Kumite. Naruto had to learn to not complain about Lady Shima's toad food, the overall agony of being trained under Lord Fukusaku, and the various quirks and curiosities of the Summoned Toads as he lived in Myobokuzan.

Jiraiya taught him survival in all ways. And while he is thankful, he cannot help but sometimes curse at his godfather. Why? He could go on weeks now, without eating ramen… but he'd rather eat all the spoiled food in the world than eat the bug delicacies of Myobokuzan.

Iruka was a fair teacher, he never played favorites, not even Naruto. Though his fellow shinobi would be quick to disagree. But to be honest, it's not that Iruka favors Naruto over his other students; he just favors Naruto as an overall person. Iruka sees a wonderful shinobi of Konohagakure in Naruto. One who was loyal, trustworthy, and true to the Will of Fire. Iruka would risk, had risked his life for Naruto multiple times already. Whether it was from enemy nin that Naruto accidentally faced-off with or even treacherous traitorous best friends like Mizuki. Naruto was a good child and an even greater Shinobi and he knows his favorite knucklehead ninja will prove to the world why he's Konohagakure's Most Unpredictable Shinobi.

Kakashi was a good shinobi, a good leader. But he wasn't a good teacher. He's used to being handed already pre-trained shinobi to lead and only needed to hone them to be his subordinates. In this, it's the reason why he's failed to truly connect with his genin team. Team 7 was cursed, that much Kakashi believed. But Kakashi was as broken as the rest of his genin team, and couldn't find the cracks in each of his charge's personalities.

So, he couldn't see that Sakura needed a firmer hand to be guided towards bettering her skills, even if her personality was fractured. Tsunade fixed that for him. Kakashi only saw a younger version of himself in Sasuke, only that he is more vindictive and hurtful than he ever was as a child. But the thought that Kakashi could redeem himself in the broken and angry child that was Sasuke blinded him. Enough that his Chidori once more is thrust through the chest of one of his teammates. He's Kakashi the friend killer, after all, the hand might've been Sasuke's but the technique was his, to begin with. Naruto had the coloring of his father and his mother's everything. Kakashi liked the child enough ("Ne, Kakashi-kun. You'll be the big brother to our little Naru-chan, ok? He'll call you nii-chan and you'll call him otouto and…" "Maa maa, Kushina-chan, don't overwhelm the boy.) But he was sometimes too much for Kakashi. Too much like his Kushi-nee and Minato-sensei. It's painful to be close to Naruto. (One day, they'll all be fixed. Where the cracks in them will be fixed with gold and they'll come out better than they'd come in.)

Jiraiya loved spending time with his godson. Outside of training, they'd spend the time doing fun stuff. Nothing perverted, Koyuki-chan would not let him teach the boy until he was 15. So, they'd have to do with other fun things. Jiraiya loved doing kabuki, and he'd seen his godson's shinobi profile. Naruto never changed his kabuki painted picture and Jiraiya had had a kick out of it when Sarutobi-sensei first showed it to him. Since Naruto calmed down his excitable nature, Jiraiya wanted to see if Naruto would enjoy more conventional pass times with him.

They would take short breaks in between the out of village missions they'd undertake or in-between training to go to the local kabuki theater. There they watched and sometimes practiced with the actors. Naruto had the flair for the dramatics and both Naruto and the Kabuki theatre group enjoyed his forays into acting. And since they were in Cha no Kuni, Jiraiya had the pleasure of introducing Naruto to the absolute delight that is tea ceremonies.

There, they took advantage of Naruto's Oiroke no Jutsu. The truth was that it wasn't just a henge like most thought but a complete body transformation and will hold even without chakra after it's initial performance. Naruto was already incredible in stealth, but Jiraiya wanted Naruto to learn to be able to blend in and blend in well. For a short period, Naruto, as Naruko was entered into an Okiya for geisha training. Jiraiya paid the mother of the Okiya well to put Naruko into a fast-paced accelerated training to Geisha. And Naruko flourished. Naruko loved to learn to dance, to sing, to perform, to captivate the attention of everyone: man or woman. Naruko loved being a geisha, she loved being the center of attention; adored by her new fans.

Naruto appreciated geisha and their abilities but Naruko could not stay. (And if Naruko was sometimes sent on honeypot missions instead of her female colleagues or friends, nobody but the Hokage has to know.)

Little Shikamaru thought that he saw the Amaterasu-sama, the sun goddess herself, come down to earth and inhabit the golden-haired child he saw around the village. The child was so bright, but his shadows weren't afraid. Shikamaru was captivated since they were children. He'd only fallen more in love as he grew up and knew more about the blond. To Shikamaru, Naruto was happiness, light, and goodness personified and that made him beautiful beyond compare. Shikamaru hung out with Naruto but it was with Chouji and Kiba in tow, but that was alright. As long as Shikamaru could bask in Naruto's warmth, it would be enough… for now.

Little Hinata was saved by Naruto. Not that Naruto cared to know her name because she was quickly pulled away from him by her caretakers. Naruto was bright and happy, Hinata was shy and tended to blend into the background. She made herself look small because she couldn't stand the abuse of her family. She admired him from afar. He was bravery and strong will personified, and she admired him very much. So, she'll watch from afar, hoping to catch Naruto's eye. Naruto promised to avenge her and then promised to heal the Hyuuga clan. She dreams of that day, maybe they'll get together and get married. She's still the heiress, Naruto will definitely notice her.

Shikamaru was drowning in the shadows of his clan. He'd lost Asuma-sensei; Asuma-sensei left his king behind for Shikamaru to love and care for in his stead. The Akatsuki will take his sun away if he doesn't act if he doesn't pre-emptively attack before they take Naruto as well. But, oh, Shikamaru was foolish. How could he have acted without his guiding light? Even if his shadow cast its darkness ahead, Naruto followed after and saved his precious people, Ino and Chouji. Shikamaru was a fool, but he will be a fool no more. He'll live for the future ("Her name is Mirai, huh?") and he'll live for the love he has in his heart. ("I love you, Uzumaki Naruto. To me, you are beautiful beyond compare.")

Hinata had been drowning. She was drowning in the flood of emotions that threatened to choke her as everyone cheered for Naruto and Shikamaru. Had she been blind, even with her Byakugan? She can see Naruto's fond, and (dare she say it?) loving gaze at the lazy Nara heir. Oh, but only if she had been born a boy! But does it matter? She doesn't think Naruto was ever like that. To choose based on gender. As she watched Naruto and Shikamaru grow into their relationship, she saw that nothing really changed for the two. Was that it? Was that what was missing in her pursuit? Shikamaru befriended and was close to Naruto and now they're in love. A love that is beautiful and painful for they would sacrifice themselves for the other. Hinata would too! She would sacrifice herself for Naruto. But in the war, she saw that Shikamaru didn't sacrifice himself to die for Naruto. No, Shikamaru wanted to live for Naruto.

So Hinata backed-off and she knew Shikamaru acknowledged it from the sometimes-guilty eyes he cast over her. Finally, Hinata's rose-tinted glasses were removed and she saw the love her cousin had for her… and the longing her own soul for her Neji-nii-san. Perhaps, both of them were damaged in that incident long ago. And that they both hid their feelings, cast aside in shame-filled guilt and hatred. She relearned that she loved her Neji-nii-san more than anyone, even Naruto-kun. She's let go of Naruto-kun; he was her own ideal of being a good shinobi. And now, she's found herself, she'll nurture the love she has and move forward with Neji, her future husband, hand-in-hand.

And the waves that followed soon after.

Naruto sat with Shikamaru in Ichiraku ramen. Both were busy eating and chatting with each other. Ayame had insisted on putting in a new ordering system now that their ramen stall had expanded into a full restaurant. Naruto and Shikamaru sat in their own private booth on the second floor of the now-famous ramen establishment. As Naruto was still feeling peckish, he turned to the screen attached to the booth wall which had a touch screen for them to order from. The technologies of the elemental nations had gone a long way. They were rapidly advancing forward into a new era.

"Neh, Shika, I'm going to order some beef ramen. You want anything?" Naruto asked as he browsed through the menu.

Shikamaru looked at the touch screen and saw everything was written in Kanji. Shikamaru didn't hold back the wide grin as he watched his boyfriend swipe through the menu. "Yeah, order me some gyoza." Shikamaru's gazed lovingly, with a touch of awe, at Naruto as he quickly found their orders and sent for it. They received a confirmation of their order from Ayame's voice coming through the built-in speaker of the device.

As Naruto turned back to look at Shikamaru, he caught his boyfriend's fond gaze. "What?"

"Nothing. I love you, Naruto."

Naruto's blush was not troublesome at all to Shikamaru, as he heard Naruto reply. "I love you, too. Troublesome bastard."