But An Illusion Chapter 1, a naruto fanfic

But An Illusion

A Naruto fanfic by

Joak Drysso

Boring Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. I don't own my selective references to X/1999. I do own a fashionable pair of pants.

The first time he remembered the dream, he made the mistake of mentioning it to old man Hokage. The old man had not answered his question, instead paling and gesturing for him to run off, muttering something that Naruto could barely make out as 'nowhere near old enough' before the stormed away. Ever since that incident, he had made it a point to write the dreams he could remember down in his journal, trying to figure out what it was he was being told, since they all seemed so remarkably similar.

Dream #3

I'm underneath a large sakura tree. Around me are faceless corpses. I see a man standing, smoking a cigarette. He turns and says something, but I can't hear it. The next thing I know, he's dead too, and his cigarette is in my hand. Am I trying to tell myself I want to...smoke?

Dream #11

Some things are clearer now. As per usual, I'm under the huge sakura tree, and that guy is there. He always looks really cool. He's got a huge trenchcoat, and a scarf, and some awesome sunglasses. The bodies aren't faceless anymore, but they don't look like anyone I know. So much for Yuugao-neechan's "desiring revenge" theory, I think. But the man turns to me, and says "You are the next," and then dies. I still have no idea what he's talking about.

Dream #27

So I had my first conversation with him. It was fairly simple. I asked him why he was bothering me, and he delivered his usual "You are the next" spiel. I am getting really tired of that. He was about to die like he always does, so I asked him "The next what?" And he shrugged. He shrugged. Does he even know what he's talking about? I can't even get straight answers in my own dreams!

Dream #64

So it's been two months since these dreams started lasting long enough for me to remember. Here are the things that I've managed to narrow down as important symbols.

1: The sakura tree.
2: Whatever this guy is talking about, it involves me becoming the next when he dies. The next what, I still don't know. Maybe I'm the heir of some kingdom. The closest thing to sakura though, is...well, here. The Leaf.
3. Recently, I've been noticing that his clothes have the taijitu symbol. I asked about it and Yuugao-neechan told me that it could be a symbol of a lot of things, so that by itself doesn't tell me much.
4. This dream had a star-shaped symbol made from sakura petals circled by a ring. Yuugao-neechan said it was an inverted pentagram. She said that it's a common symbol in, uh, ahnmeeyohjutsu (whatever that is) and is occasionally used in some genjutsu. I'll ask the old man Hokage today.

"Hey old man!" Sarutobi blanched at the sudden increase in volume. Finishing his analysis of the bill in front of him, he finally signed off on it and set it aside, meshing his fingers together and summoning his patience. "Yes, Naruto?"

"What's, uh, ahnmeeyohjutsu?" The loud-mouthed seven-year old asked.

Sarutobi opened his mouth to answer, only to recall that Yuugao had been reporting in about several questions the child had been asking her lately. This had been one of them, as well as the taijitu. "What do you want to know for?"

"Well, the dreams. I keep seeing the, um, taijitu," he forced his mouth around the weird word, one he had only become acquainted with recently, "and what Yuugao-neechan said was an 'inverted pentagram'." Obviously, that was also a new phrase for him. "She said that it's used a lot in ahnmeeyohjutsu. So what is it?"

Sarutobi sighed. As much as he hated these recurring dreams and what they signified, he had no real reason not to answer the questions being presented to him. "It's onmyoujutsu, or onmyoudo." He took a moment to write the words down and then showed them to Naruto. "It's rooted in the principles of yin and yang, as opposed to our ninjutsu, which is based on the five elements. It's associated with astronomy and divination. Some of the more eccentric ninjas tend to use it with genjutsu, but there's been no recorded effect."

Naruto stared blankly at him, and the third Hokage resisted the urge to plant his forehead in his palm. It was rare that he got to teach anymore. "It tells you about the stars and what's happening in far places." That was about as simple as he could get it. The child nodded. "Gotcha. So why am I dreaming about it? Am I supposed to become an," he paused, trying to remember the word, "astronomy person? Because I am scheduled to be Hokage." That brought a smile to Sarutobi's face. Naruto was determined, if anything.

"Well, we'll see."

"So, old man Hokage, what are my dreams about? Why do I see a bunch of dead people, and then some guy tells me I'm the next, and then he dies too? Lately, I've been getting the feeling that I knew him, and that I killed him." Sarutobi frowned. This was sensitive material, but after several council sessions on the matter, no real consensus had been reached on how to handle it. Many were resolutely opposed to it, in fear of what he might decide to do, but others were drooling at the thought of having such a deadly tool at their disposal.

Screw it. He deserves to know. I hate the idea of fate mingling with this kid, but it seems like the world isn't ready to let it go. "Naruto, sit down, you're going to discover a few things you may not be ready for."

The seven-year old frowned, but did as ordered, dragging a chair over and sitting across from the Hokage. The old ninja felt drained, but there was no way to avoid this. "You have a five-month gap in your memory. I ordered it to be placed there."

"Why?" Naruto seemed...remarkably calm about it. Sarutobi wondered at that, but answered anyways. "Because about a year and a half ago, you..." Now or never, old man. "You killed someone."

Naruto blinked. "I killed someone." A nod. "Really?" A nod. "Who?"

"We never discovered his name. He was a Kiri-nin who was mortally wounded during an assassination attempt against the Inuzuka clan. He crawled into an alley that you were apparently in at the time. When we arrived, he was dead, and you were covered in his blood."

There was a long silence. Then, Naruto spoke. "This is heavy shit."

"I'm telling you this because you need to know, especially if these dreams are indicative, what you're supposed to become. For several hundred years, there has been a clan of assassins that served to protect the delicate balance of power by taking out people of key influence at pivotal moments. This 'clan' only ever consists of one person, and the title and clan is passed on when someone kills that Assassin."

Naruto leaned back in the chair. He was beginning to piece together the puzzle, and his mind was working. He was quickly coming up on where the old man was, and would soon pass him by.

"This clan is called the Sakurazukamori. They specialize in onmyoujutsu and onmyoudo. If you're having these dreams, then-"

"Holy shit." Naruto interrupted, his eyes wide. "I'm the next, er, Sakurazukawhatever."

It was ten o'clock at night, and finally Naruto was beginning to show signs of exhaustion. Fortunately for Sarutobi, it had been a Sunday; when the child finally convinced him that truly serious about this, he had set aside his remaining duties for the day to escort the child to the Konoha Library. The material they contained on onmyoujutsu was incredibly brief, but the Hokage had expected that. His focus, however, had been on educating Naruto in exactly what the beliefs behind the practice were.

"Yin and yang," he had started, "follow four laws. The first is that they are opposing. Temperature, for example. A substance is cold or hot, and that cold and hot are yin and yang respectively. However, they are also complimentary ideals. You cannot have any phenomenon without both yin and yang. They mutually transform. When summer arrives, you have reached the apex of yang, and now it gradually transforms toward its yin counterpart, winter. Last is that they mutually increase and decrease. As yang increases, yin decreases; as yin increases, yang decreases."

Naruto, for once, hadn't look glazed. He had looked directly at Sarutobi, and the Hokage could almost see his synapses firing, making connections and steadily progressing toward a fuller understanding of what he was being told. Doubtless, the examples helped. The elder man had smiled, relishing the fact that the boy was finally taking the schooling seriously, before allowing the child to ask a question.

"What does this have to do with astronomy and…uh…the d-word thing?"

"I'll get there in a bit. You need to understand this first. Yin and yang apply to humans as well. We consist of the body, our yang, and the spirit, our yin. With ninja techniques, we often combine both. Chakra is spirit energy that is expelled to produce physical phenomena. Yin and yang. Onmyoujutsu, specifically the arts practiced by the Sakurazukamori, if the notes passed down from Kage to Kage are correct, work in a slightly different manner.

"Basically, Naruto, as a Sakurazukamori, you can learn how to kill a man by forcing his mind to believe that the body is dead, without needing to touch him at all."

The child had scrunched up his face in confusion. "But his body isn't dead! So wouldn't his mind realize that and just keep going?"

"You underestimate the power the mind has, Naruto. Convince the mind that the body has shut down and it will lock up the body on its own. Or, kill the mind and the body will decay. The Sakurazukamori is feared for these reasons, Naruto. Onmyoujutsu is not genjutsu; it doesn't use chakra, and therefore it can't be dispelled like an effect that uses chakra. Most of us don't know how to counter it. The only saving grace is that using such techniques incurs backlash. The more powerful an onmyou technique, the more dangerous it is to use."

"Wow, really?" The child had frowned. "But old man, I don't really want to kill. I mean, I could obviously become Hokage with this, but…"

The third Hokage had to fight the urge to dance. Most of his worry evaporated instantly. He knew for a fact that the Sakurazukamori influence would lead Naruto to eventually take a life, but that was part of the ninja way. His restraint, even at a young age, was remarkable. "You won't have to worry about that for a while. Like any school, it will take you a long time to get to the techniques that are decidedly lethal. And like any school, they're only lethal if you make them lethal."

The child had frowned pensively, and then nodded. "I'm going to become the greatest ninja ever, and I'll use this to help. But I won't kill anyone. I swear."

Sarutobi had felt his heart fracture. You won't have that choice, Naruto. It's your fate, your duty, until you die. "I hope so, Naruto."

"So keep talking, old man."

"Very well."

That conversation had taken place seven hours ago. Naruto had taken the books on onmyou and set them off to the side, declaring that he would read them himself and try and puzzle them out. The rest of the time, aside from a brief break for dinner, had been the two of them pouring over historic annals looking for references of the Sakurazukamori's feats and exploits, or Naruto grilling Sarutobi for everything that the elder knew about the nature of illusions and jutsu. The third Hokage was more than happy to answer the questions, since the boy finally seemed to be taking interest in his education. While he doubted that the child would retain most of it, he had no problems answering.

Now, Naruto was asking about registry information. It didn't take Sarutobi long to realize why. He was hunting for any mention of families that he could find mention of in the book. He really is serious about this. Well, I can't really blame him. He finally has something he can be excited about. The question is whether or not they will take him in. Considering who he is, unless they thought they could use him, most families would turn him away. Still…

Halfway between Konoha and the border of the Rice Field Country, a small enclave gathered. They stood enclosed in a ring, each holding a candle and chanting softly. In the middle of the group stood an elderly woman, staring into a pool of water. Occasionally, her body would tremble, and every time it grew worse, but she maintained a grip on the edge, refused to move. Finally, though, her body broke. The water grew distorted as blood polluted it, and the chanting stopped as various members of the clan rushed forward to assist her.

Dragging her to a prepared bed, they forced water down her throat, and at last she spoke. "The boy has awakened."

Hushed gasps ripped through the assembly. The large, bald man by the bed raised his hand, and all was quiet. "Is that all, Reverend Mother?"

"He seeks training. It has ever been our mission to oppose the Sakurazukamori. It should be in our best interests to avoid training him." There was nodding throughout the assembly. Yes, if the Sakurazukamori should rear his head again, they would lose even more clansmen. One person, a younger girl, interrupted the consensus. "Reverend Mother, you said 'should'. Don't you mean 'is'?"

"Without the Sakurazukamori…our clan would not exist. Without the darkness, there is no light. In order for us to exist, the Sakurazukamori is a necessary evil. He will come here, for I have Seen it. We will not turn him away. For better, or for worse, this boy will receive the training he requires. We shall see to it. The cycle has already begun again; it is too late to interrupt it now." There was muttering.

The girl again spoke. "But surely if we kill him-"

"Then you become the Sakurazukamori. Would you force this clan to kill one of its own? Would you truly be that cruel? This child has a path to walk. We will lead him down it. This is the task that is laid before our clan." The Reverend Mother spoke softly, and the clan slowly began to disperse. Some of the older members remained.

"Reverend Mother, we cannot teach the Sakurazukamori. Too many of our clansmen died against the last one. More will fall to this one." The old woman could not disagree with the logic. Many of the Sumeragi had fallen at the hands of the Sakurazukamori over the ages, and more would follow if the cycle continued. It would seem a prime time to eliminate the Sakurazukamori, but the Reverend Mother had been young when the last had undergone his coronation, and very few others still living had. These were the same questions she had asked, and living as the Reverend Mother gave her the insight to see why exactly her predecessor had answered so.

"Come, and walk with me." Gripping her cane, she lifted herself out of bed and began to hobble in the direction of the forest. The reduced entourage exchanged looks, but followed her. "Sixty years ago, the previous Sakurazukamori was selected. I asked many of the same questions, and I answered just now how my Reverend Mother answered my questions. Without the Sakurazukamori, the Sumeragi would decay and then disappear. No, we need our foe."

"Then…" The girl frowned. "We'll always be fighting?"

"Until neither Sakurazukamori or Sumeragi are needed. When the world obtains unity of opposites." She smiled at the young girl, before looking up at the remaining people. "Make the necessary preparations for a visit from an honored guest. The Sakurazukamori will be staying with us for an indeterminate amount of time." They nodded and began to leave. "And send someone to guide him here. He'll learn of us by name, but he won't know where to find us."

"Who should be sent, Reverend Mother?" One of her attendants asked. She thought about it for a moment. "Send Arisa-chan. She knows the way." With that, she motioned, and all but her favorite attendant departed.

"You wish to ask something, Mitsu-chan?" She croaked out.

"Mitsu-chan" frowned, ran a hand across his shaved head as he contemplated how to phrase his question. He believed in the woman before him fully. She had never led him astray, led them astray, and he doubted she would now. But the notion of bringing one of the most dangerous killers into their home…well, he was concerned. "Are you sure that sending Arisa was the best move to make? If the child is already Sakurazukamori, even without training he's powerful enough to have killed the previous one. If he decides to kill her just because, well, she has no way to defend herself."

"If the child is strong enough to defeat her, then he has no need of onmyoujutsu anyways. Should that happen, assume him to be a true Sakurazukamori. But he has not shown any hostility yet, so we should be receptive. He is young."

"Young by whose account?" The man asked stonily.

"By anyone's. The child is seven."

"…a seven-year old inherited the title of Sakurazukamori?"

"I never saw the specifics of the last one's death. I only felt it. Until today, I didn't have an inkling of who the new assassin was. It was as surprising to me as it is to you, but it is the truth. Now do you see why I chose Arisa?"

"It's still a risk."

"Everything is in this day and age. Go tell her already. She needs to get moving if she wants to be there when the boy sets out."

"He'd leave before discovering where our compound is?"

"He's…not the brightest child."

Naruto was out on the town as soon as stores were opening. He had a journey ahead of him, and he needed supplies. Well, he didn't really think he needed them, but the old man had told him to get supplies and provided him with a shopping list. And, well, Naruto needed to spend some of the excess money that the old man's allowance had given him.

His first stop was a clothing store. The owner was relatively ambivalent to Naruto, but Hokage had sent word that he was to have a specific set of clothes prepared for the child when he came by, and Naruto had been told to visit him as early as possible. So when the man presented, with a grudging smile at the boy's sheer exuberance, his new outfit, well, Naruto found it hard to express his thanks, and settled instead for running off to the dressing room to change immediately.

The shopkeeper was not a huge fan of orange, especially not after being faced with the painfully loud jumpsuit that the Kyuubi brat wore. However, he had to admit that as the seven-year old stepped out, when done in moderation it certainly worked. The child now sported a long coat in a matte blue with a spiral insignia in the middle of the back done in orange. Underneath the coat, he wore orange pants, with a white stripe down the outside of each leg; his vest was black, his tools within easy and convenient reach should he need to use them. The man's own personal touch were a set of grips on each hip; two scrolls could be placed on each side, giving him immediate access if he so needed it; the sizes were adjustable to accommodate other objects as well.

The child's praise and thanks was effusive, and the old man actually found himself quite flustered and embarrassed. "Hey, mister. I dunno how long these will last me, and I don't know how long I'll be away. If I pay you, will you make me a new pair every year? Just deliver them to the old man Hokage and he'll get them to me." The phrase old man Hokage nearly had the shopkeeper crying with laughter. In between gasps, he promised the child he would, and then waited for the boy to depart before again laughing at the overly friendly term.

Over the course of the morning, Naruto made several other visits, securing supply enough to last him a week. More than enough for him to make rounds and get to a town if he didn't have any luck. When he loaded his pack, it was a little heavy, but he endured. For the first three steps. At that point, an ANBU agent arrived. Naruto had always been a little bit unsettled by most ANBU; not because they were so deadly and he was afraid that their bias would carry into their work, but because they were so quiet. Silence unnerved him.

"Hokage-sama has requested your presence. If you will hand me your pack, we'll be on our way." The voice was calm and even, and Naruto had no idea who it was; a new member perhaps? He was familiar with most of ANBU, and not being able to identify this one was throwing him off even more. Managing to shrug off his pack, he handed it to the ANBU agent who hefted it, and then took hold of Naruto's hand. Forming the seal for Shunshin with a single hand, he, the pack, and the child disappeared.

Only to reappear outside of the building where Sarutobi's office lay. Handing the child his pack, the ANBU agent opened the door, and motioned for Naruto to enter. Which the short figure did, giving the ANBU figure an odd look. Presently, the agent himself entered and shut the door, finally doffing his mask.

"Ah, Itachi. Thank you for bringing Naruto here to see me." The third Hokage smiled warmly, and Itachi bowed. The girl – no, woman – seated to the side of the desk did not escape his notice, and though he gave no indication of it, he was curious. Moreso when she rose, crossed the room to him, and then adopted a seiza sitting position before pressing her forehead to the floor. "Sakurazukamori-sama, the Sumeragi Clan greets you."

There was a long moment of silence in the room. Itachi stared at the figure bowing before him, then at the third Hokage, and then at Naruto. The genius had heard of the term she addressed him by before in passing, but never in relation to him. Judging by the way that the third Hokage was now proving unable to restrain some measure of mirth, the girl was mistaken.

"Oi. Neechan, I'm the Sakurazukamori." The youth seemed half-irritated, half-amused at the situation, judging by his look. She glanced around the room, noted no indication that the boy was lying. Mortification pressed in on her, and she flushed hotly, immediately scooting over and repeating her introduction. When she felt a hand on her shoulder she tensed, terrified that she had invoked his wrath and her death was imminent. "Hey. Get up. I don't like the bowing thing. Save it for when I do something."

Almost instantly she was on her feet, apologizing profusely. It took Naruto a full minute to get her to quiet down and stop acting like inconveniencing him was the end of the world. Turning to the Hokage, the blond frowned thoughtfully. "I thought that we had no idea where the Sumeragi clan was. Did you find something out or remember something or…?"

"The Reverend Mother sent me. She said that it was better that you come with guidance, to prepare you for the trials ahead. Something about the proper mindset." She started rambling, and when Naruto gave her an odd look she blushed again, and fell silent, fidgeting. He turned his attention back to the Hokage who was by now grinning broadly. "So I suppose I won't be needing the supplies. Do you have what I asked you for?"

"Indeed." The third Hokage reached down, and hefted a bag. Naruto took it, reached inside, and pulled out a carton. The woman frowned. "You're giving a child cigarettes? He's the Sakurazukamori, but he's just a kid!"

"Relax, neechan." He flashed the carton at her. Underneath the rather convincing-looking brand, they were clearly labeled: 'CANDY CIGARETTES'. "The guy in my dream looked really cool with all of this stuff, and I'm already cool and now I have a similar outfit, so I must be twice as cool by now." He grinned, and she couldn't help but return the smile in part. He popped open the carton, took out one of the very convincing candy cigarettes, and stuck it in his mouth before pocketing the pack and placing the rest in the bag. Lifting it, he grabbed the bag that carried his books and scrolls, and then smiled at Sarutobi. "I'll be back with some new pranking material, old man. Be ready for it."

The third Hokage smiled warmly. "Do your best, Naruto. This isn't something you can breeze through. It'll take all of the focus and talent you have to succeed. When you return, I expect you to be able to show me a few tricks."

"Of course!" The child grinned. "After all, I'm going to be Hokage. I'll master this stuff and nobody will be able to beat me!"

The two turned to leave, and then Sarutobi called out. "Naruto, could you come here a moment? I have something to give you." The boy turned around, confused, but walked over. Placing a hand on the boy's shoulder, his voice dropped to a whisper. "I wish you only the best of luck. I know that you're going to work your hardest. You'll become strong. So to help you with that…here." He took a scroll that was sitting on his desk and pressed it into the boy's hand. The child looked down at it, and when he looked back up, his eyes were misty. He dove forward, hugged Sarutobi, who was content to chuckle and pat his back. Sometimes, he could shove aside the regret of that day. This was definitely one of those times.

It took all of five minutes outside the village in silence for Naruto to crack. The woman was acting antsy, and Naruto had never been patient even for a seven year-old. "Neechan, you never did tell me your name."

She half-jumped in shock, and Naruto shook his head in exasperation. "Uh, um, I'm Sumeragi Arisa. Heiress to the Fifth Branch of the Sumeragi family." Unsteadily, she turned to look at him, and then looked away when she saw him looking at her. "And…you are Sakurazukamori-sama."

"I have a real name. It's Uzu-"

"To me, you are Sakurazukamori-sama." She interrupted, her voice suddenly cold. The child paused in his step, turning his head to look at Arisa again. She walked stiffly, but it was not the same stride. Not a nervous gait, then, but one of barely-concealed hostility. Naruto's hair rose slightly, and two presences inside him boiled. Pressing down the sensations, he responded by placing his arms behind his head. "No, to you, I'm Naruto. Call me Sakurazukamori before I've done anything worth the title and I'll beat you up and force you to call me Naruto."

She stopped dead in the road, and turned to face him. It was the first time the child had really taken an opportunity to look at her. Tall, even for a girl, her initial impression was 'motherly'; bangs of black hair framed her face, while two brown eyes spitted him. He couldn't identify the look on her face. He had seen it in old man Hokage a few times. But he did know that the look almost always preceded bad things. However, she had been rather awkward the entire trip, and it really did irritate him that she never called him anything but his title; especially one that he still knew next to nothing about. So he refused to back down, and instead returned her look with one of his own.

A minute passed in stone cold silence, neither side willing to back down.

In retrospect, Naruto would never be able to determine if he had noticed something or one of his two mental occupants had. All he could figure out was that his right hand had acted on its own, lashing out in five quick, linked movements to trace a pentagram in the air. Arisa, mistaking his actions for an offensive move, was already fishing for ofuda when she felt the spell complete itself. A barrier? Indeed, not half a second later, two kunai struck harmlessly against the symbol.

Pivoting, she hurled five ofuda tags with her right hand, her left poised in front of her chest as she chanted. The tags shimmered, and then began to glow. With each impact, a decent-sized explosion erupted, and Naruto turned to her with some awe. "You know this onmyoujutsu stuff?"

She had pride enough to sniff imperiously at his suggestion. "Of course. I'm an heiress. But our friend isn't quite gone. Follow me, Sakurazukamori-sama!" Even as Naruto protested the name, she grabbed his hand and pulled him along. It didn't escape the boy's eyes that a tag fell from her sleeve before adhering itself to the ground. As they ran sideways, Naruto saw the ninja dart from the foliage he'd been using as cover. More kunai sailed over, but Arisa displayed a surprising level of agility in her movements, exhibiting a dancer's grace in the way she moved herself and Naruto through the attacks without so much as a scratch.

Again, as they moved in their elegant circle, Naruto never failed to notice the ofuda that she left. Completing the circle, she turned her back, presenting a most delicious target. Naruto had a vague idea of what she was up to, and elected to say nothing lest her trap fail. Instead, a voice inside Naruto's head pestered him to pay close attention, and he did. The ninja, who was now closing in rapidly while forming seals, was maybe halfway inside the circle when she finished the spell's recitation.

Lightning crackled from the tags, and suddenly arced upward, joining together in the circle. The child stumbled backward, shocked by the suddenness of the spell, and heard her voice even through the crackling electricity. She continued to intone the words of the spell, the constant flow of energy strengthening the barrier formed…and then all hell broke loose inside.

The conjoined orb of energy began to lash out randomly. Entire chunks of earth were torn up as the arcs of lightning weaved to and fro. The ninja was more than a little terrified, and immediately attempted to run back out; he made it three steps before the lightning consumed him. Morbid fascination forced Naruto to watch as the man's body twitched and danced, wreathed in a solid 'beam' of electricity. Arisa's voice stopped, and the spell flickered, and the energy dissipated. Only a charred corpse remained.

Naruto felt sick. He could compartmentalize the fact that he had killed someone; after all, while he had no reason to believe that the old man had lied to him, it was not an experience that he himself could recall. In that sense, he was desensitized to it, as though it had happened to someone else and he had been nowhere nearby. But here, he had just seen someone bathed in lightning, cooking to death while his nerves went insane. 'Too much' could not adequately describe what he had just seen. And he decided to make that known by emptying the contents of his breakfast on the ground.

Arisa stared at him. This was…worrisome. She had been raised on stories of terror. To her, the Sakurazukamori was a being of nightmares, a veritable boogeyman. To see such a person – she had no doubt, not after that barrier – submitting to illness after seeing someone die, well…she was confused. Everything that her upbringing had told her to believe about the Sakurazukamori was being challenged. The boy had probably never been in a serious fight before now. How he had claimed the title then, she couldn't understand.

Hesitantly, she closed the distance between them, knelt, and put her hand on his shoulder. He continued to retch, but the sniffling in between died down. After a few minutes, he shakily rose to his feet, turned to look at her. Nothing was said between them, but she could see it, the gratitude in his eyes. An astonishing amount, really. It took every impulse she had to resist the urge to hug him, and then she just broke and pulled him to her. It was too cruel, she decided. That this child, who could not stand to see a man die, would one day become the world's most feared assassin. No, she wouldn't allow it. She didn't know how she would fight against such an inevitability, but she would.

"Arisa-neechan, I'm fine now." He mumbled softly against her shoulder. She took a moment to wipe at her eyes, which had misted up, and then she released him and rose. Offering him a smile, she received one in return.

"Naruto-sama, I hope your stay with us is long and enjoyable."

"I do too."

"Interesting little boy." One of the three remaining Ame-nin commented, watching the two departing figures lazily from the cover of a thick tree. "Normally Ryuusei's kunai skills are top-notch; hard to imagine a brat could have noticed them early enough to dodge, let alone make any kind of defense. But he did, and I don't even know what he used."

"Forget the brat. The girl, man. She manipulated Ryuusei. Completely." The second one spoke up.

"What do you mean?"

"Why do you think he left cover? No ninja is so stupid that they would willingly leave cover unless there was a reason to. She wasn't moving directly at him, so he could have used the cover a lot longer, but he made himself an obvious target. Her initial guess wasn't too far off, but not close enough for him to be spooked."

"…" The ninja bit his lip. "Let's go see." The three set off toward the area where Ryuusei had initiated his assault. When they arrived, they split up, and started searching. Less than a minute later, the female of the surviving trio called out, and they hustled over. She gestured to a tree, and it took them a moment to see what she was indicating. A number of kunai, easily identified as belonging to Ryuusei from his unique tags, were embedded in the trunk at erratic intervals. And amongst all of the dotted kunai, a single slip of paper with a pentagram inscribed.

"What is this? What the hell is that girl slinging around? I mean, I thought those were exploding tags she threw. But what if she's storing actual ninjutsu and genjutsu in these things? I mean, we saw her leaving the tags, and then she did…whatever the hell that was to Ryuusei. That isn't normal ninjutsu." The first one shuddered to think of that being directed at him. "They aren't normal, and I don't like that. We should kill them."

The third, the girl, stared at him. "We have a mission to accomplish. We're here for one reason. Ryuusei's death is unfortunate, but it doesn't cripple us. Let's get moving."

"…yeah." He mumbled. He took one last look at the tag on the tree, and started when it was suddenly consumed in fire. "This is too freaky. Leave it to the bigger guns."

The remaining three Ame-nin began to make their way toward Konoha once again.

"Are you sure that sending the vessel away was a good idea, Hokage-sama?" Yuugao asked. It irked her to call the child 'the vessel', since he had grown on her in the last two months, but appearances needed to be kept. "While I do not doubt that the Sumeragi would hesitate before violating your request, he is more exposed to enemies, is he not?"

The third Hokage looked at her, and smirked. "Does everyone just assume that in my old age I'm forgetting how vital the child's safety is? Yes, I believe that Naruto is quite safe with the Sumeragi. They make a habit of not being found unless they want to be found. I explained to their messenger everything that they needed to know, including his…condition."

Yuugao's left eyebrow rose. "You told them about the Kyuubi? Was that necessary?" The smile on Sarutobi's face made her feel as though she had made an obvious mistake in logic, and she blushed slightly, her mind forging ahead and trying to figure out what connections she hadn't made.

If Naruto was going to be training in onmyoujutsu, he'd learn the various attacks and defenses involved. But there was more to onmyoujutsu than that. She knew that practitioners had powers of divination, and they could also tamper with spirits and…

Oh.

Oh.

"I see you're starting to get it." The man behind the desk said with a smile. "Yes, I have every intent of allowing them to train him as best as they can. It wasn't an option we considered. The Sumeragi stayed out of that conflict as a whole. If the techniques he learns there could help him pacify the Kyuubi and get it to work with his system, there's no telling what kind of heights the boy's potential could reach. He could do great things. Amazing things."

He wasn't salivating at the prospect, but the look he had on his face, one of almost certain and savage glee, was one Yuugao knew well. It was the look he constantly wore when he was younger. The guise that had charmed so many soldiers, that had led him to the title of Sandaime Hokage. He was definitely plotting something. And as she saluted and left to go on patrol, she could swear that she heard him begin to cackle.

Naruto finally tore his attention away from the scroll the old man had given him before he left. Absorbed in the contents of one of the few real gifts he'd ever been given, he had passed the multiple-hour trek quietly. Well, quietly for Naruto. He looked up, and saw the first signs of a settlement beyond the trees in front of them, standing out against the backdrop of the setting sun. "Is that it, Arisa-neechan?"

"Yes, it is, Naruto-sama. The enclave of the Sumeragi. Our refuge against all that occurs in this world. People never find us unless we want them to. Had you left without one of us guiding you, you may never have found us, Naruto-sama."

"So you were sent to guide me here. At least they're being receptive." He grumbled, and began to start forward. Arisa reached out, grabbed his shoulder, stopping him for a moment, and turning him to face her.

"Prepare yourself, Naruto-sama. Your time here will not be easy at all. Though the Reverend Mother and I will do our best, people will not be…receptive to you. Your line has caused us much trouble over the ages. And on top of that, the training that you undergo will be intense. My understanding is that along with the development of your onmyoujutsu techniques, you will be learning Hakkyokuken, and judging by the scroll you have and the pack, you will be studying other subjects on your own time. I am…worried that you may be overreaching."

"If they hate me, then it's no different than home." Naruto stated simply, blankly. "I don't know why, but they do. If they treat me any better here, it won't be a problem." However, his face brightened immediately afterward. "As for everything else, I'll be fine. For once, I'm actually looking forward to lessons. I'll do my best and make everyone proud."

Arisa smiled down at him, reached down and ruffled his hair. "Then welcome to the next stage of your life, Naruto-sama."

"Sakurazukamori-sama," the Reverend Mother intoned. The clan heads and heirs were assembled at the entrance of the enclave, at least three members from each of the twenty families of the Sumeragi Clan. And another forty or so bodyguards, hidden in key locations in case he tried anything funny. However, Arisa noted with more than a little amusement, they were very surprised by the fact that the new Sakurazukamori was a child. Hardly worth the protection, was it? You'll learn quickly that your fear has no basis. "The Sumeragi Clan welcomes you to our enclave."

Naruto glanced sidelong at Arisa, who did not look back at him but nodded, and he stepped forward. Clearing his throat, he said the first thing that he could think of. "Don't call me Sakurazukamori until I know what that means. I am…Sakurazuka Naruto, from this moment on. Call me anything but Naruto and I'll beat you up."

There were more than a few outraged noises, and at least two clan heads stepped forward in protest before laughter cut them off. The Reverend Mother laughed in earnest, and the large man just behind her met Naruto's eyes and smirked, nodding. "Good, good. This place needs a little less reverence. Naruto-sama, is it, then? Come, come, I must introduce you to the people of this village. You will learn very quickly who your teachers are, and why they are your teachers. Your lessons will begin tomorrow." She tilted her head and nodded back toward the village.

Naruto started forward, and Arisa matched his stride. The sixty-some people parted, allowing the group of four to pass through. The young blond looked around, confused. The gazes of these people, they were not the cold, critical, hateful stares that he was used to. They were more like Ayame-neechan's. He could feel a lot of curiosity in the looks, and hints of fear. That latter part dismayed him so much that he immediately resolved to change it.

He stepped to the side and marched up to a relatively young man. Almost reflexively, he stepped in front of the two girls near him. But Naruto made no threatening gesture, simply extended his hand. "Give me your hand." When the man again hesitated, Naruto rolled his eyes. "Just give me your hand, mister. I'm not going to tear it off or anything."

Scowling slightly, the man stuck his hand into Naruto's. Though his hand dwarfed the blond's, Naruto smirked and gripped it, and then shook it, much to the man's surprise. Grinning up at him, Naruto spoke the one thing nobody in the assembly but Arisa was prepared to hear. "There. Now we're friends. No more of this crap, all right? You know my name, so what's yours?"

"…" The man stared down at him for a long moment, before the hint of a smile played across his lips. "I'm Sumeragi En, head of the Ninth Branch of the Sumeragi Family. My wife, Nanase, and my daughter, Rin." He stepped aside, and they stepped forward. Nanase smiled and knelt. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Sa-my apologies. Naruto-sama." Naruto beamed at her.

The girl, Rin, gave him an appraising look. "You're short."

Naruto's eye twitched. "I'm only seven. And you're not so big yourself."

"Bigger than you."

Such sound logic, Naruto could not defeat.

Soft laughter rippled through the assembly, and Naruto, despite his chagrin, managed a smile. He was glad. The reaction was better than anything he'd ever gotten in Konoha. He was, despite his initial worries, very quickly becoming comfortable. The Reverend Mother, smiling widely at this point, gestured, and he bowed to the members of the Ninth Family in gratitude before departing. Even though the assembly was no longer required, Naruto couldn't help glancing back and noticing that several of them were chatting quite animatedly at the entrance.

"They're good people. They were, however, a little worried about your arrival. That you know so little about your heritage is not surprising, but you have to understand that we are a little confused at how a child managed to kill the last Sakurazukamori and take the title." The large man grinned. "I assume you know that is how the title is passed from person to person."

"Yeah, the old man Hokage told me about that. I don't remember it at all." At their blank stare, he waved his hand. "Listen, I'm just as confused on the whole matter as you are. My understanding is that he was hurt on a mission and was dying near me. I sped up the process, and the old man segmented off that part of my memory. So like I said, I don't remember it."

"…Naruto-sama, you truly are a weird person." Arisa mumbled softly. Though nobody said anything, the sentiment was universally understood, and agreed upon. This kid was just weird. Still, he had some element to him that made them like him, regardless. The Reverend Mother cleared her throat. "Now that we have a moment alone, I would like to introduce you to your combat instructor. Sumeragi Mitsuomi. He has passed over the responsibilities as the head of the First Branch in order to attend to me and other official matters, including your instruction." The large, shaved man nodded. "He will be instructing you in the Eight Infinities Palm, Hakkyokuken. He knows several others, but we've agreed that it's the best style suited to your path. Your training with him starts at five-thirty every day."

"I look forward to seeing you progress. Allow me to make one thing clear, however, Naruto-sama. I do not pull punches, I am not forgiving. If you can walk away from my training every day, I have done something wrong." The large man smirked. "If, on the off-chance that you make it through to some level of mastery of Hakkyokuken, we can talk about adding more styles to your regimen. Until then, I will hear no mention of anything else. Understood?" The boy nodded emphatically, and Mitsuomi couldn't help but chuckle.

"Then let us continue moving." The tour progressed, and over the next hour Naruto learned the layout of the enclave, and met several more of the Sumeragi, often leading to the child demanding the handshake and declaring them to be friends. His attitude was endearing, and very quickly those who talked to him were casting off their worries about the newest Sakurazukamori. By the time the tour was almost over, he was struggling to remember some fifty-odd new names. When he asked the Reverend Mother how many there were, she replied, offhandedly, that there were around a thousand.

"And now, you will meet your onmyoujutsu teachers." The old crone smiled.

"Teachers? I'll have more than one?" The boy frowned thoughtfully.

"Yes. For onmyou theory and principles, you will be meeting with me every morning. Be early, Naruto-sama, because I am an early riser and you may find you want more time. Regardless of how much time we have, at eleven o'clock, you will meet with…ah, here she is."

The group turned, and Naruto heard the rather audible reactions from Arisa and Mitsuomi. The woman that approached them could best be described as stunning. Her hair was pulled back into a long ponytail that hung nearly to the small of her back; though Naruto would not notice, or have any reason to notice, until years later, her figure was amazing, and the almost exotic appeal was only emphasized by unusual green eyes. Her gait seemed arrogant, withdrawn, although she seemed to drop it as she approached the group. "Sumeragi Youhei. She will be working with you on practical onmyoujutsu application until five o'clock, allowing a half hour for lunch."

Youhei smiled down at him, and even the child had the grace to blush slightly. She was pretty, even he had to admit. "Naruto-sama. I am Sumeragi Youhei, head of the Second Branch. I hope your talent allows you to live up to your predecessors in ability, and that your gentle heart prevents you from committing the atrocities they have."

The boy could do little but nod, and she knelt down and put a hand on his head. "I don't teach very often, Naruto-sama, but I will not allow your potential to go to waste. Understood?"

"…yeah. I got it." He finally broke through the mental block. "I'll be the best onmyouji the world has ever seen. And then I'll be Hokage for sure." Youhei blinked, then looked up at the Reverend Mother. 'Hokage?' she mouthed.

"Naruto is from Konohagakure no Sato. A ninja-in-training, it would seem, and they've given him to us for safekeeping while he learns how to succeed the previous Sakurazukamori." The elderly woman clarified. "It seems that he's not just content to succeed the Sakurazukamori line and change the meaning, he also wishes to become the Hokage."

Youhei looked at the boy thoughtfully, and then smiled, although it was brittle. "I see. Then sleep well, Naruto-sama, we will begin tomorrow."

"Naruto-sama," Arisa spoke up, "you'll be housed by the-"

"Actually," Youhei interrupted, "if it's not a huge issue, the Second Branch would be honored to have Naruto-sama stay with us for his time here." She smiled coolly at Arisa, who frowned. She felt an urge to keep him away from her, though she couldn't define a reason as to why, and she really had no standing to do so. Even with her status as an heiress, she could not go against the head of a family. But every part of her maternal instinct was suggesting that letting him go was wrong.

"Well, I appreciate the offer, Youhei-sensei," the boy smiled apologetically, "but at least for right now, I'd kind of like to stay with Arisa-neechan."

Arisa stopped, and looked down. That was unexpected. The First Branch had originally offered to take him in, if only because aside from Youhei they were the most potent of the Sumeragi family, and she was going to agree. But he had just explicitly asked permission…"If Naruto-sama desires it, the Fifth Branch would be more than happy to house you."

She could still feel Youhei's calculating gaze, but smiled anyways. "Come, Naruto-sama, we'll help you get set up. With your permission, Youhei-sama, Mitsuomi-sama, Reverend Mother." With no objections, she turned and practically hauled Naruto away, toward the building that contained the Fifth and Fourteenth Branches of the Sumeragi.

"So that's the Sakurazukamori, huh? If he's from the ninja village, then that means that the energy I was feeling, that was…" Youhei watched as Naruto said something that made Arisa laugh, and then turned to look at the Reverend Mother for confirmation.

"Kyuubi no Youko. Yes, he is the vessel. He, if the current Hokage is to be believed, has no idea about his heritage. I have no intention of revealing it; it is a job for him to uncover, or for those he is truly close to to reveal it for him. His request, though, is an interesting one. Certainly, if he is anything like his predecessors, he would have seen the possibilities of our techniques interacting with a spirit like the Kyuubi. I believe that is, in part, what convinced him to let the child go. You must notice that much of the child's energy is devoted simply to containing it. It is devouring its host." The Reverend Mother sighed and shook her head.

"Even if we fix the problem of the beast devouring the child, there remains the sizable chance that he will not survive to more than sixteen years of age before the consciousness of the person we know as Naruto is overwhelmed by the Kyuubi and Sakurazukamori. I imagine that before he inherited the Sakurazukamori, he was able to manage the Kyuubi, but with two separate consciousnesses alongside his own…we may never see Naruto use his full potential. Only one of the two monsters that inhabit his mind." The crone exhaled, and a tear escaped her. "It would be such a waste of life."

"Is there nothing we can do?" Mitsuomi asked softly. "Surely, in onmyou or medicine there has to be something that we can do for Naruto-sama. I was never good at onmyoudo, so I can't tell what potential he has in that regard, but I imagine that it is incredible. And I'm certain that under training he will grow to be incredibly powerful. I am terrified to shape that potential knowing that his mind could collapse, that he could be twisted against us so simply."

"There are no readily available techniques for healing such a fractured mind." Youhei answered, looking up at him. "There may be something that we overlooked, and I will investigate as I can. I'm certain that in his time here we can come up with something to help him."

"I hope so. For his sake." The Reverend Mother shook her head. "One way or the other, that child is going to have a hell of a time of it."

"Naruto-sama?" Arisa asked, garnering the attention of most of the people sitting at the table. The two families that inhabited the building generally did not eat at the same time, but the new arrival had shifted schedules around enough that most of each family could be treated to the sight of the young onmyouji-in-training devouring food like a vacuum. "May I ask you a question?" She felt the frowns of a few of her relatives, ignored it. The question had been irking her since they had departed from the tour to get him settled in.

"Whassat, Arisa-neechan?" Nomnomnom.

"Why did you decline Youhei-sama's invitation to stay with the Second Branch?" Conversation stopped. She had crossed no line. This was news. Delicious, very gossipy news. Was there something about the infamous head of the Second Branch that the new Sakurazukamori didn't like? Was there scandal between their new visitor and Arisa already? They needed to know.

"Oh." He stopped eating for a second, and looked directly at Arisa. "Well. I'm new here. And while Youhei-sensei," several Sumeragi clansmen literally spat out their food at the term, "was nice enough to offer her family's place, I know that you are willing to protect me." He smiled awkwardly. "You already have. Right now, I feel safer here than anywhere in this village."

Arisa flushed slightly, but smiled. "I see. You have nothing to worry about here, Naruto-sama." Dinner resumed, but the thinking continued. Though they restrained themselves, Arisa's parents, the heads of the Fifth Branch, were dancing. Screw the supposed superiority of the Second Branch. The Sakurazukamori felt safe with the Fifth. Oh, they would be taking advantage of this leverage long after Naruto had returned to Konoha.

Dinner ended shortly after, and most of the people retired to their rooms. Naruto followed this trend, but Arisa followed him. Closing the door after herself, she sat and watched with an amused smile as the boy immediately opened one of the scrolls he had brought with him and started to read. Slowly, she began to nod off; she had been woken up in the middle of the night to get ready to go to Konoha and return with the Sakurazukamori. She was low on energy after the lengthy trek and their little confrontation with whoever had attacked them.

The last conscious memory of that night was watching Naruto try the seals, a poof of smoke, and then a grunt of irritation. Silly boy, you need to sleep or you'll be too tired to do anything tomorrow.

Naruto finally tore his head out of the scroll that contained the information on the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu. After some ten attempts of varying degrees of failure, he had finally decided that reading the rest of the scroll might just help. However, the more he read, the more the words turned into funny scribbles. At long last, he finally gave up. Setting it down, he blinked a few times, trying to readjust his eyes, before yawning. "How late is it, anyways?"

That was when he noticed the sleeping form of Arisa. He couldn't help but smile. For some reason, his brain told him to do something, and he couldn't think of a reason why not. Dragging the blanket that had been given to him off the futon, he walked over and laid it across her. Stepping back, he nodded at his handiwork, pleased with himself. Stifling another yawn, he walked back to the futon. His eyes closed, and he was asleep before he had finished falling on top of it.