This is not a chapter. This is a conclusion.

Alright. So after going through things in my head and with how long it's taken me to get around to trying to do another chapter of this story I've reached a conclusion…

Basically I suck as an author. Admittedly I still don't think I'm all that bad either, but definitely not in the league of say Kenichi618 or Gabriel Blessing to name two excellent examples.

I like longer stories, most of the time I usually don't even pay much attention to stories under 60-100 thousand words, but I haven't reached the point where I can plan out a logical sequence of events and trials with the respective character developments enough to justify writing a story of that length myself.

Ultimately I don't think I can finish this story properly, but I don't want to just leave it here so I figured I would take a page from 'Megii of Mysteri OusStranger' and outline some of what I had in mind to at least show what some of my plans were and maybe get lucky enough to inspire someone to write something great cause I suck at it. Feed my Fanfiction addiction!

Right. Land of Spirits:

We've met Nakamura Emiya and have seen the basic idea for this mission, i.e. protect her for a few weeks. The scene with the bandits came and passed and Naruto has had the first of his major breakdowns for this mission. Emiya has expressed an interest in him and that is pretty much where I left off.

As I mentioned there would be some interaction between Naruto and Kakashi, mostly along the vein of Kakashi consoling Naruto and lightening the impact as much as he can. Naruto and Sasuke's relationship will end up taking a step back, but ultimately the event will pass them over without much trouble. Hinata's major issue will actually have very little to do with Naruto and much more to do with the rather graphic display of one of the potential dangers to her specifically in her line of work, reading and lectures can only go so far to prepare her.

No other events impede the mission until they arrive at the Nakamura estates and meet Tatsuya, Emiya's 'Father'. She only refers to him by his title or 'Father'. Naruto ends up spending much more time with Emiya then the rest of the team as she requests that he be around her more often. Emiya doesn't speak much but mentions having someone of Naruto's 'mindset' will make sure her 'Fathers' wishes come true.

Things remain peaceful until a few nights prior to Emiya's birthday when Danzo leaves Konoha to pay Tatsuya a visit, which is actually a screen for him to have a discussion with Naruto. His initial idea of mind controlling Naruto with Shisui's eye is countered by the Kyuubi, the beast refusing to allow his container (and itself by proxy) submit to another persons will through the use of an Uchiha eye. Naruto is not informed that the Kyuubi repels the attempt, or even that it occurred.

During the discussion that Danzo recovers with the older man enforces the idea of consequences for Konoha if the mission fails, outlining the diplomatic fallouts and how badly Konoha could be perceived in Spirit and its neighboring lands. Loss of missions which translates to loss of income, leading to less equipment for shinobi's, on top of Spirit potentially being willing to collaborate with another major village against Konoha in the future. He ends the discussion with an offer to teach Naruto and explain some of the boy's shadowed history before leaving the estate to return to Konoha.

Next event is the party, which goes remarkably well all things considered, I'd probably throw in a scene where the genin getting to dance and enjoy the party a bit as well. After the majority of the parties guests leave a man breaks in, carrying a small coffin and manipulating water to kill anyone in his way. After confronting team 7 the water he has been using takes the form of a woman, later separating from the man to occupy Kakashi while the man continues on towards Emiya.

This individual is actually Emiya's biological father and her 'Daddy', Hibiki Nakamura, who was supposedly killed twenty years early along with his wife. They were actually experimented on by a joint Konoha/Suna team headed by Orochimaru, the product of their research turning Hibiki's wife into a semi-sentient guardian composed of water for Hibiki. This research would later be used during the sealing of the One-tailed raccoon in suna, giving Gaara his 'Automatic Defense'.

Side Note: This idea formed mostly from how Gaara continues to have rather protective sand post One-tails removal, and that defensive move he pulls during the fourth shinobi war takes the form of his mother… Also he is still the only Jinchuriki I have seen in cannon with a manifestation of his biiju's power that interacts with the physical world outside channeling tails or merging with them, as such I thought it would be kinda cool to have a reason for that besides 'Well the one-tails obviously does that, duh!'.

Hibiki reveals that Emiya actually died shortly before his capture, her revival was accomplished recently through the impure-world resurrection which explains the seals Hinata can see (Ok, for all you who thought she had a demon caged in her… Shame on you. Seriously, that would just make her waaaaay to similar to Gaara.). She was revived as part of the deal Tatsuya brokered with Orochimaru after Hibiki married the woman he wanted. Her resurrection is not perfect, but additional seals to mimic a more life-like appearance were added though her 12-year old body cannot age or even replicate aging leading to her childlike appearance. Part of the process also allowed Tatsuya to enforce an order that she refer to him as 'Father' and do her best to avoid 'death' like a normal individual.

After explaining the situation Hibiki reveals the coffin he carries will undo the resurrection, freeing his daughter from her puppet like life. Emiya then turns to Naruto and tells him "This is why I needed you", Naruto inquires about how the coffin works and listens to Hibiki's explanation. Afterwards he and the rest of team 7 step aside.

After hugging his daughter Hibiki sets the coffin down and prepares for the sealing, only for Naruto to cut him down from behind to the shock of everyone but Emiya. Crying Naruto quietly chants "For Konoha, all for Konoha" While Emiya alternates between cursing and thanking him as she cradles her daddies body, buried natural instincts warring with the programing she received after her resurrection. With Hibiki dead his wife's spirit can no longer sustain its existence and perishes as well, freeing Kakashi to stumble onto the scene. As they all vacate the room later Naruto discretely creates a few clones that slip back in and take off with the coffin.

The next few days are extremely tense as Naruto faces down all three members of his team over his decision, both individually and in groups, explaining his reasoning as much as possible. Emiya refuses to be around him any longer as well, stating his "Purpose is finished".

Side note: This is actually an incredibly grey area type mission. I'm not sure how Cannon Naruto would go about it… well obviously besides a different direction then I took. He would probably end up beating everyone involved up and making them all a big happy family again somehow. Kinda interested what some of you guys/gals (readers) think would happen. For the sake of making it more 'Cannon' appropriate we can ignore the bandit encounter and just assume they arrived at the Nakamura estate with no problems.

After the team is released Naruto makes a few more clones after they travel a bit and sends them off, refusing to say why when asked. These clones wait for a few days before breaking into the estate with the coffin the previous clones had hidden and confront Emiya in her room with an offer to finish her daddies task.

That would be the end of the Spirit mission.

Danzo, after finding that Shisui's eye is not powerful enough to chain the Kyuubi to his will in its current state instead begins re-working his plans, most notably he sets up plans to take Naruto under his wing as an apprentice of sorts. With his knowledge of wind techniques and complete history of Naruto's lineage he believes he has enough cards to get the Jinchuriki on his side with time.

This puts us near the start of the Chunin exams and at this point I didn't have very many concrete plans for what to do during the exam. All the rookie nine would still be entered and I don't think I was going to change much up over the first two tasks or even the Prelim fights (besides throwing in some new techniques or strategies for varying genin).

During the month worth of training time instead of meeting Jiraiya Naruto would instead look up Danzo. Initially for the information Danzo has about his past, but then eventually accepting the mans assistance in training for the finals. Danzo, after Naruto agrees to train with him, informs Jiraiya that the boy is under his wing and will be prepared for the finals.

"Your assistance will no longer be needed. In fact, you can continue treating the boy just as you have for the last twelve and a half years."

Jiraiya, frustrated and upset over the course of events tries to talk Naruto into taking his training instead. But when asked by the boy who his mother was he refuses to answer, under oath not to reveal Naruto's parentage yet, and Naruto then informs him he doesn't need more people hiding things from him in his life before running away. After talking with Sarutobi Jiraiya accepts that at the current time he won't be able to spend much if any time with Naruto.

While Jiraiya is storming around the village after the discussion he comes across Hinata training herself into the ground without proper supervision. He ends up giving her some pointers over the next few days before learning she is Naruto's team-mate and then offers to teach her while Naruto and Sasuke are busy with their respective teachers, hoping to start easing his way into Naruto's life through his team if he can't move in directly.

Finals again, haven't really planned many large differences at this point until the invasion starts (besides Hinata participating instead of sitting on the sidelines). Danzo joins Sarutobi inside the barrier jutsu, but for his own agenda. When Orochimaru summons the first and second Hokages he delays them, telling Sarutobi his errant pupil is "His mess to clean up" while taking the time to talk with the undead, specifically the First.

One of the major topics is the fact that Sarutobi did not retaliate or even lend significant aid to Uzushiogakure, home of Naruto's mother, and more importantly Danzo's fiancé. He elaborates on how the 'Will of Fire' has become a corrupted concept that is almost pacifistic, leading to the current decline of Konoha as the major power in the Elemental Nations.

End results are practically the same, with Sarutobi being forced to seal the first, second, and Orochimaru's arms before croaking.

Naruto ends up facing Gaara in full One-tailed mode and gets fucking destroyed, wins the fight, but his condition is similar to Lee's in cannon by the end of it Kyuubi enhanced regeneration being the only thing that kept him from dying outright. Gaara still gets snapped out of 'must kill all things' mode.

Side note: To everybody who just cried foul on account of "But the Kyuubi can just heal him up no problem like always?!"… Bite me cause I give no fucks. There are definitely some things that even Naruto's retarded regeneration can't handle and Gaara is completely capable of doing some of those things too him especially with Naruto not having tapped into the Kyuubi's chakra as much/at all compared to cannon.

Post invasion next big article to address is the Chunnin promotions, Danzo actually standing to speak on Naruto's behalf as despite his current hospitalized condition he almost single-handedly stopped a major threat to the village, however despite Danzo's mention Naruto is the only member of Team 7 not granted a chunnin promotion. Teetering back and forth over if I want that to be because of Danzo manipulation so it could have gone either way. Promotions over Danzo takes over as 'acting Hokage' until a fifth can be found.

Danzo instructs Jiraiya to locate and return Tsunade and agrees to let him take Hinata along. Don't have much on the specifics of this arc except Tsunade does agree to 'temporarily' return by the end of it if only to heal up some of the more extreme cases in Konoha (Naruto, Kakashi, Lee if I was mean to him… that kinda stuff)

Side note: No Hinata will not get the Rasengan… though she would probably master it in a fifteenth of the time it took Naruto with her absurd in comparison control the amount of chakra required is just too much for her to really adapt it into her style.

After Tsunades return Danzo uses the impure world resurrection technique to bring Dan back to unlife and then uses Shisui's eye to convince Tsunade that Dan is alive and she left him alone for years after Nawaki's? death. Lacking any defense against the manipulation Tsunade takes a place at the hospital but does not become the fifth Hokage.

Side note: He'll obviously be sneaky about it and use far more commands then just "Dan is alive" to convince Tsunade. Considering Shisui's eye is strong enough to over-ride the commands in the impure-world resurrection technique and the firsts cells to cut the recharge time I think he can manage.

Next major event is the Sasuke retrieval arc. Naruto is still recovering and at practically 0% potential fighting strength is the one to confront Sasuke verbally before Sasuke leaves Konoha. Leaving Hinata to be the muscle in the actual retrieval after promising Naruto she would bring their team-mate back.

Again no major changes besides the final confrontation being between Hinata and Sasuke instead of Naruto and Sasuke. In the fight Sasuke alludes to the fact that Hinata will always pick Naruto over him so there really isn't a reason to stay in Konoha if he can get better training elsewhere.

Devastated by the loss and her failure to keep her promise Hinata agrees to accompany Jiraiya on a training trip for a few months/years. After they leave Danzo reveals Naruto's heritage to the village at large and takes him on as an apprentice, beginning the process of molding him.

Utilizing Shisui's eye and his own political power Danzo manages to have Konoha gain a significantly larger presence in Suna, though they keep a 'kage' a Konoha Advisor is granted almost equal powers. Because of the potential relationship between Naruto and Gaara Danzo also lends aid to the Suna Jinchuriki in the form of lessons and political assistance as the boy begins his own steps towards becoming a Kage.

Because of the drastically changed relationship between Suna and Konoha the other nations begin to probe their borders and send small sorties. Naruto is given leave to join the defensive effort and eventually gains the nickname 'Redemption', for his many rapid relief and POW recovery missions, which he tattoo's over his left eye (similar to Gaara's tattooed 'love').

At what would have been the start of Shippuden I was planning for Danzo to put Naruto into the position of Suna's Konoha Advisor. One more small step towards the boy's ultimate goal of Hokage. Major issues in Suna would actually be stemming from Temari running an 'underground' resistance.

And that was where I ran out of juice for planning, or Naruto in general… The fact that that was also the week where I read about the Ten-tails came back to life while the two strongest bijuu still ran rampant AND the nine-tails had to gather chakra for the first time in the WHOLE FUCKING SERIES are completely coincidental… Totally… Also, grats NaruHina Fans… NaruHina is pretty much solidly entrenched as the Cannon pairing.

At least she grew out of the stalking phase before trying to have a relationship… If she had been creeping in Naruto's room talking about how she likes to watch him sleep I would have probably given myself brain damage beating my head with something large, heavy, and very-very blunt.

If you don't know I still don't own Naruto... So now you know.

I'm probably washing my hands of this fic, just as I did 'One Little Oversight', chances are not high for me doing anything with the various storyline pieces I left hanging. If I do decide to do anything with them I'll definitely start a new fic and make sure I actually... like plan out an ending. Till then I'll probably do a couple more one-shot type things and get back to 'Between Fire and Ice' which is probably the best story I've done to date (Chrono Trigger, but give it a shot) and the only one I have a proper outline for. Kinda feels nice to be... done, if we can call it that, with this.

Thank you all for putting up with me so far and I'm sorry to drop the ball like this. If you liked my stuff try out Kenchi618, Durandall, Majin Hentai X, Sir-Shun, or Morta's Priest just to name a few... Actually hit up my favorites, lots of good stuff in there from a couple fandoms.

~SimplyWaters~