cat·a·lyst

ˈkad(ə)ləst/ noun

a person or thing that precipitates an event.

Black clouds sprawl across the sky, spreading to devour every ounce of light the night could possibly produce. The wind picked up, howling, crying, and warning, giving little to the approaching storm. The first crack of lightning split through the sky within seconds and the exploding crackling of thunder reverberated overhead. Pattering of tiny raindrops sounded above the room, slow and steady at first before entering into a frenzy, practically dropping buckets upon buckets on the village.

A small candle illuminated the darkened room, the flashes of lightning showcasing it for a few fleeting seconds before sending it back into the dark. A man sat in a chair watching the storm unleash it's anger upon them, grand puffs of smoke curling around his head like a snake slithering around a tree. Across the room sat another man, one who wore bandages across half his body. His hands rested on a cane that leaned against him, his one visible eye shut in concentration. Another rumble of thunder sounded between them, causing the bandaged man to open his eye.

"She's been holding in her anger for a while for the storm to be this intense, wouldn't you agree?" The man spoke up from between his pipe. The bandaged man turned his head slightly to peer outside into the darkness which flashed to light for a moment.

"Something must be upsetting." He agreed, straightening himself as his old friend chuckled.

"You've been quiet for some time now? Tell me what's been on your mind this evening?" The man removed his pipe for a moment, looking it over as he spoke. He must have been satisfied in whatever troubled him for he returned it back to his awaiting lips in no time.

"I'm worried for her future." The bandaged man replied with ease. His friend laughed, turning his head to look at him.

"You always seem to be." He murmured, laughter still bubbling on his aged lips. Setting his pipe down he set about cleaning it. "Need not to worry my friend, she was stomped on but she will prosper once again." Polishing the well crafted wood he carefully set it back in it's box, shutting it carefully.

"And the boy?" He asked, noting the immediate change in his friend. The old man's eyes narrowed, his back straightening.

"Need not worry about him, he is well and safe." The man's voice held a new edge to it, sharper and more serious. Gone was the lingering laughter and smile, now replaced with stern eyes and a locked jaw. The bandaged man bristled at his words.

"I do worry about him for he is not safe where you have placed him. Something that is as important to her safety should be held in high regards."

"And what exactly are you implying this boy has?" Both men stared at each other in silence, though a thousand words were being communicated through their gaze.

"Don't take me as a fool Hiruzen, I know of Minato's legacy and what he contains." The old man, Hiruzen, narrowed his eyes even more.

"The boy is safe, no one will find him for now." Hiruzen stated, his hand rubbing at his balding head. The bandaged man shook his head slightly.

"For now, but they will come one day. And when they do they will tear her apart for him. We are all endangered because you allow him this fantasy of a life he can not possibly have." Lightning exploded outside of the room, showing the two men's faces for a moment before they vanished into a faint glow.

"He should be allowed the chance of a normal life, he didn't ask for this." The bandaged man tapped his cane on the floor, another clap of lightning flashing around them.

"That boy is the container for the the kyuubi no kitsune, he will never have a chance at a normal life. He can not be left to grow around civilians." Hiruzen hated to admit it, but he could see where his friend was coming from. It was the same thought he had that night when this all started. Sighing he turned to look outside.

"This is to protect him Danzo." The bandaged man, Danzo, gripped his cane harder. Leaning forward slightly as thunder rumbled between them.

"Let me teach him how to protect himself, because they will come one day Hiruzen and you would be signing his death sentence by allowing this to continue." Hiruzen looked out at the darkened city, deep in thought. He knew that the boy would never truly be safe. That one day he would come to terms with what dwelled deep inside him. He wished to prolong it for a long as possible, to give the boy time to see life. But he would also be leaving him unprepared for his journey ahead of him, one that would truly be marked with hatred and hardships.

Could he trust his oldest friend with the task of preparing him for it? He would do it himself, but now that he was the Hokage again he knew he was looking at an even busier schedule considering the wreckage they had just experienced a few months ago. He could always ask his student, but he was to close with Minato. He was still grieving the loss of who he considered to be his only family. No, Hiruzen hated that he came back to this conclusion, but his friend was right. The boy needed to be prepared, it was the life of a jinchuuriki after all.

"Give him six winters to be just a boy, than yes...train him to be Konoha's sharpest sword for her to wield." The man murmured, knowing that he would regret these very words one day in the near future.

Danzo sat back in his chair, closing his eye in content. The silence lapsed around them again, filling with the roaring rain hitting the roof above them. Another clap of thunder sounded, lighting the room up as a jet of blue lightning shot through the sky, reaching out to encase as much space as possible before being sucked back up into the heavens. Hiruzen sighed, reaching for the case that held his pipe as the storm raged on ahead.

So Im kinda rewriting this story, even though I just had four chapters of it up. I didn't really like how it sounded. Anyways, big reminder that this is my first Naruto story, so I am bound to mess up with some jutsu's and some styles, just a warning. So until the next time I decide to procrastinate on my work and write a chapter.