Chapter one: Pilot.

In the realm of the Snake Summons, there are tales of a mythical beast that borders on the divine. The mother of all serpents, a creature that could slay gods, a creature well-known to mankind, chiefest and greatest of both Serpents and Calamities. The Yamata No Orochi, the original creator of the Snake Contract.

Many wars were fought over the Snake Contract, hoping to somehow gain command of the Yamata herself and to use her destructive abilities to lay wanton death and destruction. According to many tales, her silvery white scales are like unbreakable armor, her breath alone could cause an entire Nation to rot and decay into nothingness, her tails could shatter mountains and entire landscapes or split apart the seas. Many believed her to be the pinnacle of all Boss Summons, and by extension the Snake Contract was the ultimate contract.

Growing bored of waging wars for mankind's greed, arrogance and philosophies, the Yamata abdicated her position and faded into obscurity, putting herself into hibernation until 'The World called to her'.

Ages passed, and the title for being the Boss Summons changed ownership many times, until Manda became the Boss of the Serpent Contract. Unlike his numerous predecessors, Manda was a harsh and cruel leader, abusing his position and even using it to try and leverage human sacrifices from his summoners, though that wasn't a problem for a certain amoral Sannin.

When the previous bosses, the Yamata included were called to fight, they did so out of obligation to fulfill their end of the contract and killed no more than necessary. Not even the almighty Yamata herself with all her power, would dare kill for the sake of killing. But Manda had no regards for human life or the sanctity of a Summoning contract.

They needed someone else to lead them, but none among them were powerful enough to overcome the vicious Manda, and any who even thought about challenging him were silenced. And those who had the potential to do so were snuffed out. There was only one serpent that could end this brutal reign. The Yamata herself.

The Grand elder of the Serpents and a contingent of guards bravely ventured to the resting place of their mother, where she slumbered peacefully. The Elder used a certain technique to awaken her. When the Great Yamata awoke, it was said that the entire earth trembled in terror upon her awakening and that she was furious for being woken from her sleep. Thankfully, the Grand Elder had sense enough to bring massive offerings of wine to appease the Yamata, successfully buying her time and her ear.

The Grand Elder explained their dire situation, giving the bare facts to avoid wasting precious time and to not further test the White serpent's patience. Once he had finished, the Yamata let out a roar from her eight heads that nearly turned the Elder and his guards into puddles of goo. She was furious that Manda used his title to obtain human sacrifices, she was angry that her contract was being abused by a man that not only sought a means for immortality, but had tried creating a bastardized form that was modeled after her glorious self. This could not be allowed.

And now here we are, the great Yamata is now staring down at a broken and blood soaked Manda while all the other serpents bowed their heads to her in both fear and reverence. "Please… spare… me… great mother." Manda pleaded, choking on his own blood, and one of the Yamata's tails whipped forward and smashed his head deeper into the ground.

"Do not dare call me that. You shame our great clan. You shame me. You are not fit to be called a Serpent. You're a maggot. A worm. You are vermin." She spoke coldly and one of her heads dipped forward, its mouth taking in Manda's tail and began to slowly suck him inside. The Serpents all gasped in horror, she wasn't just going to kill him. She was going to eat him. No doubt setting an example to any who shared in Manda's ideals.

The disgraced Summons tried pleading for his life, but the White Serpent ignored him and continued to suck him as though here were a noodle from a bowl of spaghetti. The last thing that Manda saw, was the Yamata's jaws closing in front of him. It would not be long until he was reduced to nothingness inside of her belly.

Letting out an angry sigh, the Yamata knew she was the only one that could lead her clan back to the old ways and restore their honor. Back when she originally created their contract, she was very selective on whom she permitted to sign it, and even more so on who could summon her. With her slumber interrupted, she supposed it was time to reintegrate into the world. She demanded her children to bring her up to speed on all that has happened since she went to sleep.

They recounted the history of the nations, but she found it all tedious and boring. Different people, same old story. Humans were still killing each other for petty reasons such as money, land or power. Or worthless ideals, philosophies and beliefs. It was and always will be the same. Humans are such greedy and inferior creatures, but sometimes there were a few that caught her attention, that rose above all the faceless fleshlings and earned the honor of her attention.

She came to hear the fall of the Idealistic and hypocritical Senjus, and then the loss of the fierce and loyal Uzumaki clan, a great shame since they held so much promise. And then she was told of the infamous Uchiha massacre which brought a devious smile as she remembered several occasions that the arrogant Uchihas tried to subdue her with their Sharingan. A useless gesture since she was an entity bordering on the divine. She was far above such paltry tricks.

After catching up and committing all that she had been told to memory she ordered for Orochimaru's name to be struck from their contract immediately and demanded to know if there were any other names on the contract's list. There was only one other belonging to Anko Mitarashi, a former pupil of the so-called Snake Sannin who had been betrayed and used as a guinea pig for her ex-Sensei's inhumane experiments. From what the serpents told her, Anko was a good human who respected and treated her summons well in spite of not being able to fully utilize it due to Manda being in charge at the time.

The great Serpent grew interested and decided to meet and judge this Anko for herself to see how worthy she really was. It was time to head for this 'Konoha' however, the almighty Serpent knew that she couldn't enter a human domicile in her natural form… she would need to take on 'that form'. It made her sick to her belly and her scales crawled in disgust, but it was a small sacrifice if she were to conduct her business properly.

Days later. Konoha.

Anko sighed tiredly as she rubbed her eyes a bit, the dark circles under her eyes and the bloodshot state of them showing that she hadn't been sleeping well at all. In spite of staying loyal to Konoha all these years, she was still treated like gutter trash, people whispered things behind her back, calling her 'Snake whore' among other foul names.

It wasn't the name calling and mockery that really bothered her, it was the fact that people still held the false belief that she was still loyal to that thrice damned bastard that had permanently branded her for life. She worked harder and longer than most Kunoichi to prove her loyalty and still it wasn't enough. She did everything the Hokage commanded her to do, and it wasn't enough.

She has hunted for her ex-teacher to bring him to justice and STILL it wasn't enough. But there were a few glimmers of hope that helped keep her going, one of them was her very dear friend Naruto Uzumaki who was in highly similar circumstances to her own due to a brand of his own. She felt angry that the late Yondaime would force such a burden on a poor child, and she felt even angrier at the village for blaming Naruto for events that weren't his fault.

But she couldn't do anything about it. So instead, she befriended him and he instantly became attached to her at the hip. He claimed repeatedly that she was his only friend in the whole village… and she had a strong feeling that he wasn't exaggerating. She tried her best to introduce him to some of her other friends, but they were often too busy to make the time or were on out-of-village assignments.

So she alone tried her best to care for him, visiting him, playing with him, trying to keep him company in whatever spare time she had… and now she had to break some terrible news to him. She now stood in front of his apartment door with a scowl, the place seemed to be utterly falling apart, and got progressively worse with each passing month.

She pleaded with the Sandaime to put the boy in a better apartment, but each and every apartment was always listed as 'occupied' or 'reserved' though she believed this was falsely documented so the landlords could refuse the boy entry since his living conditions weren't a big secret. She even tried begging the Sandaime on her knees to adopt the boy into her care, but he said it was out of his hands since Jiraiya was Naruto's legal guardian on account of being his named godfather. She angrily pointed out that he was completely negligent in his duties and that he had zero contact with poor Naruto, but Jiraiya had the excuse of being Konoha's spymaster, thus he had plausible reason to not contact him.

The Hokage wanted to help, but his hands were tied, and Anko was so furious that she had to be dragged out of his office kicking and screaming by a reluctant Neko. Taking a deep breath, the dango lover knocked on Naruto's door, it didn't take long for him to open it, his eyes alight with joy upon seeing her as he spoke "Anko-sama! I'm so happy to see you! Did you torture any bad guys today?" He asked innocently at the end, making her regret that she told him about her job since he didn't fully understand what 'torture' often entailed.

She also couldn't help but giggle at the fact he calls her 'Sama', likely because she was a very important person to him and he absolutely adored her. She held up a bag full of Dango as a treat for him, and as an apology. "Brought you some goodies kiddo." She spoke gently as the blonde quickly ushered her in, she couldn't help but sneer in disgust at the sad state of his secondhand furniture.

If she had to guess, the landlord probably grabbed the furniture from some garbage dump to replace the quality stuff to make it harder on poor Naruto. But the boy didn't complain much, he took most everything in stride. She handed him the doggy bag, making him giggle with excitement as he brought over to the dining table and took out the Dango inside the bag. Anko gave a sad smile as she sat next to him, watching him happily gobble down the delicious dumplings.

He then took notice of something and stopped mid-bite of one and muttered "What's wrong Anko? Aren't you gonna have some?" She slowly shook her head negatively, making the boy realize that something was very wrong.

"Naruto… I have some bad news. I'm going to be leaving the village for a few months… on a long term mission." She spoke, trying to keep her voice as calm as possible. She felt her heart drop into her pelvis upon seeing the poor boy's face melt into sadness as tears filled his eyes. She could easily tell he was utterly heartbroken.

"Please… don't go Anko. I don't want you to go." He whimpered out, he then lashed out and angrily slammed his fists on the table as he screamed "I DON'T WANT YOU TO LEAVE! PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME ALONE! I CAN'T BE ALONE AGAIN!"

Anko quickly rushed forward and cupped his face in her hands, and quickly made shushing sounds to calm him. She fully understood his outburst, she was his only friend aside from the Sandaime who barely had any time for him due to his own duties. She believed that above all else, the one thing Naruto feared the most was being all alone with no one to love or care for him. He quieted down but tears flowed down his face as he continuously begged her not to leave, causing her to try and fight back tears of her own.

"I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry. I want to stay, but the Hokage gave me a direct order, and I have to follow it." She tried to explain to him, but this only made him sob louder in despair. She gently pulled him close and let him cry into her bosom, she stroked the top of his head as she continued to speak "I know exactly how you feel. I truly do. I was alone for a long while too. And people hated, and still hate me for something that wasn't my fault.

But I promise you, someday, you'll find more friends. Or more friends will find you. Then you won't be so alone anymore. You just have to persevere through that dark loneliness and keep your chin up. Okay? Things will get better for you." She promised him, he sniffled in response and tried to wipe away his tears, his eyes now red and puffy from crying.

"Why do people like us get treated so badly? We never did anything wrong. I didn't smash up the village. You didn't know what Orochimaru was doing." He muttered in a sad and angry tone, feeling like it was the villagers' fault that he and Anko had to suffer being Pariahs.

"I don't know. I honestly don't know. There's… there's something wrong with this village. There's a lot of bad people here. But it is still our home, and Ninjas like me need to do what we can to keep it safe. Now listen… I actually have a very important job for you. Something that I'm going to trust you with, okay?" She asked him, making him nod as he awaited her instructions. She then reached into her coat pocket and pulled out a key.

"I need you to look after my apartment for me while I'm gone. You can stay there as long as you like, just be sure to keep it clean for me. If you do a good job, I'll buy you all the ramen and dango you can stomach. Can you do that for me? As my friend?" She asked him, making him slowly nod in agreement since he would do anything for those he cared about and he didn't want to let down his best friend.

"Good boy." She spoke gratefully then planted a series of kisses on his cheeks and forehead. He gave a forced smile, trying to put on a more cheerful face for her, even if it was a facade. He still didn't want her to leave, but he knew there was nothing he could do to make her stay.

Out of seemingly nowhere he spoke "Anko… you said earlier that Ninjas need to do what they can to keep their village, their home safe. But what if the threat to the village, are in fact the villagers themselves?" For a brief moment, the snake user was taken aback by his question.

Most often Ninjas were so concerned with outside threats that they never gave much thought to potential threats inside the village. Both Madara and Orochimaru serve as prime examples of this, the former being a village Co-founder, and the latter being the student of the Sandaime himself. She supposed that it is often difficult for anyone to perceive a brother or sister in arms as a potential threat to the village. Someone you knew and fought alongside becoming an enemy of your own home? It was… quite difficult to see.

She also supposed that without trust, then fellow Ninjas could easily turn on one another as well and there would be mass panic and chaos. And finding a balance between trust and caution would be next to impossible. Taking a deep breath she answered "I suppose if the villagers were really a threat to Konoha… we'd have no choice but to do what is needed."

Naruto stood in silence, his fist clenching around the key she'd given him as he considered her answer. She placed her hands on his shoulders and spoke "Don't worry about such things. You'll be going to the Academy tomorrow, yeah? Do me a favor and excel in your classes, mkay? I have to leave in the morning. Now be good for me."

The whiskered child reluctantly bobbed his head up and down and hugged her tight "I love you Anko-sama. Please come back safely." He asked her, she felt her heart skip a few beats and warmth flood her face when he told her that. No one had ever said anything like that to her. She returned his hug and gave him her promise that she would be back. After giving him another kiss on the cheek to bid him goodbye, she left him in his apartment… alone.

The trip back to her apartment seemed to drag on forever, each and every step heavier than the last as she felt like the most horrible person in the world for leaving behind such a sweet little boy. Aside from the Sandaime, he had no one. No friends, no family, nothing. Not even a pet to keep him company since no pet stores would let him enter, much less give him the chance to adopt an animal.

Right now… she felt utterly powerless and was angry at herself for being unable to do more to help him. For years he'd kept a lid on all the pain and suffering he had endured, but she feared that it would keep on piling up until he couldn't take it anymore. If things kept on the way they did for him… Naruto was going to be heading to a very dark place.

She sighed to herself when she finally reached her apartment door, she pulled out a spare key from her pocket and opened it. She closed the door behind her and locked it, then put her trademark trench-coat on a coat hanger. She froze up as she felt eyes staring at her and slowly turned to see a woman sitting on her couch.

She had dark purple hair that was swept over and covered the right half of her face, a pair of yellow serpentine eyes staring at her and full lips with black lipstick and two fangs jutting from her upper lips. The stranger had an hourglass figure with a set of breasts and a large round ass that matched that of the famous Slug Sannin. She wore a loose fitting white yukata, her long and slender legs currently exposed showing she wore no footwear. Her skin was a pasty white color as well, making her an almost perfect match for her ex-Sensei… but there was something different about her eyes. They didn't have that same malicious intent.

"Finally. I've been waiting here for you, for some time now. Tell me the truth, how can you soft and squishy little humans walk around on two legs? It is a most undignified means of travel. And these bodies are so hideously ugly, it makes me want to puke. But in the name of politeness, I didn't want to smash up your home." The stranger spoke as she sipped at a glass of wine. Her aura exuded a sense of pride and arrogance, yet there was also a sense of dignity.

Blinking her eyes a few times, the Dango lover asked "Who the hell are you?" For a moment the strange woman seemed utterly offended by the question, but then she looked down at her own body for a moment before looking back at Anko with a look that showed she just had an epiphany "Ah. Excuse my manners. It would be difficult for anyone to recognize me in such an ugly form. You would know me as the Yamata no Orochi. You can express your awe and amazement now." And as if to illustrate her point, seven serpent heads appeared from her back, staring at the Kunoichi before retreating back out of existence.

Anko sputtered in shock, she had heard the numerous stories from the snakes she could safely summon, but she was told that the pinnacle of all Serpents was in a self-induced state of hibernation… it seemed like nap time was over now. "Why are you here?" Was the only intelligent question that she could ask.

The Yamata took another sip of wine and replied "Contract related business. Your former sensei has been removed from our contract, and I have already devoured that worm Manda. I am here to express my sincerest apologies for whatever suffering you may have endured because of them and you are now free to summon my children without consequence or fear. As compensation I am prepared to grant you any wish within my power to give. Of course my powers are quite vast to be certain."

The Kunoichi could hardly believe her ears at what she was hearing, it was as if the heavens had finally answered her prayers. Her hand subconsciously reached towards the nape of her neck where the Curse mark continued to pulse and throb, constantly reminding her of its presence. She wondered if she could ask the great snake to remove it… but then she remembered her dear friend Naruto.

She remembered his angry and tearful reaction to her leaving him, his profession of love, and the neglect he was suffering and would likely continue to suffer from. Without hesitation she spoke "My wish is not for myself. But someone I care for more than anything in this kami-forsaken world. My wish is for you to protect and train my dear friend Naruto 's still but a boy and he needs me, but I can't always be there for him. He needs this wish much more than myself."

The legendary serpent stared at Anko with unblinking yellow eyes, almost as though she were trying, no, she was succeeding into staring through her whole with those serpentine eyes. At last the serpent spoke in a tone of wonder and amusement "Fascinating. You could have asked me for anything… you could have asked me to remove that blemish that was forced upon you. And you gave it up… for someone else that you feel needs it more. I didn't think such selfless humans still existed. Humans are so ugly, inside and out. But you? It's been quite a long time since I've met someone… genuine. You must be a rare kind that wears their true self inside and out."

Anko could only nod since she was always a 'Heart on your sleeve' kind of person, her response making the serpent give a happy smile. The Yamata was also fascinated by the fact this child was also an Uzumaki, of course there had to be some survivors. A clan of such resilient humans couldn't be so easily snuffed out. Perhaps the world truly did call for her to awaken for some reason.

"Tell me more about this child. I wish to better understand my new charge." The Yamata requested, with the Dango lover agreeing as she began to explain everything she could about Naruto's life, from all the hardships he endured, the negligence of his 'godfather', and so on. The divine snake listened intently, occasionally letting out a quiet hiss of anger at hearing how a young hatchling could be so cruelly mistreated.

That would be changing very soon. Never let it be said that the almighty Yamata reneged on a bargain once struck. She would personally see to the care and training of this child, in fact… he could be a very powerful summoner for her clan, especially under her private tutelage.

The next day.

Naruto swallowed hard as he approached the Academy, he stared up towards the building nervously. He glanced down at a piece of paper in his hands that gave clear instructions on how to get to his designated classroom. The boy slowly turned towards the direction of the Village gates far off into the distance, a deep sense of sadness knowing that Anko would be somewhere far away… while he would be trapped here.

But still, he made a promise to her, and he would keep it as he waited for her return. She had promised him that someday he would meet new friends. Who knows? Maybe he could meet some kids in his class that would want to be his friend? He was about to enter the building until he heard a female voice speak "Well hello darling. Anko mentioned you were quite adorable. I don't have a very high opinion of human appearances, but you are significantly more appealing than most humans."

He looked around for the source of the voice, but saw no one present until he heard it speak again "Down here my dear." He looked down at his feet and saw an all white serpent looking up at him, seemingly smiling up at him.

"Are you one of Anko-sama's summons? Did she send you here to look out for me?" He asked, happy that his friend had done something so kind for him. He extended a hand to the serpent, who accepted the invitation and slithered up his arm and then rested on his shoulders, loosely coiling around his neck to maintain her balance.

"I am the boss of her Summons, whether she is worthy to summon me remains to be seen. But so far, she has definitely caught my attention. And, as a matter of fact, she did. I am here to accompany you and train you. You can refer to me as 'Yama' for now." The Yamata replied, gently flicking his nose with her tail making him giggle at the ticklish sensation.

"So you're a Boss Summon? Aren't you supposed to be like… really huge?" The Jinchuuriki asked as he scratched his head in slight confusion. The great serpent giggled a bit at the innocent question since it was quite a valid one.

"Indeed, at my full size I could easily shatter that mountain of hubris with as much effort as it takes for you to snap your fingers. To be honest, being in this tiny little form is quite… constricting and uncomfortable, but at least now you can enjoy basking in my presence. And more importantly, at least I'm not an ugly human in this form." She answered, feeling much more comfortable in the form of a snake, regardless of her size.

"Wow… you have an awfully high opinion of yourself don't you?" The blonde pointed out with a deadpan expression, making the Yamata chuckle a bit as she replied "Even gods fear me dear boy, I think I've earned the right to be somewhat arrogant. Now come, do you wish to be late for classes?"

At her question, the boy yelped in surprise and sprinted off into the building, following the directions he received to get to his class. He made it just in time as he yanked the door open and entered inside where the rest of the class had already assembled and taken their seats. Two men stood by the teacher's desk, one being a man with white hair and the other had a scar across the bridge of his nose.

"Naruto Uzumaki?" The scarred Chunin asked with a raised eyebrow, making the boy nod in confirmation. "I'm Iruka Umino. This guy is my partner Mizuki. We'll be your teachers throughout the year. Take an open seat, and don't cause any trouble." His icy tone made the Jinchuuriki wince a bit, on top of that the man had already made the assumption that he was a troublemaker, and it seemed like the class was catching onto the same opinion judging from the ripple of murmurs from the other students.

"Hey now! No pets allowed!" Mizuki spoke, pointing towards the little snake that was loosely coiled around the boy's neck. The two Chunin were surprised when the snake spoke "I am not a mindless pet, you ignoramus. You… you could say that I'm a Familiar."

The Chunin were too stunned to argue at this point as the Jinchuuriki quickly shuffled over to the nearest seat. After breaking out of their stupor, they quickly whispered to one another since there weren't any rules forbidding things like Familiars in class, even if it was from a Summoning contract. The Canine partners of Inuzuka clan members being a common example of a Familiar. They then sighed in defeat and decided to carry on as normal, but watched the blonde and his companion warily.

Iruka began a lecture explaining the history of the Bloody Clan Wars from before the founding of Shinobi villages… and in less than ten minutes Naruto felt himself drifting off to sleep in boredom with the legendary serpent hot on his heels. If every day at the Academy were like this… then he wasn't certain that he'd be able to last. If anything, this might actually make him dumber. He could almost swear he felt his brain slowly melting in his own skull.

The Yamata for her part knew that this wouldn't do. This wouldn't do at all. There was nothing beneficial to be had in a classroom setting. History lessons were all well and good for academic purposes, but held little impact for real life Shinobi experience. If the boy spent his year in a classroom, he'd be lucky to have learned… anything worthwhile really. Fortunately, these Chunin seemed utterly incompetent and easy to trick, as were many faceless humans.

And much more importantly, she had a little technique that could support their needs. "Oi. Naruto-kun. When we have a chance, slip away somewhere we can talk privately. I have a much better idea than this." She spoke to him, he quickly nodded in understanding, and desperately hoped that she had a means to free him from this torment. The Yamata quickly realized that she'd just called him 'kun'

Humans were such short-lived creatures that if felt like every time she blinked that they perished, and any noteworthy ones would quickly fade away either dying from conflict or old age. And so she refrained from letting herself become affectionate with any humans, lest she becomes attached to them. But for some reason… she couldn't help but feel a bit attached to him. Perhaps this child was stirring some of her maternal instincts? She hadn't spent much time around human children if she were honest, but regardless of species… children would always be just that. Children.

And now? Well… obviously this child was now under her care. And she would offer him only the best.

An hour later.

"KAMI ALMIGHTY! That was horrible! How can anyone stand sitting on that crap for a whole year and not lose their minds?" Naruto screamed out since he already felt a powerful urge to jump out the window at the midway point in the lecture. His new companion shook her head and seemed to be rubbing the top of it with the tip of her tail as though she were nursing a headache.

"I am strongly inclined to agree. If that is what your Shinobi Academy uses to 'teach' your students… your village is doomed. No question." She grumbled in annoyance, feeling a strong desire to let herself loose and smash the damned building into dust. Fortunately or unfortunately, she had a different plan in mind.

"At any rate, there is nothing beneficial to be had here. I have something that can help. Do you know of the Blood clone technique?" She asked him, causing the boy to shake his head negatively, she guessed it was too much for him to know of such a highly advanced technique. It was also regarded as one of the most powerful and dangerous iterations of the Clone Jutsu, and thus knowledge of it was largely destroyed. One major benefit to being a divine being was that you had a very pristine memory.

"The Blood Clone jutsu is a technique that allows you to create a perfect replica of yourself through the use of your blood. The clone can act independently after you program it with the desired orders, and will continue on indefinitely until it is killed or dispelled. Once it 'dies' all of its memories are transferred over to the caster. Incidentally… it makes for a perfect body double to suit your needs." She explained to him, and it didn't take him long to catch on to what she was planning.

"I think I've got it. If we use this clone to take my place in class, then we can train privately as much as we want. If I dispel the clone once a month or so, I can sift through its memories for anything useful or relevant." He added at the end in case he, or rather his clone, found something in class. And more importantly if it could identify anyone who might be a potential friend.

"Now you're catching on! Smart boy!" She praised him, nuzzling her head against his cheek. Then she said "I think we should train for about three years or so before you officially become a Genin."

"Three whole years? That's like… a really long time. And if I were to do that, wouldn't my double have to fail two years in a row at the Academy?" He asked at the end, scratching his head. He really wanted to become a Genin as quickly as possible.

"Do you want to spend a year training to be adequate? Or three years to become sensational? And yes, your clone would have to fail. The teachers haven't gotten a proper reading of you, so if you program your double to act the part of an imbecile and have it gain the reputation of a bungling idiot, then it will make everyone severely underestimate you. Thus giving you an early advantage when you reveal your true self." she explained to him in a patient tone, and the Jinchuuriki quickly realized that she made a good point.

"You're right. I don't want to be an average joe. I wanna be the best! Now how do we make this clone thing?" He asked her, Yama smiled a bit and instructed him to hold up a finger, he provided her his index finger allowing her to bite into it and drew some blood. After instructing him on the proper hand signs obeyed without question, the blood from his finger spilled to the ground as he felt some of his chakra leave his body.

The droplet of blood bubbled on the ground and then started to flow upwards into a roughly human shape, then bone began to form, followed by flesh, muscle and skin and even cloth until at last an exact replica was staring back at him… it felt like he was now looking into a mirror. The clone's eyes were unfocused, almost as though it were a doll. "Erm… nothing's happening." Naruto replied as he experimentally poked the clone in the chest to get it to respond, only for it to comically fall onto its back making him wince a bit.

"You haven't programmed it yet. It can't begin if it has no instructions. Just touch its forehead and push more chakra into it, think about how you want it to act and what you want it to do." She instructed him, the boy did so and placed his palm on the clone's forehead. He thought about how best to make the clone act like a total moron… and then he got an idea.

Once he was finished, the Blood clone leapt to its feet and began to speak in a much too loud voice "Hiya! I'm Naruto Uzumaki! I'm gonna be the greatest Hokage ever! Ramen is the food of the gods! Dattebayo!"

There was an awkward silence as they both stared at the blood clone with Yama being the first to break the silence and speak "I know I said to program it to act as an imbecile… but I think you may have done it a… little too well."

"I just kinda went with my gut okay? Sue me." The Jinchuuriki muttered defensively as the clone walked back towards the direction of the Academy, all the while yelling about becoming Hokage. "Well, at least no one will perceive THAT as a potential threat." Naruto spoke as he sighed, fearing he created some kind of monstrosity that could only come from a manga.

"True. With any luck, people might take pity on it and just choose to mostly ignore its overly annoying persona. Now that your double can replace you, we need a place to train. Would you know anywhere like that?" She asked him since she hadn't gotten a full grasp of the Village's layout. Admittedly she needed some help from her subordinates to find Anko's apartment who then gave her clear directions to the Academy. She may be a divine entity, but she wasn't all knowing unfortunately.

"I might know someplace. Anko told me about this forest she usually trains in. Training ground 44, better known as the Forest of Death. There's all kinds of dangerous animals and plants inside, and even Jonin and Anbu are afraid to go there." He answered her, if his friend could train there, then he could very well do the same. And if even elite Ninjas fear that place, then there were certain to be a lot of powerful threats to overcome in his training.

"I believe that should suit our needs perfectly. We must go there immediately." She ordered, and so the blonde sprinted off towards the forest. It was completely unmistakeable since it could be easily seen almost anywhere in the village, just look for the skyscraper sized trees.

"I'm curious, why do you want to be a Ninja? Is it for power? Fame? Wealth?" Yama asked since those were very common motivations for humans to pursue such a career… and almost all of them lost their lives in vain search for such things since it was almost never enough for them.

"Well, it would be nice to be powerful, and it would also be good to be respected and recognized. I never really wanted money… I guess the reason I wanted to be a ninja was so I could be more like Anko. She's a really awesome person, and I kinda hoped that by being a strong ninja… I could probably get closer to her. The only things I really and truly want are friends I can count on, people that love me with all their hearts and will always stay true and loyal." The blonde explained as he continued his jog.

The Yamata smiled a bit and muttered to herself "Fascinating." This boy definitely wasn't the kind of person driven by greed or a need for materialistic things. No. He wanted something more. Something that could not be bought. Above all else, it was love, affection and attention he coveted, and it seems like Anko held a special little place in his heart.

"Just you wait Anko-sama! I'll be the strongest in the world!" Naruto pledged as he pumped his fist towards the sky. Eager to begin his training and start a new chapter in his life. Unknown to him, the infamous Yamata No Orochi's interest in humans… had just been rekindled.

Meanwhile.

"I hope he's okay." Anko muttered as she walked down the road with her backpack slung over her shoulder, occasionally she would glance over in the general direction of Konoha as she constantly questioned herself about poor Naruto. What if none of the students liked him? What if they were mean to him and would bully him? What if the teachers ignored him? What if he didn't do well in school?

Even if he is accompanied by the famous Yamata No Orochi, she still couldn't help but worry. "Still thinking about him?" Asked the form of her friend Kurenai who had a warm smile on her face, having a good guess what was on the Dango lover's mind.

"Can't help it. I'm worried he's gonna do something dumb without me around. He… he gets lonely." She muttered, nervously chewing on her lip as she glanced over her shoulder once again. The Genjutsu mistress couldn't help but notice that her brash and boisterous friend seemed generally concerned and was much more fidgety whenever she thought about Naruto's well-being. It would seem she had really connected with him. No surprise given their similar backgrounds.

"I think he'll be fine. We're just gonna be guarding some nobleman for a few months and we'll be back. It's an easy job." Kurenai spoke reassuringly to put her friend at ease, but it didn't seem to do much good at all.

"Then why'd this guy not just hire two Kunoichi, but SPECIFICALLY requested two Kunoichi?" Anko asked in a suspicious tone, if their client was one of those frisky types that thought Kunoichi could be hired as prostitutes, then consequences be damned, she would castrate him and feed him his own testicles.

The Genjutsu mistress had to concede that her friend was right to be suspicious, fortunately, the Hokage was also suspicious of the request and gave them a little insurance policy. This wasn't their first time around the block, it certainly wouldn't be the last. "Can I ask you a personal question Anko?" Kurenai asked, her friend muttering a curt 'yes'.

"What are your exact feelings for Naruto? Neko told me about your little… incident. If you really care for him that much, is it sisterly feelings? Or something more romantic?" The crimson eyed woman asked, making Anko stiffen up and turn a bit red in the face.

"Well… I… what does it matter to you? I don't ask about your love life or anything do I?" Anko snapped angrily, feeling that Kurenai was digging her nose where it didn't belong. Who was she to ask a question like that? What even brought it on?

"There's no need to get upset. It's just a question. I'm a bit worried that you're maybe a bit too close to him. You tend to have… certain attachment issues." Kurenai muttered out the end, and then almost jumped out of her skin upon a set of bloodshot eyes glaring angrily at her.

"What. the fuck. Is that. Supposed to mean?" Anko snarled out as she grit her teeth, not liking at all where this conversation was going.

"Anko, you're a grown woman. And Naruto is still a child. I just want to confirm that you're not… getting into anything inappropriate with him. I've seen how you act. You barely sleep, you're constantly worrying about him, and on several occasions I have heard you whisper highly intimate things in your sleep about him." Kurenai spoke, trying to keep her voice as gentle and soothing as possible.

"Kurenai… are you calling me a fucking pedo? If you are, let me make this clear, I am not some goddamn leech or predator. I know and understand him better than anyone. If only you made some time to meet him yourself you'd see what a sweet boy he is and how lonely he feels. Besides the Sandaime, I am literally his only friend. But what would you know about us?

Do you know how it feels to have people constantly whisper behind your back and spread fake rumors? Do you know how it feels to be all alone and people turn you away because of the false perceptions of others? Do you have any idea how it feels to be an outcast for something that's not your fault? No? Then don't you fucking dare judge me for something you can't even begin to understand!" Once she had finished chewing out Kurenai, the Snake user jogged on ahead with tears brimming in her eyes.

"Wait! Anko! I'm sorry! I didn't mean it that way!" Kurenai tried to apologize as she chased after her friend. Now realizing that she had severely hurt Anko's feelings. "Please Anko! I was just worried! If there is any real love between you and Naruto then you deserve it! Whether or not it is familial or romantic is up to you." She called out and was relieved to see that Anko slowed down and came to a stop.

The Snake user's shoulders slumped as she muttered "He told me he loved me. He just wants me to come back safely. And I promised I would. And I have to… Naruto is all alone in this harsh and unforgiving world. From an early age he has been subjected to the darker side of the human heart. He has no family Kurenai, and what family he is supposed to have doesn't care for him at all. Naruto has been forced to grow up without any real love or compassion… and I think it is slowly killing him, rotting away at him, from the inside. And… I don't know… I'm not sure how I feel right now. I just know… that I always want to be there for him, but I can't."

Kurenai looped an arm around Anko's shoulder's and pulled her into a hug as she spoke "It's okay. I didn't mean anything bad before. I… I just didn't want you getting hurt again. But I guess… seeing Naruto suffer causes you to get hurt, doesn't it? I promise when we get back to the village, I'll go with you to meet him. If he's as good a kid as you say, I'm sure we'll get along just fine."

The snake mistress happily nodded, the two silently reconciling as they continued on their way towards their goal. Anko told herself to stop worrying and to focus on getting this mission done and returning home safely. She couldn't wait to see his progress under the Yamata's tutelage upon her return, and hopefully he won't have any stupid crush on some ugly washboard with a hair trigger temper.

End chapter one.