A/N: I'm back! Yes, I am a big poopie head for not updating for like six freaking months. But it's here now. Enjoy! (The second part is better than the first part.)
After Naruto finished his explanation, everyone in the room was speechless with shock. Well, everyone except for himself and a certain fox demon.
"Look at them with their mouths hanging open like that. And I thought you were stupid."
"Shut up, baka-kitsune."
Then, the room exploded with noise as every council member tried to express their opinion at the same time. So many people were talking that Naruto could only make out a few words in the garble of voices. He looked over at Jiraiya to see that his mouth was still open in shock, staring mutely at the blonde. For a second, Naruto worried that the sage would reject him and see him as the fox demon instead of Naruto. However, that thought was quickly pushed to the back of his mind, as he had more pressing things to worry about.
Finally, the council was silenced when an old lady stood up and shouted "Enough!"
Everyone turned to look at her as she continued, this time in a quieter voice. "We will solve this just like any other problem. We will hear everyone out one at a time, and then make a decision." There were murmurs of approval as she seated herself again.
The aged man sitting across from her cleared his throat. "Now, Uzumaki-san has made it clear that he is not the fox. However, if traits from the Kyuubi are rubbing off on him, who's to say he won't turn on the village? Therefore, I think we should send him into exile."
The lady from before shook her head. "I disagree, honorable councilman Homura. If we send him into exile, there's a chance he should join some other village and strike against us with an army behind him."
'Um, hello, I'm right here,' Naruto thought.
"Kit, they don't care if you can here them or not," Kyuubi deadpanned. "The only threat you hold over them is attacking Konoha, and as far as they're concerned, you were going to attack the village anyway."
"I think," the councilwoman continued, oblivious to the inner conversation Naruto was having. "…that we should put him in prison so we can keep an eye on him-"
"No," the Sandaime said firmly, cutting her off.
"I beg your pardon…" she said in a sharp tone.
"Honorable councilwoman Kaharu, we can't just put him in prison for crimes he has yet to commit!"
'These people have really long titles…' Naruto thought.
"Pay attention, Kit!" snapped Kyuubi.
"Well, if we can't exile or imprison him," said another councilman slowly, "wouldn't the logical choice be to execute the boy?"
This suggestion was met with hearty cheers of approval. Only a few people in the room did not seem to share that opinion.
"No!" Jiraiya yelled, loosing his almost nonexistent cool.
"Do you have any objections?" Kaharu asked icily.
"You can't just kill him!" the toad sage said heatedly. "He's just a genin and has never done anything against the village!"
"I agree with Jiraiya!" said Kakashi in a defiant tone. Naruto was grateful that they were defending him.
"Just wait, they'll stab you in the back when the time comes," Kyuubi sneered nastily.
"Shut it, fox-teme!" Naruto said angrily (in his head of course), "Just because I have people who actually care-"
"Honorable councilman," another person said. "We can't execute him for the same reason we can't imprison him."
The other man frowned angrily. "But Danzou-sama-" he tried to say something, but was cut off.
"Besides, it would be an enormous waste of potential! Just think, if we could make him a weapon for Konoha, we would have the power of the Kyuubi at our disposal!"
A few people cheered on his idea but others seemed skeptical.
"And how do you suppose we keep him under control?" said a councilwoman.
"Hold on. We are not going to turn Naruto into a weapon," stated the Hokage, not liking where the debate was going.
"Well, we have to do something!" the council member nearest to Naruto snapped.
"I think we should suspend judgment," said a man with glasses. There were choruses of "I agree!"
"All in favor of suspending judgment," Kaharu said. About half the council raised their hands.
"We can't just wait for something to happen!" called a bald councilman. "We will only know for sure when he turns on us, and by then it will already be too late!"
"We should put him down while we can," a gnarled old woman said nastily. "He's just a demon. That on its own is enough to deserve punishment. Besides, Hokage can't just keep playing favorites for the demon bra-"
"Shut up!" All heads turned to Naruto, who had finally gotten sick of listening to them and decided to put in his two cents.
"Well, excuse me for existing," Naruto sneered, in a way that was quiet out of character for him, "I would like to point out some flaws in your logic. First of all, if I was going to attack Konoha, I would have done it all ready while you're all sitting ducks. What's the point of faking that I'm on your side? Secondly, I'm turning into a hanyou, not a demon. Get it right people! Third and most importantly, the fox-bastard hates Konoha, but I don't. Everything important to me is here. I have no reason to attack it."
Some people pondered his words, while others wondered when the demon brat's vocabulary got so big. The first to compose herself was the one known as Kaharu.
"I'm sorry, Uzumaki-san, but it's not a simple matter of trusting you. We need to do what's positively best for Konoha and at the same time is just."
Naruto folded his arms. "I'll even swear in blood not to attack Konoha. And I never go back on my promises, dattebayo!" That sounded more like the Naruto they all knew.
One of the councilmen snorted. "Foolish brat, we'd be dense to just take your word for it."
"Ah, if only he knew how stupid he sounds," Kyuubi sighed. "He makes it seem like he's not dense already."
Meanwhile, Kaharu had gotten a contemplative look on her face.
'I wonder what she's thinking about…' Naruto thought.
"Gasp! The hag can think?!"
"Don't sound so surprised. I didn't know you could think at first either… oh, wait. You can't!"
"Gaki…" the fox demon growled. But Naruto was saved from the verbal assault that was sure to come by an out of breath messenger careening through the door.
"Hokage-sama," he said in between gasps, "the Sound and Sand are invading!"
--
Sakura felt like crying.
Her village was being invaded by foreign ninja, and all she could do was just stand by and watch. It was times like these it became painfully apparent just how weak she really was. Her jutsu knowledge was next to nothing, besides the standard academy level, and her taijutsu was below average. The only reason she passed the genin test in the academy was because of her brains, and she didn't see a way she could use that to her advantage right now.
A few feet from her was Neji, Byakugan flaring and Gentle Fist working overtime. They were cornered outside the hospital, and this boy she hardly knew was fighting tooth and nail to protect her. The kunochi could see it was a strain too, because sweat was pouring from the Hyuuga prodigy's brow and from time to time his Byakugan would flicker. Any minute now, the enemy ninja would overpower them.
Suddenly, the shouting of Inner Sakura filled her ears. "What are you doing just standing around here?!" her alter ego raged. "Get your ass in gear and make these pansy bastards wish their parents had never decided to reproduce!"
"B-but, what can I-I do?" she quivered mentally, looking to be on the verge of a breakdown. "I d-don't know any jutsu… I don't know anything!" Just before the psychological tears could start spilling, her tough inner self stormed over, grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her roughly.
"Get a hold of yourself!" she screeched. "Let me show you how a real kunochi fights!"
Any person paying attention to Sakura would have noticed the change right away. Suddenly she stopped her violent trembling and her eyes started to burn with the intense passion of rage. Her posture became more confident, and her expression changed from frightened to one of excitement and scorn. None of the ninja noticed her changes immediately as they were all too preoccupied with Neji. However, all of them became aware of her transformation as soon as she opened her mouth. No longer was she the quivering and wretched ninja wannabe. Now she was a proud, confident, scary kunochi.
"SHANNARO!"
--
Orochimaru was what many would call a patient man. He had waited years for the moment he could get revenge on his former sensei and worked diligently towards the destruction of Konoha. However, all his treasured patience was wearing thin as he waited for the old Hokage to come out of the council chambers. Not even he was vain enough to attack Sarutobi in a room guarded by ANBU, full of old but powerful ninjas. The Snake Sannin couldn't risk loosing this battle so near the completion of his invasion because of a fool's gamble. Any minute now the occupants of the room would leave to help defend against the ninjas of the Sound and Sand. Then he would be free to kill the Sandaime.
Suddenly the doors burst open. Out ran the Kyuubi brat, a look of anger and excitement on his face. He swiftly jumped out the nearest window and into the fray, eager to defend his home and kill the enemy. The boy's sensei followed him, along with Orochimaru's old teammate.
An elderly voice rang out from inside the room, presumably a civilian council member's. "Wait! We're not done with you yet! Get back here boy!"
Orochimaru smirked as he saw the Hokage leave the room as well. He signaled his four escorts. They nodded once, and then disappeared. Only the trained shinobi eye could see them speed into the council chamber and lock the doors behind them. The snake ninja chuckled softly but maniacally as screams could be heard from the inside. Then he pursued his old sensei.
Orochimaru only caught up to him when they reached the roof of the Hokage building. Sarutobi stopped and slowly turned to face him. He'd probably known the snake man was following him all along.
"So, Orochimaru, you've finally decided to show yourself."
The snake man smirked. "Today, this village will rue the day they named Minato the fourth Hokage, instead of me!"
Sarutobi chuckled cheerlessly. "You still don't get it, do you?"
The blood of the Sannin was starting to boil. Rage locked up for years started to leak out, and pent up emotions began to fizz angrily around his brain. 'How dare this old fool continue to mock me!'
"But it's you who doesn't understand, sensei!" he hissed out. "You are about to die, and this godforsaken village will be crushed by Oto and Suna!"
The Hokage was still wearing that pitying look that Orochimaru hated. "You still seek to play the game of revenge against a village that has done you no wrong," the old man said, shaking his head sorrowfully. "You cannot see past your own foolish goals. What will this power get you?"
"Everything!" hissed Orochimaru. "I used to respect you, but now all I see is a dying fool! Let me put you out of your misery!"
Then, he lunged.
--
Naruto pelted down the streets of Konoha, killing enemies left and right. How dare they attack his home, his territory! It was time to teach these foreign ninja how Konoha deals with traitors!
Suddenly, he stopped dead in his tracks as he felt menacing chakra wash over him. Chakra belonging to a presence that he, or rather, Kyuubi, hadn't felt in decades.
"Shukaku…" Kyuubi uttered through Naruto's lips.
A/N: Beware of my evil cliffhanger!!! (Insert evil laughter)
Okay, I have something important to say. When I started this, I did not have a pairing in mind. I am still undecided, so you guys can decide for me! (I'm lazy like that)
Just review and tell me pairings that you want (try to give a reason). You can't vote for the same thing twice and I will not accept the following pairings:
SasuSaku - I hate this pairing. Every time I read it it's like 'OMG, they are so OOC'.
NaruHina – I can't see a way to make this one work. But, if over 75% of the votes go to it, I might make an exception.
Yaoi or Yuri – I don't mind this kind of thing, but it would freak my sister/editor out.
Other than those, anything goes! (Rhyme not intended)
R&R!