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tampered2006-12-18 03:54 pm
relimited.livejournal.com) wrote in tampered2006-12-18 03:54 pm
Log: Complete?
When; November 22nd [Backdated anyone?]
Rating; U
Characters; Uzumaki Naruto and Kazama Arashi
Summary; It's Naruto's first day in the city; time for some long overdue father-son bonding time.
Log;
He was nervous. More nervous than he could ever remember being aside from the time he had first found out he would become a father. Naruto would be here soon. And had every reason to despise him. Yet he didn't seem to. Closing his eyes for a moment, he gathered himself and simply waited.
Now this was going to be...interesting. It'd been one of the most surreal moments he'd ever been forced to face. Not only had he found out that the Forth Hokage was alive once again (kind of). But then, for him to say that he was his father too... It was something he wasn't ever going to be able to forget, even if he'd wanted to.
Which was why Naruto had been so glad that he was being allowed the chance to actually meet him. Thus Naruto was almost running in the direction of the building, not wanting to waste any more time. The hastily given directions he'd obtained from a random other citizen were his guide. And sure enough, he soon found the building looming into view.
He could feel the boy's chakra the closer he moved, an odd combination of Naruto and the very faint, eerie feel of the Kyuubi inside of him. Busying himself with taking the tea off the fire, he set things up in case Naruto was thirsty. Then moved to the door, opening it when he felt the boy approach. Eyes widened as he caught sight of Naruto. . the very image of himself with only a few differences.
The moment he reached the door, Naruto paused, his eyes widening at the man in front of him. He'd seen that face so many times before, its stone gaze watching over Konoha. Only this time, it wasn't the same monument. This was a living, breathing version. The same version who'd told him the truth about his parentage just a few, short minutes ago. And all he had to say in response was, "...hey."
Realizing he was staring, the Yondaime stepped aside and ushered the boy in, "Er. . come in. I made some tea if you're thirsty . ." There were so many things he wanted to say but. . didn't quite know how to say it and on the other hand, wasn't sure if he should even broach the topics.
It took a moment before he managed to make his feet move. Heading inside, Naruto remained silent for a few moments, his nervousness finally managing to catch up with him. A moment more however, made him change his attitude. As strange as the situation may be, he really had no reason to be so nervous about it. If Naruto made a mistake, he'd fix it after. It was as simple as that. "Sure!" A grin soon erupted on his face. He wasn't going to waste this. "So it really is you then!"
"You were expecting a shadow clone?" He asked, returning the grin then poured some tea, offering it to the boy. "After everything, I think this is the most nervous I've been. ." Then offered him a chair and sat down himself.
"m'not sure really. I mean, you're dead...but you're not." And already he was confusing himself. He took the cup without looking at it. Instead, he found himself unable to actually turn his attention from the Yondaime. It felt as though if he were to look away, this would all be some kind of dream. A joke even. "It feels really weird," he admitted, dropping down into the offered seat.
He was reminded a bit of Obito with the blunt, but honest comments and very nearly laughed, "I think this is weird for everyone. The dead and the living, other worlds. . all coexisting." Then took a sip of tea, "But. I am glad for the opportunity, I would have never seen you again otherwise."
That was true, but it didn't make it any easier. Though at least now, he had one more person he could speak to, even if it was someone he'd only ever heard stories about. "...I only ever thought that you knew me 'cause of Kyuubi. I didn't ever think that...well...you were my dad." He finally pulled his gaze away, looking down at the cup in his hands. "And when you told me, I had to come and see you."
"It's okay to be angry," He replied, inclining his head, "I would be. You didn't have a choice about kyuubi and then the villagers. ." His eyes narrowed, he almost hated them when he had heard about that. A child. Treating a CHILD in that manner. His fingers clenched on the teacup, then relaxed as he smiled, "I'm glad you came. I wanted to see you, too."
He shook his head lightly in response. "I'm not angry at them. Not really." Sure he had been before, while he was growing up. But back then, he hadn't known the truth. Of course, that didn't make things any easier to understand, but at least he had an idea. "It was normal for them, I guess." Kyuubi had killed and destroyed. Any normal person would be harbouring feelings like that. But he hadn't been alone through it all, unlike a certain other jinchuriki he knew.
Taking a sip of his tea, Naruto finally looked back up again, smiling at the other. Even if he didn't want to seem so nervous around the other, the fact he was still the forth Hokage kept reminding him of their differences. Which was why he finally asked... "...what'm I meant to call you?" There was always 'dad', but right now, that felt kind of weird. After all, he'd gone almost 16 years without knowing what one was. It was hard enough trying to come to terms with it all as it was, so that was going to have to wait.
"Oh yes, I forgot. Once you become Hokage you'll learn this- no one remembers your name. Just your number. Kazama Arashi," Then grinned, "You can call me Arashi." Ah, being known by a number and a stone monument, that was really odd seeming. Then lapsed back into silence, not quite knowing what else to say.
Arashi. That he'd be happy to use. At least it was his real name and not one that was given to him. Hopefully he'd eventually be comfortable to move on to 'dad', but right now, he'd stick to his name.
That also happened to be the icebreaker he needed. Soon enough, the questions he'd been thinking, began to make their way out. "What was it like? Being Hokage, I mean." ...and undoubtedly they'd get more inquisitive soon enough.
"Hehe well, when someone ticks you off you can assign them to D rank missions for a while," Then grinned, but coughed, attempting seriousness. "The paperwork is boring, but necessary. The best parts are when you can protect the village and meet allies from other places."
The paperwork was one thing he knew he'd have trouble with. It meant sitting there and concentrating on things he'd rather not do. Something he'd probably mess up in the end. And making allies, he knew about. After all, without them, the villages would be thrown into war again. However, knowledge of outside of the country was something he sorely lacked. "Did you ever get to meet anyone from outside of the Land of Fire?"
"Of course, even if the other kages are pompous and rude and plotting to kill you, you have to be polite," Then tilted his head slightly, "I've met people from nearly every hidden village, been to quite a few of them, as well as the other countries. I hear you've already got a few fans in other countries. ."
“I do?" His surprise was evident in his voice alone. Those he knew outside of Konoha hadn't been the friendliest of people. Though of course, there was still Gaara and the others. One of the few people he could really call a close friend. "Was that all when you were Hokage?" Getting to travel to all the other villages sounded like something he really wanted to do. It was rare that he'd been given the chance to spend time in another village without it being part of a mission. And even then, it'd never been for long. To go as a Hokage though, would be a new experience all together.
"When I was Hokage and before. During my time as a jounin, there were very many wars. Konoha wasn't the strongest hidden village at the time, so we were constantly fighting," He replied. "Those were not the best journeys and opportunities to enjoy the scenery, however."
The wars were something that he'd never really heard much about. However, whether that was due to him never being told, or never paying attention, he didn't know. What he did know about them was that many people had lost their lives in it, defending the village. The same village that he and his friends would do whatever it took to protect if need be. "But Konoha got stronger." He smiled, not wanting to stay on the subject of war for too long. He had no idea how Arashi felt about it all. "And now we're helping other villages."
"Yes, Konoha became one of the strongest," the Yondaime replied. "I am not up to date on the state of the village these days, I hardly had time to speak with Jiraiya and your friends about it. The Sound is here, you know. And parts of Akatsuki."
"Akatsuki?!" That news came as a shock. He hadn't known about Akatsuki being there. He'd been told about Sound, along with warnings of certain other figures from others worlds that he was meant to avoid. "Who?" Names had been mentioned over the day, but no one had flat out told him yet.
"Perhaps I should have said nothing," Arashi replied. "Uchiha Itachi and another who looks quite female, I am unsure of his name. ." Then inclined his head, "You should keep a low profile. They might see this as an opportunity. I won't let that happen." He already had an. . arrangement . . for the time being with Orochimaru.
"I'm not gonna go anywhere near them. Not if I can help it." At least there were only the two of them there. Even if one was Itachi. That merely meant he had even more of a reason to keep away. Though if he was there, what did that mean about Sasuke? Would he still want to... No. He wouldn't let him get into trouble either.
He inclined his head, "Good." But was still frowning slightly, "If a person dies in this world, they must stay here forever. I . . don't want that to happen to you. Though if it happens to one of Konoha's enemies. . that wouldn't be so bad." And grinned.
He was silent for a brief moment, his thoughts on the idea of the dead who resided there. Or more precisely, the fact that Arashi was now stuck there. "...Tenten said that there were ways to bring the dead back to life."
"None worth the risk," Arashi replied. "None. Those who cheat death must pay at some point, or feed on the suffering of others. Besides, this place is a lot better than death god belly." A hint of humour.
"But what if there was a way that'd work?" A way to bring him back to life again. Yeah, he knew it had been a long time since Arashi had been alive. And yes, people would most probably freak out the moment they saw him alive again. But Naruto didn't care about that right now. Even if he'd only just met the man, even if he'd only just arrived, he wanted to be able to think of a way that they could all return, together.
He knew what Naruto was thinking about, and shook his head, "Bad things happen to people who disturb the balance of life and death, Naruto. I. .know anyone would want to, given the chance, but there is always a risk."
"But bad things have already happened." No matter what anyone said, he'd still end up looking for some kind of option they could use. "The risk would be worth it though." He sighed, shaking his head. This wasn't what he'd come there for. He'd come to meet his father, and now he was just spending the time talking about things like that. ...Maybe another time. "How long have you been here for?"
"A few months," He replied, noting the shift in topic and able to guess the reasons behind it. "Though there is no telling how long one will stay here."
So there was a good chance they'd be there for a while then. Or at least he hoped so. The longer they were both there, the more he could spend time with him. ...assuming he didn't find a solution to the problem. "But you're real, aren't you?" Okay, he'd ignored the fact that Arashi had not only opened the door, but he'd also given him tea in a solid cup. "Have others come back to life too?"
"I'm very real," Arashi replied. "The dead can come back to life here. There are a few others who were dead in their worlds and were brought back here. Kakashi was here at one point, and then his two former team-mates. That was . . interesting." And shook his head, then smiled at Naruto, "If you're up for training, there is a lot I want to teach you, though I'm sure you'll find a way to improve them." And for that he was pleased. He had never managed an element and Rasengan combination, but he knew Naruto would.
He'd mentioned something about one of Kakashi's team-mates before. Something about them dying. But if Kakashi had come here and met them both... He could only hope that he'd been alright. That said, he wouldn't have been left alone. Not while all the others were there if he needed them.
The idea of training was more than enough to snap him away from his thoughts. It felt as though it'd been ages since he'd last had the chance to. It probably had something to do with the fact he was currently training every moment he was awake. Taking a few hours off had thrown him even more than the situation should've. "Of course I am!" he finally replied, grinning once again.
"Good. As I said, we never know how much time we have here, so I want to make sure you learn all the good stuff," Arashi replied. The thought of training seemed to have perked up the boy a bit.
It'd only been a suggestion and already he was looking forward to it. The chance to spar with someone like the Yondaime wouldn't ever have happened had he not come to this place. Seeing as the chance was now open to him, he wasn't going to pass it up. "I got really close to combining them the other day." Something he was proud of. Though the reason why he hadn't managed to finish it wasn't something he wanted to think of right now.
"I never did manage that, but I know you will," the boy's chakra was strong and besides that, the yondaime simply knew that Naruto was meant to surpass him. The boy had always been special, he had known it.
"I have to learn it." He had a good reason, and one that he'd follow through regardless. And because of that, he wouldn't ever give up, no matter what. Besides, it wasn't in his nature to quit.
"Oh? Why do you have to learn it?" He asked, curious as to the boy's reasoning’s. They seemed more pressing than simply needing to learn it in order to surpass everyone else to become hokage.
"'cause I have to get stronger." And this was the way that Kakashi had suggested. "I have to help stop Akatsuki." Not to mention bringing back a certain best friend of his. No matter what it took, he'd gain the power he needed to help the others. Asuma, and even Gaara had been killed once already. People he knew and cared about were being killed, and all for one reason. The biju.
The Yondaime inclined his head, "Their goal is a terrible one. Just. . be careful. I know I don't have to tell you that, but I feel like I do. Heh. ." Then inclined his head slightly.
Looking seriously back at Arashi, Naruto gave a small smile. It felt good to have someone who'd bother to worry about him. As he'd grown older, the number had increased. But now it wasn't just a friend who was concerned. "I'll be careful. I mean it. I wont let Akatsuki have Kyuubi."
"It isn't about kyuubi, it's about you being harmed," Arashi replied. "They could be stopped if they got kyuubi, but there is only one of you, you can't be replaced." Then smiled, "But I know you'll be fine, eh? Someone has to be Rokudaime when Tsunade-sama steps down."
"I'm not gonna let them touch me." Of course not. He'd get rid of Akatsuki as soon as he could. That way, the others would be safe once again. He couldn't waste his time on something like dying now could he. And as Arashi had said, he needed to be around to take his job when it was time. He wouldn't pass up on that, no matter what happened. "I just have to get rid of them first." Once he'd done that, "Then I'll become Hokage!"
He was quite proud of that. Naruto, from what he had heard, was a very good person, the exact kind of person that Arashi knew he would become and thus why he entrusted kyuubi to his protection. "I have faith in you."
The simple words were enough to cause Naruto to pause once again. It felt completely different to anything else when Arashi was the one to place his faith in him. He'd said, during their earlier conversation, that that was the reason he was a jinchuriki. But to hear it said so freely was something he knew he wouldn't get tired of. If anything it gave him even more of a reason to make sure he succeeded.
The silence between the two of them, then, was pleasant. He had been worried for all the things that might have gone wrong, but was glad for the way their meeting had turned out.
Once more, Naruto turned his attention back to the cup of tea he still held. There was so much he wanted to ask the man, but now he was actually here, it felt...strange. He wanted to know about the rest of his family. His mother. His grandparents. But above all, he wanted to know more about him. His father. The one connection to the past that seemed to remain. "Did you want to be Hokage when you were my age too?" He had to get it from someone at least.
"Of course," He replied with a grin, "I wanted to be able to protect everyone, to be strong enough to do so." Then paused to take a sip of tea, wanting to steer away from that subject. "It doesn't hurt to have the support of the current Hokage either and I hear she's fond of you."
"You did though. You stopped loads of people getting killed." Even if it meant others having to die...including himself. Yeah, perhaps it was a good idea to leave that subject alone for a bit. "She just wants someone to clear up her mess," he answered, grinning happily.
He laughed at that, "And someone to give the responsibility to while she goes to drink and gamble, if she's still doing that sort of thing. The only bad thing is less action and more busy work. Though, if the circumstances here are representative of the state of Konoha now. . I should think you might have your fill of action in the future." Orochimaru and Akatsuki.
"Yeah, she is." His voice was a little sour at that, annoyed at the fact. Even though she'd 'proven' to him how competent a Hokage she made, Naruto was still annoyed about the stories he still heard about her. Well, as long as Konoha was safe at least. And well, he still liked her of course. "Circumstances?" Ah, that'd be right. The snake and the hunters. "They'll be long gone before I become Hokage!" He wasn't going to sit around and wait until that day before he took care of the problem.
"Especially if there is a way to trap them here when the rest of you return," He said, then shook it off. Arashi intended to look into that matter himself, if there was a way to keep Itachi here, then he would find it. On the other hand, he was attempting to find a way to . .rehabilitate. . Orochimaru into a useful member of society.
And thus another problem sprung to mind. "...what happens then?" He shook his head, knowing he had to try to make a little more sense. "When we all go back...you're not gonna stay here, are you?"
This was a difficult topic, of course, so he tried to approach it rationally. "As much as I would like, I know I cannot return to Konoha. And. .this place isn't so bad." In comparison to death god stomach, it was paradise.
He frowned, eyes not moving from the rapidly cooling liquid. "But there's ways to...bring the dead back." He'd already heard about the problems with the prices that had to be paid. But surely there'd be a way around it somehow. "If...if there was a way..." Would he ever take it?
"If there was a way that had absolutely no strings attached, no one getting hurt, no one sacrificing anything at all, then yes, I would come back. I missed so much of your life already, if I had the chance to be in the rest of it, you bet I would take it," He replied, then added solemnly, "But nothing here is without consequence. Keep that in mind."
"But what if the price wasn't that bad?" Though his version of 'bad' would probably be very different to anyone else’s. After all, he was talking about his father. If there was a way to bring him back, Naruto was already willing to do whatever he could to get just that.
He shook his head, "Every price is bad, Naruto. When you're dealing with life and death, there is always a very large consequence." He knew that first hand.
He couldn't help it. "I don't care though. If it means you can come back, then I just...I want you to still be around, even after we leave." He didn't pay attention to just how selfish it may've seemed. All that mattered to him just then was that he wanted to have a chance to have a family, even if that meant paying a price.
"I won't let you do that, you realize," Arashi replied reasonably. "Think about it, Naruto. You want to be the next Hokage, and yet you would seek an end so selfishly? If there is a way then it will be found without using any adverse means that would endanger yourself or others."
A scowl was his only response for a few moments as he stared up at Arashi. It took a while before he was able to actually speak without saying something he'd undoubtedly end up regretting. "That's not fair. I didn't get a choice in it the first time, and now you're saying I don't have a choice this time either. I want to live in a real home. I want to stay with my family."
"We don't always get a choice, son," he replied, feeling just a little more than guilty over how things had turned out. But then, he hadn't wanted to die, either. Hadn't wanted to leave his son alone. "But, I will promise you that I will look for a way to return, hm? And if it is within my power, I will."
"...yeah." It helped to calm him down a little, having Arashi agree to at least trying. Sighing to himself Naruto shook his head, trying to clear his current train of thought. "I just wanna know what it's like," he finally admitted, smiling haphazardly. "But getting to meet you here. I guess that's more than enough right now anyway."
He inclined his head, "I want to know how it feels, too." He, after all, had only been a parent for a matter of hours before everything happened. "And yes, this place, this chance is more than we would have had normally, so I, for one, intend to take advantage."
"It feels good to be able to say you're my dad." And it had absolutely nothing to do with the fact he was the Yondaime. In fact, that had only come into account when he'd been thinking of his own dreams for the future. Who better to ask than a previous Hokage? "...though I guess it still feels weird. But...it feels right too." He'd calmed down in moments, undoubtedly an effect caused by the man in front of him.
"I hadn't wanted to leave you, at all, let alone by yourself," He replied, remembering the very long and detailed description that Orochimaru had given him of the behaviour of Konoha's citizens towards Naruto. "Hm. It should feel right, even after this time."
"I wasn't really by myself. Not for long. Iruka-sensei looked after me for ages. And then I made some good friends." Though of course, certain friendships had then since broken down. But that wouldn't be for long. If he could manage to form a relationship with a father he'd never met, he'd definitely be able to fix things between he and his best friend.
That eased him a bit, because Arashi had rather large doubts he could find a way to return to the living. But he would try, he had promised and if possible, he wanted to. "Good friends, eh? What about any special girls?"
"Yeah, most of them are here too. Though they're all from different times." Something that still confused him, even now. As for girls though... "Sakura-chan is a really good friend!" Of course, there was the insanely huge crush he'd had on her, ever since he was a kid. But things had changed since then. Now Sakura was the friend he could go too to talk about almost anything to.
He very nearly laughed at that, not the kind of "special" he had meant, but that was good. It meant Naruto was still a bit innocent in that regard and Jiraiya hadn't corrupted him too much. "Ah, she was on your three man team, correct?"
"Yeah. Her and Sasuke. You'd like her. She's really nice, even if she yells at me sometimes." Usually because he was acting like and idiot at those times. "She trained under Tsunade too."
"Ah, so she must be a medic nin?" He asked. There were some really . . odd similarities he was noticing between the sennin and Naruto's group. Though very many dissimilarities.
"She's really strong too." Memories of being at the receiving end of her annoyance brought thoughts of various lumps and bumps to his mind. It was something he could undoubtedly blame on a certain pervert he knew.
"Hm. I suppose she keeps you in line, then," The girl had to be the sensible one since it appeared neither Naruto nor Sasuke had been entirely foresightful.
Scratching his head nervously, Naruto grinned. "Yeah, I guess so." Not to mention the fact that she'd been the one to snap him out of being such a defeatist at times. She'd helped him to realise that things were never over.
"She sounds like a very good person," he replied with a smile. It eased him to know that Naruto did have people he trusted and could rely on.
Of course, Sakura wasn't his only friend. "Have you met any of the others yet?" Tenten had been quick to help him out when he'd turned up. Inviting him to stay and helping him to understand the city. But there had been even more of them around. And for that, he was glad.
"I have met most of them," Though he kept in touch with some more than others. So far, he had mostly been watching the Sound and Akatsuki keeping tabs on them and trying to counter the moves they made.
Finally placing his cup down on the table, Naruto gave up on the idea of drinking. There was something else he'd rather do anyway. "Uh, are you busy? After this, I mean."
"Not at all," He replied with a smile, then added, "And, I imagine you would much rather stay with your friends. But. . the invitation is open to stay with me if you ever want or need to."
Any idea he was going to mention was lost as he stared openly at Arashi. "You mean...I can stay here?" Even if the man could almost be considered a stranger... "Of course I'd want to!"
"I wouldn't have offered if I didn't mean it," Then grinned as Naruto accepted. "I know we're pretty much strangers and you're not a kid anymore, but, I want to make the most of this, you know?"
He was happy, and you'd have to be blind to not see it. His grin just seemed to keep growing as time passed by. "I'll stay till you get sick of me!" Of course, he wouldn't let that happen. "You're still my dad though, so it doesn't matter how well we know each other." Besides, Naruto would undoubtedly end up asking 1001 questions once he'd moved in.
"Aaand, I hope you like ramen, that's pretty much all I know how to make," he replied with a laugh. Arashi hadn't ever been an incredible cook but he was fond of ramen and actually took the trouble to make it.
"You're kidding, right?" He'd just said the magic word. "Ramen is the all time best food in the entire world!" And Arashi would soon enough realise quite how true that statement was for him. After all, ramen made up most of his meals.
Well that was a relief, sure he could add an egg or pork or the like, but his only attempts at making anything other than ramen ended in fire. Quite literally. And how a person could catch rice on fire was impressive unto itself. "Ahh, so you didn't just get your good looks from your old man." And grinned.
An almost identical grin crossed his face at that. The more he spoke to Arashi, the more he found they had in common. It was something he was glad of. A sign that the man really was his father. Not that he didn't believe him when he told him.
"Oh, you wanted to ask me something before?" He remembered, now curious what it was that Naruto had been about to say.
"Ask you?" He thought back, trying to remember whatever it was. "Oh yeah! I want to go and train with you. So I was wondering, if you've got the time, could we?" How could he have forgotten that?
"I've got as much time as you want," He replied, still grinning. One of the things he'd always wanted was to be able to train with his son, to see his techniques passed onto him.
"I've always wanted to beat a Hokage," he responded, jumping to his feet. He was eager, and he was cocky. Two things that would most likely come back to bite him soon enough. "Let's go then!"
He laughed to that, the boy was certainly confidant, "All right, there's some woods on the other side of town, good place for training." Then tilted his head and added, "Race you," Before moving to the door.
The moment Arashi uttered those two words, Naruto was on the move. There was no way he could loose. Not in a race against an 'old man'. Moving as quickly as he could, Naruto ignored the stares that he got. An orange blur dashing through the streets and toward the forest.
Arashi stopped on the rooftop, watching Naruto, a blur of orange streak away. "Hehe first lesson, work smarter, not harder. ." Then performed the hand seals of the jikan kuukan, activating one of the seals at the wooded area. His seals were all over the city in case he needed to go or leave somewhere fast. In a yellow flash, he was waiting at the sparring ground.
He continued moving, a smirk on his face. He hadn't seen a single sign of the Yondaime since he'd left the house. That had to mean that he'd outrun him a long time ago. Which was why, the moment he spotted the man already waiting in the forest, Naruto was completely and utterly confused. "How did you...?"
"How did I what? Totally and utterly beat you here?" Arashi asked, arching a blonde brow, but smiling to let Naruto know he was only teasing. "You're fast, but there are more efficient ways to move than."
Folding his arms across his chest, Naruto restrained a pout as he stared at Arashi. "But how?" If he didn't run there too, how could he have moved so quickly?
"It's a jutsu," Arashi replied. "You put a seal on a person, place or thing, then perform the hand seals and you are transported there," He replied. The technique and a few others were ones he had never taught another person.
"So you just appear there? That quickly?!" Now that was something he wanted to... "...will you teach me it?" Not only would it mean he'd be learning a new jutsu, but it'd be his own father that was teaching him it.
He smiled to that, he'd always wanted to pass on his jutsu to his son. "Of course I'll teach you. This is all something I've wanted to pass on to you since I knew you were going to be born."
His excitement was clear, even if he hadn't been shifting readily, wanting nothing more than to get going. "What do I do? How do I start? How long will it take? What seals do I use?" Well, no one could ever say he wasn't inquisitive.
"First, you need one of these," He replied, tossing Naruto a kunai with a seal wrapped around it. "This will be the point that you appear it. Don't toss it too far the first time. Then, perform the seals in this sequence," And went through them slowly.
Naruto turned serious as he watched the other, not wanting to miss out on a single part. He was determined to learn this technique as quickly as he could, just for the fact of whose it was. Once Arashi finished showing the seals, Naruto turned his attention to the kunai. "So I'll appear wherever this is?"
"Yes. We'll only work on one location for a while, but once you get the hang of it, you can have hundreds of them thrown by your comrades into battle and appear, then disappear without being touched. The technique is very effective," He replied.
Nodding his head, Naruto turned back to look at Arashi once again. "So I just do the seals and that's it?" For some reason, he highly doubted it'd be as easy as it sounded.
"It's not as simple as it sounds, it takes a large amount of chakra and control, especially at first," He explained.
"Can you show me it a few times first?" Hopefully that would help him to understand. After all, he hadn't actually seen the jutsu in action yet. Only the aftermath.
"All right," He replied, with a smirk and then withdrew another kunai. Letting the light gleam off of it, he threw, blade burying into a tree. Then, formed the hand signs, releasing chakra, he seemed to disappear and reappear at the spot where the kunai had landed.
Naruto watched, still confused with what to do. Ah well, there was one way to find out. Tossing the kunai a few feet ahead of him, he stared down at it, trying to focus. Bringing his hand up, he made the seals, his fingers moving easily through the familiar animals. ....the last sign and.....nothing. "Dammit!"
"Try focusing on where you threw the kunai, think of the seal and the location, then try it again. The technique looks simple, but it's rather complicated."
Nodding his head slightly, he refocused again, looking at the kunai once more as he tried to do as he was told. The seals were performed minutes later, speeding through the signs as he tried again. And again. And again. And again. And again. And...he was sure he was a couple of inches further back a few minutes ago.
The yondaime had his arms crossed, chin resting on the fingers of one hand as he watched. Naruto seemed to be getting closer, that was a start. The boy had immense chakra, it was just a matter of focusing and picking up the technique.
Pausing for a few moments to catch his breath, Naruto frowned. This would be so much easier if he could've used Kage Bunshin no Jutsu. The trouble was that he wouldn't be able to control himself. Yamato-taichou wasn't there, so if anything went wrong... Shaking his head, he wiped that thought from his mind. He had no reason to think about that now. He had a technique to learn. Right, focus! Staring down at the kunai again, Naruto slowly went through the seals, focusing on his target. The final seal and... "I did it!" Kind of. He stood alongside a kunai...it just happened to be the one that Arashi had thrown a few minutes before.
His face broke out in a grin, "That's great! I should have removed that one so as not to confuse you, but hey, you learned the basic and that's what counts. Now, come back over here, try to get to the first kunai, then from the first, go to the second."
Heading away from the kunai, Naruto looked between the two targets, making a note of where they were. He gave Arashi a quick smile, before focusing on the first kunai once again. A few seals later and Naruto was...still in the same place. Shaking his head, he tried the same thing once again, focusing harder. And this time, he actually appeared in the right place. Not wanting to celebrate yet, he continued in the same stream, focusing on the second kunai. And once again, the seals sent him into the right place.
"Ready to try one a little farther away?" He asked. The boy was progressing fast. Though he should have expected that from someone who learned rasengan in a week. "How about. ." He said, withdrawing another kunai and tossing it to a tree a bit further away. "That one, then all three."
"Alright!" Taking a deep breath, he tried again, focusing on the newest kunai. Once again, it took a few tried before he was able to move. But it was starting to get easier, each time simply taking a few minutes before he could jump. He wasn't anywhere near as good at the move as Arashi, but he was determined to get there. It was his fathers move, so he'd give it the respect it earned.
He was the perfect pupil, Arashi thought, eager, attentive and willing to give it his all. With a half smile, he inclined his head, "Great, you're doing great. Now, try without looking. Turning around and concentrate on where you remember them being."
Doing as he was instructed, Naruto turned his back on the scene, immediately confusing himself. It took a while for him to orientate himself, having to imagine the scene in front of him (with only a few quick glances backward). Finally ready, he nodded his head before performing the seals again. This time however, Naruto found himself falling over the kunai that sat in the ground. Tripping backward, he glared down at the kunai as though he had nothing to do with what had just happened.
"You're doing great," Arashi encouraged. And Naruto was. "Try it again, concentrate on the seal, think of the seal now, not the area. Hit all three and then we'll try something harder. If you're ready for it."
Rating; U
Characters; Uzumaki Naruto and Kazama Arashi
Summary; It's Naruto's first day in the city; time for some long overdue father-son bonding time.
Log;
He was nervous. More nervous than he could ever remember being aside from the time he had first found out he would become a father. Naruto would be here soon. And had every reason to despise him. Yet he didn't seem to. Closing his eyes for a moment, he gathered himself and simply waited.
Now this was going to be...interesting. It'd been one of the most surreal moments he'd ever been forced to face. Not only had he found out that the Forth Hokage was alive once again (kind of). But then, for him to say that he was his father too... It was something he wasn't ever going to be able to forget, even if he'd wanted to.
Which was why Naruto had been so glad that he was being allowed the chance to actually meet him. Thus Naruto was almost running in the direction of the building, not wanting to waste any more time. The hastily given directions he'd obtained from a random other citizen were his guide. And sure enough, he soon found the building looming into view.
He could feel the boy's chakra the closer he moved, an odd combination of Naruto and the very faint, eerie feel of the Kyuubi inside of him. Busying himself with taking the tea off the fire, he set things up in case Naruto was thirsty. Then moved to the door, opening it when he felt the boy approach. Eyes widened as he caught sight of Naruto. . the very image of himself with only a few differences.
The moment he reached the door, Naruto paused, his eyes widening at the man in front of him. He'd seen that face so many times before, its stone gaze watching over Konoha. Only this time, it wasn't the same monument. This was a living, breathing version. The same version who'd told him the truth about his parentage just a few, short minutes ago. And all he had to say in response was, "...hey."
Realizing he was staring, the Yondaime stepped aside and ushered the boy in, "Er. . come in. I made some tea if you're thirsty . ." There were so many things he wanted to say but. . didn't quite know how to say it and on the other hand, wasn't sure if he should even broach the topics.
It took a moment before he managed to make his feet move. Heading inside, Naruto remained silent for a few moments, his nervousness finally managing to catch up with him. A moment more however, made him change his attitude. As strange as the situation may be, he really had no reason to be so nervous about it. If Naruto made a mistake, he'd fix it after. It was as simple as that. "Sure!" A grin soon erupted on his face. He wasn't going to waste this. "So it really is you then!"
"You were expecting a shadow clone?" He asked, returning the grin then poured some tea, offering it to the boy. "After everything, I think this is the most nervous I've been. ." Then offered him a chair and sat down himself.
"m'not sure really. I mean, you're dead...but you're not." And already he was confusing himself. He took the cup without looking at it. Instead, he found himself unable to actually turn his attention from the Yondaime. It felt as though if he were to look away, this would all be some kind of dream. A joke even. "It feels really weird," he admitted, dropping down into the offered seat.
He was reminded a bit of Obito with the blunt, but honest comments and very nearly laughed, "I think this is weird for everyone. The dead and the living, other worlds. . all coexisting." Then took a sip of tea, "But. I am glad for the opportunity, I would have never seen you again otherwise."
That was true, but it didn't make it any easier. Though at least now, he had one more person he could speak to, even if it was someone he'd only ever heard stories about. "...I only ever thought that you knew me 'cause of Kyuubi. I didn't ever think that...well...you were my dad." He finally pulled his gaze away, looking down at the cup in his hands. "And when you told me, I had to come and see you."
"It's okay to be angry," He replied, inclining his head, "I would be. You didn't have a choice about kyuubi and then the villagers. ." His eyes narrowed, he almost hated them when he had heard about that. A child. Treating a CHILD in that manner. His fingers clenched on the teacup, then relaxed as he smiled, "I'm glad you came. I wanted to see you, too."
He shook his head lightly in response. "I'm not angry at them. Not really." Sure he had been before, while he was growing up. But back then, he hadn't known the truth. Of course, that didn't make things any easier to understand, but at least he had an idea. "It was normal for them, I guess." Kyuubi had killed and destroyed. Any normal person would be harbouring feelings like that. But he hadn't been alone through it all, unlike a certain other jinchuriki he knew.
Taking a sip of his tea, Naruto finally looked back up again, smiling at the other. Even if he didn't want to seem so nervous around the other, the fact he was still the forth Hokage kept reminding him of their differences. Which was why he finally asked... "...what'm I meant to call you?" There was always 'dad', but right now, that felt kind of weird. After all, he'd gone almost 16 years without knowing what one was. It was hard enough trying to come to terms with it all as it was, so that was going to have to wait.
"Oh yes, I forgot. Once you become Hokage you'll learn this- no one remembers your name. Just your number. Kazama Arashi," Then grinned, "You can call me Arashi." Ah, being known by a number and a stone monument, that was really odd seeming. Then lapsed back into silence, not quite knowing what else to say.
Arashi. That he'd be happy to use. At least it was his real name and not one that was given to him. Hopefully he'd eventually be comfortable to move on to 'dad', but right now, he'd stick to his name.
That also happened to be the icebreaker he needed. Soon enough, the questions he'd been thinking, began to make their way out. "What was it like? Being Hokage, I mean." ...and undoubtedly they'd get more inquisitive soon enough.
"Hehe well, when someone ticks you off you can assign them to D rank missions for a while," Then grinned, but coughed, attempting seriousness. "The paperwork is boring, but necessary. The best parts are when you can protect the village and meet allies from other places."
The paperwork was one thing he knew he'd have trouble with. It meant sitting there and concentrating on things he'd rather not do. Something he'd probably mess up in the end. And making allies, he knew about. After all, without them, the villages would be thrown into war again. However, knowledge of outside of the country was something he sorely lacked. "Did you ever get to meet anyone from outside of the Land of Fire?"
"Of course, even if the other kages are pompous and rude and plotting to kill you, you have to be polite," Then tilted his head slightly, "I've met people from nearly every hidden village, been to quite a few of them, as well as the other countries. I hear you've already got a few fans in other countries. ."
“I do?" His surprise was evident in his voice alone. Those he knew outside of Konoha hadn't been the friendliest of people. Though of course, there was still Gaara and the others. One of the few people he could really call a close friend. "Was that all when you were Hokage?" Getting to travel to all the other villages sounded like something he really wanted to do. It was rare that he'd been given the chance to spend time in another village without it being part of a mission. And even then, it'd never been for long. To go as a Hokage though, would be a new experience all together.
"When I was Hokage and before. During my time as a jounin, there were very many wars. Konoha wasn't the strongest hidden village at the time, so we were constantly fighting," He replied. "Those were not the best journeys and opportunities to enjoy the scenery, however."
The wars were something that he'd never really heard much about. However, whether that was due to him never being told, or never paying attention, he didn't know. What he did know about them was that many people had lost their lives in it, defending the village. The same village that he and his friends would do whatever it took to protect if need be. "But Konoha got stronger." He smiled, not wanting to stay on the subject of war for too long. He had no idea how Arashi felt about it all. "And now we're helping other villages."
"Yes, Konoha became one of the strongest," the Yondaime replied. "I am not up to date on the state of the village these days, I hardly had time to speak with Jiraiya and your friends about it. The Sound is here, you know. And parts of Akatsuki."
"Akatsuki?!" That news came as a shock. He hadn't known about Akatsuki being there. He'd been told about Sound, along with warnings of certain other figures from others worlds that he was meant to avoid. "Who?" Names had been mentioned over the day, but no one had flat out told him yet.
"Perhaps I should have said nothing," Arashi replied. "Uchiha Itachi and another who looks quite female, I am unsure of his name. ." Then inclined his head, "You should keep a low profile. They might see this as an opportunity. I won't let that happen." He already had an. . arrangement . . for the time being with Orochimaru.
"I'm not gonna go anywhere near them. Not if I can help it." At least there were only the two of them there. Even if one was Itachi. That merely meant he had even more of a reason to keep away. Though if he was there, what did that mean about Sasuke? Would he still want to... No. He wouldn't let him get into trouble either.
He inclined his head, "Good." But was still frowning slightly, "If a person dies in this world, they must stay here forever. I . . don't want that to happen to you. Though if it happens to one of Konoha's enemies. . that wouldn't be so bad." And grinned.
He was silent for a brief moment, his thoughts on the idea of the dead who resided there. Or more precisely, the fact that Arashi was now stuck there. "...Tenten said that there were ways to bring the dead back to life."
"None worth the risk," Arashi replied. "None. Those who cheat death must pay at some point, or feed on the suffering of others. Besides, this place is a lot better than death god belly." A hint of humour.
"But what if there was a way that'd work?" A way to bring him back to life again. Yeah, he knew it had been a long time since Arashi had been alive. And yes, people would most probably freak out the moment they saw him alive again. But Naruto didn't care about that right now. Even if he'd only just met the man, even if he'd only just arrived, he wanted to be able to think of a way that they could all return, together.
He knew what Naruto was thinking about, and shook his head, "Bad things happen to people who disturb the balance of life and death, Naruto. I. .know anyone would want to, given the chance, but there is always a risk."
"But bad things have already happened." No matter what anyone said, he'd still end up looking for some kind of option they could use. "The risk would be worth it though." He sighed, shaking his head. This wasn't what he'd come there for. He'd come to meet his father, and now he was just spending the time talking about things like that. ...Maybe another time. "How long have you been here for?"
"A few months," He replied, noting the shift in topic and able to guess the reasons behind it. "Though there is no telling how long one will stay here."
So there was a good chance they'd be there for a while then. Or at least he hoped so. The longer they were both there, the more he could spend time with him. ...assuming he didn't find a solution to the problem. "But you're real, aren't you?" Okay, he'd ignored the fact that Arashi had not only opened the door, but he'd also given him tea in a solid cup. "Have others come back to life too?"
"I'm very real," Arashi replied. "The dead can come back to life here. There are a few others who were dead in their worlds and were brought back here. Kakashi was here at one point, and then his two former team-mates. That was . . interesting." And shook his head, then smiled at Naruto, "If you're up for training, there is a lot I want to teach you, though I'm sure you'll find a way to improve them." And for that he was pleased. He had never managed an element and Rasengan combination, but he knew Naruto would.
He'd mentioned something about one of Kakashi's team-mates before. Something about them dying. But if Kakashi had come here and met them both... He could only hope that he'd been alright. That said, he wouldn't have been left alone. Not while all the others were there if he needed them.
The idea of training was more than enough to snap him away from his thoughts. It felt as though it'd been ages since he'd last had the chance to. It probably had something to do with the fact he was currently training every moment he was awake. Taking a few hours off had thrown him even more than the situation should've. "Of course I am!" he finally replied, grinning once again.
"Good. As I said, we never know how much time we have here, so I want to make sure you learn all the good stuff," Arashi replied. The thought of training seemed to have perked up the boy a bit.
It'd only been a suggestion and already he was looking forward to it. The chance to spar with someone like the Yondaime wouldn't ever have happened had he not come to this place. Seeing as the chance was now open to him, he wasn't going to pass it up. "I got really close to combining them the other day." Something he was proud of. Though the reason why he hadn't managed to finish it wasn't something he wanted to think of right now.
"I never did manage that, but I know you will," the boy's chakra was strong and besides that, the yondaime simply knew that Naruto was meant to surpass him. The boy had always been special, he had known it.
"I have to learn it." He had a good reason, and one that he'd follow through regardless. And because of that, he wouldn't ever give up, no matter what. Besides, it wasn't in his nature to quit.
"Oh? Why do you have to learn it?" He asked, curious as to the boy's reasoning’s. They seemed more pressing than simply needing to learn it in order to surpass everyone else to become hokage.
"'cause I have to get stronger." And this was the way that Kakashi had suggested. "I have to help stop Akatsuki." Not to mention bringing back a certain best friend of his. No matter what it took, he'd gain the power he needed to help the others. Asuma, and even Gaara had been killed once already. People he knew and cared about were being killed, and all for one reason. The biju.
The Yondaime inclined his head, "Their goal is a terrible one. Just. . be careful. I know I don't have to tell you that, but I feel like I do. Heh. ." Then inclined his head slightly.
Looking seriously back at Arashi, Naruto gave a small smile. It felt good to have someone who'd bother to worry about him. As he'd grown older, the number had increased. But now it wasn't just a friend who was concerned. "I'll be careful. I mean it. I wont let Akatsuki have Kyuubi."
"It isn't about kyuubi, it's about you being harmed," Arashi replied. "They could be stopped if they got kyuubi, but there is only one of you, you can't be replaced." Then smiled, "But I know you'll be fine, eh? Someone has to be Rokudaime when Tsunade-sama steps down."
"I'm not gonna let them touch me." Of course not. He'd get rid of Akatsuki as soon as he could. That way, the others would be safe once again. He couldn't waste his time on something like dying now could he. And as Arashi had said, he needed to be around to take his job when it was time. He wouldn't pass up on that, no matter what happened. "I just have to get rid of them first." Once he'd done that, "Then I'll become Hokage!"
He was quite proud of that. Naruto, from what he had heard, was a very good person, the exact kind of person that Arashi knew he would become and thus why he entrusted kyuubi to his protection. "I have faith in you."
The simple words were enough to cause Naruto to pause once again. It felt completely different to anything else when Arashi was the one to place his faith in him. He'd said, during their earlier conversation, that that was the reason he was a jinchuriki. But to hear it said so freely was something he knew he wouldn't get tired of. If anything it gave him even more of a reason to make sure he succeeded.
The silence between the two of them, then, was pleasant. He had been worried for all the things that might have gone wrong, but was glad for the way their meeting had turned out.
Once more, Naruto turned his attention back to the cup of tea he still held. There was so much he wanted to ask the man, but now he was actually here, it felt...strange. He wanted to know about the rest of his family. His mother. His grandparents. But above all, he wanted to know more about him. His father. The one connection to the past that seemed to remain. "Did you want to be Hokage when you were my age too?" He had to get it from someone at least.
"Of course," He replied with a grin, "I wanted to be able to protect everyone, to be strong enough to do so." Then paused to take a sip of tea, wanting to steer away from that subject. "It doesn't hurt to have the support of the current Hokage either and I hear she's fond of you."
"You did though. You stopped loads of people getting killed." Even if it meant others having to die...including himself. Yeah, perhaps it was a good idea to leave that subject alone for a bit. "She just wants someone to clear up her mess," he answered, grinning happily.
He laughed at that, "And someone to give the responsibility to while she goes to drink and gamble, if she's still doing that sort of thing. The only bad thing is less action and more busy work. Though, if the circumstances here are representative of the state of Konoha now. . I should think you might have your fill of action in the future." Orochimaru and Akatsuki.
"Yeah, she is." His voice was a little sour at that, annoyed at the fact. Even though she'd 'proven' to him how competent a Hokage she made, Naruto was still annoyed about the stories he still heard about her. Well, as long as Konoha was safe at least. And well, he still liked her of course. "Circumstances?" Ah, that'd be right. The snake and the hunters. "They'll be long gone before I become Hokage!" He wasn't going to sit around and wait until that day before he took care of the problem.
"Especially if there is a way to trap them here when the rest of you return," He said, then shook it off. Arashi intended to look into that matter himself, if there was a way to keep Itachi here, then he would find it. On the other hand, he was attempting to find a way to . .rehabilitate. . Orochimaru into a useful member of society.
And thus another problem sprung to mind. "...what happens then?" He shook his head, knowing he had to try to make a little more sense. "When we all go back...you're not gonna stay here, are you?"
This was a difficult topic, of course, so he tried to approach it rationally. "As much as I would like, I know I cannot return to Konoha. And. .this place isn't so bad." In comparison to death god stomach, it was paradise.
He frowned, eyes not moving from the rapidly cooling liquid. "But there's ways to...bring the dead back." He'd already heard about the problems with the prices that had to be paid. But surely there'd be a way around it somehow. "If...if there was a way..." Would he ever take it?
"If there was a way that had absolutely no strings attached, no one getting hurt, no one sacrificing anything at all, then yes, I would come back. I missed so much of your life already, if I had the chance to be in the rest of it, you bet I would take it," He replied, then added solemnly, "But nothing here is without consequence. Keep that in mind."
"But what if the price wasn't that bad?" Though his version of 'bad' would probably be very different to anyone else’s. After all, he was talking about his father. If there was a way to bring him back, Naruto was already willing to do whatever he could to get just that.
He shook his head, "Every price is bad, Naruto. When you're dealing with life and death, there is always a very large consequence." He knew that first hand.
He couldn't help it. "I don't care though. If it means you can come back, then I just...I want you to still be around, even after we leave." He didn't pay attention to just how selfish it may've seemed. All that mattered to him just then was that he wanted to have a chance to have a family, even if that meant paying a price.
"I won't let you do that, you realize," Arashi replied reasonably. "Think about it, Naruto. You want to be the next Hokage, and yet you would seek an end so selfishly? If there is a way then it will be found without using any adverse means that would endanger yourself or others."
A scowl was his only response for a few moments as he stared up at Arashi. It took a while before he was able to actually speak without saying something he'd undoubtedly end up regretting. "That's not fair. I didn't get a choice in it the first time, and now you're saying I don't have a choice this time either. I want to live in a real home. I want to stay with my family."
"We don't always get a choice, son," he replied, feeling just a little more than guilty over how things had turned out. But then, he hadn't wanted to die, either. Hadn't wanted to leave his son alone. "But, I will promise you that I will look for a way to return, hm? And if it is within my power, I will."
"...yeah." It helped to calm him down a little, having Arashi agree to at least trying. Sighing to himself Naruto shook his head, trying to clear his current train of thought. "I just wanna know what it's like," he finally admitted, smiling haphazardly. "But getting to meet you here. I guess that's more than enough right now anyway."
He inclined his head, "I want to know how it feels, too." He, after all, had only been a parent for a matter of hours before everything happened. "And yes, this place, this chance is more than we would have had normally, so I, for one, intend to take advantage."
"It feels good to be able to say you're my dad." And it had absolutely nothing to do with the fact he was the Yondaime. In fact, that had only come into account when he'd been thinking of his own dreams for the future. Who better to ask than a previous Hokage? "...though I guess it still feels weird. But...it feels right too." He'd calmed down in moments, undoubtedly an effect caused by the man in front of him.
"I hadn't wanted to leave you, at all, let alone by yourself," He replied, remembering the very long and detailed description that Orochimaru had given him of the behaviour of Konoha's citizens towards Naruto. "Hm. It should feel right, even after this time."
"I wasn't really by myself. Not for long. Iruka-sensei looked after me for ages. And then I made some good friends." Though of course, certain friendships had then since broken down. But that wouldn't be for long. If he could manage to form a relationship with a father he'd never met, he'd definitely be able to fix things between he and his best friend.
That eased him a bit, because Arashi had rather large doubts he could find a way to return to the living. But he would try, he had promised and if possible, he wanted to. "Good friends, eh? What about any special girls?"
"Yeah, most of them are here too. Though they're all from different times." Something that still confused him, even now. As for girls though... "Sakura-chan is a really good friend!" Of course, there was the insanely huge crush he'd had on her, ever since he was a kid. But things had changed since then. Now Sakura was the friend he could go too to talk about almost anything to.
He very nearly laughed at that, not the kind of "special" he had meant, but that was good. It meant Naruto was still a bit innocent in that regard and Jiraiya hadn't corrupted him too much. "Ah, she was on your three man team, correct?"
"Yeah. Her and Sasuke. You'd like her. She's really nice, even if she yells at me sometimes." Usually because he was acting like and idiot at those times. "She trained under Tsunade too."
"Ah, so she must be a medic nin?" He asked. There were some really . . odd similarities he was noticing between the sennin and Naruto's group. Though very many dissimilarities.
"She's really strong too." Memories of being at the receiving end of her annoyance brought thoughts of various lumps and bumps to his mind. It was something he could undoubtedly blame on a certain pervert he knew.
"Hm. I suppose she keeps you in line, then," The girl had to be the sensible one since it appeared neither Naruto nor Sasuke had been entirely foresightful.
Scratching his head nervously, Naruto grinned. "Yeah, I guess so." Not to mention the fact that she'd been the one to snap him out of being such a defeatist at times. She'd helped him to realise that things were never over.
"She sounds like a very good person," he replied with a smile. It eased him to know that Naruto did have people he trusted and could rely on.
Of course, Sakura wasn't his only friend. "Have you met any of the others yet?" Tenten had been quick to help him out when he'd turned up. Inviting him to stay and helping him to understand the city. But there had been even more of them around. And for that, he was glad.
"I have met most of them," Though he kept in touch with some more than others. So far, he had mostly been watching the Sound and Akatsuki keeping tabs on them and trying to counter the moves they made.
Finally placing his cup down on the table, Naruto gave up on the idea of drinking. There was something else he'd rather do anyway. "Uh, are you busy? After this, I mean."
"Not at all," He replied with a smile, then added, "And, I imagine you would much rather stay with your friends. But. . the invitation is open to stay with me if you ever want or need to."
Any idea he was going to mention was lost as he stared openly at Arashi. "You mean...I can stay here?" Even if the man could almost be considered a stranger... "Of course I'd want to!"
"I wouldn't have offered if I didn't mean it," Then grinned as Naruto accepted. "I know we're pretty much strangers and you're not a kid anymore, but, I want to make the most of this, you know?"
He was happy, and you'd have to be blind to not see it. His grin just seemed to keep growing as time passed by. "I'll stay till you get sick of me!" Of course, he wouldn't let that happen. "You're still my dad though, so it doesn't matter how well we know each other." Besides, Naruto would undoubtedly end up asking 1001 questions once he'd moved in.
"Aaand, I hope you like ramen, that's pretty much all I know how to make," he replied with a laugh. Arashi hadn't ever been an incredible cook but he was fond of ramen and actually took the trouble to make it.
"You're kidding, right?" He'd just said the magic word. "Ramen is the all time best food in the entire world!" And Arashi would soon enough realise quite how true that statement was for him. After all, ramen made up most of his meals.
Well that was a relief, sure he could add an egg or pork or the like, but his only attempts at making anything other than ramen ended in fire. Quite literally. And how a person could catch rice on fire was impressive unto itself. "Ahh, so you didn't just get your good looks from your old man." And grinned.
An almost identical grin crossed his face at that. The more he spoke to Arashi, the more he found they had in common. It was something he was glad of. A sign that the man really was his father. Not that he didn't believe him when he told him.
"Oh, you wanted to ask me something before?" He remembered, now curious what it was that Naruto had been about to say.
"Ask you?" He thought back, trying to remember whatever it was. "Oh yeah! I want to go and train with you. So I was wondering, if you've got the time, could we?" How could he have forgotten that?
"I've got as much time as you want," He replied, still grinning. One of the things he'd always wanted was to be able to train with his son, to see his techniques passed onto him.
"I've always wanted to beat a Hokage," he responded, jumping to his feet. He was eager, and he was cocky. Two things that would most likely come back to bite him soon enough. "Let's go then!"
He laughed to that, the boy was certainly confidant, "All right, there's some woods on the other side of town, good place for training." Then tilted his head and added, "Race you," Before moving to the door.
The moment Arashi uttered those two words, Naruto was on the move. There was no way he could loose. Not in a race against an 'old man'. Moving as quickly as he could, Naruto ignored the stares that he got. An orange blur dashing through the streets and toward the forest.
Arashi stopped on the rooftop, watching Naruto, a blur of orange streak away. "Hehe first lesson, work smarter, not harder. ." Then performed the hand seals of the jikan kuukan, activating one of the seals at the wooded area. His seals were all over the city in case he needed to go or leave somewhere fast. In a yellow flash, he was waiting at the sparring ground.
He continued moving, a smirk on his face. He hadn't seen a single sign of the Yondaime since he'd left the house. That had to mean that he'd outrun him a long time ago. Which was why, the moment he spotted the man already waiting in the forest, Naruto was completely and utterly confused. "How did you...?"
"How did I what? Totally and utterly beat you here?" Arashi asked, arching a blonde brow, but smiling to let Naruto know he was only teasing. "You're fast, but there are more efficient ways to move than."
Folding his arms across his chest, Naruto restrained a pout as he stared at Arashi. "But how?" If he didn't run there too, how could he have moved so quickly?
"It's a jutsu," Arashi replied. "You put a seal on a person, place or thing, then perform the hand seals and you are transported there," He replied. The technique and a few others were ones he had never taught another person.
"So you just appear there? That quickly?!" Now that was something he wanted to... "...will you teach me it?" Not only would it mean he'd be learning a new jutsu, but it'd be his own father that was teaching him it.
He smiled to that, he'd always wanted to pass on his jutsu to his son. "Of course I'll teach you. This is all something I've wanted to pass on to you since I knew you were going to be born."
His excitement was clear, even if he hadn't been shifting readily, wanting nothing more than to get going. "What do I do? How do I start? How long will it take? What seals do I use?" Well, no one could ever say he wasn't inquisitive.
"First, you need one of these," He replied, tossing Naruto a kunai with a seal wrapped around it. "This will be the point that you appear it. Don't toss it too far the first time. Then, perform the seals in this sequence," And went through them slowly.
Naruto turned serious as he watched the other, not wanting to miss out on a single part. He was determined to learn this technique as quickly as he could, just for the fact of whose it was. Once Arashi finished showing the seals, Naruto turned his attention to the kunai. "So I'll appear wherever this is?"
"Yes. We'll only work on one location for a while, but once you get the hang of it, you can have hundreds of them thrown by your comrades into battle and appear, then disappear without being touched. The technique is very effective," He replied.
Nodding his head, Naruto turned back to look at Arashi once again. "So I just do the seals and that's it?" For some reason, he highly doubted it'd be as easy as it sounded.
"It's not as simple as it sounds, it takes a large amount of chakra and control, especially at first," He explained.
"Can you show me it a few times first?" Hopefully that would help him to understand. After all, he hadn't actually seen the jutsu in action yet. Only the aftermath.
"All right," He replied, with a smirk and then withdrew another kunai. Letting the light gleam off of it, he threw, blade burying into a tree. Then, formed the hand signs, releasing chakra, he seemed to disappear and reappear at the spot where the kunai had landed.
Naruto watched, still confused with what to do. Ah well, there was one way to find out. Tossing the kunai a few feet ahead of him, he stared down at it, trying to focus. Bringing his hand up, he made the seals, his fingers moving easily through the familiar animals. ....the last sign and.....nothing. "Dammit!"
"Try focusing on where you threw the kunai, think of the seal and the location, then try it again. The technique looks simple, but it's rather complicated."
Nodding his head slightly, he refocused again, looking at the kunai once more as he tried to do as he was told. The seals were performed minutes later, speeding through the signs as he tried again. And again. And again. And again. And again. And...he was sure he was a couple of inches further back a few minutes ago.
The yondaime had his arms crossed, chin resting on the fingers of one hand as he watched. Naruto seemed to be getting closer, that was a start. The boy had immense chakra, it was just a matter of focusing and picking up the technique.
Pausing for a few moments to catch his breath, Naruto frowned. This would be so much easier if he could've used Kage Bunshin no Jutsu. The trouble was that he wouldn't be able to control himself. Yamato-taichou wasn't there, so if anything went wrong... Shaking his head, he wiped that thought from his mind. He had no reason to think about that now. He had a technique to learn. Right, focus! Staring down at the kunai again, Naruto slowly went through the seals, focusing on his target. The final seal and... "I did it!" Kind of. He stood alongside a kunai...it just happened to be the one that Arashi had thrown a few minutes before.
His face broke out in a grin, "That's great! I should have removed that one so as not to confuse you, but hey, you learned the basic and that's what counts. Now, come back over here, try to get to the first kunai, then from the first, go to the second."
Heading away from the kunai, Naruto looked between the two targets, making a note of where they were. He gave Arashi a quick smile, before focusing on the first kunai once again. A few seals later and Naruto was...still in the same place. Shaking his head, he tried the same thing once again, focusing harder. And this time, he actually appeared in the right place. Not wanting to celebrate yet, he continued in the same stream, focusing on the second kunai. And once again, the seals sent him into the right place.
"Ready to try one a little farther away?" He asked. The boy was progressing fast. Though he should have expected that from someone who learned rasengan in a week. "How about. ." He said, withdrawing another kunai and tossing it to a tree a bit further away. "That one, then all three."
"Alright!" Taking a deep breath, he tried again, focusing on the newest kunai. Once again, it took a few tried before he was able to move. But it was starting to get easier, each time simply taking a few minutes before he could jump. He wasn't anywhere near as good at the move as Arashi, but he was determined to get there. It was his fathers move, so he'd give it the respect it earned.
He was the perfect pupil, Arashi thought, eager, attentive and willing to give it his all. With a half smile, he inclined his head, "Great, you're doing great. Now, try without looking. Turning around and concentrate on where you remember them being."
Doing as he was instructed, Naruto turned his back on the scene, immediately confusing himself. It took a while for him to orientate himself, having to imagine the scene in front of him (with only a few quick glances backward). Finally ready, he nodded his head before performing the seals again. This time however, Naruto found himself falling over the kunai that sat in the ground. Tripping backward, he glared down at the kunai as though he had nothing to do with what had just happened.
"You're doing great," Arashi encouraged. And Naruto was. "Try it again, concentrate on the seal, think of the seal now, not the area. Hit all three and then we'll try something harder. If you're ready for it."