Kitsune Udon: A Konoha Tale

[Miho Chan]

In another story, a child leaving an orphanage would be paired with yelling crowds of happy children, and a knapsack of goods slung over the back of the young man who walked off down the trail. The adventure has begun at dawn, and the hero steps into the unknown.

Having a kid kicked out of an orphanage at age four is the hallmark of a very different story. Here there are no cheers and very little in the way of supplies. For the tiny, blond-haired boy walking down the street in Konohagakure, the Village Hidden in the Leaves, the story would be marked with seven years of hardship. For the next three days, he'd wander the streets, his protection by ANBU only a single diligent member who couldn't leave his post to tell his Hokage of the sudden eviction. Only then would he be approached by the old man who would become his Jiji, and given a small but serviceable apartment.

In this timeline, he didn't even get that far. Because, in this world, someone else was keeping an eye on him. Well, several somones, besides the very cautious Ne agent and the glares of hateful villagers. These someones were watching from across the dimensional gap.

As Naruto Uzumaki took a seat on a bench, stomach growling, he couldn't hear the conversation going on behind the curtain. If he could, it would have gone something like this.

"So, this is the human Inari wanted dad to keep an eye on?"

"Yeah, but I don't get why. I mean, he's just a little shrimp."

"Haha-ue said he's linked to one of her old friends. I don't see how."

"...wouldn't she wanna meet him, then? And the humans don't seem to want him, right?"

"Maybe not. But what are you getting at?"

"Well…"

Naruto groaned, leaning back on the bench. Being free from the nasty lady at the orphanage had been nice, but now he was hungry. Even the old lady hadn't stopped him from getting a little rice and fish with the rest of the kids, though she'd always given him less. The rice balls she'd given him were already eaten, and now he was hungry again.

...maybe he could grab something from one of the people with stalls? He didn't have any money, but they probably wouldn't mind him grabbing a piece of fruit or-

Naruto's thoughts jerked to a halt as something landed on him in a puff of smoke. Yelping, the little boy sat up straight, eyes fixing on the little creature which had just landed in his lap. The twin tailed, grey-furred fox looked up at him with a grin, and yipped. "I got him! Bring me back!"

"Gotcha!"

"Wait, wha-"

POOF.

Watching civilians started in some stupefaction as Naruto vanished in a puff of smoke. A now panicking ANBU agent shunshined to the spot he'd left, eyes peering around, while a dead-souled Ne agent broke off from his own viewpoint to make a report. Within minutes, search teams of ANBU and squads of stealthy Ne would be darting back and forth searching for the little boy, but to no avail.

Naruto Uzumaki had vanished from Konohagakure.

---

To anyone watching five seconds prior, Naruto had simply vanished. To him, it had been five seconds of gut-wrenching discomfort as he was reverse summoned to the summons realm, landing on the relatively soft tatami floor. Of course, he was surrounded by a litter of fox kits, who were crowding both the grey fox that had brought him here and himself.

"Welcome back Miyu!" Naruto heard one of the various fox kits crowding him say, "Otsukare!"

The grey fox that had kidnapped him giggled, smiling(?) at him. "Heya Naruto, welcome to Kuzonoha Valley! Home of the foxes. Sorry for startling you, but you seemed hungry, and the humans didn't really seem to like you, so I brought you here!"

"...what?" Naruto said, eyes twitching as he looked around. The crowd of foxes started cheering, their yips blending together as he took in the room, eyes finally landing on the massive polished silver plate on one wall, surrounded by scribed ink and carved kanji. "What?"

"We got a new pet!"

"First prank, so successful!"

"Dad's gonna be so proud!"

"About what?" Every fox and the young boy in the room froze as another voice, obviously male and older, came from the door. As one, nine faces turned to look at a much bigger fox with three tails, his mouth dropping open as he watched. "Kits… please tell me that's just an illusion, or a henge."

Miyu, the grey fox, gulped. "Dad- I can explain?" she asked, her ears drooping as her siblings backed away from her. "Great, thanks guys." She muttered as her traitorous siblings fled to the corner of the room, sending her smug grins. Turning to Naruto, she winced at his rather annoyed look. She wouldn't be getting any help from that front.

"I'm waiting, Miyamoto Miyu. Tell me why there is a human sitting in your bedroom." The older fox practically growled.

"BecauseInarisaidtokeepaneyeonhimandIfiguredthatIshouldbringhimbackwhenthehumanskickedhimoutoftheorphanage!" She blurted, cowering behind the human in question.

The larger fox blinked, then ran his internal 'kid to adult' translation software. "...I don't think humans are supposed to be sent from the den until they're thirteen or so." He tapped his chin with one paw. "But regardless, we're not supposed to bring humans here. Not without asking, anyway."

"But why?" Miyu tilted her head, Naruto blinking as he followed the conversation.

"I don't actually know. Something about some folk called the Sidhe and setting a bad example." He shook his head. "Alright, I royally screwed up this job, so I'll own up to it. Come on, Miyu. Since you did this, and I have no idea how-"

"Well, I-"

"We're gonna have to take this to Inari herself." The fox covered his face with one paw. "This will be interesting, at least."

As he spoke, the rest of the kits' tails stuck straight up. "Aw come on-" "Can't we-" "I wanna go-"

"No. I'm not dragging all of you into the Palace. You'd either get arrested or level the place if you got loose. Maybe both."

"No fair! Miyu always gets the good-"

"HEY! I earned my second tail, thank you very much!" The grey kit snarled, "Can you all just let it go already?"

"Enough!" The elder roared. "We are not revisiting this topic again. Kits, let your mother know I'm at the palace when she gets back. I expect this will take some time." With that said, he turned and left, Miyu dutifully following behind her sire.

"You should go." One of the other kits told Naruto, his voice bitter. "Go follow Miyu and dad."

Naruto hesitated for a moment before nodding, "Thanks for bringing me here, anyway! It's kinda cool to get away from all those villagers, dattebayo! See ya around!"

All the other kits' ears perked up, before they yipped happily, their chorus of "you're welcomes." following Naruto as he headed out of the building. He emerged into hazy sunlight, an orange sky and drifting clouds meeting his gaze. "Whoa…"

"Come along, kit." Naruto nearly tripped as one long orange tail curled around his ankle, gently tugging him along. "We need to bring you to the palace."

"'M sorry that you had to see that argument." Miyu whispered from her father's side, "They get nasty towards me sometimes, for an admittedly good reason."

Naruto frowned, though he said nothing as he followed the orange fox, his wandering eyes taking in the rather beautiful sights of Kuzunoha Valley. Cherry Blossoms were in full bloom, and there were rice patties all around, being tended to by both foxes and… humans? No, they had foxy features, some of them with more than one tail, just like the orange fox and Miyu.

"Ah, I see you've discovered our relatives, the Kitsune." Naruto looked back at the older fox, almost expecting a swat but instead receiving a smile. "Kitsune are those of us who choose to dedicate a portion of our power, permanently, to gain true shapeshifting. They gain a human and half-human form, a real one, not just an illusion." He chuckled. "It used to be a right reserved for the nobility long ago, before Inari shared the secrets with all the foxes. But many of us would rather simply have more power, and see no need to take another shape."

Naruto briefly noted Miyu looking longingly at the kitsune woman tilling her field, before the little fox shook her head, looking sadly at her two tails. Then the young fox seemed to brighten, and shared a mischievous smile with him, as if letting him in on some great secret.

The trio continued to trot along, eventually coming to the mouth of the valley, where a pair of sturdy stone pillars held up a pair of wooden doors. Naruto peered to either side, puzzled- it looked like one of Kohona's gates, but there were no walls to either side, and nothing behind the closed edifice.

Miyu giggled. "Confused?" Naruto peered at her. "A quick lesson, human!" She said gaily. "Foxes are known for their tricks!"

"And there's no greater trick than hiding an entire castle." the older fox said. As the gates opened, he spoke. "Behold, the Invisible Castle- the Palace of Inari, deity of Foxes."

Naruto peered through the opening gates, his jaw dropping.

It was a traditional Castle in many ways. It was surrounded by a moat, then walls, each of the four corners sporting a yagura, with the center of the palace containing a tenshukaku and goten, where the Lord or Lady of the castle would reside. And it was massive. Easily the size of Hi no Kuni's Daimyo's palace, if not bigger. Not that Naruto knew that.

"Impressive, isn't it?" Miyu chirped, "Wait till you see the inside! It's great!"

"We're free to enter, kits. Follow me." The older fox stated, plodding through the gates.

Naruto frowned, having seen the path to the Hokage tower a few times. "No guards?"

Miyu and the older fox shook their heads. "No, there are guards. You just can't see them." Miyu replied, pointing her muzzle towards the gate. "That's guarded by at least two foxes at all times."

"Or a fox and a kitsune, or two kitsune. We're not picky." All three members of the group jumped as a big fox, six tails flicking behind his scarred form, spoke from one side. Naruto's eyes widened as he noticed the five metal plates hanging off his belt- hitai-ate. "Mr. Miyamoto. Where did the human come from, why is he here, and why aren't you on monitor duty?"

"In order, the human is the one we were monitoring, Miyu decided he wasn't wanted by the humans, and I am on monitoring duty." the Miyamoto patriarch snarked, his own six tails flickering behind him. "I wouldn't abandon my post, nor would I bring danger to Kuzonoha. You know this, Guard Captain Irons."

"Right then." He eyed Naruto. "So write this off as a kit's prank?"

"If you would, please. But we do need to take him to Inari." Miyamoto frowned. "I don't quite know how Miyu pulled it off, and I don't know how to send him back."

"We can't." Guard Captain Irons grumbled, "Only the Toads have a link to the Human World."

"...definitely get him to Inari, then." Miyamoto murmured. "Come along, kits."

Irons nodded as the group passed him by. "I'll send a runner along. Let her know Kurama's on his way."

Naruto frowned. "Who's Kurama?" he said, his words echoed by Miyu.

The elder Miyamoto blinked, as did Captain Irons. "Wait, they seriously didn't tell the kit?" the father growled, "What kind of- Nevermind. Good Kami above, why me?"

Irons barked out a laugh. "Have fun explaining that one Hikaru." With a flick of his tails, the guard captain retook his post, chuckling all the way back. Which, Naruto thought, was a little creepy, since the laughter continued after he'd already vanished.

Miyu frowned. "Seriously? Is he still using the ventriloquism jutsu? That got old ages ago. He should be more creative, he is a six tails."

"He's not." Hikaru murmured. "I can't sense any chakra."

Miyu blinked. "Huh, probably a seal then."

"Also no. Or at least, I can't detect it."

"He's playing with us, the old bugger." Miyu grumbled, "Prank on top of a prank."

Naruto didn't comment. He was too busy snickering.

---

Half an hour later, Naruto had almost gotten jaded at the casual opulence on display. Almost.

There wasn't any brilliant gold leaf on anything or giant statues, but everything was carved, moulded, or painted. The floors didn't squeak and looked incredibly shiny, the tatami he glimpsed in some of the rooms he passed was fresh and brilliant, and the doors swung open and shut without even a whisper of noise. The beings they'd passed in the halls had sleek-groomed fur or well-coiffed hair, and those that wore clothes wore bright silks and jade ornamentation. This place was rich, and didn't bother to rub it in anyone's face.

It was only the most recent set of doors which were anything more than carved. Silver mirrors were set in each door, held by a pair of carved foxes, the tails of each gilded with leaf. As these doors swung open, he gulped.

The room had a throne, a low one on a raised platform. However, the room was dominated by a low garden growing in the center of the palace, with nine stone dias arrayed around a brillant pool of blue water. On the largest stone, situated before the throne, was a massive white fox with nine tails. The fox peered at the entering group, scarlet eyes twinkling as it took in the two foxes before fixing on Naruto. "...how unusual. And unexpected." The fox spoke in a high contralto, coming to her feet. "Approach, and be known to us."

Naruto gulped, before moving forward. Then, there was silence, as the trio and the white fox stared at each other for a few moments, before Inari burst out laughing. "Nevermind child. You do not know the intricacies of the court. How fares Kurama, young one?"

Naruto's brows furrowed. "Who's Kurama?"

Miyu and Hikaru winced, beholding their leader's silent fury as they contemplated what the child had just said. "Of course the idiot villagers didn't tell you. Why are we not surprised?" She paused. "Although you are rather young."

"Hey! Who are you talking about?" Naruto said, anxiety and confusion overcoming his fear.

"Ah. Yes."The grand fox straightened, then nodded. "I am Inari, god of Foxes and currently Empress of the Kitsune. I speak of an old friend, Kurama of the Nine-Tails. Or-"

"The Kyuubi no Kitsune." Naruto whispered. "I'm… what?"

"It is a long explanation-" the Goddess' speech was cut off as Naruto's stomach growled. "-which can be delayed. Take a stone, all of you, and I shall send for refreshment. And then we shall swap tale for tale."

Naruto took a seat, glancing around. Before long, he spoke up. "Erm… the Kyuubi?"

"Please do not call him that." Inari sighed, then seemed to shiver. Seconds later, a tall, elegant woman with nine white fox tails and a pair of fluffy ears sat in sieza on the largest stone. She settled into her white and pink kimono. "Kurama took the shape of a Kitsune in part to honor us. To have him saddled with the name of the most wretched of our kind, no, to have his name superseded by such is to degrade him."

Naruto swallowed. Inari hadn't raised her voice, but the cold, flat tone booked as much disappointment as anger.

"Inari sama, Kurama-sama doesn't advertise his name to the humans." Hikaru commented, frowning, "It is unfair to expect Naruto-kun to know it."

"Fairly said." Inari nodded. "I suppose after all that has occurred, he would not be fairly disposed to discourse."

"Perhaps it would be best to get Kurama-sama's opinion?" Miyu offered, "I assume you have a way to commune with him through the seal, Inari-sama?"

"I do, in fact. But let us explain the basics first." She turned back to Naruto. "To assuage your fears, Naruto; no, you are not Kurama. Pull up your shirt, child." Once he did so, the elegant woman casually lifted her hand to her mouth, set her fang to her finger, and slashed it open. As Nartuo yelped, she swiped the bloody finger across his stomach, the blood shimmering before a seal was revealed. Inari merely tapped her finger against the rock, sealing the wound. "See here, child. This is the seal wrought by a sacrifice of a powerful man, sealed by the blood of a loving woman. This is the seal which binds Kurama within you."

"Within me?"

"As a jar contains water, or a bag hides a sheaf of rice. The bag and the rice are separate, but one fills the other." She retook her seat. "Kurama is an immortal being, young one. Born of Chakra, upon dissolution he returns to chakra to be reborn. He would reform here, in the place where pure Chakra yet flows, and then he would be free to tear a way back into your world, or remain here for as long as he was able. To kill him is fruitless; the only option is to bind him."

"Huh." Naruto said softly, "That makes sense." He looked down at the seal. "But… why me?"

"Just as a bag can only hold so much before splitting, so too must the containers for those called 'tailed beasts' be large enough, or capable enough of growth to contain their power. The greatest of the Bijuu can only be sealed within a living thing." Inari scowled. "And, by sealing one of the Noble Beasts within a person, that person may draw upon the Beast's chakra. The Jinchūriki, those like you, are therefore wardens, weapons, and sacrifices all in one."

Miyu made a sound of understanding, then a frightened yip. "I just kidnapped someone really important to the humans, didn't I?"

Naruto, in the meantime, was nodding in slowly dawning comprehension, before frowning. "Then why wasn't I treated so well? I'm holding Kurama back, right? From attacking the village, that is."

"People- I will not say humans, for other thinking beings may be the same- often look for scapegoats, or purpose where there is none." Inari said heavily. "Kurama attacked your village, but he was gone; and they required someone to blame. There is also the matter that fear breeds anger, and thus hate. They fear the fox, and you are the only way to get to it. After a time, they would try to justify it to themselves." She tapped her chin with a clawed finger. "Although, the sheer vitriol and lack of care shown is beyond my expectations. Something may have been amiss, but there is no way for us to check now."

---

AN: A Special thanks to my Patreons: Twt1, Omida, J Frost, Tale Swapper, and Adrian Tucker.

AN 2: Well, this is what @Tale Swapper and I have been working on while my muse... refuses to work on my hiatus/unreliable updates fics, along with my Kancolle Muse dying horribly. We have one more fic sitting in the background, but it's nowhere near ready to publish yet. This fic will update on a bi-weekly basis, and we have plenty of backlog to keep updating for a good bit.

 

[Miho Chan]

Hiruzen Sarutobi was having a completely, utterly shitty day.

"Hokage-sama, we've searched the entire village. There is no sign of the Jinchūriki within the village-"

"Call him who he is, Stag." The third Hokage groaned, his head hanging. "He is Uzumaki. Do not call him by that damnable title, please."

"Hai, Hokage-sama." Stag said, giving a tiny bow. "Uzumaki-san is still missing. Bear's report is the last known sighting of him." The man paused. "Of all indications, it was a reverse summoning. At this point…"

Hiruzen scowled. "We need to find the summoner." His student's son, legally his grandson, was missing. Stolen away, without a trace of a path forward. Hiruzen's scowl deepened. Thus, we work backwards until we find someone who interfered. Hiruzen lifted the report off his desk, inspecting it critically, then snapped his fingers. Seconds later, another ANBU took a spot by his side. "Dog. Has the T&I department cracked that woman from the orphanage?"

"She snapped within minutes of being committed, Hokage-sama." Dog's voice came out as a growl. "She, like most of the adult members of the village, knew about the Kyuubi. She took the opportunity to get him out when it was offered."

"And who offered?" Hiruzen hissed. "Naruto was four years old, not old enough to be released from care. There had to be something."

"The bitch was approached by a ninja, one who helped her file the paperwork for Uzumaki-san's emancipation. The boy 'signed it', though he evidently didn't have any idea what it was. It was processed by a second ninja, who has been pulled for interrogation. He has admitted to taking a small bribe to not look too closely at the paperwork on multiple occasions."

Hiruzen mastered himself before the slew of profanities could burst forth, "Any other leads Dog?" The older man demanded.

"Yes Hokage-sama. There was an Inuzuka clan member present, and the Ninken recognized the species of summon. So did the kunoichi. It was a fox, specifically, one with two tails. From what we understand, no foxes have been seen summoned on any battlefield, so they may be an isolationist or non-contracted clan."

Hiruzen nodded, "We'll have to confirm that before we send an envoy. The laws binding summoners are absolute, as you know Dog."

Dog nodded. "Yes, Hokage-sama. Should I deliver a report to Jiraiya-sama?"

Hiruzen shook his head. "Not yet. We need more information for my student to go off of. Dog, continue to monitor the situation. Stag, find Danzo. I need to see if his pet project has any information for me."

"...about that, Hokage-sama," Dog said nervously. "The first ninja? The one who gave the bitch the idea in the first place?" Hiruzen looked up at one of his most trusted agents. "She describes him as 'utterly flat.' As though all emotion was ground out of him. And we have no ninja of his description in our ranks."

It took the old man only a few moments to connect the dots. Hiruzen slammed his fist against his desk, already moving towards the exit of the Hokage's tower. "Dog, Stag, gather ANBU. Danzo has gone too far this time. As of this moment, he is under suspicion for being a traitor to the Leaf. I will assault his compound with any A-ranked ninja I can gather, while you lead ANBU to intercept him if he flees."

"Understood, Hokage-sama." Both ninjas intoned, disappearing in a shunshin.

Outside the tower, a pale-masked figure watched two ninja exit the Hokage's office at speed and dutifully reported their movements up the chain. The robotic ninja didn't know their report would not be recognized as important until the first explosive tag had ripped open the doors of Ne's compound.

Within the office, Hiruzen marched to his weapon rack, pulling down a bo staff. Limbering it, he moved to change into his combat gear. "Hold on, young man. Whatever you suffer, I am coming, and you shall not be in pain for long."

---

"This is really good!" Naruto moaned, his chopsticks a near-blur as he inhaled his third bowl of food. "Thanks again, Inari-sama!"

"It is no trouble, little one." Inari chuckled, eating her own bowl at a more sedate pace. "Kitsune Udon is one of our more popular dishes. Tofu is a luxury product, but we produce enough soy to let everyone have some; it's just that demand is always higher than supply."

Miyu looked up, her muzzle dripping with broth. "It's good! We get it a few times a year." She looked over at Naruto, who had just started on his fourth bowl. "...huh. How much can he eat?"

Naruto ignored her, much too intent on devouring the bowl of udon before him, eating like a starving man that had just been given food. Which… wasn't entirely inaccurate, now that the young fox thought of it.

"Thank you for providing us with the meal, Inari-sama." Hikaru intoned as he finished his meal. "My daughter and I appreciate it."

"Think nothing of it. It is always better to share a meal with good company." She looked over at Naruto, who was finally slowing down as he started on his fifth bowl. "Uzumaki-chan will be a poor conversationalist until he is done eating, I suspect."

Naruto burped as he finished his last bowl. "Ahh… I haven't felt like this before." He murmured, patting his stomach. "Feels good… if a little uncomfortable."

"We are happy to hear that, Uzumaki-chan," Inari said, setting her bowl aside. "I would ask you a small favor in recompense."

"What do you want?" Naruto asked curiously, "I'm happy to help you guys."

"I wish to speak with my old friend. If you would take a seat at the edge of the Moon Pool, I can use the link within the seal to speak directly with Kurama." Inari explained.

Naruto looked down at the seal. "...you're not going to let him loose, are you?" He asked softly. "I think… the Fourth was really good at seals, and you said someone gave their life to make it. I don't wanna make his death mean nothing."

"Releasing Kurama would also kill you, Naruto." The boy looked up, acknowledging the info. Inari continued. "And I refuse to kill a child when the century you might live is but a blip in his lifetime or mine." She paused. "And there are other considerations which must be made. Kurama may have loathed humans, but to commit wholesale to their destruction is not like him. I would have answers."

"Okay." Naruto replied, taking a seat at the edge of the Moon Pool, looking deeply into the reflected light of the moon. It was beautiful, he mused, as Inari sat down next to him, Miyu and Hikaru stepping a respectful distance away.

Inari reached over, entwining her fingers with Naruto's, even as she reached her other hand towards the pool. Water flowed upward, wrapping around her hand and flowing to entangle the joined hands between the Kitsune and the human. With a sigh, she tapped the joined water against the pool and watched as the whole pool rippled and flowed upward, forming a nine-tailed fox with elongated ears, a noxious orange color flowing through the image. Finally, the water which made up the fox's 'eyes' began to glow a brilliant red.

The image moved, head tilting back and forth. "Inari-san." He nodded respectfully. "It has been too long since we last spoke."

"Indeed." The fox-goddess tilted her head. "Three hundred years, give or take."

"You were male last time we spoke."

"I changed over two centuries ago. I've yet to feel a need to go back."

"Fair." The chakra fox turned his gaze to Naruto. "And here's my newest jailer." He sniffed. "You've got your mother's face, brat."

"You're the first person that's told me anything about my parents," Naruto stated, fixed on the fox. "Who were they?"

"...ninja. Both of them," Kurama growled. "Your mother was of the Uzumaki bloodline, and she kept me sealed tight, and painfully. I could feel her emotions, brat; if she hadn't been my jailer, I might have liked her. As it is, I can only regret that I wasn't the one to kill her."

"You were not?" Inari interjected.

"If one isn't in control of their own actions, are they a murderer? Both times I rampaged against Kohona, I did so under the effects of the fucking Sharingan."

"Language!" Hikaru yipped. "There are kits about!"

Miyu simply held a paw to her face at her father's… overprotectiveness. "Dad, I've heard worse from others. You know that." Naruto nodded along, adding his own two ryo,

"The adults in the village have called me names too! I haven't heard fuck before though."

Miyu looked wryly at Naruto, "Fuck is a curse word. Dad refuses to explain more. Gets all flustered when I ask. I know it means something else though~"

Hikaru groaned. "Why must you do this to me Miyu…"

The smug kit replied, "Because."

Kurama chuckled, the noise like stones on stones. "You've got spirit, little one."

Miyu gave a foxy grin back as the group returned their attention to the representation of the massive beast. Inari spoke first. "The Sharingan was used against you?"

"Yes. And both times it was that fucker Madara, though the second time was him using a proxy." Kurama spat. "And of course, I'm the one blamed for the whole mess."

"If there's someone out there that can put you under their control, perhaps leaving you sealed is more a blessing than a curse."

"NO." Kurama snarled, then hesitated. "Not unless I can get more out of it than the cell I'm trapped in. I'm going fu- freaking insane in there alone."

Naruto cocked his head to the side, "What do I need to help you, Kurama-san?" he asked curiously. Miyu gave her fellow kit a long look, before sighing, her twin tails slowly drifting back and forth as she sat by the pool with her friend.

"What would you like done Kurama-sama?" Hikaru asked, "you aren't being extremely specific, and modifying a seal is… not easily done."

Kurama blinked at Naruto's inquiries. "...brat, all I'd need was your permission, really." He motioned to the still-exposed seal on his stomach. "That one's meant to minimize interference between me and you, but forming a direct link- or a contract- would circumvent it. With Inari as a mediator, we could forge it in your soul with little difficulty."

Naruto shrugged, "Sure."

Inari palmed her face, groaning softly, "Of course the kit is far too trusting, even after all he's been through. Why. Kurama, I swear to kami, if you take advantage of the kit's innocence…"

"Not with you here, and likely not even if you weren't," Kurama grumbled. "He reminds me of Tammy, what with what I've felt from him. But I do wanna taste and see things again, and this cage is cramped. Give me some space to stretch out and get a look through his eyes, and I'll be fine for now. So long as there are no chains."

"Fair enough, I suppose." Inari muttered, "Alright Naruto-chan, come over to me."

Naruto complied, coming to sit by the woman, who pulled his shirt up and placed her hand on the seal painted on his belly. "Now, this may take some time. Hikaru, you and your daughter may leave if you so wish."

"I'll stay," Miyu chirped, "I don't really wanna spend time with my siblings right now, and I have nothing better to do."

Hikaru sighed, "Miyu, I trust you'll behave. I do need to head home if only to explain to the rest of the family what happened."

"I will dad." The fox kit replied, flicking her twin tails. "I didn't earn these for nothing."

Naruto tilted his head. "How do you earn tails, anyway?"

"A question for after this procedure. Now, Naru-chan, let us go meet my old friend in his current abode." Inari said smoothly.

---

Emergency council meetings weren't entirely unusual in Kohona. Usually, a clan would make a report about stymied or slain enemy-nin trying to make their way through the forests around the hidden village, or call out other clans for trespasses and squabbles. Hiruzen rarely called an Emergency meeting during his first tenure and hadn't called more than two since taking the hat for a second time. So when he did, there were few if any stragglers.

The entire council, civilian leadership, elders, and clan heads, had all gathered in one place. Only two members were missing; Shimura Danzo, and the Hokage himself.

The second finally arrived ten minutes late, nearly kicking in the doors to the council chambers. Any questions, protests, or reproach died on the lips of the assembled council folk when they saw his garb. Sarutobi's robes and hats were absent; instead, he wore the tight black garb and hood of his old combat gear. Without a word, Srutobi tossed a pure white clay mask marked with a NE marking onto the central table, glancing around the assembled men. With a gesture, ANBU appeared behind several elders and a few civilians, holding them in place.

"I suspect all of the Shinobi here, and likely most of the rest of you, have already heard the news. Uzumaki Naruto has gone missing." He looked around, noting that there were many civilian councilmen who wouldn't meet his gaze. But the silence continued. "Twenty-four hours ago, he vanished from the village, pulled away by a summoned fox. Backtracking his movements revealed that he'd been kicked out of the Red Leaf Orphanage two days ago, and that said eviction had been at the behest of a member of the Konoha Shinobi." He motioned to the mask sitting on the table. "By a member of Shimamura's supposedly disbanded black ops division."

"Why does it matter?" One of the civilians found his spine. "Uzumaki could fend for himself-"

"Silence, worm," Uchiha Fugaku snarled, "No child can fend for themselves at the age of five. "The very fact that the Uzumaki's legacy was sent to the orphanage in the first place was a travesty, one forced upon this village by circumstance."

"Indeed," Hyuuga Hiashi added sagely, "All of our clans offered, but this council denied us the right to raise Naruto, perhaps for the better, at the time."

"In retrospective, perhaps a poor choice." Yamanaka Inoichi spoke. "The information leak which came later-"

"Was caused by Danzo." Hiruzen silenced the discussion, an Anbu agent producing a sheaf of papers at his side. "He leaked an S-class secret and had a long-running plan to take in Uzumaki for his Ne division. It was his hope that forcing Naruto into the streets would give him an opportunity to take him from under the village's eyes."

The ninja council looked thunderous, while the councilors and elders that had blades to their throats gulped, realizing the extent of their crimes was about to be revealed. One of the ANBU signaled Hiruzen, asking for permission to speak. It was granted moments later.

"Hokage-sama, would this not lead to the seal inevitably failing? Emotions are a key part of one's ego, after all." The frog masked ANBU asked, her tone flat.

"I'm not knowledgeable enough about Fuinjutsu to know," Hiruzen admitted. "Even if Danzo's actions had not taken Uzumaki from the village's ranks, he has committed at least one S-class crime. And, based on the mission reports we're only just starting to unravel, has committed many more." His gaze turned towards the Uchiha. "Including the smear campaign, your clan has suffered under these last few years, Uchiha-san."

The Uchiha patriarch inclined his head in Hiruzen's direction, acknowledging his point. "Is Danzo in custody, dead, or a missing-nin?" He asked, his fists balled at his side, "If he is anything but dead, I demand he be turned over to us when he has been fully interrogated. If he remains a threat, my clan will stop at nothing to hunt him down."

"Shimura Danzo is now a missing-nin of the Leaf. A proper one, not simply disavowed." Hiruzen's lips tightened as he cast his old friend into the pyre. "When ANBU moved on his base to confront him and search for the Uzumaki, he threw eighty of his agents at us in a suicidal rush, and abandoned the village with a similar number, leaving half as many to scour the base."

"Eighty? Two hundred?" Inuzuka Tsume snarled. "How the hell did he train that many black ops under our noses?"

"He did not. Not properly." Another ANBU spoke, the badger-masked man holding a tanto to a councilman's neck. "His troops were only ever proficient in a single, honed skill, no more. Assassins with no offensive jutsu, seducers without more than basic combat training; against us, mere rice to the harvest."

Hiruzen chuckled. "Poetic, Badger." He sobered. "Root was disbanded both to conserve manpower, and because the shinobi it produced were largely inferior to normalized, well-rounded Chunin and Jonin. His forces were unable to stop us long enough to destroy their records, which is why seven of you are going to be convicted of aiding a traitor to the village."

A minor uproar erupted amongst the civilian councilors until it was silenced by the Hokage and ninja clan's killing intent.

"Silence!" Hiruzen roared, "You are not being asked, you are being told. The matters pertaining to village security are always at the Hokage's will. ANBU, take them to Torture and Interrogation. Find out exactly how far their loyalty has rotted."

As the men were spirited away, Akimichi Choza stood. The Akimichi clan head spoke, letting his voice carry through the room. "The previous council decision was made in error, then?" At Hiruzen's nod, the large man continued. "Then I offer my clan and its compound as a home for Uzumaki, when he is found."

Cries of objections rose from the council- the civilians objecting to giving him special treatment, the other clan heads putting in their own applications. Hiruzen pulsed his chakra. "Enough. Akimichi-san, thank you for your offer, but such can be decided after we find him."

"Will you need our assistance?" Aburame Shibi spoke in a monotone.

"Perhaps. However, right now I need the help of those clans to hold Summons contracts." Hiruzen explained. "I assumed Danzo had seized the Fox summons contract and was using it independently, but there has been no record of it in his files. There have not been known fox summoners in the Elemental Nations in three hundred years, and thus we are stymied."

"So we must investigate the summons realm?" Fugaku spoke. "My clan would be willing." He smiled, considering the cat and hawk clan summons that went unused. "It may take some time to establish our contracts, but it could be done."

Hiruzen nodded, then considered balancing the village. "Do so. Hyuuga-san, I have need of your clan's expertise as well." As the man turned his pupilless eyes back to the Hokage, Hiruzen continued. "I am in possession of the sparrow-clan contract, but it can only be released to an Uzumaki. I am also in possession of a host of leads to those of the bloodline which may have survived the purge."

"You wish us to hunt them down?" Hiashi asked. "Very well."

"Rat will pass off the leads, both those acquired from Ne and my own investigations. There are only a few promising leads, but they should have been dealt with long ago." Hiruzen nearly snarled as he raked his gaze back and forth across the gathered village leaders. "Along with much else. ANBU will be continuing to sweep the village for the summoner, but for now, we must assume whoever did this is long gone."

---

AN: Next Chapter released! Thank you to my patreons: Adrian Tucker, Omida, J Frost, Twt1, and Tale Swapper!

 

[Miho Chan]

There's a lot of metaphors for waking up. Some come up with a spring in their step, others plod out of bed or roll out of it, and there's often talk of a formerly-sleeping individual feeling heavy.

For Naruto, his waking was quick. It had to be, many days, to prevent the orphanage matron from dumping ice water or sand into his bed. However, as he began to roll out of bed, he stopped; rather than the thin futon and crowded space he's slept in for the last four years, he was instead on a low platform bed, alone in a well-decorated room. He blinked once or twice, his memories coming back to him…

"Finally awake, kit."

"Bwah?" Naruto grunted, still not entirely alert. "Kurama-san?"

"Color commentary from behind your eyes, kid." The Bijuu laughed. "And aren't you polite, calling me 'san' and all."

Naruto nodded slowly, "Being polite is always good Kurama-san. The matron treated me much better when I was polite."

"The more you tell us about the orphanage, the more I want to hurt them," A familiar voice grumbled from under the bed. "Heya Naruto, glad to see you awake. How are you?"

"I'm fine Miyu-san." The boy responded politely, "...why were you under my bed?"

The twin tailed fox shrugged, "Hiding from my- family. Dad's being annoying, my siblings are bitching, and mom's too busy to help me hide with an illusion or two. Also, drop the honorifics, or just call me Miyu-chan. I'm not an overly formal fox."

"Miyu-chan it is." Naruto said, glancing around. "...you know, I think I've met more nice adults here than I ever did at home. Your dad was really nice, Inari-sama was kind, and Kurama seems reasonable."

"...kid, calling me reasonable is a bad sign."

"I changed my mind. Now I want to hurt a lot more people." Miyu said darkly. Her ears perked up. "Someone's coming."

Seconds later, a kitsune servant in a simple kimono entered the room. She gave a slight bow. "Uzumaki-san, Miyamoto-san. Lady Inari bade me bring you to her, once you have refreshed yourselves." The servant removed a seal from her sleeves, activating it to cause a steaming basin and a set of washing implements to form on the floor." Only ask, and I shall bring you fresh clothing, Uzumaki-san."

"Thanks dattebayo!" The boy chirped, before looking at the two girls in his room, "Can you two leave please?"

Miyu snickered, then with a flick of her tails, left the room, along with the kitsune servant.

Half an hour later, Naruto emerged into the courtyard, a black kimono with an orange sash replacing his ratty clothes. Miyu grinned as she saw her friend enter, and waved over her bowl of rice and fish. Naruto waved back, then stopped when he saw the elegant silver fox sitting at the low table, and gave a bow. "Thank you for your hospitality, Inari-sama."

The goddess smiled back at him. "Think nothing of it. But come, we have much to discuss." She motioned to one side, smile not wavering as he took a seat. "Indulge yourself while we speak of your future, young one."

"My future?"

"Yesterday, Miyu took you away from your village. However, from all that I have observed and heard, it was not your home." Inari's gaze lingered on how tightly Naruto's new clothes adhered to his ribs. "Even if we had the means to return you, I would hesitate. As it is, I see no reason to seek what may be impossible when what is before us is better."

Naruto nodded cautiously. "That makes sense, Inari-sama. Where would I stay though? With Miyu-chan and Hikaru-san?"

Inari shook her head. "No, young one. You would not stay with Hikaru and his family. They already have enough mouths to feed as it is. I've taken the liberty of seeking volunteers, and have found a group of kitsune willing to take you in. Machida-san, please send in the Hanname family."

"Hai, Inari-sama." The servant replied, bowing.

Naruto looked up over his rice and miso, watching as the servant left. "...Kurama mentioned last night that I can't stay in the summons realm forever. Is that true?"

"It is and it is not," Inari said cryptically. At Miyu's annoyed look and Naruto's befuddled one, she chuckled. "In short, Naruto, the summons realm is rich in Nature Energy, which was once called mana. This power is corrosive to those with no way of processing it, or making use of it. However, Kurama offers an outlet for some of the energy you are slowly accumulating, and given time you could adapt or change to fit better in this world."

Naruto nodded, and was about to say something when he was interrupted by the same servant as earlier, who walked in with a trio of older kitsune. A lithe female with six tails led the group, and she was followed by a pair of males, one with four tails, one with three.

"Inari-sama." The one in the lead said, bowing. "I take it this is Naruto-kun?"

Inari nodded, "It is."

The female kitsune turned her attention to Naruto, "Hello there, little one. I'm Hanname Asuka. My significant others are Sora and Hibiki Hanname." The two male kitsune waved, smiling at Naruto as well, "We volunteered to take you in part because we have empty den syndrome, and partially because we feel there is a lot we could teach you."

Naruto warily nodded. "It's nice to meet you, Hanname-san." Briefly, he looked at Inari, who nodded encouragingly, "I hope I'm not too much of a bother."

Sora gave a quiet chuckle. "Hardly a challenge. We've handled a half-dozen kits at once, taking care of one human child is not too much of a stretch." He promptly ducked as Hibiki swung a hand in an attempt to slap him.

"Don't taunt the spirits, Sora-kun. They tend to take exception to declarations like that." Hibiki sighed. "But he is right. It will be no bother at all to take you in, young one." He knelt down, offering Naruto a hand. "Would you be willing to adopt us as your guardians, Naruto?"

Naruto took his hand, "So long as Inari-sama trusts you, I do too." He stated, eyeing the male kitsune.

"I do, Naruto." Inari stated, "I wouldn't have told them about this otherwise. Or about your partner in all this."

Naruto nodded, then stopped as he realized Hibiki had yet to release his hand. "...umm."

Hibiki blinked, his eyes refocusing. "Apologies, Naruto." He said as he withdrew the hand. "I suppose any child who found himself dragged across worlds would have a… complicated destiny before them."

Asuka's ears shot straight up. "Oh, bugger. You're sure?"

"He has more eyes upon him than any I have met, as many as my mentor said looked upon the sage." Hibiki explained. Noting Naruto's confusion, he continued. "I am one of the few Kitsune who practices the ways of spirit-talking, an art reduced in value since the advent of the Chakra Tree. All beings have one or two spirits watching them. You have thousands, and there were likely more that I could not sense through their multitudes."

Kurama swore within Naruto. "Brat, if you have so many eyes on you, you're going to need training. Make sure you request it. Destiny doesn't truly exist, but the Spirit World and Material Realm have a way of forcing individuals down a certain path, should they desire it."

Naruto conveyed what Kurama had told him, prompting Hibiki to laugh, "Kurama-dono is correct. Fate does not truly exist, as Free Will tends to negate a lot of things. However, as Kurama-dono has said, the World has a funny way of forcing us down a path, not of our choosing."

"As for your training," Sora continued, "I see no issue helping you train for your coming trials, but it will not interfere with your childhood."

"A fair statement, young Sora." Inari interjected, "One I fully endorse. A healthy childhood is important to the foundation of a person."

"Which is one of the reasons why I detest Shinobi, besides my current situation." Kurama growled.

Naruto blinked a couple of times, then tilted his head. "...fair warning, I'm on my best behavior right now. If you give me a chance, I can show you how I have fun."

Inari, Sora, and Hibiki all chuckled at Naruto's slowly growing fox grin. Asuka refrained from laughing, though her grin grew to match. "Why, Naruto-kun, didn't you know?" She leaned down. "We're kitsune. Being tricksters, having fun? It's in our blood." She reached out, mussing his hair. "Welcome to the family."

---

"If you were looking for us for so long, why didn't you find us sooner?" Karin's voice was soft as she stared at the old man before her, ignoring her mother's hard grip on her shoulder. "Mom's not-"

"Karin-"

"Please, young lady. I understand your indignation, but believe me, the search for Uzumaki survivors was never truly my project." Hiruzen sighed. Uzumaki Ayumi released her daughter's shoulder. "It was impossible to search during the Second Shinobi War, and by the time it had ended we were certain all survivors would have fled underground. It was not until my successor began to rise through the ranks that he and his wife began dedicating time and resources to the search, and his death left cut off those resources."

"But-" Karin started, only to stop as her mother covered her mouth.

"Karin-chan, enough." Ayumi stated, "Hokage-sama, thank you for finding us. We were… not happy in Kusagakure-no-Sato. But, from your own admission, I assume there is a reason you found us now, rather than later?"

Hiruzen sighed. "Unfortunately, yes. Although-" he held up one placating hand "it is not a huge issue. More that there is something only an Uzumaki can help us with, and once the task is finished, you may settle in as you please." Reaching to one side, Hiruzen pulled out a large scroll, marked jointly with the old leaf of Kohona and the spiral of Uzu. He unrolled the scroll. "This is the treaty between our states, one whose clauses we were unable to fulfill in time to save your village." His brow furrowed. "But there are clauses upon clauses here, ones which we have held to. Including how to distribute the resources retrieved from Uzu and the items sent to us via summons during its fall."

Karin blinked as Hiruzen unsealed several small scrolls from the treaty. "What are those?"

"Records of the liquid assets Uzu held in Kohona before the fall, relics collected and stored, and obligations owed. It is heavily weighted in your favor at this point." He removed one particular scroll from the pile, unfurling it and placing it between the two women. "It is this line which drew me to seek you out. We hold, in the Kohona vaults, the Sparrow summoning contract. It is and was Uzu's, held by their scouts and messengers for seven hundred years. None but an Uzumaki are allowed to use it, and the Sparrows would likely lend aid to no other."

"So, you want us to release the contract to Kohona?" Karin hazarded a guess.

"Hardly. I want one of you to use the contract." Hiruzen explained. "Recently, one of our own was snatched from the village by a summons, a fox. And we don't have enough information about that clan to discover why or at whose behest the young man was taken."

"So you want to use the sparrows to do some digging?"

"The sparrows served as messengers for most of the Summons' realm, including the Foxes, according to my Monkey summons. If anyone was to know if the foxes held a contract, and if so with whom, it would be them."

Karin bit her lip. "I'm not saying I won't do it, but don't you have other summoning contracts?"

"The dogs and the foxes are apparently mortal enemies. The monkeys live too far from the foxes to go discreetly, and both the hawk and cat summoning contracts are currently not in use. As for the toads and slugs, I'm taking steps to have their summoners come back to the village, with only minimal success with one thus far. I may have to take drastic measures with her soon."

"And the other?"

"Back, but his summons are some ways from the Fox clan. Jiraiya of the Sannin has yet to come see me for long, but he has mentioned the toads cannot easily reach them. Still closer than the Monkeys." He muttered the last line.

"May I ask who the missing individual is, Hokage-sama?" Ayumi requested, looking directly at Hiruzen.

"Uzumaki Naruto." He answered, "He is important to the village for more than one reason, on top of being a survivor of the Uzumaki Clan."

"I'll sign the contract." Karin stated, "Anything for family."

Hiruzen breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you, young Karin. I will have it retrieved as soon as possible. Meanwhile, is there anything else I can do for you two? Within reason, of course."

"...you wouldn't happen to know a good medic for mom, would you?" Karin cut off her mother's denials. "And, if there happen to be any living spaces on that list, have them cleaned out before we move in?"

Hiruzen chuckled. "The second should be easy enough- the Uzumaki clan manor has been maintained, though there had been talk recently of having it converted into an embassy. As for the first…" His grin turned rueful. "I know the best. The trick is bringing her home." Suddenly, he started, eyeing the scroll containing Uzu's liquid assets. "Hmm. How would you like to own one of the Sannin for the next decade or so?"

"Depends. Is it Orochimaru?" Karin deadpanned.

"It is not." Hiruzen shot back.

---

Naruto yawned as he woke, pulling himself free of the futon as the orange light of the dawning day illuminated his windows. Stretching, the five-year-old worked out the kinks from his back, shrugging on a keikogi and hakama. Yawning again, he tapped up on the short stool in his room, opening the latch on his window and letting in the light.

The Hanname house was a bit of a sprawl, compared to the inner-city houses Naruto had glimpsed in Kohona. Two stories tall with a plethora of rooms, the house even had a large workshop and a small shrine in the backyard, with a running creek passing only a few meters from the shrine's steps. The house was shrouded from the rest of the valley by a grove of cherry trees. Two months ago, on his first approach, Naruto had been amazed at the look of his new home.

(Naruto had almost been surprised to see the cherry trees with green leaves, not pink flowers. But his hosts had laughed; for all that sakura blossoms were pretty, cherries were too tasty to force the trees into one state of being for long.)

Leaving his room, he padded downstairs, trying to ambush the elder kitsune. His hopes were dashed as he emerged into the kitchen, Sora's ears perked as he looked over to see his newest ward coming down. "Ah, Naruto. Have a seat, the others will be down here shortly."

Naruto had been surprised to learn that the three Hannabe weren't the only folks living at their place. Besides the three elder kitsune and the rooms set aside for their three absent kits, two other kitsune and a single fox lived at Hannabe house; Sora's two apprentices and Hibiki's trainee. Breakfasts and suppers were a riot of conversation, and Naruto was learning to speak up respectfully but loudly to be heard.

Today, most of the house's folks were already in the dining area, one of Sora's apprentices helping him, and the rest sitting at the table while the tea brewed over the coals.

"Morning, everyone." Naruto called out, abandoning stealth to take his place at the table.

"Good morning, Naru-kun." Hibiki greeted him. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yep!" Naruto chirped, "I slept great. Thanks for the tea last night, Sora-san. What's for breakfast today?"

"It'll be salmon, rice, and miso soup today Naruto-kun," Sora's female apprentice answered from her place at the hearth, tending to the aforementioned soup. "Looking forward to today's training with Emiya-senpai?"

"Yeah, though I kinda hope I can do Asuka-sensei's training first." At Sora's raised eyebrow, Naruto rubbed the back of his head. "Getting some energy burned out really helps, dattebayo."

From behind Naruto, a chuckle sounded. "Ah, Naruto-kun, if you really needed to burn out more energy, we can up your training a bit." Asuka leaned over, her voice lowering. "I could get the whole skulk to chase you this time."

"No! No, I'll be fine with normal training." Naruto waved his hands, though that slowed as Asuka began to chuckle. "...erg. Teasing me again, Asuka-san?"

"You need a thicker skin, little one. Especially if you want to be a master of any way of war." Her smile gained a bitter twist. "Keeping calm is a matter of life and death."

Naruto rubbed the back of his head "Hai, Asuka-sensei." He replied, "I'll do my best."

"Naruto," another masculine voice called, "If you need situational awareness training, my offer is still open."

"Shirou-senpai!" The female apprentice acknowledged, "Thank you for bringing back the water."

"No problem, Sakura. Here you go." The male kitsune stated, "Your sister says hello, by the way. She asked me to bring you this."

Naruto tuned out the rest of the apprentices' conversation, not wanting to intrude. "Where's Hibiki-san, Asuka-san?" He asked, mentally making a note to take up Shirou-senpai on his offer at some point. "I haven't seen him since yesterday."

"Ah, he's been off on a little… well, he calls them meditation journeys. Really, he tends to go off and stare at nature with a bottle of good sake for a couple of days, then comes back and meditates for a day or two."

Naruto nodded slowly, "Okay. Gotcha. Is Emiya-senpai going to be teaching me in his place then?"

"We might as well push a little harder on your physical and artistic side. But then again, your little friend was asking around about you." Sora said as he plated the meal. "You've been diligent thus far, and I see no reason why you couldn't use some of the extra time to play with your friend over the next couple of days. Asuka?"

"That's fine by me, so long as he completes his training first."

Naruto cheered, smiling happily. He could spend more time with his best friend! Who had been acting pretty weird lately, but that didn't matter! He could play for longer than usual! That meant he needed to get out there, get his work done-

-after breakfast. Naruto was not someone who wasted food.

Two hours later found Naruto outside, limbering up before his instructor and her skulk of students. Asuka nodded to Naruto as he stretched. "I think I've begun to figure out your tolerances, Naruto-chan. We'll be able to push you properly to the edges of your tolerance next time."

Naruto nodded, wincing as his muscles seemed to groan in protest at another day's effort. "I'm looking forward to it, sensei!" He replied, finishing up his cooldown stretches. "May I go see if Miyu-chan can play?"

"Sora's lessons are not until this afternoon." Asuka mused. "Very well. But remember the rules about trouble-"

"Break nothing you can't fix, steal nothing that can't be replaced, and don't get caught in mischief, yes ma'am!" He snapped out.

"Good boy. Go have fun with your friend, Naruto." Asuka stated, "I expect you to be back for your afternoon lessons."

"Yes ma'am." Naruto replied, running towards the Miyamoto residence. He passed through the cherry trees, clearing the forest within a few minutes, his newly chakra-enhanced movement helping to cover distance more rapidly. He ignored the pain in his calves and thighs as he crossed the creek, descending the terraces between his house and the main village.

It didn't take the young boy long to reach his friend's house.

"Naruto!" His friend chirped, smiling at him, "I take it you're free today?"

Naruto nodded, "Mhm, for a while, Miyu-chan. Are you?"

Miyu nodded, her tails wagging back and forth as she pranced towards his side. "Just let me tell mom and dad that I'm going out." With her piece said, the fox ran back into the den, coming out a few minutes later with a pair of saddlebags around her shoulders. "Okay, let's go! Where are you heading today?"

Naruto grinned. "I kinda want to explore the forests south of the Valley. There might be some cool stuff in there."

Miyu nods, "Sure. I've been down that way before, but not directly into the forests. We catching or preparing lunch? Or do you have to be home before then?"

"I've gotta be home past sun-high," Naruto admitted. "Mister Sora's apprentice is going to be going over calligraphy again."

Miyu frowns, though she brightens up so quickly that her friend isn't entirely sure he imagined it. "Gotcha! Just some light exploration then!" With that, the fox starts loping towards the aforementioned forests, chakra enhancing her every step. "Keep up Naruto!" She calls back, grinning foxily.

"I will!" Naruto yelled, feet pounding as he loped after his friend.

"Ah, the exuberance of a kit. Watch your footing, kid." Kurama commented from inside Naruto's head.

Naruto laughed in response, before, of course, Lord Murphy decided he had been tempted enough and the Uzumaki tripped, falling face-first into the ground. After a moment, he growled. "Hate you so much right now…"

Miyu skidded to a halt, before rushing back to her friend, "You okay Naruto-kun?" She asked, searching her friend for any sign of damage, "That sounded painful.

"I'm fine. Just banged up a bit." Naruto came upright, then ran past his friend. "Anyway, try to keep up!"

"Hey! Is this what I get for being concerned!" Miyu growled playfully, before enhancing herself with chakra again, and darting towards her friend.

Minutes later saw the two children panting as they stood near the entrance to the woods. Naruto eventually pulled himself together, looking up at the stretch of trees. "...wow. Kohona's forests weren't anything like this."

"Were they smaller or bigger?" Miyu asked, tilting her head to the side.

"Smaller. The Shodaime created the forests surrounding Konoha, so they're huge." Naruto replied, "The trees in Konoha are massive. These seem… Normal? I guess?"

Miyu nodded sagely, "Clearly Naruto, an area saturated by nature energy, is normal."

Naruto blushed, "Sorry, it's still smaller than Konoha's forests though!"

Miyu giggled before the pair slipped into a companionable silence. A silence that, for a time, remained unbroken as the two advanced deeper into the forest.

That silence broke as a small brown blur shot overhead, weaving between the trees as it sped through the trees. Naruto and Miyu watched, spellbound, as the small figure sped past the two children, before suddenly banking and fluttering to a halt on a branch above them. It was a sparrow, one that had Miyu tilting her head in confusion.

"Sparrow-san, can I help you with anything?" She asked, looking curiously at the member of the messenger clan. "Are you lost?"

"Nope!" The sparrow chirped, "Almost done with my flight, actually. Have to deliver a message to Inari-sama from the Sparrow's new summoner!"

Miyu nodded, "That's good to hear- Wait, an Uzumaki survivor?! I thought Naruto was the only one left?!"

The sparrow looked closer at the blonde kitsune- that was a blonde human, nevermind. "He does look remarkably similar- Wait, you're the one our summoner asked us to ask about!"

Miyu's fur bristled, "I take it the humans want him back?" She all but snarled, "They sure didn't seem to want him when I took him away from the abuse."

The sparrow seemed to do a double-take, before sighing. "Honestly, I'm just the messenger bird. Beni-Enma-sama asked me herself to carry this message, and I'm not going to get distracted by someone unimportant to the message, no offense."

Miyu continued to glare at the sparrow, who, eventually, unnerved by the fox, took off, flying towards Kuzunoha Valley.

"Naruto, can we go home?" Miyu asked flatly, "I don't…"

"...huh." Naruto stared after the bird. "...I guess?" He shrugged. "I mean, you know I'm not gonna just leave, right?"

"Really?"

"Yeah. I mean, I never saw any places serving Kitsune-udon in Kohona, so-"

Miyu tackled her friend in a hug, before nodding to herself. "I guess that answers my question on what to do with my second tail." She muttered, staring at it.

"What do you mean, Miyu-chan?" Naruto asked, tilting his head to the side, "Didn't you not want to become-"

Miyu puts a paw on Naruto's lips. "You're worth more to me than one silly tail." She replies, before wincing. "Sorry, it's… hard. I went through a lot because of this tail, and sometimes, I wondered if it was even worth it. Then I met you."

"Miyu, I'm… that's nice? I guess?" Naruto's confusion shone through his face.

Miyu frowned, "Sorry, I should explain it better, shouldn't I. Where are you confused, Naruto-kun?"

"I mean… it sounds like you're gonna do something you can't take back. Because of me." Naruto shrugged. "Why?"

Miyu shrugged, "I've been debating becoming a kitsune for a while." She said in a conversational voice, "You're more of a friend to me than anyone else, and someone has to keep an eye on you. Becoming your personal summons is out. I'm too young for that honor. But a kitsune? I could very easily follow you in to your world and stand by your side."

Naruto parsed over everything she'd said. "...I don't need protection. Not yet, anyway." He said slowly. "I'm not leaving, and the Hannames will protect me. And I'm not the fox summoner. There hasn't been one in forever, according to Asuka-san. You don't need to do this, or we can wait. I mean, I don't even know why that tail's important to you, but it is. You shouldn't give it up to follow me somewhere I don't even know I'm going to."

Miyu sighed, "Naruto if the humans want you back, they get you back. Period. Summoners cannot interfere in the summons realm unless a summons clan acts against them without a summoner. The foxes don't have the aegis of a summoner to hide behind. At best, Konoha will be willing to negotiate. But I technically broke a really big law when I brought you here. Honestly, I'm surprised Inari-sama didn't punish me more than she did."

Naruto winced. "Would they try to take me back?" He paused. "I guess they'd want Kurama back…"

"If they tried to 'make use of you', we'd likely lose fighting them." Kurama grumped. "You're far too weak to use my full power, and the Sharingan would snag us quickly, anyway." His voice cut out for a moment. "Unless we just blast everything with fire. Hard to fuck with someone's mind when you're on fire."

"You're too important to Konoha to keep here permanently," Miyu whispered, "But I swear that I won't let you go back to that place alone."

"And I promise that I'll keep coming back so long as I'm alive," Naruto swore. "You don't need to-"

"Naruto. You're worth this." Miyu insisted softly. "Don't get me wrong, it'll suck having the chakra reserves of a one-tail again, but I'll get used to it. My friendship and loyalty to you matter more to me than a tail."

Naruto, touched, finally stopped arguing. "Okay, Miyu-chan. I just… Don't want you to lose something precious like that.."

Miyu smiled in response, "I'm not. I'm just investing in my future."

 

[Miho Chan]

"Why did you let this happen, sensei?" Tsunade's confusion was evident as she spoke to the Hokage. "I mean, she's not even forcing me to do-"

"Ninja work?" Hiruzen sat back, taking a slow sip of his coffee. The two stood in Hiruzen's office, Tsunade having come in quietly this time, as opposed to the rather loud entrance she'd made two weeks before. "I know, Tsunade. To be honest, I considered buying your debts out myself, or having the village do it, but Uzumaki-san was a better choice."

"She's thirteen."

"Which means you are unable to use force to get her to void the debts." Hiruzen smiled as his former student huffed. For all that the med-nin was a stubborn bitch, she still hadn't lost her gentle touch with patients or children. Karin holding her leash and requesting medical training was a good idea.

Tsunade huffed, before a small smile made its way to her face. "The brat is a good student. Shizune is also enjoying being back in Konoha."

Hiruzen nodded, hiding his own smile, "I had thought you would be swayed to stay." Then the Sandaime Hokage turned serious, "Tsunade, I will not order you to resume duties as a ninja, but as you know, your cousin was kidnapped under our noses-"

Tsunade held her hand up. "I know, sensei. I've been in contact with Katsuya-sama. She's of the opinion that this is a misunderstanding of some sort. She's familiar with the boss of the Fox Clan, a kitsune by the name of Inari. They met at some sort of conference in the realm. She doesn't believe Inari would agree to kidnap a child, regardless of what their summoner-"

"Hokage-Sama, Beni-Enma and Uzumaki Ayumi are here to deliver news on Uzumaki-Kun." Hiruzen's secretary called over the intercom, "Should I send them in?"

"Send them in." Hiruzen replied.

"Hokage-sama, Tsunade-sama." Uzumaki Ayumi greeted, bowing. "Beni-Enma-sama has news for us. She self-summoned earlier today."

The Tongue-Cut-Sparrow bowed shallowly towards Hiruzen. "Hello, Hokage-dono. I am Beni-Enma, Lady of the Enma-Tei. I come bearing news about your lost Jinchuuriki."

Hiruzen returned the bow, "Thank you, Beni-Enma-dono. Please, sit."

The sparrow youkai nodded, taking a seat. "Inari-dono sends her regards, Hokage-dono. She apologizes in advance for a 'kit's prank', and is willing to return Naruto to you, but has… conditions."

Hiruzen narrowed his eyes. "Continue, Beni-Enma-dono."

She nodded. "Inari-dono has sent a document containing an explanation of what happened." She continued, handing the Sandaime a scroll. "I recommend reading it in full before you judge, Hokage-dono. Inari-dono's clan simply did the best they could in their situation, with the limited knowledge they had."

Hiruzen picked up the scroll, reading each part line by line, his face not wavering. After a few moments, he sighed, massaging his brow. "...it sounds as though he has found a family there. That will make things much more complicated."

Tsunade blinked. "Wait, so-"

"Naruto was not summoned by a human being. He was taken by the fox clan itself, namely by one of their youngest members." He frowned as he reread one section. "Though I do not know who this 'Kurama-chan' is, or why the clan was keeping an eye on him."

Beni-Enma giggled, "Apologies Hokage-Dono, Kurama-san is the Nine tailed Bijuu. Only Inari-dono would refer to him as Kurama-Chan."

Hiruzen stilled. "The Fox Clan. What is their relationship to one of the Bijuu?"

"Foster family, I believe. When the Sage created the Bijuu, he fostered-"

"WHAT."

Beni-Enma blinked as Hiruzen exclaimed. "You did not know this?"

"No. No I did not." He let out a deep breath. "He created… all of the Bijuu."

"Yes. And then fostered them with the nine clans he knew to have a great and noble lineage. Foxes, Cats, Raccoons, Steer…" She paused. "Indeed, I suspect your Monkeys had one fostered to them. Son Goku named himself after one of the Clan's heroes."

Hiruzen shook his head. "If they were born of the Sage… why do they hate humans?"

"You would have to ask, though I suspect most did not. Before being imprisoned." Beni-Enma shrugged. "Your Shodaime committed a sin, according to the laws and traditions of our realm. Unfortunately, it was already too late by that point to interfere, and pointless. The children they had raised were already imprisoned and known to humanity. They would be hunted for the rest of their lives."

Hiruzen's eyes snapped open. "Then why have they not released the- Kurama?" He asked.

Beni-Enma huffed. "Inari would not be so callous as to kill a child, especially for so passing a transgression. To immortals, what is imprisonment for a century or two? But the life of a mortal child is precious, as all children are."

Hiruzen nodded slowly. "The end of the scroll states that Inari-dono wishes to talk. Is there a neutral location she'd prefer?"

Beni-Enma shook her head. "As a gesture of trust, Inari-dono wishes to speak to you within Konohagakure-no-Sato. That, of course, requires that she have a summoner. In this case, I will summon her when you are ready. It need not be today, but the sooner, the better."

"...summons can summon each other?" Hiruzen asked incredulously.

Beni-Enma paused. "How much has been forgotten…" She looked at Hiruzen. "If one gives permission, it is possible to summon any, with enough strength. The veil of worlds is thin enough to cross with human reserves, but an anchor must be had. The summons contracts act as an anchor, an inviolate one which could persist even when the summoner died. But other anchors may be used, such as blood or seals."

Hiruzen nodded slowly. "I see that there is much Konoha needs to relearn about the contracts we hold. If I may ask for a week to prepare a delegation, it would be much appreciated, Beni-Enma-dono."

Beni-Enma nodded. "Done. Summon me again when you require Inari-dono, Ayumi-chan."

As the Queen of Sparrows departed, Ayumi sighed in relief. "She's… taxing to maintain."

Tsunade gave her a once-over, then turned back to Hiruzen. "Old man, I've heard about how the village treated Uzumaki. Is bringing him back here really the right thing?"

"For Naruto? Perhaps not. For the village? It must be done." Hiruzen grimaced. "Especially if what Beni-Enma told us is true, the village needs a Jinchuuriki now more than ever. A direct connection to the spirit realm, a holder of the legacy of the Sage of Six Paths…" He murmured. "If we could negotiate with the Bijuu, what could we learn? And such information will get out, one way or another, considering how readily Beni provided it. Konoha has weakened enough already, we cannot afford to fall behind now."

"And how are you going to protect Naruto?" Ayumi asked, interjecting upon their conversation. "I would offer to take him in, but we cannot grant him the sanctuary he needs."

"With Danzo gone, many of Konoha's clans have offered Naruto a place. I am loath to give him to only one family, so he will be fostered out to the Mahjong alliance." He frowned. "If he comes home." He sighed. "There is nothing for him here, unfortunately."

"Not nothing," Uzumaki Ayumi stated softly, "He has family here, and, from what you told me, a dream."

---

Hiruzen looked over his robes, shifting slightly as one of his ANBU worked to straighten everything properly. It was always a tad disturbing, he thought, seeing the normally stoic village guardians doing things like this. You never thought of ANBU as having hobbies, and yet Swan's disguise skills were commonly put to use by his comrades to get their make-up and clothing in proper shape. Hiruzen had only met the man outside his mask a few times, and a more un-ninja-like ninja he'd yet to meet… and he was counting Maito Gai.

Shaking off his wandering mind, Hiruzen strode out of the building, the ANBU behind him stowing the make-up kit in seconds and falling in beside him. The courtyard of the mostly-unused embassy building had been set up with a large pavilion, while Beni-Enma and Uzumaki Ayumi sketched a fuuinjutsu circle on the ground in white paint.

"Hokage-dono." Beni-Enma acknowledged, "The Uzumaki prove their worth again with their mastery of seals. We'll be able to summon Inari-dono and anchor her entourage to these chakra storage seals. They should last for a week, at most."

Hiruzen nodded, mentally noting that Ayumi deserved a reward for her service. "Thank you, Uzumaki-san." He stated, nodding at the Konoha kunoichi.

The acting Clan Head nodded. "It was my pleasure, Hokage-sama."

"Sensei, glad you could make it." Another voice called out, carving out a secondary array on the ground. "I'm almost done with my set of seals."

"Thank you, Jiraiya-kun." Hiruzen stated, "Beni-Enma-dono, we are ready whenever you are."

The sparrow nodded, placing her hand upon the seal and sending out a small pulse of chakra into the seal. Seconds later, the seal pulsed back. "Inari-dono is ready for us. Let us open the way." She closed her eyes, allowing the chakra seals, filled with volunteered energy, to trigger the larger array. Moments later, four figures appeared in the circle, a shimmer of chakra smoke clouding them from sight. From the smoke, a regal figure in a white kimono emerged, white face paint and red lines marking her visage. With nine white tails flowing behind her, Hiruzen knew instinctively that this was Lady Inari.

The other three figures were all different from each other. One was a massive fox, grey fur only blurring the multitude of scars covering his form, lacquered armor covering much of his body. A second armored figure was a male kitsune bearing a spear, with a sword belted at his waist and a bow slung across his back. The final figure was a second female with nine tails, dressed in an elegant but less ornate kimono and bearing a leather case at her side.

Inari looked across the gathered shinobi, civilians, and watchers, before her gaze settled on Hiruzen. She gave a shallow bow, her kimono fluttering. "Lord Hokage, it is this one's pleasure to meet you at last. I am Inari, Daimyo of Foxes. Let it be known that we come in peace."

Hiruzen bowed in response. "I greet you, Inari-dono. It is our pleasure to welcome you to Konoha. I am Sarutobi Hiruzen, leader of this village and the warriors who protect it." Hiruzen paused briefly, then continued, "If you could follow me, Lady Inari, we may step out of the sun, and take some refreshment while we speak."

"Lead the way, Lord Hokage." Inari replied daintily. "As they stepped away from the sealing array, Jiraya triggered his own, wrapping the pavilion in a veil of light and white noise to prevent eavesdroppers from listening in, before passing through the veil to join his old teacher in the pavilion.

Inari settled into the backless chair before the large table, idly tracing the grain of the wood. "Ah, so this is the famous Hirashima wood, hmm? I've not seen a grain like this in all of my years."

Hiruzen nodded as he took the seat across from her, his aide settling in beside him as Inari's handmaiden sat beside her. "The wood is abundant here, though it is difficult to carve. I am pleased that it is to your liking." He paused as a man emerged from the embassy, bearing a tea service. "Tea, my lady?"

"Of course." As the tea was sat out, Inari leaned forward. "Well. You seem like a wise man, Lord Hokage. May we relax the formalities, and speak plainly?"

Hiruzen chuckled. "I was going to ask you the same, Lady Inari." He took a sip of his own tea.

From one side, Beni-Enma settled into place. "Are we beginning the negotiations immediately?

"I do not believe so, Beni-Enma." Inari replied.

Hiruzen nodded as the third party to their discussion settled back on her seat. "Fairly put. Now, Lady Inari; I would ask, how fares Naruto?"

Inari nodded. "He learns quickly and grows by the day. He has been fostered with the Hanname family, an honored clan within Kuzunoha Valley, and they have come to care for him as an honored student, or perhaps more." She shook her head. "The young are so bright, so resilient. It has been wonderful to have him with us."

Hiruzen's lips tensed before he sighed. "I am glad to hear that he has been doing well. I suspect, by the cut of your words, that you have questions as to why he was not well here?" As Inari nodded, he continued. "Fear and human nature make the worst of any of us, I'm afraid. With the knowledge of his inhabitant, many did not understand the nature of their relationship. Some spread rumors that he was the Bijuu incarnate, or being driven mad by the Fox."

"Kurama could not, not with the seal upon Naruto." She paused. "Could not one of your seal masters explain it to them?"

From one side, Jiraya coughed even as Hiruzen shook his head. "Konoha has not had a resident Seal Master in years. My predecessor, the fourth Hokage, was the only one, and he died the day Kurama was released. Jiraiya, one of my students, is a Master in his own right, but he is gone from the village often as part of his duties."

"The Uzumaki being scattered did not help this," Beni-Enma stated furiously from the side, "Damn Kumo, Iwa, and Kiri for their paranoia."

"I see," Inari stated, before sighing. "To be perfectly frank, Naruto cannot stay in my realm forever, not without changing permanently, likely against his will. The amount of nature chakra that saturates Kuzunoha Valley is only surpassed by Mount Myoboku. And only ever so slightly." Seeing Hiruzen's nod, she continued, "However, that does not mean that I am willing to return him to a place that hates his existence."

Hiruzen nodded slowly. "Fortunately, it will not be an issue. I have… Cleaned house, so to speak, and the elements that sought to keep Naruto on his own are gone. All the clans have offered to take him in, though I have given guardianship to none, three of our Ninja Clans will host him on rotation."

Inari arched one eyebrow. "While I am glad to hear that you have done as a ruler should, I question whether you have been thorough enough. And, considering the number of civilian deaths it would have taken…"

"I should be more precise, then." Hiruzen allowed. "I have cleaned out the village leaders who was responsible for Naruto's treatment."

"That I could see occurring." Inari sipped her tea. "Before I continue, I would ask why Naruto is so important to you." She held up one hand, claws waving as Hiruzen came to speak. "Not to the village- you, personably. Naruto has mentioned you visiting him several times. Odd for a ruler to integrate himself with a child."

Hiruzen smiled benignly, "If what you say is true, may I ask what you think it is? Laws prevent me from revealing the true reason on my own initiative, though I am willing to confirm a suspicion."

Inari's eyes narrowed, "Are you not the law of the village?"

Hiruzen sighed, "In theory, yes. In practice? No. The Fire Daimyo did not like the idea of a military dictator controlling his Shinobi Forces. I could rewrite the laws that prevent me from telling anyone I please this secret or others, but, in practice, that would simply see me investigated, possibly replaced, and the law immediately repealed." He sighed. "The civilian council members, even the loyal ones, would not accept such a frivolous use of power."

Inari made a noise of understanding, "So your village is a city-state within the Land of Fire?"

Hiruzen shook his head, "Much more like an extremely powerful vassal."

"I understand." Inari replied, "Very well. Kurama tells me that Naruto is not just named after the Uzumaki, but is in truth, a blood heir. I take it that he is the legacy of the Fourth, as well."

Hiruzen nodded, though he made no vocal acknowledgment.

"I see. That makes far more sense then. Very well. I suppose that Plan A is on the table again, in that case."

"Oh?" Hiruzen asked, "May I ask what this is?"

"Simply put, Naruto has family in both worlds now… and has recently asked me about the Fox Contract." Inari began to explain. "I intend to allow him to call Kuzunoha home for as long as he wishes, but I do not want to separate him from his home here."

"Difficult." Hiruzen murmured.

"Or not. The issue is one of distance, but such a gap may be bridged." Inari said. She clapped her hands, her handmaiden removing a scroll from the leather case. The scroll was unfurled, Jiraya's watching eyes bugging out as the design for a massive seal was revealed.

Hiruzen studied the seal. "This is?" He asked.

"An ancient seal, one intended to connect two distant locations as though they were merely upon opposite sides of a door," Inari explained. "With this, Naruto could come and go from Konoha or Kuzunoha as he pleased."

Jiraya ignored all protocol as he darted to examine the seal. "How the… this is fantastic work. Who designed this? Was it lost, who-"

Hiruzen seized his former student's ear. "My apologies for his conduct."

Inari's laughter had Hiruzen sighing in relief, "It is no issue, Hokage-dono. Seeing a master of his craft act in such a manner is refreshing."

Hiruzen sighed in relief. "How would this seal work, Lady Inari?"

"In truth, I cannot explain it well to someone who is not a sealmaster. I would be willing to explain it to Jiraiya-san at a later time, but suffice to say, it utilizes space-time theory to bridge a gap." Inari stated, "However, I'd imagine you'd need more than that."

Hiruzen shook his head. "So long as you explain it to Jiraiya, and he approves of it, I am willing to begin preliminary talks right now."

"I will have one of our Seal Masters come to explain things fully, then." Inari smiled. "For one, there is something I have yet to ask Naruto, and was wondering if it would be appropriate. As Lord of this village, you are technically the leader of Konoha's family, yes?"

Hiruzen nodded, "In a way, yes. May I ask why?"

"Then, from the matriarch of the foxes to the patriarch of Konoha," Inari removed a second scroll from her handmaiden's bag. "I ask permission so that Uzumaki Naruto may be made a citizen of both our homes." She unrolled a contract, allowing Hiruzen to read over the print.

"...this is…" Hiruzen shook his head. "Different."

"Most summon clans 'adopt' their summoner into the clan if they prove themselves worthy. Such a thing is informal, but I would like to formalize the relationship." She nodded at the larger seal. "If that is put in place, Naruto is unlikely to be the only one moving back and forth. Dual citizenship would be necessary."

Hiruzen stroked his chin. "It is not normally practiced, but in this case, it might be acceptable. It is nearly impossible for your village and ours to come into war, which is the main reason to avoid such divided loyalties."

Inari nodded, "that was my thought as well."

"Then I have no issues with this." Hiruzen declared, signing the document. "May Naruto Uzumaki be a citizen of Konoha and Kuzunoha so long as he remains loyal to both." He paused. "And he agrees, of course."

Inari smiled as Hiruzen signed the document. "Wonderful. Now then, we have much to discuss. I will send Iroh to retrieve Master Hijikata, and then we shall discuss matters further when he has explained the seal work."

Hiruzen nodded as the samurai kitsune moved to leave the pavilion. "I see no problem with this. Although, would you mind if I asked a question?"

"Oh?"

"In many of the old records, you are spoken of as a male. Should I have those corrected, or is the title an inherited one?"

Inari grinned foxily, "The records are correct. We are shapeshifters, after all."

Hiruzen made a noise of understanding. "I see. I assume that you took a male form for some time, then?"

Inari nodded. "This is my… third period of time as a female. Many kitsune do not stay as one gender forever, though many do. Naruto has yet to truly adopt this way of thinking, though he has been… curious about it."

Hiruzen groaned, "I see…"

---

The discussion dragged on, with each side sharing their sides of the story. Even as Jiraya and the fox seal master (a polite and exuberant white fox who used his seven tails to rapidly draw his Fuinjutsu) hashed out how the seal worked, Hiruzen and Inari traded anecdotes and sketched out, piece by piece, a possible alliance between their villages.

As they moved onward, Inari's attention was drawn to the young man at Hiruzen's side, who'd diligently kept up with the rapidly shifting paperwork. She paused as she noted his black eyes. "A moment, Lord Hokage. May I address your aide?"

Hiruzen looked up, eyes sharp. "I see no reason you cannot, though I wonder why you ask."

"He is of the Uchiha clan, is he not?" The young man looked up, his eyes meeting that of the Fox Goddess. Their gazes locked, moments before Inari relaxed. "To be free of the curse of hatred… truly, you have come a long way from your ancestors, young man. Tell me, what is your name?"

The young man looked back at her, replying quietly. "I am Uchiha Itachi, honored lady." He tilted his head slightly, his voice even. "You know of the curse?"

Inari barked out a laugh. "That lingering regret has lingered in your clan since Indra founded it. You feel all things easier- grief, rage, love- but as always, the darkness sticks with you more."

Itachi looked down. "I follow the Will of Fire, not the whims of some curse."

"Good of you. If only the same was followed by your ancestor." Inari sighed. "Hiruzen-dono, I have spoken with Kurama several times since Naruto came to Kuzunoha. He related to me that both times he attacked your village, he did so under the effects of the Sharingan. The second time, by someone claiming to be Madara himself."

"...Madara is dead. And I doubt he could do the damage he did to free the Nine-Tails." Hiruzen said slowly.

"Indeed. But it seems he still has designs on your village." Inari mused. "Perhaps he trained a successor?"

Hiruzen nodded slowly, "It could be possible. Though unlikely, unless he miraculously survived the Valley of the End." The Hokage's eyes sharpened, "Regardless, I would speak to Kurama-san about the man that freed him. The Leaf will hunt him down."

"I doubt he will have any objections." Inari stated dryly, "He does not like the Uchiha. At all."

"Quite," Hiruzen stated, before coughing. "Regardless, back to the treaty. Are we agreed that in exchange for the permanent gate to Konoha, Kuzunoha will provide favorable trade deals and maintain an exclusive relationship for missions?"

Inari scanned over the proposed segment of the treaty, before nodding. "I see no issues with this, Hokage-dono. Has the Fire Daimyo given approval on his end?"

Hiruzen nodded, "He requests that he be present to read and sign the treaty himself, but has no qualms with the proposed sections from either side."

"Very well. In that case, you just need to ratify it, and we can begin arranging for construction of the Gate and the building to house it." Inari smiled. "Now, as for Naruto. We will need to have him here for that discussion, so I will return with him in two days hence. Is that acceptable?"

Hiruzen nodded. "I have no objections. I take it you shall return to your realm, in that case?"

Inari nodded. "I shall. My expertise is no longer needed here, and any of my retinue that remain can summon me if the need arises."

"Wonderful. In that case, thank you for meeting with me today, Lady Inari. It has been a pleasure to speak with someone so intelligent, forthright, and beautiful."

Inari chuckled. "And I appreciate your wisdom and candor, Lord Hokage." She turned and bowed again. "And thank you for your time, Beni-Enma. As always, I pay my respects and tithe to the sparrow clan for their service."

 

[Miho Chan]

"Step forward, Miyamoto Miyu." Hibiki intoned, "The array is ready. All that remains is the sacrifice."

The fox stepped forward without hesitation, head held high as her twin tails flicked behind her.

Naruto watched, a respectful distance as his first friend prepared to sacrifice something she held dear for him, regardless of what she tried to portray it as. He still wasn't quite onboard with this plan, but… He wasn't going to take away Miyu's choice by arguing with her anymore.

"I am ready, Hibiki-san." Miyu stated as she reached the center of a massive fuuinjutsu array. " I stand prepared to sacrifice the chakra of my second tail."

Hibik nodded gravely. "I will activate the array." With that, he placed his hand against the array, "Fuuinjutsu: Rite of Ascension!"

The seal ignited, lines written in stone flaring white. "The seal is ready." Hibiki looked slightly grim. "If you were at the cusp of growth, all you would need to do would be to expend all you had into the seal. But, since your tail is fully grown, other means are required. Are you prepared."

Miyu nodded, curing inward with her head to grasp the curved silver knife attached to her hip. With a yank, the blade came free, held in her jaws. "Redie" she mumbled around the blade.

"Then cut loose what was yours, and let the blood and flesh fall upon the central circle."

Miyu curled around, manipulating the knife so that its curve came to rest just below the base of her second tail. She swallowed once, hesitating, before she jerked. The blade cleanly severed the tail, the shed blood igniting with red flames as it touched the seal, before the tail was fully consumed by the fires.

The seal's color rapidly shifted, white light turning scarlet before changing to brilliant gold. Miyu swallowed back a cry as the energy released by her sacrifice fled outward, only to resound against the outer circle of the seal. For a moment, the power swirling around Miyu passed into and through her body, repeating over and over again, each pass causing her form to wrack with barely withheld spasms.

Hibiki watched, eyes narrowed. "The apex approaches. Seize your power, freely offered, and use it to rebuild your form. He intoned."

Miyu came to her feet, watching the waves of power slam into the barrier on all sides, before it converged back upon her. As the narrowing shockwave reached her, she slammed one foot down, her form seeming to shatter into motes of foxfire which absorbed the wave of power.

Seconds later, the energy began to whirl, before congregating back on the center of the room. As the light faded, a humanoid figure sat, gasping in the center of the circle. Miyu brought in ragged gasps as the seal beneath her went dark.

Naruto ran towards his friend, embracing her. "Miyu-chan! Are you okay?"

The newly made kitsune gasped, returning the hug towards her best friend. "I… I will… be." She gasped out, shivers wracking her form as she suffered the recoil from the ritual. "Just… give me a few… minutes."

Naruto paused as he realized something important. "...wait." He looked down. "You're naked."

An amused snort came from the kitsune. "Of course I'm naked. Did you think the ritual would provide me with clothing, silly?"

"...I dunno." Naruto let the newly-minted Kitsune go, taking a few steps back and looking aside, a slight blush on his face. "I mean, I'd like to think they'd have thought of that sort of thing…"

Hibiki chuckled. "Foxes go about nude, Naruto. They don't have a solid self-image which includes clothing, so they are unable to form clothes as part of the ritual. Also would be a waste of life energy to include them."

Miyu nodded sagely, "Totally what I was going to say. Also, since Naruto wants me clothed, I take it you have something prepared, Hibiki-san?"

Hibiki shrugged impishly. "My dear, we had no way of knowing what your new body would look like. You should be fine to remain naked for just a little-" His teasing was cut off as Naruto sent a burst of wind at him, causing his heavy robes to billow. "Alright, alright, yes I have a spare yukata here for you." He murmured, snapping his fingers and causing an undyed grey garment to drop atop Miyu.

"...How do I put this on?" The kitsune asked, blushing. "Never worn clothes before."

Naruto groaned, looking beseechingly at Hibiki, who was openly laughing at this point. "Kit, that's something for you to figure out, or Naruto-kun to help you with. If he can stop being embarrassed for long enough to do it, that is." He chuckled, holding his sides, "Oh this is priceless, I should do this more often."

Miyu, shrugged, "Eh, I'll figure it out at some point." With that, she put the yukata on, struggling only slightly. It was after all, fairly obvious how to put it on once she actually played around with it a bit. "Naruto-kun, you can look if you want now."

"Alright." He turned to look. "Well, you still need to tie it on, but it looks pretty good otherwise." He turned , walking over to her. "...huh. Does your body come with walking instincts, at least?"

Miyu nodded, "Yeah, I know how to actually use this body. Just about as well as my other form, when I deem to use it." She explained, standing up on shaky legs. "Right. Time to- Inari-sama?!"

Naruto turned to see the grand lady standing at the entrance to the room, a small smile on her normally composed face. "...it is always a pleasure to see someone join our ranks. As much as I love all our brethren, those that choose to join myself in the fluidity of form have a special place in my heart."

Miyu blinked, "Huh, I didn't know that." The kitsune mused aloud, "I guess it's not something you advertise, Inari-sama?"

"Not often." Inari chuckled. "As I said, I give my love freely to all; it is more I pay more attention to those that are willing to sacrifice to experience life differently." She paused. "And you've sacrificed much."

Miyu looked askance. "It was worth it."

At the same time, Naruto spoke up. "Where'd she get her second tail from, anyway?" Miyu froze as he spoke.

Taking a second to regain her emotional balance, the newly made kitsune forged ahead, "Another fox gave it to me. Every century, a powerful nine-tails gains extra power that they must give away. It's traditional for a competition to be held. Fuuinjutsu was one of the options, and it's something I've always been extremely good at. So, I entered with a thesis explaining Space-Time Fuuinjutsu. I won, and… lost my siblings as a result."

"Now, little one, that's not remotely true," Inari said softly. "Given time, your bond with your family shall heal. Their jealousy will not fester too long, I suspect."

Miyu frowned, "It doesn't feel that way from my end. They've been mostly ignoring me for years now, and that feels like a lot." The kitsune sighed, "I know you're right. They'll get over it eventually. I just wish I hadn't been alone for so long as a result." Miyu squeaked as Naruto pulled her off balance and into a hug, the smaller boy wrapping his arms around her waist.

"You shouldn't have had to give that up because you felt lonely. I told you I wasn't going anywhere." Naruto said thickly, his face buried in her stomach. "Kurama wouldn't let them keep me from you."

"Damn straight, brat."

"Naruto…" Miyu whispered, a few tears gathering in her eyes, "This is- This is what I wanted. I'd rather give up my tail than be separated from you, even if it's only a chance."

"Perhaps you needn't give up either." Inari pondered, a mischievous smirk gracing her lips. "I happen to have an extra tail's worth of power stored, Miyu-chan." At the younger kitsune's shocked look, Inari barked out a laugh. "Little one, I would bestow this on you, but I have a condition." She gave a wain smile. "We have recently opened communications with another village, one with great power. I require a trusted retainer to act as… not quite a hostage, but a representative in their nation. You would spend significant time away from here, though I can promise you would see your friend frequently."

Miyu blinked, her eyes narrowed. "I wouldn't be against it, so long as I can see Naruto-kun as frequently as you say I would be able to."

"Well then." Inari reached out one hand. "We have a bargain."

Miyu accepted her ruler's hand, gasping as power flooded through her body for the second time in her life, a second tail sprouted from her rear. "I accept, Inari-sama. May I ask which nation I will be a "hostage" in?"

"Hmm. Well, as I said, you won't quite be a hostage, since you'll only be there six months out of the year. Also, please ask your father for essence consolidation training." Miyu's ears shot up as the implications sunk in. "You will be my junior representative in Konohagakure. Do us proud, Miyu-chan."

Naruto blinked, still attached to his friend. "Wait, what?" He cried, "Did the talks in Konoha go well then?"

"...well enough." Inari admitted, tails swishing. "Your Hiruzen is wise. Ah, if only he was a few centuries older…"

Naruto frowned, "How long per year am I spending there?" He whispered, "Six months?"

"For now, yes. Likely more as you come into your training age." Inari explained. "We have yet to work out all the details, but at the very least they do want you back."

---

"So, the village has regained the Jinchuuriki." Shimura Danzo murmured, his eyes poring over the recently acquired documents. Around him, the bored-out space was slowly being filled in, large amounts of moved earth and cut wooden beams slotted into place to form the new ROOT bunker. Danzo sat at his desk, at the site of what would eventually become his office. "At least Hiruzen was willing to put his foot down on that."

Danzo, not for the first time, cursed the machinations of fate and the ill-nature of chance. For the fourth time, an unknown variable- something that could not have been known beforehand- had ruined a carefully laid out long-term plan. The loss of his arm, the upset in Rain, the discovery of Orochimaru… and now, the loss of the Jinchuuriki. Each time, some random variable had spoiled everything, and this time the fallout had ruined many more plans besides.

The plan wasn't even that complex, this time. Isolate the boy physically and mentally, then bring him in when his watchers were distracted, and he could have the son of Minato trained to be a proper ninja, and a fitting weapon in the arsenal of Konoha. Hiruzen was letting sympathy and nostalgia cloud his judgment from properly making use of the boy.

And then a fox had been summoned, snatching up the child before he could fully cover his tracks. Hiruzen's spine had stiffened at the exact wrong moment, and now he was run out of his village, costing him a host of agents in the process. There could be no planning for what had occurred, and yet all was lost because of it.

Danzo was roused from his musings as a masked man appeared out of the shadows of his new base. "Shimura-sama, I bring a report."

"Read it aloud."

"Yes, sir." With a snap, the man unrolled the scroll. "We have discovered multiple possible sources for revenue nearby. Some will take coercion to maintain, but a few simply require up-front resources. Sources have been located in Fire, Wave, Noodles, and Hotsprings."

Danzo nodded, continuing to read. "...we require someplace isolated. With no one to protest taking new recruits. Return to the sender, tell him to focus on willing allies in Wave."

"Hai, Shimura-sama." The man vanished back into the gloom."

Danzo turned his thoughts back to Konoha. Hiruzen was planning something big, bigger than just getting his 'grandson' back. It would be up to Danzo and time to see if his plans would come to fruition, but Danzo was willing to play the long game. The stronger the Leaf was, the better; even if it wasn't him personally controlling things.

---

Hiruzen looked at the odd doorway in front of him. For all intents and purposes, it seemed to be a normal, if rather stout, wooden door embedded in a stone wall. There were a few things off about the door- the fact it was banded in silver rather than iron, its relative size (a full meter and a half wide and two and a half tall), and the fact that the stone it was embedded in was covered in carved fuinjutsu runes.

And of course, the door and the wall it was mounted on were within a larger room, apparently opening to and from nothing at all. It was, so far as Hiruzen was aware, a marvel of sealing, one that, today, would open a permanent gateway into another realm.

"The sealing array is complete on our side, Sandaime-sama." Jiraiya said formally. "All that's left to do is activate it."

"Do it." Hiruzen stated.

Nodding in understanding, Jiraiya placed his hand upon the door after running through a complex set of handsigns, calling out, "Fuuin." Every kanji carved upon the doorway glowed with Jiraiya's chakra, and the doorway hummed, then swung open, a pair of children visible on the other side.

"Naruto…" Hiruzen whispered, staring at his grandson in all but name, then spoke up as they stepped through, "It is good to see you alive and well."

"Jiji! Good to see you!" Naruto raced over, shocking some of the witnesses as he embraced the old man. "You gotta meet Miyu, and-"

"Lord Hokage." Naruto's words were cut off as Miyu stepped through, her head dipping as she moved into a deep bow. "I am glad to meet you, as it gives me the chance to offer my most humble apologies."

"For?" Hiruzen asked, carefully disentangling himself from Naruto.

"Spiriting away your ward. I did not fully understand what I was doing at the time, and found it impossible to easily undo my prank." She held her bow, awaiting judgment.

Hiruzen sighed, thoughts racing. To put me on the spot like this… if it weren't that I could feel her earnest intent, I'd think she was manipulating me. Aloud, he responded. "Rise, child. What you did has caused more harm and more good than you know. When you committed the act, there were no provisos keeping you from acting. There are such laws now. Understand that you, and all who come through the gate, are beholden to the laws of Konoha. You are now on probation; such indiscretions will not be tolerated a second time."

"Hai, Lord Hokage." Miyu replied, coming up out of her bow.

"Very good." Hiruzen looked past the moving Kitsune to see several more figures emerging from the door. "Ah, more-" his voice cut off as he noticed that several figures didn't match either fox or kitsune body shapes. "-what?"

The first figure through was a large toad, wearing a pair of spectacles. "Lord Hokage, I am Danmu, ambassador of Mount Myōboku. I have come to solidify a relationship long-held informally, between the Toad Clan and your village. Peace be upon you."

Hiruzen sighed, "I should have known. I take it other representatives are coming through as well, Danmu-san?"

"Hai." He replied, smiling. "The kitsune have just become a rather major power through the possession of this gate. We're in diplomatic talks with them as well."

The leader of the other figures, what appeared to be a human girl dressed in feathers nodded, "Beni-Enma-sama has tasked us with formalizing an alliance with the Uzumaki clan, and by extension, the Leaf. I am Yuuki, Ambassador of the Enma-Tei. As we're already allied formally with the foxes, we were granted passage as well."

To one side, Jiraya choked. "Wait… why didn't anytoad tell me what was going on?" He croaked out.

Danmu grunted. "Summoners can't be envoys. Best to leave you guys out of stuff like this."

"There is too much imbalance of power, should we try to forge an alliance when we are only partially here," Yuuki explained. "Only if we are here fully, or manifested by our own might, could such a contract be trusted."

Danmu nodded sagely. "Indeed. It is not intended as an offense against you, Jiraiya. In fact, we were considering having you summon us for such a task. We do trust you, young one. Unfortunately, tradition dictates otherwise. As a Sage of the Toads, you do have more leeway than most summoners, however."

Jiraiya nodded in understanding as the pair explained their reasoning to them. "I understand Danmu. I'd just appreciate knowing in the future."

Danmu nodded, "Such a thing can easily be arranged." Turning back to Hiruzen, the toad coughed. "Now, Hiruzen-dono, we understand that you wish to catch up with your ward. We shall await you either in the embassy or, should you expect to need more time to arrange things, we can return at a later date."

"I see." Hiruzen nodded. "I'll meet with each of you this afternoon." He turned to the final group, mostly composed of Kitsune. "And… what are you all here for?"

One Kitsune stepped forward, floral-patterned kimono contrasting with his sunglasses and straw hat. "Vacation."

"New bars!"

"Proper shops!"

"I wanna see a real ninja!"

Hiruzen nodded to himself slowly, a grin forming on his face. "I see. If any of you require escorts for your vacation, please feel free to submit a mission request. If you ever need help with menial chores, please feel free to commission a D-Rank mission, and a Genin Team will be assigned to you."

The excited kitsune bowed, then scampered for the doors. Danmu watched them go incredulously. "...you do realize that there's now a skulk of excited kitsune running around your village, right?"

"They break something, they pay for it." Hiruzen stated simply, grinning, "The treaty is quite clear in this regard."

"How do you pay for broken minds and shattered dignity?"

"The villagers deserve it." Hiruzen stated flatly, suddenly serious, "So long as they don't cause lasting harm…" He sighed, turning to the last figure, who'd remained behind when the kitsune ran off. Hiruzen eyed the red-skinned man, mind clicking as he looked up at the horns. "...ah. And you, oni-san?"

"I'm just here for a good fight or two." The oni rumbled. "I swear upon my horns and spirits that I won't kill or maim anyone."

Hiruzen nodded, "The training grounds are down this street, oni-san. I will hold you to your oath."

"Excellent. The tortoises speak of one called Might Guy." The oni grinned. "I will have to test him."

The entire Konoha group was silent. In the distance, a quiet "yoouutthhhh!...." drifted through the walls.

Miyu coughed from her place at Naruto's side, "Lord Hokage, shall we retire to somewhere more comfortable? I bring a missive from Inari-sama as well, though it can wait till after you catch up with Naruto-kun."

Hiruzen nodded, and moved off with his two wards. Behind him, Jiraya turned to inspect the doorway.

"..I wonder how much this will change things?" He murmured. "I suppose this is one way to open new doors, but I never thought it would be so literally." He paused. "Hmm. New hotsprings to visit...."

---

AN: I am so sorry for forgetting to update this yesterday! Regardless, here it is, the conclusion of Arc 1! Enjoy~

 

[verycoolname]

There. Really, this should be ten times longer and written by someone better than me, but this is the best I could do.
~~~

"One hundred eighty-two! One hundred eighty-three! One hundred eighty-four! One hundred eighty-five!"

Might Guy counted out squats with the barest hint of strain in his voice. He bore the weight of a massive boulder covered in paper seals on his shoulders like a titan holding up the sky. For years it had been a part of his daily exercise routine to train using this boulder. Weight seals had been added to the boulder over time as he'd grown stronger. Nowadays, he had to stand on top of a bigger rock to avoid sinking into the ground. Sweat dripped down his face

"Two hundred! Yooooouuuth!"

With a triumphant roar, Might Guy heaved the boulder off his shoulders and raised his hands to the sky. The boulder fell into a nearby crater with a loud boom. The ground shook.

Guy was toweling the sweat off his face when he heard a deep voice rumble behind him.

"Hey, you Might Guy?"

"Yes, I-"

The ninja turned to see a massive calloused fist flying towards his face. Might Guy bent backward to avoid the blow. He prepared to fight his attacker and froze as he got a good look at him.

Guy's opponent was a massive red-skinned man. The simple tiger-skin loincloth left his torso bare, showing off muscles stacked on top of muscles. A pair of horns jutted out from his head and small tusks poked out from between his lips. The oni grinned at the ninja. He spoke in an almost giddy rumble.

"Let's spar."

Might Guy returned the oni's toothy grin with one of his own. There was only one response to that.

"To be given the opportunity to train with a yokai... How could Konoha's Beautiful Blue Beast say no?!"

The oni laughed and caught Guy's spinning kick on a forearm. Guy pushed off and took a stance, grinning as his opponent charged after him like a rhino.


~~~

The Third Hokage had a massive headache. The window behind him was open, giving the occupants of the room a perfect view of the destruction. He glared at the sources of that destruction standing in front of him.

The two troublemakers were leaning on each other for support. Both of them were covered in bruises and scratches. Might Guy had a nasty-looking black eye while the oni's nose looked like it had recently been reset. Their clothes were covered in flecks of blood, and Guy's green jumpsuit was partially shredded. And yet, despite all that, the two of them were grinning like loons.

Sarutobi Hiruzen sighed loudly and deliberately looked down at the reports.

"I'll say this: you kept your word. No one other than the two of you was even injured. Still... You two have managed to completely destroy two training grounds, five roads, three houses, four restaurants, and a cabbage cart."

The oni raised a puzzled eyebrow.

"Cabbage cart?"

Guy cleared his throat awkwardly.

"I think you knocked me into one when we were playing oni-style kemari."

The oni brightened and tapped a fist against his palm.

"Ah, right! I remember now! I misjudged the weight of that boulder. Normally it's played with iron balls or an enemy's head."

Hiruzen dropped the paper with a groan and leveled a glare at the two troublemakers. Might Guy took a breath, but Hiruzen cut him off before he could declare the intention to do some ridiculous amount of exercise in penance.

"In the future, could you keep such activities within the bounds of the training area?"

The two rubbed the back of their heads and chuckled awkwardly in unison. Then the oni coughed lightly.

"I'll remember that in the future. I'll pick up the bill for the damages too."

That made Hiruzen and Guy sigh in relief. Hiruzen raised an eyebrow at the oni, who looked entirely unconcerned about the amount.

"How do you plan to pay?"

The oni dropped a bag onto the Hokage's desk with a jangling thump. The cord holding it closed loosened and a small avalanche of gold coins spilled out.

"Booze money."

The humans stared at the small fortune glittering in the light. Hiruzen swallowed quietly and cleared his throat.

"Ah. Well, that's settled then."

Hiruzen decided to dismiss the two of them and get started on dealing with the rest of the paperwork generated by recent events. He immediately regretted it when he saw the oni raise a fist happily.

"Then it's time to celebrate!"

The oni grinned widely and pulled out an identical bag and started tossing it up into the air and catching it. Sarutobi Hiruzen laid his face on the desk and listened to the two leave. Hopefully, the two of them wouldn't destroy any more of the village. Unfortunately, the duo's enthusiastic conversation about local bars didn't give Hiruzen a lot of hope. He didn't have much time to regret letting them go before his secretary leaned through the doorway.

"Owner of the Lucky Cat Casino here to see you, Hokage-sama."

"...What does he want?"

"Well, from what he says, one of the kitsune and Mitarashi Anko arrived at about-"

Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, a man who had fought in all three shinobi world wars, quietly burst into tears.

~~~
Kemari is just keepie uppie. I imagine the oni version would involve more violence, booze, or both.

 

[Miho Chan]

Iruka chugged back on his sweetened coffee as he approached the academy, his smile tempered with tiredness as he came up the front steps. Taking a long slug, he waved at the artfully lounging chunin who acted as the truant officer for the academy. "Morning, Akainu."

The gruff man nodded back. "First day of the new year, Iruka-san. Ready for the newest batch of hellions?"

"I've had my coffee. It won't be that bad."

The Inuzuka man snorted as he leaned back. "First year they're gonna have some of the new kids in the classrooms. Head into the staff meeting, they'll be assigning classes soon."

Iruka merely nodded, heading in while finishing his coffee cup. As he entered, he looked back and forth, then used the tree climbing exercise to run up the wall, passing through the illusory ceiling to the right of the entrance foyer. He cut past the two traps and reached the staff meeting room. Iruka sighed as he opened the door, absently dodging the dripping sponge on a swinging rod. "Juvenile, guys."

One of the other teachers, a "retired" Jonin, chuckled as Iruka took his seat. "Yeah, but it caught Itsuki and Rana. They're washing the ink off, or at least trying to do so. I've gotta keep you youngsters sharp."

Iruka sighed, walking over to the staff coffee pot, checking it for poison, and pouring himself another mug. "Right, right. So, it's my turn at the new crop. How many kids are we dealing with, and how many are gonna drop out before graduation?"

Headmaster Masako swiveled her chair around, chuckling as she pulled a stack of files out of her sling bag. "Well, since you're going to be today's sacrifice, I might as well tell you. We've got quite the incoming class; sixty new students; of which I think a quarter will make it to proper genin." She paused as she leafed through the documents. "Maybe more, actually. There are a few good civilians here. Half will drop out, at least, and the remainder will go to the genin and chunin corps."

Iruka winced. The genin and chunin corps were desk-shinobi; folks whose skills were decent enough for D and C ranks, but would never be promoted to a leadership position, never mind face enemy shinobi in peacetime. In war, they were the cannon fodder of villages. "Since we're not looking at a war anytime soon, I suppose I should try to discourage those, right?"

"Up to you." Masako said. "Well, you and your partner. I think Rana will be handling most of the wash-out class; you can handle the rest."

Iruka blinked. "Not that I can't handle that, but…"

"Why?" Masako smiled over her teacup. "Well, Rana has all the political nuance of a brick. And this class is going to be a nightmare."

Iruka blinked as he took a look at the list of names before him. "...how many clan heirs?"

"Six Clan Heirs, including the Uzumaki child, three outsiders, three yokai, and members from two other major clans. And you need to train all of them." Masako's smile dropped. "Most of them won't be touchy, but putting them all in one place together is going to make this into a faulty explosive tag. Do your best, and treat everyone fairly, Iruka. That's all we can ask."

"Hai, Headmistress." Iruka groaned. "Any surprises otherwise?"

"None that we know of." Masako stated, "Now, off you get Iruka. You have a class to prepare for, and I have an opening ceremony to attend."

"Hai." Iruka intoned, disappearing, leaving only a swirling leaf in where he had stood.

---

Iruka looked over the class, his eyes passing over several familiar faces, others with features he recognized, and several he didn't recognize at all. "I'm glad to see everyone made it to class on time; punctuality is important for any Shinobi. Please raise your hand when your name is called."

Iruka looked down at the list. "Aburame Shino." He looked up to see the bug wielding clan heir raise one hand without emotion. "Akimichi Choji." The plump boy several seats down pulled his hand out of a bag of jerky to wave at him. Iruka nodded as he continued reading off civilian names, pausing at one.

"Haruno Sakura." A young woman with exposed shoulders and bags under her eyes raised one hand. Iruka's brow furrowed. Unlike Masako to forget to tell me about Tsunade's little duckling. I suppose she may not know.

The next two students made him concerned for a different reason. I know I can trust them at this point, but I can only hope the other kids will be as open-minded. "Hoshigaki Kureha." A shark-faced youth raised one hand, pointed teeth widening in what Iruka thought was a genuine smile. "Hozuki Kazuto." The second of the three Mist-nin refugees raised his hand, pale hair swinging.

"Hyuuga Hinata." A small hand rose and fell quickly, the cringing girl pulling it back as soon as Iruka acknowledged it. "Inuzuka Kiba." A feral young man with a puppy on his head waved one arm. Iruka made it through several more civilians before he reached his next interesting student.

"Minamoto Raiko." The black-haired female chuffed as she raised one taloned hand. The tengu girl was sitting at the very back of the room, her black feathers well-groomed. "Miyamoto Miyu." The kitsune girl nodded from her seat, tails wagging as her hand rose and fell. They're both likely older than they look. I wonder if they're older than me?

"Nara Shikamaru." Iruka eyed the boy, who appeared to have nodded off at his seat. "...alright, would someone wake him up, please?" Iruka nodded as one of the boy's neighbors, a blond-haired girl, slammed her hand down on his desk, startling him awake. "Thank you."

"Sai." Iruka blinked. "No clan name?"

"No, sensei." The young man deadpanned.

"Right then." Iruka shook his head. Not having a proper clan was one thing, but choosing not to take one… Suicide watch, or at least monitoring. Then again, his whole early file was blacked out. He almost went through the entirety of the list before he came to the last few names. "Uchiha Sasuke." A black-eyed young man raised one hand. "Uzumaki Karin, Uzumaki Naruto." He looked over to see two figures, one blond and one redheaded, raise their hands.

And then there were three. "Wukong Goku."

"It's the other way around, sir."

"...right, I'll get that fixed." Iruka acknowledged, writing a note on his paper after glancing up at the Rock Ape yokai. "Apologies," Iruka said before he continued.

"Yamanaka Ino." The blond girl from before ceased hissing at Shikamaru to raise her hand. "Yuki Haku." A slim child with delicate features raised their hand, finishing the class.

Iruka nodded to himself. No child was missing, though absences had happened in the past, even on the first day. Turning his attention to the blackboard, the chunin began writing out the lesson plan for the day.

"You are all here to become proud shinobi of Konoha." Iruka stated as he wrote, "For our non- clan students who remained from the introductory course, welcome back. For those hailing from a Clan, welcome to the Academy. This year, we will be going over general education, chakra theory, basic chakra control, and intermediate shinobi arts." As he paused to take a breath, Iruka looked over the students with a careful eye, noting those that had already gotten bored with his lecture, marking them as either troublemakers or those who would likely fail or drop out. Then, pointing at the top of the list, he resumed, "Now, we begin our days with physical conditioning. Everyone, follow me to academy training ground 1."

"Hai, sensei." The class chorused, getting up out of their seats, following him out of the class like a group of ducklings following their mother. Minutes later, Iruka's class was going through warm-up stretches, limbering up for physical conditioning, specifically designed for the students by the taijutsu masters of Konoha, along with Tsunade of the Sannin.

Iruka watched as the students spread out over the course of their exercises. Normally, he'd expect to see little cliques of students, groups of clan allies or friends grouping up to the exclusion of everything else. Instead, there weren't any distinct groups; even as his students talked between exercises, the groups kept shifting, with only the few obvious civilian kids getting a bit of distance.

Watching his class, Iruka found his eyes wandering back to one student in particular time and again. As he watched the blond-haired boy move back and forth, bantering with Sasuke one moment and clasping hands with the effeminate Mist-child the next, Iruka felt a rueful smile cross his face. And to think I once saw Naruto as the Kyuubi. That boy has charisma; I might be looking at the Sixth or Seventh right now.

---

"Finally done!" Naruto and Miyu cheered, leaping out of the academy doors at the head of a pack of fellow Ninja. Seconds later, they found themselves on the academy playground, surrounded by other students as they began to work out the energy they'd accumulated over the course of the long day.

"Naruto!" The blond looked up, his blue eyes meeting a pair of black ones. Sasuke Uchiha took a taijutsu stance. "We've yet to settle our last argument, Uzumaki."

Naruto grinned, advancing even as the other students took up a circle around them. "All I hear is talk, Uchiha. Come on, then, if you think you're hard enough."

"Kick his ass Naruto!" Miyu cheered, a few of Naruto's other friends calling his name as well.

"You got this Sasuke-kun!" Hyuuga Hinata called, a small smile dancing across her face.

Choruses of other students joined in on the din as Sasuke and Naruto beat the everliving snot out of each other, though calling it a brawl did no justice to the skill of the young combatants. It wasn't quite a dance, but it wasn't a simple brawl; Naruto would close in on Sasuke, only for the slightly older boy to dance around his blows, knowing that the younger packed far more of a punch than his small frame suggested.

Finally, the Uzumaki scored a solid hit on the Uchiha, sending him to the ground, only for the Uchiha to smirk, using the momentum of the hit to disengage, rolling to his feet.

"You gonna stop dodging and fight me Sasuke?" Naruto taunted. The older boy was having none of it, however, turning his nose up at his rival.

"If you can't hit me, it's not my fault now, is it?" He replied smugly, getting up off his feet.

From one side, a neutral party coughed. Shino raised one hand. "First blood to Uzumaki-san. A second hit will decide this in his favor."

"Don't count me out yet." Sasuke rushed in, forcing Naruto into his own set of dodges before he managed to fake out the blonde and leave him open for a leg sweep. As Naruto's ass hit the ground, Sasuke grinned. "Evened up, Naru. Let's see who wins."

Naruto grinned back at him as he rose to his feet. "You'll be-"

"Hold up!" Every student froze as Iruka-sensei shushined into the middle of the group. "What is going on here?"

Sasuke looked sharply at his teacher. "We're fighting."

"I can see that. Why?"

"Sasuke says tomatoes are better than udon." Naruto responded. "So we figured we'd do best two out of three falls to tell who's right."

"...really?" Iruka looked around, eyeing the baffled looks of the civilians, the passive, unassuming stares of the other clan kids… and the fuming approach of one pink-haired girl. "Huh. And what's her part in this?"

Both boys stiffened, turning to see Sakura stalk towards them. Naruto raised his hands placatingly. "Haruno-san, this isn't-"

"You two were fighting without a watcher. AGAIN." Sakura bit out, her hair floating slightly as she scowled. "I would have thought the last dislocated shoulder would have tight you two to stop brawling wherever there's space!" She barked. "And then you'll have to sensei or get me to patch you up. WELL I WON'T HAVE IT!" Sakura roared, her fists gleaming with green energy.

"Shit, sorry sensei, gotta go!" Naruto took off running, Sasuke falling in beside him as the pink haired girl took off in hot pursuit.

"Well, there he goes again," Miyu stated, snickering, "It never does get old, watching them go at it, and then Haruno-san exploding on them."

Iruka looked mildly at the kitsune, "I take it you have something to do with this, Miyamoto-san?"

The kitsune gave him a grin, her twin tails lazily flicking back and forth, "Whatever gives you that idea sensei?"

"He's obviously read your file." Iruka turned, meeting the cool gaze of Karin Uzumaki. "Iruka-sensei, please excuse Naru-chan's bad habits. For all I love him, he's learned more from the foxes than I'd like."

Miyu giggled, "You say that like it's a bad thing, Uzumaki-chan." Turning serious, the fox shrugged, "Besides, you weren't complaining when he was a she yesterday. You did enjoy the shopping we did, after all~"

Iruka blinked as Karin shook her head. "If a little thing like their gender bothered me, I'd have given up on Naru long ago. I still think it's a bit weird, but they're the same person no matter what shape-"

"Wait, Naruto is changing genders now?"

"He has help." Miyu explained. "Kitsune can change their appearance easily, and their proper shape with a bit of effort. Naru-chan is still human, but Kurama and the Hannames have been helping them shift back and forth. I think he's going to stay, well, a boy for now, though."

"... Who's Kurama?" Iruka asked.

Miyu rolled her eyes, "Not my story to tell, since he doesn't really want to advertise it to the humans."

Iruka glanced at Karin, who shook her head. "A friend of the Kitsune. You won't see him around, though; he doesn't like Shinobi much."

"Anyways, sensei, did you need anything else?" Miyu asked, "I have to head over to my apartment to do some housekeeping."

Iruka slowly shook his head as the crowd dispersed. "...well, at least this year isn't going to be boring." He groaned. "I'm going to miss boring, aren't I?"