Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Nightfall ❯ Demon's Dawn ( Chapter 2 )

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Never have and never will.

 

“blah” = speech marks blah = flashbacks

`blah' = thoughts “blah” = flashback speech

“blah” = Kyuubi speech `blah” = flashback thoughts

`blah' = Kyuubi thoughts

 

 

“I'm a magic man, I got magic fingers!”

- Jiraiya to Tsunade on Date Attempt number 2453.

 

As the four groups rushed onwards towards their destination, day broke and life returned to the clearings, glades, and patches of forest they were travelling through now. Time was running short and they had to hurry quickly if things were going to remain unchanged.

 

“We'll never make it in time will we?” The four groups stopped, completed several hand seals before slamming their hands into the ground. A burst of smoke provided the single of a successful summoning. A flock of birds with messages tied to their legs flew into the skies toward a destination known only to the four groups.

 

“It has started hasn't it?” The leader of the venture turned to her subordinates. “I just hope we manage to get there in time to prevent the event. It's not fair for him to go through with this, isn't it?” The resulting silence was answer enough. “Go!”

 

 

Chapter 1: Past Unveiled

 

`Ugh… what hit me…?'

 

As soon as Naruto finished his questioning, a large headache attacked him.

 

`I really do not need to deal with this…'

 

Thinking that, Naruto opened his eyes. Or to be more precise: tried to. He found himself with a blindfold on that somehow managed to tune out his ability to sense chakra. Or maybe it was that spooky seal stuck to his back, yeah that had to be it. Reaching for the seal on his back, he tried ripping it off but stopped as soon as an electric current started running through his body. It didn't hurt too much but the shock was enough for him to let go.

 

“ouch!”

 

With that he took the blindfold off and looked around. He was lying in some sort of bed, and unable to move around much due to being tied up. As he glanced around the room he noticed his teacher faring no better in their predicament.

 

They were in some sort of cell which, surprisingly, had quite a homely feel to it. Across was a sink in the corner with an ornately framed mirror, next that there was the door to their cell. The walls were earthen in texture which kept the cell quite warm, apparently their captors were wealthy enough to afford well-kept and decorated cells. Hmm, that had to bear looking into later. Now, if he could only find some hot water…

 

A sudden thought struck him, `Akatsuki? No, otherwise I'd be dead, drugged, or worse… Some other outside organization perhaps… I just hope they have ramen.'

 

Then he noticed his clothes, or what was left of them

 

“My… my… my beautiful orange jumpsuit… it's … it's … GONE! Nooooooo!”

 

“Shut up brat. Some of us are trying to sleep here!”

 

With a glare that would have sent anyone less hardy to their ancestors, Naruto began the task of mourning his clothes. It had taken him an awfully long time to get them tailored in the last village the two had visited and it had been one of the few in existence left. Hardly anyone liked, much less showed their appreciation for, the colour orange and Naruto found it a travesty such a delightful colour had been ravaged.

 

“Whoever did this will feel my wrath and no-one will be able to stop me!”

 

Naruto blinked; then sighed. He should have known that the instincts and mindsets of his `parents' would have passed onto him. For now he would see what clothes his captors would provide him with; he certainly wasn't going to be walking around in the garments he currently wore… and such a distasteful selection of black and white stripes. He felt like a zebra.

 

Naruto didn't have to wait for long as a person in silk clothes walked in and placed a tray of food at the entrance to the cell. He sniffed the air and tried to discern what race their jailor was. `Hmm a demon jailor, the possibilities were endle- wait, did he just say demon?' Alright he didn't say it but still, it's the thought that counts.

 

`… a demon… they were captured by demons… the forest… Damn the pervert! When I get my hands on him there will be nothing left for me to bury…' and with a quick look over himself, `assuming I get myself free.'

 

“Ah good, you're awake. If you would, please use the amenities we have here to clean yourself and freshen up. Hyoushitensu-sama would be pleased if you were clean when he gives you audience.”

 

`Ahh, so their captor had a name now. Hyoushitensu, probably some remote demon pissed off at the ero-sennin who came to take his due. Hopefully he could convince him he was just a little innocent hanyou with no intention whatsoever of taking action against and hoping to be freed from his captivity. Right and ero-sennin would become a saint. Hell would freeze over first before that happened. Oh well, at least it wasn't Akatsuki that had him.'

 

He shivered at the thought and then mentally chided himself. `Perish the thought!'

 

“Hurry up now, my master does not have all day. And a delegation is due to arrive today so you had better be quick or he mightn't be too happy with you, worthless half-breed.”

 

`Wait a second, a demon jailor whose master is receiving a delegation later… Shit!' he was screwed. Now he hadn't met many demons over his travels the past few years but still, from what he had managed to glean, their conversations gave him an understanding of their social hierarchy. A demon would definitely not call a human a master so their captor had to be a demon, and a demon would only receive a delegation if they were a lord of considerable might.

 

Ever since his fusion he could tell there were differences between his power and the Kyuubi's power, he still hadn't gotten anywhere close to demonstrate he had a semblance of control over what was now his. And now he was facing someone with a replica - to a lesser degree - of the awesome power Kyuubi controlled. `No wonder ero-sennin was fidgety.' Even he knew his limits ended somewhere.

 

With that last thought he turned towards said sennin.

 

A nefarious smile befell Naruto's face, “Oi, ero-sennin, someone's destroying the Kikuyu and Yosho manuscript from your `Icha Icha Paradise: Special'! They've almost succeeded too!”

 

 

Faster than he could blink, Naruto found himself in several body locks, chokes, and holds that required great agility and flexibility to pull off. His respect for the old pervert was raised by several notches as a result. He was still sleeping though.

 

`What does it take for this guy to get up??? Ah haa.'

 

With a howl of pain Jiraiya managed to break free from his bonds and jump some 5 feet into the air before smacking his head on the stone ceiling whilst grabbing his groin at the obvious discomfort he had just received. Then he noticed he was 5 feet off the ground and had nowhere to go but down.

 

Wham… … … … … “ouch!”

 

Poking his head out of the hole in the floor he'd made Jiraiya sent a death glare towards Naruto that put the Kyuubi's terror to shame.

 

“When I get my hands on you brat you're toast!”

 

“Quiet down there. Your horrid drivel of a language is quite barbaric and uncivilised for such noble ears as mine. So shut up and hurry, my master has been waiting for quite a long time.”

 

With an irritated expression, a demon was waiting outside their cell holding several towels and clothes that were obviously for them to wear.

 

“Great, you're free! Now come over here and undo my bonds so I can go and freshen up. We have a meeting with a demon lord in a few minutes so we better hurry.”

 

Jiraiya's surprised and worried face was soon overshadowed by what had just come to pass. With a look that promised pain at a later date he hobbled over to Naruto and began undoing his bonds, being careful not to cause too much pain in case this Hyoushitensu guy was interested in Naruto's condition. It hadn't been the first time the two of them had garnered an interest among the hidden demons but normally it was as food, although one could never tell when it came to Demon lords. They were simply too unpredictable.

 

After being released from the bonds, Naruto rushed over to their jailor and took in hand the offered towels and clothes. He then noticed that these clothes were for him. He turned to comment on how the ero-sennin would have to go in his cell garments when he noticed that he still had his travelling clothes on.

 

`Damn, the injustice of this was truly humiliating. Why should the pervert keep his clothes when his had been turned to dust?' He hadn't realized he had spoken this out loud when his thoughts were interrupted by the hermit.

 

“Because `A', your clothes are an eyesore, `B' you are a target that screams `kill me' to anyone that looks at you, and `C' because you're a moron for wearing those clothes for the past few years. Honestly, try a change of style sometime; it would definitely suit you to get a new wardrobe, and besides, it would be much harder to kill you if it's harder to see you.”

 

As the two made their way to the bathing rooms, Naruto shrugged in answer.

 

“Like I always say: if you're going to win, you might as well do it in style.”

 

The ground trembled in response to Jiraiya's face-vault.

 

 

At their first glimpse of the demon lord's court, they immediately assumed the worst. It was big. No, it wasn't just big, it was huge! The room was stone marble with etchings and carvings that spoke of battles between humans and demons, and of between demons. The floor was bedecked in magenta carpets and tapestries of all shapes, colours, and sizes lined the walls. At the end of the room a great dais, which was decked in gold leaf and lavishly decorated, was placed between two sets of tables with all manner of flora arranged upon them.

 

The dais itself was of great importance as there were several attendants fanning what appeared to be a red statue. But what especially justified the two travellers' fears were the magnitude of demons that made up the `flesh' of the court.

 

Lining the walls was a great magnitude of demons of all kinds, from bats to wolves to birds to fish. All kinds of demons were here. However, there was one definite distinction: they were all Youkai. Not a single drop of human blood was apparent in these great creatures. To the inexperienced human, this seemed as both the very embodiment of fear and respect.

 

With an audible gulp the two shinobi gradually made their way to the front of the dais which their escort was pushing them towards, all the while making note of the murmurings and whisperings that went on throughout the room. When they reached the lord, they made themselves comfortable enough on the stones so they wouldn't get cramps, but still ready enough to flee at a moment's notice.

 

“Speak mortal fools and enlighten me: What were you doing in my forest? You do realize that it is punishable by death to trespass into my domain without the proper authorization, don't you?”

 

Naruto's gaze was locked on their captor. Bright red fur covered by a sky blue and white kimono twitched occasionally to show that the red statue was not a statue but indeed very much alive and very much a demon. He sniffed trying to get a focus on his captor's emotion and was surprised when he found amusement.

 

“Don't worry. I won't bite.”

 

The murmuring of the demons around them became increasingly clear and loud as Hyoushitensu gazed upon the two shinobi.

 

“Could I have everyone's attention please?”

 

The murmurings around them stopped as the eloquent speech of the lord caught everyone's attention. “I would like to be alone for the next few hours to speak in private with the two…” at this he glanced at the pair before sniffing at them “Sorry, I would like to speak in private with the hanyou and his apparent… teacher…”

 

At this comment, Naruto began steaming in response to the `hanyou' comment whilst Jiraiya began thinking up a list of New Year's Resolutions to be started up right now. Icha Icha Paradise was the first priority on the list.

 

The demon spoke again. “Any disturbances will be dealt with accordingly.” At this statement every demon, apart from the form sitting next to the demon lord, began vacating the room leaving the trio to themselves.

 

“I believe introductions are in order, yes?”

 

Naruto and Jiraiya immediately jumped up. With the demons gone, the demon lord's voice began to boom. The two looked at each other and then relaxed for the first time since coming here.

 

“Your… Lordship, is it ok if we could, um… change rooms or something? The booming effect is doing a number on my nerves.”

 

The demon merely smiled and his eyes twinkled merrily as he nodded in return. He then motioned for the two of them to follow him. At once the figure next to him rose alongside as well and Naruto got a whiff and then stopped.

 

“You mated a human? Not to be rude but, aren't demons supposed to hate humans?”

 

Hyoushitensu stopped and looked at the kitsune with a gleam in his eye.

 

“What about your parents? Which one of them was the human?”

 

“I am a human, well until the blasted furball went and…” Naruto turned towards Jiraiya. “Hey Ero-sennin, what about my parents?”

 

Jiraiya winced as he heard the hated nickname mentioned in front of their host. It seemed Naruto's disrespect had risen to even higher levels. He then turned to Hyoushitensu who merely nodded in reply before proceeding to lecture Naruto.

 

“No clue kiddo, and for the last time stop calling me that. It's exceptionally discourteous and I will not hesitate to remove your ability to insult me if you proceed any further in this demon's presence. Understood?”

 

The demon Lord gave a startled shake in response to the answer. A human ascending to demon hood was rare but not unheard of. A human ascending to immortality with the power of a fully fledged demon lord… now that was a new one. He looked at Naruto before Jiraiya beat him to the point.

 

“Why don't we wait until the introductions before we get into the personal matters, eh brat?

 

That said he bopped him on the head and then glared at him before responding in kind to the demon lord.

 

“Does this involve the beauteous figure by your side?”

 

Naruto sweat-dropped. The ero-sennin was one minute ago a saint and now he was hitting on the hanyou by Hyoushitensu's side. He nervously smiled; life was never dull with the toad hermit around. Actually, looking back, he wondered why he hadn't seen any toads in the room. He would think about that later. Hopefully it wouldn't be anything significant such as Jiraiya's perversion… It was legendary amongst humans.

 

“Actually it does. But she isn't to be treated like that by you Jiraiya-san.”

 

That was strange, the pervert knew the Demon lord? Said demon then embraced Jiraiya and gained a gleam in his eye Naruto had seen many a time on his previous teacher, Hatake Kakashi.

 

“I was wondering when you would show up… You have finished the volume where Kikuyu and Yosho go to the circus before falling over each other in the bath, right?

 

“Jiuryuu? The Hyoushitensu? Well I never. It has been such a loooong time since I last saw you! No wonder I found you familiar! Good friend, where have you been and what have been doing these past few years?”

 

Naruto could only stare in wonder as the demon became giddy with excitement. So the pervert knew the demon… that was definitely a bad thing. Naruto could only sweat-drop as Jiraiya immediately perked up with enthusiasm and began to converse with Hyoushitensu as the two walked off along the hall. He then noticed he was left with the demon's daughter.

 

“Is your father always like this?” he asked.

 

She looked at him and then replied laughingly, “I believe we should follow them before they lose track of time and lose themselves in their path down memory lane. You're quite an inquisitive little hanyou, y'know, and the first one I've ever met. If you want to associate with me you're going to have to pass father's tests.”

There was a reason he hated being associated with the old pervert. Nothing good ever came out of it.

“As my father said earlier, I believe introductions are in order, yes?”

 

Tsunade, also known as the Godaime Hokage of Konohagakure, was sitting in her chair repeatedly slamming her head into the table. Today was not a good day. Firstly her apprentice had managed to mess up a summoning technique by summoning a hideous troll that went about stealing the panties and bras of every woman it could get its hands on. Not only that but it managed to do it without disturbing or removing the clothes of whomever it pilfered the items from.

 

The ensuing fight was even worse. With a battle cry of, “Sweeto!” the troll managed to prove her wrong that there wasn't someone more perverted and powerful than Jiraiya. Fondling every woman's breasts in sight, it took the combined efforts of four jounin, two chuunin, Hatake Kakashi, and the entirety of the ANBU to deal with it. This was more than it had taken with Jiraiya. The little bastard was like a cockroach that just wouldn't die. Unfortunately, the perverted acts it was associated with restored its energy supply so that only after `sacrificing' a number of poor maidens could she save the village. Being the Hokage definitely had its downsides. Sakura meanwhile was trying very hard to pretend that nothing had happened before deciding to take a mission to get away from- err, I mean to promote the good name of Konoha in the other countries. She then wondered where the said demon had come from.

 

 

Over in Nerima in a different universe, Saotome Genma and Tendo Soun sneezed at the exact same time. This was overseen by Nabiki who plainly commented on how the two were so alike that they had become synchronized in their attitudes and honour. The two fathers stared at her before jumping around exclaiming the families would soon be joined. She just stared at the two fathers, when by chance Akane overheard them and started chasing Ranma before punting him for being a pervert, who exclaimed in surprise: “What the hell are you thinking you overgrown…” before disappearing over the horizon.

 

Let us get back to the correct universe, shall we?

 

 

To make the situation worse, Orochimaru had decided at that moment to invade Konoha. With the entire village of Konoha drained from the troll's `attack', Tsunade gave the order to release the troll on the sound-nins. But before doing that, Shizune, Anko, Kakashi, and Ibiki assisted her in creating and using a genjutsu on the troll that made him (they were sure it was a he as it only went for women) mistake the attacking sound-nins for women and ignore the leaf women.

 

The ensuing conflict was devastating. One genjutsu enforced Happosai versus the entirety of Otogakure proved to be a massacre. There was much cheering and jeering that night in Konoha over the successful repulsion of the sound army. No casualties occurred, apart from the sanity of the sound forces (being groped by a 300 year old male troll would give anyone nightmares for years), and Happosai was seen as the hero in their hour of need.

 

It would be a very long time before Orochimaru would attack the hidden leaf again. Just goes to show that genjutsu and perverts are quite handy - as well as foolish apprentices.

 

Where was I now? Oh yes, Tsunade was having a stressful day. A very stressful day. No, it wasn't because of that troll demon. It was because of another demon. Jiraiya, damn him to the pits of the ninth hell, had promised three years of training. He was late. It was now three years and two months of training. The last letter she had received read,

 

“Coming home with the boy. Expect some changes. Line up the suitors. Be there soon.”

 

It was now May, two months later than the message and Tsunade was not a happy camper. If she didn't know better she would've assumed he was trying to give Kakashi a run for his money. But she didn't know better so all was all right in the world. Big mistake.

 

“That's it, I'm sending for the council. Jiraiya is going to pay big time!” Muttering on about thinking of buying the best-selling book currently on the market: “1001 Ways to Castrate that Unfaithful Bastard.” She was sure to find some inspiration there to help her deal with the pervert in the future. She never noticed Shizune coming up behind her.

 

Shizune had wisely decided to deflate Tsunade's infamous temper by pressing a point on Tsunade's neck, which caused her to fall asleep.

 

“Hokages shouldn't throw temper tantrums.” She whispered softly into her teacher's ear. “They are adults, not children, and should behave as such.”

 

 

 

Naruto looked nervous as Jiraiya commented on how he and Hyoushitensu's daughter would look great in one of his novels. The idea of two demons going at it had not yet been established and he wanted to get away from that train of thought Jiraiya was following. He still hadn't introduced himself and was planning on doing so now.

 

Naruto noticed the seating arrangements and felt faint. He was going to sit down to tea between a demon lord and his daughter. Definitely not a good thing with Jiraiya's continued perverse remarks. However, when she growled, Jiraiya immediately stopped and waited for him to say something. He was going to get rid of that smirk on his face if it was the last thing one earth he'd do.

 

His musings were interrupted when Hyoushitensu asked him why he was so nervous being a hanyou himself.

 

“Uh, Hyoushitensu-san, what is your profession?”

 

“Murder, rape, pillage, oh, the usual things demons get a kick out of.”

 

He gulped. This was turning out to be a very informative conversation.

 

“Oh, in that case would you mind if I pretended I was a nice little cushion and you couldn't see me?”

 

“Sure, but then you wouldn't mind if I used you in the pillow fight that'll be happening later today? It would save the costs on all those cushions that are destroyed by claws, teeth, you name it.”

 

Naruto fumbled with his collar. He decided in that case to try and change the subject of the conversation to one of the other members around the table. Spying a way out of the pressure he decided to place the spotlight on the demon's daughter.

 

“Um, uh… what is your name?”

 

“Miyazuko.” she curtly replied.

 

Jiraiya on the other hand was having the time of his life: he was getting his revenge on his student, he was in the company of a very beautiful lady (albeit closer to Naruto's age than his, ok fine, she was the kiddo's age more or less but he was allowed to dream, right?) and having a nice reunion with an old contact of his from the earlier days.

 

“What a charming name… heh heh heh … you want me to start on that story Hyoushitensu?”

 

“Depends upon whether or not your student passes my tests.”

 

A grim feeling fell over Naruto. “Um, ero-sennin, what tests may these be, and what's this story I hear?”

 

Before Jiraiya could get a word in edgewise, Hyoushitensu immediately began dissecting Naruto's nickname as well as his attitude. “Ero-sennin, eh? My friend, you have finally found the perfect apprentice! Why, it took me forever to find someone with this young kit's potential and attitude, and that was only because my mate gave birth to her… I still miss her. Anyways, kit, you seem to have come up with the perfect brand - yes Jiraiya, not name but brand - for the old pervert as it describes him perfectly.”

 

Jiraiya huffed indignantly at what the demon was telling his daughter and decided to glare at Naruto, trying to `stare' the problem away his earlier good mood having been spoiled. Hyoushitensu ignored the old man and continued on with his question. “Now, since you seem to have heard of me through my servants, hanyou, what's your name?”

 

Naruto looked at him before sighing.

 

“I suppose it would be better if I began from the start. It will be a long story though.”

 

“Don't worry brat. We have the time.” He glared at Jiraiya. Then noticed that the pervert was being beaten by the demon lord.

 

“Don't you ever look at my daughter that way: firstly, you're a human; and secondly, she's the hanyou's age; and thirdly, she's engag-”

 

“Father? Would you please just let the kid introduce himself?”

 

Naruto pouted, “I'm not a kid… well, my name? Not quite sure, Uzumaki Naruto I guess, it's what I've always been called but please just called me Naruto. Anyways, my life started out when I was born…”

 

Naruto soon got into his storytelling and began to explain the circumstances about his past. Following the sealing of the Kyuubi, he was cast out as an orphan and outcast, not even told the reason for the prejudice he received.

 

The two demons listened with trepidation at hearing the plight Naruto went through. To be the forced container for one of the most powerful kitsune youkai of all time must have been exceptionally conditioning. To have everyone try and kill him be they friends or foe must have been worse. Then Naruto came to the part about after he left Konoha.

 

 

“So Ero-sennin, where are we going?” Naruto was positively giddy with excitement. A three year training journey! Just think of all those techniques he was ready to learn. Hopefully the perverted geezer would bestow him with some battle-hardened advice, or even a new summoning technique! All these wonders and he couldn't wait. And then he could go and rescue Sasuke.

 

`Just you wait kiddo, you haven't seen anything yet!' Jiraiya was smiling. Not just any smile but a purely sadistic one. `Finally Tsunade-chan has allowed me complete control over my new Apprentice's corruptive training and I can go wherever I want to. Naruto, you are going to learn everything! And I promise you'll be an even bigger expert at it than I am - after all, it was you who invented the forbidden centrefold technique, heh ha ha!'

 

Whilst madly chuckling to himself, Jiraiya didn't miss the concerned glances Naruto kept giving him, which quickly turned to those of fear. He had been given the task of carrying his teacher's bag and while ruffling through it, came across several manuscripts bearing the titles: “Martial Arts for Dummies” by Saotome Genma and “Bakusai Tenketsu: New and Improved!”. After a quick glimpse in the manuals, what he saw did not seem to bode well.

 

Jiraiya noticed his Apprentice's perusals of his books. Chortling he let slip, “We're going to have finished all of that in two year's time, and then you can show off as much as you want, but remember these wise words: `The life of a true ninja is always fraught with peril!”

 

 

The going had been tough - very tough. After the pitfalls and then the fighting over the upturned pikes, fighting on a cragged glacier-covered-peak in the middle of winter seemed like a warm-up to what the ero-sennin was considering next.

 

“Nah, too easy… hmmm, this one looks okay… Damn, he's too old! …hmm …hey! What have we here?”

 

Naruto stared at the pervert. Sure he was getting stronger, but wasn't he supposed to just fight off other ninja and not the elements themselves? This suicidal training seemed to be torture in its purest form and thus he cursed the author of those books with as foul a set of words as he could fathom. Although he conceded panda wasn't the best term to come up with, it was all he could suffice to come up with as he began slipping. Why couldn't the pervert have devised easier training methods which didn't kill the trainee off?

 

 

“Finally we have come to the second-to-last training manual! Naruto, prepare yourself for the Yamasen-ken, the Umisen-ken, and the greatest training ground of all time: Jyusenkyo!”

 

Said person could only nod in exhaustion. Meditating upside-down on a treetop without clothes a couple weeks for twelve hours straight required extremely precise chakra control. Chakra control which he didn't have and which he required. Keeping him warm, whilst balancing on a tree, whilst upside-down, whilst in the middle of winter, and whilst discussing battle strategies was quite taxing on the body, thus the reason he was so tired.

 

“Oh come on Naruto, stop stalling and get up. Remember, `the path of a true ninja is fraught with peril!' and thus you should face perils greater than the perils you would normally face so those perils you would normally face aren't that perilous after all. Understand?

 

His answer was a snoring Naruto slumping to the ground. He grinned. Naruto had just sealed his fate!

 

 

A misty fog lifting over a multitude of poles stuck in pools was the sight that greeted Naruto and Jiraiya as they came to the valley known as Jyusenkyo. The evening sun slowly dipping into the sea of mountains behind them gave the place a peaceful feel to it. He looked at Naruto who was utterly exhausted.

 

“We'll rest for about half an hour before beginning to train here. No, don't give me that look. We're here to test your night time fighting abilities and your endurance. But first we'll go to that hut over there by that patch of trees. Hopefully there will be someone there who can inform us of what this place is. Sounds good?”

 

“Sure ero-*yawn*-sennin. Just let me at the food and then we'll train.”

 

With that the two proceeded to move towards the hut, Naruto gaiting, and Jiraiya gracefully sliding.

 

“Show off.”

 

When they finally reached the hut they knocked and were greeted by a man in a green uniform with a long pipe in his mouth.

 

“Oh, Mister honoured Customers! What can this honourable guide do for you?

 

Naruto blinked. The person in the hut appeared to be a guide whose, for all sakes and purposes, only job was to take care of these springs. Strange. So why was he required? He filed that thought away for later use when he noticed Jiraiya motion towards him. A sudden feeling in his gut told him to run away. Since every training regime Jiraiya had given him for the past two years had begun with much pain and then ending up with much reward, Naruto decided to stay with Jiraiya instead of run away. After all, why run when the going got tough. That was when things became fun!

 

“Naruto, from now on refer to me with respect. It is imperative that you do so if your training will continue as we planned.” With that Jiraiya turned toward the guide. From what Naruto could catch from the conversation and the haunted look on his teacher's face, he surmised that the training would have even greater odds than normal. He then listened to Jiraiya speak to the guide but it was in an old dialect and so he could only catch snippets from their conversation

 

“… springs… … bamboo… … tell not to… never listen… … hot… cold…”

 

So there was something with the springs? All the more fun then! Jiraiya then motioned for him to come with him into the hut. The guide gave out a ladle of some weird stew he was making which in actuality tasted quite scrumptious. `This isn't as good as my ramen but still, what is?'

 

 

“Ready Naruto?”

 

He nodded.

 

“Then show me what you've learned the past two years. Go!”

 

“Wait, I thought honoured customers would take advice and leave. No, don't be too too stupid like other guests of Jyusenkyo!”

 

Naruto looked over his shoulder. The guide was frantically waving his pipe in the air with one hand while running towards the two of them as fast as he could muster. He reached the edge of the training ground before falling head over heals and slamming into one of the poles. A great hand made from water caught the man before falling in the pool and threw him back out of the grounds and into the hut. He then turned back to Jiraiya who was staring open-mouthed at the spectacle. Seeing an opening, Naruto charged forward intent on taking full advantage of the situation.

 

Jumping from pole to pole Naruto came within striking distance when Jiraiya realized the dangerous position he was in. Looking down quickly he fired a bit of chakra into the bamboo - greatly weakening it - before jumping out of harm's way, in this case Naruto's fist. As soon as Naruto landed on the bamboo, it broke sending the hapless ninja into the pool below. Just before he hit the water, Naruto murmured a “kawarami no jutsu” and managed to escape getting wet. Landing on a pole he turned toward Jiraiya who was looking intently now that he realized what had happened.

 

“You're not going to be able to do that again y'know.”

 

Jiraiya shrugged before sending a bale of flames his way which forced Naruto to jump to avoid getting his clothes burned off and his hair singed. Jiraiya jumped to meet the unbalanced apprentice and hit him into one of the springs. Or rather tried to. As Naruto exploded into a puff of smoke at his strike, Jiraiya immediately realized his mistake. Milliseconds after the clone had disintegrated a fist appeared out of the smoke aiming straight for his neck.

 

“Forgot about my clones didn't you? And to think you always told me that one had to be aware of one's surroundings before, during, and after a fight. Just goes to show that you can't back up your words.”

 

Jiraiya stared at the fist before grabbing it and pulling, then jumping off of the body onto another pole sticking out of a rather large pool.

 

“`Spring of Drowned Panda', looks just about the right place to drop you, eh ero-sennin?”

 

Jiraiya looked up at where the voice was coming from and received a punch to the face. With the extra weight of Naruto combined with the great mass of the sennin, the pole couldn't take the stress anymore and snapped. Naruto jumped off of Jiraiya to prevent himself from getting wet and to ensure the pervert would fall into the spring. A splash later and he knew he had won. But what came out of the spring was what he had never ever expected in his life. A panda had jumped and began attacking him using the same forms of taijutsu Jiraiya had been using and teaching him with. The shock of Jiraiya turning into a panda was enough so that the panda had reached him before he could put up a suitable defence.

 

When the first punch struck, Naruto went with the blow flying off onto another pole but only to be pulled back by the panda's paws. Caught and with no means of escaping, Naruto looked down at stared in horror.

 

“`Spring of Drowned Kitsune Hanyou', you wouldn't dare! I'd get killed before I took two steps in Konoha. Please don't do this, I beg you, think of the consequences, I mean-”

 

*SPLASH* “Shit!”

 

“Oh don't worry honoured customers. Is just curse. Not too too bad if you having hot water with you.”

 

Naruto and Jiraiya were sitting in the guide's hut with multiple towels wrapped around them. Naruto had a hot water bottle on his head and both of the ninjas had their feet in a hot bucket of water. Sitting beside each other, they mused silently on the cursed outcome of their previous fight. Naruto smiled sullenly, true he had won, but the price he paid was too great. `I'm never going to be able to show my face in Konoha ever again. Just a simple rain shower and everyone will be running for the hills claiming the apocalypse has arrived. Plus, I'm never going to be able to get a girl with this curse.' Glaring slightly at Jiraiya he noticed the pervert staring at him with the same look on his face.

 

“Serves you right for turning me into a kitsune, how do you think I'll be able to live for long enough in a fight if a water shower comes along? Better yet, what do you think will happen if Tsunade-baachan finds out what happened to us?

 

Jiraiya audibly gulped, Naruto noticed that the old pervert hadn't thought of that consequence in the fury of his rage. He couldn't fault him however, as it had been he that had turned him into a panda. But a demon? He could have chosen some other spring. That way he'd still be able to return, but now? No way.

 

“Didn't think of that, did you? No, I thought you wouldn't. Well, do you see any means of us being able to escape this fate you so surreptitiously forced us upon? My life is ruined now.”

 

“Ya didn't have to turn me into a panda, you could have just knocked me out of the training ground and then send a fire kinjutsu after me. But no, you have to add humiliation to my injury, salt to my wounds, and make me wet.”

 

“You are a toad after all. And think of your curse this way, you'll be able to get as much research as you want to, I mean who'd think a panda gathered such information?”

 

A sudden pain flaring in his stomach region caused Naruto to stop speaking and grimace in response to the pain. The world becoming dizzy and black as he began slipping into unconsciousness. This really wasn't turning out to be his day.

 

 

“So, you finally decide to grace me with your presence? I've been waiting for this moment to arrive.”

 

Naruto woke up to find himself in a large corridor which had the characteristics of a sewer. Murky water dripping everywhere and puddles forming along the unnaturally even floor reminded Naruto where he was. Trudging through the blackness, he gazed along the walls where rotting mosses covered up doors so dark, not even the light of heaven could pierce their blackness. He stopped at one, its sheen a dull fiery red, opened it and gazed at a memory.

 

“It's been so long since I last was this happy…”

 

There in front of him, was the memory of Kakashi, Sakura, and Sasuke looking at the camera right after they had come back from the Wave Country. Sakura was looking at Sasuke, hearts in her eyes and blushing like crazy. Sasuke was looking nonchalantly bored and mysterious. Kakashi was rubbing his and Sasuke's hair smiling under that facemask of his, while he, he was staring at the camera with the largest smile he had made (until that moment in time). It was the last time he'd view Team 7 as a family. He began sniffing at the memory of what could have been…

 

“What? The young childhasn't had any happiness for 2 long years? Oh the shame, oh the madness. And poor old me isn't allowed to mope and whine about an even worse fate over a duration of 15YEARS!?? Boy, shut up!”

 

Naruto whirled around. Now that he thought about it, where was the Kyuubi? It wasn't natural for a person to hear disembodied voices was it? But then again, was he natural? Was he normal? Nope, and proud of it. But slightly misunderstood, ok so he was the most hated person to have ever lived in Konoha, right up there in the rankings with Orochimaru and Uchiha Itachi, but so what? He still had the trust of the Hokage and several Jounin and Chuunin so that was fine. Now how could he get out of this maze of corridors and doors, and find the Kyuubi?

 

“I'm right here; you just haven't been looking for me. Correctly I might add.”

 

He stared, the Kyuubi had to be here somewhere, then he realized something. He was inside his own mind, so that meant that he held all the cards. He looked around himself, the dank sewer filled with murky waters. `Wait a second, if I haven't been looking for what I think… think, I get it! I have to think about meeting the Kyuubi, but then why didn't it work earlier, perhaps if I say it aloud… No, first I should get rid of the sewers.'

 

“I wish to have my mindscape be that of a manor.” Naruto's firm voice rang out against the constant drip drop of the water which stopped and turned into a sound of water gushing through a stream. Naruto found himself in a manor not unlike the ones found back home in Konoha. He stared at tall walls, a beautiful, lush garden with reeds, a koi pond, and a shroud of bamboo trees appearing in the courtyard. The manor itself had wooden balustrades of a mahogany wood like the raised floor. The walls were of a tatami handicraft and the front gate with the characters “記憶” engraved on the wood. `Memories huh? So that's what his head looked like now?'

 

All of a sudden, he was wrenched outside from the courtyard and into the manor itself. Naruto found his perception change from a clear blue open sky to a dusty and dark house filled to the brim with bookcases of scroll. To his right he saw a sealed door with the characters “é³¥ã‹ã”” engraved on the door itself. `Cage? That was probably where the demon was sealed.' To his left, he noticed a large table with comfortable looking chairs seated around the wooden furniture. Going up to the table he found a set of scrolls that were laying opened with some writing on them.

 

Grabbing the top scroll he looked at it and then nearly fainted from the Kanji characters that appeared without warning. Reading the first few characters caused him to stagger, it was one of his memories, then the scrolls on the bookcases were all memories… He looked at the scroll in his hands. This was his memory from the night where he had learned the Kage Bunshin technique and his victory over Mizuki resulting in his graduation… He had gone through the `Scroll of Sealing' looking for techniques hadn't he, so why shouldn't he be able to do that from looking through his memories? With that he decided to sit down and begin going through the scroll, intent on figuring out and mastering as many techniques as he possibly could.

 

 

“Is young Mr. Honoured Customer okay? Not get too much shock from curse right?”

 

The Jyusenkyo guide and Jiraiya were sitting next to each other looking at the fallen form of Naruto. They hadn't moved - apart from the guide sitting down next to Jiraiya. It wouldn't do for him to fall down from exhaustion now would it? And what would happen if other honourable guests arrived?

 

“I believe he is simply sleeping, from the loud snores he is emitting, I can say we're not in any trouble at all. No, I doubt it was him that received the shock of the curse; I believe it was his tenant that was the one surprised.”

 

Jiraiya had told the guide all about the Kyuubi and Naruto's `upbringing'. Upon hearing this, the guide remarked, whilst casually nodding, “Is no problem, we have guests like young Mr. Honoured Customer nearly all the time. Demons not too too uncommon in parts like Jyusenkyo, although we usually get Tatarigami.” Jiraiya had nearly fallen off his chair at that offhand remark. To think that the information Naruto should have grown up here where people didn't care a hoot over who was a demon or not would have been better used if he could go back in time to fix that problem.

 

“Oh, look, sun nearly down. Go to bed now? Is best idea if old Mr. Honoured Customer go now, otherwise fatigue might weaken you. One looking at you might think you not have many years left.”

 

The guide, hearing no response, looked to his bench mate to find him not there. He stood up and looked around the room and then noticed the honoured customer sleeping in his bed. Oh well, at least he had a second bed he could use. And with that he trudged off to his little hovel underground the hut.

 

“Apparently the guide's hut was what one could consider the lobby, with the pools as the entertainment arena. Well, that's what was mentioned in the guidebook but I can't read Chinese.”

Genma Saotome (commenting on Jyusenkyo)

 

 

As the sun rose in Naruto's mind, he gazed outside at the world thinking about how the last few weeks - to him at least - forced him to change his feelings about his `team mates' from Team 7. The learning he acquired from finishing going over the `Scroll of Sealing' had greatly helped him in his jutsu arsenal and the quiet peacefulness of the lonely halls allowed him to spend a `vacation' away from the ministrations of the old pervert.

 

So far he had spent all this time looking at scrolls of his memories and not once had he even dare think of opening the door to the great demon that lay sealed behind the only door in the manor - apart from the front door but that was the way he came in and he wasn't too sure if he could leave. He looked at the clock on the wall. `Another few hours and then I'll visit him, hopefully he won't mind too much. I don't want to go in there unarmed but I don't think I can take this vacation too much longer.'

 

After a couple more hours of going through the scrolls, just to make sure all the techniques he had gone over that were literally written in his memory were not fakes but real, and testing the techniques themselves out, Naruto decided to brave going in the door.

 

“Good Evening Whelp, it seems you finally decided to show up. I can finally see what has become… of… you…”

 

Naruto slowed as he heard the demon slow down to focus all of his attention on the young child.

 

“I'm impressed. Someone has finally gotten you to see the niceties of being a demon yourself, undoubtedly the old pervert, but then again I was always under the impressionhe was a male succubus in disguise. Really, he gave the name perversiona new definition to its meaning.”

 

Naruto summoned a mirror, looked at himself, and froze. Not once had it occurred to him to look in a mirror. Apparently the curse also held sway in his mind here. No wonder the furball had looked pleased to see him. His ears were flattened against the top of his hair, which had turned a type of golden red. His birthmarks had become more defined and his eyes had turned a purplish sort of colour - a mix between his normal cerulean blue and the Kyuubi's red. He had developed a rather thin coating of fur over his body and his hands and feet ended in claws instead of nails. His teeth had become sharper and elongated and, to add humiliation to injustice his height had been reduced. Damn, was he going to remain a shrimp forever? The only thing he liked was the increase in muscle mass and density which resulted in increased strength and dexterity. `Well, at least my stamina became even more impressive. That and from now on I'm carrying a hot water thermos flask and an umbrella just in case I get stuck somewhere in the rain.

 

And his clothes! At least they stayed the same. He wondered what he'd do if they had been changed. Well, at least he had gotten something!

 

“Well, now I have an offer for you. Either way it will happen whether you like it or not but depending on your attitude you'll come out stronger or weaker. I do suggest that you do take me up. It won't be as painful for you and I get to live.”

“What do you mean `you get to live'? I thought you'd remain sealed within me for eternity. Unless of course you relied on your chakra and the 4th's curse stole it every time I used it. Otherwise I'll chalk this meeting up to your usual demon `shenanigans' and leave you to yourself.”

 

“I saw what I mean and I mean what I say.”

 

“Oh, in that case what's your proposition?”

 

“We fuse. No, wait, let me finish. I'd become your conscience of a sort so to prevent you from killing yourself inadvertently. I'd be able to communicate freely with and also share your experiences - by that I mean share your senses. You'd keep this body though as you'd require my senses. I'd also teach you quite a lot of survival skills and fighting forms but that's it. No ninjutsu or genjutsu for me as I never had any need to bother with those forms of fighting. Finally, I become sealed to you permanently - that is, I will never be able to escape. The question is, do you want to become, as you put it `cursed' and suffer the high risk of always losin- no don't give me that look. You've had countless battles where you required my abilities to save your scrawny skin. I'm offering you a chance to reduce your risk of dieing - significantly.”

 

“You really mean this? If I don't accept then I get lots of pain each time I fight and if I do I remain in my cursed form forever? There really isn't a choice is there?”

 

“Nope.”

 

“Very well, I'll have to think about it.”

 

 

“…and then Jiraiya and I decided to stop on our way to Battoumaki Mountain in the forest where we were caught by your servants, and that is what had happened so far in my life.”

“A rather tumultuous life, right Father?”

 

“Quite so Miyazuko, well then, that seems quite reasonable. You will be staying here right?”

 

At once Jiraiya, having been strangely quiet as Naruto told the tale - ok, so he interrupted every now and again to give his perceptions on how things really went. Anyhow Jiraiya got up turned to Hyoushitensu and proclaimed.

 

“Yup, well at least little Naru-chan here will. I've got some research to do if you want that book finished before that awfully short deadline you gave me. I mean, I haven't seen any beauties for about 5 months or so. There's only so much a guy can take!”

 

“Transform into a panda and the women won't notice you researchin-”

 

“PAPPA, how dare you?”

 

Miyazuko sat patiently next to him sipping a cup of tea after slapping her father. Really, the nerve of him sometimes was just enough that if he wasn't careful she'd deal with him in a permanent manner. No, not kill him; just teach him a bit of respect. She turned to Naruto, offering him some food. He was still out of it when Jiraiya went up to him and scruffled his hair.

 

“Kid, you there? Hey, don't worry, I'll be around. I'm just going to go do some research. You should be proud of what you've accomplished so far, and as to what kind of research I'll be doing, well think of it as a graduation present of a sort, hee hee! Let it never be said that the Great Jiraiya failed to teach his students to appreciate everything!”

 

“Well then Hyoushitensu, I'll be around!” and with that the hermit exploded into a small cloud of smoke, signalling his departure from the room.

 

“That… that… how could he do this to me…?” Naruto stared at the empty spot where the toad hermit had just disappeared from. “I mean sure we had our little scuffles but we had an apprentice-teacher relationship going… it's exactly like what happened to my clothes! Damn he could at least have said good bye, I'll get him back if it's the last thing I do!”

 

“Miyazuko, please show my student and our guest to his rooms, as I am sure I will have to go through several lessons with him on manners, attitude, and respect. I will also be putting him through a training regime that will require my utmost attention. There is an option for you to join us that is, assuming you wouldn't mind being in several perverse positions with him. I intend to immunize my new student to the wonders of the female body so he doesn't go `gaga' anytime anyone shoves her breasts in his face as well s teach him some rather impressive abilities and control. If otherwise please say so now.”

 

Damn her father! She'd kill both him and his guest if they tried anything funny with her. “Sure, I'll join. But what of the bathing facilities? Which ones will the Naruto here use?”

 

“Whose do you think?”

 

That ever infuriating smirk her father wore concluded her nightmare. He was, in the interest of his clan, playing matchmaker and she was not interested in any courtship at all in this stage of her life. If Naruto knew what was good for him then he wouldn't even dare think about her in any such way, shape, or form. She'd make sure of it.

`Why oh why did I get stuck with such an insufferable demon for a father? Kami-sama, he gets more and more exasperating with each passing moment.'

 

Looking around she noticed Naruto was still looking forlornly at where the old pervert had left the room from.

 

“Come Naruto, I guess you would want to see where you will be sleeping and bathing for the next few months.”

Like a blind puppy, he followed her still unable to comprehend the pervert's quick escape and his new master's training regiment.

 

“Heh heh heh, I'm just happy enough that I didn't have to remind you not to mention me, and think of your living arrangements this way: you get to sleep in the vicinity of a virgin demoness your age as well. I was never that lucky!"

 

`Shut up Kyuubi, I doubt they think I'm able to talk to you, much less learn from you, so if you want to be a good teacher, then be quiet and let me concentrate these next few months on training and not on Miyazuko.'

 

“So you already know her name? My you move quickly, seems you're taking the pervert's teachings to heart.”

 

Naruto blushed a deep shade of red he felt the temperature of his surrounding area rise considerably. If only that blasted furball would leave him alone and let off with the perverted remarks. The furball's response was a lengthy set of guffawing as Naruto followed Miyazuko to what undoubtedly would become a new episode of his life. Hopefully it wouldn't be as oppressive as the last 15 years had been…

 

 

 

AN: Heya guys, long time no see. Had a wonderful summer break in South America and in Europe. Now that I'm back home the updates should come a lot quicker but please do remember I' m in my last year of high school so expect some delays due to HW and studying for the graduation exams… *sigh* How does one survive the last year? Oh well, wish me luck! And please review!