Eyes of Sacrifice

A/N: All the events for Shippuden have been pushed back by two years.

“You don’t know what you are doing Naruto.” Jiraiya said. “He could…”

Kyuubi smirked baring his teeth again. “Turn against the kid, destroy the village, and escape my prison inside him?” Jiraiya narrowed his eyes. “What you humans don’t seem to understand is that I do have some honor.”

“Is that why you…”

“Enough,” Gaara said stopping Jiraiya angry statement. He watched as Kyuubi gracefully sat on the bed and looked Naruto over. “The Kyuubi has not shown any hostility during his time in this form. If anything he has been quite helpful.” Jiraiya lowered his head a bit and watched the humanoid fox. Aya had jumped onto his shoulders and sat there as Kyuubi examined Naruto’s arms.

“I’m fine…”

“You forget kid, technically I’m still connected to you.” The red haired look-a-like grinned. He put Naruto’s arms down and ruffled the blonde’s hair. “Can’t wait to see the old hag’s face when she sees me,” Kyuubi said.

“She might try to kill you.” Jiraiya said. When he saw that Kyuubi meant no harm, he relaxed only slightly. It was not wise to lower one’s guard around a fox like him. From what it looked like, the two were like siblings, Kyuubi being the older obviously. The older man put a hand to his chin wondering how Naruto got through to a demon like Kyuubi.

“I don’t think I will be showing Tsunade that I can let you out Kyuubi-kun.” Naruto said as he sweatdropped. “Trying to tell her I know of my father and I have developed my kekkai genkai might be more than enough for now.”

Kyuubi stopped smiling and became serious as he looked at Naruto. His hands retreated into his lap as his eyes turned down toward the floor. “It will be even harder if you don’t tell her Naruto.”

“Kyuubi…”

“He’s right Naruto.” Gaara said agreeing with the fox. “You may think it will be okay, but it won’t be when unexpected surprises come ready for a fight.”

Naruto tilted his head away and sighed. His mind drifted the last few years he has been with Gaara and in the Sand village. All the attacks and plots he had to deflect.

“Tomorrow…”

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow and looked at Naruto.

“I’ll start from the beginning, tomorrow when I speak with Tsunade.”

---

Just like he promised, Naruto was sitting in Tsunade’s office the next with Aya on his shoulders. Gaara was beside the door leaning back against the wall while Jiraiya was in his customary seat on the window sill. Tsunade was leaned on her elbows which were on the desk.

“So, care to tell me what you have been doing these past few years?” Tsunade asked.

Naruto stared at the ground for a while before speaking. “After I was able to do missions for the Sand Village, we raided one of Orochimaru’s hide outs. There he had journals that he had stolen from Konoha. Among them was an interesting journal of a Hokage.” He heard Tsunade shift as she paid closer attention. “Since I was from Konoha, Temari said that I should be the one to read it before we sent them all back here.”

“I remember that, I had no idea you were part of the squad that retrieved them.” Tsunade replied.

“Yeah,” Naruto said distractedly. “So I read a few of them before we sent them back, but when I read the journal, the journal of the Yondaime …why didn’t anyone ever tell me that my father was Minato Namikaze?”

Tsunade’s head jerked back as she stared at Naruto. “You read the journal that was left behind by the Yellow Flash?”

“I read the journal my father left behind for me.” Naruto said a bit angrily.

“Naruto!” Gaara bit out causing the blonde to jerk and nod sharply.

“After reading the journal,” Naruto continued. “I began to train harder. It was sometime after that I found out about the bloodlimits that were left behind for me.”

“Minato had more than one Kekkai Genkai?” Tsunade questioned as she turned to look at Jiraiya.

The white haired man nodded. “One was the Hiraishin that he was made famous for and the other was one that only a few people knew about.”

“According to Chiyo-baa-san,” Gaara said. “It was a kekkai genkai that made people consider him to be a monster and heartless should he ever use it. So no one knew of it other than his sensei and the Hokage at the time.”

“What is this other bloodlimit?” The Godaime asked slowly. Of course she knew what most people knew about the Yondaime, or at least what Sarutobi and Jiraiya had told her. It seems they had kept something from not only her, but most of the village. It made her wonder who else knew of this other kekkai genkai.

“It is known as the Jagan,” Naruto’s voice drifted over the silent room. The Hokage’s eyes turned to the blonde as his eyes closed. “Its powers lie beyond the power of genjutsu and the Mangekyo.”

“Beyond the Sharingan’s abilities?”

The blonde man nodded to the Hokage. “For one minute after it is activated on the enemy they will experience any nightmare. Like the Mangekyo, to the person who it is used on it can seem as minutes or even years go by.”

“You told me yesterday there were other abilities to the Jagan. What are they?” Jiraiya asked.

Naruto sighed. He really didn’t want to talk about the Jagan right now. “I can retrieve memories that were lost or forgotten as well as extract information during that one minute of time.”

Tsunade leaned back in her seat. “There are consequences to this Jagan aren’t there?”

“Yes…” Naruto murmured.

“And they are…”

Gaara cut in. “We don’t know those consequences, but in the journal it is said that if the Jagan is used more than three times within a day something disastrous will befall the wielder.”

Tsunade looked at Naruto who was looking as if he didn’t care. She wanted to smack that look off his face and shake him until his stupid grin came back.

“Is there anything else I should know before you return to your healing?” She asked and instantly regretted that as the said grin appeared on his face.

Naruto raised his one hand and summoned the shadow clone that would be the Kyuubi. As the smoke cleared revealing the humanoid fox, he watched as Tsunade’s eyes widened. The red haired Naruto shook his head and ran a gloved hand through his hair. The Hokage already had a kunai in her hand as she stood up. Naruto also stood up blocking Kyuubi’s corporal form from the kunai with his own body.

“Naruto!”

“He hasn’t done anything wrong!” Naruto shouted as Aya jumped onto the shoulder of the other being in the room. “He has helped me more times that I could count like this.”

Kyuubi watched with a cold look as Tsunade seemed to fight with herself on what to do. Damn humans, they just don’t believe it when someone says anything. He sighed and raised his hand, putting it down on Naruto’s shoulder. He gently moved the blonde to the side, his eyes on Tsunade.

“Kyuubi…”

“If the woman wants to attack me, then let her.” The kitsune said. “It is not like it is unjust.”

Tsunade’s kunai nearly dropped in shock. The Nine Tailed fox was going to allow her to attack him? Her hazelnut eyes watched as Aya rubbed against Kyuubi’s cheek, purring in comfort. She put her kunai flat against the table before closing her eyes.

“No one outside this room finds out who you really are.” Tsunade said firmly. “Should it get back to the council there could be…complications.”

Kyuubi nodded knowing how the Konoha council worked better than Naruto. “Perfectly understandable, though even in this form unless Naruto allows it my chakra is still sealed inside him.” He shrugged a bit as he knelt down to let Aya off. “Plus, I don’t think anyone in this city still likes the idea of me being alive. Just think of what would happen if they saw me like this.”

“You can go under an alias, but even then it will be suspicious because you look like Naruto.” Tsunade said.

“I’ll think about what I can do about later.” Kyuubi said. “For now, we will cut back on summoning okay Naruto?”

The young boy frowned but nodded. “If you think that’s best Kyuubi-kun.”

“How about I stay like this until we get settle okay Naruto?” The fox asked.

Tsunade watched the exchanged with interest. Perhaps this wasn’t as bad as she thought it to be. It seems that Naruto and the Kyuubi have become close like brothers, maybe more. Her eyes watched as the demon fox put his hand on Naruto’s head moving it back and forth in a gentle gesture. Her mind worked as she watched. Naruto calmed the demon fox down and Kyuubi gave Naruto someone who didn’t hate him.

“I do have one question.” The Godaime seemed to draw the attention of everyone in the room. “What do you wish to do now that you are back?”

“Well, I suppose become an ANBU if at all possible. I mean I am going to become a Jounin soon too, so yea that’s about right.” Naruto said talking to himself. “What do you think Kyuubi-kun, anything else?”

The fox’s red eyes moved from Naruto to Jiraiya, then to Tsunade herself. “Namikaze’s estates,” He said. “We need a secure place to live, what better place that something that was left to Naruto?”

“I’ll do what I can, they won’t just let things go.” Tsunade said.

“I know the council can be as stubborn as donkeys.” Kyuubi looked at Naruto. “It seems until them we’re camping out.”

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. “Where will you guys go?”

Gaara stepped up next to Naruto who was looking at Tsunade and Jiraiya. “They are use to sleeping outside, they’ll find a place outside where no one will bother them.”

“We like the outside…” Naruto said with a smile. “Gaara, how about you fill in baa-chan and the old man? I want to go visit Iruka-sensei.” Blue eyes stared at the two Sannin. “See you guys later. Come on Kyuubi-kun,” Naruto said as he quickly raced out the window. The fox humanoid glanced briefly at the two Sannin before following Naruto with Aya at his heels.

In all her years, the Hokage has never seen Kyuubi be so compliant nor has she seen Naruto so…dull. His eyes held sadness that wasn’t there before. Her own brown eyes looked upon Gaara, who stared back emotionlessly. “What happened?” Everything that Naruto has told her has surprised and worried her beyond belief today. The one about Kyuubi having a humanoid form was the winner in Tsunade’s ‘oh-shit’ list for today. If there was something more than that, she might have to go drinking a little early tonight.

Jiraiya could feel the tension rise in the room as Tsunade looked at the young Sand-nin. “Do we want to know Gaara?” The Toad Hermit asked breaking some of the tension.

Gaara sighed and sat in the seat that Naruto previously had. “Naruto has fought Sasuke already. The Uchiha is quite more trouble than we thought him to be.”

“How’d he fair against him?” Tsunade asked going into Hokage mode.

“I think he would stand a better chance than your Copy Ninja.” Gaara said truthfully. “It was quite the stand off…then Kabuto interfered. Naruto was severely weakened he would have died.”

“But he didn’t…” Tsunade stated.

Gaara nodded. “Kyuubi protected him by forcibly extracting him from the fight, but Sasuke caused some damage to Naruto.”

“His arms…” Jiraiya murmured.

“Sasuke has learned a way to burn the nerves inside of your body. By using the flame technique the Uchiha are so found of, he rapidly heats his hand before using it like a chakra scalpel.” Gaara informed them. “Naruto is trying to develop a way around it with his wind techniques and Kyuubi’s chakra.”

“Has he succeeded?” Tsunade asked.

“He has been able to repair some of the damage that has been done to him at an accelerated rate. That is why he is able to move his arms even now, but to fully null the affects or even counter the attack is something he is still working on.”

Tsunade nodded and closed her eyes briefly. If Naruto had trouble with Sasuke, perhaps she should put him back on a team with Kakashi and Sakura. With the pink haired kunoichi’s new healing abilities and strength with Kakashi experience and Sharigan they might be able to win against Sasuke.

Gaara could see Tsunade thinking about the possibilities of teaming Naruto back up with his former teammates. As much as he wanted to keep the blonde to himself and keep him safe, he knew that eventually Naruto would want to join up with his friends to search for Sasuke. “It would be wise to put Naruto with his old team.” He said. “They might be able to pull together to convince Sasuke to return to Konoha or at least stop his foolishness.”

“But…”

“Should it come down to killing the Uchiha, Naruto will have to merge with Kyuubi in order to defeat him.” Gaara said.

Jiraiya’s eyes became cold and serious as he looked at the youth. “What do you mean?”

“Kyuubi is the strongest of all the Demon Lords, his presence even calms my demon. But from what I gathered he is still not strong enough to go against the Sharigan alone.” The young man from Suna explained. “If he were to merge with Naruto the Jagan will gain powers from Kyuubi chakra.”

“I see…” Tsunade said. “There would be consequences wouldn’t there?”

The red head nodded. “I am not sure this is accurate, but if they stay like that for too long it could become permanent or have side effects.”

“What sort of side effects?” Jiraiya asked.

Gaara’s green eyes blankly looked upon the Sannin with a great amount of concern for their favorite blonde ninja.

---

Kyuubi watched Naruto out of the corner of his eye. The young ninja cringed as the wind sharply hit his arms at the wrong angle. Red eyes softened as he remembered when he first came to have a real form. It wasn’t too long after Naruto left Jiraiya to think about things that have been troubling him for some time. Kyuubi, being stuck in Naruto, knew of some of his concerns. It wasn’t like the young boy told him out right, but those feelings were strong enough to press against the seal. Least to say when the fox found himself outside his cage he was surprised.

The red haired fox remembered that day fondly. When he had come to, Naruto was passed out and very weak. He took the young boy to a near by den of foxes and asked them if they could stay until the human was well. At first, the foxes were wary because Naruto was a human but when Kyuubi explained everything, they settled and helped the fox lord find herbs to calm the fever his companion had. When Kyuubi came back one day from collecting herbs, he found Naruto up and playing with the kitsune children that inhabited the den. After he cleared out the cubs and kitsune out, he had a long talk with Naruto about how he was given this form. Naruto didn’t know how he gave Kyuubi his form. All the boy remembers was he was feeling very lonely as he was working on his chakra control. The emotion was stronger than usual Naruto had said. Kyuubi had surmised that because of the strong emotion and Naruto’s training exercise at the time, he unconsciously gave him a body.

“Kyuubi,” Naruto’s voice broke through the fox’s reminiscing.

“Yes Naruto?”

“You’ll said you’d stay with me no matter what right?” Kyuubi’s red eyes soften as he watched Naruto look down almost in shame. “I don’t want you to feel obligate to do that.”

“Silly little human,” The fox said affectionately as he ran closer to Naruto. “I meant what I said Naruto. I will stay with you for as long as you can stand me.” He gave the human boy a fox grin.

Naruto looked at the humanoid fox. Kyuubi has been with him through all the beating and attacks. He knows Naruto better than anyone. The blonde looked down before nodding silently. If Kyuubi said he’ll stay, then Naruto will believe him. The fox hasn’t lied to him yet, so why would he start now?

“So…” Kyuubi’s voice drawled. “Where are we going?”

“To visit Iruka-sensei!” Naruto said happily.

Kyuubi sweatdropped. “I think I should stick to just being in the shadows. Take Aya with you.”

“Oh right I forgot…” The young blonde said. “You’ll still be in range though right?” He asked as they stopped on top of the academy.

“What and leave you and prance around a village that will likely kill me for my red eyes?” Kyuubi asked with a raised eyebrow.

Naruto laughed and picked up Aya. “I won’t be long, we’ll probably got get Ramen so…”

“Just go!” The blonde laughed and disappeared over the edge of the roof. Kyuubi sighed and ran a hand through his hair as he henged into a perfect clone of Naruto but taller. “I have some things to check out.” He then raced off toward the gates of Konoha.

---

Iruka sighed as the last kid from class filed out of the room. He dropped himself into the teacher’s chair and laid down his head on the wooden surface of the table. “Why do I make myself suffer? Teaching these kids get harder and harder every year…”

“Oh you know you love those little brats Iruka-sensei,” A voice said from the first row.

Iruka’s head snapped up as he looked into a pair of sky blue eyes. A big fox grin appeared on the young man’s face as he waved at his former teacher.

“N-Naruto!” The brown haired man said as he stood up and raced over to hug the blonde. “When did you get back? No, wait where have you been?”

Naruto laughed and pushed Iruka away slightly. “I’ve been in Suna with Gaara for the last couple years.”

“Why didn’t you come home?”

“I needed to get stronger that’s why.” The blonde said. “Anyway, there is someone I wanted you to meet.” He stood up and looked up toward the back of the room. “Please don’t freak out, she is harmless.” Iruka raised an eyebrow as he watched Naruto turn to the back of the room. He looked back there and saw that little red fox curled up on top of the table. She looked back with her gunmetal blue eyes, judging him. Iruka gulped and bowed a bit to the kitsune.

“Ah…Hello…” He felt strange that he was addressing an animal, a fox no less. He suddenly felt weight on his shoulder looked up to see the auburn fox’s fur turn white as she purred and rubbed herself against his cheek.

Naruto cheered beside him. “Aya-chan likes you Iruka-sensei!” He grinned at Iruka. “Well, at least she isn’t hissing at you like she did Kakashi-sensei.”

“So you’ve seen some people already?”

“Yep!” Naruto said telling Iruka about who he saw when he got back. “So Iruka-sensei, do you…like Aya-chan?”

The brunette looked down at the white fox, who was looking back with big gunmetal blue eyes. “She’s very beautiful Naruto, she has blue eyes just like you.”

Naruto smiled at that and nodded. “Aya-chan, do me a favor go play somewhere out of sight ne? Iruka and I are going to catch up on a lot of things that will bore you. Go have fun.”

The small fox tilted her head to the side. She knew what this meant. Naruto was going to explain everything to Iruka that he explained to Tsunade…maybe more. Since Gaara was with the Hokage, she assumed ‘going to play’ meant find Kyuubi and stick with him. Aya’s small head nodded once. She turned to Iruka and licked his cheek before running off into the shadows.

Iruka looked at Naruto who gave a big grin. “Ramen?”

---