7Naruto Fanfiction
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto
Author's Note: The shoulder is for looking over
Title: Gone Bucket
Summary: The bucket is full. Naruto makes decisions that have huge ramifications.
Really.
Who was he to him anyway? If his assumptions were correct, he should be a whole lot. But according to this current situation, his assumptions were apparently pretty much wrong.
"... Why?"
He considered himself a good student. Sure, he was loud and sometimes a bit slow, but… that didn't meant he wasn't worth teaching anything to.
"It's simple. He and I are the same type."
The same type? What did that mean? That he and him weren't? Sakura wasn't either? Man, shit like this shouldn't be getting to him anymore. He'd gotten a whole lot sturdier from the inside with all the shit the villagers threw at him.
But man, this stung!
He wanted to be Hokage, the one most respected and above all acknowledged by everyone. But if his own teacher chose another person over him to instruct, didn't that say plenty? Who would choose another pupil over a possible Hokage candidate, after all?
His vision turned a bit moisty as he considered Hatake Kakashi, his Jounin Instructor.
What was the point, really? His next opponent was Hyuga Neji, a prodigy on a higher level than even Sasuke. If Kakashi didn't even bother with helping him prepare, didn't that just mean Kakashi didn't have a single shred of faith in him.
"All's not bad, though. I arranged a substitute teacher for you."
Blinking the emotions away, Naruto's vision cleared to reveal Ebisu. Konohamaru's Sensei. The closet pervert.
"Of all three, your basic skills are the worst. Ebisu is an excellent teacher for that. He'll get you up to speed."
Really? The worst?
Hatake Kakashi was a legendary Jounin from Konoha, known all over the world. He was sure this Ebisu fellow deserved the title Jounin, but he was no fool. This guy couldn't hold a candle to Kakashi. Perhaps it was petty, but he felt he deserved Kakashi's tutoring just as much as Sasuke. Why was he the one getting a substitute and not Sasuke? And what about Sakura? Just because she didn't make it past the recent exams she wouldn't be taught?
This was all just too much. Too much shit was happening. His Chakra Control was shot to shit ever since that snaky girly dude in the forest hit him in the stomach and things had only been going downhill ever since.
Enough.
His own sensei didn't believe in him? Felt the great Uchiha Sasuke needed and deserved more if not all of his attention?
Shit's been bothering for him too long. It was time. If everything falls anyway, why bother pretending to be happy about it?
Dejected and disappointed, the blonde would be Chuunin turned to his Sensei.
He already felt a bit guilty putting him on the spot like that. But looking at his student now, he could really feel the hurt he inflicted with this.
He didn't have much of a choice, though.
Orochimaru was after Sasuke. He had that Cursed Seal now and extra eyes were needed on Sasuke because of it. Next to that, the next opponent in the Chuunin Exams was that murderous Sabaku no Gaara.
But the look in his eyes was dreary. Painful, even to hardened veteran Shinobi like him.
"You know what, Kakashi?"
Oh. He felt that one. No sensei.
"I quit."
The words weren't just said out of spite, or a bout of childishness.
Kakashi knew.
These words were a long time coming. This was built up from a long time ago. The resignation in Naruto's voice was palpable.
The glare of disappointment aimed at his own being was piercing to the soul.
Even though, Kakashi wasn't so easily swayed.
"Naruto, you can't just expe-"
He got cut off.
"My father would be so disappointed with you."
That.
That shattered his heart.
Naruto's teary eyes only strengthened the blow.
He could only watch as his student, his own sensei's son…
Turned away from him and walked out of the hospital they were in.
Ebisu remained quiet as he watched Naruto exit the hospital. There was not much, not anything he could say in this situation.
He didn't like the brat that much, being the Kyuubi kid and all, but…. He had to admit that was quite heart-wrenching.
Judging from the body language Kakashi was sporting, he realized the words hit the Copy-nin hard.
"He wants to quit." He started after about a minute. "I guess that mea-"
"Quiet." Kakashi cut him off, but Ebisu didn't feel offended. "Just leave."
With a nod, the Jounin applied a Shunshin and left.
So his assumptions were correct, after all!
Judging from the shock on Kakashi's face.
He had an inkling, but never could tell for sure. It was a well known fact Kakashi was one of the three students of Namikaze Minato.
The Fourth had sealed the Kyuubi inside him, but he never could figure out why. Thinking about it like he was his son made sense. But not necessarily true.
Why would the village hate his guts so much if he was? Kyuubi or not.
"Taijuu Kage Bunshin."
He was angry.
"Taijuu Henge."
Morphing himself and all of his clones into various other humans and small animals, all the clones spread out and the real Naruto ran.
There was one thing that was factual here.
If Uzumaki Naruto didn't want to be found, he wouldn't be.
If Sharingan eyes were watching him, it might have been possible. But none were. Sasuke and Kakashi were in the hospital. Shimura Danzo was busy briefing Root Members.
If Byakugan eyes were watching him, it might have been possible. But no Hyuga was interested in the Kyuubi brat, except for one. It just so happens that Hyuga Hinata was currently unconscious in the hospital.
Looking over Sasuke's unconscious body, Kakashi couldn't help but feel anger for the young Uchiha. It was true the boy needed him now, but…. If anyone needed him more, it would definitely be Naruto.
The boy who had no one.
Sasuke had the entire Village kissing his feet for being the last Uchiha. He was being praised for simply breathing! And yet, this boy was a flight risk of the highest level.
The feeling wasn't going away. The pain in his chest from Naruto's words. The guilt was too much.
Trash.
He felt like trash.
"He's right." THe grey-haired Jounin muttered to himself. "Minato-sensei would be so disappointed."
The Chakra all returned to him as he dispelled his Clones from a distance.
"W-what?!"
A Cat was chasing him, in his sparrow Henge.
A middle-aged woman was screaming at him to slow down, him in his young boy Henge.
A dog was trying to communicate with him, him in his Dog Henge.
An older woman was glaring at him, him in his fake Naruto Henge.
A Genin almost accidentally hit him with a Kunai, him in his mouse Henge.
An older man was glaring at him, him in another fake Naruto Henge.
Another dog was barking angrily at him, him in his Cat Henge.
A kind-looking granny turned downright evil at him, him in a fake Naruto Henge.
A young couple greeted him pleasantly, him in a young girl Henge.
A man walking his dog shouted at him to die quickly, him in a fake Naruto Henge.
A shop owner asked him if he needed some leftover bread, him in a young man Henge.
A shop owner yelled at him to stay away forever, him in a fake Naruto Henge.
A young man winked at him, him in a lady Henge.
A Hawk tried to claw at him, him in another mouse Henge.
He narrowly avoided a bucket of water being thrown out a window, him in another Cat Henge.
And so many more experiences! Hundreds! So many, many negative ones aimed at his own person, so... many.
Naruto fainted in his hiding spot.
But not before realizing this aspect of the Kage Bunshin.
About half a day later, Naruto awoke underground.
He didn't have the Kyuubi quickly patching him up because of Orochimaru's Gogyou Fuuin, though he didn't know this.
"Ugh, what Doton Ninjutsu hit me in the head?"
But he knew. Somehow.
Creating that many Kage Bunshin, splitting them up so rapidly and dispelling them all at the same time…. It was dangerous.
He experienced everything they experienced. He saw, learned, smelled and felt everything they did and lived through.
How long can a Kage Bunshin last? Is there a certain distance limit from the original? Did they actually require food, water and sleep?
How come he knew so little about the Kage Bunshin?
"Here goes nothing."
Taijuu Kage Bunshin.
A thousand.
Without the Kyuubi's Chakra.
The Jinchuuriki didn't know this, but even without the Kyuubi, he already had a very large amount of Chakra. He was an Uzumaki, after all.
"So…." Naruto eyed all his Kage Bunshin.
Food becomes energy, Water as well…. If his Kage Bunshin's Chakra would return to him, would energy, too?
If his Kage Bunshin would eat…. would the energy the food turned into return to him alongside the Chakra?
If his Kage Bunshin slept, would the rejuvenation also return to him?
If his Kage Bunshin trained, would the experience return to him?
Naruto was intrigued.
"Taijuu Henge."
Some of his clones transformed into wallets, others in money and others in random humans. Some looking like young Genin, other like older Shinobi.
"I am the original." Naruto mouthed to himself. "If dispelled looking like anything other than me, no one will ever find out these clones come from me."
Him being the Kyuubi Container? Would this aspect be identifiable in his clones?
"Operation: Advanced Experiment." Naruto whispered. "If what I think is true. I never have to leave this place ever again." He snapped his finger. "I guess I need to learn how to hide my Chakra!"
He had heard about Sensor-nin, after all.
And just like that, all his clones had a mission.
All thousand of them would be studying the art of concealment.
Was it worth it?
Days had passed since Naruto guilt-tripped him. At the moment he was watching Sasuke perform a third Goukakyuu no Jutsu. Today's training mission was Chakra Exhaustion and how to prevent it.
Eyeing the scowl on the avenger's face, Kakashi wondered if it would be smart to teach the Genin the Chidori. It would obviously help out in his battle against Sabaku no Gaara, with the Lightning Element having a distinct advantage over the Earth Element.
But the Chidori was an assassin's Jutsu. Perhaps...
Perhaps a less lethal one will suffice.
His Lightning Hound Technique, maybe.
Sasuke's Chakra Affinity was Lightning. He felt extremely ashamed he knew Sasuke's before Naruto's now and before Sakura's, too.
Rubbing an itch above his eyebrow that wasn't really there, Kakashi released an agitated sigh. He felt the guilt in his shoulders as well.
'Sensei…. I will make it up to your son. I promise.'
But then, wasn't it already too late?
Why wasn't he there to look after him after he got kicked out of the orphanage?
Why had he never thought to be the older brother?
Why didn't he slip him some Jutsu when he was in the academy, obviously being held back because of the prejudice of teachers? Or even advice on CHakra Control?
The Jounin sat down, dejected. Sasuke was too focused on training to notice.
Endless Stamina.
Endless.
He had assigned a team of Kage Bunshin to take turns…. sleeping.
The results were amazing!
But was it dangerous? Was he missing out on something important? Did his real mind need the actual sleep or rest? Did he care? Would he find out?
He assigned a team of Kage Bunshin to transform into random strangers and another group to Henge into money. As luck would have it, no Sensor-nin or Doujutsu user had called him out.
No ANBU Squads had apprehended him either!
His Kage Bunshin ordered food, did shopping for clothes and whatnot.
He didn't need to eat if his Kage Bunshin ate! The food they digested turned into energy and Chakra, and it all came back to him at the Dispel Moment!
Of course, he will need to eat as well. THere's no way he would be missing out on Ramen, although he had the memories from his Kage Bunshin, it still wasn't the same!
Or was it? He wasn't too sure! Would his own, real stomach, suffer? Or was it actually healthier to eat by Kage Bunshin? No harm to his real stomach was good, after all!
Did this mean he would never have to go to the toilet?
So many questions upon questions!
He had an excessive list of Jutsu capable of keeping you concealed, but… They were all not good enough. The Sharingan and the Byakugan could always find him. The average Sensor-nin could probably sniff him out, too. Not to mention the half-dog clan, the Inuzuka.
He needed someone with inside information.
Someone with a Doujutsu who would actually consider helping him.
The blonde, alone in his underground hideout, shook his head.
Who would help the Kyuubi brat?
"Tobirama-sensei..."
The impossible moment had actually exploded right here.
"To think he foresaw this."
