8Chapter 3: The Beginning of the Journey
Timeskip one year: Naruto's 8th Birthday. Naruto, Sasuke, Ino, and Sakura have become best of friends, and Ino and Sakura joined Naruto and Sasuke to train with them, Itachi, and Shisui. Ino has Fire release and Earth release jutsus while Sakura has Earth release jutsus. Naruto and Ino have gotten really close over the last year, and it's clear to everyone that they are both major positive influences in each other's lives. And before you ask, Naruto has met Ino's family and they accepted him wholeheartedly as Inoichi and Minato were childhood friends. While he has met Sakura's family, they are a little less accepting of their friendship, because well they still view Naruto as a demon. They didn't forbid Sakura from seeing him, they just asked her to be careful whenever he's around.
At Naruto's place to celebrate his birthday;
Sasuke, Ino, and Sakura show up at the door.
*knock knock* Rin goes to open the door.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY NARUTO!" The three screamed in excitement.
Naruto was overjoyed. Less than three years ago, everyone viewed his birthday as a day of sorrow. Everyone looked at him as if to remind himself that this was also the day his parents died. It got to the point where he hated his birthday for a while, but then, everything changed this year. This year, he got to see his friends. He got to celebrate with the people he loved. He got a day where it was about his birth and not his parent's deaths.
The party went off without a hitch. Rin, Obito, and Kakashi had made this one as special as they could, seeing that the next day would be Naruto's first day at the academy.
"Big brother Kakashi, Big brother Obito, Big sister Rin, I cannot thank you enough for this. This has truly been the best birthday party I've ever had. Thank you for being a part of my life. Thank you for giving me a home. Thank you for not hating me for who I am." Naruto was in tears of joy. He finally felt true love in his life, and he could put the thoughts of the villagers out of himself.
However, that last sentence still lingered in Ino's mind. *Not hating me for who I am, what does that mean?* Ino pondered. She knew the villagers gave Naruto dirty looks every time they walked down the street together, she knew that he was in fear of the villagers, but every time she tried to bring it up, she would always get shut down by Naruto. She never understood why, but she decided to respect her friend's privacy.
But this was not a day he should be crying on. This was a day of celebration, and so, Ino made it her mission to confront Naruto and get the truth once and for all. She decided she would confront him after everyone went home, but first she had to take the permission of the Hokage and Naruto's siblings.
"Lord 5th, can I talk to you, Mr. Kakashi, and Ms. Rin in private?" Ino asked
"Sure Ino, let's go to the kitchen." Obito, Kakashi, and Rin made their way to the kitchen with Ino.
In the kitchen
"I would like your permission to get to know Naruto's past. I think I'm ready to know." Ino told the three.
"Are you sure you are ready to know Naruto's past? Please remember, this is a very sensitive subject for not only the village, but for Naruto himself." Rin told Ino.
"Yes. I have known him long enough to know what kind of person he is, and me knowing his past will not affect my thoughts about Naruto in any way. To me, he's a kind, handsome, and awesome young boy with a bright future ahead of him, and no matter what, I will always be by his side." Ino responded to Rin's question. "Plus, if knowing his past does change my view on Naruto, it will only be for the better."
Obito, Rin, and Kakashi were satisfied with Ino's response, and decided to give their blessing to Ino, but with one stipulation. "You cannot force Naruto to explain his past to you. This is something that has traumatized him for a really long time, and he is scared to reveal it to anyone because of the hate he has received from those who 'knew' about his past. Let him come to you with his past, don't go to him." They all said.
"I-I understand." Ino said, defeated.
She knew that this was something Naruto was burdened with from the start, but what she could not understand was why he did not trust his friends with his secret. But after the conversation, she knew everything. Naruto was scared. Scared of being alone in this world. Scared that once his secret is revealed, that everyone would turn their backs on him, look at him as if he was different, and that scared the living hell out of him. Growing up without a mother and father was bad enough for the young boy, but having that, and the village openly expressing their despise for him was too much for him to handle. Ino could see that, and that made her more angry than ever at the villagers.
"But I swear. One day, I will help foster a sense of unity in this world. Make it so that no other child has to experience what Naruto supposedly did. That's my reason for becoming a ninja." Ino looked back at the trio with determination in her eyes, which put a smile on the adults' faces.
It was then clear to Obito, Kakashi, and Rin more than ever. Ino loved the boy. No one else would have that kind of resolve at that young of an age for someone they had only known for a relatively short period of time, even if she was not ready to admit it to herself. They all could also see she was a major positive influence in Naruto's life, with her free-spirited energy putting a smile on Naruto's face whenever she was in his presence.
"Thank you for those words Ino, I can tell you make Naruto really happy whenever you two are around each other. But I ask you this. Please, no matter what happens, do not break his heart. He has already gone through a fate worse than hell, and I think any more heartbreak will set him over the edge." Obito implored the young Yamanaka girl. "Also, when Naruto does decide to tell you that information, please do not tell anyone about it. The less people knowing about Naruto's true heritage, the safer he is. His father has many enemies, and if one of them were to catch wind of Naruto's true heritage, Naruto's life and this village's wellbeing will be in more danger than we ever thought possible."
"I understand Lord 5th, and thank you for giving me your blessing." Ino turned away from the kitchen and said, "And don't worry, I would kill myself before I do anything to break Naruto's heart. I love him too much to see him sad."
Kakashi, Rin, and Obito knew then and there that Ino would be the one to bring the best out of Naruto, the one to guide him throughout his life, the one to be his support system whenever he fell back, and the one to cheer on him the loudest whenever he won. They decided to give them the blessing when they inevitably got together.
They decided to call Naruto into the kitchen and have a talk with him, to try and get him to open up about his past.
"Naruto, I know this may be hard for you, but I think it's time you start being honest about your past, at least to those you care about. I know you are scared to reveal yourself to everyone, but your friends are different. They will be there with you throughout your life, and they will be your support system." Rin told Naruto in the most motherly way possible.
"I know I need to be open. It's just... I'm scared. Scared that they will abandon me, scared that they will treat me like those villagers, scared that I will be alone in this world." Naruto said, nearly breaking down.
Rin hugged Naruto tight after that and reassured him, "You have known these people for about a year now, Sasuke for almost three years. They already know who you are and will not judge you for your past. I know that much at least."
"O-Ok, I will tell them when I'm ready." Naruto told his family, who embraced him in their arms.
He knew then and there what they meant. If he didn't tell his friends about his past, then he may lose them. He could not bear that thought about losing Sakura, Sasuke, and least of all, Ino. She was there for him when he was down, she was there to pick him back up, and he knew that she wouldn't be going anywhere for a long time. He had to let her know about his past before he told anyone else, because she was the one he loved.
Later that evening, after the party
"Hey Ino, can you wait a second?" Naruto asked.
"Yeah sure, what is it, Naruto?" Ino responded with a bright smile on her face.
Naruto's face was crimson red at the sight of her smile. Her infectious positive energy was the part about her that he loved most. It was the part that put the biggest smile on his face, and it was the part about her that made him want to protect that bond more than any other. He knew this was the time to tell her his biggest secret, his burden, and one that would surely change her opinion of him.
"Can we go into my room? I would like to tell you something." Naruto asked, albeit hesitantly.
"Sure." Ino responded.
They made their way up to Naruto's room before he shut the door. He made his way over to his bed, and began to speak.
"I-I am going to tell you about my past now. But I would like you to hold your reactions until the end." Naruto told Ino.
Yes, finally I will get to know more about him.
"I am ready." Ino responded.
"My father was Minato Namikaze, or the Fourth Hokage, and my mother was Kushina Uzumaki, the head of the Uzumaki clan. The day I was born was the day they died. And that is something I have to live with for the rest of my life." Naruto opened with something light to set the mood for the story.
"I see, but if you're the son of the legendary Fourth Hokage, then why do the villagers hate you so much? It makes no sense. I would assume the villagers would at least treat the Fourth Hokage's son more nicely." Ino asked, completely confused.
"I would first like to ask you a question. Do you know what a Jinchuriki is?"
"I read books about it, it said that a Jinchuriki is a person who houses a tailed beast within them. They are said to be some of the most powerful ninjas in their villages, and for generations, they have been used as trump cards in many different wars." Ino responded.
"You are partially correct. While it is true that a Jinchuriki is very powerful, and that a tailed beast lives within them, and that they came handy in winning various battles, but what is not written down is how they are treated terribly by the villagers. They are seen as beings of mass destruction by many, and without the love of their villages, most of them live very hard and unforgiving lives."
"Wait... Are you saying the reason you're hated in the village is because..."
"Yes, Ino. I am a Jinchuriki. More specifically, I am the Jinchuriki of the Nine-tailed fox. The same nine-tailed fox that attacked Konoha 8 years ago today. That is the reason why everyone in the village hates me."
Ino was on the verge of tears at his story. She knew that this was something Naruto needed to get off his chest, and she said that she would be ready for it, but she never knew the burden Naruto had to live with his whole life.
"And that's not the worst part. I have kept this hidden from everyone but my family, but when I was three years old, classified information about me being the Jinchuriki of the Nine-tails was leaked to the villagers, and every day for over two years, I would get beaten, abused, and nearly left for dead. It got so bad that the villagers even tried to kill me once before. However, that was nothing compared to the stuff they called me. I was routinely called a mistake, a burden, a monster, someone who doesn't deserve to live. But the worst one by far was being called a Demon. That's what I had to live with as a child. Once one calls someone a demon, it's a mark that cannot be erased. To them, I am nothing more than a piece of common street trash. Someone who didn't deserve life, someone who they thought was better off dead."
Ino was full on weeping at this story. She never knew just how bad Naruto had it in his childhood. She knew about the name calling, she knew about the whispers, but she didn't know about the abuse, the beatings, and nearly being killed. All she wanted to do was to hold him in his arms, tell him it would be OK, and tell him that she would be there for him no matter what. But she promised him not to do anything before hearing the end of his story, and that is what she intended on doing.
"Although the beatings have stopped, I still get treated like I'm worthless and a burden. Do you want to know why Ichiraku Ramen is my favorite restaurant in Konoha? It's because it was the first place where I was accepted for who I was outside of my house. Old man Teuchi was the first adult to recognize me as a person rather than the Nine-tails spirit. Although I do love the ramen there, the main reason I go there all the time is to pay thanks to Mr. Teuchi. If it wasn't for him, I would not have anywhere to go outside of my house." Naruto continued with his story. "I also wear this orange jumpsuit not because it looks good, but because it was the first place where I could buy clothes and not get kicked out of the shop. It was the first shop that let me in, and didn't raise the price incredibly just so I couldn't get it. I've always hated this look, but I wear it to remind myself of the hard times and as a reminder of the person I am now."
Ino was struggling to hold herself back, and she knew Naruto could feel this too, but out of respect for him, she summoned all of her willpower to hold herself back.
"And I can't even tell the villagers who I am or else I would be in even more danger. Not from the villagers, but from the outside, and they likely won't stop there. The more people that know about my heritage, the greater chance the information has of being leaked to other villages, and the greater threat my existence has on Konoha." Naruto said, with tears running down his cheek. "Ever since I found out about my family, I wanted to scream from the rooftop about who I am, but I know I'm not strong enough yet to properly defend myself and this village from any outside attacks. So until I become at least a Chunin rank, I need to learn to live with this mark, this life, and the villagers truly hating me for something I didn't do." Naruto was completely breaking down at this point.
Ino turned her head to meet Naruto. "Look at me, Naruto." She looked into his face and was mesmerized by Naruto's handsomeness. Even behind the bright blue eyes and the golden-blonde hair was someone who was suffering, and suffering more than what people would never wish on even their worst enemy. At that point she knew she loved him more than anyone. She knew that he was the one for her, and that she would do everything in her power to see him smile.
"You are not alone in this world anymore. You have me, your family, Sasuke, Sakura, and your future classmates in the academy who will do nothing but cheer you on and keep you floating." Ino looked into his eyes. It was at this point she knew she needed to confess, or she would never be able to.
To Naruto's surprise, Ino suddenly pulled him in and placed her lips on his. While shocked at first, Naruto melted into the kiss as it was one he wanted for the past year. And now, knowing that the sweet, fiery, and passionate girl he fell in love with not only had his back, but had his heart, his soul, and his life with her, he could not help but feel the most happiness he has ever felt. To him, this was a dream come true. This was a moment of pure happiness with the one he loved more than anyone, and so, he never wanted it to end.
Ino had always been one to take what she wanted. But in this case, this was a completely different situation. She felt safe with Naruto. She felt that he would be one who gave her comfort in the world. That he would be the one who stays with her through thick and thin, and one who would thrive off her fiery personality. She knew that it was up to her to make sure Naruto was happy, and she would gladly step up to keep the man she fell in love with out of harm's way. His cool, calm, and collected nature hid a dark past, and she knew she had to be the one to bring him to the light.
After what felt like an eternity later, they broke the kiss. Naruto looked Ino in the eyes, hoping to confirm his greatest wish. "W-What was that for?" He asked, with hope in his eyes.
At this point, she could not hide her feelings for him any longer. She needed to tell him and tell him fast. "I love you, Naruto. I always will, and I will be there for you no matter what. So even if you don't feel the same about me, I will never stop loving you. The way you are able to keep a smile on your face even though you went through something worse than hell, I truly love that about you." Ino said, wholeheartedly.
Suddenly, Kurama spoke up, "She's not lying, Naruto, she truly does love you."
That was all the confirmation Naruto needed to return the feelings. He responded in kind by saying, "Thank you Ino. I feel the same way about you. I felt that way about you for the longest time, I was just scared to say anything and lose you as a friend, because I'd rather have you in my life than not."
Ino then pulled Naruto in for another kiss. This one filled with much more passion than before, as if to say 'Nothing can stop us anymore.' They got each other and they wanted the world to know.
After the kiss, Naruto asked: "Does this mean...?"
"If you want to, then yes!" Ino responded.
"More than anything. But we need to keep this relationship quiet for now. Only our families can know for now." Naruto said.
"Wait, why?"
"Because I am still seen by the village as a demon. The last thing I want is for them to see you as one too just because you're dating me. Let's keep this quiet until we become genin, because then we at least have the protection of our friends and everyone when we reveal everything."
While Ino was upset at this, she knew exactly where he was coming from. He wanted her to be safe, and she knew that with the attitudes of the villagers, she wouldn't be safe just yet, but she made it her resolve to change the village's attitudes, and she needed to start by putting her ambitions into words in front of the man she loved.
"Remember the day we met? You asked me what my reasoning was for becoming a ninja." Ino said.
"Clear as day, and I remember you didn't give me an answer."
"Well at that time I didn't know why I was doing it. I knew my family were ninjas and so I thought that was kind of expected of me. But I put a lot of thought into why I want to be a ninja, and now I know why."
"Well, what is it?"
"One day, I will help foster a sense of unity in this world. Make it so that no other child has to experience what you went through. That's my reason for becoming a ninja."
Naruto could see that his now-girlfriend was taking being a ninja seriously, and he could not be more proud of the strong woman she was becoming.
"Let's get some sleep. We need to go to the academy tomorrow, we don't want to be late on our first day!" Naruto joked as he motioned for Ino to sleep next to him.
Naruto and Ino quickly told their families about their relationship, and they accepted it without hesitation. Although Ino's father was a little hesitant as they were both young, he knew that Naruto would only be a positive influence in Ino's life as he hadn't done anything to break his trust on that yet, and he also knew that without Ino's love, Naruto would not have the same bright energy he shows regularly.
The Next day at the Academy:
"Good morning! I am Iruka Umino. I will be your sensei when you are studying in the academy! For the next five years, you may refer to me as Iruka Sensei! Now, let's get started with the introductions." The tall man in the chunin vest spoke loud, as he turned to the class. "Good morning everyone! We have four new students joining us today!" He turned to the four new students and asked them to introduce themselves to the class, say their name, what clan they're from, and their likes and dislikes.
(I'm going to skip the introductions except Naruto's)
Naruto was the last to introduce himself. "Hello, my name is Naruto Uzumaki. I am from the Uzumaki clan. What I like is the ramen from Ichiraku and my family. I dislike many things, but the one that tops it off is people who cannot tell the difference between a scroll and a kunai, and people who mistreat others for things they didn't do."
Note to self: don't get on his bad side.
"OK Naruto, go take a seat at the back with Ino." Iruka said.
"Alright sensei." YES!
"So class, today's lesson will be on the Hokage's. Who can tell me the name of the First Hokage, and what made him so famous?" Iruka asked the class.
Naruto knew the answer to the question, but he wanted to let his other classmates shine too. Just then, a girl with long, dark hair shot her hand up. "Hashirama Senju, and he got so famous because of his proficiency in wood style, which he used to become the highly touted God of Shinobi." She responded with such confidence and determination.
"Very good Mira. Might I ask how you knew that?"
"How could I not know my great-grandfather?" The girl, now known as Mira said sarcastically. This piqued Naruto's interest. He wanted to get to know Mira more, and he knew just how to do that. But there was still the problem of his girlfriend, who didn't like that Naruto was paying attention to another woman. Suddenly, he felt a punch on his arm.
"You idiot, why are you staring at her?" Ino whispered.
"I'm intrigued by her, she seems like she's hiding something." Naruto didn't really like her arrogant behavior and how she presented herself. He knew that if she lightened up a bit, that she would be loved by everyone.
"I see, why don't we go talk to her once class is over, plus I want to introduce you to some people. Bring Sakura and Sasuke along too, but be warned to keep up the charade I will act as a fangirl to you, so don't hate me too much for it." Ino looked at him with puppy dog eyes, a look that Naruto couldn't resist.
Just then, Naruto was brought back to reality with Iruka asking him: "Naruto, can you tell me the identity of the Fourth Hokage?
"The Fourth Hokage, also known as the Yellow Flash of the Leaf, was Minato Namikaze. Sensei of current 5th Hokage Obito Uchiha, Kakashi Hatake, and Rin Nohara. He was also trained under a legendary sannin in Jiraiya and married Kushina Uzumaki. What made him famous was perfecting the Flying Thunder God as developed by the second hokage Tobirama Senju. Using that technique, he was able to single-handedly win the Third Ninja War for Konoha." Naruto said, giving his father's life story rather than just his identity, which amazed Iruka as to how he knew so much about the fourth hokage.
"How do you know so much about the Fourth Hokage Naruto?" Iruka asked.
"Two simple reasons. One, his students are my family, so they were able to give me many stories pertaining to him." Naruto explained. "And two, the Fourth is my idol. I want to be like him when I get older."
Iruka accepted this as true, not knowing Naruto's true identity. It was only Sasuke and Ino who knew that Naruto's the son of the Fourth Hokage. While Sakura knew Naruto was a Namikaze, she didn't piece it together yet that Naruto is the Fourth's son.
At Lunch later that day:
Naruto and Ino met up with Sasuke at lunch and decided to catch him up on a few things. They told Sasuke about their relationship seeing as they knew he could be trusted to keep it secret, and that they wanted to strike a conversation with the new kid Mira.
Mira was the definition of an introvert. She preferred to be by herself and didn't really like interacting with others, mainly because many people are put off by her brash attitude and mindset that friends hold one down from achieving true greatness. All she wanted was to live up to her clan's legacy. A legacy that made them the strongest clan to ever live, and she wanted to continue that trend. She thought that if she didn't have any friends, she would not be held down by anyone. Also a little known fact about her, she was the jinchuriki of the 5-tails, Kokuo, although she and Kokuo did not have the same relationship as Naruto and Kurama.
To her dismay, she saw three people walking up to her. One girl and two boys, presumably to try and become her friend. Mira scoffed at this idea, as she just wanted to be left alone, like all the other kids did. Unfortunately, these three were not like other kids.
"Are these seats taken?" Sasuke asked Mira.
"No, go ahead, but don't try to sweet talk me. I'm not interested in making friends." Mira was disinterested in them, but she did feel intrigued by the blonde boy who always walked around with a bright smile.
The last part rubbed Naruto the wrong way. *She's not interested in making friends?* He thought to himself before deciding to introduce himself to her.
"My name is Naruto Uzumaki. The girl with me is Ino Yamanaka and the guy sitting next to you is Sasuke Uchiha. Could I get your name please?"
"Why would I give my name to people like you? You obviously want to be my friends, which I am not interested in being." Mira's dismissive tone was what sent Naruto over the edge. He knew, it was time for a little Talk-no Jutsu.
"Why do you not want friends?" Naruto asked.
"Friends make people weak. My goal is to live up to my clan's name. I can't do that if I have friends weighing me down." Mira's cold and deadpan delivery started to get on Ino's nerves as well, but Naruto secretly held her, allowing her to calm down, telling her that he'd handle this.
"Who told you that?" Naruto asked.
"Lord Danzo in the Anbu." Mira responded.
*That snake son of a bitch* Naruto thought to himself. "Well, from what I know, that is the biggest load of bullcrap I've ever heard. Friends are the people worth fighting for in life. They are the ones who will push you to be your best. They are the ones who will help you up when you're down and cheer on you the loudest when you're victorious. Without friends, one lives their life in solitude without purpose in life, because without people to share the moments of victory and defeat, they become meaningless. Friends add meaning to life, and they are the ones who are by your side no matter what, so even if you fall, you still have people behind you that are not willing to go down. That is the true power of friends." Naruto began his talk.
"Also, clans are built on the foundation of comradery, and a clan is not defined by the last name of an individual, but rather a group of people working together to achieve a common goal. A group of people who want to see the best in one another, and people who won't take defeat sitting down. There are reasons why there are clans, and that is to foster unity between individuals. The village was built to foster unity between clans, and friends are the root of that unity." He added.
"Take for example: Your great grandfather and Madara Uchiha. The Uchiha and Senju clans hated each other for centuries, and this hatred was the spark for the warring states period of history. However, under Madara and Hashirama's leadership, the two clans were able to put aside their differences and build the village we know and love. And although Madara did eventually betray that village and was killed by Hashirama, without their friendship in the beginning, we wouldn't have a home, and the world would still be in perpetual war." Naruto concluded.
Mira was taken aback by Naruto's words, she didn't know this past about her clan, let alone her great grandfather. However, she was still not convinced with Naruto's point. "Well, what's your point? Wars still happen, and there is still bloodshed. When one has friends, it deviates them from their duties as a shinobi, and it influences weakness."
"Why do you think Hashirama Senju became known as the God of Shinobi? If you think it was from training and from pushing everyone away, then calling you misguided would be the understatement of the century. Hashirama was only able to get so strong because of the bonds he cherished. The bonds that could only be made through friendship. This village would never have survived if it wasn't for the forged bonds between clans. Alliances would never have been formed without friends and comradery. All in all, without Hashirama's vision of a unified world without hatred and fostering unity, comradery, and friendship, we wouldn't be alive today."
"My point is that without Madara and Hashirama's friendship, the bloodshed would have been much, much worse. We would still be in an era of perpetual war, and this would be bad news for people like us. Kids were forced to fight in these wars, kids who had no training in fighting. With Madara and Hashirama, they were able to use their friendship to foster temporary peace within the world, and this allowed the 5 great nations to develop." Naruto knew she needed more convincing, so he pulled out the oldest trick in the book.
"These are words taken directly from the mouth of the 5th Hokage. Those who break the laws and rules of the village are regarded as scum, that's true. But, those that would abandon even one of their comrades, are worse than scum. Whether you like it or not, we're all comrades in arms here. So I suggest you start making some of them your friends, or else you won't be happy in your life. Keep in mind, I was just like you. As a kid, I thought friends would do nothing but betray you, but I found people who will stick by my side no matter what, and I'm stronger for that. I suggest you do the same, or else your life would not have meaning."
What Naruto said hit Mira like a truck. All her life, she was trained to be emotionless, was forced to kill her comrades to remove all emotion in her life, that friends would weigh her down. But knowing the truth about her clan's past, knowing that the strongest Senju ever was only able to get that strong because of the bonds he created, gave her a new perspective. She was not convinced about her needing friendship, but she agreed not to push people away and let them in once in a while.
"I'm still not convinced, but I'll give this 'friendship' thing a shot." Mira said.
"That's great, As you know I'm Ino Yamanaka, why don't you start by introducing yourself, your likes and dislikes, and why you want to become a ninja?" Ino asked.
"My name is Mira Senju. My likes are training and not being bothered by weaklings. My dislikes are weaklings. I want to be a ninja so I can restore the Senju clan to its glory days. I am also the jinchuriki of the 5-tails." Mira responded.
The last part resonated with Naruto. He responded with "You're also a jinchuriki?"
"Yes, why is that so shocking?" Mira asked, giving Naruto the biggest death glare anyone has ever given him, as if to see his reaction to this.
"Because I thought I was the only jinchuriki in the village." Naruto responded, "But now that I know we have more, that gives us all the more reason to form friendships, because from what I know about people like us, we aren't accepted by the village until we earn their trust, and that will take a very long time. And I will tell you one thing, if you don't make friends, you will never reach your full potential."
"Why is that?" Mira asked.
Naruto went into his mindscape for a second to ask Kurama something.
"Hey Kurama, can I tell her about the secret to unlocking the full power of a jinchuriki?"
"Sure kit, I trust her, she has just been misguided through her life."
"Thanks Kurama, for being my friend."
"Thank you for seeing me as a friend Naruto."
With that, Naruto exited his mindscape.
"The secret to unlocking your true potential is that you have to become friends with the tailed beast sealed inside you. You need to gain their full trust before you can use even a fraction of their power, or else they will fight for control of your body, and you will be in even more shit than you would if you made them your friend. The tailed beasts are not to be used as weapons, and once you prove to them that you aren't going to use them as a weapon, they will trust you more. The first step to gaining that trust is making them your friend." Naruto told Mira, who registered everything.
"How would I do that?" Mira asked.
"First start by making friends with people on the outside. Start with us three." Sasuke told Mira. Sasuke had been quiet throughout this whole conversation, but now he felt his time to speak up, and Naruto knew that. "Just ask, you want to be friends, or do you want to hang out, and then see our reactions."
"O-Ok, so do you want to hang out?" Mira asked.
"We'd love to." The three said, without hesitation.
THAT CONCLUDES IT FOR PART 3! I WAS PLANNING ON HAVING SAKURA BE ONE OF THE MAIN CHARACTERS, BUT AS I WAS WRITING MIRA'S PART, I FELT THAT SHE WOULD BE BETTER SUITED AS A MAIN CHARACTER DUE TO HER HARD-ASS EXTERIOR AND EMOTIONLESS UPBRINGING! I AM SORRY SAKURA FANS, BUT SHE WON'T HAVE AS BIG OF A ROLE IN THIS STORY. SHE WILL STILL BE PRESENT AND WILL STILL BE THERE, BUT I SEE HER ROLE AS MORE OF A SUPPORT ROLE, KIND OF LIKE INO WAS IN CANON NARUTO. BEFORE YOU ATTACK ME, I AM NOT A SAKURA HATER, I DO FEEL SHE GETS SOME UNDESERVED HATE, BUT COMPARED TO MIRA'S CHARACTER, AND WITH HER CHARACTER BEING SIMILAR TO THAT IN CANON, I FELT THAT MIRA WOULD BE A BETTER FEMALE PROTAGONIST ALONGSIDE INO THAN SAKURA.
LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK OF THE CHAPTER IN THE REVIEWS, AS YOUR REVIEWING IS WHAT KEEPS ME GOING IN MAKING THESE STORIES!
TILL NEXT TIME
PEACE