And we're back! Welcome to The Final WEAPON: Preliminary Crisis, Chapter 5!

Kinda late with this chapter...My bad.

Anyways, on with the story!

I don't own Naruto, Final Fantasy VII, or anything else. I'm just a broke college student…

Normal Talking: "Insert witty remark here."

Normal Thinking: 'Insert witty remark here.'

Bijū/Deity Talking in Naruto's Head: "Insert witty remark here."

Bijū/Deity Thinking in Naruto's Head: 'Insert witty remark here.'

Scene Change: Insert Place Here

Jutsu/Technique: Insert Jutsu Here

Last Updated: 12/5/16 (Minor Revisions)

Kisaragi Household (Two Years Later)

"Come on, dad! Please~"

Godo maintained a stony visage in the face of his daughter's pleading. "I said no, Yuffie."

Yuffie released a small whine as her shoulders slumped. "But I wanna go!"

"And I understand that. But the answer is still no." Godo responded. I will not allow it."

Sitting off to the side, Naruto and Kasumi watched the exchange silently, not wanting to interrupt. Even Kenshin remained quiet while he stood next to the door. When Yuffie attempted to get permission for her latest idea again, Naruto rolled his eyes. 'She doesn't know when to quit.'

Kurama scoffed. "She never does. I don't blame her father for denying her of this. It's a terrible idea."

"Think about it. This is a great idea!" Yuffie said, bringing about a snort from Kurama at the timing.

Quirking an eyebrow, Godo stared at Yuffie. "Oh? How so? By all means, explain to me the merits of such a plan."

Yuffie faltered, her eyes widening. She didn't expect for him to ask her to list why it was a good idea. "U-Um, because…" She hesitated for a moment before suddenly whirling around and pointing a finger at Naruto. "Naruto! Tell him why it's a good idea!"

Naruto twitched minutely upon abruptly becoming the focus of attention. He shook his head and crossed his arms. "Nope, not happening. If you want this to happen, then you can convince him."

"Traitor!"

"Not really."

Sticking her tongue out at him, Yuffie turned back to Godo, only to see him waiting with an expectant expression. "Uh...It's educational!" Yuffie threw out.

"Leaving the village to go on a tour of the country is educational?" Godo asked disbelievingly.

"Yeah! Now you're getting it!" The young girl nodded cheerfully.

A sigh escaped from Naruto. 'That's the best she could come up with?'

It seemed that Godo's thoughts mirrored Naruto's, because he also released a tired sigh. Raising a hand, he rubbed at his temples. "Yuffie…" He began. "I don't think that you fully understand what you're asking."

Yuffie tilted her head. "Huh? What do you mean? What's not to get?"

Motioning with a hand, Godo gestured for Yuffie to take a seat at the table. Obeying, she quickly took her usual spot next to Naruto. Once she was seated, Godo sat down next to his wife, across from Naruto and Yuffie. Godo opened his mouth to speak, but he paused, trying to find the right words. Eventually, he locked eyes with Yuffie. "What do you know about the war?" He asked seriously, prompting Yuffie to blink in confusion.

"The war?" She repeated with a small frown. "Those stupid Shinra dogs are invading us! They keep trying to take our land!"

Much to her surprise, Godo shook his head. "Those are the bare reasons for why we are currently at conflict with Shinra. My question to you was more along the lines of what you know about the current status of the war." Naruto gained a frown of his own as he understood what Godo was getting at.

"The current...status?" Yuffie mumbled, unsure. "Um...We're fighting?" She offered.

Deciding to help her out, Naruto spoke up. "Yuffie, this war has been going on for years now." He said, bringing all attention to him again. "Everybody is tired of all the fighting, and it is getting harder and harder to keep going. Morale is getting lower and lower, but it's to the point that people are reluctant to keep it up." Naruto shrugged. "Meanwhile, while this is happening in Wutai, Shinra hasn't stopped pushing."

Yuffie glanced between Godo and Naruto. "...What does that mean?"

Godo sighed. "Shinra has succeeded in driving us further and further into a corner. Key locations that were under control a month ago have been lost to Shinra and strongholds have been abandoned when it became impractical to continue supplying them. In short, the village is one of the few places left where it is safe...Shinra is at our doorstep." Seeing Yuffie's alarmed expression, Naruto closed his eyes, reflecting on how much had changed in the last two years.

Ever since the kidnapping situation two years ago, Godo has kept a much closer eye on Yuffie. Not in the sense that he wanted her to constantly be within sight, but he was more strict when it came to how much freedom he gave her. While he was still lenient when it came to her roaming around the village and the immediate area, no longer did he brush off her ditching her guards to go explore the forest.

However, it appeared as if getting kidnapped also showed Yuffie how much danger was out there, based on how she didn't try anything like roaming that far again.

Also, just as Godo had said, he increased the amount of training that Yuffie underwent, with Naruto joining in occasionally. It was actually slightly surprising how much Yuffie managed to improve over the years. No longer did she miss most of her throws, and the results of her physical training showed by her constantly increasing speed and strength.

Godo was a harsh teacher, but the pride he held for his daughter was obvious to anyone who looked. On the occasional days when he was able to open up enough time to train them personally, he never failed to both criticize and praise Yuffie.

It also happened to be on one of those days where Godo's curiosity finally got the better of him, resulting in him asking Naruto for a spar. At first, Naruto had been extremely reluctant to agree, but Yuffie's persistent begging eventually wore him down.

Naruto had lost, but it was the most fun he has had in a spar since arriving in that world. Neither of them had gone all out -Godo due to the fact that he was facing a child and Naruto because he still hadn't revealed his jutsu- and they used nothing but their physical skills. While the blond hadn't tried his hardest, he did manage to do something that completely shocked all the onlookers.

He managed to land a clean hit to Godo's head.

Unfortunately, it was this success that led to Naruto's defeat.

Flashback

"Gah!" Spittle flew from Naruto's mouth as the air in his lungs was forcefully expunged. The next thing Naruto knew, he was flying through the air, only coming to a stop when his back impacted a large boulder. Groaning, Naruto fell to the ground, landing on his hands and knees.

"Naruto!" Yuffie shouted in shock, not wasting any time to sprint over to him. Reaching him, she made to touch him, but she then pulled her hands back, unsure how to help him. Gaining a scowl, she turned her head around to glare at her father. "What the heck, dad?!"

That seemed to be enough to shake Godo and Kenshin out of their frozen states. Eyes widening, the two men dashed over to Naruto. "Gaia! I am so sorry, Naruto. Are you alright?" Godo asked worriedly.

With a cough, Naruto offered them a weak smile. "I...I'm good-ttebayo...Just winded." He attempted to get to his feet.

Kenshin didn't seem to buy that, if his expression indicated anything. "You were just hit by a blow strong enough to throw you clear across the training ground, Naruto. You are not 'just winded'." He placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder, stopping him from getting up. "Sit down and let us look at the injury. You most likely have a cracked rib or two, at least."

"Huh? No, seriously! I'm fine!" Naruto protested, but neither of the adults were listening to him. Ignoring his objections, Kenshin grabbed the hem of Naruto's shirt and yanked it up, revealing his abdomen before he started to gently prod at various spots on Naruto's chest. "Hey!" What he discovered served to be enough to stun the captain.

"This...This can't be." Kenshin muttered disbelievingly.

Hearing the tone in Kenshin's voice, Godo's face became even grimmer. "What did you find, Kenshin?" He would never be able to forgive himself for this. How could he trust himself around others -children, no less- if he lost control of himself merely because of little pain? What if he had harmed Naruto worse than what was obvious?

Blinking, Kenshin looked to Godo. "I...I can't find any sign of injury. No cracked ribs, no broken bones, and not even some internal bleeding...He's perfectly fine." Kenshin could never claim to be a medic, but he could spot an injury on the field. His ability to quickly diagnose the various wounds he and his men sometimes got was something he prided himself in, to the point that he could often do it with nothing more than a glance. Recognizing a fractured bone? Easy. Spotting when one of his subordinates was trying to hide their sprained ankle? Child's play. Determining which ribs were damaged after getting tackled by a monster? That happened at least once a month.

He saw the attack Godo accidentally used on Naruto. It was the same one that Kenshin personally witnessed Godo sometimes resort to using on enemies on the rare occasions he was caught off guard. None of the few that were hit by it were able to simply shrug it off; requiring no less than a Cure to get up again. There was no mistaking the power behind it.

And yet, he still couldn't find anything wrong with Naruto.

"What?" Godo asked, unsure if he had heard correctly.

Instead of waiting for Kenshin to answer, Naruto squirmed away and tugged his shirt back into place. Managing to stand up this time, Naruto offered a shrug. "Like I said, I'm fine."

"That's not possible…" Godo said, nearly echoing Kenshin's previous claim.

Naruto frowned slightly. "It hurt, but you didn't break anything." Both Godo and Kenshin stared at him at this, making Naruto fight the urge to fidget.

Thankfully, the tension was broken when an oblivious Yuffie cheered. "Ha! You should've seen it, Naruto. You went flying!" The girl laughed, obviously relieved that her friend wasn't hurt.

Chuckling, Naruto sent her an amused look. "Glad you enjoyed it."

After a moment, Godo exhaled a long breath. Regaining his composure, he met Naruto's eyes. "I truly am sorry, Naruto. I should not have ever lost control of myself in such a way."

Surprisingly, Yuffie's grin vanished from her face upon hearing that her father lost control, only to replaced with her previous glare, which she then turned back on the man. "I'll say! The heck was up with that?!"

Sighing, Godo rubbed at his temples. "The stress of things must be getting to me more than I had thought. You surprised me by landing a strike to my head, and then further shocked me with the amount of strength behind it. These two factors together resulted in me automatically reacting to the perceived threat." Truthfully, he suffered from a small flashback, and that was what made him lash out. Shaking his head, Godo continued. "Although that does not excuse what I have done. It is fortunate that you are unharmed."

Clearing his throat, Kenshin took the chance to speak up. "That does raise the question of just how exactly you are perfectly fine."

Not liking the turn the conversation took, Naruto shrugged. "Uh, I don't know what to tell you."

Godo rubbed at his jaw. "Not to mention that punch of yours packed a surprising amount of strength." He said quietly. "Much more than I would expect for someone of your age or size. Not to mention the speed needed to get under my guard like that."

"Careful, Naruto. They're getting dangerously close to the wrong things."

Not having needed Kurama's warning, Naruto plastered a sheepish smile onto his face. "Heh, thanks. I've done a lot of training to get stronger and faster. And I've been able to take more hits than people would think for as long as I can remember."

Unfortunately, something he said seemed to have been the wrong thing, because Godo and Kenshin traded subtle looks filled with apprehension. Before Naruto could ask them about it, Godo stepped forward with a small smile on his face, but the wave of wariness Naruto felt from him gave away his thoughts. "Naruto..." He began. "This may sound odd, but I need you to look into my eyes for a moment, okay?"

Thoroughly confused, Naruto did as instructed. "Sure…"

"Huh? What are you doing, dad?" You asked, but was quickly shushed by Kenshin. Crossing her arms with pout, Yuffie quieted down.

"Try not to blink." Godo added as he and Naruto stared at one another.

'You know what he is looking for?'

"No clue."

Growing slightly nervous, Naruto made sure to keep his eyes open as Godo carried out whatever he was doing. After a minute, Godo appeared to come to some sort of conclusion, given by the way he smiled with a nod. Completely perplexed by that point, Naruto felt the wariness bleed out of both Godo and Kenshin. Even more confusing, Godo suddenly released a loud laugh and clapped Naruto on the shoulder. "Well, that truly is impressive! Your hard work is paying off!"

"Thanks…"

"The hell was that about?"

Kenshin gave Naruto a small of his own. "You've managed to do what few others have done. You actually succeeded in hitting Lord Godo. Granted, he was not attempting to seriously fight you, nor were any weapons or materia involved, but it was not expected for you to do so well."

"Hey, I could so do that too!" Yuffie exclaimed. Not waiting for any response, she ran over to Godo's side and started to punch and kick at the air in front of him, as if she was fighting. "Come on, let's go. You and me, old man!"

Chuckling at his daughter's enthusiasm, Godo ruffled her hair. "Hm, very well. Let us see how well you do, Yuffie."

"Alright!" Yuffie cheered. "Check this out, Naruto! I'm gonna show you how it's done!" She grabbed Godo's hand and began to attempt to pull him to the center of the training ground."

Naruto rolled his eyes, but a smile was present on his face. "Sure, sure. I'm watching."

As the two of them walked off, Godo locked eyes with Kenshin. The meaning was lost on Naruto, but he was sure that some sort of message was passed in that brief time-span. Seeing Kenshin nod, Godo returned the nod before turning to Yuffie. Naruto frowned minutely, but his attention shifted when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Looking to the captain, Naruto was greeted small smile.

"What do you say that we get out of the way?" Kenshin asked. "Given Lady Yuffie's preference for bouncing around, there is a good chance that we may still be too close."

"Sure…" He agreed, following Kenshin to the safe area. As they walked, Naruto's eyes again went to Kenshin upon hearing his voice.

"I'm curious, Naruto. I've seen you work with kunai and shuriken in the past, and it is obvious that you are at least somewhat efficient with them. Are those the only weapons you know how to use?" Kenshin inquired lightly.

Not seeing the harm in it, Naruto hummed in confirmation. "Pretty much, yeah...I can also use fūma shuriken, but I like kunai more."

"...And you are self taught? Everything? Even the hand to hand combat?"

Naruto withheld a frown, instead opting to shrug. "I've gotten some examples by watching other people practice, so I tried replicating what I've seen. When that didn't work as well as I wanted it to, I scrapped it and completely worked what I wanted to keep into something that I was comfortable with. After a while, a couple of people were willing to point out some stuff to make it better, but the core of it was made by me." Not a lie, but it also wasn't the entire truth.

Back in the academy, none of the instructors wanted to teach him, so he resorted to trying to improve on his own. It wasn't until Iruka came along that anyone was willing to personally help him, which was something Naruto was extremely grateful for. But as awesome as Iruka was, the chūnin still had a lot of work of his own to do. Between his duties as an academy instructor, the Hokage's preference to have Iruka work in the missions room, and then the occasional missions, Iruka was insanely busy.

Looking back, Naruto felt a swell of affection for his old academy teacher when he realized just how much of his limited free time Iruka dedicated to Naruto, from the tutoring to the meals at Ichiraku.

And with that, he also felt a little bad for making Iruka's life more difficult by skipping class so often and playing pranks. No matter what he was doing, Iruka would always immediately go chase down Naruto for pulling some stunt and then spend time lecturing him on why he shouldn't do those kind of things.

Once he graduated from the academy, Kakashi took up the role of his main teacher. Even though he wasn't as involved as Iruka had been, the ex-Anbu still attempted to help Naruto improve after getting pestered into it. But those kind of things were more focused on Naruto's other areas, such as chakra application and the ability to work with others.

It wasn't until the training trip with Jiraiya that Naruto's obviously underdeveloped fighting style was called into question. The problem was that by that point, Naruto had already gone too long with a "brawler" fighting style and the blond found a way to make it work. Attempting to change it by then would take some time, and then getting him proficient in that new style would take more time. Not to mention that the basic instinct for Naruto would always be to think on the fly and act unpredictably. The toad sage was irritated by this, but he got over it and decided to simply go with it, fixing what holes he could find while providing advice and getting Naruto to at least not be as rash. In the end, it was transformed into a somewhat legitimate style.

That was actually where Naruto got a lot of his references on how he helped Yuffie train. He was emulating how Jiraiya taught when the pervert wasn't distracting himself with "research".

Thinking back on his three teachers brought about a wave of nostalgia and homesickness in Naruto, but he tried to keep his face blank. Unfortunately for Naruto, Kenshin caught the flash of emotion.

Deciding not to comment on it, Kenshin instead smiled. "Impressive. You should be proud...Although there is one thing that you should consider."

Naruto blinked, pulling himself from his thoughts. "There is?"

Nodding, Kenshin's smile faded. "As you are aware, Wutai is currently at war with Shinra. It should not have happened, but you and Lady Yuffie were unfortunately exposed to combat."

"Yeah…?"

"I have been the head of the imperial guards for a long time now and soldier for even longer. I've fought by Lord Godo's side in battle for many years, to the point that I've lost count of the number of times that he has saved my life. And I, his. Since long before Lady Yuffie was born." Naruto could hear the undercurrent of pride in Kenshin's voice.

'He sounds like an old war veteran. Just how old is he?'

"I can't even tell." Kurama muttered. "He appears fairly young, but there is no mistaking the look in his eyes. In comparison to the other humans in this world, he's seen a lot."

Unaware of the commentary going on in Naruto's head, Kenshin continued. "If we have our way, then neither you nor Lady Yuffie will ever have to go through something like that again…" He sighed. "But it is naїve to the extreme to think that you never will. We are at war, and to be frank, it doesn't look good for us. Lady Yuffie has already been targeted once, so there is every chance that it will happen again. And -Leviathan forbid- the next time, it may not end so easily. It could be that allies cannot arrive to help, it could be that the enemy is stronger, or it could be some other possibility. Whatever it may be, the end result could be something far worse than a couple of bruises."

"..." Not wanting to interrupt, Naruto remained silent. By then, they had stopped walking, but Kenshin still wasn't looking at Naruto. A neutral expression had made its way onto his face and his unfocused eyes stared straight ahead, as if he was seeing something that Naruto's couldn't.

"...Life is not a fairy tale." Kenshin said quietly. "And no matter how much Lady Yuffie declares it, the 'good guys' do not always win. In fact, I would go as far as to say that there aren't any 'good guys' in war. War is war. No more, no less. If you ask one side, they would say that the enemies are the ones in the wrong. Ask the other, you would hear that the first side is evil. At the end of the day, the victor is the one to make the final decision. They are the one to control the future, and they do it on top of the ashes of the 'bad guys'."

"Good. Out of all the humans you've come across here, I despise this one the least, Naruto. He understands how the world works."

"...Okay..." Naruto said.

Kenshin sighed again. "As I've said, Lady Yuffie has yet to learn how hard life can actually be." Suddenly, he turned and locked eyes with Naruto. "But I believe that you do understand. You've done well to hide it, but both Lord Godo and I have seen it." Involuntarily, Naruto stiffened. "Do not worry, we know that you mean no harm." Kenshin allowed a small smile to form. "In fact, we have determined that you truly do care for Lady Yuffie...To the point of putting yourself at risk."

Reluctant to relax just yet, Naruto frowned. "...I do..." He confirmed.

"I know that you are not naїve enough to not comprehend just how suspicious your circumstances are. You keep your past a secret, you are always vague when talking about things, and you display extraordinary skills and abilities...But no one can deny how far you are willing to go to for Lady Yuffie." Kenshin replied. "Where others would have become irritated with her exuberance, you remain indulgent. Where others would not have bothered, you decided to help her improve. Where others would have stood aside and allowed for someone else to resolve the situation, you jump in to save her; to fight alongside her. Not a single time have you ever shown any inclination to do any sort of harm to her or the people around her. Lord Godo and I have been waiting for you to reveal any such intent, but you never did. Our fears were unfounded."

"...Where are you going with this?" Naruto asked.

"I want you to become my apprentice." Kenshin stated bluntly, making Naruto's eyes widen in surprise. "I want to teach you how to use a my sword style, the Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū. After seeing your strength, speed, and endurance in your spar, I know that your body will be able to handle the strain of it...With the proper care and training." For several moments, all Naruto could do was blink at the man.

Groaning, Kurama rolled his eyes. "Speak, you idiot!"

Jumping at the shout, Naruto quickly shook his head. "You can't be serious."

Kenshin smirked. "Oh, I am. After observing you over the last few months, I've determined that if there is anyone suitable for me to teach, then it is you. I recently brought my desire to teach you to Lord Godo and he told me that he wouldn't stop me from doing so."

"B-But I don't know how to use a sword!"

"Hence why I would be teaching you."

By then, Naruto was gaping, unable to process what he hearing. "Why...Why me?"

This question prompted Kenshin to quirk an eyebrow. "Do you mean besides the reasons that I have already listed?" Naruto blushed slightly. "Very well. While I admit that the potential I see in you makes the prospect appealing, that isn't the main reason." He paused. "Back during the kidnapping fiasco, you willingly endangered yourself to save Lady Yuffie. And then when there was no option available to you but to fight, the two of you worked as a team to defeat the enemy." Kenshin glanced over to the side for a moment. Following his line of sight, Naruto saw that Godo had a large smile on his face as he evaded all of Yuffie's attempts to hit him. "...You fought as partners."

The last word made everything click in Naruto's head. "It's because Yuffie and I are partners?"

"Indeed." Kenshin turned back to Naruto, meeting his gaze. "Just as I am Lord Godo's partner. With your actions, you've proven yourself to be worthy of fighting at Lady Yuffie's side. That is why I want you to become my apprentice. Lord Godo will pass his knowledge onto Lady Yuffie, and I will do the same to you."

His words stunned Naruto. Kenshin was basically saying that he and Godo trusted Naruto to back Yuffie up whenever she needed him to. Trusting that Naruto would always be there for her.

Regardless of whether or not he agreed to become Kenshin's apprentice, that was something Naruto had intended to do.

"Think very carefully, Naruto. Think about the reason that you're here."

Suddenly, everything came to a screeching halt.

The mission Minerva gave him. His need to find Zirconiade. His status as a WEAPON.

He had a job to do. It was one that he couldn't abandon. There will come a point where he will need to complete it.

He couldn't agree to tie himself down like that.

Feeling a rush of regret, Naruto closed his eyes and shook his head. "...I'm honored that you want to pass your style onto me...But I have to decline. I'm sorry."

Kenshin's smile was replaced with a frown. "...I won't force you to agree, but is there a reason for your refusal?"

Naruto scratched the back of his head, unsure of what to say. "...You know that I'm not exactly Wutai."

Frown deepening, Kenshin nodded. "Yes, it is fairly obvious. Do not worry. Your background doesn't matter to anyone, only your intent."

"That's not it…" Sighing, Naruto locked eyes with Kenshin again. "I'm here now...but I'm not going to stay here forever. At some point, I plan on leaving the village."

"...I see." Kenshin muttered. "And I suppose that Lady Yuffie has no idea?"

"No...She doesn't."

Kenshin scrutinized the blond. "...Have you decided when you are leaving?"

With a shrug, Naruto shook his head. "Not really. Not for a couple of years, at least. At the moment, I'm not strong enough to defend myself as much as I would like. Not to mention the risk of travelling during with the war going on."

"...Are you willing to tell me why you are leaving? You've become welcome here. No one will oppose to you officially being becoming one of us."

Naruto's eyes drifted skyward as he thought on the question. "...I'm looking for something." He finally settled on. "It's important that I find it. Last I heard, it was somewhere in Wutai, but I'm not sure where. Based on what I find here, I may or may not then leave Wutai completely."

"...That's a heavy task for a child to bear." Kenshin stated neutrally. "Wutai is a big place. You've already said that the war makes things worse...Can you tell me what you are looking for? And why you are looking for it?"

A small smile formed on Naruto's face. "I was asked to find it by someone who took care of me when I really needed help. They nursed me back to health from something that should have killed me. As thanks, I agreed to help them they needed me to. The thing I'm looking for is really important to them."

"Is that so…" Kenshin didn't miss the way that Naruto skirted around actually naming the item in question, but he didn't press it. "...Be truthful with me. Does your quest pose any threat to the well-being of Wutai or its people?"

Naruto started in surprise. "No! Of course not-ttebayo! If anything, then me finding it will help Wutai!" It was true, after all. Zirconiade getting released and rampaging in Wutai would be a terrible outcome.

"And what do you plan on doing once you complete your mission?" Kenshin persisted.

"After I…" Naruto faltered. "I...never really thought about it." He confessed. "I've been training with the goal of getting stronger for a while now. I know I need to find the object, but after?" A shrug. "Don't know. I'll probably see what my options are and go from there. I might travel the world."

Kenshin nodded. "I see. In that case, I have a proposal for you." Naruto blinked, not expecting this.

"Go on…"

"I told you earlier that there was another thing that you should consider." Kenshin began. "What I was referring to is that you should at least learn how to handle another type of weapon."

The blond tilted his head. "I assume that that would be where me becoming your apprentice comes in."

"That's correct." Kenshin confirmed. "I stand by that sentiment-even more so now that I know you plan on travelling. While kunai and shuriken are useful and you handle yourself well with them, there may come a time that they are simply not enough. A sword would provide you with a well balanced skill set. Even better, you could add in some firearm training too."

Naruto crossed his arms. "Sure, but I told you that I can't become your apprentice because I plan on leaving Wutai in the future."

Unexpectedly, Kenshin allowed a small smirk to form. "Ah, but that's the thing. I never said that a requirement for becoming my apprentice was to stay in Wutai. You merely assumed that to be the case."

The redhead took great pleasure in the way that Naruto's jaw dropped slightly.

"...Wait...So you'll still teach me your style? Even though I plan on leaving?"

"I will." Kenshin nodded with a smile, but it was gone the next second. In its place was a hard glare that made Naruto subconsciously straighten a bit. "However, this comes with the condition that you will never betray Wutai or its people. That you will always strive to protect them." The air became heavier as Kenshin's eyes bore into Naruto's. "Do you swear it, Naruto Uzumaki? Do you swear to forever abide by those conditions?" He reached down to the sword attached to his side and taking the sheath with it, he offered it to Naruto. For the first time, Naruto noted that the blade seemed to have a steel sheath. "If you do so swear, then do it on this blade." Swallowing nervously, Naruto hesitantly reached out a hand towards the blade.

But when there were only a couple of inches between him and the sword, he suddenly stopped and took back his hand.

Seeing this, Kenshin's gaze steeled even further, and his lips tilted down into a frown. Meeting the stare head on, Naruto's eyes gained a defiant light before he opened his mouth.

"...No."

With that one statement, the already heavy air thickened to the point that Naruto felt beads of sweat begin to gather on his forehead. Naruto's inability to sense any feelings from Kenshin only made the blond more wary.

"...No?" Kenshin repeated. "You do not swear to never do Wutai harm?"

"That's right." Naruto nodded. "I won't swear that I will always put Wutai before anything else. I won't tie myself down like that." Kenshin's grip tightened around the sheathe. The captain opened his mouth to speak. "But..." With that one word, Kenshin froze. He then watched as Naruto grabbed the sheath of the blade. "...But I will swear to always do my best to protect Yuffie. She is my priority, not Wutai." And with that, Naruto closed his mouth and awaited Kenshin's response.

For several moments, nothing was said between the two, and because of Kenshin's blank expression, Naruto was unable to get a read on what the man was thinking. Even his senses weren't providing him with any input on what Kenshin thought of his words.

And just like that, the oppressing force suddenly disappeared, allowing the air to return to normal. As his mind processed this, Kenshin allowed a smile to spread across his face.

"Hm, I definitely want you as my apprentice now." Kenshin murmured. Nodding once, he raised his voice. "Very well. I accept your oath, Naruto Uzumaki. From this day forth, you are my apprentice." He took back the sword, replacing it upon his hip. "You will be unable to use many of the techniques at first due to your smaller size, but I will still teach them to you...I expect you to give it your all, Naruto." Kenshin's smile grew as Naruto grinned at him.

"Heh, you got it!"

Flashback End

Smiling softly, Naruto's eyes glanced over to the side of the room, where a sword was resting against the wall. The sword was placed in a white sheath, complementing its snowy hilt.

The Wado Ichimonji, or the Straight Road of the Harmony.

He had been awed when it was presented to him, unable to believe that such a blade was his.

Kurama agreed with him, stating that such an elegant blade shouldn't be given to such an inelegant person.

Stupid fox.

Kenshin had given him the sword only recently, as a gift for his two years of being the captain's apprentice. It was somewhat comical at first to watch Naruto unsuccessfully attempt to sheathe it at his side like Kenshin did, only to find that his shorter side made it impossible to do so. As a result, Naruto was forced to resort to carrying the sword on his back.

The problem with that was that the base stance of the Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū had the user's left hand on the sheath most of the time. So until Naruto was taller, he would have to work around it.

It wasn't the worst thing that could have happened, but still somewhat irritating.

Not to mention embarrassing.

After all the training and practice he has done, Naruto could be considered as somewhat proficient with a sword. He wasn't a master, but he knew what he was doing. He still had a habit of going for his kunai before his sword, but he was trying to break it so that he used both evenly.

As Naruto was quick to figure out, Kenshin was an even harsher instructor than Godo was. Even with his natural stamina and physical abilities, the redhead managed to continuously push Naruto to the brink of collapse. Naruto wasn't unfamiliar with pain, but even he didn't expect for Kenshin to throw that much at him. If it wasn't for him being him, Naruto doubted he would have survived the last two years.

His clothes definitely hadn't.

Suppressing the twitch of an eyebrow to the best of his ability, Naruto glanced down at himself. That definitely hadn't been an enjoyable experience. Once Yuffie's mother caught sight of Naruto's ruined outfit, she immediately proceeded to drag him off to get a new one. He had tried to tell her that she didn't need to buy him an outfit, but her pointed question on whether or not he had any others turned him into a stuttering mess.

The result? Nearly an entire day of standing still while some strange ladies prodded and poked at him, taking measurements while enduring the never ending onslaught of questions concerning what colors he preferred...Not that they were actually willing to listen to him.

He was nothing more than a doll that they dressed up for fun.

It was hell.

It was embarrassing.

And he was sure that one of them pinched his butt!

Naruto was wearing a high collar dark orange vest that was black on the sides. It had a green pattern that began in a circular design on his chest before lines shot off towards the bottom of the vest. It also had two straps that crossed over his chest. The Uzumaki swirl was on his back in the same green color. On his left arm was a black arm warmer and a dark orange brace. His pants were black and had dark orange straps around his upper thighs. Naruto's choice of shoes were some black boots with silver buckles. Completing the outfit were the pouches that held his kunai and other tools.

As per the norm when he thought back to Kasumi's insistence that she pay for his clothes, Naruto felt a rush of gratitude for the woman. While the outfitting itself wasn't fun, it was clear that it was something that Kasumi really wanted to do. Ever since they had started to spend more time at Yuffie's house, Kasumi tended to dote on him a bit, just as much as she did for Yuffie.

At first, Naruto was extremely uncomfortable with the attention, but ever so slowly, he allowed himself to open up and enjoy it. Kasumi was a genuinely kind woman who had a soft spot for children. And she couldn't resist helping those she cared for.

And much to his shock, Naruto was someone she included in that category.

If he was honest, he wished that someone like her had lived in Konoha. He would have enjoyed having someone like that around when he was young. While there were others who were kind to them, they -like Iruka- were frequently busy.

The old man had his duty as Hokage.

The Ichiraku pair had their stand to run, and Naruto's presence often drove off customers, so he didn't let himself hang around there too much unless he was ordering something.

So, yes. Naruto allowed himself to somewhat enjoy Kasumi's tendency to dote on him and Yuffie...Even when Yuffie herself was slightly embarrassed by it.

"Then fight back!" Yuffie's abrupt shout snapped Naruto's attention back to the present. Taking in his surroundings, he was surprised to see that Yuffie's hands were placed on the table and a hard scowl was set on her face. "You're just going to let them walk all over us?!"

Godo sighed quietly, giving Naruto a brief glimpse of just how tired the man was. "It is not that simple, Yuffie...I wish we could easily get rid of them all, but as it is…" He shook his head. "...There is a very real chance that we will lose this war."

Naruto's eyes softened when he realized how much pressure Godo must be under. The war had been taking its toll on people when he first arrived in Wutai, and things have only gotten worse.

"But-But we're Wutai!" Yuffie shouted. "We don't give up! We can take them!"

"Yes, we're Wutai...But that doesn't mean we are unbeatable." Godo responded. "Shinra has nearly the entire planet backing it. We don't have that kind of support."

Hearing this, Yuffie's body began to tremble slightly. "So what then? We're going to just...hide here? I've never been anywhere but the village and the places around it, so will I spend the rest of my life without going anywhere else? We're going to let ourselves be trapped in our own homes? Is that why you won't let me go? Because you're actually a coward?!" Naruto was shocked by what Yuffie was saying, and if their expressions meant anything, so were Kasumi and Kenshin.

Godo's eyes widened before narrowing as Naruto felt a wave of anger come from him. "Yuffie! Watch your tongue!" He barked, making her flinch at his tone.

Realizing what she said, Yuffie gasped and snapped a hand up to cover her mouth, horrified. "I...I didn't mean that." She said quietly. "I-I didn't mean that, dad." Ignoring her, Godo closed his eyes and took a deep breath while crossing his arms, willing himself to calm down.

The room was silent as they all waited for Godo to speak, but the leader of Wutai remained quiet. From his seat, Naruto paid close attention to the strong emotions originating from Godo. Confusingly, as Godo's anger died down, Naruto felt it get replaced by something else.

Sorrow.

"Must be painful to be forced to watch as your home is taken over and trampled upon. Even more so if all your efforts to prevent it from happening fail." Kurama mused.

'And Yuffie isn't helping anything.' Naruto added.

"Tch. The fake Uzumaki had it right from the beginning." Naruto resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the way that Kurama referred to Kenshin. "She doesn't understand how the world works. Life sucks."

Clearing his throat, Kenshin took a step forward, shifting the attention of the room to him. "Lord Godo, if I may?" Seeing Godo's stiff nod, Kenshin spoke up. "Perhaps it may be a good idea for Lady Yuffie to be allowed to go?" Naruto blinked in surprise as Yuffie gaped at Kenshin, not having expected him to assist her.

'Didn't see that coming.'

Although he was caught off guard by this, Godo was able to quickly recover and frown at Kenshin. "Speak quickly, Kenshin. You had best have a good reason for this."

Kenshin nodded. "Sir...I think that a trip outside the village would be in Lady Yuffie's best interest."

"Yes, but why do you think that?" Kasumi asked irritably, not liking the idea any more than her husband.

"Because she is right. It isn't good for her to be forever trapped within the confines of the village and the immediate area." Kenshin explained with a carefully blank tone. "It used to be considered a rite of passage for a person training to be a ninja to travel around." He locked eyes with Godo. "...In fact, it used to be considered tradition for the heir or heiress to participate. You yourself have done it, so doesn't it make sense for her to do so?" Yuffie gasped at this new information.

"But that was before the war!" Godo growled. "It's too dangerous."

"There has always been danger in the tradition. Monsters and such."

"Monsters! Not humans!"

"I don't see a difference." Kenshin replied, throwing the room into another bout of silence. "...Humans are simply another type of monster."

Godo regarded Kenshin carefully. "...What are you proposing, Kenshin?"

Stepping up to the table, Kenshin pulled out a rolled up parchment of some sort and placed it on the table. Opening it up, he revealed it to be a map of Wutai. "I propose that we allow Lady Yuffie to travel to one of the forts like she desires. We can select one which is out of the way of the battlefront and we can make sure she is safe while she travels. I will even be willing to escort her myself."

"That's…" Kasumi frowned, extremely unhappy with the way that the conversation was turning. Contrasting this, Yuffie was having trouble preventing herself from fidgeting in her excitement, but she remained quiet in order to not say the wrong thing and ruin the chance.

Frowning, Godo's finger tapped against his forearm. "..." Without saying anything, his eyes slid over to Yuffie, then to Naruto -who had a small frown of his own on his face- and then back to the map. "...If I agree to this, then there would be some conditions that you must agree to, Yuffie."

Instantly, Yuffie grinned. "Sure, whatever you say!"

Nodding, Godo spoke. "First...You will do whatever Kenshin orders you to do. You will do it without question and you will do it immediately." He waited for her nod before continuing. "Second. You will not wander off on your own. You will remain within the specified area and not go exploring."

"Uh-huh."

"Third. You will not interfere with anything concerning the war that may be there. Whether it be soldiers, rations, weapons, or materia, leave them alone."

"Got it."

Godo stared at her for a moment. "Lastly…" His eyes went to Naruto, prompting the blond to blink in surprise. "You will stay with Naruto at all times. The two of you make an incredible team, so if something goes wrong, then you will have each other to rely on. Naruto, this means that the previous conditions apply to you as well." Godo paused, thinking over his conditions. "Well? Do we have a deal?"

"Uh-"

"Yes!" Naruto's hesitation was cut off by Yuffie's excitement. "Yeah, no problem! We agree!" Godo nodded.

'Wait, when did I agree?!'

"You resigned yourself for this the moment you decided to not tell the brat to go away...Dumbass."

'Shut up, Kurama!'

A small smile filtered across Kenshin's face. "Well, now that that's settled, we should decide upon a location for us to visit."

Godo quirked an eyebrow. "You expect me to believe that you went as far as to support this idea and yet you didn't already have a place selected?"

Kenshin's smile grew minutely. "Ah, well I may have somewhere in mind…"

A soft snort of amusement escaped Godo as he waved a hand. "And? Where is it?" Humming, Kenshin pointed a finger to the map, indicating a fort that was reasonably close to the village.

"Here. I propose Fort Tamblin."

There we go! All done with Chapter 5!

Told you there would be a timeskip.

I still suck at descriptions and outfits. Naruto's outfit consists of the Gojgoj Vest from Phantasy Star Universe (The red and black one, except his is dark orange and black with the Uzumaki swirl) along with the AMF ArmyBattleSet from the same game (Same color scheme).

I'll admit, it had crossed my mind to just leave Naruto with kunai and shuriken as weapons, but I'm not gonna do that. I at least want him to have/know how to use a sword. Some of you may have recognized the sword I gave him. I was split between that one and Tensa Zangetsu.

Review Responses!

Kairitrion Cerulean: Counterparts of Naruto characters? Huh...Honestly, that never appealed to me much. It has actually put me off of a lot of stories. I'm not entirely against it, but I don't normally enjoy it. I've got some ideas for Leviathan, but I'm still debating the pros and cons. The fic won't be based in Wutai forever. The Wutai soldiers actually had a lot of people I would classify as a samurai instead of a ninja, so my version is a mixture.

Murakami no Kitsune: Lies! You don't know who it is! (...But if you do, don't spoil it!)

I love Inyouchu Anime: Big boom stuff comes later.

AresLaw: ...Happy belated birthday! And you're speaking of future stuff. We don't talk about future stuff! :P

ben 10.000: It was Minerva.

And now I'm off to revive Embers from its hiatus...This should be entertaining.

Questions? Comments? Concerns? Post a review!

Until next time,

Kog6943