Hiya! New chapter.

I don't own Naruto. But I do own Gamatoru, 'cuz I made him up. :P

Chapter Seven

Silence.

"That's… that's impossible," Shikamaru said, then pursed his lips and amended, "Or rather, improbable. The Yondaime is dead."

Naruto gave Shikamaru a look, one that was similarly mirrored on Minato's face as he muttered, "I wish everyone would stop saying we're dead, or ghosts."

"I know that," Naruto said. "But that's what I sensed. Right there."

He pointed unerringly at the spot Minato was standing, then to where Rin and Obito were. "And that's where the other two are."

Some who were close to where he indicated, stepped aside, as nonchalantly as you please.

"Do you… know who the others are?" Kakashi asked, but Naruto shook his head.

"I just recognised dad's chakra," he said.

"This presents quite the conundrum," Shikamaru said, scratching his chin thoughtfully. "How did they get here? Why are they here? And why did Naruto only sense them when he utilised natural energy? Hm…"

"It seems obvious that nature chakra is the reason they're hidden," the one called Sai said. "Since Naruto is a Sage, it makes sense that he'd sense them."

Shikamaru closed his eyes, obviously deep in thought. The whole room was watching him, silent as to not interrupt him. After a few moments, the Nara's eyes opened, and he said, "We need to relocate to a larger area. Training ground seventeen should do."

"Why?" Naruto asked, even as he followed him out the door.

"Because, you're going to need the space," Shikamaru told him.

Soon, Naruto, Shikamaru, Kakashi, Sai, the barrier corps representative (who hadn't spoken up yet) and three ANBU were at the training grounds. Minato, Obito, and Rin were there as well.

"You gonna explain why we're out here, now?" Naruto asked.

"I want you to go into Sage mode," Shikamaru said. "Sit down, gather your energy, do whatever it is that you do, alright?"

Naruto looked over to Kakashi, who nodded. "I think I know what he's reasoning," he said. "Go ahead, Naruto."

Naruto nodded, then sat down in a meditative pose, closing his eyes and stilling his entire body. Minato extended his senses and watched in fascination as his son (he still couldn't get over that fact!) expertly pulled in the energy of the chakra around them. They all stood there waiting several minutes, then suddenly Naruto's eyes snapped open, and he was in Sage Mode.

"Impressive," Minato said. "It's even more complete than Jiraiya-sensei's."

Naruto jumped up all of a sudden, then pointed directly at him. "I see him!" he said. "It is my dad!"

He looked over to Obito and Rin, and his eyes bugged out. "Kakashi-sensei!" he blurted out. "It's a chibi-Obito! Though… I don't get why his chakra is so different. I don't know who the girl is, though."

"It's probably Rin," Kakashi said, and Minato clearly heard the strain in his voice. "Ask them how they're here.'

Naruto turned expectantly to him. "Hey, uh, dad?" he said hesitantly. "Do you know how you got here?"

"Honestly, I'm not sure," Minato said. "We were on a mission and…"

His voice trailed off, noting that Naruto was scrunching his eyes at him. "What?"

"I… I can't hear them," Naruto said, then sighed in frustration. "I wish I knew how to read lips!"

Minato sighed.

"Ask the question again," Kakashi said. "If he gives a simple yes or no, you'll be able to tell. Or even if he nods or shakes his head."

Naruto repeated the question, Minato shook his head.

"He doesn't know," Naruto said.

Minato then pointed to himself, Obito and Rin, and said as he indicated, "We can hear them," at this he pointed to his ears and then to Kakashi and the others, "perfectly."

Naruto was squinting at them. "What is it?" Shikamaru asked.

"I dunno…" Naruto said. "He was pointing a lot, to himself and all of you… Ah! He pointed to his ears! Maybe he can hear you?"

Minato nodded, and Naruto smiled brilliantly.

"That's good," Kakashi said. "Sensei, is it just you, Obito, and Rin?"

Minato nodded. "Just them," Naruto said.

"Is there anything you can tell us?" Shikamaru asked.

Minato looked squarely at Naruto, and said, "Mission."

Naruto blinked, then said, "I think whatever happened, it was on a mission."

"When?" Kakashi asked.

Minato thought about it, then spotted some soft dirt. He indicated for Naruto to follow him, then wrote the date in the dirt. Naruto relayed it.

"That was during the Third war," Kakashi said contemplatively, then asked. "Where am I?"

"Hospital," Minato said to Naruto, who took a moment, then he got it.

"I think you might be in hospital," he said. "Here?"

Minato shook his head. "In… the past?" Now he nodded.

Kakashi closed his eyes, thinking. "There was a mission," he confirmed. "I was injured, and they went without me… Go search the files for missions for the date sensei wrote."

That last bit he told to an ANBU, who disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"So, we've proven that there is someone here," Sai said. "The Yondaime and two of his students. But, Shikamaru, why did we need all this space? Surely we could have done this inside?"

"We could have," Shikamaru agreed. "But there's another aspect that I want to test. Naruto, could you summon a toad here?"

"Okay, which one?" Naruto asked.

"Any would do," Shikamaru said. "Though one who knew the Yondaime would be preferable."

"We should all stand back," Kakashi advised, and they did so.

Naruto bit his thumb and made the signs. "We'll see who comes," he said, the slammed his hand on the ground. "Summoning jutsu!"

There was a huge puff of smoke, and two toads appeared. "Yo, Naruto!" came a voice. "What up?"

The smoke cleared fully, and Naruto was standing on a giant toad, comparable in sized to Gamabunta with smaller one next to him.

"Hey, Gamakichi!" Naruto greeted, jumping down from atop the larger one's head. "And Gamatoru, too. How've you been?"

"Oh, you know, living the life on our mountain paradise," Gamakichi said. "Why'd you summon us?"

Naruto pointed to where Minato, Obito, and Rin stood, with the latter two looking up at the giant toad with amazement. "Do you see them?" he asked.

"Sure I do," Gamakichi said. "Gamatoru?"

"Yup," came the reply. "That's the Yondaime, ain't it?"

"Can you hear me?" Minato asked.

"Course I can hear you," Gamakichi said. "Why wouldn't I?"

Then he bent and squinted at them. "Did you know you're soaked in nature energy?" he asked.

Well, that was a surprise, though perhaps not unexpected. "Can you do anything about it?" Minato asked.

"Nope," Gamakichi said, dashing any hope Minato had.

Were they going to be stuck this way… for good?

Thanks for reading! :)