As you all know I've been volunteering at a hospital, and let me tell you it is the most stressful and heartbreaking thing I have ever done. So many patients, and so many deaths-and to add insult to injury, my aunt was diagnosed with the virus, got better but then suddenly took a turn for the worst before she succumbed to the disease. And due to the social distancing rule, we were not able to attend her funeral, but we were able to see it live. It hit hard, but I'm hanging in there. I'll be updating stories at random, so updates will happen when they happen. All of you please stay a six feet distance, and be sure to wear masks and gloves whenever you go outside. Stay safe, and good luck to you all.

"The belief in a supernatural source of evil is not necessary; men alone are quite capable of every wickedness."

—Joseph Conrad

Naruto and Menma both walked together to the Academy. When Menma told Naruto that he was going to attend the Academy the blonde was understandably happy about the news. To be attending the Academy with his new friend will put him in a semi-good mood. The reason for the semi-good mood was because his friend was coming with him, but he still wasn't happy to be going to the Academy.

The Sandaime...

They haven't seen, nor spoken to each other in quite some time, not that Naruto was complaining about that mind you. But just because the old man was no longer walking around and keeping an eye out on him doesn't mean he wasn't sending some ANBU to keep watch over him from the shadows, and the old man did. Sage-oji-san told him that ANBU are the Sandaime's elite squad that only listen to him and no one else. The way to distinguish them is quite easy, since they wear animal masks, have tattoos on their arms, and wear uniforms that are unique only to them. Naruto can't see them because they're well hidden, but he can sense them very easily. For example, two of them are keeping watch over them from above, while another pair are keeping watch in the shadows.

They only watch him while he's within the village walls, he doesn't sense them when he's at his house or in the forest. The barrier around the area where he lives really does come in handy.

"What's wrong?" Menma's voice snaps him out of his trance.

"Huh? Oh, it's nothing. Hey, how do you feel about attending the Academy?" Naruto asks him.

Menma smiles, "I'm not worried about it, because you'll be there with me."

Naruto smiles back.

"I have to wonder, what sort of interesting people will be at the Academy?" Menma wonders. Being a civilian, he doesn't really understand what kind of kids attend the Academy.

"Clan kids will be attending, along with civilian kids. That's what my uncle told me anyway." Naruto told him. Maybe if he's lucky he'll get to see Hinata again.

"I see, I didn't know that." Menma said.

"Neither did I until my uncle told me." Naruto admits.

"Is he still off somewhere?" Menma inquires.

"Yeah, he said he was going "toad hunting," and to simply wait for him to return." Naruto says.

"Toad hunting?" Menma questions with a tilt of his head.

"I have no idea what he meant by that either." Really, sometimes he wonders if his uncle was in his own world or something.

Menma looks up and sees a building, along with some parents escorting children, "Is this the place? What a tall building."

"Really? Doesn't look all that impressive to me." Naruto dismisses.

Menma looks around at the parents and see them move their children away from Naruto with a look that he couldn't quite identify. But he does know it's one of those looks that no one should give to a child who has done no wrong.

"Menma."

Menma turned his attention to his friend and saw he was smiling at him, "Let's go." Naruto outstretches his hand towards Menma.

That's right...

As long as they're together, then there's nothing to worry about.

"Mm." Menma takes the hand that's given to him and moves forward.

For that is all they can do.

~妖~

The students were outside for the opening ceremony. Their parents were there and watched as their children were sitting in front of the Hokage as he gave his speech. Naruto and Menma were sitting together, of course, while Naruto's shikigami Chiharu and Chinatsu were standing by the parents. The two were getting looks from the parents, but it didn't bother them as they kept their gaze on their master and his friend. They were also on the lookout for any threats that might be in hiding someplace, so far they haven't sensed anything out of the ordinary...

Yet.

Once the opening ceremony was over and done with, the students got to spend some time with their parents before it was time to leave.

"Chiharu, Chinatsu, take good care of the house, and don't let Kurama get into any of the snacks until he's eaten lunch first, okay?" Naruto tells the two women.

"Understood, waka." They said, while bowing in unison.

"Menma, do you want to spend the night at my place again tonight?" Naruto asks his friend.

"Yes." Menma nods his head in confirmation.

"Then I'll prepare a futon for you."

"Thank you."

"U-Um!"

That voice!

Both boys turn to the source of the voice and Naruto instantly recognized it to be none other than Hyūga Hinata. Her cheeks were tinted pink as she was standing near them.

"Hi, Hinata-chan, it's nice to see you again." Naruto greeted her.

"Ah, yes! Y-you as well, Naruto-kun." She responds in kind before her eyes trail off to look at Menma.

"Oh, this is my best friend, Menma." Naruto introduces them.

Menma politely bows to her, "Nice to meet you, Hinata-san."

"L-Likewise." Hinata says.

Naruto looks around, "Did you come here by yourself?"

Hinata became sad, "Yes, I did...my normal guard Kō won't be escorting me anymore..."

There was a story behind that, but Naruto didn't ask. He was however angry that the man who tried to attack him during the winter season won't be escorting Hinata. In that case...

"Do you want one of my guards to escort you to and from home from now on?" He asked her.

"Eh?" Hinata was taken back by his question.

Naruto gestures over towards Chiharu and Chinatsu, "Either these two could do it or the two you met during the winter season could do it."

"Oh, no, I could never—!" Hinata began to protest, but Naruto would hear nothing of it.

"It's fine, and besides I'm sure they don't mind either." Naruto assures her.

Hinata looks up at the two silent women, who were smiling at her then finally decides to accept Naruto's offer, "O-Okay."

Naruto was happy she agreed, "We should probably head inside now." He noticed all the other kids were heading inside the Academy building.

"Oh, yes!" Hinata agrees.

Naruto sends off his shikigami before heading inside the building, Hinata and Menma on his right and left side. Menma was giving him a look that made him raise a brow at him.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Naruto questions him.

"She's really cute, isn't she?" Menma gives him a knowing smile.

The blonde chuckles at the short haired blonde's embarrassed expression, but doesn't deny it. His best friend can be so cute sometimes.

Academy Building, Iruka Umino's Classroom, 8:30 AM

Just like the Sandaime said, Uzumaki Naruto was indeed in his classroom. He had been keeping his eyes on the blonde the moment he walked through the door with Hyūga Hinata and another boy, Menma he thinks the Sandaime said his name was. The boy Naruto found unconscious in the snow during the winter season and has been taking care of him ever since. He also protected Hinata from some bullies at the time, as well. Those same bullies showed their faces in his class and pretty much edged away from Naruto when he gave them a warning look before positioning himself in front of Hinata.

Protective instincts.

His eyes were still trained on the child as he took his place in the back of the classroom near the window. Menma sat next to him, with Hinata on the boy's other side. What drew Iruka's attention to the boy was the butterfly shaped tattoo on one half of his face. A butterfly? Does he like them, perhaps? He wouldn't know.

Iruka's parents were killed during the Nine Tails Attack, and while he knows that Naruto isn't the Nine Tail's itself, but a part of him still couldn't help but see him as the fox. He won't let his prejudiced views stop him from teaching, but that doesn't mean he trusts the child. He could be acting right now and they wouldn't even know it.

Shaking his head, he starts the lesson and sighs as the first thing he has to do is wake up Shikamaru. Really though, it's the very first day of class and he decides to sleep?

Nara's are more troublesome than they realize.

~妖~

"So good~!" Menma practically moaned as he tried an egg roll that Naruto made.

After their introductions were done back in class (which was a little awkward when Naruto and Menma introduced themselves), the lessons began with Iruka yelling at Shikamaru to wake up, before starting the History lesson. Two more lessons went on, and soon it was time for lunch. The two boys headed outside and began eating the lunch Naruto made: egg rolls, salmon, tempura, and rice balls with salmon. It was simply divine.

"You really think so?" Naruto asks him.

Menma nods enthusiastically, "Maybe you should open up your own restaurant. I'll be your very first customer."

Naruto thought about it for a moment, if he ever does get tired of this village and does decide to leave (which he should ask his uncle to help fake his death or something), he just might go off somewhere and open up his own restaurant.

"Sounds like a good idea."

Menma takes another bite out of the egg roll he was eating, "So what do you think about the teacher, Iruka?"

At his inquiry, Naruto frowns, "There's some negativity coming off of him, and he's sending it in my direction."

Menma gives his friend a sad look, "I'm sorry..."

"Don't be," Naruto says with a shake of his head, "I'm not alone anymore."

With his uncle, shikigami, spirits, the yōkai, and Menma at his side, there was no longer a need to feel lonely at all. He had them by his side, so everything was fine.

"I still don't understand why the Sandaime wants you to be a ninja when you really don't want to." Menma wonders what the old man was thinking. Why push for Naruto to become a shinobi when he obviously doesn't want to?

Naruto frowns a little, secretly wanting to know the same thing. Did the old man want to use him as their secret weapon? Well, forget it because he was a human being, and Kurama is his own being. There was no way he was going to allow them both to be used by anyone!

"That looks really good."

Taken by surprise a little bit, Naruto looks over to see the two boys in his class. Shikamaru and Choji, he thinks their names are.

"Hello, can we help you?" Menma politely asks them.

Choji looked a little nervous as he was eyeing the food, "Oh, well...I smelled something really yummy over here and thought, well...it looks really good."

Oh, so he was just admiring the food he made. Being hospitable, Naruto decides to share some of his lunch, "Have some."

"Eh, can I?" Choji asks just to make sure it was really okay.

"Sure, you said it smelled good, so why not have some." Naruto said.

Choji smiles at him, "Thank you!" He picks up an egg roll and takes a bite of it, his eyes grow big as a mountain of flavors assault his taste buds, "It's delicious!" He declares with flames in his eyes.

Naruto and Menma both sweat drop, while Shikamaru sighs, seeing this as nothing new.

"Um, that reaction means he likes it, then?" Menma sounded nervous as he said this.

"Yeah, and if Choji is having this much of a reaction then your food must be good. Who made it?" Shikamaru asks.

"Naruto did." Menma answers.

Shikamaru raises a brow at that, clearly in disbelief.

Menma chuckles, "It's true. Naruto makes his own clothes and cooks his own food, and it's really good."

"You're giving me too much credit, Menma." Naruto says to him.

"But you deserve it." Menma states.

Shikamaru decides to try an egg roll, and couldn't help but widen his eyes at the flavor. Choji and Menma are right, it is good.

"And you really made what you're wearing all by yourself?" Choji asks him.

"That's right, and it wasn't easy at first. I kept pricking myself a few times before finally getting the hang of it." Naruto said.

"Wow...I never realized how hard sowing can be." Choji comments.

"It isn't easy as it looks." Naruto adds.

"Sounds troublesome." Shikamaru says.

The smile Naruto showed didn't match his eyes, "Yeah, well...it's not like I really have a choice." His tone expressed just how little choice he had in teaching himself on how to be independent.

Shikamaru frowns at the look on his face, but doesn't comment further about it. For the rest of that time no more words were said as the four of them sat there and ate together.

There was nothing more to say.

Naruto's House, Konoha Forest

Naruto had already finished his homework for the day and was now just lying on the ground in the common area, along with Kurama. The Academy wasn't interesting in the least, but he did meet two interesting classmates. Akimichi Choji and Nara Shikamaru. Talking to them was...fun.

"Thinking about Choji-san and Shikamaru-san?" Menma walked in the common area and sat down on the ground near Naruto, a bath towel hanging from his head, signifying that he just came out of the bathtub.

"Yeah..." He turns his head to the side, "What do you think of them?"

Choji and Shikamaru's energies were interesting and unique only to them. Choji's reminded him of his butterflies, while Shikamaru's was that of a fauna. Their energies suited them, not only that, but they weren't like the other kids at the Academy either.

"They're different, but in a good way." Naruto says.

"I think so, too." Menma agrees.

The slide door to the room opens as Chiaki reveals herself, "Waka, Sage has finally returned."

Naruto turns to her quickly, "Really?"

"Yes."

He's finally back!

Naruto and Menma both go to greet him, only to stare in utter confusion as to what he was holding in his hand.

"I caught a toad from Myōbokuzan." He said, like it was something normal.

Naruto's eyes were on the unconscious toad in the man's grip. In the man's hand was a black and orange toad with dark markings around his eyes, mouth and a circular mark just below his mouth.

"This is a scroll toad." Sage emphasizes his point by showing the boys the toad's abdomen.

"You're right!" Menma gasps.

"Why did you go all the way to Myōbokuzan just for a, um, scroll toad?" Naruto questions.

Sage smiled, "On this toad's stomach is something that's needed." He cryptically answers.

'That's not much of an answer.' Naruto inwardly deadpans.

A blue sphere surrounds the toad, "We'll just keep him in here for now. I'm afraid that now is not the time to use him just yet, but the time will come when he is needed."

The time will come when he is needed?

Just what does that mean?

"Hey, how were you able to go to Myōbokuzan? And did the toads know you were there?" Naruto asks.

Sage puts a finger up to his lips, "Now that, my dear nephew. Is. A. Secret."

A secret, huh? Right, of course it is.

~妖~

"How was your first day at the Academy? Meet any interesting kids?" Sage asks them.

Choji and Shikamaru's faces appear in his head.

"You could say that..." Naruto smiles a little at the thought of those two.

"Choji-san and Shikamaru-san are different from everyone else, but they were really nice." Menma said.

A smile appears on Sage's face, 'The heir's to both the Akimichi and Nara clan. That doesn't surprise me at all.'

"Oh, and Hinata-san goes there, too. Her and Naruto seem really close." Menma busts Naruto out.

Naruto's cheeks become tinted red, "W-We're not that close!" He protests, "She's just a nice person to be around, that's all..."

This time Sage smirks, 'Even the heiress of the Hyūga clan, despite what those old fools of her clan say otherwise.' He's already making more connections from within the village and hasn't even realized it yet.

'Remember this, Naruto. Connections are very important, for each person you make an unconscious connection with, the stronger your bond becomes. When you eventually change from the person you used to be...so too will those you have connected with.' The time will come where those who are meant to connect with the boy will gather, and come to make a decision just as he will.

It is bound to happen.

"Have you been training since I've been away?" Sage has a glint in his eye as he asks this.

Naruto's answer didn't disappoint, "Of course I have. If I slacked off even a little bit you wouldn't show any mercy."

"Maybe."

"Not "maybe" more like "definitely" you sadist!" Naruto corrects.

"Sadist, huh? Interesting word for you to know at your age." Sage teases.

"Kurama taught it to me." Naruto huffed.

Sage eyes the fox out of the corner of his eye, "What else have you been teaching him?"

Kurama simply gives him a smug look, making Sage snort.

Cheeky little fox.

"What else have you been doing while I'm not here?"

"Practicing my archery, still sowing my own clothes, and learning new recipes to cook. Fuyuko's been teaching me." Naruto smiles.

"Fuyuko?"

"A Yuki-Onna Naruto met during the winter season." Menma helpfully tells him.

"Ah, so you've met a Yuki-Onna, have you?" Sage said.

"Yeah, she's really sweet and nice! Oh, and she gave me this!" Naruto turned around before taking off his kimono jacket, revealing a light blue snow mark on the back of his neck.

Sage's eyes widen as he gets up from his seat, moving closer to the boy so that he can observe the mark on the back of his neck a little bit more. Fuyuko bestowed her yōkai mark onto him, meaning he'll be able to use a portion of her power. This is the highest honor a human can receive from a yōkai! When a yōkai bestows their mark onto a human it shows they trust that human and vow to protect them. The gods have something similar, but they almost never bestow their own marks unto a human, unless they pass one of their tests.

"Have you sensed Fuyuko around lately?" Sage asks him.

Naruto nods, "She's invisible right now though."

...

"So...she's with you right now?" Sage asked just to be sure.

"That's right."

On cue, Fuyuko appears, floating above Naruto and staring Sage down, but soon smiles once she recognizes the Uzumaki blood in him.

Ah...

So she's taken a liking to him to the point that she's decided to possess him as a way of protecting him. Yuki-Onna, indeed...

"You are definitely an Uzumaki." Sage says.

Naruto's confused face only made him look like his mother for she used to give others the exact same look when she was confused.

That night, Naruto had a dream.

A dream that he doesn't recognize, nor understands.

But it wasn't long before the scenery changed and large figures began to gather around in a circle. Naruto walks closer to get a batter look, and as he gets closer he instantly recognizes one of the smaller tall figures to be Kurama! He stands next to the small fox, the first thought that came to Naruto was how cute Kurama looked as a little fox.

"So cute..."

His eyes wandered to the creature next to Kurama, the creature looked like a tanuki with markings on it, with a tail. Next to the tanuki was a kitten, covered in blue flames, with different colored eyes, one yellow, the other one green, and two tails. Next to the blue kitten was what appeared to be an armored turtle with one eye present, and three tails. Next to the armored turtle was what looked like a red mini gorilla with four tails, next to the red haired gorilla looked like a horse of some kind with five tails. Next to the horse was a creature that looked like a slug with six tails, and next to the slug creature looked like a bug, or so he thinks, with seven tails. And lastly, next to the seven tailed beetle was an ox like creature with eight tails.

"Are they...Kurama's siblings?" They have different appearances, but the energy around them was telling him that they were indeed related.

"The gathering is complete, it's time." An aged voice speaks. Naruto removes his gaze from Kurama and his siblings to look at the man standing in the middle of the circle, facing the gathered creatures. The man opened his mouth and spoke again.

"Shukaku." He said to the one tailed tanuki, "Matatabi," was the name of the two tailed cat, "Isobu," was the name of the three tails, "Son Gokū," was the name of the four tailed creature, "Kokuō," was the name of the five tails, "Saiken," was the name of the six tailed slug, "Chōmei," was the name of the bug creature, "Gyūki," was the eight tailed ox creatures name, "Kurama." And finally he got to Kurama.

"So those are their names, Kurama's siblings." Naruto said.

The man spoke once again, "My time in this world has come to an end. This day was foretold, as was the time where you will all gather once again, but not as you were. When that time comes, someone will emerge and show you what true power is."

Naruto was hanging onto every word the man said because he felt it was important. He watched as the man looked up with a smile, "Don't cry, Kurama."

Naruto looked up as well and sure enough, Kurama was indeed crying. His heart broke for his friend because he understands the loss of losing a parent. This person was like that for not just Kurama, but for his siblings, too. Sure the man was human, but he loved them like they were his own.

"My wish has already been granted, there's no need for tears to be shed on my behalf." The man said with a smile.

'His wish?' What did he wish for?

Naruto stills as he feels the man's eyes land on him, his smile still firmly in place.

He wakes up from the dream, the sun's rays beaming through the curtains as a sign that a new day was here. For a moment he just lays there, looking up at his ceiling. To his left, Kurama was curled into a ball still fast asleep and letting out little snores. It was really cute. Menma was to his right, sleeping on a futon at the foot of his bed. This would be the perfect day to just stay in bed and do absolutely nothing, but unfortunately they have to get up. Having to go to the Academy really isn't all that fun, but there's no point in complaining about it.

"But still...I really don't feel like going today..." Naruto says.

"We can't skip though."

Naruto jumps slightly as he hears Menma's voice, "You were awake?"

"Just now actually." Menma says, sitting up from his bed with a smile, "Do you really not feel like going today?"

The blonde wanted to say "no" but if he did skip then chances are the Sandaime would begin to pester him about skipping the Academy. The last thing he wants is to get a lecture from the elder Hokage.

"Everything will be fine." Menma promises.

Naruto knew his friend was only saying that because he was trying to sound positive. Maybe if he wished for it hard enough the Academy will close down today.

The face of that man from his dreams flashed through his mind.

Wish...

"Hey, Menma?"

"Yes?"

Naruto sits up from the bed, his face uncharacteristically serious, "Do you...do you have a wish?" What possessed him to ask this out of blue, he had no idea. Maybe it was because of the dream he had, or perhaps the word "wish" had something to do with him asking such a random question.

No, that's not it.

It was the way the man in his dream said it with that look on his face. Like he was happy with everything. What was the old man's wish? Naruto was curious.

"A wish..." Menma pursed his lips before giving his friend a gentle smile, "My wish has already been granted."

Hearing that took Naruto by surprise.

"Wh-What is it? Your wish?" Naruto asked, really wanting to know.

Menma gives him a cheeky grin, "Not telling."

"Eh, why? Tell me!" Naruto whined.

"Nope." Menma stuck his tongue out at him.

"Menma!"

"Hahaha!"

~妖~

Naruto laid down on the ground as they were currently having recess. No new yōkai had been seen around the village lately, but that was okay.

"You must really like lying on the ground." Menma comments.

"Kinda...I really like looking up at the sky."

The sky was vast and wide, even if the clouds cover it on rainy days it'll just go back to its normal blue color.

"I've been thinking and I've noticed there are some interesting people here." Menma said.

"Where do you mean by here? The Academy or the village?" Naruto questioned.

Menma smiles before looking up at the sky, "I meant here at the Academy. We've encountered Choji and Shikamaru, and Hinata is a very kind person who likes you very much."

What he says is true. Naruto has only met those who hate and scorn his very existence, but those here at the Academy? They're different. Hinata greeted him because in her eyes she didn't see a monster or a demon, she saw him as a human being. Shikamaru approached and spoke to him as though he were just another normal kid, and Choji treated him with kindness.

He wanted to trust them, but a part of him was scared. Scared that they'll reject him because of nasty gossip about him, or if he tells them himself.

"Hey, Menma?"

"Hm?"

Taking a deep breath, Naruto spoke, "No matter what...we'll always be friends, won't we?"

Menma gives him a kind smile, "Of course we will."

The blonde was truly grateful to have Menma for a best friend. Kind, understanding, and trustworthy. He doesn't know what he'd do if something happened to Menma. Thankfully, he didn't have to worry about that.

He shouldn't have to…

Council of The Gods

Sage calmly walks down the halls of the Council of the Gods. He can't even remember the last time he was here, probably back when he was still human and met them for the first time.

When he willingly gave up his mortality for immortality. His clan understood his decision and didn't condemn his decision—in fact they supported it. Mito, always the serious yet kind woman she was, asked him if this is what he really wanted. Sage looked her right in the eye and told her that this is truly what he wanted.

Stopping before two large doors he announced himself, "Uzumaki Sage of the Uzumaki Clan has arrived!" The door opens and walks through, his eyes immediately land on the gods present in the council room.

Kagutsuchi—The Fire God

Fūjin—The Wind God

Raijin—The Lightning God

Suijin—The Water God

Kuebiko—The God of Knowledge & Agriculture

Benzaiten—The Goddess of Everything that flows, also one of the seven lucky gods.

But the biggest god to get his attention was the one in charge of all the gods—Amaterasu—ō—mikami.

The heavenly being smiles down at him, "You have not come to see us in a very long time...Child of the Uzumaki."

Sage snorts at the fondness in her voice, "Yeah, it has...I'm sure you already know this, but I've got a lot to tell you this time, Ama-chan."

"Hoh?" She said, raising a brow in amusement.

Uzumaki no Ikari