Pulling Your Own Strings

Chapter 6: Spiraling Out Of Control

|Ten Years Old|

Naruto took a deep breath before he guided his hands slowly toward the figure in front of him. His eyes were narrowed in concentration and sweat dripped off his brow as he moved. His fingers were soon within inches of it, tightly restricted together and elongated out like a blade. His breathing grew shallow and his hands were shivering. Before he could even realise the chakra gathered around his hands cut into the person in front of him and his eyes widened in fear.

...

BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP

The blonde boy grimaced in frustration as he stared at the life-sized doll in front of him. It was one of the many mannequins one could find in Konoha Hospital and was now one of the many the boy had massacred in his attempts to learn how to control his chakra. The top layer of the model, the skin, seemed perfectly fine but Naruto knew from the loud, obnoxious beeping of the machine in the room that he had irreversibly damaged the stuffing underneath - simulating the muscle tissue of the doll.

"Almost," A voice announced calmly behind Naruto, "You fell apart after the skin this time." Naruto turned to the direction of the voice to see Hisoka smiling softly in a small, comfortable chair. Her withered form and wise eyes watching his every move.

The two of them were in one of the unoccupied study rooms of the hospital. They were intended for medic-nin to be able to practice and learn their craft. The institute provided countless ways of doing so, from a library on medicine to old fuuinjutsu surgery rooms to what Naruto was using now, simple replications of humans in the form of mannequins. Technically, Naruto realised, he was actually using the rooms correctly because the technique he was practicing was a med-nin one, although he was primarily learning to help with his chakra control.

Naruto had long since learnt and mastered water-walking and was now learning how to project his chakra into an exterior object or person. Hisoka had explained that in order to achieve the refined and delicate chakra strings Naruto had to have perfect control of and influence over his chakra outside his body. The technique he was learning now, how to cut something underneath it's top layer, was the one of the final steps before he would be able to use chakra strings.

Naruto couldn't help but groan in frustration, "It's taking so long! I thought this was meant to be easy..." Naruto rubbed the back of his head, a nervous tic he had yet to get rid of.

"It is easy - at least, for someone with medic-nin chakra reserves." Hisoka added, "This is one of the very first things the medical staff learn at the hospital to help with the delicate balance of chakra in medicine. Of course, considering you have more chakra than all of the younger med-nin combined it's not that surprising you're struggling."

Naruto sighed. It seemed he was cursed to have to work much harder for control of his chakra than anyone else. Even when he had learned water-walking Hisoka had remarked on how much longer he took. It wasn't all bad though; he got an absolutely kickass amount of chakra in return for the extra hard work.

"That's enough for today anyway. You're too tired and angry to accomplish the calm movements of the technique." Hisoka seemed to nod to herself, "In fact, take the rest of the day off - I'm sure the hospital can do without you for one evening."

"B-But Hisoka-obaachan!" Naruto began.

"Don't worry, you won't lose any money from today. I'll note you down as present." At this she gave a small wink to the young boy who grinned in return.

"You're a real crafty lady."

The lady simply shrugged, "I'm old, it comes with the territory."

When Naruto left the hospital he decided to head home, oblivious to the masked ANBU member stealthily following his every move from the rooftops. The blonde figured he might as well resume his experimentation in the materials of puppeteering. He'd recently started playing with all types of woods and metals, learning how to refine and bend them to his will with the right tools. From this he had begun to develop his first puppet - or at least, the rough draft of it. Ever since the incident when he was nine he'd had an idea of what his first puppet would be and the concept was the hardest part according to Sasori. At least, that's what it said in the books.

The redheaded shinobi explained in great detail across many of his accounts that when developing a puppet it was not the actual production of it nor even the depth of planning required to make all the pieces work that was the hardest part but rather developing the idea of what exactly your puppet was. In his words, he described it as the birth of it's life and soul - his artistic freedom. Because of this, the name of ones puppet was one of the most crucial steps and one that had to be done as early as possible.

So, when Naruto strode into his apartment, quickly entering his small bedroom that he also used as a workshop - the reason being an absence of windows and thus of possible surveillance - he knew precisely what, or rather who, he was staring at when he saw the wooden human frame on the table.

It was Bakemono; Monster.

And for Naruto it was many things. A product of his growing talent in puppetry. A beginning step on his journey of power and acknowledgement. A symbol of his childhood and everything he hated about it. For him it was more than a weapon - it was even more than his own artistic expression - it was a recognition of where he'd come from and where he was going.

For a puppet it looked remarkably normal. It was designed to look like a normal male human being, it's blonde hair and dark wood an attempt to reflect an older version of himself. So far he'd only designed retractable claws when it came to the weaponisation of it but Naruto was very pleased with his progress nonetheless. After all, he had finally started building a puppet. He still didn't know exactly what that meant to him but ever since his dreams of being Hokage wilted his pursuit of puppetry had risen in importance. For now he simply recognised it's position as a core part of who he was and wanted to be.

The blonde leaned forward, his eyes darting across the table and hand feeling the rough wood of the puppet; it was time to get to work.

Sasuke wasn't entirely sure when it had happened but in the last year Uzumaki Naruto - the incomprehensibly stupid blonde boy who had been nothing more than a nuisance - had changed. He'd turned into something much more significant. His pranks had abruptly stopped and with it his foolishness in class had gone too. He no longer cracked jokes or acted silly. In fact, it seemed as if where before the boy had actively sought attention he now avoided it or at least held no care for it.

It was what accompanied these changes that interested the Uchiha though. Ever since the boy had stopped messing around and started paying attention in class he'd gotten a lot better as a ninja. And it wasn't a slow upward trajectory to the middle of the pack. Rather, it was an incredible rise that occurred so fast even the teachers were blinking back stares of amazement. Naruto was no longer the dobe and nor was he average - he was in the top echelons of every class and field. His taijutsu had transformed into a brutal, efficient style that relied on evasion and he'd mastered the basic three ninjutsu to the same level as Sasuke. His academics were likewise astounding, now only beaten by the Uchiha and the pink-haired girl, Sakura. And his weapon-use... that was what shocked the raven-haired academy student the most. Naruto handled kunai and shuriken to a degree he'd only seen his brother perform.

Every shot was on target - Every. Single. Shot. This wasn't simple proficiency; Naruto didn't stray from his target down to millimeters.

Sasuke found himself dealing with emotions he'd not experienced in over two years. He was jealous and in awe of the blonde. It was infuriating for someone who'd promised to be so powerful. Being bested by someone his age in anything meant that he was much farther away from his brother than he could even imagine. It made him feel so utterly disgusted with himself.

So when Naruto showed up to weapons training today with an unfamiliar pack on his hip, Sasuke forced himself to take notice. Kunai couldn't possibly fit in the small thing and shuriken were generally held in the standard pouch that he could see Naruto still wearing. That meant that there was something else in there.

"Alright," Iruka's voice broke through his thoughts, "Begin."

Everyone in the class had been spread out across the academy courtyard, facing a target each. The idea of the training was simple; you would throw your weapon of choice while the teachers strolled up and down the line giving pointers and corrections when needed. It was essentially a free period to work on your weapons-throwing but with the possibility of a professional to help. Sasuke normally had no need for the session as his kunai and shuriken skills were so far ahead of his classmates that the teachers rarely found the time or need to help him.

While throwing his first kunai the Uchiha looked over to Naruto who was unclipping the fabric of the pack on his hip. From it he withdrew what looked like Sasuke to be some long, thick needles. In a quick, efficient and scarily mechanical movement the boy took three and flung them viciously at his target. They struck the human-shaped board with great power and Sasuke could see all of them had landed in different spots on the body.

A small sound of distaste left Naruto's mouth in the form of him clicking his tongue; they hadn't hit the right spots. He still needed to work on his Senbon skills.

Sasuke frowned heavily as he saw the boy use the new weapons, seemingly grappling with something in his mind. Suddenly, his face returned to a neutral expression as he came to a decision. He quickly turned back to his target and began his own practice.

An hour later and the class was dismissed. Naruto turned away, hoping lie under a tree and sketch ideas for puppets. Sasuke however, walked in the way of his path. The action was subtle but still drew much attention; Uchiha Sasuke didn't approach anyone his age for anything. Naruto blinked in confusion at the boy, not entirely sure what was going on.

"Uzumaki," The ten year old intoned coldly, "You can throw Senbon now." It wasn't a question.

Naruto grinned, "Yep." He was mighty proud of it too. Sasuke seemed to consider his response before looking at the blonde with an intense look.

"Train with me after class." The boy demanded. Naruto bit back the instinct to agree immediately; a year ago he would have accepted the offer even from Sasuke, his desire for companionship overriding everything else. Now though, he cared much less for others and much more for himself. The idea of dealing with people he didn't know - of trusting people he didn't know - made him uneasy.

The children near the exchange watched on with bated breath. Uchiha fucking Sasuke had just asked someone to hang out with him. Unless this was a dream they were witnessing a miracle. And for the clan-children and the more astute children this meant so much more. The Uchiha boy represented a lot in Konoha. With the death of his clan he was the sole heir to a fortune that spanned across Fire Country, to connections that went as deep as the Daimyo's Court and alliances that dated to before Konoha's founding. For all intents and purposes if Sasuke aligned with you then you were set for life. People of lower status would bend over backwards for you to avoid trouble with the Uchiha name.

Only the Hyuuga and the late Senju and Uzumaki were on equal footing. And with the Senju's near extinction and Naruto's lack of public confirmation to the Uzumaki beyond a simple name that may have been given in sympathy only Hyuuga Hinata had the same level of sway in Sasuke's age group. The other clan children knew this; their clans didn't worry about the power of the Uchiha as much as others but there was still a level of wariness - of respect for the danger Sasuke might represent to them. So of course they were all suitably concerned when Sasuke implied in front of them that he was interested in Naruto. Because a lot of them had pissed off Naruto in the past and a vengeful blonde with Uchiha backing would in turn make their parents pissed off.

Naruto cared little for any of this though. He only considered, very briefly, if he truly wanted to go down this road again - of being optimistic enough to see the good side of someone. For him it was a simple decision; Sasuke had never, ever even showing an inkling of interest in him before and, from what he'd seen, something had happened to him that made him really screwed up in the head. He didn't look like he cared for anyone.

"Ah, no thanks!" Naruto replied, "Thanks for the offer though!" He grinned lightly at the other boy. The crowd that had been subtly watching the conversation collectively widened their eyes in shock. The idiot had just refused Sasuke. They couldn't figure out why or even how someone did that. It was ridiculous.

Sasuke was equally amazed, "What?" His tone was more one of bewilderment then actual anger.

"I said - well, I mean - nah. I don't really wanna train with ya." Naruto paused, a contemplative expression flickering across his face, "Nothing against you! I'm just, I dunno, not that interested in the whole friends thing anymore." The blonde began to walk, passing the Uchiha's shoulder, "Anyway, I really do appreciate it. Always thought you were an ass but I guess you're nice after all. I like that!" And with that Naruto continued toward the tree he had originally been intending to sit under.

The raven-haired boy stood completely still as the boy left, thinking over what exactly had just happened. Unlike the crowd he wasn't particularly irritated or offended by the boy's blase dismissal of his request. Nor did he feel a sense of injustice or anger at the ignorance of his clan's name.

Sasuke frowned; instead, he felt even more intrigued by the enigma that was Uzumaki Naruto.

As soon as class finished Naruto found himself venturing into one of the more dangerous training grounds available to those under jounin level. At first glance it looked like a simple forested area, nothing out of the ordinary when considering the normal training grounds the boy would use. It was what was in that forest though, that made it so problematic.

The place had been deliberately cultivated as a breeding ground for countless poisons found in natural plant-life. There was anything from paralytics to hallucinogens scattered throughout the greenery of the area and for that reason alone academy students typically avoided it. After all, most of them hadn't even seen a dangerous poison let alone be able to fight them off in the chance they accidentally be infected. Fortunately for Naruto, in his stomach he had one of the most powerful anti-toxins in the world. There was, and the blonde knew from extensive testing in the privacy of his home, quite literally nothing in this training ground that the Fox couldn't fight off.

For all intents and purposes Naruto was immune to everything around him and so he had no problem picking anything he wanted out from the area. His growing appreciation of poisons could be riddled down to an understanding of their intrinsic connection to puppetry. The subterfuge of puppets and poisons went hand-in-hand and Sasori was perhaps the greatest example of why. You could count on one hand how many people there were in the world that could combat the elusive missing-nin's dangerous toxins. For a moment Naruto wondered what would happen if he was infected with one; he instinctively knew that even if he did survive it would not be a pleasant experience fighting it off.

While he gathered the poisons, hoping to mix and match them later on at his apartment, he was unaware of the silent gaze of his ANBU watcher - having thought he'd thrown him off with a clone. Bird of course didn't fall for such silly antics as Fly's costly mistake served as a reminder constantly. So the man sat quietly in a tree, watching as the blonde boy collected plants and herbs for several hours before finally moving to follow the boy back to his apartment. When Naruto entered he finally allowed his guard to drop before turning to the Hokage Tower and moving at a brisk pace to inform the Hokage that Naruto's interest in poisons had yet to drop.

"This sudden curiosity in poisons is yet another sign that the boy is improving," Koharu's voice cut through the air, "He's clearly been taking his shinobi studies very seriously since the incident a year ago." The council had gathered once again - Sarutobi Hiruzen sat on one-side of the small table, Koharu and Homura sitting on the other.

"Taijutsu: 3rd. Ninjutsu: 2nd. Academics: 3rd. Weapons: 1st." Homura's listed coldly, his voice getting a sharp edge near the end, "The only thing that the boy still struggles with in the academy is Genjutsu and even then I've heard his skill is improving rapidly. For all intents and purposes our Jinchuriki is starting to live up to it's purpose..."

Koharu interjected here, "I aught to be pleased but I'm not." She stared directly at the Sandaime, "Do you know why that is?" If it had been anyone else the Hokage would have rebuked them viciously for their arrogant way of addressing him, "I think you do."

The Sandaime didn't respond.

"He's stopped seeking attention and apparently lost all interest in friendship with the other children." Homura droned out, "For a boy that once screamed to the rooftops about becoming Hokage for acknowledgement this is a concerning change." Koharu let out a sharp laugh.

"Of course he's lost interest; he hates everyone now." Koharu looked pointedly at the Hokage, expecting a response. Hiruzen desperately wanted to disagree but nowadays he couldn't be sure; ANBU reports of Naruto's anti-social behaviour and countless complaints from civilians stayed his hand.

"I'll be honest in saying I didn't expect such a... negative response to his burden." The Sandaime wearily admitted. "His teacher, Umino Iruka, one of the few I recognised as having the capability to treat Naruto fairly, has, as you said, spoken very highly of the boy's progress." He rubbed his head at this point, "On his social interactions however, he has little to offer us than what we already know." Another plan failed; another botched attempt to somehow improve Naruto's life. The teacher was meant to, through common ground, have sympathy for the blonde and form a bond with him. It didn't happen.

"Hiruzen," Homura intoned carefully, "The boy's damaged goods."

Koharu nodded in assent, "It's time we consider our options," The Sandaime's face darkened in fury, "Your hopes of a normal childhood and bonds with people of his generation have failed. At this point, we really onl-"

"No." Hiruzen interrupted angrily, "Not yet. I refuse to give up on Naruto. There are still other ways..." He sighed deeply, "Hatake Kakashi has repeatedly asked for contact with the boy. If we allow this request then Naruto might find some solace with a similar soul." The elderly man tried to calm his rapid heart-beat, "When he becomes a genin we can place him on Kakashi's team." Homura stayed silent as he finished speaking, considering the plan.

"Hmph," Koharu sneered, "So we return full circle to what I advised from the beginning." She smirked at the man, "Which is precisely why I can't refuse this option. I know what you're doing, Hiruzen." She cackled loudly, "...I see no problems with this."

"And who will be his teammates?" Homura demanded.

"I've recently been informed of an... event at the academy," The Sandaime explained in great deliberation, "Uchiha Sasuke reportedly extended an offer of friendship to Naruto." The two others in the room widened their eyes in surprise - it had been assumed that the Uchiha boy was long beyond any saving thanks to the misguided actions of his brother.

"So your solution for an anti-social child is to connect him with the only one worse?" Homura's voice was, for the first time, filled with great emotion. It was clear he saw no logic in the idea.

"It's risky," Sarutobi conceded, "But the two might find some common ground. And I trust Kakashi to protect them." And control them, was left unsaid.

"The Hatake boy..." Koharu contemplated the name.

Homura frowned greatly, "I don't like this."

"Of course you don't," Koharu snorted at him, "You don't like anything with a semblance of risk." Her mouth formed a thin line, "This idea does have some merit." The Sandaime knew that was as close to outright acceptance he would ever get from her. Homura looked between the two of them in displeasure.

"Fine." He spoke carefully, "Let's see how much damage this causes." It was an unusually harsh remark from the usually stoic man.

Naruto slowly opened the book splayed out on his bed with great care. It was one of the few books about it's subject that those without jounin level access were permitted to read and for that reason alone Naruto was very particular in the way he handled it - there weren't any other copies and with it's age and disuse the book looked like it was about to fall apart in his hands.

The title was simple:

Basic Fuinjutsu

If someone saw the title they'd immediately understand the reason for Naruto being so delicate with it. After all, seals were a mysterious and dangerous art that could only be truly achieved safely with complete mastery. Even those who considered themselves experts of this branch of learning were hesitant to perform their talents. The slightest mistake could completely erode or change a seal to the point where the user's life might not even be the biggest thing at risk. This was something that allowed one to summon gods and to chain demons - it was unequaled in potential and in danger.

Of course, Naruto probably wouldn't have anything more than a passing interest in Fuinjutsu beyond an understanding of his own seal if it weren't for his rabid pursuit of puppetry. His idol and the man he wanted to emulate, Sasori, wrote about seals in his accounts and of their usefulness for puppeteers.

'Even my most basic and amateur understanding of Fuinjutsu opened the door to vast and unending opportunities when concerning puppetry. With the right knowledge one might be able to completely alter the fabric of the art-form with seals. To put it simply, with Fuinjutsu it is no longer a question of what is possible for the artist but what is imaginable.'

Naruto had read the passage in one of the man's many books and scoured the book for more information, his interest piqued. Unfortunately, the red-head didn't reveal anything more beyond the most simple applications for seals. Whether this ambiguity was out of self-interest or a protection of the public Naruto didn't know - but he wanted to find out.

So Naruto had pursued the issue, researching the topic under a henge at the library. He'd found countless books referencing the art and some even going so far as to describe the ways it might be used but struggled to find almost any explanations on learning the art. To his despair, it seemed like the blonde had stumbled on another difficult and obscure shinobi branch.

He didn't let it deter him however, and when he finally found the book currently in his hands a wave of satisfaction washed over him. Now, all that was left was to read the thing and consider the possibility of devoting some time to the art. After all, if it truly did increase the cool factor of puppetry as Sasori implied then he certainly wouldn't complain.

Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on who was asked, Naruto found himself very quickly distracted. For the old Naruto getting caught off track had been a common occurrence and a large factor behind his ineptitude as a shinobi. The new Naruto didn't allow himself to fall into the trap though, using his natural enthusiasm and hyper-activity as fuel for an intensity of focus he hadn't before thought was possible.

The new Naruto could be forgiven for being distracted however, because written in the book in one of the opening paragraphs was a short and succinct mention of a clan that had been very, very talented at Fuinjutsu.

Uzumaki.

A/N: I am alive. Hello.

Decided to forego some of the slower pacing of this story, this chapter is an example of the more abridged take on his childhood that I'll be pursuing from now on. This is an effort to address some complaints and also my own sanity. Next chapter will be the culmination of his childhood and the one after that will be him becoming a Genin.