Namikaze Naruto- The Unpredictable Shinobi

Chapter 18: Sabaku no Gaara

Itachi went to Shisui. He seemed to have woken up just then. "Did Mito meet you?" Shisui asked. "Yeah, how did you know?" Itachi asked back. Shisui shrugged, "Just a guess. What happened?" "The usual. The clan work, Sasuke's childish character at play, and about you and my Mangekyou. Least to say she was not pleased." Itachi smirked as Shisui paled a little. Next day, Mito came with his favourite flowers- daisies. The three of them chatted, as Itachi was supposed get his eyes transplanted the next week. Shisui thought that his best friend and little sister would make a good couple, but refrained from expressing his opinion. They would make him meet hell and return to Earth.

Months passed by, with Naruto training day and night, with occasional breaks of missions. With extensive knowledge of sealing, she got stuck at level 8. She needed the help of a seal's specialist like Minato or Jiraiya. She tried to learn whatever she could in the meanwhile. Kurama gave her the Fox Summoning Contract. Knowing her father's contract with the toads, she asked the fox if she could have the Toad summons as well, as Jiraiya would offer it when they met. Refusing the offer would jeopardize her cover. Kurama agreed after some hesitation. She learnt special fox tricks she assimilated in her battle skills. From, Hashirama's private library in the abandoned Senju Compound a certain blonde sneaky fox sneaked into, she learnt some Senju jutsus, and tried to learn Hashirama's Sage Jutsu, technique. She needed the correct proportions of Earth Chakra, Water Chakra and Wind Chakra to a certain extent to master it. She was proficient in her elemental affinities- wind, water, lightning and fire; and good in using the Earth element. She learnt the Uzumaki style Kenjutsu (Sword arts), Fuinjutsu (Sealing arts), and the usage of her Uzumaki Chakra chains with whatever scrolls of Uzumaki were available with the village and with her mother. She also learnt her father's Katas of Taijutsu and his other creations. Her personal kata was a mix including the Senju, Uzumaki, Namikaze, Fox styles. She experimented with new jutsus.

The trio of best friends celebrated their birthdays. Mito and Shisui's birthdays were celebrated together since she said that her birthday was a day before Shisui's which was not too far from the truth [Check the google for the dates].

One day she was practising Sensory when she felt a huge chakra enter the village and Kurama raised an eyebrow at that. "That would be Ichibi no Tanuki- The one-tailed raccoon dog- Shukaku." He informed. "Another Jinchuuriki?" Naruto was excited to see how someone like her would be. "Let's go."

Meanwhile, a certain teen with auburn hair stayed back in his own room while his siblings, a girl with dirty-blonde hair, one brunette male, left him to report to their sensei. He tensed all of a sudden. He opened his eyes to see Naruto in her male form. Before she could say anything, he released blood-lust and said, "Mother wants your blood. Mother finds you uneasy, yet wants to kill you." Naruto was confused for a moment before she chuckled, "Shukaku is not your mother, but a companion. My companion is the Kyuubi. I simply came to acquaint with you." "If you have one, then why aren't you like me?" He asked. "Oh, we might be more alike than we think, with slight differences. I'm Uzumaki Naruto." She introduced herself. "Gaara." The red-head said his name. "I need to see the differences are..." Naruto observed him with a hand on her chin. "Eye-bags, Shukaku is not letting you sleep, is he?" A nod. "Can I see your seal? I think I should to begin there. If you don't mind, that is." She asked hesitantly.

Gaara paused for few moments before agreeing. Naruto saw the seal that was situated near the heart and her eyes showed anger and sadness that Gaara saw. "This seal... No wonder you are slightly unstable. This is not a seal to be used on human vessels. And the seal isn't drawn properly. Can you spare me a few hours?" She asked. "I'll ask sensei." Gaara replied. After a few minutes, Gaara appeared with the news of confirmation. They went to her house in the Forest of Death. Gaara was not allowed to know the location however, and he understood why that was. After placing privacy seals, she warned him, "This will be painful. Brace yourself." Before she could do anything, he stopped her and questioned her, "Why are you doing this? I'm from Sunagakure- the Village Hidden in Sand, and could be a possible enemy. And why should I trust you?" Naruto smiled wide, "I understand the trust issues Gaara-san. But I'm doing this not as a shinobi of my village, and I'm not helping a shinobi from another village. I'm helping a fellow Jinchuriki in trouble.

The Bijuu are siblings, then so are the Jinchuuriki. You are like a brother to me. It is this connection we Jinchuuriki have. We may not be able to trust others, but we can trust our fellow Jinchuuriki, right?" Gaara complied and then began the painful tiring process of shifting the Bijuu from the seal on the heart to a stronger seal on the stomach. When it was over, Gaara thanked her, to which Naruto replied, "I have only one condition. When we meet before my team and others, you must not take interest in me and behave as if we're meeting for the first time. Because, just like you, my situation in the village is complicated, just in a different way."

Gaara went back to his room and slept for the first time. When asked, he would reply "I'm trying to control him" or just ignore. He would keep his stoic façade outside, but on the inside, he softened for his siblings, and to an extent, his sensei. He would have to wait for a while before he could reveal himself, due to a plan he and his siblings were informed before they left their home village. They were given the brief sketch of the plan and would know the full plan sometime later during their stay in Konoha. He needed to know all the details before he could make his next move.

Team 7 was given the Chunin exam forms by their leader Kakashi. Sasuke filled the form, while Sakura was nervous. Naruto pulled her aside and began walking with her on the streets as she supported her. Her façade had grown out of her crush for Sakura. "You are very smart. We need your skills as well. In case of trouble, Sasuke and I will help you. You proved yourself, when you were passed on par with the clan heirs in the Academy..." After half an hour, Sakura had a confident smile. They were going back to their training ground wen they ran into Konohamaru. "Boss, let's play... Wait, who's she?" he pointed at Sakura. "My teammate, Haruno Sakura." She introduced. "Your... girlfriend?" Konohamaru asked smirking. Naruto chuckled, "No. She's just a friend." Kurama was laughing at the irony of the situation.

Konohamaru shouted relieved, "That's great, because she's ugly!" Naruto didn't know whether to laugh or to be mad. An angry Sakura chased Konohamaru, who bumped into someone as he turned around a corner.

He looked up to see the brother of Gaara. He wore a black baggy shirt with full length sleeves and black baggy pants and that reached his ankles. There was a hood that covered most of his hair. His face was covered with purple warpaint. He smirked as he picked up the kid by his collar. "Well, this runt needs to be taught a lesson." Sakura intervened, "Please put him down." "Why should I? He needs to apologize and learn some manners." Naruto joined them and asked, "Maa, maa, Suna-nin, can I know your names?" Gaara's sister replied. Her blonde hair was split into four pigtails. She wore a short Shinobi frock that barely reached her mid-thighs, over a net attire. She carried a large fan, one that some Wind-users use. "I'm Temari, this is Kankuro."

"Now, Kankuro-san, you've come for the Chunin exams, haven't you? Why do you jeopardise yourselves by attacking a leaf citizen, the Hokage's grandson nonetheless? I agree he made a mistake, but how can he apologise, if you hold him like that?" Naruto, while talking, slowly manoeuvred Kankuro's hands to release the little kid. He coaxed Konohamaru into bowing and apologizing, "Gomenasai, Kankuro-san. It won't happen again." He apologized. "Now, that wasn't so bad, was it Kankuro-san?" Naruto asked happily. Kankuro grumbled, "Fine, fine. Just drop the honorific. It makes me feel old."

Meanwhile, on a tree nearby, Sasuke was aiming to throw a rock. His first target had been Kankuro, simply to rile him up in arrogance. But, when he saw how Naruto diffused the situation, he aimed it at her in anger and jealousy, and threw it. Before it hit her, a shield of sand stopped it. Gaara, who was standing upside on a branch on a tree behind Sasuke, had been observing. He then remembered to pretend as if he met Naruto for the first time. "How dare you try hurt my brother?" he snarled. Sasuke was too arrogant to correct him. "Hn, so what?" Gaara simply looked on, "What's your name?" "Uchiha Sasuke" Sasuke replied, smug that he was paid attention to by a formidable shinobi. Gaara said, "Temari, Kankuro, let's leave.".

Shisui's Birthday- October 19th

Itachi's Birthday- June 9th

Naruto's Birthday- October 10th

Mito (Naruto's Disguise) Birthday- October 18th

Years of the first three (or rather the age gap) differs from the canon, atleast Itachi's and Naruto's does. While Kishimoto-sama gave those two a 5-year gap, I give a 4-year one. Both the month and the date of the first three above are from the Canon itself.