The Fox 🦊

Chapter 5: Ridiculum Homines

Authors Note:
Hi!!! Okay, first off I'm not a frequent updater but I am one to stick to one story for the long haul until my stories, or whatever is finished and done. So yes, do expect me to finish this eventually. Lol, anyways, this note is actually to inform you that the tags changed, and will change or have more added as I go, because well, you know things come, some things go. New ideas and so on.

I aslo wanna remove the Shikamaru× Naruto tag and replace that with Kakashi. Don't know if I should tho, I'm trying to get out of my usual writing. So maybe I should.

Anywho, enjoy. If you don't, then you don't. Simple as that.

From The Willow

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Soft, hairy, from door to door. I'm the pet that doesn't get off the floor.

What am I?

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Kit, you should wake up. Naruto grumbled softly at Kurama's voice before turning around and going right back to sleep. The kitsune huffed, slightly annoyed and amused.

Swirling blue chakra gathered swiftly before it was released with a shock throughout Naruto's small body.

The boy yelped and practically jumped three feet high, he tucked his body into a rolling ball as he landed rolling until he crashed against the other side of his tiny room.

" Ow." Kurama snorted.
" Why couldn't you wait another five minutes, Kurama-san?" Naruto rubbed his aching head as he sat up, squinting at the clock on his bedside table.

05:00.

It was his usual time for waking up when he wanted to go for a run. But he didn't want to, he was too relaxed from the previous day spent lazing about and reading.
Kurama sighed fondly.

You told me to wake you no matter what at 5 the next morning, kit. The Nine-tailed fox reasoned. Naruto's lips pulled down in a pout, but he got up from the ground and got dressed in clothes meant for physical training nonetheless. He shouldn't become lazy, he reminds himself as he made his bed. After all, how will he ever be able to help others if he was lazy? The curtains were dusty and a bit hard but he managed to pull them apart to let some light in.

He walks to the door as he considers this, inhaling deeply before letting the air out through his mouth in a soft sigh.

" Thanks, Kurama-san. Sorry for being so troublesome." Naruto murmured, the kitsune was silent for a moment as gentle energy enveloped Naruto in a semblance of a hug.

You are not and never will be any trouble to me or anyone who cares. Naruto smiles softly, knuckles clenching tightly around the doorknob. He nods his head in determination before pushing the door open and stepping out into the fresh morning air.

Thank you, Kurama-san, for everything! Naruto smiles as he thinks this to the fox.

Mhm, let's get onto today's lesson before you start your physical training. We won't be focusing on seals for a while yet, not until you've mastered all the basics of the theory. So we'll work on meditation. Kurama began instantly switching to teacher mode, Narotu's lips twitched but he inclined his head and answered where necessary as the fox continued. Hands trailing idly onto the green railings as he walked, all chakra signatures were relatively calm and quiet, some were flickering, probably because they were waking up or in the process of preparing for the day. There were a few, he noted that were active and swirling softly all over Konoha, some not so soft but the air still softened everything, a low buzz of contentment running like water in the currents of the wind. He turned and descended slowly from the stairs. Mind half in the clouds and half on the fox that was explaining the theory behind meditation to him.

When he reached the bottom of the stairs he began his warm-up exercises absentmindedly, his focus more on the kyūbi than on his surroundings.

Naruto took off at a brisk pace as soon as he was sufficiently prepared, the village at this hour looked abandoned. With only the occasional passer-by showing up in the streets.

And every time he passed one of them they felt remarkably off, they didn't feel as hostile. He realized a moment later.

Naruto furrowed his brows as he considered this. Why?
They should still be hostile towards him for another seven years or so. Not that he was complaining the air was just, weird around people. As if they were wary of him.

He veered off the beaten path and into the forest, still lost in thought. Kurama coughed pointedly after a moment, Naruto jerked and stumbled to a pause.

Do be aware of your surroundings little one, even if you are lost in thought. I would however appreciate it if you were to pay attention to me as I lecture. The fox sounded amused despite himself. Naruto's cheeks pinkened at the sight of the river. A river he hadn't meant to run to.

"Errr, oops?" He offered, at least he hadn't run into the waters. Kurama laughed softly.

Focus, kit. Or you will get hurt again. The fox reminded Naruto gently. He grimaced and nodded in determination, twisting on his heels and sprinting off on the way back to the streets.

Kurama went back to the lecture as Naruto made his way back to his apartment since he had already run his usual path and then some.

However, when he turned to go down a street he ran headlong into an ANBU he hadn't felt. Because somehow their chakra was blending in to the point of being like the surroundings. Naruto couldn't for the life of him make out the difference between the ANBU's chakra and what was around him.

He almost went sailing through the air because of the collision but the man caught him before he was sent flying.

A hound's mask smiled down at him, silver hair stark against the morning sky overhead.

" You shouldn't be running through the streets like that, what if you ran into someone like just now?" The man, Kakashi, he thought, warned him in a questioning voice.

"I wouldn't run into anyone because I know where people are. I just couldn't feel you. You feel like you're a part of the air." He blurted out without a second thought until Kurama began cursing like a drunk sailor.

Oops?

He was sure he was getting an odd look from the man but pushed down the urge to fidget tugging his arm free before smiling brightly up at the man.

"Why are you standing still in the middle of the road in any way, Anbu-san?" Naruto asked to distract the man, or at least partially.

Kakashi huffed softly.

" I was looking for someone, I just returned from a long mission and found out that they had gotten into some trouble." It felt distinctively as if the hound was glancing pointedly at his ruined eye.
Now how was he supposed to act clueless?