Straw Hat Ninja

Changes and Regrets

Five years had passed since Naruto had met the Straw Hat Pirates and Naruto's life was going good at the moment. After meeting Sakura and her family, Naruto became quick friends with the pink-haired banshee and became someone important to the Harunos. He would often spend some of his free time with them and get advice from both Kizashi and Mebuki on his training regimen. After some time, Naruto told the Harunos about his new tenants and the powers he inherited from them, which only made his training even more intense. After the Harunos, Naruto became fast friends with others, such as the Nara Clan, the Akimichi Clan, and the Inuzuka Clan.

Naruto also got an understanding of his new powers and skills. Over those five years, Naruto has trained in secret in both the ninja arts and his powers from the Straw Hats. Naruto's skills were above other prodigies like Neji Hyuga and Sasuke Uchiha, even though he was still overshadowed by Uzume.

Naruto's relationship with his biological family never improved, only worsened. Even before Kurama had passed, Uzume was mean towards Naruto as her ego was massive enough to rival an Uchiha's. She would show off all the skills she learned from her family by using Naruto as target practice. Naruto's parents still ignored him and pushed him aside, but what made it worse was that they had not only let Uzume sign the toad contract before either of the twins were in the academy, but gave his title as clan heir to Uzume. The only person in Naruto's family that objected to the idea was his mother, Kushina, but she was soon overruled by the fact about Uzume being stronger than Naruto. Kushina at least had better odds of redeeming herself than the other two.

Naruto never eased up on his training, not even when he got into the academy. What he gained from the academy had only further improved his skills. Usopp had helped him improve his throwing accuracy as Robin helped him with his studies. Naruto's nickname was 'Straw Hat Sniper' as his accuracy rivaled a jonin's and he was never seen without his lucky straw hat.

Naruto's secret training was never known by anyone in the village aside from those he had sworn to secrecy. Zoro and Hayate Gekko had taught him the Santoryu style and kenjutsu respectively with both teachers giving him the name 'Straw Hat Samurai'. Sanji had taught Naruto his fighting style which Naruto dubbed, Chef Style Taijutsu, a taijutsu style that focuses on agility and using one's feet as a sole form of offense and defense. Might Guy and Franky helped Naruto train in his Mech Form as well as physical conditioning. Shikamaru and his father, Shikaku, helped Naruto with his Gum Style, Blossom Style, and Weather Style as well as battle strategies. The Inuzuka Clan helped Naruto with his Fox powers that he obtained from Chopper combining his own powers with some of Kurama's energies that were left behind. Naruto actually had both Ibiki and Anko train him with Soul Style and keep it a secret from everyone, and Kurenai trained him in his genjutsu art, Song Style. Naruto had also unlocked his Haki when he saved Hinata from being kidnapped, which soon led to a marriage contract between the two. Naruto soon became the 'Straw Hat Prodigy' as his skills soon rivaled Itachi's and Kakashi's. Of course, no one needed to know about that.

Naruto and his team, which consisted of Sasuke Uchiha and Uzume, had passed the real genin test and were at the Hokage's office. "Daddy," cried Uzume, "when are we getting a REAL mission?" Team 7, led by Kakashi Hatake, had just captured the Demon Hell Cat, Tora, and even Naruto was itching to do something else aside from doing some lazy villager's chores. "I understand that you are eager to show off your skills," said Minato, "but you may not be ready for a higher ranked mission." Before Uzume could throw a tantrum, Naruto stepped in and said, "Hokage-sama, we have performed enough D-Ranked Missions to be trusted with a low C-Rank Mission. At least give us a chance to not only prove our worth, but improve our skills as well."

Minato sighed at his own son calling him 'Hokage-sama'. Even though all genin team had to have some level of professionalism, Minato had expected some slack from his own children. Uzume would usually address him as 'Dad', 'Daddy', or even 'Father', but Naruto would usually address him as 'Sir' or 'Hokage-sama'. Why do you have to be this way Naruto, thought Minato as he regretted not giving Naruto as much attention as he did with Uzume, Why do you never call me 'Father' or even 'Dad' at any time?

Ever since learning about Naruto's secret training from his ANBU, Minato and Kushina began questioning why Naruto would train by himself or with others from outside of his own clan. Minato had thought about confronting Naruto about this secret, but he soon began to fear of the consequences. Both he and Kushina admitted that they should have focused training both children instead of favoring Uzume just because she had the fox's chakra. He even thought that Naruto's attitude was some form of karma from taking some of Naruto's birthrights and giving them to Uzume. The worst part of it all was that neither parent knew a thing about Naruto aside from his lucky hat and his skills. He had some of the ANBU follow Naruto in his day to day life with some of them reporting that Naruto prays at a makeshift shrine in the woods, while others came back with bags of ice on their privates or even cringing at the thought of going back to watching Naruto. Have we really driven Naruto that far from us? Minato thought as he looked back into the past.

"Sensei," said Kakashi, snapping Minato out of his thoughts, "our mission?" Minato blinked and said, "Alright. Team 7, your mission is to escort a bridge builder back home in the Land of Waves. Please bring in the client." A lightly drunk man entered the office and sized Team 7 up and said, "So my body guards include a Cyclops, a red haired brat, another brat with a tree branch up his ass, and a kid with a straw hat. Cool hat by the way." Naruto grinned as he was the only one who wasn't insulted as Team 7 and their client left the village.

Minato soon returned home with a heavy mind and saw his wife in the kitchen. "How was work today, dear?" asked Kushina and saw the look on her husband's face, "Thinking about Naruto again?" Kushina had also thought about the little blond boy they pushed aside to train their daughter. "Yeah," said Minato as he let out a sigh, "I just sent the kids on their first C-Rank Mission. A body guard mission for a bridge builder from the Wave." Kushina set the table for dinner as tonight was the first night of dinner between just the two of them. "Do you doubt the team's skills?" asked Kushina. "No, I don't," said Minato as he sat at the dinner table, "What I do doubt is how we've treated our own children."

"I doubt what we've done as well," said Kushina as she placed the bowls of ramen on the table. Kushina considered herself lucky that Naruto at least talks to her, albeit very little, but it was a start. She had never seen him at his own birthday parties, even with him wearing the straw hat. But then again, when have I ever seen him? Kushina thought as she remembered all the time she had seen him, That's right, whenever he asks to train or go somewhere. Kushina needed multiple hands to count the facts about Uzume, but only one for Naruto. Am I that horrible as a mother? Kushina asked herself.

After finishing their ramen, Minato and his wife decided to visit the little shrine Naruto goes to. When they had arrived, the parents saw that Naruto was just recently there as the incense was still burning. Kushina read the inscription on the tree and paled. "Kushina," said Minato, "what's wrong?" Kushina pointed at the markings on the tree as they read:

Here lies Kurama,

The spirit of the Nine-Tailed Fox.

Though he was a demon, he was always a father.

"Naruto has met the Nine-Tailed Fox's soul," said Minato as the last line felt like a low blow to him, "and he views it as more of a father than me." Minato couldn't understand what was before him as he read the inscription over and over again. Did the soul pass on? No, Naruto would have died by then, thought Minato as his mind was jumbled up from what was going on, Did Naruto and the fox become one? What happened to Naruto?

Kushina felt the tears roll down her face as she scolded herself for turning her only son away and caused him to build a bond between the very fox that was once sealed inside of her. "How could we have done this?" cried Kushina as she curled herself into a ball. Minato didn't have the answer as he was scolding himself for being so blind.

"I see you found the shrine," said a voice. Minato and Kushina looked and saw Sakura. "Tell me Sakura," said Minato, hiding the fear in his voice, "has the soul of the Nine-Tailed Fox really passed?" Sakura nodded and told the Namikazes about how she had Ino go into Naruto's mind and indeed the fox was gone. "Naruto always visits this shrine he made for Kurama before his day begins," said Sakura, "You should have seen the look of devastation that I saw him with on that day."

"How is Naruto still alive then?" asked Kushina. "I'm sorry," said Sakura as she turned to leave, "that is not for me to say. You should really teach Uzume some humility." After Sakura had left, Minato picked up his wife and the two of them left, but not before making a promise: to fix what they have broken.