"Hokage-sama?" asked a member of ANBU.
"I have no idea," said the Hokage, wondering why half of his ANBU had been summoned to his office. It couldn't be one of Naruto's pranks though. The child was only nine years old and couldn't possibly manage this sort of thing.
A voice coughed delicately. "That would be me, actually."
The figure that stepped out of a rift in mid-air was NOT a little black cat. That would be entirely the wrong image to use here, and would undermine the potential humor of the situation in the longterm.
What the various ANBU saw was what each expected to see if confronted by a god made flesh. Some saw a living ball of flame, some saw a kindly old man whose robes were made of shifting starscape, others saw something more along the lines of a shikagami.
Of course, being as they were all of special jonin level or above - they spent several minutes running through various genjutsu dispels.
"Well, this isn't working," said Dog, adjusting his headband back down over his Sharingan eye, having had to pull off his ANBU mask to do so.
"It's not a genjutsu as you understand it," said the Being. "I am Toltiir. A god who has spoken with the other gods of this land and reached an agreement. All of you here are loyal to this Hokage and this village. None of you here have offered Naruto harm or dislike. Which is why I have asked you to be here."
"Whatever you are, you seem to be powerful," said the Hokage, making a gesture with his pipe. "What kind of mischief are you planning?"
The Being nodded in the direction of the Hokage. "You are familiar with the jutsu that summons a shinagami are you not? The 'shiki fuujin' or 'Dead Demon Consuming Seal' - this is something similar."
POOF!
A book plopped down onto the Hokage's desk.
"Naruto has entered a contract with me, which I have arbitrated with the powers-that-be of this realm," continued Toltiir. "As such - Naruto Uzumaki will no longer be the container of the Ninetailed Demon Fox."
"WHAT?!" asked the Sandaime, alarmed by this.
POOF!
A cage the size of a shoebox, dangling from a chain, with an apparently (and understandably) furious nine-tailed fox inside, was deposited on the desk.
"Hmmm," said Toltiir, regarding it. "Lacks something. Maybe I should put him in a sword or something."
The various shinobi and the Hokage looked at the Kyubi, then back at the Being. Hands eased away from various weapons.
"Demonic and celestial chakra sources are not normally compatible," said Toltiir. "Naruto having both would... oh. That will work."
POP! went the cage and the demonic aura of anger and intent-to-kill that went with it.
"Where did you put it?" asked the Hokage.
"I put it back in Naruto, but triple-sealed it, installed a filter system, added an interlock program," said Toltiir. He wouldn't mention the game console, cable TV, or other little extras. The whole sewer-prison thing stank anyway. "It should boost his chakra control since it'll be neutral and evened out when it trickles out. Just watch out for negative emotions, as that might cause some backfires."
"So... Naruto is becoming a god?" asked Dog.
"Yes, the son of your sensei is set to become the god of nakama, friendship, and protection," said Toltiir. "He'll have hardly any power at all at first, of course. Just be a bit stronger, faster, heal faster, better coordination. Stuff like that. How he grows - well, that's for the future. Right now, he's just a bit more powerful."
"Just a bit, eh?" asked the Hokage, looking at the book. Which was decorated with whirlpool shapes in the thick leather cover.
"Yes, that explains the basics of the new faith," said Toltiir. "Mostly blank, it'll fill in as he grows up. Just the bits in there about his areas of influence, prayers, the ramen festivals and so on."
The Hokage nodded and planned on tests when everything around him went still and colorless except for himself and the Being.
"Some people have called you the 'god of shinobi'," said Toltiir, regarding the Hokage.
"I've never called myself that," said the Hokage.
"I've an idea I want to play, a sort of cosmic joke and irony, involving that particular title." Toltiir paused. "If things play out. Would you care to hear?"
"Well, Hokage-sama, I've been observing Naruto all day," said Dog the next evening.
"Results?" asked Sarutobi Hiruzen.
"He's at least five times stronger and faster than before, and he shows signs that he's a little smarter as well," said Dog. "I'm a little concerned."
"Don't be, we'll just see how it plays out," said the Hokage. "The Being that was here said that it intends to just watch and not interfere further. For whatever reason, I believe it."
"Very well," said Dog.
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(Posted Mon, 13 Sep 2010 18:52)
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