Mages and ninja - The Story Of Three Legends

Jinchuriki(25)

On the way to the assigned training ground, Zero was met halfway by Naruto and Sasuke. Each of them were a walking arsenal of hidden weapons, of that Zero was sure, but they weren't going to spare any expense. They were taking a survival test but they didn't know much else than that.
Zero was dressed

Underneath, she wore a pair of black spandex shorts as well as her pair of black shinobi sandals that reached her shin. She also had golden arm cuffs around her biceps, similar to the ones she had before. Her holster was tied around her leg within easy reach. Hidden in the folds of her clothes, were hundreds of senbon and kunai. Strapped to her back was a katana. It's sheathe was a smooth black and there was a ferocious golden dragon etched onto the hilt. It gleamed menacingly in the sunlight.
Naruto flanked her side on her left. There was no jumpsuit in sight and instead he wore a sleeveless tank and black shinobi pants with sandals that reached his shin. His arms were covered in protective arm guards. A tanto was strapped to his back with a dark red Uzushio swirl etched on and many scrolls were strapped to his leg. He had many wells of ink in one of his holsters as well as paintbrushes. He also had sealing paper in a black bag strapped to his back.
The Uchiha flanked her right. Sasuke wore a dark blue three-quarter shirt with an open collar. Black shinobi pants were tucked into black shin length shinobi sandals. Like his teammates, he had a tanto strapped to his back and the Uchiha fan was etched onto the hilt. He also wore black arm guards. Numerous kunai and shuriken were hidden on his person.
They came to their assigned training area with their sensei nowhere in sight.
"It looks like Kakashi-sensei isn't here yet." Naruto noted with a sigh as he sat at the base of a tree. The others gathered around him, forming a circle.
Zero took out three boxes of food, handing them to Naruto and Sasuke. "Make sure to eat you two. I know he said that we shouldn't but it doesn't make sense to fight with no energy." Naruto took the offered food with a smile and Sasuke took his with a nod of appreciation.
"When we pass, we're going to become a team. I'm guessing that sensei is going to train us." Naruto mused aloud as he took careful bites of the heartful teriyaki. "We're still training together right?"
Zero nodded. "Of course, Naruto." She said with slight surprise. "Just make sure not to overdo it you two. You'll won't get anywhere like that." She warned.
Naruto smiled slightly but he sighed a moment later, hesitantly glancing at his teammates. They were his nakama now. They were family and more to him. His precious people.
"What is it?" Sasuke asked, eyebrows furrowing. Naruto looked hesitant, looked as if he was afraid which was very unusual for the blond. He couldn't remember a time where he saw the blond afraid. Sad yes but afraid?
Zero glanced to her friend questioningly. "Naruto?"
Naruto took a deep breath, taking comfort in the familiar thrum of energy in his mind. It was Kurama's presence he was feeling. After much work and visits, he had gotten familiar with the feel of it. Kurama's chakra didn't feel caustic at all, if anything it felt warm and comforting, completely unlike what was reported.
Kurama was getting used to his presence, that Naruto was sure of but he knew that they still had a long ways to go. Kurama was a part of him. There was no way he was going to hide Kurama from them like a dirty secret. Kurama deserved much more respect than that. He could only hope that his friends would still accept him.
The Uzumaki took a careful scan of his surroundings as he retrieved a seal and laid it to the ground, muttering under his as ink bloomed under his fingers in long, winding lines.
"Naruto, what─" Sasuke started, reverting to his name instead of his usual nickname.
Naruto held up a hand. "Hear me out, both of you." He said, a severe expression on his face. "Please."
Zero nodded even as she eyed the seals. "What's wrong Naruto? What is this?" She recognized the characters and she took a closer look, she began to piece the pieces together. "Is this a─"
Naruto nodded, rubbing at his neck with a hand in anxiety. "It's an amateur privacy seal." He clarified, smiling slightly at the looks of faint surprise on their faces. "We're going to be a real team soon and we're going to be going on missions together. We're going to fight side beside and be on a long journey together... You guys mean a lot to me and I can't keep this from you guys. I need to tell you guys a secret." He said, giving a shaky sigh as Zero and Sasuke stared at him in silence.
They exchanged glances and Zero shook her head.
"Naruto..." She murmured, reaching out with a pale hand to grasp Naruto's own comfortingly. "You don't have to worry. We're your friends."
Sasuke nodded wordless along her words as he hesitated slightly before he also reached out and grasped Naruto's free hand. With his other hand, he got ahold of Zero free hand. Their hold tightened around his and Sasuke's eyes closed slightly at the warmth.
Naruto stared at his hands, noting the sharp contrast of them. Sasuke's hand was much paler than his own but just as rough and calloused as his own from handling weapons. Zero... Zero hands were slender and so small, hiding the strength that he knew she had. They were strangely soft despite the long use and handling of weapons. Their hold warm, so comforting and so reassuring.
"I-I," Naruto stuttered and he gritted his teeth as he took another steadying breath. He took smiled slightly as he felt Kurama's hesitant brush of chakra against his own. Thanks Kurama... "I'm a jinchuriki." He said bluntly.
Zero took a moment to comprehend what he said but then her eyes widened a moment later. "A jinchuriki?" She repeated and suddenly many things began to piece together, began to make sense. "A human sacrifice?"
Sasuke's eyes widened in shock. He couldn't hide his shock. "What?" But he saw the fear on Naruto's face, felt the nervous sweat on Naruto's palm. His eyes narrowed as he felt Naruto's hand begin to pull away. His hold tightened sharply. "Explain."
Zero frowned as she also tightened her hold. "We're your friends Naruto." She said sternly. "It doesn't matter what you are. We aren't going to abandon you."
Naruto laughed shakily because in the corner of his mind, he had been afraid of that. He had been afraid that they were going to abandon him. He had thought it was better to see now, to sever his bonds while he still could if they didn't accept him, though he knew it was too late.
"I was born on October 10th." Naruto began before he explained everything he had found. He had told them how he had researched the Uzumaki Clan, how he had searched for them in Konoha, how he had infiltrated the Archives, had found his parents ─ one Uzumaki Kushina and Namikaze Minato ─ told them of their final acts, of sealing the Nine Tailed Fox which now resided within him.
Sasuke's mind reeled in surprise as he absorbed the information given. The looks that Naruto garnered from many of the villagers made sense. Their scorn, their anger... everything made sense now. They see him as the fox, he thought, and they blame him.
"Naruto..." Zero murmured sadly and she didn't hesitate to bring the other in a tight comforting hug. She disregarded the tears staining her clothes. "It's okay Naruto." She said, "You're still our friend."
"Idiot." Sasuke said as he sighed and he merely tightened his hold on Naruto's hand again. "As if that matters. I'm still stronger than you."
Naruto laughed, a shaky and wet sound. "In your dreams teme!"
Zero let the other go, smiling fondly at the two. Maybe... "You don't have to worry about us leaving you Naruto... besides, I think it's also fair that I share too." She said softly as Sasuke and Naruto looked at her in surprise. "I didn't expect this from you Naruto and I was planning on telling you two a few things that I thought you deserved to know." She explained.
"...telling us?" Sasuke murmured.
"Zero-chan, you don't have to do this now! I mean, don't feel pressured because─" Naruto hurried to say.
Zero shook her head. "I was waiting for the right time. I wanted to tell you two because you two mean a lot to me." She said genuinely. "And besides... some of this information relates to you Sasuke."
Sasuke looked surprised and he was about to say something but they were interrupted by the arrival of their sensei.
Kakashi raised an eyebrow at the scene before him. There were tear tracks on Naruto's face. They were all holding each other's hand, forming a small huddled circle. There were looks of surprise on their faces, as if they hadn't expected his arrival.
"Did I miss something?"