A New Path

Inside a big dojo in the village hidden in the leaves, two people were sparring with each other. Fighting inside this hall was a common occurrence. Two people were trading blows at fast speed. They both were wearing full black Tai Chi Kung Fu attire. One was an a.d.u.l.t man and the other one was a little boy. The boy was almost seven years old.

"No, Naruto! What have I told you when fighting against me." The a.d.u.l.t male said in a stern tone of voice.

"I know, uncle Obito. No eye contact. It's hard to not look into the eyes of my opponent." Naruto complained while staring at Obito's feet.

"That's no excuse. Nothing is easy. I bet learning haki wasn't easy but you can use that quite well, can't you? Keep going! Learn to predict movement by looking at my feet." Obito ran towards Naruto again with his fists ready.

"You don't even know haki. How would you know if it was difficult or not?" Naruto stood ready and watched Obito's feet carefully.

"Pay attention." Obito closed in on Naruto. But before he could proceed a portal appeared in the middle of the both of them.

"What's this now?" Obito stopped and observed the portal carefully with his Sharingan.

"DAD IS BACK!" Naruto immediately knew it was Dragon.

The portal stretched out more and three people and a giant tiger stepped out from it. Naruto and Obito were the only people present in the building at the moment and they stared at the group that appeared from the portal.

"Hello, Naruto and Obito. I am back now. How have you been?" Dragon said casually and he walked out from the portal entirely.

"Can you give your old man a hug?" Dragon opened his arms and he barely had time to open them before Naruto dived right in.

"I missed you," Naruto said with a big smile on his face.

"I missed you too. Come let me introduce you to two very special people." Dragon grabbed Naruto's hand and walked back to the portal.

"This is my wife, Sylvia." Dragon pointed at the beautiful woman smiling at Naruto.

"Hello, Naruto. Very nice to meet you. Dragon told me a little about your life but i would be overjoyed if you could tell me the rest someday." Sylvia stretched out her hand and she and Naruto shook hands.

"O.Okay, I guess." Naruto's cheeks grew a little pink and he started staring at the floor.

"And this.. This is my son, Gildarts. He is twelve years old. And your, big brother." Dragon said. The two boys definitely had an easier time looking at each other then Naruto and Sylvia had.

"Hi! Nice to meet you." Gildarts bowed and smiled a little. He was still feeling a little awkward about this.

"Hi! Nice to meet you too, big bro!" Naruto, being a lot younger didn't have those awkward feelings that Gildarts had. And Naruto's personality was little more open and accepting then Gildarts was.

"ha, ha, ye same... little brother," Gildarts said and smiled. It was impossible to not feel at least a little awkward.

"Shisui, come out!" Dragon said suddenly.

"I am here, Lord Dragon." Shisui rose up from Dragon's own shadow soon he stood in front of the group.

"WOW! Where did you come from, Shisui?" Naruto asked with his jaw on the floor.

"I thought we left you behind Shisui?" Gildarts joined in after Naruto.

"I live inside Lord Dragon's shadow. I am always present wherever he is."

"Cool, most be boring to live in a shadow all day," Naruto said casually.

"Not really. It's pretty cool." Shisui countered and threw out a victory smile.

"Shisui, go over to Sebastien and Rize and get a report about their progress over there." Shisui said nothing and just nodded and disappeared from his spot.

"Obito, how have you been during these months?" Dragon turned to Obito that was standing at the back quietly.

"I have been good. I have had a long time to think about what you said to me."

"And did you come to any answer during these months?"

"I did! I decided to live for Rin. I don't know how you managed to wake me up from my state of denial. But I am glad that I woke up to reality before I did something worse." Obito bowed.

"I believe in second chances, but your freedom requires that you show me you deserve it. Until you do that, you are still under house arrest." Dragon's tone had no kindness or love in it.

It gave Sylvia an idea of what Dragon was like before Gildarts was born. She had never heard this cold and detached tone used by Dragon before.

'This Obito must have done something horrible for Dragon to treat him like that.'

"I understand. I would expect no less. I will work and change my approach to life. I will honour Rin's memory."

Obito said with determination. You could almost believe he was serious when he said it.

He was very curious as to what kind of person Obito would become in the future. Dragon took a chance on this Uchiha and hoped he would become someone great in the future.

"Naruto, why don't you show them upstairs. Give them any available room." Dragon gestured to the group.

"Okay, but dad.. What about that tiger?" It sounded unbelievable but Naruto just noticed that giant 6 meters tall tiger standing behind Gildarts.

"You can just tell him to stay here. He is very smart so he'll understand you." Dragon said and smiled while he laughed evilly to himself.

"Oh, okay." Naruto walked up to the giant tiger and held his hand out in front of him.

"STAY! You no go!" Naruto said with a stern and determined voice. He straightened out his back and tried to look as big and domineering as possible.

Atlas lowered his face so he was eye level with Naruto.

"Boo!" Was all Atlas said and Naruto flew back and hid behind Dragon.

"A T-TALKING TIGER!"

"H...HOW!?"

"A refreshing change of pace, pranking someone instead of always getting pranked," Atlas said and stared at Naruto that was still freaking out.

"HOW CAN YOU TALK?"

"DAD, HOW CAN IT TALK?"

"It's not "it" Naruto. His name is Atlas." Gildarts said to the panicked boy.

"Sorry, sorry, how can Atlas talk?"

"It's not that weird. I'll tell you about it someday. Plus, you have a talking fox yourself."

"I have? Where?" Naruto calmed down and looked around the room for his own talking animal.

"I plan to tell you tomorrow. Now, go show them to the living quarters." Dragon gave Naruto a nudge.

"Okay, okay. Follow me!" Naruto started walking with quick steps and Gildarts and Sylvia followed while looking very amused after Naruto's little one-man show.

'Okay, now to go visit Hiruzen.' A wind gust appeared and Dragon's body disappeared with it.

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End