"Well, when he's not bitching about how much he hates all humans, we talk about how disappointedly weak I am, or girls."
"...girls," both men repeat, surprised to hear any interest to the demon beast, let alone girls. However, with red cheeks, both highly observant males can effortlessly picture how any angle of a seductive and shapely woman holds the power to easily break down seemingly insurmountable barriers.
"...Yeah," Naruto slowly answers, staring curiously at the deeply pensive adults. "But that's private so I don't want to say anymore."
Clearing his throat and his thoughts, Sarutobi asks, "is it possible you could tame the beast?" Though Kakashi understands how beneficial to the village having a Jinchūriki on the capability of Killer Bee can be, he can only imagine a much darker path for Naruto than he would like.
Naruto quickly asserts, "nope! I mean, no more than you can tame a person."
"Is it possible you can convince it to cooperative with Konoha," Hiruzen then asks.
"I don't know, I never asked," Naruto shrugs as if he doesn't even care to. "It doesn't really feel right to push like that. I don't want him to think I'm just using him for his chakra."
'Again with the 'him,'' Kakashi mentally notes.
"I can't even describe how thoroughly impressed I am, Naruto-kun," Hiruzen proclaims. "None of your formidable predecessors have ever conversed with the Kyūbi, let alone made use of its chakra in a combat situation."
"Yeah, well, you never know what tomorrow will bring," Naruto tells them. "You have to be ready for anything, right Ji-chan?"
"Very wise words," the elder agrees with a proud smile. "I think I've learned all I needed, Naruto-kun. I'd appreciate it if you spoke with me or your sensei after any future conversations you might have with the Kyūbi."
"Sure," Naruto answers before the clone dispels in a thick puff of white smoke.
Hiruzen's very strong and disapproving eyes finally land on a very rigid Kakashi. The elder's stern and powerful voice asserts, "since you were a boy, you've never failed an assignment within reason. You may have erred, as we all have, but never failed in a thing you've set your mind and considerable talents to. You are a man, grown, Kakashi-kun, and now you are failing.
At this very moment, you are failing your students, you're failing yourself, and you're failing me, which means you are failing your village."
Shamed to the point he can't take a breath as his chest is so tight, an ashamed Kakashi weakly responds, "Hai... Hokage-sama."
"This is a first for us both, as I never expected to have a conversation such as this with you," Hiruzen sadly observes. "However, these missteps do not have to mean our defeat. You must do things differently, Kakashi-kun, beginning with a closer association to the living.
Aside from the thrill of standing between two of the most prominent avenues her young life is more than capable of traveling, she also feels solace by her acceptance of it all, and ultimately, is in no hurry to change a thing.
Kurenai is so staggered by this monumental self-revelation, she nearly misses Asuma ask, "how about we celebrate? I don't have to meet my team until later. How about a celebratory drink?"
Surprised by the proximity of her former boyfriend asking her out as her bored lover watches patiently, Kurenai says in a slightly elevated tone, "uh, actually, I need to speak with Naruto, so, now isn't ideal for me."
"I can wait," Asuma shrugs casually.
"It'll take some time," Kurenai explains, feeling her armpits prickle in rising body heat. "I wouldn't want to keep you."
"I've got nothing better to do," Asuma voices assuredly. "It's one drink. It'll help distract me from a celebratory smoke."
"I only mean to say, if you did have something else, I wouldn't want to keep you," Kurenai clumsily tries to kindly rebuff his invitation, an action she never thought she'd ever do to Asuma.
"Yeesh, it's one drink, Kurenai-chan," a clueless Naruto phrases with a bored look upon his face, as if he's completely unaware of her personal romantic history with Asuma. 'Which of course, he doesn't know,' she thinks with inward agitation as Naruto adds, "the man's practically begging."
Slightly embarrassed, Asuma huffs, "I wouldn't say begging," as Kurenai weakly answers, "okay," with a roll of her eyes. Any more dismissals and it would've been awkward. Additionally, it isn't as if they don't need to have a frank conversation in the not-so-distant future. Life couldn't have given her a clearer sign to pick an avenue.
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