Library Secret

A week had gone by since his encounter with Gai and Ryu was definitely regretting asking for his help. His training had been hell, and the worst part of it all the Goken didn't for his body type like Lee's so Gai decided to focus on guiding Lee while Ryu built up his muscles in preparation for finding a style that suited him. Ryu asked him about a style that only used legs and Gai said he hadn't heard of it but didn't seem to like the idea because of how much fighters use their hands. 'It's like fighting handicapped when your already handicapped,' Gai said in relation to taijutsu specialists in the ninja world and even though I disagreed thinking about how strong Sanji was it had made since when he said it that way.

Now it was Friday and Ryu was on his way back to the orphanage to sleep off his tired muscles. When he walked through the door, he saw the matron sitting in a chair waiting for him with a scowl on her face. It surprised Ryu because he had never seen the matron mad at anybody before. Even when they broke something she'd just show a little sadness and smile and reassure the kids. The matron looked at him and said, "So how was your day?"

"It was fine?" Ryu asked confused on why she was mad at him.

"Made any new friends?" The matron asked and it hit me. There it was the general dislike for Naruto and anyone near him. Admittedly, the boys had become closer to the point where Naruto calls him Ryu-Nii. He enjoyed being around the little ball of sunshine and had taken to stealing food when no ones looking from breakfast and bringing it to him. Ryu calmed himself down and started thinking of what he would say. Finally he spoke and said, "Yes I made friends with two boys and a Jonin who wants to train me."

Now some might think that was just giving her an answer, but it has a double meaning to it as well. 'If you do anything to me, a Jonin will know.' He knew the matron caught when she paled for a second before schooling her expression. She looked at me and said, "Is one of those boys Naruto Uzumaki?"

"Yes." Ryu admitted without hesitation he knew if she was asking she already knew.

"I forbid you from seeing that child again." She said in a stern voice.

Ryu looked at here calmly and said, "And why is that?"

"That demon is an abomination and he will kill you if you start to trust him." She said with venom in her tone.

Ryu blinked and laughed, "You think Naruto the starving four year old is a demon? You must have a few screws lose. He's just a lonely kid like most orphans except he doesn't even have the orphanage to help him."

The matron looked at Ryu in anger and said, "It doesn't matter what you think I forbid you from seeing him again."

Ryu stopped laughing and a cold look appears on his face, "And what makes you think you can give me orders? Your not the boss of me and your certainly not my mother."

The matron was taken aback by that before a furious expression crossed her face, "As long as you live under this roof you'll do as I say."

"Well then, I guess I'm moving out." Ryu said just as cold as ever. He didn't like being forced to move out but he wouldn't be told who he couldn't see like a child, even though he currently is in the body of one.

"That's crazy, where will you go!?" The matron asked in disbelief.

"Who knows?" Ryu said as he gathered his things and started towards the door. Just as he was about to walk out the door he said, "Thank you for taking care of me until this point but I can't stay with a willing child abuser."

With that, Ryu walked out the door and left the matron gawking in the house. She couldn't believe what this child said to her after all the years of taking care of him. A small part of her felt guilty about being called a child abuser, but she squashed and went to bed. He'd be back, he was just throwing a tantrum. Where else could he go.

Ryu had left the orphanage and travelled to Naruto's secret hideout that he stays at when he gets locked out of his orphanage. He showed me it a while back and it was rather well made and even had two hand made sleeping bags even though he never had a use for it until now. As Ryu approached he saw Naruto just leaving the other orphanage and sighed. He spoke up once he was close and said, "Looks like we both need to use the hideout huh, Naruto?"

The whiskered boy jumped, not expecting anyone to be here so close to his secret place. He turned and saw Ryu with a napsack with all his things and asked, "What's going on Ryu-Nii, why are you here with all your stuff."

A smile came to his face when Naruto called him that and said, "They found out we were hanging out and forbid me from seeing you. I told her that I couldn't stay away from my little brother like that."

Naruto had tears in his eyes when he heard that and apologized all throughout the night. Ryu told him it was alright and he'd much rather stay with him. Once that was done they both unpacked Ryu's things and went to sleep.

The next morning came and Ryu had a couple things on his agenda. One, catch some fish for breakfast; Two, head to the library to find books on hunting, fishing, and a taijutsu style if he was lucky; and Three meet with Gai and explain that he wouldn't be able to meet him in the mornings anymore until Naruto could get foot for himself.

As he was sitting there mulling over the fish he just caught and cooked Naruto was bouncing off the walls and complimenting his food. Apparently, Ryu got some talent in cooking, might be in relation as to why he looks like Sanji. An idea came to Ryu's mind and he decided he might inquire about it. Naruto hasn't been introduced to Ichiraku's yet so maybe I can get a job with them to get some money for us. 'Thoughts for later,' Ryu supposed.

As he walked through Konoha he couldn't but he annoyed with the dirty looks that came his way. 'I guess word spreads fast around,' Ryu thought as he chuckled to himself.

He walked through the entrance to the library and after making a library card he got to searching for the thing he needed. He decided on two books called, "Trapmaking for Dummies" and "Fishing and You." Ryu looked all over and still couldn't find a taijutsu scroll, nothing seemed to stick out to him. All that was here were some civilian fighting styles that wouldn't be of much help and the crappy academy taijutsu. He sighed and was just about to leave when he tripped over someone's foot.

"Oof!"

"Watch where your going brat." A man said. Ryu looked up at the man who tripped him and noticed it was one of the few that shot him dirty looks outside on the streets. He must have followed him there just to mess with him. Ryu snarled at being pushed around by an adult and the man scoffed.

"What are you going to do sick your demon brat on me? Even if you did if there was a fight who do you think the council will believe me an upstanding citizen or you and that trash. I just came to tell you to watch your step you two aren't as safe as you might think." The man sneered before leaving.

Ryu knew this and decided to let him go. 'Soon,' he told himself, 'Soon I'll be able to protect both of us Naruto. I hope we can hold out that long together.'

As he was lost in thought he happened see that he knocked a baseboard off of a book shelf. "Oh great now the librarian will hate me as-" he never finished as he caught sight of a scroll laying underneath the bookshelf. He scrambled to get it and opened it to find a taijutsu style named, "Black Leg Style."

"Holy shit." Ryu couldn't believe his luck. No. Luck has nothing to do with it. When he reincarnated someone put this together and is having this happen. He doesn't believe he just so happened to look exactly like Sanji, have a talent for cooking, and just so happened to find his fighting style. There's nothing he can do, Ryu supposed as he collected the things to check out. He just had to go show it to Gai and get started training with it.

As he dropped of his things at his humble abode, ignoring the glares once more. He grabbed his scroll and headed off to meet up with Gai and Lee. He dragged Naruto with him so he could meet them as well, as he didn't have a lot of people who would be nice to him.

When the boys approached the green abominations, yes Lee started wearing a jumpsuit like Gais, they were currently in the middle of their afternoon workout. Gai noticed Ryu and was going to give him a youthful lecture on skipping training when he noticed Naruto standing their looking very shy. He smiled softly at Konoha's very own jinchuriki and decided against yelling in hopes to not scare him off.

"Ryu how could you miss such a youthful morning workout, I hope your not picking up traits from my eternal rival!" Gai stated passionately.

"No Gai-Sensei, I was kicked out of the orphanage last night and had to spend the morning helping Naruto catch fish since he is used to me sneaking him food." Ryu said calmly, while Naruto looked at him like he was crazy for even knowing this weirdo.

Gai frowned at that, he knew that Naruto had it rough around here, but to not even be able to get proper food was atrocious. He could tell the boys weren't lying because he could see Naruto's frame was very underdeveloped. Alas, their was nothing he could do, the council forbid any ninja frkm showing the slightest support or it would be seen as treason. The Hokage almost killed them for it but couldn't change a vote when all of them voted in favor. Of course the shinobi council thought differently but couldn't help when the civilian side voted unanimously. From he was picking up, young Ryu befriended young Naruto and was kicked out of the orphanage for it. 'Truly he is in the springtime of youth,' Gai thought as he fought back his manly tears.

"Yosh! I am the Great Green Beast Might Gai, it is a pleasure to meet your acquaintance young Naruto." Gai said with his trademark grin and thumbs-up.

"Yo, bushy-brows." Naruto said a little scared of the two.

"Gah, such a youthful nickname. Lee we will be increasing our workout from 2000 push-ups to 5000!" Gai said in urgency.

"Yes! Gai-Sensei!" Lee said before doubling his pace.

"Ryu-Nii is this really the strong guy you were talking about?" Naruto asked in confusion.

"Trust me Naruto all strong ninja are weird in some way or another." Ryu said shaking his head before he continued saying, "But they are also the most loyal friends you could have."

Naruto smiled at his brothers happiness and decided to give them a chance if Ryu thinks he should.

"Anyway Gai-Sensei, I found a style that will fit me, and I thought you would want to take a look at it before I get started with it," Ryu said. Naturally this caught Gai's attention and he decided to take a look. Inside the scroll was a couple paragraphs describing the style and how it works. As Gai read he couldn't help but feel doubtful, I mean a style that cooks use. How good could it be.

Gai poured chakra into the scroll and when he did a huge *POOF* was heard and multiple thing were lied at their feet. To the right, recipes upon recipes liedstacked against each other. In the middle were four journals that guided you through the style and how to approach and when to move to the next part. On the right, leg weights galore surrounded them as they seemed to increase in strength.

Gai was surprised that such a style would have such heavy weights as he picked up the first part and flipped through it. He gasped at the amount of leg strength was needed to even attempt this type. One thing he knew, was that his second apprentice had struck gold with this style and he couldn't be happier for him. He was starting to feel guilty like he was favoring one student for another but no matter what he did he couldn't help that the style didn't fit him.

Gai smiling brightly thinking if Ryu mastered this style he'd be incredibly strong. Gai turned back and grinned, "Let's fan our flames of youth!"

Lee cheered, Ryu chuckled, and Naruto paled as they started their exercise.