High Seas Application

[Name]: Nat
[Age]: 29/30 (depends on when you read this)
[Contacts]:
♦ DW: Akichan
♦ AIM: Graceful Otaku
♦ Plurk: Ammeschan
[Timezone]: EST
[Other Characters]:
Clementine, Natsuno Yuuki/Koide, Roxas, Hachiken Yugo


[Name]: Uzumaki Naruto
[Canon]: Naruto
[Age]: 16
[Gender]: Male
[Canon Point]: End of chapter 654.

[History]: A ninja's history is top secret. Except Naruto's.

[Personality]:
To begin with, Naruto has a great deal of personality traits. He has a hair-trigger temper he never quite grows out of, he has a charisma that draws people to him with a friendly smile. If you don't like him, he will fight to make sure you do. He's tenacious, determined and unable to give up if it killed him. He has a language quirk that when he speaks quickly, casually he offen uses 'dattebayo' or 'ttebayo, later, a trait he inherited from his mother, Kushina, who used to say 'dattebane'. No matter what the situation seeming impossible, he will persevere. He is the first person in a long time to learn the names of the bijuu (tailed beasts), and he's the kind of person they actually feel confident in. Even if most people see them as a burden, he wants to befriend them. He's generally cheerful, to a grating point, and in his youth actively railed against sadness, but since facing his other half he has accepted that it's part of him too, although that's not something he dwells on. Naruto can also be very serious when the situation calls for it, having learned when it's time for play and when it isn't. His experiences have made him a strong person, and as proven in the war, the makings of a true leader. He's held steadfast to his dream of being Hokage since he was a child. His personal way of the ninja involves not going back on his word - such as promising to bring Sasuke back to Konoha, a promise he made to Sakura, and he is determined to fulfill it.

Naruto's personality has changed a lot over the course of the series. At the beginning he was a loud, annoying prankster who wanted nothing more than to get attention that he was so desperately in need of. Good or bad, as long as someone was acknowledging his existence it didn't matter. Despite the village actively working against his dreams, he became a ninja at the age of twelve, something that made him very happy and stuck him with Sasuke Uchiha, Sakura Haruno and Hatake Kakashi as part of Team Seven.

The balance between ninja and troublemaker was hard to overcome. He wasn't as skilled as Sasuke, or as smart as Sakura and for the longest time he felt like he was dead weight to the team. It didn't help that they agreed. The dynamic really didn't change until the Chuunin Exam. Most of the people in Naruto's class (excluding Hinata) regarded him as a useless screw up who somehow scraped by, however in the exam he goes on to prove his worth with a tenacity unmatched. His fights were a combination of tricks and luck, but he managed to impress the ninja coming in as an underdog and leaving one of the top fighters. The tournament is interrupted by the invasion of the Sound, where Naruto played a key role in rescuing Sasuke and Sakura, finally able to demonstrate that he's learned a few tricks by taking on Gaara and Shuukaku and winning where Sasuke did not.

The break between fights in the exam was a callback to his precarious situation in town outside the ranks of Team Seven. Kakashi refused to train him, preferring to focus on Sasuke instead and Ebisu was assigned to him. Resentful and bitter, he childishly rebuffs him initially but when they get down to it his difficulty in controlling his chakra makes him seem right. Fortunately he encounters Jiraiya who fixes the problem and takes care of teaching him to summon. Because Naruto doesn't learn well academically, he literally threw him off a cliff. His power and strength call on Gamabunta who, angry he's been summoned, gives Naruto a hard time but he hangs onto him until the sun sets, winning his respect.

One of the most significant events of his life was when Sasuke left Konoha. Naruto didn't care why or how but he insisted on chasing him down. The battle in the Valley of the End was vicious for both of them. Naruto took Sasuke's words to heart that he couldn't understand what it was like to lose family, because he couldn't. He'd never had one. Ultimately losing the fight and the fight for Sasuke's soul, the fact he'd nearly been killed by the other meant nothing. Saving Sasuke from himself was paramount.

Over the course of three years, he trained daily with Jiraiya, taking a trip around the country. The bond he formed with Jiraiya was one closer than ever before to being a relative, even moreso than Iruka. He worked very hard and learned whatever he could. He returned older, slightly more mature and a little more hotheaded. Although he still fools around and teases Sakura, or plays with Konohamaru, he has grown into a much more serious ninja. Upon learning he's the last of his class - aside from Sasuke - to become a genin, he pouts a little, but he seems sincerely happy for all of his friends.

A new Team Seven is formed with Sai, someone he openly dislikes, mostly for not being Sasuke. It's a flash of immaturity that he cannot accept that they are going to move forward without him, and when they encounter him again, it makes him angry and annoyed. Sasuke is dismissive of his quest to save him, but that doesn't deter him in the least. He will spend as much time as possible searching for him to drag him home.

The next significant shift in his personality came when Jiraiya was killed in battle. Naruto found himself with more grief than he had dealt with before. It dampened his usual cheerfulness as he wallowed in a dark place, crying for one of the few times since his childhood. It was Shikamaru that pulled him out of it by reminding him that Jiraiya has left him with a great deal of information and duties to carry forth and he agreed with a smile and a solemn unspoken vow that this was the case. From then on Naruto seemed to be much more serious, albeit just as friendly as ever.

That love for Jiraiya led to anger, which he took out on Pain. Although he has often felt angry at one time or another, and he has felt hatred towards the villagers who shunned him, when he encountered his dark half at the waterfall, he was forced to let go of all of these negative feelings, cleansing his soul clean so he could be united with Kurama. When he learned the war had started without him and he and Killer Bee were being kept away on purpose, the two of them broke out together.

Naruto used his new skills to aid as many people as possible and has been a real anchor in the war. Surprising many, he's easily been able to lead people and when he's around people seem to want to help him because he just tries so hard. When Sasuke returns to them, joining the fray, he just smirks and tells him he's fashionably late, accepting his presence without a thought - although there's no way he's letting him become Hokage. Team Seven is reunited and it feels like everything has fallen into place, with a common enemy to be defeated.

What has the most effect on Naruto's personality really is his relationships with other people. Naruto is friendly, despite whatever he's been dragged through, and he craves friends and comarades to mend his broken heart. To this end, he befriends anyone who will let him which has been a slow upward battle. The first person he swayed was Umino Iruka, their teacher. He regards Iruka as something of an older brother, someone he can get advice from and rely on, someone who treats him to ramen on occasion and someone he cares very deeply for. When he faced his dark side, something he had to vanquish to tame Kurama, it is Iruka who he recalls most fondly. Killer Bee noted that Iruka's influence is all over Naruto's heart to this day and those treasured words where he distinguished the boy from the beast inside him are well engraved. It meant the world to him that Iruka dismissed that he was just the nine-tailed demon fox.

His next bonds came from Team Seven. With Sakura and Sasuke he learned what having friends was like (even if Sasuke would never admit it) and they had each other's backs despite whatever rivalries were in existence. He was also desperate for Kakashi to take an interest in him, and it wasn't until he returned from training with Jiraiya that he did. He regards Kakashi as a mentor, and a teacher at first but now he regards him as an equal. When he was younger, and even until recently he had a crush on Sakura, but he knows that she would never return his feelings and when she offers to do so in a bid to take him home, to stop him from chasing down Sasuke, he is disgusted at the suggestion. He is fine with a small unrequited crush that seems to have faded into a deep friendship. Sasuke however has been at the forefront of his mind for years now. Losing Sasuke was a devistating blow and he has made it his mission to talk him into coming back to Konoha. With their reunion in the war, he is hopeful this will actually happen.

His relationship with Yamato and Sai is less deep than the original Team Seven and he didn't care for Sai much at all, at first. Yamato was someone who was brought in to keep the kyuubi under control, but through missions together, Naruto managed to make friends of both of them, enough that Sai isn't willing to go back to Root. Naruto teaches him what it's like to have friends and although they are not the original Team Seven, they wind up working well together in the end.

Naruto is now friends with all of his peers from his class, and a few older students as well. Hinata always accepted and adored him with a deep crush, one he was completely blind to and sadly, doesn't seem to reciprocate. He finds Shino broody and serious, but considers him a friend. Kiba is a rival who used to cause mischief with him when they were children. Chouji was one of his peers as a child and Ino was always one of the girls that didn't like him. However, since coming back he's gotten along very well with everyone. Shikamaru is probably his best friend in Konoha aside from Sasuke. It's Shikamaru that pulls him out of his deep depression after Jiraiya's death and he's always been friendly enough, just lazy, but now they've worked together a few times and there's genuine camaraderie between them. He also shared a well-developed friendship with Neiji Hyuuga after defeating him in the Chuunin Exam, mostly born out of mutual respect.

Konohamaru. Konohamaru is Naruto's very own protege. When they met, Naruto was twelve and he originally didn't care for him, but his admiration of Naruto led him to be easily swayed. Naruto taught him his Sexy jutsu, where he transforms into a nude woman. Most of their relationship has been a silly rivalry and fooling around, but in reality a some point Naruto taught him his favourite techniques, Kage Bunshin and the Rasengan. Konohamaru is the little brother he never had, and Naruto seems eager to share his knowledge with him.

Jiraiya became perhaps the most influential person in Naruto's life. Naruto looked up to him for his skills, but wasn't afraid to critisize him for his perverted ways, something that while he's been known to indulge in from time to tome, hasn't completely rubbed off on him. Bonding with him for three years and later learning just who Jiraiya is to him, his godfather, he appreciates the time they had together all the more. It's because of him that Naruto got his name, because his father liked the book so much, a book that Naruto treasures now. "The Tale Of The Gutsy Ninja". None of his other books appeal to him, as Naruto isn't interested in reading smut, nor does he see the appeal. He's most like a father figure to him, he learned a lot from him about everything Jiraiya could teach him. Naruto misses him a great deal.

Throughout his story, he befriends two other Jinchuriki - Gaara of the Desert and Killer Bee. After defeating Gaara during the attack on Konoha, he left words with him that really changed him at the core and when they met again, they met as friends. Naruto considers the Kazekage one of his very best friends, and one of his firsts. He sees Gaara as what he could have been without Irkua and Team Seven, and he worked hard to save him from his self-imposed fate. Killer Bee was different, he's a lot older and a well seasoned and more experienced Jinchuriki. He never really saw him as a teacher though, but a comrade. Around Killer Bee, he picks up his annoying rap quirk (with a heavy dose of 'dattebayo's) much to Yamato's exasperation. Killer Bee is the one who helped him tame Kurama, and remains his partner in the war. They are the last two Jinchuriki.

At this point in his canon, he has met all the other bijuu. It began with Son Goku, the four-tailed monkey, and it was through helping him that he demonstrated a genuine desire to save them from the terrible fate that Obito and Madara had in store for them. It was Son Goku who told the other beasts to offer their trust to Naruto, with the biggest gesture they could manage, giving him their names. Naruto takes the information from them proudly and hopes they can all be friends in the future. Most notably, of course, is Kurama, the nine-tailed fox contained within him. At the beginning, he was unaware of him, and when he became aware of him, Naruto was afraid. There have been times where he's wished to be rid of that power, simply because it seemed so evil, and that he could lose himself to Kurama. He wasn't wrong, but through their struggles together, and with Kushina's help, he tamed the nine-tails. It was during the battle, and after impressing Son Goku that Kurama offered his assistance properly. More then that, Naruto opened the seal and informed him he was not some demon beast anymore, but his companion and comrade. However Kurama feels about Naruto, he seems to be warming up to him, at least in the short term. Naruto has complete trust and faith that Kurama will no longer betray him and that they are equal partners in a two man cell. This friendship has come with a price, in that Kurama now speaks to him more frequently, much like Gyuki does with Killer Bee. The connection he made with Kurama allows him to speak to the other tailed beasts, just like he had done with Gyuki, but on a different plane of consciousness.

[Abilities / Strengths & Weaknesses]:

Naruto has a wide range of abilities. When it comes to genjutsu, he has no skill whatsoever. Jiraiya taught him how to dispel illusions but he has very little skill in this area, and he's been caught in illusions in the past, it would be a weakness for him.

 

With taijutsu, which is hand to hand combat, he is average. His skills were poor in the Academy, but after seeing Rock Lee and Sasuke, he even copied one of Sasuke's moves with his clones, the 'Uzumaki Naruto Rendan'. Mostly, he can hold his own but if he were limited to taijutsu, he would ultimately lose against a master.

 

Ninjutsu is mostly what Naruto was known for at first, namely his Kage Bunshin technique which allows for solid versions of clones. Thanks to his high level of chakra, he is able to learn techniques beyond his level, even back when he was young. The clones are still a favoured technique, used in the ridiculous pranks from Sexy no Jutsu, or the most important training when he learns to utilize his wind affinity. Once this training trick is discovered, he begins to utilize it frequently. He also uses the summoning technique - he has a contract with the toads of Mount Myobuku. While Jiraiya often called on Gamabunta, and Gamabunta respects Naruto, the one who often answers his call is Gamakichi. 

 

His initial ultimate move was the Rasengan, which he has since reshaped and re-manipulated it into larger versions like the Big Ball Rasengan, or the Ultra Big Ball Rasengan.  He always makes with a clone, unless he's using Kurama's powers, or Senjutsu can he do it himself. With his affinity to wind, he creats the Rasenshuriken - his very first jutsu he created himself.  It is created with the assistance of two clones and thrown at the target, creating a myriad of cuts at a cellular level.  He collaborates his wind skill with Sasuke's fire skills for a devastating attack during the war. 

 

When Jiraiya dies, Naruto learns Senjutu, which permits him 'Sage Mode'. His physical appearance changes, his eyes change to that of a toad's and the eyelids are orange. Doing this requires complete calm to attune himself with nature, in that Naruto is unable to move. This is difficult to achieve in combat. He sometimes uses clones to gather the energy, to  a maximum of five on reserve. His speed, strength and durability all increase dramatically, as well as he can use the Frog Kata, a method of taijutsu fighting taught to him by the toads. He gains sensing abilities - chakras, familiar and unfamiliar, as well as how an enemy may move. Combining this with Kurama's help allows him to gather energy much quicker. 

 

He also has limited abilities with seals, at least, he's familiar with the seal on his abdomen and the key to open it.  Naruto tends to be well armed with shuriken and kunai, including spring loaded kunai up his sleeves. 

 

The last set of skills unique to Naruto are the Jinchuriki transformations.  Naruto has achieved and has access to several degrees of transformation.  In the initial stage, Naruto's chakra flares red and his fingers extend into claws, his eyes changing red and the whiskers on his cheeks darkening. He can push his chakra around in little shockwaves.

 

The first version of transformation is the cloak stage, where demonic chakra bubbles up and covers Naruto in a cloak. The chakra cloak includes the ears of Kurama and the number of tails depends on the strength and in Naruto's case, control. In the past growing more than three tails has caused Kurama to take control of his body, however this should no longer happen. In recent uses, he's transferred the cloak to allies, to offer them protection and strength as well as allow them the benefits of increased chakra. It would also allow for quick healing. 

 

The second version is a darker red, more menacing version of a cloak. Naruto's transformation includes a skeletal look. He entered this mode through loss of temper, but hasn't done it in awhile, and it's unlikely he would bother with it now.

 

The third version is the Tailed Beast Transformation.  This would create a full scale replica of Kurama with Naruto at the helm. For him, it's an orange, translucent form, but just as devastating as the other jinchuriki. It gives Naruto access to all of Kurama's powers, including the Tailed Beast Ball.  In this form, control can be passed to Kurama, something Naruto has done when necessary. This form can also be combined with Senjutsu, which gives the same odd appearance the the beast's eyes.

 

Finally there's the Nine-Tails Chakra Mode. Like Sage Mode, it's another form Naruto can take where he glows a brilliant fiery orange. In fact the chakra is bright enough he looks like he's on fire. The shroud includes magatama, the Uzumaki symbol on his mid-chest and various black lines and patterns. These patterns change, depending on if he is in Tailed Beast Mode or not.  Naruto's speed is so great in this form, that Killer Bee wasn't sure if he was using his father's flicker technique.  Like the other cloaks, the chakra can be manipulated into extra limbs, or things of that nature. He gains the ability to sense negative emotions, a gift from Kurama, regardless of the distance.  When in Tailed Beast Mode, with this chakra mode, his appearance changes once more, opening to be a large haori instead of his usual coat, the magatama splitting up to either side of the collar. The shroud is not unlike his father's haori and a startled Kakashi looking at his back first mistook him for Minato. He can combine this with Sage Mode, making his frog eyes notably have plus signs in them instead of the horizontal line that usually makes up his pupil. 
 

[Limited Powers]:

Naruto is very powerful and limits are necessary. Rather then limit him completely, I'd like to propose instead limiting perhaps the scope of some of what he can do.

 

When it comes to summons, I would propose limiting him to just Gamakichi. Gamakichi is a huge toad, but perhaps he could be a little smaller, somewhere in the ship sized range.  This would limit his jumping ability and ensure he couldn't just ride the toad from island to island. I'd also like to propose a ten minute limit on his summon. 

 

No Big Ball Rasengans, the original and Rasenshuriken would be doing enough damage. The Rasenshuriken would be the same size as the Rasengan, enough to take out 1-2 people as opposed to armies of them, and would still allow him to work together with Sasuke should the need arise.

 

Originally Naruto had a five minute limit for Senjutsu transformation, and I'd like to keep that as a guideline. He could have a limit of five transformations per day. 

 

Although in canon Naruto shares his cloak with the entire shinobi alliance, that would be somewhere on the ridiculous side, and I would say perhaps he can push it to five people at a time. One of them would have to lose it for him to offer strength to the next person. 

 

I'd be fine with no Tailed Beast Transformation. That would just be devastating to the world, however I would like him to retain his Tailed Beast Mode that he uses with his Chakra mode, just no Kurama replicas.
 

[Other Important Facts]:

Both Gamakichi and Kurama are sentient beings that talk, although aside from a stray thought from Kurama, no one else is likely to hear him. Gamakichi's personality is to tease Naruto lightly, usually because he'll say something silly like commenting on how big the toad has gotten since he saw him last. Kurama has become grudgingly friendly with Naruto and appreciates the respect he's been shown during this war.

 

Naruto's seal is open at this time and Kurama is technically free.
 

[Samples]:
♦ Thread: Sasuke 1, Sasuke 2, Alex Tate , Test Sail Thread
♦ Post:
[Voice/Written Post]

[The sound of canon fire pierces the air, the sounds of a battle is going on behind. People groaning, screaming in agony, and Naruto huffs and grabs the journal.]

I know things don't look good right now, but you have to hang in there! You have to protect all your friends on your crews. You can't lose here, it's not an option-ttebayo!

I, Uzumaki Naruto am going to protect you and make sure none of my new friends die. That's my promise!

You don't want these people, these Navy guys attacking us to get away with hurting your friends, your family right? So you need to calm down and think this through, then you need to get your damn minds in the game and stand your ground, dattebayo!

[There's the sound of another canon, the crack of the wood splintering where the ball hits the ship.]

Stop shooting those balls at our ship! Kage Bunshin!

[There's a soft thud as the book hits the deck and then in the distance there's a shout from Naruto.] Rasenshuriken!

[There's a pause and a few footsteps before Naruto comes back.]

We can do this. I've got all your backs.

[With a flourish, Naruto signs his name before closing the journal and heading out to battle.]