She saved him. He was to investigate the strange ship attacks in The Land of the Waves, a mission given to him by his mission leader, Anko Mitarashi. However, things didn't go as planed. In an ambush he was badly injured and was thrown into the raging sea waters. He would drown, he knew it. He couldn't move a muscle and there was no way anybody would be able to fish him out in such an awful weather. Not to mention nobody really knew about him. And those that did wouldn't start looking for him at least for another day. He would drown, he was certain of it.
In his last moments he thought about his life he hand in the village of Konohagakure. He had friends, but truth be told he felt lonely and abandoned still. His best friend left the village for the pursue of power, his other supposed 'friend' usually disregarded him, even abused him, really. Sakura really wasn't very nice. Certainly not him. To good looking guys like Sasuke yes, but not monsters like him. She didn't even understand what she was saying and why he was so hated. As for others, well, they too overlooked him for a long time, no matter what he did and how well he did at the academy. Oh yes, he was a very good and intelligent student, a genius even, but never enough to be noticed or just appreciated.
He felt so alone. His mask of happiness and constant optimism was only that, a mask. Nobody knew how he truly felt. Nobody could even imagine it. That is until he met a certain redhead from Sunagakure who, like him, had a demon sealed inside him. Only he could truly understand how he felt. That awful pain and loneliness. Yet Naruto never understood him. Why had he gone down the road he did? Why did he only want to fight for himself and cause more pain? Yes, Naruto himself wanted to hurt the villagers many times for hurting and ostracising him, but ultimately never did. If there was anything he truly wanted it was to leave the village. Leave and start a new life for himself.
And he almost did, had it not been for the business with Sasuke. Alone he'd never be able to rescue his friend from the clutches of darkness. Or perhaps he should have believed more in himself? Perhaps, but now it was far too late. Now he would die in this raging sea.
Closing him eyes he accepted his fate, there was no way for him get out. He had no energy, and even if he had he couldn't move. His body was just too broken now.
His lungs burned and he couldn't hold his breath any longer. Letting it out he inhaled water, which felt like his lungs were set on fire. Drowning was not what people once told him. It didn't feel like falling asleep in a blanket of water. No, it hurt. It hurt more than anything he ever experienced. His chest felt like it was burning and being torn apart at the same time.
Then it stopped. A strange and sudden feeling of calmness and tranquillity overcame him. The slow loss of consciousness.
Before he passed out completely he felt like hands just grabbed him, but surely that was just his mind playing a last trick before darkness swallowed him.
Strangely enough the feeling in his body slowly returned, and everything was hurting. However, he didn't have the strength to do anything about it. He was glad he was able to open his eyes. Looking up he saw a ceiling. An actual ceiling of a building. He was somewhere inside somebody's home. Did somebody actually rescue him, or was this another trick of his dying brain?
Slowly looking around he saw a girl of about his own age tending to him. She was most peculiar. She had bandages on various parts of her body. But that was not the most peculiar feature of hers. No, that were her eyes. She had the same eyes he did. Eyes that spoke of immense pain, betrayal and loneliness. Something terrible has happened to this girl. Her eyes were so sad he could almost feel her pain himself. He knew it so well.
He wanted to know who his saviour was. He wanted to hear her name, her voice. Perhaps even ask what had happened to her and trade stories. Perhaps he could be her friend. Be somebody for her, so she wouldn't be so lonely like himself. He attempted to speak, but nothing came out of his mouth, although it did catch the girl's attention.
"Don't try to speak." She put a hand on his forehead. "You are in a bad condition. I'll do what I can, but you need a lot of rest." She then put a wet cloth on his forehead.
He still wanted to speak to her, at least a bit, just to learn what happened and how she was to save him, but it was too much for him, he couldn't. And soon enough unconsciousness took over once again.
Over the course of a week the girl, with the help if his enhanced regeneration, nursed him back to health best to her abilities, although he still required then the attention of their team's medic ninja, once he returned to them.
Over the course of these days he learned a lot about her. For starters her name was Isaribi and she lived alone farther away from the small town. She lived away from everybody else because people hated her for some unknown reason to him. It made him mad and sad at the same time. It was exactly how he used to be treated in Konoha. And to be honest if he hadn't grown stronger than them they might still have picked on him, even if he saved their hides more than once.
Now, a couple days later, that he could walk he was with Isaribi in the village for shopping, hobbling alongside her on the crutches she made for him.
Looking around he could see people getting out of their way, children running away, and windows closing. It was as if they had the plague and the villagers wanted to save themselves from them.
Naruto scowled. 'It's no different from how they treated me!' He thought angrily.
When they bough stuff they were served as fast as possible and then ushered away with nasty looks following them both.
Isaribi walked slower than usual as she was slowing down to allow Naruto to keep up. This allowed the villagers to hate on her, as several of them started calling her names and telling her to get the hell out. From behind a corner a boy stepped out and threw a stone at her and hitting her in shoulder.
Isaribi let go of her shopping and it fell to the ground.
"Hey!" Naruto yelled at the kid, but that was all he could do as he was way too slow on his crutches. The boy only made a rude face at him and then ran away laughing.
Gripping his crutches tightly with anger he yelled at the people. "What the hell is wrong with you?! What did Isaribi ever do to you?!"
"She's a demon child!" Called one woman, stunning Naruto. This was what his own villagers called him. Demon child. A label for a monster.
Naruto took a step towards them only to be stopped by the girl. Looking at her he could see pain in her eyes, but also strength. "Don't." She said simply, then picked her shoppin upand started walking again.
Throwing the villagers a last dirty look he followed her.
Usually Isaribi barely spoke. Not that he minded that. He gladly sat with her in silence, just not to bother her. And even through her silence he learned a lot about her. She said she didn't care how the villagers treated her, but it was obvious to him it affected her deeply. He could see it in her eyes. He wished deeply he could alleviate the pain in any way.
And through these days he felt closer and closer to her and he wished he could make her smile.
Now he stood next to her, the supposed monster he was to find. So that's what she was hiding beneath the bandages. She was hiding fishy scales, remnants of her hybrid form, which remained when she transformed back. If she knew just how much he truly could understand her. After all he too was marked for life.
Amachi, the man who did this to her laughed. "Now you see? She is nothing more than a monster! The very same monster that sank all those ships and murdered their crews!" He cackled some more. "I wonder what you'll do, Naruto, now that you see her true face."
"Do you really believe I care for a few scales?" Naruto cocked his head to the side. "What I truly care about is Isaribi's heart, and I know for a fact that no matter what she did it is pure."
"A pure heart?" The scientist cackled again. "A monster like that has no heart!"
"That's where you're wrong, I have seen it and felt it first hand." The boy smiled at the girl.
"How can you say that now that you see what I truly am?! What I have done?!" Isaribi demanded.
"It's not the outside that matters, but the inside." The blond told her, touching his fist to his heart. "And also….I know how much it hurts you."
"Oh how touching." Amachi sneered. "Whatever really, it's not like I need you any more, Isaribi."
"What do you mean?" The girl asked.
"You're a failure and I was a fool to keep a failed experiment like you around." He laughed at her horror-struck expression. "Oh yes, you're nothing but a failed experiment of mine. An experiment I should have disposed off long ago."
"You could have given her her human form back at any time, couldn't you?" Naruto asked, his fists clenched.
"Of course I could." He smirked at the broken girl. "But why would I? Isaribi is nothing more than a thing to me. Although a useful tool till now." He laughed. "But now I don't need her any more now that I finished my research." He then proceeded to change into a fish-man hybrid. "You see?!" Amachi yelled. "I'm a perfect being now!" He then shot a torrent of water at Isaribi.
In a flash Naruto was in front of her and shielded her form the force of the attack with his own body. It wasn't a strong attack and didn't hurt him much. Obviously it was meant more to further cripple Isaribi's spirit. And although the attack never connected it worked, as Isaribi fell to her knees, tears in her eyes.
"Why? Why did you protect me?" She asked, tears now freely flowing.
"Because you're important to me and I don't care how you look like. You're still Isaribi no matter what! And I will protect you!" My anger was rising. Anger at the man who hurt Isaribi. Anger at what she had to go through, never being in control, so much like him. Slowly his anger consumed him and he could feel a great power growing inside him.
Naruto found himself once again in a high ceilinged, murky corridor, with water everywhere. As he progressed father down into the bowels of the place he found himself in a vast room.
Clenching his fists as he entered he looked around. The room hadn't changed since he was here last, and the same malicious aura could be felt from afar.
At the other side of the room was a massive, sealed gate. Swallowing hard he approached. Everything beyond the gate was dark and he could see nothing but the eyes. Two huge, red eyes, both watching him as he came closer. The eyes of the nine-tailed fox demon that was sealed inside him when he was born.
"Naruto." The fox spoke slowly, a grin forming on its face. "Did you come for my power?"
Naruto said nothing.
The fox's smile grew wider. "Yes, you did. Who do you want to me to destroy for you?"
"I don't want to destroy." Naruto answered calmly. "I want your power to protect Isaribi."
The fox's grin never wavered. It grew bigger, until it seemed like the fox was grinning from ear to ear. "Wonderful." Naruto didn't know what the demon meant, but it couldn't have been anything good.
Naruto came closer to the massive gates that held the fox at bay. What a strange creature the fox was, and similar to him.
Then red chakra started leaking through the bars of the gates and started swirling around Naruto. The boy could feel the immense power and how malicious it truly was.
Those observing could feel a sudden surge of power from the blond teen. Crimson chakra surrounded him and he got a feral look. His hair became more spiky and wild. His eyes turned blood red with slanted pupils. His lips became almost black and his teeth grew, making them sharp fangs. His nails too grew, becoming claws.
"What's going on? What is this power?!" Amachi wondered, fear growing inside him. The boy's aura felt so heavy and menacing.
"What is this?" Isaribi too wondered what was happening.
"He's a monster." Isaribi turned to the voice next to her. She saw a woman with purple hair wearing a brown coat kneeling next to her. "You see, when Naruto was a mere infant a nine-tailed fox was sealed inside of him. A very powerful demon." The ninja began the tale. "From that day on Naruto was hated by everybody in the village just because of that demon inside him, not because of who he was." Anko continued. "It was terrible! People attacked and injured him often. Nearly even killed him. All because of something he never had any control over. He knows exactly how you feel." She looked the girl in the eye.
"So….so it was true…." More tears came. "He knew…."
"Yes, he did." Said Anko gently. "He has fought prejudice and hate all his life and yet he always remained strong and true to himself." Her face then became serious. "And to make matters worse, there is a group hunting him for the demon her harbours."
They both turned to Naruto, who went on all four, the red chakra slowly taking shape. After a few moments they recognised it as a fox. A fox with a single tail.
Naruto snarled at the scientist in front of him.
Isaribi felt a chill run down her spine. This form was terrifying, and in no way it was the gentle boy she got to know.
There was an explosion of water as Naruto charged Amachi. The man tried several water bullets, but they did nothing at all to the charging boy.
In a flash Naruto was in front of the scientist and delivered a strong punch to them man, sending him flying. Then when Amachi was regaining his footing Naruto was behind him and with a massive kick send him soaring into the sky.
Once in the air Naruto used his speed to keep the man there while at the same time delivering dozens of punches and kicks to him. When he was done he took him by the ankles and threw him at the tiny island where Isaribi stood.
Amachi landed with a sickening crunch, his body broken by the pummelling delivered by the berserker boy.
Naruto roared in anger and hatred, sending waves of power off of him, disturbing the peaceful seas and sending high waves rocketing in all directions. He wasn't done yet. No, he wanted to destroy that man who hurt Isaribi. Slowly he approached him.
Amachi could feel nothing but terror. That boy hadn't merely defeated him, he crushed him and there was nothing he could do. Now the boy was approaching him, his eyes promising nothing but a painful death and he could do nothing about it, not with his broken body.
As the boy approached he whimpered in fear and tried begging, but the boy showed no indication he cared, or even heard him. Crying and whimpering he awaited his death. He even wet himself from fear.
Then Isaribi ran forward and put her hands on Naruto's shoulders, trying to stop him. The strange red chakra started burning her hands. It hurt a lot, but she refused to let go. "Naruto! NARUTO! It's enough! You've done enough!" She begged him to stop. "Don't lower yourself to his level! You're not a monster!"
For a long while Naruto looked at the girl and Isaribi wasn't sure he even recognised her. But then, slowly, the chakra receded and Naruto's features returned to normal. He was panting heavily and barely able to stand. Isaribi quickly made to support him, but Naruto stopped her and took her hands into his own.
"I….I did….this." He panted. "I hurt you!" He looked at her hands. They were badly burnt. Burnt by the fox's power he just willingly used.
Naruto's look nearly broke the girl's heart. There was so much pain and guilt in them. "It's alright, Naruto." She smiled. "It's all alright now. You're alright and that's all that matters, I'll be fine." She then hugged him.
Anko watched the two with a fond expression in her eyes. She always saw beyond Naruto's facade and saw the pain and loneliness. After all she was similar to him in many ways. Maybe now he wouldn't have to be so alone any more and have somebody who understood him better than anybody else. It warmed her heart. 'And they look rather cute together.' She smiled to herself.
Later on Isaribi was allowed to go free, even after all her crimes, and further more was allowed to accompany them back to the village of Konohagakure and meet the Tsunade lady Naruto spoke of. Apparently she was the best medic they had and she would be able to reverse what Amachi, who was coming with them for questioning, did to her.
"What are you doing, Isaribi?!" He suddenly spoke to her. He was tied to the ship's mast. "Kill them and get me out here!" He then smirked. "Or are you forgetting I'm the only one who can return you to your human form?"
"I will do no such thing!" The girl stood tall. "And I won't let you hurt anybody else!"
"Then you'll stay a monster." He cackled.
Naruto made a move, but she stopped him. "I may be a monster, but I can deal with that. But you are far worse!" She then kicked him in the face, which made both Anko and Naruto smirk.
But it made her think. Did she still mind being so different? Now that she knew Naruto was the same, and actually had it even worse, could she not live with it? She wasn't alone any more and there were more important things, Naruto had showed her that.
Later when they arrived in the village Isaribi couldn't believe her eyes, it was so vast. The village was so vast with so many buildings and people. It made her feel small. But then Naruto took her hand into his own and smiled at her, reassuring her.
The Hokage, who she learned later was this Tsunade, had welcome her warmly and immediately agreed to take a look at her. To her credit she didn't look shocked or disgusted when she saw Isaribi's form, only sad. And she agreed to help her.
"Don't worry, my dear, we will do all we can to reverse this!" The blonde woman smiled at the young girl reassuringly.
"Thank you, Lady Hokage." Isaribi bowed respectfully, only to have Tsunade to wave her away with a grin.
"No need to be so overly formal." The blonde woman smiled.
Isaribi looked at the boy standing slightly behind the woman. Naruto was smiling at her with genuine happiness.
In their voyage back to Kohona Naruto and Isaribi spend most of their time together, neither willing to leave the other for long. Finally each of the two of them finally found somebody who truly understood and they shared stories together.
Isaribi's story was hard as she was nothing more than a guinea-pig for that man Amachi. But where her story was tragic Naruto's was simply heartbreaking. When the boy finally thought he found something for himself it was ruined by the man who employed Amachi and Sasuke's own sibling, who always told him Sasuke needed to hate him more, driving him to abandon the village and his friends in pursue for power, nearly killing Naruto when he tried to stop him and appeal to him.
Then there was Naruto's sensei who barely paid any attention to him during the time when their team was whole, and later distanced himself from the two remaining members.
Isaribi also learned a lot about Sakura, the last member of Team Severn. From what Naruto told her she was not looking forward to meeting the pink-haired girl. She certainly sounded like an ignorant piece of work.
But no matter how tragic his life was he never complained about it. As she learned from Anko Naruto rather went and did something about his situation. When the boy didn't like the cards life dealt him he threw them back and took his own. Isaribi really envied him such strength. But maybe now she could learn from him.
And his smile now was a genuine one, she could tell. Genuine and full of warmth and caring. Caring for her. It made her happy.
"Now we just need to find you a place to live at." Tsunade brought her back to reality, looking between her and the blond boy, with a light smile playing on her lips.
Everybody in the room, which consisted of Naruto and isaribi, Tsunade, the mission leader Anko and the two other members of the expedition, Ino and Shino, and the pink-haired Sakura, looked at Tsunade.
"From today you'll be living with Naruto in his apartment." The Hokage told them with a smirk.
Both Naruto and Isaribi blushed deeply. Shino's expression was unreadable, while Anko just looked pleased. Ino and Sakura on the other hand looked scandalised.
Although she felt embarrassed by the fact that from today she'd live with Naruto, it at the same time made happy, and Naruto too lookedhappy by the prospect, although he tried to hide it.
Their lives together weren't perfect, they fought often together, mostly because Naruto, no matter how brilliant in mind, was a rather messy being. He could give you the perfect strategy on how to attack or defend, but when it came to keeping his living area clean was struggling with, and it annoyed Isaribi to no end. Although he did try at least to make it up to her, and he was a rather good cook.
Then, only months later, Naruto had to be taken away by Jiraya, one of the legendary Sannin, for special training. All because some strange group was after him because of the fox sealed inside him.
"For two years, huh?" Isaribi looked sadly at her friend. During the months they lived together in one apartment they became very close.
"It will pass faster than you think." He returned the smiled, then looked at the others who came to see him off.
All the genin from his class were present, as were some of his teachers.
"Indeed it will, and then Naruto will be fully capable of protecting himself from Akatsuki." Jiraya smiled at Isaribi. Jiraya liked Isaribi and thought her and Naruto would make a good couple, and he liked teasing them about it. "You'll have your boyfriend back in no time." He laughed as the two kids blushed furiously.
Naruto overcoming his embarrassment then stepped forward. "I'll be back soon." He promised, making her blush. He then cupped her face in his hands, stunning others, as well as her. He then placed a tender kiss on her lips.
Isaribi was stunned by his actions, but at the same time happy. She smiled as he ended the kiss a deep blush on her cheeks.
"That's a promise." He grinned as he slowly started walking away.
Others smiled and Jiraya felt proud of his pupil. Only Hinata was sad, it was public knowledge she had a crush on the blond forever.
At first Isaribi felt restless and lonely after Naruto's departure, their apartment feeling too empty without the blond, but others helped her, Hinata too, with whom she became good friends. And soon things got easier for her and time flew by.
Soon two years were over and a very different Naruto came home. He was taller and his hair was considerably longer, reaching his shoulders. He also got rid of his old orange jumpsuit, to the relieve of everyone. Now he wore high black ninja sandals, blood red pants and a long, black, kimono-style shirt. He looked really good.
Isaribi ran over to him and hugged him tightly.
Naruo laughed and hugged her back. "I promised I'd be back sooner than you'd think." He looked at her. She changed as well. Her purple hair was longer now, her eyes weren't so haunted any more and her pale skin had a cute pink shade to it from the sun. He bandages were gone now and she wore a deep blue kimono with a turquoise wave pattern, and simple traditional sandals.
"You look beautiful, Isaribi." The girl blushed deeply. "And I see Tsunade was able to heal you." He grinned, although she didn't miss a tiny hint of sadness.
"Actually…." She then partially transformed before his eyes.
"B-but why?" He was shocked.
"Because of you, Naruto." She smiled at him. "You made me realise what is truly important and I came to see myself in a different light. And with that I came to see that if it were perfected I could be of help, actually."
Naruto looked at her for a long time with a strange look in his eyes. For a moment she worried he'd disapprove, but then he grinned wide. "I'm really glad you made piece with yourself."
Isaribi too smiled and then slowly closed the distance between them and kissed Naruto, who kissed back.
For a while things returned back to how they were. The two teens started living with each other once more and actually got to train together. Isaribi wasn't as strong as him, but she did her best and her new form substituted for her natural lack of strength and stamina.
For a while everything was great and the two of them got along well. Then Master Jiraya was murdered and those that done it were to target Naruto again, so he had to leave again and go train at Mount Myoboku with the toad sages.
Then it happened. Konoha was attacked by the six named Pain. The entire village got destroyed in a single attack and many people got killed and injured. Isaribi was amongst the badly injured when she attempted to aid her friends take out the enemy in her hybrid form.
Isaribi wanted to help Hinata to take on one of the ones calling themselves Pain. The two of them fought the one with the long, orange hair. For a while it went well and they were able to keep him at bay, but he toyed with them and once he got tired of them he stabbed Isaribi several times, nearly killing her.
When things looked the bleakest and the village lay in ruin there was a massive puff of smoke and amidst it stood Naruto with several toads.
Having mastered the art of Sage Mode, taking in natural energy, he could feel everybody around. Having felt her so grievously injured he became very angry and took no mercy on his enemy.
The six Pains fought valiantly, but against Naruto's tactical mind, his power of the sages, and his anger at hurting his girlfriend they had no chance.
Once those six were defeated Naruto felt for Isaribi's signature. Feeling she was being healed he decided to go after the original Pain.
Finding the man he found out he was an Uzumaki named Nagato. Speaking to the man Naruto learned about his tragic past and about his beloved friend and why he chose this path.
Naruto understood to a certain degree, and told the man his own story, but he could never understand the way Nagato chose to do things. Quoting their common master, Jiraya, Naruto made him see what their sensei truly wanted and what he meant by people understanding each other.
Whn he was finished his heated argument Naruto could see the older man had tears in his eyes. It would seem Naruto's speech made him realise something. However, the blond never learned what it was, as the redhead wouldn't tell him.
"You'll face unimaginable hardship and heartbreak, Naruto. I hope you can stand up to them." Were Nagato's last words to the blond before he sacrificed his own life to bring all those that were killed in his attack back to life.
When Naruto returned to the village he was welcomed a hero. Sad it took this much for them to truly acknowledge the boy.
Isaribi stood with the crowd and cheered for him when he returned, then running up to him and throwing her arms around him, hugging him. Naruto hugged he back tightly, glad she was alrigth.
When she let go of him she saw he had tears in his eyes. "I'm so glad you're alright!" He smiled at her.
Isaribi smiled back and she kissed him.
After that the rebuilding could begin. However, peace didn't last as the masked Madara declared the Fourth Great Shinobi War on all five great elemental nations at once, leading them to unite under a single banner.
Naruto then once again had to leave as he was shipped away to some island to learn to tame the power of the Nine-tailed Fox with the help of someone named Bee, the eight-tails jinchuriki. The others, with Isaribi included, were recruited into the army. Isaribi was classed as a footsoldier under the samurai Mifune. Her specialisation of underwater travel, combat and with it also some skill with espionage.
When they were at worst Naruto came in shining armour. Quite literally. He wore a blazing chakra cloak and was more powerful than the five Kage combined.
He then with the help of the newly arrived Sasuke then took Madara out and ended the war.
After the war was finally over things could properly return to how they used to be. She and Naruto lived together and got closer every day.
Years later Naruto was named the senveths Hokage, making his dream come true, and was respected by many, even outside of the village. Many looked up to him.
The two of them got a house together and had children. Two beautiful twin girls. Both had unruly purple hair and their father's ocean blue eyes and the same whisker like marks on their cheeks.
Isaribi Uzumaki stood on their balcony as she contemplated her past. She sighed and smiled happily, things couldn't have gone better for her. Naruto was an amazing and loving husband and they both loved their children very much.
Looking up at the full moon she smiled. Peace reigned after the war and her Naruto did everything he could to keep it that way. To give them all the best life they could have. She couldn't have been prouder of him.
Then somebody hugged her from behind. "What are you thinking about?" The blond man asked her.
Turning in his arms she looked at her husband. Naruto's hair now reached past his mid-back, but it suited him well. He wore a crimson shirt and black paints. Over his shirt he wore his Haori, with 'seventh' written on his back. He was handsome man.
"Just contemplating how lucky I was I met you all those years back." She smiled.
"Oh?" He too smiled. "But not as lucky as I was."
The two of them giggled. Then Isaribi slowly closed the distance and kissed him.
Yes, things couldn't have gone better.