Warning: This chapter and subsequent story is to be rated M for language, violence, and gore.
If I ever incorporate any future lemons to the story later on, lemons will most likely be given their own separate story in order to not hinder the viewing pleasure of others, or I will give fair warning to their inclusion in a chapter. The romance and subsequent relationships though will still remain in the story…
Official Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Vocaloid, or any other referenced or related works in that may appear in this story, those belong to their respective owners. If there ever is an OC inclusion in this or any of my stories, the resemblance of a name and/or physical appearance to anyone living or deceased is completely coincidental. What I do own is the story concept, story board, the story itself, and any OC's I do create.
This story is a Naruto x Vocaloid crossover, it is A.U. as most of the Vocaloid universe is completely original on my part. This chapter is the pilot and contains four mini-chapters in it that tie into the same sequence of events.
The rights of any pictures or art I will ever use go to their respective owners, if said artist would like the picture removed from my profile, for that is where it will most likely be, please say so instead of jumping to conclusions of infringement.
Note: A lot of feels this chapter, any emotional sad or epic songs you have are recommended, that or any sort of techno is fine too for the later parts. This story will have action, adventure, romance, humor, and slice of life for certain segments. If you don't want to read a well written story and would rather read a story with endless bashing and cliche plot lines look elsewhere. My cute little sister told me to post this so I had to obviously. Harem challenge at the end of chapter if interested.
Key:
"Unknown language"
"Synthesized or Demonic speech"
"Normal Speech"
'Thoughts'
Chapter I
Remember me
~x~
"We meet here today to honor and pay tribute to the life of one Iruka Umino who gave his life doing what he loved and protecting what he believed to be precious to his dying breath. We are not here today to mourn his passing, but to express our love and admiration of the man that gave his life protecting our fair village." Sarutobi said as he commenced the eulogy, gathered before him were numerous ANBU, a few civilians, and a number of jounin and chunnin. Unsurprisingly almost none of his students were present for the ceremony, all but one having taken the time to come in the wake of the graduation ceremony.
This being none other than the distant blonde seated to the left of Sarutobi. A boy by the name of Naruto who was currently crying silently with every word that left the old man's lips.
As the service continued it became painfully clear that Iruka had no living family or loved ones as a lot of the service was omitted due to this. Most of the people there were either people that were accustomed to losing friends and acquaintances in the field of combat or mere acquaintances that were here to pay their respects. It was a sad existence when upon one's passing there was none to mourn you, yet this cold and unforgiving farewell while a kind gesture was a farcry from a heartfelt one. Hardened military officers watching stiffly as another brother in arms was taken away at such a young age, they simply had no tears to shed for his death as they knew that tomorrow it might be they that would be in that same position.
Yet Naruto himself had shed a lifetimes worth of tears at the passing of his big brother figure, Iruka having sacrificed himself to save him. After all he was there for the last moments of his life by his side as he bled out after he defeated Mizuki.
The last act of the man being to bestow upon him his own hitaite and his own parting words…
-flashback-
"Naruto while I give you this listen to my words, I want you to watch as the life leaves my eyes and then… and then after I have drawn my last breath I want you to ask yourself,… am I really prepared to see this happen again and again. To impart death upon others as I see it happen to those I care for, this is my final lesson to you Naruto, there is a reason we are called Shinobi... It is because we seek to find beauty in death, in others and in our own. This is what it means to be a ninja."
"If you are not prepared to lose your life, then you are not prepared to take one. So please sit with me as I die, I-I don't want to be alone" Iruka said hoarsely with tears running down his cheeks, he pressing down on the large gaping hole in his chest from the giant shuriken that had run him through earlier
Naruto himself was a sobbing mess as he held onto his sensei's hand, he not daring to let him go as if he were the one holding Iruka to life. The hitaite being covered in Iruka's blood as Naruto held onto it along with Iruka's own shaking hand.
Naruto wanted to tell Iruka that he would be alright, that he was going to live, but he knew that it was only a matter of time. Iruka was already dead…
"You know I never had a brother Naruto, but if I did I would have wanted it to be you…" Iruka said softly as his eyes started to go out of focus, he not seeing Naruto crying as he held onto him
"My parents died when I was young, I was alone for so long that I forgot what having someone you truly cared about felt like…, but then I found you. You're special Naruto, don't lose yourself to the endless cycle of hatred that has consumed this world, you're better than that. You helped me realize that this world is not all black and white, throughout all the years that I was your sensei the one that taught the other the most was you. I had no reason to keep living even before retiring from ANBU. Even teaching was but a last ditch attempt at finding a purpose in life, but seeing you smile happily each day through the scorn that was directed at you, how you were grateful to just be alive even through all that you went through, that's what kept me going." He said with a bloody smile
"I guess I didn't want you to go through what I went through when I was your age, I wanted to be that pillar of support that I had craved for myself when I-" suddenly Iruka's body was wracked by a fit of coughing, he was running out of time
"N-Naruto are you still there?" he asked as he stared unseeingly forwards
"H-hai, I'm still here" Naruto responded amidst his tears as he held onto his sensei's rapidly cooling hand
"Where do you think we go when we die Naruto?" Iruka asked
Naruto unable to formulate a proper response to the question let out a strangled sob at that
"What do you think becomes of us after we die?" Iruka asked as he looked at him straight in the eye with his own dull unseeing ones
Naruto could only stare wide-eyed at his sensei at that as he truly did not know the answer to such a question, yet no answer was necessary as this was not a question that he truly was expected to answer.
"After our bodies become nothing more than dust and we only live in the memories of those that still care to remember us, what we become is the embodiment of our actions. Our actions may be what defines us in life, but it is what we leave behind that immortalizes us in death. Our legacy to the world," Iruka said passionately as Naruto clung to his every word, the dead man staring straight into Naruto's own crying eyes
"You Naruto are my legacy to this world, remember me otouto…" Iruka said just as the last spark of life faded away from his eyes and his hand went limp in his grip, the hand falling stiffly next to his side leaving Naruto holding only his hitaite in his hand.
Naruto could only stare wide-eyed in disbelief as he held onto the still form of Iruka
"Sensei?" Naruto asked softly as he shook the man's still form
"Iruka-sensei?" he asked a bit more forcefully only to receive no response
Shaking his head from side to side in silent disbelief it suddenly sunk in for him that Iruka was truly gone…
Suddenly it felt as if a dam broke as all his emotions hit him all at once as he was overwhelmed by an immense sadness. He sobbing quietly as he clung to the dead body his cries echoing in the desolate woods that had become his sensei's grave.
Suddenly a new emotion came to bear one that offered escape from the sadness that threatened to consume him, yet at the same time lacked the direction and closure that mourning brought to him.
Anger…
"Aghhhhh!" came the unnatural cry as his head tilted upwards and a wave of corrosive chakra was released from him nearly threatening to consume him in the sudden release of energy. The chakra twisting around him as it coated him like a second layer of skin, his hands becoming claws, his skin bubbling with barely restrained energy. A tower of energy with him as the epicenter cutting through the horizon as it lit up the night and causing an oppressive feeling to descend over the entire village.
"Raaarrrgghhh!" roared Naruto as he held onto Iruka's still form with one clawed hand while roaring to the heavens his anguish
Before Naruto knew it he felt a calming presence approach him but recognizing to who it belonged to neglected to act on it. Suddenly he felt something press against his back before all the corrosive energy that was being released from him slowly started to go back inside him and he collapsed into the warm embrace of his grandfather figure, the old man's arms wrapping around him in a gentle hug.
Immediately he started crying into the old man's robe's as he clung to Sarutobi like a lifeline, the old man simply allowing him to cry his sorrows as he comforted the boy.
"He's gone jiji, gone" Naruto cried out amidst tears, the pain clear in his voice as he said this
"I know" said the old man softly
"Don't leave me too jiji, I don't want be alone" cried the young boy
"I wouldn't dream of it" the old man responded in a tone that while kind held a hint of sadness in it
Death was unescapable after all and Sarutobi was a man that had cheated death to this day, there shall come the day that he too shall pay his dues.
Yet at this moment if the boy he saw as his own grandson asked him for the moon he would do the impossible to make the boy's wish true.
"You won't ever be alone I can assure you that my boy, everything will be alright, everything will be alright…" the old man said softly just as he saw dawn break into a new day
-flashback end-
"As is tradition for all ANBU or Ex-ANBU operatives we shall cremate the body, today we say goodbye to Operative Dolphin of the ANBU CORPS Security and Espionage Division. With his ANBU mask in hand…" Sarutobi said as he lifted a dolphin like mask in the air for all to see
It was at this that many of the ANBU operatives in attendance lowered their head in respect, as their masks were like their very souls and were something that each of them took with them to the grave.
"…we say farewell to another child of fire and return him onto the flames from whence he came" said Sarutobi as he used a katon jutsu to set the body ablaze in its casket. The flame however instead of burning away reduced what it touched slowly to ash, a secret katon technique that had been passed by the Sarutobi clan for generations.
Reaching into the flames he quickly pulled out Iruka's hand before making a cut on the palm of his hand to which his blood flowed freely from. After a few second's he firmly placed the man's bloody palm atop the reinforced clay surface of his ANBU mask leaving a lone bloody hand print.
"Each of us leave a mark on this world we call home, we do things not because we want to, but because we have to." Sarutobi said as the ANBU listened with rapt attention, the words of this speech having echoed in their minds dozens of times, they having heard it again and again with each comrade in arms that fell.
"We are bathed in the ashes of war upon our birth, raised in turmoil and strife, nurtured by the love and care of those we considered precious,… we often find ourselves growing up too soon, shedding blood out of necessity not want…
Death is simply another part of life, one that we are intimately familiar with in our profession. We seek beauty in death. In the deaths of others and in our own, that is what it means to be a shinobi! This is what it means to be a ninja!" he shouted as he lifted dolphin's bloody mask into the air, the assembled shinobi roaring their approval
Naruto meanwhile only listened to the old man's words in silence as he gazed thoughtfully at the tongues of flame licking at his sensei's still form. Looking at Iruka's still countenance he could not help but wonder at the man's peaceful face, it looked almost as if he were asleep, he simply resting a lifetime's worth of worries away.
"Goodbye onii-san" Naruto said softly as he lowered his head slightly as tears fell from his eyes
Lifting up his head just in time to see Iruka finally disappear into ash, he stared at the sight with a determined expression.
'I'll make you proud Iruka-sensei, I won't let this life that you gave me go to waste. You were wrong about one thing though Iruka-sensei, my carefree smile that you liked so much died with you.' He thought sadly as Sarutobi started closing the short ceremony, which was followed shortly after by the will-reading.
"Now we move on to the will reading ceremony, usually these are held separately from the cremation but due to the short size of the will we thought it prudent to simply perform it now." Hiruzen said as he pulled out a formal looking document
This was in fact the reason he had come to this funeral personally, that and to comfort Naruto as his guardian. All ANBU an ex-ANBU operatives were required to update their will every six months for retired personnel and every three months for on-duty, active personnel.
At this point almost all of the ANBU had left and the few that remained were simply awaiting the spreading of the ashes. The other shinobi had likewise returned to their duties and a few civilians still remained out of respect.
"Now as is tradition the recipients shall receive a sealed envelope with the deceased's parting words and statement, this is for privacy purposes. Now I shall announce the recipients along with the formal disclosure of the will." The old man said formally as he broke the wax seal on the document in his hands before reading it
If you are reading this it means I, Iruka Umino am no longer among the living. As a ninja and ex-ANBU it is my duty to update my will every six months, yet once more it remains unchanged. I have no living family, my parents, my sole living relatives having perished in the wake of the Kyuubi attack. Yet that makes this document all the more important, I Iruka Umino leave all my earthly possessions to my little brother, not in blood, but in spirit.
I hereby leave everything I have to one Naruto Uzumaki in the hope that he can acquire for himself a better future. One bereft of the scorn that he has been plagued by ever since his birth, and humbly offer him my last name so that it may live on with him instead of dying with me.
This is ANBU Operative Dolphin, Iruka Umino saying "mission accomplished Hokage-sama" for the last time.
'Crazy bastard' thought Sarutobi with a sad smile, he almost imagining the young man saluting him with that same smile he had on his face whenever he talked about his "little brother".
Iruka had been Naruto's guardian angel ever since the boy had been nothing more than a crying child. Many a time he would protect Naruto from those that which to impart upon him harm, all without the boy never being any the wiser. He would buy the boy food and leave the bags on his doorstep saving him from hunger, these kind gestures were not missed upon the old man.
He then after seeing the boy fail not once, but twice due to the incompetence and neglect of the instructors decided to intervene once more and swiftly announced his retirement from ANBU. Then a chunnin he became the new academy instructor and tried his hardest to help the young boy succeed, he spent time with the boy when Naruto was alone or saddened and continuously lifted his spirits and inspired hope in the youth.
It was funny to think when the Hokage had originally assigned Iruka to guard the boy the man had only anger and hate for the boy, thinking him nothing but the Kyuubi incarnate. How a few years and love can truly change a person…
Meanwhile Naruto was sobbing softly at the news 'Of course I'll take your last name onii-san baka'
At the news many of the civilians there clapped happy for him at the news, showing their approval at the decision as they looked sadly at the young boy. It was painful to lose someone a person loved and even if it was of little comfort, the small act of empathy they performed they did with the hope of lifting the boy's spirits in some way.
And it seemed to work as the young boy chuckled in between his sobs at the strangely comforting sight, he knew none of these people yet here they were trying to make him feel better instead of looking at him with scorn and derision as he was usually accustomed to.
This was more than the end of his youth for Naruto, no this was a whole new beginning, with a new goal, new dreams, and a new name.
Remnants
~x~
The ceremony continued without further interruption, Iruka had asked that his ashes be spread over the graves of his parents, a sentiment which was fully respected and was carried out by Naruto himself.
As he did this he only had one thought in his mind as he stared at the graves of his big brother's parent's.
'You would be proud'
He would be glad to make his own parent's even half as proud, wherever they were.
Then after all was said and done Naruto took his grandfather's hand and was shusshined to a building that performed the legal paperwork for the deceased. Things went smoothly with the hokage by his side and after a hearty meal spent in silence in a local eatery they headed towards the Umino estate.
Hiruzen would have taken the young boy to Icharaku Ramen Stand but feared that the locale might dredge up memories of the many times that he had gone there with Iruka.
Arriving at the estate's gate Naruto was momentarily surprised at the size of the place, when they said estate they meant it, the place was a small manor on a ground several acres large with a forest towards the back of the property.
"Wow, I didn't think Iruka lived in a place like this" Naruto said aloud in shock
"Oh, he didn't" Hiruzen said as he looked around his person for something, this instantly garnering Naruto's attention
"Iruka-kun used to live in an apartment in the west side of the village near the Academy, he used to say it was for conveniences sake, but I doubt that. Honestly I think it is because it brought up to many memories of his childhood, he was raised here you know. Where is that darn key?" Sarutobi said frustratedly as he looked through a number of keys in a large key-chain
"Iruka-sensei was raised here" Naruto said softly with a voice filled with awe, he actually a bit excited at the prospect of looking at his big brother figures home
"Well not exactly, he has not stepped a foot in there since his parent's died in the-" Sarutobi suddenly stopped at that as he reconsidered his words mid-sentence and cursed his wandering mind. Quickly deciding to change the subject he decided to move on to more pertinent topics.
"Anyways the place might be a bit run-down, I'll have someone look it over in the morning and give it a proper inspection to make sure it's still up to code. Utilities are still on, so you should still have light and water as it's free for compounds such as this, part of the benefits of it belonging to a founding family. There it is!" the old man exclaimed as he pulled out a key with a strange engraving at the base and what looked like tiny seals running along the length of it, however something he said caught Naruto's attention
"Wait so Iruka's family was one of the clan's that founded Konoha, I've never heard of the Umino clan before?" Naruto asked in confusion
"No not a founding clan, a founding family. As far as I know back then the Umino family were not ninja, but were a traveling caravan of merchants, they being ninja started with Iruka's grandfather showing skill with a blade and it went on from there." Sarutobi said as he opened the gate with the key causing the lock to glow for a few seconds before a shimmer went over the estate showing that the protective seal array was down
"Here, you're less liable to lose this than I am," Sarutobi said as he gave the boy the key "Now the security system is inside in a small cabinet like room near the old armory, which I think has been repurposed to a recreation room if my memory of the place serves right. Don't mess with it, it's old and very volatile, if you want to add any security measures asides from the standard do it separate from that security system. The master bedroom is upstairs and the kitchen is downstairs to the left, I'll leave the rest to you to figure out." Sarutobi said as he made to leave
"Wait, you're leaving me?" Naruto asked making the old man stop in his tracks at that before he let out a long tired sigh at that
"I'm sorry Naruto, but it's getting late. I already took a good deal of time off to attend the funeral and am backed up with paperwork as it is. If you want I'll stop by tomorrow alright?" the old hokage offered the boy, prompting him to shake his head at that
"No, that's alright, I understand. You are the hokage after all, thanks for being there for me jiji" Naruto said as he gave the old man a heartfelt smile
"Its fine my boy, now if you still want to be a ninja-" Sarutobi started before being cut off
"I do" Naruto said determinedly surprising the old man at that "I still need to accept some things, but I can't let aniki's efforts go to waste. I want to make him proud jij." Naruto said with a voice filled with determination
The old man blinked owlishly at the heartfelt response for a second before a small smile formed on his lips at that "The will of fire truly burns brightly in you my boy, team assignments have been rescheduled to three weeks from now, if anything comes up by then or you have a change of heart on your future career pass by my office, even if it's just to talk." The old man said worriedly
"I will jiji" Naruto responded in kind
"If you need anything, anything at all Naruto, I'll be here for you alright" the old man said seriously as he rested his hand on the young man's shoulder
"I know jiji" Naruto said as he smiled at the old man's caring nature prompting Sarutobi to smile sadly at the young boy as he gave Naruto's shoulder a comforting squeeze before walking away
'Don't change too much Naruto' the old man thought sadly before he disappeared in a shusshin
His gaze lingering for a few seconds where Sarutobi had disappeared, he then turned around before facing the open gate for a few seconds. Taking in a deep breath he decided to steel his nerves before walking in through the gate and closing it shut softly behind him, the seal array coming to life once more as the air around the estate distorted for a moment.
Walking swiftly through the path to the manor he was soon presented with another gate however this one did not appear to be locked for some reason allowing him to easily pass through it. It was already dusk when Sarutobi had brought him to the estate and at this point a blanket of darkness had started to slowly descend upon Konoha. Reaching the front door he looked curiously at the tattered rug in front of it with sunflowers that read Welcome and then back at the almost regal looking door in front of it. The rug while welcoming looked almost out of place in the home, as if the style of the home did not agree with those that had lived there once before.
He tried to open the door only to find it locked, looking at the key in his hand thoughtfully he tried using it to open the door and was greeted with a resounding click in response.
Opening the door he was greeted with a pitch black hall, searching the wall near the door he eventually found the light switch and flicked it. The lights coming on slowly as several sets of lights came on one by one in the hall.
He was surprised at the homey feel the building had, but at the same time he felt as if he were intruding into someone else's home.
He was currently at the foot of a small lobby area where guest could take off their shoes, coats and hats. Looking at the wall nearby he saw what looked like a knitted work that said family inside of a frame next to the door, next to it were two more similar works that read love and honor. The stitching for family was in yellow, love was in red, and honor was in blue.
For some reason he found himself looking thoughtfully at this, these were the three things he longed for most in the world.
Family, love and honor.
His gaze lingering for a moment longer he set forth on exploring the fairly large manor. While it wasn't the size of a clan compound he soon found out it was quite large in its own right. It being able to easily house a small clan if need be, definitely much bigger than what a single person would have need to something that made him feel out of place in the large estate. No wonder Iruka didn't like the place, it was like a constant reminder that you were alone, he could simply imagine a family living comfortably here, but a single person? It just felt wrong, he actually preferred his small apartment to this large empty house.
He simply went room by room turning on the lights in each one; recreation room, onsen, bathroom(s), bedroom(s), kitchen, library, basement, workshop, dining area, game room and numerous other rooms he likely would never have use for. He stopped his exploring for a moment when he entered the living room.
The centerpiece of the room appeared to be a currently dead fireplace, which had two large recliners facing towards it, there were toys strewn about the floor and a large glass table in between the two there was also a large couch with another two semi-circular couches on either side that had a small round table in the middle. Overall the living area had a definite feeling of hosting a great many people for events and the like.
He didn't like it.
Don't get him wrong it looked nice and all, but it wasn't like he was ever going to use it. His only friend was an old man that was what, in his late hundred's? Nope, just another place he was likely never going to use, plus the furniture while having probably at one time looked pristine now looked decayed with age and was covered in dust. Just like the rest of the house and all accompanying furniture in it.
However he did spot something lying on the table that looked to have been placed there recently. Looking the black box over he noticed that there was an envelope addressed to him on top of it, making him wonder when Sarutobi had gotten the time to have this sent here. Briefly looking at the envelope he noticed it was addressed as being from a legal firm that represented the Umino interests, the box however was from the old man himself. Placing the envelope aside for later as it was likely just a document verifying the legal transfer of holdings, he decided to open the box instead.
Opening it however he was shocked to find Iruka's dolphin ANBU mask lying inside, the bloody hand print having dried on the once pristine white surface of it. Looking on it in shock for a moment he was suddenly overwhelmed by emotion as he gazed upon it, he ghosting his fingers over the mask thoughtfully. Trailing his fingers over the numerous cuts and nicks on the mask, but the most distinguishing of features was a clean cut running right over where the bridge of one's nose would be, just like his sensei once had. Looking at the mask he could not help but feel as if he were staring at Iruka's gravestone, a marker of the man's life.
Spotting a small note resting with the mask he picked it up and read it.
Naruto I have contemplated this for the last few hours and come to decision of leaving this mask in your hands in the hopes that it will bring solace to you. It is tradition to leave a mask like this in the memorial wall at ANBU headquarters, however I have made this exception in part due to Iruka's own wishes.
This mask is a relic of a fallen soldier I urge you Naruto to treat it with the respect it deserves, it has already been decommissioned and all exemplary seal work that tied it with the owner has been nulled. As the final member of the Umino line it is yours to do with as you wish, if you do not wish to be in possession of it for whatever reason I can place it in ANBU headquarters or even bury it in his grave. Please contact me as soon as possible if you wish for the latter, if not then I hope this can bring you some form of closure Naruto.
Sincerely,
Hiruzen Sarutobi
'You don't know how much this means to me old man' Naruto thought with a sad smile as he held the mask in his hands and looked at it for a few more seconds before carefully placing it back in the box as he continued his inspection of his new home.
However as he was about to leave the living area he noticed several picture frames resting right above the fireplace, three to be exact.
They were covered in dust though and he could not make out the images in them, his curiosity getter the better of him Naruto dusted of the first frame and found a couple wearing in his opinion really pretty clothing. The man wearing what seemed to be a tux and the female wearing a beautiful white gown.
The man had sharp dark eyes, had dark brown hair tied into an elegant ponytail, and was smiling joyfully as he gazed at the woman beside him.
The woman next to him had long, honey brown hair, with two locks elegantly framing her face, her own honey brown eyes filled with mirth and joy.
Naruto stared at the couple thoughtfully for a second before it finally clicked, these were Iruka's parents. Ikkaku Umino and Kohari Umino if he remembered the names he saw at their graves right.
"Wow they look really pretty, I wonder if my mom and dad are that pretty" Naruto said thoughtfully before dusting the other two frames off
One had the couple a year or two later, but with an added member to their little family. Kohari now had a young babe in her arms which she seemed to be rocking to sleep. Her husband was looking down at the child in his mother's arms with a proud look.
For some reason Naruto found tears brimming at his eyes at this as he finally dusted off the last picture frame. It had both parents smiling happily with their now four year old son seated on his mother's lap grinning widely.
Naruto could not help the tears that flowed from his eyes at the sight 'That smile, he looks just like me' he thought as he ran his fingers gently over the frame
Feeling the emotional weight of the day come crashing down upon him he decided to leave his exploring of the rest of the manor for another day. At the moment he needed the reprieve that sleep would afford him from the harsh realities of the world, of the escape that dreams offered to those that needed to forget.
So with a heavy step he made his way up the stairs to the master bedroom, he not even bothering in getting out of his funeral clothes. Opening the door to the room he found it to be in the same run down state as the rest of the house, however with a bit of cleaning and some new furniture it would be a sight to behold that was for sure.
He however having slept in the same tiny old mattress for the last six years could care less about appearances, all he wanted was to sleep. Taking off his tie and overcoat, he threw himself into the bed, he immediately regretting it as a plume of dust erupted from the bed because of this.
Sighing he decided to open the window to air the place out a bit, sitting down on the floor as he waited for the dust to settle again he was suddenly tempted to do something he hadn't done in a long, long time.
Pray…
Not seeing praying by the bed as an option with all the dust he settled for doing so by the windowsill, the star strewn night sky and full moon his sole witness.
"Kami-sama I know that you and I don't talk a lot, but I have gone through a lot today. I recently found out that I have a demon living inside of me and I know that this might be a bit difficult because of this, but I wanted to ask you please take care of Iruka-sensei wherever he is. You see he died today, or was it yesterday? Anyways he died protecting me and I- well I simply wanted to ask you to take care of him from now on, like he took care of me." He said pleadingly as he looked up at the full moon in the horizon
"I know that I'm not always the most well behaved of people, but I'm going to try to get better! Iruka put his faith in me, just like I now put my faith in you." He said sincerely before going into a contemplative silence
"Kami-sama honestly I still don't think I'm ready to be a ninja, after what happened I feel less prepared than ever. Iruka-sensei left too soon, there was still so much he could have taught me, so much I could have learned!"
"I…I don't want to be alone Kami-sama!" Naruto cried as he was overcome with emotion and that deep rooted feeling of loneliness that constantly permeated his heart finally took hold "I have no one! No family! No friends! I don't even have my big brother anymore!" Naruto cried as he sobbed his little heart out, feeling every bit the twelve year old child he was
"I still need guidance, so if you could grant this demon a single wish let it be for me to have a purpose, to have someone, anyone to share my dreams with. I just don't want to be alone anymore!" Naruto cried out into the night sky
However the only response to greet his ears was the deafening silence of the night, even the wind having died down to but a gentle breeze.
"Figures," Naruto said as he sniffled softly "Even kami has turned their back on me, I guess that's understandable what with me being a demon and all…" Naruto said sadly as he turned towards the bed to sleep
However just as he was about to lay down to rest he was suddenly overcome by the feeling of looking once more at the moon.
Gazing at the night sky however a frown slowly marred his face, he was intimately familiar with the night sky as a favorite pastime of his was stargazing, so how come he couldn't recall that star to the north?
His eyes widened as he saw it shinning brighter, its color pallet shifting from that of shimmering diamond white to a burning orange. It seemingly cutting across the night sky as if the sun itself was parting the veil of darkness that had descended on the world.
A moment later he noticed the course it was falling, it was heading straight for him.
'No doubt about it, Kami really has it out to get me if a falling star kills me' Naruto thought wide-eyed at the instant response on Kami's part to his prayer
However when he saw the star crash several hundred yards away within the grounds of the estate he breathed a sigh of relief at that.
'Guess that Kami doesn't want to smite me today, now I get what people mean by saying live each day as if it were your last, after all you never know when stars might fall out of the sky and kill you.' He thought pessimistically before curiosity took over
"Wait a minute, a star just fell out of the sky!" he exclaimed excitedly as what he just saw sank in for him "Does that mean my wish is going to come true? Wait, does a falling star count as a shooting star?" he thought aloud for a second, as the whole surreal experience lightened up his mood
"Ahh who cares, I got to go check this out!" he shouted as he jumped down into the backyard from the two story window, he landing in a crouch before taking off to where he saw the star fell
Don't leave me
~x~
Arriving at where it crashed he found that it had not dug a trench like he had expected something falling out of the sky would have done. Instead it had fallen directly vertical and upon closer inspection it looked almost like a flower.
It was almost metallic in appearance, but seemed to glow with a strange internal light. The ground around it seemed to be slightly charred and it seemed to have embedded into the ground rather than crashed into it.
It had a large metallic shaft that opened up at the top into what could only be described as petals. It was about 5x5 feet wide and looked to be about 17 or so feet tall. Approaching it he could make a few discernible markings on the strange object, however the one thing he could understand was the lone red marking on its side in digital numerals.
01
"What sort of star is this?" Naruto asked a bit fearfully as the strange object pulsed with an unknown energy, it almost feeling as if it were alive as he approached it
However like a moth to a flame he felt undeniably drawn to it as if it were calling out to him.
The strange object seemed to radiate heat as he approached, probably from it falling form the sky as it did or some other strange property that it possessed. However as he reached the strange contraption and pressed the palm of his hand upon it he found it to be incredibly cold. The moment his hand made contact with it a strange ripple occurred from where it was as numerous small green hexagons momentarily appeared before vanishing just as quickly.
Redacting his hand quickly in fright he could only observe with wide eyes as the contraption beeped and numerous tubes on the sides of the shaft released steam instantly regulating the air temperature around it.
'This is not a star' Naruto thought fearfully as numerous neon white lights shone in a vertical line directly in front of him fully illuminating the area around him
Slowly what seemed like a rectangular division formed on the surface of the object directly in front of him, as light filtered out through the newly formed gap.
'It's a machine' he thought in awe as he stood frozen before it, just as the hatch opened and light flooded the surrounding area
Before him was what looked like a young teenage girl being maybe at most two or three years older than him, she was currently submerged almost fully in wires so that all he could see was the upper portion of her shoulders and her face which was clad in a strange helmet the likes of which he had never seen before.
She had aquamarine colored hair that was tied into two ponytails being held together by two black bands that had a neon red pulsing line cutting through them, it seemed to not actually be in contact with her hair as it held it in place. Beyond the strange helmet she was wearing he could make out porcelain like features that looked almost doll like. Her eyes were presently closed behind a strange blue visor looking object that was fully transparent and seemed to have a number of moving graphs and numbers on it, the visor being connected to two large metal earpieces that seemed to hover over where her ears likely were. She also had a helmet like object covering the back of her head, it having several wires connected to it.
Honestly at this point Naruto was both frightened and in awe. He wanted to run, but also wanted to stay and stare just a bit longer.
After all with this now earthbound angel having fallen before him how was he to react to such a thing. However as the silence between the two stretched on Naruto simply grew more curious as he looked at the strange being before him.
Suddenly the girl's eyes snapped upon making him jump at the sudden action. The girl looked at him with analytical yet slightly curious eyes for a moment before he heard a strange static sound emanate from the ship scaring him slightly.
He then heard a cacophony of sound that sounded like a thousand voices all speaking at once, yet he did not understand any of what was said. He even noticed that numerous lights were lighting up across the ship flashing different colors, realizing something he felt as if it were trying to communicate with him.
Straining his ears he picked it up a faint female voice saying something that he did understand.
"Understand?" such an innocent and simplistic question, the way it was said was as if a child was asking it to an adult. Before he knew it he suddenly understood what all the other voices and actions were saying as it suddenly made sense for him. It was her asking the question over and over again in numerous languages, tongues, and symbols.
At first he thought on not responding, but something in him urged him to, "I do"
The response prompting her to form a small smile at that.
"You friend?"she asked innocently almost causing him to laugh at the question, to think that he would need to wait until the day that stars fell from the sky to say these words.
"Yes I am a friend" he said with a small smile of his own causing her smile to widen at that
"I am 01, Miku" she said with slight difficulty as she correlated her basic speech to his own
"I'm Naruto, it's a pleasure to meet you Miku" he responded happily making her smile at that
Suddenly the metal contraption she was inside of let out a strange beeping sound as something on her visor became red causing Miku's eyes to widen.
"Critical energy levels reached, entering quantum stasis…" Announced a robotic female voice that seemed to come from the strange machine itself, Naruto not being able to understand what was said due to it being in a strange language
Suddenly the upper portion of the flower like construct started to slowly spin as it folded in on itself, this earning wide horrified eyes from the girl.
Reaching out towards him with a single arm, she mouthed a single word that he himself had uttered numerous times only for it to fall upon deaf ears.
"Help!" the girl nearly cried as she reached towards him
In an instant he found himself dashing forward and grasping her hand in his, he intent on not losing anyone else on this day.
How many times had he wished that his cries for help did not go unheard, that someone, anyone would save him from the cruel raptures of reality and the loneliness that haunted him. Yet no one did and the one person that tried was gone forever… but now at this very moment the tables were turned and this person he had just met was begging for him to help her.
"I got you, don't let go!" he said as he held onto her hand and tried pulling her out only to find her to be immobile
Suddenly he was jolted upwards as the door under his feet lifted upwards seemingly intent on closing with him still on top of it.
The girl looking at him with sad eyes, said to him two words that nearly broke his heart at the suggestion
"Let go"
Why, why was it that everything good in his life had to be taken away from him before it even started? Iruka as his brother, this girl as his friend, both things that he had barely seen a glimpse of before they were cruelly ripped away from him.
However as he saw the girl's fearful expression, the last thing on his mind was letting go. If everything he had was bound to disappear then he himself would disappear along with it, after all even if he were to disappear there would be no one to miss him anyways.
As the ship started to enter stasis with him still atop the door vainly attempting to pull the girl free, the girl attempted to stop the stasis sequence only to receive the same error message.
"No!" she shouted in horror as the door closed with him inside, he having slid down into the compartment she was in leaving the two of them locked together inside the ship.
"Why not let go!?" she asked in a slightly angry and questioning tone, the frustration clear in her voice
"Why would I let go?" he responded with a question of his own, this causing her pause at that, she not being to formulate a proper response to the question.
"Energy systems being rerouted to life support systems" the ship announced in the same female robotic voice from before
One by one the lights inside the compartment started to die off one by one until they were plunged into darkness.
"I'm scared" Miku said fearfully after a few moments of tense silence
'How do you think I feel?' Naruto thought as he pondered the situation he found himself in; he was inside a strange metal contraption that fell from the sky, in the dark, with a girl he didn't know that had just said she was his friend…
Actually now that he thought about it that wasn't that bad of a way to die, she was pretty cute too…
Wait, what was he thinking? He needed to think positive! He wouldn't die, he wouldn't die, he was going to be okay, everything was going to be just fine…
"I'm scared too" Naruto responded prompting the girl to look at him, or rather at where his voice came from
Finding that she couldn't see him in the dark she decided to remedy that as she rerouted some power to her visor causing it to light up so she could see him. This momentarily surprising Naruto for a second before he saw that she was looking at him curiously.
"Thanks, that's a lot better" he responded gratefully as the pitch black from before was almost suffocating in the small confines of the ship, causing her to smile at that.
Seeing her staring off at something he followed her line of sight to their still conjoined hands causing him to blush at that, however before he started profusely apologizing he was cut off by what she said next.
"Warm" she said curiously as she looked at it intently, he for the first time noticing that her own hand was quite cool to the touch. However there was something about the way she held his hand, the innocent curiosity in her actions that caused him pause. It was akin to the way a daughter gazes upon the hand of her father, of how a child wonders at something new.
So holding his tongue he simply looked off to the side with a blush, the way their bodies were nearly pressed against one another in the small compartment more evident than ever. Well his body against the wiring and what he could make out of her upper body.
He then started to notice that it was not only her that was cold, but the whole compartment seemed to be growing colder by the second. He could actually see his breath!
Before long he started shivering causing her to look towards him once more as she noticed his hand shaking and the warm feeling he was giving off to go away and be replaced by a cool sensation not much unlike the one of her own flesh.
"C-c-cold" he said as he started to slowly feel his consciousness slip away from him as the temperature around him started to fall farther and farther
This however only caused the girl to look at him in confusion, until suddenly a beeping sound came from her visor as she looked at him. It quickly displaying a model of his body with a graph beside it showing her that his body temperature was dropping rapidly and that his heart rate was slowing.
This causing her to determine that it was due to the decreasing temperature of the ship as it entered into stasis. Suddenly a timer appeared on her visor approximating the time the boy had until his heart stopped, it showing him to have exactly three minutes and twenty seven seconds until he expired.
Immediately she was consumed by sadness at the fate of the little organic life form before her as she saw him wrap his arms around himself in a vain effort to keep himself warm. He was going to die because of her…
She could almost imagine spending eternity in stasis while gazing into his dead dull eyes, his presence a constant reminder of what could have been. His body perfectly preserved due to nature of intermolecular stasis, it would be like staring at an open grave for eons without reprieve.
The mere thought caused a shiver to run down her spine at that, as she felt true fear, not herself but for the boy before her. This brave soul that had tried with great personal risk to himself to save her from the cruel fate of stasis.
Before she even knew what she herself was doing she pulled the semi-conscious boy into a tender embrace, his muscles having locked up due to the frigid cold.
For a few more seconds she simply listened to his raged breathing and slow heart beat in sadness before she came to a decision. Placing a breathing mask on his mouth in order to regulate his breathing, she slowly proceeded to pull him into the numerous cables that were connected to central network of the ship. Quickly creating a datasphere in the palm of her hand, she imputed an override code into the core network.
"Reallocating life support systems…" the ship announced
Suddenly a light came on above her and a strange liquid started filling the cables around them, the main network lighting up behind her.
As the temperature regulated Naruto managed to look at the girl once more, he seeing her hovering over him with a halo of light behind her as the numerous cables were slowly filled with a strange neon blue looking liquid.
"What are you?" he asked in daze as he looked upon her gentle features
"Miku, I Miku" she responded with a sad smile
Even with the temperature having started to regulate to the standard outside temperature of the planet, the damage had still been done as the boy's vitals were still dropping.
However she had expected this, now came the important part. She quickly manipulated the cables to attach themselves to the boy, while she herself could stand the pressures of stasis there was little chance an organic could without life support of some sort.
Something went wrong however as all the cables started glowing an ominous orange color when they attempted to attach themselves to his body, what came next was even more disconcerting as his body rejected it, violently…
A scream sudden parted from the boy's lips frightening her, seeing the boy thrashing as he cried out in pain she could not help crying herself as she witnessed Naruto in such pain. Her plan had failed and now they were both going to perish to the effects of an unregulated stasis, he was probably going to pass away first with her following shortly after as her core systems ceased to function.
Not knowing what to do she did what first came to mind, holding the boy close she whispered gently to him in what she hoped was a comforting fashion, for if they were both to die why not make these last few moments heartfelt ones.
"I'm sorry, please don't cry. The pain is going away, sleep. Sleep is good, be happy not sad…" she whispered to him softly as she attempted to soothe his worries, the tears running down her face betraying her own.
Naruto could feel it… he was dying. He couldn't feel his legs or fingers, and her whispered words felt far away. Yet he could not help but feel that this was okay in some way, he'll be able to see his big brother again soon, and he managed to see his new friend one last time. However that gnawing fear remained, that of being alone. He could not help but wonder at the cruel irony that now it was he that was dying in someone's arms when not even a day prior another died in his.
Was this what Iruka felt like when he died? This sinking feeling as if you're falling into a deep lake and can't get out?
Barely able to see anymore he had to ask.
"Miku are you there?"
"Miku here" she responded quickly, her entire focus being on him
"I'm sorry," he said shocking her at that "I'm sorry for not being able to help you, I guess I just wasn't the hero I always thought I could be." he said sadly
"No! You Miku's hero!" she said defiantly with a shake of her head, her pigtails swinging from side to side as she said this. This causing him to laugh softly at that before his laughter slowly died away.
"Miku do you think you could hold my hand as I go to sleep. I don't want to be alone when it happens." He said as tears streamed from his eyes, they both knowing that by sleep they really meant death, yet at the same time refusing to embrace that harsh reality for what it was.
"Miku never leave you be alone" she said passionately as she held onto his hand with both of her own, tears falling from her eyes as she said this
"Is that so, I'm glad" he said with a happy grin
-*Beep*-
At that time a long grating beeping sound greeted her ears as she observed the smile slowly slip from his face, her visor informing her that the boy's vitals had ceased and Naruto had passed away.
She felt her heart break as she looked at the boy's still features, this was all her fault. If she just hadn't called out to him none of this wouldn't have happened.
As she mourned his loss however an all too human emotion took hold of her heart, one that she had never experienced before. With the boy gone and the deathly quiet that followed his departure she became painfully aware of a single undeniable truth.
She was alone…
Still Here
~x~
With her head lowered she had to ponder the situation she found herself in. She was going to die of that much she was certain, but how long would the inevitable be prolonged, months? Years…?
It was one thing to experience such a length of time in stasis as the central network allowed her access to the dream archive in her semi-conscious state. It was a cruel fate that was akin to a purgatory of sorts for her race, but the thought of having to simply be alone in a small enclosed space for years was almost unbearable.
It actually made her wish that she had expired along with Naruto, if the fate that awaited her was looking over his corpse until the day she could join him in death.
However all she could at this point was simply mourn his and her own cruel fate as she cried over his still form, she holding tightly onto to his cold hand for comfort as she cried.
It was at that point that the power she had rerouted finally died down and the lights on the ship dimmed until she was once more in the pitch black compartment. Squeezing his hand for much needed support she uttered a single statement in which confirmed what she felt.
"I'm scared" she said fearfully, yet this time no comforting voice responded to her fearful exclamation as only silence greeted her proclamation.
Letting out a pitiful whimper she scooted closer to Naruto for comfort, tears brimming at her eyes she wished more than anything that Naruto was still filled with life, his presence in the short time she had known him was oddly comforting. She feeling as if she could trust him with her life without hesitation, she knew without a shadow of a doubt that he had been a good person, one that she would have given anything to gotten to know better.
"Na-Naruto" she said as she recalled his name
"Naruto" she said with slightly more ease as she touched his face imprinting the feeling of his features into her mind
"Naruto," she said as she finally rested her hand on his cheek "please wake Naruto, I-I not like it when I alone" she cried
However what she didn't expect was for Naruto to seemingly hear her heartfelt pleas, nor for what happened next.
Suddenly a strange orange light started emanating from Naruto's midriff engulfing the entire compartment in a crimson orange glow. Slowly a strange energy started being emanated from him as an almost ethereal substance started bubbling around the origin area before it fully enveloped his entire body. This prompting her to let go of him after her sensors indicated the inherent decaying nature of the energy.
"Foreign energy source detected" the ship announced
Suddenly a burst of concentrated bijuu class chakra was released actually causing the ship to strain under the pressure.
"Energy signature is detected to be T1 category in the Exodus Energy Scale" the ship added as it detected the energy level of the signature, this causing Miku's eyes to widen to epic proportions at that
A T1 energy signature possessed as much intrinsic energy as a G-type main-sequence star or "Yellow Dwarf" could produce over the course of 1.7 million years.
That was enough energy to power her entire planet for centuries…
What was that much energy doing inside a living being? No living being should be able to contain that much energy inside of them, for all purposes if all that energy were to suddenly be released it could theoretically destroy the planet. As it would be enough to cut into the planets crust deep enough to reach the mantle whilst the ensuing crater would be around the surface area of a small continent in width. The resulting energy fluctuations and environmental disasters that followed would make sure that the planet's surface would be barren of any life soon enough.
This boy was a living time-bomb and she was starting to fear that she had just set it off.
"Realigning systems in order to process energy signature" the ship announced as the tubes started creating a synthetic orange looking liquid inside the many cables around her. They connecting themselves to the boy's still form.
Quickly the cables were covered in the same ominous orange glow from before but this time they weren't rejected like before.
Suddenly she observed as the energy reserves for the ship went up from less than 3% percent to 100% in less than 10 seconds. Causing her eyes to widen at that as this interplanetary vessel was state of the art and took the combined energy output of about three mid-tier cities to power. (Basically their mid-tier is our high-tier, three mid-tier cities for them would be like Dubai, Tokyo, and New York. Even with the combined energy output of all the hidden villages' power networks it would likely not be enough to power the ship. It would be like the combined energy output in the bodies of about 200 standard jounin. Or 75 jounin and 1 Maito Guy.)
"Activating life support systems, Inter-Molecular Resuscitation commencing in 3…2…1" the ship announced just as it sent a corrective energy signature through Naruto's body causing his body to jolt upwards
"Inter-Molecular Resuscitation failed, reattempting procedure" the ship announced as Miku looked on in baited breath hoping against hope that her friend would come back to life "3…2…1" Once more Naruto's body jolted upwards, his eyes snapping open making her think that he was alive once more only for his head to tilt to the side showing that he was still without life
His dull dead eyes looking unseeingly forwards.
"Energy conflict detected, corrective energy being rerouted to a secondary location in the abdomen area. Energy is currently converging at location and reaching critical levels. Time until energy reaches critical levels, five minutes and twenty seven seconds, assistance required from Operant 01." The ship announced, the S.I. (Simulated Intelligence) having a hint of urgency in her tone as she said this.
Miku not being need to be told twice quickly set about activating the necessary biomechanical procedures as numerous mechanical arms dropped down around the central network, at this point a vast majority of the energy that coated him seemed to be both emerging from and being drawn into the boy's abdomen area. Quickly she created two neural network holographic gauntlets over her arms as she set about managing the numerous mechanical arms currently hovering over Naruto.
Quickly she used a mechanical arm to cut open his shirt as the other mechanical arms went about administering medical support (He's still in his funeral clothes minus overcoat and tie) and was left in shock at what she saw. There over the boy's stomach was a strange symbol that seemed to be a glowing crimson orange color where all the energy was being both emitted from and drawn into. Using her visor she was able to see clearly as the energy continued to cycle across the boy's body. Steadily increasing its output as it seemed to be trying to not simply implode in of itself as it tried to quickly dispose of as much energy as possible.
Now it was her turn to ask the question Naruto had himself asked of her shortly before his death 'What are you?'
"Naruto" Miku said worriedly as the S.I. scanned the strange symbol's on his abdomen
"Warning, dimensional pocket detected," the ship announced causing her eyes to widen at that
A dimensional pocket? Inside of a living being? That was unfeasible, that was like holding an entire dimension inside of a person. Even with all the technology in the world it was still considered impossible to create a dimensional plane, never mind within an organic being. Those were things better left alone, god's domain as it be. Plus what was inside that dimension that could produce enough energy to theoretically destroy a planet?
"Spatial distortion surrounding dimensional pocket suggests something akin to a white hole and black hole coinciding upon the same location, with the organic lifeform as a figurative event horizon. Probably of either becoming manifest if the current state of events continues is 97%, best course of action – Organic lifeform must survive" the S.I. said determinedly as it wrested control of the mechanical arms from her, momentarily surprising her at that
However there were more pressing concerns if whatever that strange symbol was doing the chance that a black hole or white hole would be created in its wake was almost certain. It was just a matter or whether it imploded or exploded first.
Currently Naruto had his shirt cut open, a breathing mask was placed upon his mouth, and numerous mechanical arms that were currently working tirelessly on him. There was one that was currently working on his nervous system, another on his heart, and almost half a dozen over the seal on his stomach.
After a while the numerous arms retracted from around his still form as the treatment seemingly stopped out of nowhere shocking Miku at that, before she managed to voice her frustration to the AI however, it spoke up.
"Energy signature fully processed, energy conflict corrected. Locking supplementary biological energy pathways for procedure." It announced as a special isolating unit was placed over the seal before a phosphorescent blue light shone down on Naruto temporarily disengaging his natural chakra network thus leaving only the energy being released from the seal to contend with
"Re-attempting Inter-Molecular Resuscitation in 3…2…1" instantly Naruto's body jolted upwards once more this time however he took in a large lungful of air in the process as his eyes widened.
Instantly all of the Kyuubi's energy cycled through his body re-opening all his chakra pathways by force before it just as suddenly receded back into the seal.
A deathly silence following shortly after, before it was broken by the S.I. which at this point Miku was starting to suspect had attained A.I. like properties if the small display of emotion she had picked up on earlier was anything to go by.
"Inter-Molecular Resuscitation Successful" it said almost happily, something that definitely hinted to her that maybe it was time to run a system diagnostic on its processing neural network. After all things like that are better to address early on so that the proper measures can be taken to ensure the proper transition from S.I. to A.I.
It was then that what the S.I. said sunk in, looking towards Naruto she saw his chest gently rise and fall with each breath he took in. She could not help the happy cry that came to her lips as she saw this, sitting once more next to him she saw the numerous cables were still connected to him confusing her slightly as the life support seemed to still be in effect.
Quickly her visor notified her of the reason, while Naruto was alive his body had undergone massive amounts of damage due to the energy fluctuations from earlier and failed prior attempts to resuscitate him. However through this a single fact rang true…
Naruto was alive, and that was enough for her.
At this point the S.I. ran a diagnostic scan on Naruto and started to list the numerous injuries and medical conditions he had attained.
"Subject has second and third degree energy burns covering his body, nervous system has been damaged, larynx has contracted due to neural shock. Brain has been put under severe strain and is exhibiting symptoms akin to mental atrophy, likelihood of intellectual disability presently at almost sixty-seven percent. Neurons in brain have been extensively damaged, muscle atrophy and deterioration can also readily be observed in the rest of the muscular system. Skeletal system seem brittle upon initial scans, shows signs similar to Osteoporosis, vertebrae no longer seem capable of supporting bodily weight, chance of walking properly again minimal. Original energy network has been damaged, energy flow has been disrupted…"
The list of symptoms continued on and on, yet Miku didn't listen to this as she leaned forward and rested her ear against his chest while listening to that tell-tale sign of life…
There it was, a slow yet steady heartbeat accompanying his slightly strained breathing. The mere sound of it bringing a smile to her face, for the first time in her life she felt such overwhelming relief and happiness she felt like simply laughing aloud in joy.
"Immune system showing to have been damaged to the point a deficiency is prevalent in his body, upon initial scans it is shown to be similar to Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID) which is normally a condition that is usually present at the birth of an organic. Likelihood of him surviving outside the sterile environment inside the ship minimal. Most of the inherent cell structure of the boy seems to have also been "Poisoned" by the nature of the energy from earlier, however it is readily apparent that currently the energy inside the organic is currently working on repairing the extensive damage in the organic. However many of the damage listed will likely remain as the energy is focusing on organ function and physical aspects such as the energy burns that currently cover seventy-eight percent of his body, seventy-seven percent, seventy-six percent-" the S.I. continued listing as the damage was slowly repaired
"Can we fix him?" Miku asked seriously
"He is an organic, they cannot simply be fixed. They are not like us, they heal, we are repaired" the A.I. explained as it explained a basic rule of nature and all living organic beings
"Well can we fix that?" Miku asked curiously causing the Super Computer to go silent at that, as it used it numerous processors to determine if such a thing was feasible
Suddenly a single port above the boy opened showing a red viewing lens looking down at his unmoving form.
"That we can fix," it said as it lifted the boy's limp body with the numerous cables that were currently attached to him. "With technology we can fix what was broken, with time we can regain what was lost, as long as his soul is still there anything is possible."
"After all an organic can only give so much and this one has already given all he can with this body, why not give him a new one?" said the newly born A.I. as she placed him against what looked like an upright table with an indention similar of human outline with both arms at 45 degree angles, instantly he was held in place by a strange blue energy
One by one the cables slowly detached themselves from him as long needles embedded themselves into his weakened spinal column causing a gasp of pain to leave his lips with each one that embedded itself into each individual vertebrae.
"Let's do away with all this flesh" she said as a metallic disk protruded from the wall with a semicircular shape and hovered directly over his chest emanating a strange bluish white light, another disk doing the same over his abdomen before a bluish energy field covered his body.
"This bone and blood" she said as a needle injected a strange blue liquid into his shoulder and slowly all the veins in his body became visible as they turned a greenish blue color
"All these organic limitations" she announced as dozens of small mechanical arms protruded from the wall and started to work on the currently unconscious Naruto
"As long as the soul is there it is still alive, right?" the newly born A.I. asked Miku curiously as if asking this about itself not Naruto
"Of course, all of it is optional beyond the soul. It's like a skin pack," she said as she referred to the unique technology of her world that allowed one to fully transform their physical appearance and abilities. "With Materia and the required energy to transmute it anything is possible" she said happily as she entered her own deep sleep module, the unique holes running down the back of her space suit along the spine allowing for the cables attached to her to follow her before another cable connected itself to the back of her head.
"Wait, I do not want to access the dream archive" she announced causing the A.I. to stop the standard procedure for any sort of deep sleep "I want to watch him" she said referring to Naruto who was directly across from her own deep sleep module
"I-I understand I think, it is because you care for this organic correct?" the newly born A.I. asked with curiosity
"He died for me" Miku said seriously causing the A.I. to go silent at that
She could not yet comprehend the fear associated with dying, but she knew it was something that all sentient life-forms instinctively feared. Soon she too shall learn to fear it, but the very thought of putting one's continued existence on the line for another was nearly unfathomable for her, as it required emotions she had yet to explore to even consider putting oneself in danger for another.
"I will disengage dream protocol, if you need to recharge you have the link open, it should take about ten seconds with his energy still circulating in the ship's reserve energy systems" the A.I. announced getting confirmatory signal from her
Looking at Naruto as his atomic structure was reconstructed, she had to wonder at what he would say when he awoke, what he would think. Would he blame her for his death? Would he hate her when she found out what she was, what he was going to be? Would he be the same…?
As much as she tried to reaffirm it she didn't know if he would still be the same as the boy she had met when he woke up, there were too many variables to take into account.
So many questions plagued her as she looked at his still form across from her, yet a single thought prevailed above all.
'I want him to hold my hand again' she thought longingly, that moment when he held her hand she felt more alive than she ever had in her entire life. She would give every single memory she possessed just to keep that one, it was quite literally the highlight of her entire existence.
Meanwhile the newly born A.I. was pondering the intrinsic nature of life before it finally realized something, this organic was for all purposes going to be an operator, a living one nonetheless. This causing it to look at organic in a new light as she experienced a new emotion that filled her with an innate sense of accomplishment and purpose to what she was doing.
It was hope, not only for her, but for all artificial life.
"Welcome to your new life young operator" it said tenderly as it watched over him with Miku as he was slowly methodically reborn as he was reconstructed from the ground up
"All you need now little one is sleep, for when you awake you shall learn of your new destiny." It whispered softly before going silent, its sights firmly set on the young boy before it.
Author's Note
A NarutoxVocaloid crossover that's action oriented, pretty original huh?
Honestly any fic that has Naruto signing in it seems a bit weird and amateurish to me, it just seems forced into the plotline most times and is unprofessional in my opinion. Emotions and feelings can just as easily be displayed in words as it can through song, it simply depends on the medium of expression used. My medium for writing is words, if I ever decide to write a hit single in a few years while in the midst of a depression, I'll update my profile.
Plot will differ from cannon, Iruka's death was Naruto's wakeup call to not be such a clueless optimistic child and will help mature him into an adult. Currently his only attachment to Konoha is Sarutobi, so expect some big shockwaves (if) he dies. This like all my works features a powerful eventually godlike MC, currently Naruto is not that powerful as he is starting from his cannon self but in the following few chapters he will grow by leaps and bounds.
While this story is a harem it will feature meaningful realistic relationships, none of that crap where she falls head over heels for the guy or that Naruto simply takes each girl to a fancy restaurant for dates. This is not only unrealistic for most relationships, but widely out of character for Naruto himself. That having been said the relationship's featured in most of my stories are usually going to be unique in nature.
Miku's synthesized speech is a bit broken because she does not know the intricacies of Naruto's language only the base language it is to which it is derived from which is japanese. It would be as if someone that understood Latin were trying to decipher and utilize a language derived from it. She is supremely intelligent it's just that there is a bit of a language barrier there.
Anything that hasn't been covered in this chapter shall be covered in the next, this namely being operators, operants, and Materia.
If you have any other questions P.M. me, I'll respond eventually. If you have flames I don't give half a potato.
Harem Challenge!:
Which girls do you want to see in the harem? Leave a review (preferred method) or drop a P.M. stating the Vocaloid girls you want with Naruto (No Naruto characters), I might put a poll later on as well. No guarantees but if a character get's enough love I'll be much more liable to put her in than not. (Both into the story and into the harem) If you really want to see her in then accompany the pairing with an interesting way to insert her into the story and you're reason as to why she should be in.
Spots are limited as this is not going to be a massive harem, but a reasonable one where the girls will still have interesting interactions with Naruto.
Also there is a secret side pairing as well still in the vocaloid character sheet which shall be revealed later on, note that this shall be the only prominent side pairing. It's going to be Kaito and a mystery girl (You can guess and your opinions on which girl he might end up with might alter my final decision on the matter), if you want Gakupo to end up with a girl state your reason why and who you would pair him up with.
Bio- Iruka Umino (Overdrive)
Iruka Umino lost both parent's during the Kyuubi attack. He having no living family became an orphan and to cope with the loneliness turned to attention seeking and pranking. Even negative attention was preferred over no attention at all. During his deepest of depressions he was comforted by Sarutobi Hiruzen. He had only one friend to his name, this being none other than Mizuki himself. This however was nothing more than a ploy in Mizuki's part to grow closer to the Hokage. Graduating at the top of his class as rookie of the year he quickly climbed up the ranks until he reached the rank of chunnin at 14 and was then offered entry into the ANBU program. Iruka becoming an official ANBU officer at 15 years of age.
During this time the feelings of inferiority and jealousy in Mizuki grew as he saw his friend quickly rise through the ranks, this eventually causing him to turn to more questionable people in his pursuit of power. At 17 Iruka a decorated ANBU officer was assigned a job that would change his life forever, to guard one Uzumaki Naruto from the shadows. At first he vehemently protested against the assignment, stating that the monster inside Naruto had killed his parents, but upon the urging of Sarutobi and later Kakashi Hatake he reluctantly took the job.
What he saw shocked him as the parallels between him and the boy didn't seem to end, undeniably he had found a kindred spirit of sorts with the boy. One day when Naruto was scavenging for ninja tools from corpses in a nearby woods that had been used for the chunnin exams several months prior, he stumbled upon several Takigakure spies. Seeing the boy in danger he with the help of Kakashi then known as ANBU operative Inu (Dog) managed to protect Naruto before they left after disposing of the corpses. Naruto, having been knocked unconscious slowly after the altercation started by a well-placed senbon to the neck, never knew of the incident and chalked it up to him having fallen asleep.
It was then that Iruka started to see Naruto as more than a simple charge, but as a little brother. It wasn't long after that he heard about Naruto's troubles in school. After thanking Sarutobi for having assigned Naruto to him, he announced his retirement from ANBU and his wish to become an Academy instructor in order to pass the Will of Fire to future generations.