This story was started many years ago, and, having been looking through all my old stories, I decided this one has potential.
However this also means that the first six or so chapters are not the best writing I've ever done. At this point I was someone who enjoyed putting Naruto through the worst situations and hatred, so it's not going to be great for him for the first maybe three chapters, just to warn you.
I would rewrite it if that wouldn't involve rewriting several thousand words and thinking up a new way to have naruto end up in a... certain situation.
Also, this story uses concepts from the Inheritance Cycle, though no characters are used. If you haven't read these books, it doesn't matter as it will be explained as the fic proceeds, and if there is something you would like confirmed, don't hesitate to message me!
Additional note to those who are waiting for updates with 'Meldarion' and 'revenge'. SORRY!!! Both Meldarion and Alex are being extremely stubborn, so I looked for a story I can write and am hoping this will help start to get ideas flowing!
Either that or this will also end up as another partly finished story!
For Revenge readers, I'm seriously thinking of seeking help for Anthony Horowitz himself, cause i know exactly what i want to happen, but can't seem to get around the particulars. I have run through the scenario so many times my head is close to imploding!!! so i'm hoping this will help with getting the ideas flowing again.
But anyway, on with the story!
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. Wish i did, but i don't. Also do not own the concepts used in Inheritance Cycle, though I do own the dragon in this story!
Warning!!!: this story will involve YAOI!!!If you don't like, I'm sorry you've read all these author's notes until now, but I don't want to hear people dissing pairings. I don't go around other stories saying how i hate the pairings they've used, so I would appreciate the same respect in return. And for those who do like Yaoi pairings, sorry, but it could take a while to develop! Just know that it's coming!!!
Chapter One: Of Dragon Eggs and Riders
Naruto was scared.
That's as much as his mind was able to take in.
He had fled the village last night, trying not to be noticed by the villagers as he made his way quickly out of the village to avoid the troubles the next day would bring him.
However only halfway to the gates he had been spotted, and forced to run away from quickly growing crowds before they could drag him down. Because it was all over if he got dragged down. So he ran faster, leaving the village behind through the safety of the gates and fleeing into the forest for the next few days until things calmed down enough to return. He could still hear the angry shouts following him from the village, telling him not to return and to rot in a ditch where he belonged.
He continued away from the voices, stumbling many-a-time over his feet in his haste, ignoring the mass of bruises and cuts until they became too much for him and he collapses against a tree trunk, hugging his knees to his chest and weeping.
"Why?" he whimpered, through the torn fabric of his shorts. "What did I do wrong?"
However, as always, no answer came and he was left to himself for another night. One more night in the world alone for the young blonde. One of the last nights alone in the world for the vessel of the kyuubi.
After many hours of sobbing, and a slight amount of rest before the cruel breeze woke him, the protagonist of our story pulled himself up, set on surviving the horrors of these woods just to, "Prove to the stupid villagers that I'm not weak!", he was going to be Hokage after all.
And so he continued his path through the dense wood, trying to find somewhere his six year old mind would deem safe for him, eventually finding it when a long, sharp cliff came into view and several meters away a dark cave. By this point his mind was shutting down, quickly accepting the most closed off place as safe, rather than a potential den of a beast. However this time he was safe, for the beast lurking inside had been waiting a long time, and soon, would finally enter this world from the hardened shell it lay dormant in now.
Waking up the next morning, Naruto slowly forced the cricks out of his body from sleeping on the hard, stone ground. The light shone slightly into the cave, allowing him to see his surroundings. Much was like he had expected as he looked around, much like other caves he had spent the night in. What caught his attention though, was the glint of gold hidden near the back, nestled in between two outcrops of rock. Carefully, his mind easily recognising the value of this rock, if not for just the prettiness, he attempted to pull it from the outcrop only to find it successfully lodged in. After several minutes more trying, his hands beginning to bleed slightly from the sharp rock on either side, he took a step back and looked at the rock. Normally, if his attempts at something he saw no profit in failed he would move on – it wasn't essential to his dream anyway – but this rock was drawing him in, he was transfixed with the almost egg-shaped golden stone. He could feel something pulling him towards it and he wasn't going to let it go. So he set his nerves and began slowly attempting to tear at the rocks surrounding his prize, his hands bloodied after the first few minutes and still he continued, every few minutes pausing to give the stone a comforting rub. The rock wore away slowly, standing much assault from the young blonde yet as the hours passed by, the child not even noticing his stomachs painful calls for attention, the rock slowly began to give and, as the sky was turning from pink to dark blue he attempted once more to pull the treasure from it's prison, it's gold now also covered in red from the constant rubbing from the blood-soaked hands, and finally the last few pieces of shingle fell from the outcrops of rock and the stone came free, into the warm embrace of the tired boy as he fell backwards, cuddling it against his chest carefully, not wishing any harm upon the stone. 'It's mine, my own little one.' He thought to himself, placing a light kiss upon his most precious thing once, then twice before closing his eyes.
The next morning, when the boy opened his eyes, he did so with a smile on his face for the first time in many months as he spied his treasure in his arms safely. Pulling off the jacket the old man had given him recently, to find it was torn and bloodied from his escapades, he gently laid it on the ground before placing the stone in it tenderly and placing it back in the covered alcove as he left to find food.
He had fled into the forests of Konoha the two years previously as well so by now he was rather skilled at finding food. His quick feet and swift body aided him, not just in survival but pranks as well as the village ninja's – up to low jounin – found it difficult to track him successfully. And he was only six.
Knowing he would be staying another few nights at least he tightened his will and slowly crept upon a deer, silently praying forgiveness for taking an innocent life, before he lunged, landing a quick blow to the back of the animal's head with his joined fists. With the force he applied the animal was dead, he had learnt to put large amounts of strength behind his attack after the first time… it had made him swear to always kill on the first strike and ensure the animal was dead before doing anything further. After checking, he slowly began to gut the animal, burying the remains to attempt to not attract any predators. He dragged the carcass back to his temporary home, retrieving dead leaves from the surrounding area to make a fire before setting traps around his home to make sure he wouldn't be slaughtered by animals in the night.
Then he set to work starting the fire, it would take a while to be strong enough to cook anything on so, after several attempts, he was able to use a weak version of the goukakyu no jutsu that he had seen proper ninja use. His was still incredibly weak but he wasn't going to complain if he couldn't get it bigger. Right now, he didn't need it to be. Skinning the deer and taking the necessary flesh for his dinner, he used the fur, wrapping it comfortingly around his stone, a fond look in his eyes as he watched the way it reflected the fire in it's golden glow, the red having stained onto it slightly causing him to frown as he placed the meat on sticks over the fire to cook. He took the stone out gently and pulled his flask of water out to gently wet a rag before rubbing his bloodied smudges from the stone's perfect surface, a smile gracing his face as he continued caressing it's edges tenderly before gently placing it back in it's bed and moving back to take care of his dinner before he gets too caught up in it's beauty.
Finishing his dinner he doused the fire, not wanting any animals to chance his traps to get to the heat, and cuddled down, bring his stone to his small chest with it's bedding covering it and his chest. His eyes drifted closed contentedly, and his mind barely took in the pulses of warmth being emitted from the stone cupped between his arms, however second later he was jarred awake by a cracking noise, feeling pressure on his left arm. Quickly wide awake in case of danger he looks around to find out what awoke him, only to end up looking at the stone between his arms. Slowly cracks begin forming along the left side, his eyes widening as realisation took his mind, 'What sort of creature has eggs this big?' he wonders to himself, his eyes shocked as pieces slowly began to fall away, however his arms locked in place, holding it against his chest still even as larger shards fell away and a claw emerged. He tensed then, as another did, and with a push a large segment fell away and a head emerged, golden, with large amber eyes blinking slowly up into his and small ivory horns on either side of it's head above it's eyes like eyebrows and then one row starting at the centre of it's head and continuing down it's neck as far as he could see. He gently and slowly, so not to startle the creature, lowered himself and the egg – which was so obviously now not a rock – down to the ground and placed the remains on the floor where the small baby creature began kicking it's back legs, already strong enough to throw the pieces off viciously. Now Naruto was unsure, he wasn't scaredper say, but he was unsure what this new development could entail. Suddenly the creature sniffed eagerly at the air, it's stomach rumbling and a high-pitched squeak emitting from its mouth, demanding food now. He smiled, in spite of himself, and knew he would look after the small baby as he had the egg. This was still his baby to look after. He turned quickly and began cutting chunks of food with the kunai he had brought with him from the dead carcass. After he had several large chunks he cut them into small strips and stretched his hand out of the baby. It suddenly was unsure, sniffing at him cautiously but backing off, evidently not confident enough to come near him.
"Hey, it's alright. I'm not going to hurt you. Come on, take the piece of food, it's good." He spoke gently, lulling the small creature gently into trusting him, and rather quickly the animal moved towards him, taking the food from his hand, careful not to actually touch him. Chewing on the food twice before swallowing evidently it was satisfied with the food on offer and came back for more, slowly chewing it's way through the meat Naruto had cut. He was just beginning to wonder if he should cut more when the animal's tongue touched his hand as it took the food. The contact, while pleasant, caused an odd burning feeling in the palm of his hand and slowly, the pain grew until he closed his eyes as it became unbearable and he pitched forwards, surprised when he heard almost panicked cries from the creature just before he lost consciousness. Only several minutes later his eyes opened again, blinking as they re-acclimatized themselves with the dark cave, only to meet large amber eyes peering back from an inch away from his face. He gave a startled yelp, the creature jumping too and backing away to the wall of the cave. Slowly his beating heart calmed and he remembered what had happened. Looking at his hand he noticed he couldn't see any difference in the light given, however when he ran his other hand over his palm, a smooth lump was obvious, causing him a slight amount of panic before he forced it back. For some reason it didn't seem to bother him that much, after all he had had whisker like scars on his face since birth, why would a smooth lump in his palm bother him? Looking round to find the animal he spotted it crouched at the back of the cave, seemingly scared by his reaction. He smiled gently at it, and it squeaked again, "Shh. It's alright. I'm sorry I scared you little one. Come over here."
More quickly than he expected the creature retraced it's steps back to him, crawling into his lap and curling up, it's eyes looking up at him as he gently placed a hand on it's neck, rubbing it down beside the line of spikes along it's spine, pleased when a gentle keening came from his mouth at the contact and he felt a warm tingling in the hand he had used, noticing his palm glowing slightly. He immediately put that to the back of his mind at the baby in his lap pushed against the hand again for more attention. Smiling, he consented.
Next morning Naruto panicked when he found his arms empty, only to turn and find the young creature poking it's nose into the dead carcass, sniffing quickly.
"Good morning little one. You want something to eat?"
the little golden creature looked round at him then, eyes bright and playfully bounded towards him, small, frail, ribbed wings he hadn't seen before in the dark opened at it's sides and carried it slightly farther in one of it's bounds and to his feet where it padded at his legs, obviously pleased to see him. He smiled down at it before scooping it up in his arms, feeling a strange feeling pressing against his mind, similar to the feelings he was going through at the moment, only from another. He looked at the creature carefully, taking in it's innocent eyes and playful flicks with it's tongue against his face. "Those feelings are coming from you, aren't they?" he asks gently.
The golden baby nuzzled it's head against his chin, Naruto taking that as confirmation and rubbing gently behind it's ear, "Are you hungry?"
It nuzzled again and he chuckled as it's horns lightly tickled the underside of his chin.
He sat down, placing it in his lap again as he began cutting meat for it, fending away it's playful snaps at the meat as he cut it.
"Wait until I've cut it up properly, then you can eat it."
It continued attempting to grab the meat so he experimentally thought his orders, pushing them in his mind in the way he had felt those from the reptilian creature earlier. He simply said, 'Wait' to the baby, using the image of the creature sitting patiently to emphasize it and he was pleasantly surprised when the young hatchling stopped squirming and focused it's eyes up onto Naruto. He smiled down at it and continued cutting the meat until he was sure the baby would handle it. Then he smiled again and offer it a piece. It's head leapt forward, mouth closing around his fingers and pulling the meat out from them, tongue licking the blood off them once the meat was gone, then looking up at the young blonde pleadingly.
He smiled and continued feeding the creature in his lap until it wouldn't take anymore from the significantly smaller pile that he had made at the beginning. He then took the chunks, skewered them and began a fire using a goukyaku again, this one stronger than his last. Pleased he set the meat to slowly cook and went out, taking the baby with him knowing it would take quite a while for the meat to cook. He scouted the area, as he didn't have much time yesterday after his work at releasing the egg. Together they found a stream, wide but shallow and Naruto bathed, soaking the sweat and dried blood from his body. His eyes widened as he heard a splash from where he had left the baby sitting on a rock and then a call for help entered his mind as he turned and found the hatchling struggling to stay above water.
With two large bounds he scooped the baby out of the water, checking it as much as he could for injury as it thrashed in his arms before stilling, it's claws dug into his shoulders and head placed over his left one.
"Shh. It's alright, I've got you. Don't worry. I'm sorry, I should have stayed closer and kept an eye on you. You were just curious, weren't you? Let's get you back to the cave and dried off," he whispered gently into it's ear as it shivered against his body, obviously terrified from the ordeal.
He quickly sprinted – as fast as his little legs could carry him – back to his temporary dwellings and wrapped his charge in it's blankets again before pulling his food from the fire and offering some of the heated food to the trembling creature after blowing on it to cool it for the young creature's tender mouth.
It took the food offered, chewing it slightly before mewling at him. He felt that curious sensation again, against his own mind and knew what the creature wanted, picking it up in it's blankets and placing it in his lap, gently running his hands over the creature again as it calmed down and the shaking stopped.
"Is that better? You wanted comfort, not warmth? I'm sorry, I'll look after you better from now on!"
The baby looked up at him, a surprising confidence in it's eyes and he got the impression it was thinking something along the lines of; 'i'm sure you will' causing him to smile in appreciation.
A week passed by in much the same manner, with Naruto feeding the young creature – he still did not know of what species it was, some sort of winged lizard? – and then exploring with it, teaching it what little he knew. Not that he was dumb, he just had never had anyone teach him before and what he knew had to be figured out by himself. So he talked with the dragon, it being the first companion who had ever seemed to enjoy his company, from the croonings and keenings he received from his words and gentle nuzzling when they sat quietly together. He received the shock of his life when he woke up the fifth morning to find himself alone, 'Has it run off, deciding it doesn't want to be with me anymore?' he asked himself seriously, rather hurt at the thought. However quickly after that thought squeaks were heard from outside – deeper in pitch than when it was first born – and he raced out to find the creature rushing back to him, a dead bird caught in it's jaw. He rushed up to it, wrapping his arms around it almost harshly and whispering for it not to worry him like that again as tears slipped from his eyes. The creature accepted the hug, it's eyes looking at him apologetically as it licked the tears from his face after dropping the bird. He soon released it and rubbed it gently, congratulating it on managing to hunt for itself, thinking to himself he was glad he had removed the traps from his cave in case of a situation like this.
However what surprised Naruto the most was the extreme growth spurt it had gone through, he was only six but still! The creature was close to reaching his shoulders and he was able to sit on it's back without causing it any strain or discomfort, however it couldn't yet fly with him sitting there.
And the link between their minds seemed to have been getting stronger, until it managed to echo words he had used in his head – causing slight frustration to the blonde – but he soon realised this was a learning process and it was merely learning how to speak with him.
Then one night, as they lay together in the cave, his friend – for that's what the creature was now, his first friend – curled around him with a wing covering him to preserve his heat against the cold he felt that consciousness pressing against his again and smiled, welcoming the feeling. However he gasped as the feeling pressed further than ever, pushing into his mind and soaking up all the knowledge he held there as he waited for it to finish, the feeling of having another's mind in yours strange, yet also rather comforting, as it was a presence he trusted. Once it separated from his mind again, settling with rubbing against it a voice spoke in his head.
"I'm sorry for that Naruto. Can you forgive me?" he started at the male voice and turned to look at the creature, pleasant shock covering his face.
"Is that… is that you?" the creature nodded his head, revealing it's teeth in what Naruto recognised as a smile. "You… you can speak with me now?"
another nod and the, now obviously male, creature bowed it's head next to naruto's and licked the tears of joy that he didn't know he was emitting, away.
"yes Naruto. I'm sorry for entering your mind like that without permission but I couldn't wait to be able to talk with you like this. So I needed the knowledge you hold to do so."
Now Naruto shook his head, stroking the creature's neck, "It's alright. It was strange, but I didn't mind it. It just took me by surprise."
the creature dipped it's head in acknowledgement, "it was strange for me as well, but enjoyable. To be able to be bonded fully with you, seeing inside your mind. You're everything I could have ever wanted in a Rider, Naruto."
The term used caused the blonde to look up into his amber eyes, blinking in confusion, "Rider…? What does that mean?"
The creature sighed, laying it's head next to naruto's as the blonde continued to stroke the thick neck gently.
"I am – as far as I know – the last of my kind in the world. I am a dragon Naruto, a creature of myth. My race died out many, many centuries ago and I was left, hiding in rock until an earthquake created a crack, and then you found me. I must thank you for your hard work getting me out little one, I saw the pain you went through to do so and it hurt me to know I was hurting you. But as soon as you had touched me I had known you were my Rider. You see, dragon eggs – well some of them but I will explain the others some other time – will not hatch until the right person touches their egg. Each dragon looks for something different in their human companion. I looked for goodness in their heart. Even though you were the first person to touch my egg I knew you were the one. A rider and their dragon – or dragon and their rider – are bonded, for their lives – which are exceedingly long if lived naturally – and no one can understand the bond they share if not bonded to a dragon as the rider is. The riders are just as legendary as the dragons – humans recognised the riders and the dragons as but a fancy means of transport – however the human relies on the dragon as much as the dragon does the human. If the dragon's rider was to die, the dragon would also die due to that part of their soul becoming missing, and most likely vice versa, though there have been some cases where the Rider lived on, though not many. You see, because of the bond the two share, if one were to depart this plain of life, the other would have a part missing from them and they would not be able to continue living anymore." He paused for a brief second in contemplation of what else to say when Naruto spoke.
"I couldn't bare to live without you, even just after these few days."
The dragon smiles and nuzzled the top of the young blonde's hair, "Me too, Naruto."
He sighed and looked around with his mighty head before continuing, "when I was born into my egg, my parents and fore parents could tell their time was coming to an end. They probably didn't know I was to be the last, but they knew close enough to embellish my egg with all of their knowledge. It seems they were right, there is no sense of the old ways – neither magic nor dragons – and your society has moved on greatly. You will become a ninja, Naruto, I will make sure of that, but I will also teach you of the ways of the dragon and rider, of magic. It will be long and hard but I know that you will be able to accomplish many great things from what I teach you. I can sense that you will have few problems with magic – other than control – but that is a problem we all face. But for now let that not bother you, you need sleep and I will not have my rider stumbling around tomorrow discombobulated due to tiredness!"
Naruto laughs at the parental tone in the dragon's voice, "Hey, I'm older than you!"
"But I'm taller, and larger, and can fly, so what I say goes!" the dragon says childishly, snaking a tongue out between it's teeth to waggle at the blonde, causing him to laugh.
With a yawn, Naruto leans his head back against the scaled, golden leg extended as a pillow and closes his eyes, only to blink them open seconds later.
"Hey, you never told me your name…"
The dragon's amber eyes looked down on him and said, almost sadly, "I have not got a name Naruto, that is up to you."
The blonde smiled, closing his eyes again as his breathing softens, "Alright, can I name you… Evrae."
So, what y'all think???
Please let me know if you think it is worth publishing the rest of the prepared chapters and continuing to write this fic.
Also, just now i have categorised it as a 'Naruto' fic only, even though it uses concepts from Eragon. Do you think I should put it in the crossover category, even though no Eragon characters will be used?