Chapter 1 - Prologue
There I lay.
Dying once more, with nothing to stop it. Time is such a cruel existence. I thought it was unbeatable,
up until towards the end of my first lifetime.
See, my first life many saw me as evil or tyranical. The truth of the matter was I just didn't value life. Being the first wizard in existence had left me ostracized. Never feeling love growing up meant not being able to feel it for others. And so I allowed my new found gift to consume me. Striding to learn it's mysteries.
My first life isn't one I particularly want to get into to, but when it was coming to an end, I found it. The potion to avoid non-existence, not death, but rebirth. The magnificence of it all was intoxicating.
My second life is where I really started. For the first time in my existence, I felt love. Love from parents. The feeling was so great I had no idea what to do with it, but it healed me. Allowed me to sympathize with others. Allowed me to feel like others.
I never touched magic then, opting to become a healer of sorts, through traditional means. The society was definitely more advanced than my last. It allowed me to repent and seek absolution. So as I'm laying here, dying, I feel content. The guilt of my first life finally laid to rest.
I finally shut my eyes.
Chapter 2 - The definition of eternity.
All I can see is darkness, and it really confused me. I was not expecting to be able to have thoughts after death.
'Perhaps I haven't died yet' I thought.
But the feeling of kinks in my old bones was missing, along with other pains that I have become accustomed to. I began trying to open my eyes, and to my surprise it had worked.
My vision was blurred and I could not tell what was in my surroundings. Trying to blink away the fog,
I lifted my hand to rub my eyes, and what caught my eyes I was not expecting.
A tiny, chubby little hand. It allowed me to finally understand what was going on atleast. I'd been reborn again. I truly did not expect that. I had thought it was a one time thing.
'But where are my parents.'
Usually babies are born from, you know, a mother. But I didn't feel any other presences. Opening my eyes again, I looked around, this time with better vision.
I was in a forest.
'What the hell.'
I tried lifting myself off the ground, and to my surprise, I was able to. I searched my surroundings a little more closely. Again, just a forest. Which was wierd. Looking down on my, naked, body.
'Definitely a baby, not sure how I'm moving so well..'
Then I saw it.
'I'm a girl... What the hell! Well, I mean I knew it was possible, but this is going to be hard to get used to.'
Moving away from the disturbing thoughts of going through purberty as a girl. I decided to see if I could walk, or toddle. Bending down my arms to push my self up, which was a little easier than I was expecting, I got my self up right.
'Alright, here goes nothing.'
Placing one foot in front of the other, I began to walk, or, yeah, just toddle. My limbs weren't long enough to walk correctly, but with how small I am, I'm surprised by how strong I am for my age. Which I'm assuming is just born.
*Snap*
I quickly tried to turn my head around to the noise. Made my self a little dizzy, so it took a little to focus in on it.
"A child? Hello honey, what are you doing out here?" A deep, manly voice spoke, in what I could only assume baby-talk.
'Your voice... there's no way to make that sound less intimidating.'
I blinked up at him, only to see surprise visible on his eyes. He was a fairly handsome man, I noted.
Brown hair, with violet eyes, which were unusual.
I followed his line of sight and noticed he was staring at my forehead. I moved my hands to feel what he was staring at, assuming I may have some sort of insect on it or something.
'Ok... definitely not normal. What the hell! Seriously!.'
What I felt... I don't know how to describe it. Deformities? But I knew what they were.
'Horns.' I thought. 'Does this world have demons or something.'
"Honey, does any where hurt?!" The man quickly got closer and picked me up under my arms. He put me in the crane of his arm and began gently pat along my 'horns.' I just silently stared at him, I am a baby after all.
"Unusual eyes too..." He mumbled under his breathe, then smiled at me. I still heard him though.
"Come on, let's get you to the village." He said.
'Village? A more primitive world than?' I thought.
Chapter 3 - The Village
How quick the man is, really confused me. To my knowledge, it's not possible to move this fast without magic.
"I'm not going too fast am I?" He asked me. To which I shook my head. His eyes opened a little wider.
I don't think he expected me to understand him.
"Good." He answered.
"We'll be there soon." He spoke again.
Well, this is sort of disorientating, but I can handle it.
It took about 20 minutes to get there, but when we finally got there, it was quite the sight.
The village itself wasn't too extraordinary, but the mountain that over looks the village is.
Carved on the face of the mountain, were four disguishing face, very finely detailed. I could only guess that they were leaders or past leaders. The guards did give us little trouble because of me, but still let us pass.
"Awesome, isn't it?" The man smiled at me. I just nodded in return.
It truly was.
"Alright, well, I think it would be smart to bring you to the Hokage. I'm not sure what to do with you."
He said.
"Hokage?" I accidently let out, due to being confused.
The man gave me a look, although I wasn't sure what he was thinking.
"Hmmm... A leader of sorts. My name's Gyo Akiyama. Do you have a name, honey?" He asked. I wasn't expecting to be asked that, so I had to think a minute. It might be wierd if I didn't. It may be better to let him assume I'm an abandoned child. The horns would make that story easy.
"Gris." I answered.
"That's a lovely name." He smiled at me.
It didn't take long to reach a tower of sorts. Although, it wasn't that large. Going in and passing the lady in the front, we continued until we reached some stairs. After reaching the top, Gyo knocked on a door.
"Enter." Some one said from behind the door.
The air when entering, was pretty pressuring. The man that sat at the desk was intimidating. He had piercing dark eyes, along with a greying goatee, sporting some sort of hat.
"Who do we have here, Akiyama-san?" The presumed Hokage spoke. Gyo looked a little nervous.
"Hokage-sama, I found her on the way back from my mission. She said her name is Gris." Gyo spoke.
"She spoke? She looks like she's not even 2 years old." Hokage asked. He narrowed his eyes at me.
I decided to look elsewhere.
"Also, are those horns? Perhaps a bloodline?" The Hokage spoke again.
"I am not entirely sure myself, Hokage-sama." Gyo answered.
"Bring her here." Hokage demanded.
'Getting passed around like a doll, is not fun.' I blew out my cheeks to show my anger.
The Hokage smiled down at me, whilst I was in his arm.
"Hello young one, my name is Hiruzen Sarutobi, do you understand me?" I nodded.
"Can you speak?"
"Yes." Although, not entirely sure how I understand you, don't remember this language.
His eyes widened a little.
"And how old are you?" He asked.
I thought about it for a second.
"I don't know." I answered.
'Let's keep things a mystery.' I thought.
Hiruzen
I looked down at the child in my arms as I was bringing her to the orphanage.
"Make sure the get along with the children." I said finishing my lecture for her. She didn't seem that interested in what I was saying, but she had to know these things.
We reached the front of the door of the orphanage and knocked. The door opened a minute later.
"Oh Hokage-sama?! What are you doing here?!" The young woman half-yelled.
"Hello, Marie, I'm here to put this child in the orphanage." I said.
She looked down and I heard her gasp. I know exactly how she feels. This child's appearance is very unusual. She has a patch of dark purple hair growing out of her head, two little horns growing out of opposite ends of her forhead, and the most fascinating eyes. Her pupils slit in the middle, much like a cat or snake, and her irises are a swirl of reds, staring at them you can swear that the colors move.
The intelligence showing in her eyes are a little unnerving, but I couldn't just throw her out to die.
"O-ofcourse, Hokage-sama, but may I ask if there's something wrong with her?" Marie asked.
"I believe it's nothing to worry about, it's most likely a bloodline." I answered. This village is made up of Bloodline families, so this should ease her worries.
"Ah! That makes sense. Does she have a name?" Marie asked.
"Gris." The child answered. Causing Marie to startle.
I sighed. I know she does it on purpose to surprise people, afterall she's doesn't even appear two years old.
"She's a little more advanced than she seems, but she is still young, hopefully you can teach her manners."
After talking with the girl back at the tower, I had realized she likes to tease others. I didn't notice it at first, just chalking it up the child innocence, but some comments lead me to believe otherwise.
After I talked to her though, I came to the conclusion that she's mostly harmless.
I handed her off with some of the paperwork.
"I'll come visit you at a later date, Gris." I said.
"Ok." She answered.
I sighed as I walk away.
'Atleast, I'm retiring in a week.'
Chapter 4 - Orphan Life
One year has past since I was brought to the orphanage. Many of the caretakers and children avoid me here. They seem to believe I'm some kind of demon formed from the dead in the war. Yeah, the war that ended basically a week before I got into the village. Lucky for me, I didn't show up during.
Hiruzen has visited me a couple times since he retired. I haven't gotten to meet the new Hokage,
but Hiruzen tells me he's an amazing person, named Minato or something. The technique he says he uses sound pretty awesome. I've never seen the magic this world produces before, using energy called Chakra. It has a pretty wierd feeling it. I'm only able to feel it in the air, and once I started feeling it, I could feel everything. I mean, if I were to close my eyes I could move around with my eyes closed. It's pretty wierd I can't feel it inside me like others can apparently.
Back onto the topic of being viewed as a demon. I mean I don't think they're that far off. The reason being is that when I suffered a scrape some like 3 months ago, I didn't bleed. I was fascinated. I mean I didn't bleed, for heaven's sake! How is that even possible? And the wound healed in about 30 seconds.
It wasn't anything serious, it was just from tripping and falling on the street, leaving a scrape.
But, it was still wierd. Plus I'm growing extremely fast, I look about four years old,
only after a year. The wizard in me kicked in, wanting to experiment until I had it figured out.
Which is why I'm sitting in front of Hiruzen right now.
"Gris." Hiruzen said.
"Yes, gramps."
"...Can you tell me why?" He asked.
"I haven't the faintest idea what you mean, Ex-Hokage-sama." I tried to puppy eyes him.
He sighed. "You know Gris, this would be a lot faster if you just explained."
"Maybe I want to spend time with you." I smiled a big closed eye smile.
He smiled one that didn't reach his eyes.
"For what reason is it okay to stab your self with a kitchen knife?" He asked.
"For research!" I answered in full confidence.
He sighed again. "Alright, let's have a look at the wound."
"It healed already."
"Griss." He narrowed his eyes at me.
"No really, it already healed!" I argued back.
Marie, who has been standing in the back of the room shifting uncomfortably, decided to step in.
"It's true, Sarutobi-sama. We found out about her...unusual abilities three months ago.
Although, I did not expect for her to do this." Marie spoke.
Marie is such a sweet woman, she's literally the only person who interacts with me here, and treats me like a human.
"Marie, marry me!" I demanded. "Please!"
It seemed to get her a little more comfortable.
"Maybe when you're older, Gris." She beamed a smile at me.
"...I am older...too cute.." I grumbled under my breath.
"What else have you been doing to yourself, Gris?" Hiruzen asked, looking a little too serious for me.
"Umm.." Should I answer? I mean this world has a lot of strange shit, maybe it won't be a big deal.
"I learned I don't have to breathe, eat, or drink. Also, I don't have blood, and I'm pretty sure I'm made entirely of chakra."
He twisted around real fast to face Marie.
"Have you witnessed any of this?!" Hiruzen half-screamed out.
Marie looked really uncomfortable. "I-I'm not entirely sure, but I have seen some things she's done and I wouldn't doubt what she says is true." She answered.
Hiruzen turned back to me. His expression back to unreadable after the shock.
"Gris, I believe I know what you are. Don't be surprised, although I have no idea how this is possible."
Hiruzen said. That single statement was the worst thing he could of said.
'Does he know!?'
"Gris, I believe you're a... summon, although I have never heard of a humanoid one. Or one that doesn't need a contractor." Hiruzen said.
I sighed in relief.
"What's a summon?" Although, I'm pretty sure I already know, I have used a spell similiar before.
"A summon is, usually, an animal that you summon instantly to your location. These animals usually live in a different dimension, and have abilities and intelligence, equal or greater to humans. To have a summon, you must sign a contract with the family of the animal of your choice. Although, most summon animals have personality traits they search for in a contractor."
"Hmmm... but I don't have any family." I pointed out.
"...Your case... is unprecendent. I haven't ever heard of this before, but there may be an explaination." Hiruzen said.
"Gris, how about you start in the Academy next year. I know you're a little young, but we both know you're not what you seem. Hopefully, by then you'll appear old enough, since you're growing at an unusual rate. Marie-san, could you get me a pen and paper. please? I'm going to write down stuff I want you to practice until than, Griss." Hiruzen said.
I just nodded my head.
"Is it just regular schooling?" I asked, once the question struck me.
"It'll train you to become a ninja." He just stated.
I was flabbergasted. I mean, I've known about the whole ninja thing for a while, from the books I've consumed at a rapid pace, but I didn't expect to become one.
"Really?! I'm going to become a ninja!?" I asked excitedly, I know that being a ninja is probably going to involve killing, but I couldn't help but be excited, a freaking ninja!
He smiled at me. "Yes, Gris, I believe it's the best course of action."
Chapter 5 - Attack of a real Demon
As I was laying in my bed towards the middle of the night, I felt a huge spike of chakra. Sitting up abruptly, I sprang out of my bed and sprinted out of the building. This amount of chakra could only be one thing. I had read about them in The 9 Tailed-Beast. I was fairly sure I was right.
And, after I got outside, I was certain.
This...monster was massive. I saw him swipe his paw and a building flew into the air. Around the beast, I saw flashes of yellow, but I never caught what it was exactly. In excitement, I sprinted to it. Yeah,
I know, stupid right. But when you've been stabbing knifes right in your chest, death doesn't seem that scary.
In my sprint, there were all kinds of screaming, panicking people running past me in the opposite direction, and some kind of siren started going off. I guess it only took them about 5 minutes to sound that.
I was quickly narrowing on the location. Whoever was fighting it was leading it away from the village.
The pressure from the beast increasing each step. Then I saw huge chains spring up and around the giant beast, pulling it down.
"...Naruto...we love you..." I heard to my right, as the beast started swirling down.
A babies peircing cry sounded out, and I sprinted over to the sound. What I saw made my heart clench. A man and woman, I can only presume to be the parents hovering over the baby, dead.
I walked up to the child.
"So this is a Jinchūriki... Tiny little thing, aren't you?" I said while I crouched down to pick him up.
He's a little big for me, but with my strength it wasn't too bad.
Sensing several signatures coming towards us, I sat down criss-crossed to wait for them with Naruto in my lap.
'He's just like I was in my first life. I'm sure he'll be ostracized also.' I thought sadly.
Several masked individuals appeared in the clearing. All tense and holding weapons.
"Who are you!?" One of them yelled.
"Stop, she's a child of the village." Hiruzen said from behind them.
"Gris, what are you doing here?" He asked walking up to me.
I was bouncing the crying baby on my lap, and he finally started calming down.
"What's going to happen to him?" I asked with a sad tone.
Hiruzen gave me a pained expression. "He'll be going to orphanage, unfortunaly we can't allow him to be adopted." Now that he's a Jinchūriki, was left unsaid.
I simply nodded.
The months leading up to me going to the Academy were spent with me helping take care of Naruto.
I really did sympathize with the boy, and I just hope it never gets out that he's a Jinchūriki.
At first, the caretakers wouldn't let me near him, but my persistence paid off.
But, one day, when I was holding Naruto something strange happened.
"What are you, child." A deep voice resounded. I instantly started searching around me in panick.
It's very rare for me to be snuck up on.
"I am in the Jailor, fellow tailed-beast. Although I have never met you before." The voice said.
"Jailer? You mean Naruto?" I asked.
"Yes, this cursed child." Only now am I realizing that he's not actually speaking aloud.
"Are you the Nine-Tail Beast?" I asked curiously.
"I am. I am certainly curious of where you came from though. Did Hagoromo keep you hidden?" The beast asked.
"Wait. Who is Hagoromo? And what do you mean I'm a tailed-beast? I was told I'm a summon." I spoke.
"Hahahah... A summon wouldn't hold as much chakra as you hold. Yours almost equal mine. And I feel the Tailed chakra within you." The beast said.
"I think I should point out that I don't have any tails. And wouldn't all Tailed beast have different chakra?"
"I cannot see you, I am stuck in this hideous thing. But no, all Tailed beast used to be a single being. Hagoromo is the Sage of Six Paths, and also the one that seperated us out. It is very unusual that you have power equal to mine unless all the other tailed beast combined to make you. I have been out of touch with them, as I've most the time been sealed."
"Why did you attack the village? You've left this child an orphan, and you don't seem the type to randomly attack villages. That would make more sense for a rabid animal."
"I was not in control. An Uchiha used his Sharingan to force me to attack after I was unsealed. If I had my way, I would make sure the Uchiha's were extinct."
"Sharingan? I wasn't aware it had the power to control a tailed-beast."
"There are very few that have the power to do so, unfortunaly I ran into one."
I hummed in response.
"I would be grateful if you could figure out how to unseal me. I have been sealed for more years than most of the other tailed beast."
"Is it such a good idea if there's an Uchiha who can control you out there."
"...You have a point. Will you please still research it?" He sounded almost sincere. Almost.
"Maybe!" I said in a cheerful tone, that didn't fit into the atmosphere.
Chapter 6 - The Academy