Naruto: Ninja, Vessel… Mother
Chapter 1: The First Secret: Promise You Won't Tell?
Naruto laid broken and bleeding on the cold floor as the man finally left leaving her in the dark room. She could still hear his cruel laughter and see the cold glare of his hate filled green eyes. Other then that Naruto couldn't remember much else other then the pain. She didn't even know her attacker's face because of blank white mask he had worn.
Tears clouded her vision as she remembered how the day had started out so good. Her friends Shikamaru, Choji, and Kiba and her sensei Iruka had gone out to Ichiraku for ramen after school. There Teuchi and Ayame let them eat all the ramen they wanted at half price for her birthday. After they finish Naruto had been given gifts from her friends and sensei and put them in her backpack with her present from Gramps and had headed home. Iruka and the boys had offered to walk her home just in case, but Naruto had brushed them off since the festival was still going strong and the fireworks hadn't even started yet. She also knew that Iruka was supposed to be meeting up with friends and the boys had promised to watch the fireworks with their families this year. All she had to do was stick to the shadows and avoid the busier bar areas and she shouldn't run into any trouble. But when running passed in little run down bar called Bloody Mary Bar she ended up being attacked by some drunk and had hidden in the basement of an old building. The next thing she knew she was grabbed by someone and after that it was all a blur of pain.
After finding her bag Naruto began to limp her way to her home on the edge of the Red Light District. When she finally arrived she found to her utter shock her apartment building burned to the ground. Feeling faint as everything that had happened caught up to her, Naruto sank to the ground and silently cried. After a few moments she got up and walked away from burned down building that was her home for the last three months. This was the third time that a mob had burned down her home in the last three years. She wondered if she would even find a new place to live. No doubt people were starting to get sick of losing their property and homes because she lived the same buildings as them.
She finally came to a little house a few blocks way from her apartment building. Even before it got burned down there were times that she couldn't go home because people would be waiting to attack her. The woman, who own the little house was a madam to some of the corner girls in the area and was kind enough to let Naruto hide out in a little shack when she need too. She even had a shower room attached to the house so her girls could clean up before they went home. It wasn't the best, but at the very least Naruto would have a place to clean up and sleep for the night. If she was luck the madam would notice she was here and leave out a change of clothes like she did last time. She quickly went into shower to clean herself up, before she slipped into the shack and went to sleep.
Unknown to Naruto the madam had been watching and waiting for Naruto ever since one of her girls stopped by and told her that the child's home was burned down. It was times like this that she wished she could just take the child in herself, but madam's house was no place for a child to be raised. Still in a few days she wouldn't even be around to help protect the sweet little girl. Her sister who lived in a near by village was very sick and so the madam was moving away to take care of her. She had already told her girls to find to new employment and the last of them had moved out of the apartment building she owned just a week ago. At the very least she was going to give the child some hope for a future. She already had the paperwork ready and in the morning would give ownership of the apartment building to Naruto. With that thought in mind the madam went to sleep not knowing her decision would give Naruto an opportunity to become one the best kunoichi ever seen as well as hide a secret she was not yet aware she had.
Morning
Naruto quickly ran to the academy. Never in a million years had she thought after such an offal night that she would have such good fortune! She was a little sad that the madam was leaving. But kind-hearted woman had not only given Naruto some new clothes and some money for food, but she actually left her the deed to a whole apartment building! Naruto hurried into the class and slipped into her seat next to window. Things were beginning to look up.
Though out the morning Naruto found herself letting her mind wonder trying to think of a way make sure her new home wasn't destroyed. History and Math were her least favorite subjects anyway. It wasn't until ninjutsu class did she find something that actually caught her attention. The Henge no Jutsu was definitely something that could help her. Her mind began to go over the possibilities.
'Oh yes this could work,' Naruto thought with a devious grin.
In the Hokage Tower the Hiruzen Sarutobi the Third Hokage felt a foreboding shiver up his spine.
Later
After school Naruto quickly followed the directiona written on a piece of paper that the madam had given her. She came to a three-story apartment building that was just two blocks into the Red Light District and right next to the forest. It looked well taken care of and it even had a garden in the back. From what she remembered the madam said to charge her future tenants 30,000 a month so she could keep up with repairs and bills and still have some spending money. All the apartments had basic furniture and appliances already as well. There were six rooms on each floor minus the landlady's room on the first floor, which had been used as a sort of guest residence when the madam's family was in town, since she lived in the little house a few blocks away. The landlady's apartment was twice as big with the office and a few extra rooms. Naruto was so happy and she couldn't wait to get to work on making it her own. Naruto decide to do some shopping for food. Just before she headed out she realized that now would be great time try out the Henge no Jutsu.
She first started by making herself older. It took a few tries before she was able to take the form. Looking in the mirror on the wall she could see that she made herself look to be about twenty-five. Her hair was still in its usually ponytails, but was even longer then before. She had even changed her clothes. The short blue skirt she wore was now down to her ankles and the black t-shirt was now a sleeveless white blouse.
"Not bad. I'm going to look hot when I'm older, but I still need to change a few things," Naruto muttered as she admired herself, "I need to change my hair and birth marks for sure and maybe the eyes too. Just to be safe."
With that thought in mind Naruto transformed once more. Taking another look she smiled at the sight. She had given herself long red hair that she left down that went to her waist. Her cheeks were void of any birthmarks and her eyes were now a bright emerald green. Liking her new transformation Naruto gave the form the name Hina Kazeno. It would be months before Naruto would learn that she had transformed into the spiting imagine of her mother.
Just Naruto was about to leave she heard a knock at the door. She opened it to find to kunoichi she recognized from her old apartment. If she remembered right the woman's name was Anko.
"Hello, can I help you?" Naruto asked softly.
Anko gave her a once over and then said, "I'm looking for an apartment. You got any rooms available?"
Anko waited for the inevitable no, which is what she, had heard all day. She had come back from a mission just that morning find her apartment burned to the ground. The rent sucked, but still it had been one of the few places that she could find that would actually let her live there. She had already gone to six other apartment buildings only find 'no vacancies' aka no wanted her to live there. This woman was obviously a civilian so no doubt she would once again be turned away. Curse that snake Orochimaru and his damn curse seal.
"Oh, really?! My first tenant! I was sure that it would take a little while. The rent is 30,000 a month. Let me go get the paper work," the woman said excitedly as she walked over to the desk.
"Yeah I under-. Wait what? You are actually giving me an apartment?" Anko gasped in shock.
"Well yeah. I'd be crazy to turn away my first tenant. My name is Hina Kazeno by the way?" Hina introduced herself holding out her hand.
It took a moment before Anko grinned widely and shook Hina's hand and said, "Alright sounds good. Where do I sign?"
"Right here and your room will be 102 right across the lobby," Hina said happily as she hand Anko her key, "I'll be out for a few hours so if you need any thing just come by later tonight alright."
"Awesome thanks Hina," Anko said and walked over to her new apartment.
As soon as Anko closed her door Naruto signed in relief. At least she knew the jutsu worked well enough to fool an adult. She'd just have to be careful when she was around Anko and make sure to stay in character around her. With that thought in mind Naruto happily made her way to the grocery store. She quickly stocked up on ramen, milk, eggs, and even grabbed some fruits and vegetables. When she saw how cheap everything was she wanted to beat the cashier who not two days ago charged her for ramen and milk at twice the cost that she was pay for everything she was buying now. Just as they were finishing up she notice the cashier was staring at her stomach.
"Excuse me why are you staring at my stomach?" Naruto asked confused.
"Sorry it just… well... Are you by any chance pregnant ma'am?" The cashier asked curiously, "I've always had sort six sense about when women are pregnant. Don't ask me why I just do! So are you?"
Naruto felt her heart skip a beat when that question was asked. She knew that what had happen to her the other night could result in a baby. But she was only eleven years old. There was no way she was pregnant. Still she couldn't help, but let her eyes wonder to the wall behind the cashier where a certain test sat on a shelf.
"Well I don't think so, but just to be safe I'll take one of those test as well," Naruto exclaimed before she paid for her items.
Naruto quickly headed back to apartment building. She put her food away before picking up the little box that held the pregnancy test. Staring at it for what felt like hours Naruto finally shook her head and put the test in a drawer. There was no way she was pregnant. Ten year olds don't get pregnant. Sure she had heard of teenage pregnancies, but never had she heard of preteen pregnancies. So she couldn't be pregnant, the cashier at the store was wrong. It just wasn't possible.
One Month Later
Naruto quickly got ready for school like did everyday for the last month. She had slept in and was going to be late if she didn't hurry. After grabbing her lunch she transformed into Hina and was out the door. As she left she waved at some of her tenants that were heading to work for the day. At the edge of the Red Light District she cut through an alley and dispelled Hina and headed toward the academy.
In the last month a lot had happened. She now had ten tenants living in the apartments and had a stead income. If she fails at being a ninja at least she will have something to fall back on and if she does well as a ninja a little extra cash on side wouldn't hurt. One of the tenants worked as a maid for some of the richer civilian families and in exchange for cutting her rent down to 20,000 a month she would help keep the garden cleaned up and dust and sweep the empty rooms of the building once a week. Other then Anko she didn't have any other ninja tenants, but she still had to be careful not to let anyone see her out of her Hina form around the apartment. She was still the town pariah after all and she didn't want to lose this apartment building to an angry mob like the last three.
Naruto also had even found a new friend few weeks before when she had found something just outside the forest. Shivering in the cold November air was a baby red fox vixen no more then four weeks old. To her horror she found the kit's mother and siblings nearby looking like something had attacked and killed them all leaving a single helpless survivor. Unable leave the poor thing she had picked it up and taken it home. She ended feeding her some raw chicken she had in the fridge with a bowel of water. Deciding to keep the little vixen Naruto named her Akane after her beautiful bright red coat. It was really nice having someone to come home too. To know that Akane was waiting just for her to walk through the front door and welcome her home.
Naruto had also begun to work harder in school and train harder as well. After the attack Naruto realized that maybe if she had been paying more attention to her classes and worked harder she could have fought back and maybe gotten away. She never wanted to experience that pain again. Already her grades were showing improvement. Iruka had even praised her and told her to keep up the good work.
Naruto stopped just outside the school when she felt a wave of nausea hit. Naruto quickly swallowed the eggs and orange juice from that morning before she raced into the classroom. For the last few days had she had been feeling nauseas in the morning. She had already swallowed down her breakfast three times this morning. Not to mention she was feeling very lightheaded and dizzy. She didn't know if she could keep it up. Sooner or later she was going up chunk or pass out.
This thought was proven true just before lunch during target practice. Naruto had been one of the first to go and had gotten two out of five targets because she almost pasted out after the first three throws. She had been siting under the oak tree with a couple other students trying wait out the most recent dizzy spell when Ino walked pasted her. The second her perfume hit Naruto's nose Naruto felt the bile rise. She only had a few seconds to jumping behind a bush and emptying her stomach contents on to the ground.
"Naruto you okay?" Choji asked as walked over to check on her.
"Yeah I was feeling sick this morning, but I felt better by the time I got to school. It just sort of hit me again just now," Naruto muttered before puking once more.
"What a drag," Shikamaru grumbled, "You should have stayed home if you were sick."
"Yeah, I know it's just that I've skipped enough this year. If I'm going to become a ninja I have to start working harder," Naruto explained as she finally stopped puking.
"Working hard is fine Naruto, but you'll do more harm then good if you don't take care of yourself," Shikamaru scolded her.
"What's going on over here?" Iruka sensei asked worriedly when he saw Naruto face loosing color.
"Naruto is sick sensei," Choji explained simply.
"I'm fine Iruka sensei!" Naruto exclaimed, "I just ate some bad eggs. Their gone now so I will be fine."
Iruka wasn't convinced. Naruto was very pale and she looked like she was struggling to stand. He had noticed through out the morning how pale she was, but had brushed it off. Now he was regretting it as he watched Naruto sway on her feet her as another dizzy spell hit and passed out. Luckily her friends Shikamaru and Choji had caught her before she hit the ground. Iruka silently cursed as Shikamaru and Choji tried to wake up Naruto. Iruka tried to figure out what to do. He couldn't send her to the nurse's office since the nurse made it very clear she didn't want to the 'demon brat' anywhere near her office the last time he had taken Naruto there. But Iruka couldn't take her home himself since Mizuki was on vacation leaving him alone to watch the students. The only other opinion was to have someone who he could trust to take her home.
Coming to a decision Iruka said, "Shikamaru, Choji you both have already finished with your target practice for today. I know you've been to Naruto's house before so Shikamaru would you mind taking her home while Choji carry's her on his back. I'd just have you go but I know your leg is still healing from that incident with Ino and sparing practice from yesterday. I want you both back by the end of lunch. Just get her home and in bed okay."
The two nodded before Shikamaru carefully helped get Naruto on Choji's back. Then the boys left the practice grounds and headed for the Red Light District. Iruka watched them until they were almost out of sight and went back to recording the students target points. Deep down he knew that he wouldn't be seeing either of the boys for the rest of the day. Had he watched them leave for a few more seconds he would have notice a certain Inuzuka and his faithful companion sneaking off after his fellow dead lasts.
"Man, what a drag. Why does Naruto have to live on the very edge of town and in the Red Light District? I swear I have seen more skin then clothing in the last few blocks then I thought possible not to mention its a tediously long walk," Shikamaru complained as they headed toward Naruto's apartment.
"Oh come Shikamaru Naruto can't help that this is the only apartment left that she could afford. Sure it not the best place to live, but it better then living on the streets," Choji explained.
Shikamaru just signed and stared up at the clouds as they came up to Naruto's street. If he was honest with himself the problem he had with Naruto's apartment wasn't the long walk or even fact that he saw way more skin then an ten year old should on a woman. He hated the thought of someone so naïve and innocent as Naruto living in place where prostitutes and drunks lived. Naruto had even confided to him that she could hear 'things' though her thin walls at night the first time he had gone to her apartment with Choji and Kiba to hind from a Iruka sensei when their usual hiding spot was being painted by some genins. What exactly she heard was never liberated but he had a good idea since both her neighbors were prostitutes.
Shikamaru was knocked out of his thoughts when he heard Choji gasp. Looking in front of them he to gasp when he saw the burned out skeletal remains of Naruto's apartment building. For the looks of it the apartment building had been like this for a while to as the danger do not cross tape was hanging off the front doors and there was a layer of dirt on what remained of the front steps that had not been disturbed.
"Hey Guys!" Kiba cried as he ran up his friends.
"Kiba what are you doing here?" Choji asked in confusion.
"Well you know how a few days ago I got detention and had to clean the classrooms after school," Kiba began to explain.
"You mean when Akamaru peed on Iruka's desk to ruin the tests we were going to take that day," Choji stated remembering the earful Kiba got that day.
"Yeah so anyway afterwards I decided to go mess around in the forest by the lake for awhile before going home and took a short cut through the Red Light District. When I was going passed that pub The Sake Den I saw Naruto walking into an apartment building. I thought it was strange since she lived other side of the district, but figure she was just visiting someone. That is until I passed by here and saw the place burned down. I figure she never mentioned it you guys either so I ran after you to tell you.
"Why didn't you tell us this before we left?" Shikamaru groaned.
"Cause then I wouldn't have an excuse to ditch class like you were going to do, "Kiba said with a smirk.
"Just show us the building you saw her go into. If she doesn't live there and she was visiting someone at least we can make sure she going to be taken care of, "Shikamaru stated not denying Kiba statement, "Jeez, what a drag this is turning into."
"Its this way," Kiba said as he led the group toward the Northwest end of district.
Soon they came to a three-story coral colored apartment building that was right next to the forest. The three quickly entered the building and looked around. It looked like the place was completely silent.
"Looks like no one is home," Choji mumbled as he shifted Naruto on his back.
"Great what are we going to do now?" Kiba complained.
Shikamaru looked around trying to figure our what to do when he noticed a familiar ornament hanging in front of the first apartment. It was a wind chime with pretty green and red chimes hanging from a lily pad with an orange water lily on top with a tiny frog peeking over the petals. He recognized it as a present he had given Naruto for her birthday.
"That's the one," Shikamaru stated as he walked over to the apartment.
"How do you know that Shikamaru?" Choji asked.
"Gave her that wind chime for her birthday, It was the only one that had an orange lily. The rest were red and pink," the shadow heir explained as he opened the unlocked door, "Good thing she was almost late today."
"Why is that a good thing?" Kiba questioned as they walked in.
"Because when ever she is running late she forgets to lock her door. Remember how that one time we went over to her old apartment and found trashed and Naruto grumbled about being late and forget about her door."
"Yeah you're right. Lucky for us huh?" Choji said.
"Wait a minute. This looks like an office," Kiba exclaimed.
Kiba right the two other boys realized. The front room had a desk with a big comfy chair that had a bunch of different files and papers on it with two small chairs sitting in front of it. There was a shelf for mail with different names over each slot. Behind the desk was a bunch of hooks with keys with apartment numbers on them.
"This looks like a landlord's apartment," Choji stated as he looked around the room.
"Your right, but why is Naruto living in the landlord's apartment?" Kiba questioned as he started looking through some of the files.
"We can ask her when she wake up. For know let's just get her to bed," Shikamaru commanded as he lead them into the actual apartment.
The boys quickly a bedroom and laid Naruto down. Then Akamaru started barking up a storm in the living room. The boys ran in and found Akamaru barking at a fox kit that was sitting on top of the counter island the separated the kitchen and living room trying to get away from the puppy.
"What's a kit doing in here?" Kiba questioned as he stopped Akamaru.
"Must be a pet it's got a collar around it neck," Choji observed.
Choji walked over to the frightened kit and slowly laid his hand on the counter top. The fox slowly walked over and sniff his hand before licking it. The fox the yipped and jumped off the counter and ran toward the bedroom. They found it curled up next Naruto and decided to leave it be.
They ended up spending the next hour checking out the apartment and doing whatever to keep them selves occupied. Shikamaru found some books on the clans, different types of jutsu, and the history of Kohana that he decided to read. Choji ended digging into Naruto's fridge and then taking a nap on the couch in the living room. Kiba decided to just watch TV while Akamaru happily sniffed around the apartment.
Shikamaru eventually decided to check on Naruto. Walking into the bedroom he saw that she was still sleeping. He began to look around the room. He could easily spot the gifts that Naruto received on her birthday. There on a chair by the window was the frog plush that Iruka had given her. Right next to her bed on a little table was the special ordered Ramen scented candle from Choji. On the dresser was a pair of black-fingerless gloves that Kiba had given her. Finally resting next to the gloves was a set of kunai that the Third Hokage had gotten her. Just as he was about to leave he heard a groan from the bed and then a gasp.
"Sh-shikamaru?" Naruto stuttered in shock when she realized where she was and with whom.
"Hey how you feeling?" Shikamaru asked gently.
"B-better," She whispered as she slowly got out of bed, "I-I guess you have some questions huh?"
"Ah few," Shikamaru stated with a shrug.
Naruto signed and got out of the bed. She picked Akane was still sleeping and walked out the room. Naruto started cursing the gods when she saw Choji and Kiba on the couch. When the two saw her they started grilling her answers until Shikamaru told them be quiet. They all sat down in silence for a few moments until Naruto began to speak.
"So where should I start?" She asked honestly.
"How about what happened to your old apartment," Shikamaru suggested.
"Well on my birthday after I left Ichiraku I got attack by some drunk near my apartment. I ended up hiding in an abandoned building until nightfall. When I finally went home I found the place burned to the ground. I decided to go and stay the night in the shed of that nice lady who lived in that tiny house a few blocks from here," Naruto explained.
"You mean that madam you told us about?"
"Yeah, when I was about to go school the next morning she stopped me. She told me that her sister was very sick and that she was moving away in order to take care of her. I was really sad that I was going to lose someone who actually cared about. Then the madam told me that wished she could have done more for me, but that the life she had been living was no place to raise a child. She then hand me a set of keys and an envelope and said that she wanted to give me hope for the future. After she left I opened the envelope and found a deed to this apartment building!"
"Wait she just gave you the deed?" Kiba asked shocked.
"Yeah I couldn't believe it either, but I learned a long time ago not ask questions when it came to that woman. She cared for me and gave me a new home and that was good enough for me. After school I came here to check the place out. It's better then any of my old apartments and as the landlady I have a steady income that was better then just the allowance that Gramps gives me. Then I realized that I didn't what to lose this place like the last time. So I used the Henge no Jutsu to make myself an alias named Hina Kazeno."
"Hold on Naruto that's impossible. Henges we are learning in class aren't susposed to be solid," Shikamaru stated in confusion.
"What do you mean? My Hina form is as solid as I am," Naruto exclaimed as she transformed into Hina to show them, "See it solid."
Shikamaru poked at the form and with calculating look said, "Naruto could you do that one more time? This time slowly so I can watch the hand singles."
Flowing Shikamaru's request Naruto slowly made the hand signs and transformed once more.
"Alright I see what you are doing wrong. You are using the Ram sign instead of the Tiger sign," Shikamaru stated as he showed Naruto two different, but similiar looking hand signs, "The Ram is the sign for the advance transformation jutsu. We aren't even supposed to learn that until our final year in the academy."
"Oh... Oops.
"Opps... You basically mastered an advanced level of jutsu that we havn't even covered in school yet all you can say is oops?" Kiba gasped as he stared at his friend in shock.
"Yep" Naruto stated with a smile causing Kiba to do a face fault.
"Oh I got one more question, "Choji suddenly asked when Akane jumped into his lap, "What's with a fox?"
"Oh, that's Akane I found her outside forest a few weeks ago and brought her home," Naruto stated as she undid the henge, "Now that you guys know everything you have to promise me you won't tell anyone."
"Why?" Choji asked only to get knocked on the head by Shikamaru.
"You idiot she's already lost three apartments because people keep burning them down. If we told someone and word spread she could end up losing this place too!" Shikamaru explained.
"Oh, right," Choji muttered sheepishly.
"Don't worry Naruto we won't tell anyone. I promise on the honor of the Inuzuka Clan," Kiba stated with Akamaru barking in agreement.
"Yeah, Naruto I promise on my clan the Akimichi's honor that I won't tell a soul unless you say I can," Choji promised with hand over his heart.
"Same for me Naruto. On the Nara Clan's honor I swear to never reveal the truth to anyone," Shikamaru vowed with a rare serious look on his face.
Naruto smile with tears in her eyes before grabbing the three boys in hug happy to know that she had such good friends that she could trust. They spent the rest of the day simple hanging out and listening to Naruto tell stories about her tenants and other people she had met in her Hina form. Little did they know that more shocking secrets were waiting to be discovered in the near future. One such secret was currently growing inside Naruto.
Okay hope you enjoy. This is my second gender bender so be gentle. I actually got this idea from a story called Mama is a Student that was abandon by the author like four years ago. I like the idea decided to give it a try. While there are some similarities this is my story not theirs. Please Review!