Hello everyone, Marshalanime here. I was recently contacted by someone asking if I excepted challenges. Normally, that's a no, for one reason or another. However, this time I took an interest in the idea. Wakfu was a series/MMORPG I've always known about in the back of my mind, but never really bothered to look into. So, I went and binge watched all 52 episodes, along with some of the OVA's to see if I'd take up the challenge. It's probably obvious whether or not I did if you're reading this.
I hope you all enjoy the story!
(Marshalanime does not own Naruto or Wakfu)
Night had fallen over the slowly rebuilding village of Konoha and the sky was covered by a thick layer of clouds, blocking out the light of the moon. Seven months have passed since the Kyuubi had laid waste to large swaths of the village. Many brave shinobi and innocent civilians had perished during that dreadful night, including their dear leader, the Forth Hokage Minato Namakazi. Sacrificing himself for the village the man had sealed the beast within his newborn son, turning the boy into their new jinchuriki and leaving Hiruzen Sarutobi with the task of rebuilding the village and once more taking up the title of Hokage.
On this night the Third Hokage was visited by two people dear too him, though he knew they had not come for a pleasant chat. The first was a man whom he'd watched grow up from a gennin fresh out of the academy. His old student had become a very capable shinobi who's reputation had spread far and wide, for both good and bad. His spiky white hair had only gotten longer and longer as the years went on, now being held up in a ponytail and still easily coming down to his waist. Starting from below his eyes were two red marks, one on each cheek that traveled down until tapering off just before his jawline. He wore a green short shirt kimono with matching pants over top mesh armor that was visible at his wrists and ankles. He also wore hand guards, a black belt, wooden geta, and a red haori with two yellow circles on each side. Across his forehead he, like many other shinobi, wore a headband, though his was specially designed with small horns sticking out of the top and the kanji for oil engraved into the metal rather than displaying the village's symbol.
In front of Jiraya and sitting in her new wheelchair was Kushina Uzumaki, another of the villages strongest and the previous host for the Kyuubi. Her health had suffered after having the beast pulled from her body. The woman managed to pull off the impossible and had lived through the extraction of her bijuu, though there were many in the village who believed that she could pass from this world at any moment given her condition. Still, she was making a recovery, a very slow one but a recovery none the less. Hiruzen was happy beyond believe when the red haired woman had made it through that night, but he'd much rather see her in a hospital where she could receive round-the-hour treatment then in his office.
Sleeping soundly in Kushina's arms was her son, wrapped snugly in a baby blue swaddle. The boy wasn't even a year old and already so much had been thrust onto his shoulders, burdened with responsibilities no child his age should have.
"You're asking for the impossible" Hiruzen told the two after listening to their request. He wanted to help, he really did, but in her condition it'd be suicide even if he could grant them permission.
"Why not!?" Kushina questioned. Even in her weakened state the woman could still invoke terror in lesser men with a single glance, unfortunately she wasn't dealing with a lesser man.
"You know why I can't" Hiruzen responded, interlocking his fingers as he stared unflinchingly into the woman's violet eyes. "As unfortunate as it is Naruto is the villages jinchuriki now, and at his age he'd be an easy target. As for you..." Hiruzen was saying, noticing the woman's eyes narrow at him but continuing none the less. "You've accumulated a large number of vendettas over the years. Should any of the people who hold a grudge against you find you in your state then you'd be just as easy to deal with as your son. We barely have the resources to guarantee your protection within the village, how would you expect to remain safe away from here?" the man asked her.
"..." opening her mouth Kushina was about to argue with the man when Jiraya's hand came to rest on her shoulder with a gentle squeeze. Closing her mouth the woman turned her gaze to the bundle in her arms. Jiraya had agreed to bring her with him when he talked to Hiruzen so long as she saved her energy and let him do most of the talking.
Looking from Kushina to his old teacher Jiraya began, "We've been talking about this for a while now. He needs a chance to grow up as a normal kid and that wont happen if he stays here. Even the nurses specifically chosen to take care of him in Kushina's stead can't look at him with compassion. How can you expect the boy to grow up surrounded with distant?".
Hearing his students words Hiruzen's face darkened as sadness well over his heart. He knew there were many in the village who wanted nothing to do with the boy, he even knew that there was a small faction that wanted him dead. Even when there were people who stood up to defend the child from those suffering from loss and grief it was because of the power and military advantages that came with having a jinchuriki. Those who would side with Hiruzen and Jiraya on the mater were too often concerned with rebuilding their lives and making sure their families were taken care off during this time, though no one could blame them for doing so. "I understand your concern, but it's too dangerous to live outside of the village right now. I'm sure that with time the hostility will die down but we have to be patient until then" Hiruzen told the pair despite wishing he had a better answer for them.
"We're not asking to live outside the village..." Kushina reentered the conversation as she looked up to meet Hiruzen's gaze. "We're asking to live outside of the Elemental nations" Kushina told the man, to which he became confused. Though, to his credit the Third Hokage quickly caught on to what it was she was asking.
"Kushina!" Hiruzen addressed the woman, his voice raising ever so slightly as his gaze turned hard. "Do you honestly intend to use that old relic? It hasn't been touched in decades, who knows how that word has changed in that time" the old man said.
"That seal was developed in the early days of the clan wars by Kushina's own ancestors. As the last remaining Uzumaki it's hers to do with as she pleases" Jiraiya reminded the Hokage.
"That doesn't mean I can just let her open that gateway anytime she wants. Can you even begin to imagine what would happen if it became public knowledge to either side that there's a link to a world they'd never know existed before? The possible risks of using it far outweigh the benefits, it's why we've kept it a secret for so long" Hiruzen told them.
"No one will know where we're from and it'll only be for a few years!" Kushina shot back, raising her voice as high as it'll so as she covered Naruto's ears with the fabric he was cradled in. "We'll be back after the village has moved on... I just... I just need enough time to raise my son in piece" Kushina pleaded with Hiruzen as her voice started to crack and tears started to well up in her eyes.
Seeing someone like Kushina being slowly driven to tears like started to pull on Hiruzen's heartstrings. This woman had lost her husband, nearly lost her second home, and now the people of this village were too focused on there anger and depression to see reason. Still, he had to be strong and stand his ground on this. That gate had to stay closed.
"Sensei..." Jiraiya spoke up as tears started to flow down Kushina's cheeks while holding her sleeping son closely to herself. He could see it in his old teacher's eyes, he was struggling with this. All Jiraiya needed to do was give a little push. "You know they need this" Jiraiya simply told the man and watched as the Third gave in.
Closing his eyes Hiruzen let out a long sight before pushing himself up from his desk. 'I just know I'll regret this one day' Hiruzen thought to himself as he steeled his expression and opened his eyes to look at the two shinobi standing in his office. "We should hurry. If we delay this more than necessary then Homura and Koharu are bound to catch wind of it. It'll be a hassle if they do" Hiruzen told them. He couldn't fully ignore this unsettling pit in his stomach, but seeing Kushina's expression brighten made him feel like this was the right decision. Besides, it'd only be for a few years and then they can lock that scroll up once more.
Fifteen years later
The two Uzumaki ended up using the scroll longer than intended, but in the long run only Homura, Koharu, and Danzo were truly bothered by that so it wasn't that big of a deal. That's not to say the two never returned to Konoha but they'd made a welcomed place in the small town of Emelka, she'd even become a teacher, and they didn't have any intentions of moving out anytime soon. Heck, even the residence of Emelka have known about them being from another world for years now and nothing disastrous has happened as a result of it. Though Hiruzen had been right when he said the hostility would die down with time and while there were still people in Konoha who couldn't let go of the past there were others who had gained some respect for her little Naruto and others whom he could call his friends.
Currently Naruto was taking a break from active duty to undergo more serious training and so they were Spending most of their time in Emelka with Jiraiya popping in from time to time.
It was on this bright, average day that Mia was making her way through the town with Kushina's home as her destination. She wasn't the most stunning of women but she could be described as cute with that warm smile, her soft features, and the way her short brown hair framed her face. She wore a red blouse with a brown belt attached to a bronze ring at the middle of her waist, a brown skirt that reached her ankles, and over everything she wore an open tan jacket that stretched down to mid-thigh, had long sleeves, and had the hood up over her head. Hanging from her arm she carried a basket with a white cloth draped over the opening to hide and protect it's contents.
As she came upon the building Mia noticed Maximus sweeping the front stoop. He was a Xelor that Kushina had encountered during her travels who took an interest in her situation and decided to follow her. Now he helped her as a teacher and took care of household chores when the red haired woman was too busy to do them herself. He was a relatively tall and lanky man covered from head to toe in white bandages. Over his bandages he wore grey armor with hints of blue here and there that made him look more mechanical than organic. His eyes looked like a robot's with how they were glowing blue circles, similarly to the glowing circle on his chest. Sticking off the back of his head and coming off his left shoulder were two big cogs.
Noticing the girl walking up to him Maximus paused in his housework and raised his arm to wave at her, his movements being mechanical like clockwork. "Good day miss Mia" Maximus greeted. "Come too see Naruto again?" the Xelor then asked before Mia could reply with her own greeting.
With a faint blush Mia avoided looking into Maximus's eyes as she asked, "What makes you think I'm here to see Naruto?".
"Hohoho! You can't fool these eyes of mine little one. I've been around long enough to notice the signs" Maximus declared, his eyes expressing his mirth as he chuckled. "Don't worry, I wont tell a soul" Maximus told the embarrassed girl as he put both hands on he broom handle again. Turning his attention back to his work the Xelor added "He's over at Alibert's right now".
"That's fine" Mia said, giving the man a slightly annoyed look. "I just wanted to thank him for his help the other day so I thought I'd give him some extra pastries" the teen said as she held up her basket. "I don't need to see him as long as he gets them" Mia told the Xelor with the faintest hint of a blush still lingering on her cheeks.
"I'll be sure to tell him how much time and effort you put into his snacks" Maximus told her with an internal grin as her cheeks started to burn up again.
Just as the girl was opening her mouth to tell the man that wouldn't be necessary a sequence of loud crashed cut her words off before they even left her mouth. Turning their heads both Maximus and Mia found the cause of the noise in the form of an orange haired, grey skinned monster running through the town, and more specifically the buildings.
While Mia was starting to let panic spread across her face at the sight Maximus simply let out a sight and turned towards the open door behind him. "Pardon me miss Kushina, but it would appear that there's a roughian causing havoc in town! Could you take care of it?" the man called into the building.
"Hold on! I'll be down in a minute!" the woman quickly replied as Maximus turned to the frightened teen again.
"Why don't you come inside for a bit and have something to drink while this whole mess blow over?" Maximus offered the girl as he stepped aside and motioned for her to enter the building, an act that Mia could only numbly nod to as she walked into Kushina's home.