A/N - Naturally, I've got to post one of these stupid disclaimers... so... I, ShiningYrael, do NOT own Naruto, Yu Yu Hakusho, or any other respective properties of these two anime/manga series. I rightfully discredit my ownership of these and I am writing this for my own amusement, and not for profit.
The only things I own are the story line which takes place in this fic, and all original characters.
This is the only disclaimer I will post, but it applies for each and every chapter, and the story in total.
Alright then, now that that's outta the way, just lemme give off a few basics for how I see this working out. This occurs before Yu Yu Hakusho... but after it, too. Like... Makai runs on a completely different time than Ningenkai does. Essentially, time is just an illusion, anyway. Just a system created by man to measure the passing of events. Mathematically, it's been proven a person could travel back in time. Like, a person could launch off in a rocket and slingshot around the sun and arrive back on earth in time to watch himself blast off. A strong theory is that there are alternate universes/realities which enable this, such as the Makai, which is why a person could be in two places at once.
So essentially, I think the Naruto universe takes place LONG after the twentieth, or twenty first century, and it's kind of post apocalyptic. So since Time doesn't really exist, Youko has already met with Kuronue, but hasn't developed into the major villain/thief yet, but sensing Kyuubi leaving he ran off to the Ningenkai. So.. he'll go through this story before meeting with anybody from YYH or any of that jazz.
Anyway, uh, I hope you enjoy this, my first Naruto fic.
A Tale of Two Beasts:
Harmony & Chaos
Prologue
His gaze cast shadows across the lands, signaling to all the success of his crossing. Youko Kurama crouched low, his five tails picked up enough to stay above the rough mountain soil. Eventually the torrents of energy around him from the closing void ceased their turbulent waves, allowing the kitsune to stand easily. His amber eyes twisted below at the ravaged human village, surprise marring his flawlessly inhuman features. How fortunate he had thought himself, to be near the Kyuubi's portal during it's closing phases. 'The transition between worlds must have been longer than expected,' the demon thought before wrapping himself in the caress of youki, healing the burns left by contact with the void.
The brief process of sealing off his own power stretched out, and Youko stood solemnly with his eyes closed tight, concentrating on the openings throughout his spiritual paths. Eventually the power faded. 'This plane is still warped by such a massive portal. There is no telling how much damage Kyuubi-sama has done in this time...' His train of thought was broken by the sound of voices. 'Mortals... So what has become of my lord? Oh my... Surely it is not possible... But it must be true. I will have to tread carefully.' And the beast faded away to twilight, unsure of when the energies would calm and allow his emergence once more without interference from battle eager humans.
-
Uzumaki Naruto stretched out across his shabby mattress, grinning in the bliss of awakening from a good night sleep. The blond shinobi jumped off the bed, stumbling slightly with his sleep-ridden limbs before a quick shaking left him fully awake. It was rare to be active so suddenly after awakening, and Naruto had the impression today would be a good day.
The path to his bathroom was for once in many moons clear, so there was not even the seemingly ritualistic "morning tumble" that usually left him writhing on the wooden floor. His morning shower was a quick one, and while gazing into the mirror while brushing his teeth he had to grin. Today was going to be a good day. It had to be. For once his thoughts were of the 'Which flavor of ramen shall I have' instead of the 'GOD KILL ME' type he'd been attuned to for so very long. His bright orbs of blue turned to the open doorway, feasting on the carefully wrapped hitae ate lying on his dresser on an once-ornate piece of ragged cloth that still held tale tale signs of beauty next to his blinking alarm clock that showed numerous signs of mistreatment. It was only then that Naruto realized he was running nearly an hour late for his induction to shinobi-hood. "Oh, shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. After all this and I'm going to be late?! AHHH! Where the hell did I put my-" his rant was cut short as he tripped over the carefully laid out orange suit he had placed in front of the entrance to the kitchen for the direct purpose of not missing it, and smashed his skull into the wall near his window.
"AHA! There it-Ow..." A short massage of his temple seemed adequate enough to heal the ache and Naruto speedily dressed himself in the familiar orange fabrics before tearing out of his apartment and leaping onto the roofs of nearby buildings to avoid traffic on the trek to the Academy. The usual twenty minute walk to only four minutes and the panting Naruto burst into the assigned classroom, apology fresh on his tongue.
"Iruka-sensei! I'm sor..." The room was empty. Naruto turned around and strode into the hallway, rotating to view the large clock mounted on the wall. "FUCK! Forgot to reset the clock. What the hell is a guy to do an hour early to class...?" And then it showed it's ugly head. You know that little voice you sometimes think you heard and listen to without any thought, only to realize it was your own conscience and not an instruction right when the screams started? Well, Uzumaki Naruto had an exceptionally loud mouthed 'little voice' that practically screamed "Rob the teacher's lounge! Those greedy bastards have snacks and drinks in there!"
"Hah! Good idea, Naruto! At least I'll have some breakfast today. Wonder if they have ramen..."
-
Amber hued orbs opened, and as if on cue a loud, drawn out yawn accompanied the blinking eyes. Youko Kurama awoke to darkness, the massive fox wrapped in it's tales deep within one of Konohagakure's many hidden caves dug deep into the Hokage Memorial Mountain for times of siege.
The ethereal presence of the demon lord cast writhing shadows against the smooth, rocky walls of the mountain, his five tails waving to and fro in the misty, humid atmosphere. Youko sat down with his legs crossed, setting his delicate chin in his smooth, manicured hand, caressing his flawless complexion with his clawed digits. "There is reason for this. I have taken much too long in my slumber. Hm... But I suppose it cannot be helped. Even so, I suppose this answers my previous questions. If I have been allowed to sleep away as I have, Kyuubi-sama has been vanquished... I honestly don't see how such a thing would be possible, though. Damn these fucking humans."
Youko's face scrunched into an expression that showed nothing less than absolute distaste and a thick, passionate hatred. Disgust marred his normal apathy stricken visage as he rose, channeling his youki through each limb, feeling his rejuvenated flesh tremble with power. A quick consultation to the ever present aura given off by the plants nearby revealed the passing of time to be much greater than he'd thought.
Both of the demon's amber orbs widened in shock, denial. "No. I have let it slip away from me... There is no way to return..." The aura he'd summoned dissipated, and he collapsed to his knees, staining his white robes with the dusty soil coating the ground. "I'm stuck here."
-
Naruto slurped the noodles noisily, both eyes trained on the small clock hung on the wall to his left. He'd wasted a good twenty minutes laying waste to the small break room, drinking soda after soda, and devouring bowl after bowl of ramen. But even one who acknowledged themselves as dense as he realized soon the instructors would be arriving, and he made his exit shortly sure to leave a mess just to spite the hateful Chuunin staff of the academy.
He snuck out of the room swiftly, checking both ways before he left, shutting the door very quietly. The orange clad student suppressed a wince as the door squealed suddenly as it shut, and the click signaling it latching seemed to crash, sending a loud "SLAM" throughout the building, echoing through the halls. "Fucking door..."
The blond turned away, walking calmly down the hall while scratching the area around his belly button, the skin tingling faintly, as it almost always did when surrounded by chakra. For four generations, and possibly longer this building had been filled to the brim with ninja, exposed to all sorts of spirits, jutsu, and demons. So, naturally the very walls were practically imbued with the stuff.
Naruto took a left at the next intersecting hallway, moving towards the class room. He made it to the door, where he had placed his hand onto the handle, and then paused. Why waste time? All they would be doing today is reviewing for the Genin exam that they would all take the next day. He knew what would happen. It had happened every year he took it. Deep in the back of his mind he knew he would fail. He knew it would be the same test of performing Henge no jutsu, just like it had been for the past three exams. He snorted and removed his hand. "Well screw that shit."
The young shinobi-in-training sighed softly and walked away, unaware of the pitying gaze directed at him from the shimmering brown eyes of one Umino Iruka.
-
Naruto scaled the monument with a purpose at the forefront of his thoughts, easily adapting to the rigid surface and moving with direction towards the top, holding the rope that had been fitted with a small steel claw tightly, one hand wrapped around the corded life line, the other shaking a can of paint in time with his snickers. Somehow, it seemed impossible that the genin candidate could scale this most revered monument clad in orange with a full head of bright, sunshine blond hair without being noticed, or even more so actually complete his task. And yet he continued without notice, marking the statues with his signature laugh spilling forth from the depths of his chest.
-
Youko narrowed his eyes, rising forth from the ground and patting his robes to rid himself of the collected dirt. He cast his gaze to the floor, where he'd beaten holes into the rock in his frustration. "What now...?" he muttered, running his fingertips along the outside walls, sensing a weak aura beyond. He smiled, feeling the joy permeating the aura, unable to resist such unbridled happiness, an emotion he was not familiar with. Suddenly he turned back, staring through to the blond academy student with the sight given to him by the many small plants growing through the cracks within the mountain. "Kyuubi-sama...?"
From his vision, he saw the shell of a human child, clad in horrific orange with bright blond hair. But around the blue aura surrounding the boy, and through the hellish radiation caused by such an outfit he cast his vision to the center of his abdomen, where residual chakra leaked through into a complicated seal that even he could not directly comprehend at first glance. Dark, blood red energy trickled out, casting shock waves throughout the second plane, the plane Youko saw through his plants.
He smirked, both eyes glistening with a sinister gleam. "Of course. They sealed him! No human could match that bastard's strength. So they pawned one of their own off. Filthy ningens. But with the beast in such a condition I suppose it's not so bad. I can still get what is rightfully mine."
And just as it appeared the malevolence left him. "But how should I go about getting his power...? If I devour the child, I will only gain his pathetic little energy. For the body to hold such a thing in, Kyuubi-sama is no doubt sealed inside his mind... or perhaps his soul. Same difference, I suppose. Either way, simply eating the little shit won't help me any." Youko clenched his teeth, and slammed his hand into the wall, cracking it along the path far beyond where his vision stopped, the star burst spreading along the ceiling and dropping dust onto him.
"I suppose I'll have to take some of your reasoning in order to survive this all, eh, Kuronue? After all, power can't get you everything, as has been proven with Kyuubi-sama's condition. No doubt I'd only get a similar fate..."
The kitsune sat down, thinking. "You've got to be kidding me... That's the best you've got, Youko? Come now, you're the best strategist in all of the Makai... Don't delude yourself with the illusion that these humans can be so dense... Then again... Ugh... I HATE these fucking mortals!"
A/N
A little short, but... it's just a prologue. Expect this story to run at the very least 75,000 words... Actually, knowing me, it'll either end up being much, much longer, or never finished... Here's hoping to the former over the latter, eh?
STATS:
Words: 1913 (Story)
Words: 2267 (All)
