Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
It is an ingenious and original anime idea of which I cannot and will not take credit for (as if I could if I wanted to anyway).
A/N: Just clearing up a few things that I didn't before. Sasuke never became evil or taken away by Orochimaru. Everyone's a Chunins from the episode 'Destruction of the leaf village'…or whatever the name was. They are roughly 15 years of age. The Sandaime (third) Hokage is still dead. This story basically picks up from the 100th episode, so all the ideas you see in hear were in my head before I even saw the 95th episode, OK?... Please review if there is even the foggiest mist swirling around your head.
Kekkei Genkai
Chpt. 1:
Announcements and Absence
Lust. Desire. They were only two of the many words he could use to describe the feeling washing over his body as a result of watching Sakura stretch, with the rising sun as her backdrop.
"Are you listening to me Naruto?"
"What do you want already, Grandma Tsunade? Get to the point." Naruto asked brusquely.
All 12 of them: Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, Neji, Rock Lee, TenTen, Hinata, Kiba, Shino, Ino, Shikamaru, and Choji were facing Kakashi, Guy, Kurenai, Asuma, Shizune and Lady Tsunade. The Godaime (5th) Hokage had requested that they meet with her early-6:00 early- today.
A vein twitched in her temple. She ignored her irritation.
"In the next two weeks, you will all be making preparations for the Shinobi Tournament to be held here at the end of said time period."
"What's that?" Naruto asked his interest piqued.
"The Shinobi tournament is held in a randomly selected ninja village by the Kages of the 8 newly allied villages. The leaf village has now the great honor of hosting the long awaited 5th Shinobi tournament. Chunins and Genins from the other seven ninja village will be showing up at the end of this week, week 1. The Shinobi Tournament comprises of a series of competitions dealing with the different areas of a ninja's fighting life, sometimes over-exaggerating them. But that's so fun." Lady Tsunade cleared her throat after uttering that last sentence with too much of her bottled up excitement. "Most of these take place during the day but there may be a few night activities. Also, the Shinobi tournament is the home event of the 'Walk of the Kunoichi'."
She disappeared.
"Is this true, Kurenai-sensei?" Hinata asked, her voice sounding strange to Naruto.
"Yes."
"So all this time that we've heard of the 'Walk of the Kunoichi' it was just a part of this Shinobi Tournament?" TenTen asked.
"Yes, but the ST wasn't mentioned after the Great Ninja War. It was brought up by the feudal lords after the attack by Orochimaru."
"So we'll be having one then?" Ino asked excitedly, hope lighting up her face.
Kurenai smiled to draw out the moment. "Yes."
Three high-pitched squeals were emitted by Ino, TenTen and Sakura; even Hinata had a very excited look on her face.
"So…" Kakashi said stepping forward.
"Kakashi-sensei, what's the Walk of the Kunoichi?" Naruto asked curiously.
"Yeah." Choji piped in.
Kakashi turned to Kurenai.
"It's a parade of the female Shinobi of each village all over the host village of the ST. The members of her team waits on her hand and foot, whatever she wants or tells them to do they should do it, it's tradition. It's a very colourful parade and the opening for the Shinobi ball. You'll see." She finished intriguingly.
"I'm afraid to ask." Shikamaru stated. "This tournament is more than I thought it would be."
"It's a ball. The Shinobi Tournament has two main reasons to it. One is confidential and isn't disclosed—"
"Even we don't know what it is." Guy confided, cutting in on Kakashi.
Kakashi cleared his throat before he continued: "And one is to promote the peace. With all the fighting they need a non-violent time, thus the Walk of the Kunoichi and the Shinobi Ball which follows."
"What else is the ball about?" Rock Lee asked.
"Well Lee, I'm glad you asked-" Guy put his hand over Bushybrow in companionship. "It's the perfect opportunity to ask that special someone on a date, especially if she is from a next village. That surely won't stop a ninja lad from asking one of you Kunoichi out if you caught his eye."
Ino laughed.
"What else is there that we need to know about this tournament?" Sasuke asked.
"Well, it should be fun." Kakashi replied. "All the other Shinobi of the other villages have had 2 weeks prior preparations to us."
"What?!" Naruto exclaimed.
"My, Naruto, your hearing really is atrocious. On to serious business, you will use the two weeks to train together and learn from each other. It is, above all, a village against village, then squad against each and every squad, then individual. During the two weeks you are to be spontaneous when practicing together."
The tournament allows for you guys to train together, by yourselves as we cannot officially train you. You have a total of 12 days before the opening ceremony of the tournament and only 5 of those days of security."
"Security?"
"He means we'll only have that amount of time before we have to waste time trying to find a secluded spot." Sakura explained.
"Meaning away from foreigner's prying eyes, Naruto." Sasuke elaborated.
"I knew that." Naruto said defensively. That Sasuke, after 5 years as his teammate he's still trying to show me up. He thought.
"The Shinobi tournament is the ultimate, especially in this time of peace. You get to fight, meet people and after all it's done, there is still peace. It is 1st and foremost a sort of peace conference." Guy stated.
"Most importantly you get to meet pretty girls. Hi!" The new comer added.
"Pervy-sage, what are you doing here?" Naruto asked suspiciously. "Aren't you supposed to be going to the mountains for two whole months?"
"Well, hello to you too Naruto, is that any way to treat your favourite sensei?" Jiraiya asked.
"You know well that you're not my favourite. Anyway, answer my question. Ow, Sakura!"
"Don't you know how to talk to your elders, Naruto?" Sakura scolded.
"Why thank you, young lady. I'm here to take you off of your sensei's hands, don't you know they are very important people."
"Well then, we'll be off."
"Why can't you train us sensei?" Sakura asked.
"What's going on?" Neji added.
"Well we have assignments we have to prepare for. Among other things we are, some of us, proctors, and peace negotiators, etc, etc." Asuma said.
With that they were gone.
"Do you think you can fill us in, master Jiraiya?" TenTen asked.
"During the Shinobi Tournament, you will be interacting with foreign Shinobi and their sensei. Challenges will be based on conjured up situations. For example, you will be required to save someone; this requires Shinobi to take the roles of villain or hero for various reasons, there is always something to gain/learn from this. There will also be time-limited fights, team/individual fights, obstacle courses, touch-point fights, even a theory section with each village submitting a newly selected team of 3 people. Anything the kages can thing up. On a serious note, however, it will be loads of fun. One bad news and that's the fact that you rascals will enjoy the ST more than me." Jiraiya informed them. He sighed. "Youth is wasted on the young," He added in a stage whisper.
"Today, I'll be teaching you, as was said earlier and we'll be focusing on genjutsu. Some of you already are very good at it. The top are Sakura, Sasuke, Shikamaru and Neji, so I hear. Also that Hinata and Shino are getting good, only a short way to go with you two." Hinata flushed faintly at the compliment. "I'm going to ask you to pair off and try beating your opponent using genjutsu and to a very small extent, close combat taijutsu. You'll find that it can be done—well maybe not to a well experienced genjutsu fighter or a jonin at Kakashi and Kurenai's level. Good news is: not a lot of ninjas develop their genjutsus thinking it a waste of time and energy.
Lee you are not able to use genjutsu but I'll be teaching you to see through a jutsu of the mind—genjutsu—and help you develop a resilience unique for you to it. Oh, if only she were here this would go much faster.
Well let's go! You four," Jiraiya pointed at Sakura, Sasuke, Shikamaru and Neji. "Pair off with one of the others." He ordered.
--Three days later. --
"Oh man I'm late," you'll have time to stop for a quick lunch before practicing with Neji and getting your ass handed back to you, Naruto hadthought to himself an hour ago. Now you're late. Pervy sage is not going to be happy.
Naruto walked blindly around the next corner whistling to himself. He walked right into the person coming in the opposite direction and they fell to the ground.
"Hey! why don't you watch were you're going?!" a very indignant voice asked, irritated.
"Why don't you? You were the one who fell after all." Naruto said equally as irritated. What a weakling, I mean to fall so easily. Pathetic.
"For your information, it's as much your fault as it is mine, unfortunately." The voice, still coming from the ground, didn't sound angry or irritated anymore. The femininity was even enough to break through his preoccupation.
He looked down at the person for the 1st time. She looked up at the same time. Her eyes seemed glazed over. She was born blind.
"Sorry. Your right, it's—" Naruto paused. The girl now stood almost eye to eye with him. She was dressed in a white dress with green floral prints on them. A pretty dress which he supposed was the style to be loose around her except at her small waist where it was cinched very closely. Her red hair seemed to be fire itself. He'd never seen such a shade before. Her face was oval and had to be perfect. But it wasn't her fiery beauty which caught him off guard and left a puzzled look on his face, it was her eyes. They were huge, her iris, and not what he had first seen. They were a vibrant emerald colour. Focused and alert. They were also very nice to look at. Not blind at all.
"Look—I h-h-have to go. S-Sorry."
"No, I should apologize to you first. I got upset earlier and was letting it out on you, which was uncalled for. I wasn't even watching were I was going, forgive me." She said sincerely. She dusted off her dress and smiled apologetically.
"Don't apologize, cuz that makes two of us."
"I'm Reign, by the way."
"Reign. I'm—"
"Naruto Uzumaki. Yes, I know. It is an honour to finally meet you."
"You—um—finally?"
"Well, I guess I shouldn't say finally, huh? But I am glad to meet you." She laughed nervously. Still it was a light and pleasant enough sound.
"Well nice to meet you too, Reign—um?"
"Uh, it's Yoshima, actually. Reign Yoshima."
"Hey, there you are Reign." A boy said from behind Naruto. Naruto hadn't even realized that someone was behind him until the person had spoken.
Naruto didn't think the girl was a ninja, she didn't act like one nor did she wear any ninja wear. Looking at her she didn't have the stance that a ninja of their age would have required by now, plus she had fallen over when they bumped into each other. And if he would admit as much to himself he was pretty clumsy for a ninja when he was surprised. He didn't think she would be associated with any either, yet how would she know about him. She must be from another village, he'd 1st thought, but she didn't look foreign, plus it was more than a little early to come for the ST. It would also be extremely hard to get the required permission for admittance into the village especially after what happened 5 years ago with the destruction of the leaf village. He signed her companion off as being harmless and just as unlikely to be a ninja. It wasn't that he thought he couldn't be a ninja, he looked fit enough but the same reasons he used for the girl he would apply to the new comer. And as a threat of any other kind;
Who could be harmful and have an association with this girl, Naruto though to himself, but as Kakashi would say in short 'don't jump to conclusion so fast'
"Hey, Koji! This is Naruto Uzumaki, Naruto this is my friend, Koji Tokugawa." Reign introduced the boys.
"So… you're Naruto. Reign's been longing to meet you. Got to say, I'm glad myself. We'll be seeing you participating, right?"
"Yep, this can't miss me. Actually, I'm late for my training."
"I came here to visit Reign's home and to see the ST events. And I was looking forward to your fights. I wouldn't want to be the cause if you ever lose a match. We'll see you around, right Naruto?" Koji asked, hopefully.
Reign smiled again at Naruto and allowed herself to be dragged off by her friend, Koji.
"Maybe tomorrow."
"Yeah, and maybe you can give me a tour from a ninja's view."
"Sure. Tomorrow, lunch time, at the ramen hut." Naruto said absently his mind already on what was to come when he would finally reach his destination.
--One week since the Announcements of & preparations for the ST. --
"I've never seen so much ninjas in one place before." Naruto commented to Shikamaru. They were standing on the wall of the gate of the leaf village.
"You kid, are way too sheltered." A voice, floating up to their ears from behind them, remarked to Naruto's statement.
"Kankaro!" The boys chorused in surprised unison, they jumped down to the sand Shinobi.
"Don't look so shocked, Naruto."
"What are you doing here?"
"Well, that's a dumb question." Kankaro and Shikamaru said in unison.
"Back to the business at hand, have you never been to war. What about the destruction of the leaf village a few years back? Where were you? Sleeping through it all or it just doesn't count?" He asked.
"Oh, yeah, that." Naruto said pensively.
Kankaro patted him on the back.
"Ah, forget I mentioned it. Or at least don't mention this to Gaara."
"Where is Gaara?" Naruto asked.
"Don' know. He and Temari wanted to see you two." He said looking from Naruto to Shikamaru.
"Yeah? Whatever." Shikamaru responded.
"Now, give me that tour I never got the other time I came back here, kid."
"You came back here a second time?"
"Yeah, private business. Gaara was coming to see you but they said it wouldn't matter, you were dead to the world and even if we were able to miraculously wake you up you wouldn't remember anything in the morning when you'd wake. Something about you sleeping like a dead log. Come on."
"That's cold." Naruto said, hurt.
"Have any of you seen Naruto?"
"Hey Sasuke!" Ino replied
"No. That boy's off slacking with Shikamaru. Who knows what they're doing." Kiba said absently.
They were all standing on the wall of the gates of the leaf village, looking at the 3rd and biggest batch of foreign ninjas that were arriving when Sasuke joined them.
"Oh, he and Shikamaru were with Kankaro—" Hinata said, walking over to them. "They were talking then they left with him."
"Well that shouldn't come as a shock. It should be common knowledge that Gaara and his team respect Sasuke and Sakura as a ninja, but admire and respect Naruto as both a person and a ninja. Oh yes, there is also Shikamaru." Lee explained.
"They respect Shikamaru's fighting skills?" Ino, Kiba and Choji chorused.
"I mean it's good, just not as great as Sasuke's." Ino went on to explain.
"Well, of course. His strategic skills or strategist ability rival that of their kunoichi teammate." He elaborated for them.
They all went back to watching the unrelenting flow of Shinobi after a little more speculation on the matter.
"I hear that the other village Kages will be attending the opening ceremony at least." Kiba said.
"I heard that one of the Kage is staying for the whole tournament." Shino stated. "Of course we might see some coming back for various events, but they won't stay for the whole thing."
"Which one is it?" TenTen asked, her curiosity peeked.
"The Kazekage," Neji answer.
"Do you think it was wise to accept, and host the tournament in our village, my lady, you know about the risks and the dangers that are still present. We are not ready to open up to the other villages as yet." Ibichi said.
"It is not only wise, it is prudent as well. It is almost 5 years since Orochimaru's attack. And it would be the worst mistake for the leaf village to turn down this honour. It would be the worst declaration, one shouted to all our enemies that after so long we still have not recovered. Well, we have...we have recovered sufficiently enough. And that will have to do.
"We would get attacks from others who have not yet done so combined with those that have already taken the initiative and may well want to again. That would not be the only risk at declining as host; we may loose allies and gain new threats. This is our turn to host the tournament, a fact known by all." Lady Tsunade sighed. "You are right to worry. But I must choose the lesser of the two evils facing us. Because they are there, that is what our added, and more than enough security is for. Be prepared for the one given by one of the elites. It will be inconspicuous and insignificant in its appearance when executed, but essential. Powerful and essential."
"We have to host this, whether we are ready or not." Guy-sensei said solemnly.
"Right now, it is the lesser of two evils." Kakashi stated, his voice grave.
"Okay today you will be fighting one another on this moving water. You all know how to walk; move and possibly dance on water, but you have never done those things on a rough waterfall before, thus, the training for this fine morning." Jiraiya told his class of 12.
This morning they were congregated above a falls, the same one Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura had to clean up when they were newly turned Genins. The falls was particularly forceful today and the morning just as cold.
"Okay, what are you all waiting for—a grand announcement to begin?" Jiraiya stated.
Choji went out first and his feet were firm for a while, and then submerged as he flowed away. With a quick yelp he jumped out.
"Cold, cold, cooold!"
"No shit."
"Shikamaru!" Ino rebuked. "Wow Choji, I never thought you'd be the first to go."
They all went and each of them got wet one way or the other. They spent the whole morning on, partly submerged or completely in the water. By the time noon came it didn't matter anymore to most of them as they were too soaked to feel the sun's warmth. Each time they were anywhere close to getting dry, either Sasuke, Sakura, Neji or Shikamaru would get them dunked only to be taken out by either Sasuke or Jiraiya before going over the falls.
"I swear Ino. You must be doing this just to get Sasuke to save you. This must be your 10th time," Sakura said disgusted. She and Shikamaru were the least soaked.
"It's the sixth. And that's a lie. Maybe your just jealous, billboard brow, I mean Naruto at least went under 12 times, double the times I go under by the way." She pointed out. "The others must be at range of 2 to 15 dunking. Why do you have to harp on me?"
"Don't you think that nickname is getting more than a little old and childish, silly stupid?"
"Why you dirty little witch."
Naruto was moving forward to break up the little fight went Jiraiya held him back. "Naruto, don't you want to see a little cat fight?"
"They could get hurt and Sakura could end up going over the falls."
"Then, Naruto let me give you a piece of advice, never and I mean, NEVER, try to stop a cat fight if you value your life."
"Hey Sakura, Ino. We need to practice. Tomorrow we have to find somewhere else to train. Break it up. Now." Sasuke said.
They either heard his words or it was probably just because it was Sasuke but whatever the reason, they stopped.
"Alright shuffle!" Jiraiya commanded. Sasuke ended up fighting Hinata.
After an hour more they were free to go for lunch.
"Try to get back here on time. You will be fighting on the cascading falls."
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
"Hey, did you see Reign come in earlier?" Naruto asked the ramen-guy.
"Meeting your girlfriend again, Naruto?" His female assistant cum daughter asked.
"No. I'm—I was—supposed to meet her and Koji, 20 mins. ago." He blushed at her words, nonetheless.
"Calm down. The pretty red head and her friend did come in here about that time ago and said something about coming back in half an hour." The man said.
"Well in that case, two bowls of stew beef ramen." Naruto exclaimed with a big smile on his face.
"At least you're not upset at our impatience." An amused male voice said behind Naruto, ten minutes later. "Here I was worrying that you thought we'd given up on waiting for you when we should know that you'd be late."
It was more than a little surprising for Naruto, the fact that he didn't know when Koji was behind him until the boy himself spoke.
"How do you do that?"
The boy only shrugged as an answer to his question, not bothering to act as if he didn't know what Naruto was referring to. "I'm light on my feet, or at least that's what my family says, including Reign."
"Where's Reign?"
"She got into it with her uncle when we came earlier."
"Really, what happened?"
"Nothing serious really. He just summoned her—you know sent a message?—then they were arguing about her responsibilities and how we aren't supposed to deceive anybody, including withholding important information because in the long run it will all come out and we may not like the consequences and blah, blah, yadda, yadda and whatever." While he was saying this he sent Naruto surreptitious glances. "Know what I mean. Then she went into how he's dealing with his responsibilities and that she isn't a little girl, that she is careful and truthful." He looked directly into Naruto's face a strange and steady look on his own
'What is she doing that's so bad?"
"Wow Naruto, you're pretty inquisitive. Are you always this interested in people's family life?" Koji asked. His tone was neither serious nor disapproving, he was just jesting. "Anyway they're talking as if it were a joke, so it's nothing to get worried about. Her uncle is quite amused and can't wait to see the outcome…" He trailed as if insinuating something he himself could not wait to see, as if everyone will enjoy whatever it was immensely. This time the amusement on Koji's face was not missed by Naruto. Naruto didn't catch the meaningful look he sent him, however. "She'll be here soon."
"Hey! Two bowls of Long Fai chicken—"
"—that's all—"
The look Koji sent Naruto's way in response to his outburst spoke volumes. 'You keep on thinking that way, my small-minded friend.'
"Two—what did you have, stew—roast beef ramen, chicken chow-main and Lou-main and Chicken ramen, for each of us. After we finish this were gonna need the rest of today's main chicken, fish and beef dishes." Koji turned a sly face to a wide-eyed Naruto; the five different dishes were placed infront of each boy. "Up for a little challenge, Uzumaki, or you don't think you'll be able to handle it?" Koji finished mockingly.
"Bring it on! What are the rules?"
"Last to finish has to buy our next meal and give Reign and the winner—me—a back ride at the same time. Also to flirt with a Kunoichi of our choosing on the day of our choosing. We can try and slow down the other using non-physical tactics, but none of your ninja stuff, like that gengugu you were talking about. Cheating (that is not by ones own definition of the word)… is smiled upon."
"It's 'Genjutsu'. Alright…count us down barman! You'll rue those last words of yours." Naruto added as an afterthought, trying his luck in intimidation.
A perplexed barman counted down the apparently starved teens, three…
"Big words for one such as yourself, Loser."
…Two…
"We'll see."
… One…
"…And the ravenous pigs were let loose." Said the red-headed newcomer, the other customers chuckled at this while the said 'pigs' gorged themselves. "Every time…you'd think they'd learn after going home with stomachaches."
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
"Hey, Naruto, what's up with you?" Choji asked.
He was still at the ramen hut, when Choji arrived. He continued saying: "Shouldn't you be training with Sasuke and Sakura, it's only three days left till the tournament."
"Yeah, they're gonna be pissed." Naruto groaned and added, "Shouldn't you be training also."
"That's what I'm gonna do, but I gotta stock up first." Choji patted his more than generous midsection.
"Right, I'll see you later."
A muffled answer floated his way.
…
…
…
"You're late...again. Your absence is always noted Naruto. You need to be more attentive, this tournament is no push over."
"I had to go to the bathroom." Naruto hung his head in shame, before he could even think of doing or saying anything else, Sasuke grabbed him out of the way of flying surikens.
"How'd you do that? Your hand is tied behind your back."
"It's amazing what you can do when you want to save another person's life." Sasuke whispered back. He untied his hands, pressed his fingers to his lips, commanding his silence and moved behind Naruto to tie his hands behind his back, then he redid his own. Before he could finish, however,
"Suppose you aren't doing yours properly."
Instead of answering vocally, Sasuke showed him his wrist; they were red and rubbed raw from the rope.
"Oh."
"Listen carefully, idiot. You're supposed to avoid those surikens being thrown at us by Neji's group, and only avoid. For about 2 more hours." The sun was already way passed its zenith, that would be more than a bit difficult.
… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
It was just the wee hours of the morning, where a blazing mixture of colours shone only 2inches above the mountain peaks. It was barely perceptible. Another ½ hour before the sun itself would make its own appearance, and yet here she was, lying on the ground by a crystal clear stream. As still as a statue. She was in a vibrant green Kimono which spread out around her body, her hair fanned out above her head and beneath her. He now noticed that she had some dark silver to black strands, streaking randomly in her hair (not single streaks but a good amount together). And here he was watching her.
That was when he noticed blood flowing from her head into the stream. His body froze, and just when he was about to jump to the ground beside her, he realized that it was just her hair. It flowed languidly in the water. He nearly laughed. He should have known, after all, all three of them, himself, Koji and Reign, talked and laughed with each other every day for at least two hours ever since he had met them. It had been Koji who had remarked about Reign's hair, saying it was such an unusually and vibrant colour that it looked almost like blood when soaked in water.
He jumped down from his perch and talked to her, until Koji joined them and then they spoke until Naruto's absence at training would not be overlooked—that was always when Koji and Reign themselves run him off to practice. Two hours from the time he though he saw blood in the water.
"Do you think he'll remember some of our talks, Koji, for when he battles?"
"Your hidden lessons are always too hard to find."
"So you think yours are better. What—those challenges?" She asked incredulously.
Koji sobered up. "Yes...and no. They're easier to remember and incorporate into his normal training, but are pretty useless without you pointing them out cleverly or combined with your own lessons."
"I believe he'll get it."
"Yes…I think so too."
"…"
"…"
"Do you think he'll be upset tomorrow?"
"Only time will tell…only time will tell, dear Reign." He grinned, belying the gravity of his voice and the overall situation. Koji obviously could not wait to see what the out come would be.
--One more day till the S.T.--
That was a remodel of sorts for chapter 1. Hoped you like it. The thing is that I hope to give readers enough to go off from the first chapter and also because I like longer chapters anyway. That's the short explanation so if you need anything - I'm only a click away, all you have to do is review.
For those who don't know; the Kazekage is the name of the head Shinobi of the sand village.
There will be romance between a lot more characters. If there are any specifically you want to have a romance between, just review and tell me who. I won't necessarily be able to pair them up with who you may have suggested.
Please send me your thoughts, your questions, your input. REVIEW!
Hope you guys will continue to read 'ma storay'. I'm sure you will like it more the more you read and if you are an InuYasha fan also read my other fics.
Go on to the next chapter.
Solareclipse…
…out.