Reincarnation Cycle:
Naruto Edition
Chapter 1: Reincarnation isn't real, is it?
I do not own Naruto. Please support the Official Release.
Running and breathing. That is what I have to focus on during the day right now. Doing nothing but that allows my mind to drift at night. Back to how I ended up here with someone teaching me how to be one of the local warriors. One could almost be mistaken in thinking that I wanted this. I was, in fact, curious about what life would be like being in one of my favorite fictional series. I was acutely aware that living in another universe required different rules as sometimes they operated on different laws of physics so to speak. What I do know is that I was not told that I would be starting from the beginning of each person's life I was an inhabitant in with acute awareness of everything around me. Being one of many things I was not informed of, this leads me to suspect that the person that sent me here has an agenda. I just need to have the time to figure it out. Allow me, the one who went through this, to tell you how it all began so that you can determine for yourself if I am just being ungrateful, or if I really am being set up for something I didn't ask for.
It was a weekday. I remember that much. I had decided to go to a yearly carnival alone as I wanted to ride one of my favorite rides. I rode that and several others. I played a couple games and grumbled when my stomach made itself known. Begrudgingly I left the fun and games to go to a fast food place as the food at the carnival is always more expensive. I was on my way to food when I felt pain in my head and passed out, anxiety kicking it at the last second as I worried about my well being. I fully expected to die.
What I did not expect was to find myself suddenly waking up in a bed more comfy than my memory foam mattress with a blanket MADE of feathers. This level of comfort seemed unreasonably expensive and I have been living on a budget for several years.
After I accepted that I was dead and the cushy bed and blanket combo was a weird design choice for 'heaven', I looked around the room. All white floor and ceiling with black furniture and fixtures. Black walls with white electric outlets and light switches. I sighed before mumbling, "Great. I got kidnapped by someone with an eccentric taste in house design. Hopefully they are the kind to be nice unless you anger them, or even better but less likely that this is just a fantasy-dream."
Shaking my head to clear the anxious thoughts, I sat up completely, noticing that my heart was still beating and I still felt things like I did when I was alive. I was about to get out of the bed when a loud and deep voice echoed from the other room, "Oh for the love of... YOU ARE NOT DEAD! Now please, if you do not mind, get out of bed and come out here."
Jumping at the loud voice, I checked to see that my clothes were still on and found that I had been brought here unchanged. I slid out of bed, marvelling at the details. I also was slightly amused that they let me keep my shoes on in this very fancy residence. Still, I didn't see any harm in obliging their request as I didn't know the layout and figured I could use the short walk to look for windows or doors.
It was a short walk with no hallway. One room to the next. No door to open or window to look through. I entered what appeared to be the living room or at least a sitting room of some kind. Furniture in this room followed the previous theme and I figured it had to do with the mindset of the bass voice I had yet to identify.
Arriving in the middle of the room and looking around, I didn't see anyone in it or anywhere they could be hiding. Apprehension filled me slowly as I didn't like mind games or the people that played them.
"Take a seat. We will join you shortly." Mysterious man spoke. He was vocally in the room at least. Upon my seating on a random couch he appeared. No smoke or light. Not in the room then suddenly there leaning against the walls. As soon as he was there I was standing out of habit. I looked all over his clothing for identifying markings and found none. I couldn't see any skin or his face as he was covered head to toe in a seemingly skin tight suit that was half black and half white. The line where the colors split curled once it reached the middle of his body and formed a weird spiral shape that seemed to disappear into his suit.
"Please forgive my brother. It is in his nature to be what you would consider grouchy and blunt." spoke a voice both lovely in sound and mature in tone. "We have a request to make of you and I find people have a better time thinking things over when they are relaxed and calm."
After she finished speaking I felt a sense of peace wash over me and sat down. I waved my hand in what I thought was a gesture to continue and heard growling from the grouchy one. Light giggling was heard and her voice continued, "That doesn't mean to continue where we are from. Instead it is a proposition for carnal relations. I am sure you weren't intending to offer that so we will move right along to our request."
As I was processing this information and the embarrassment that came from it, I took a moment to observe her. She was dressed the same as him except that the colors were inverted. I was about to comment on that, but thought better of it and closed my mouth.
Nodding my head resulted in the grouchy one to disappear from his place on the wall and reapppear already half in motion to flop on the couch next to her and grumble, "I don't think you are ready for such a task, but she does and is usually more perceptive to those sorts of things. As it stands, our request is as follows: Would you be willing to learn from your predecessors how to be a warrior, a leader, a friend and a father?"
Placing my hand on my head and scratching the back of it with the tips of my fingers, I thought for several minutes about what that might mean. I simply figured they would bring them here. I mean, reincarnation isn't real, is it? Even if it was, you couldn't go BACKWARDS through that chain could you? I knew of a video game that had something similar to it, but I never thought I would experience it for myself. Once I came to that conclusion, I accepted their request out loud and immediately found myself surrounded by darkness. No further explination. No details. Just the request followed by seeming unconsciousness.
I have always found sleep and unconsciouness to be unsettling because it isn't always gradual and calming like I have read in personal accounts. It's often, for me, abruptly disconnecting from reality only to slowly wake up into a dream that is surreal and uncanny. This was different. No blinking involved. No weird dream. I heard a weird woman speaking with a loving tone followed by a weird sensation of feeling full both physically and emotionally.
Time was not something I could be aware of in the almost inky substance that surrounded me. In hindsight, I should have known what it was after a short period of time as I have read numerous stories that depicted just this sort of thing happening. Alas I did not. Part of my lack of awareness I blame on the constant state of conscious thought that never seemed to stop. Thankfully it came to an end and I was forcibly and somewhat painfully ejected from this warm place.
I recall that while the lights from the ceiling were overly bright, I was able to squint when I opened my eyes and immediately closed them in horror. Not at the the face I saw, for it was the woman I had just came from, but at the symbol on the head of the man that held me with a loving smile. I recognized that metal bar with a stylized engraving on it from a fictional story I read and knew fairly well. Unfortunately that meant I was now a MAJOR character or at least a relative to that major character.
I shouldn't have to tell you what happened next but I will as there was a couple of details that struck me as obviously different. I wasn't there. Let me say that again. I. was. not. there. The masked man kidnapped me and everything, but for some reason that I could not fathom or replicate since, I wasn't the one crying. It was almost like my mind could not comprehend what was going on so it gave me the boot from my own cranium. I saw everything in third person. I couldn't go more than five feet from my own body, but I was able to float so it gave me an almost surreal viewpoint of what went down.
The second thing I noticed after the battle went down was that the masked man was visible to me in this form even when he was invisible to others. It is why I noticed that even he didn't want to do what he had done. Almost seeming to argue with himself. Knowing what I do about this universe I know who he was talking to, but that still didn't change how it looked.
The action involved grew intense and I was suddenly wisked away from it all when my father rescued me. Then minutes later he returned and I was again relocated to a scene that I desperately tried to alter in any way. I succeeded in the most surprising way. The giant energy being that was roaring at my infant form halting in motion when I shouted, "You are a hair-brained impulsive lunatic, Kurama!"
She heard me. Her claw stopped just shy of impaling my mother after having impaled my father. Thus instead of losing both my parents, I lost just one. I knew something bad would happen down the road as I was supposed to have been an orphan. Impulsivity was something that I was prone to when frustrated and I suppose my predeccesor has that in common with me.
My mother and father collaborated briefly before it was decided that she needed to live to raise and protect me. I still had half of Kurama sealed into me. That HURT. I was back in my body as this was happening and heard Kurama whisper, "When I wake up, little human. We will have wooooorrrdddssss..."(1)
The next few months passed in awkwardness as I was fed naturally from both my mother and the wet nurse at the hospital when she was getting much need recovery rest. I almost didn't allow myself to be fed that way, but then realized that I would need all the nourishment I could get in order to heal and grow up strong. It was uncomfortable for me as I had an adult mind in a child's body, but I moved on once I grew accustomed to the habit.
After a few months, it was made clear to me through overheard conversations that I was not a normal child. Whenever my mother would take us out of our home, we would recieve an equal number of hated glares and awe struck stares. I was certian this was the work of someone in the shadows, but for some reason the name escaped me. I think it had to do with the constant napping I couldn't seem to avoid. My body couldn't handle both the adult brain AND containing the Kyuubi so I napped twice as often as my mother had.
Speaking of my mother. She was beautiful. Long flowing red hair, brightly lit lavender colored eyes, and a body I know most in the city would die for. She had a lovely lilt to her voice that only became scary when she was mad, which was actually more often than you would think. I slowly fell in love with her. Not in the way I would have thought. She was a surprisingly loving and caring mother, only having gotten angry with my once when I was crawling around and almost left the apartment. I think she was projecting her irritation at herself onto me and didn't realize it because she tends to go overboard emotionally.
Regardless, she kept her attention on me from then on. I did my absolute best to sneak around, but I couldn't fool her. I swear her awareness was otherworldly, even compared with the nurses and other adults that were around.
I overheard a conversation between Kushina and her mentor Tsunade about why I took so many naps. It was explained that I had an abnormal amount of spiritual energy that didn't come from the Kyuubi. This make me worry that I would always be this tired and thankfully I didn't have to find out the hard way as Kushina voiced that very concern right after I finished thinking it. I was able to sleep soundly after Tsunade said I should grow out of it once I began my training.
The rest of the year was spent in relative comfort, although I should mention that learning japanese was difficult. I should mention that for some reason, until I learned the language, words apppeared under people's conversation. This was very distracting at first until I realized that all I had to do was not pay attention to the people talking and I would no longer see the words. Kushina is a good teacher, despite her hyperactive nature around her friends. She can be gentle when she wants to be and is just the right amount of nuturing without seeming overbearing.
I finally learned how to speak a couple of months before my first birthday. Words like, "Mother" and "Father". Thinking back on it, I should have been less attentive in my attempt to learn communicate as I could have used the time to gather more information. Hindsight is twenty-twenty, as they say. This brings me to where I am today. Several years passed. I absorbed anything my mom would teach me and on my 3rd birthday she taught me how to access my chakra. Needless to say she was thrilled when the exhaustion that I displayed stopped after that and immediately followed said joy with despair when she realized she would have to keep up with me.
I was a hellion after that. Always running wherever I could. Eventually she had to request a team of anbu follow me wherever I ran because she couldn't chase me everywhere all the time and still keep her job. Oh. I forgot to mention. She is a NINJA. Super stealth, super loud and at the same time sometimes. It was really odd. Where I came from it wasn't possible to be practically invisible and still make that much noise. Here is was commonplace. Ninjas made so much NOISE.(2)
I am five years old today. It's my birthday. Mom threw me a party and invited kids that I had come to know from the playground. Sasuke 'Duck-butt' Uchiha, Shikamaru "know-it-all" Nara, Choji "Nice Guy" Akamichi and their parents. Two kids were there that surprised me until my mom explained who they were. Hinata Hyuga and Shino Aburame. It turns out that My mom was on a genin team with Hinata's mom and Sasuke's mom. Shino and his mother were there because I had met him on a trip to the library. I invited him to my birthday because he looked lonely. He told me it was illogical to worry about his well being since he was a stranger. I countered with it being logical since we were both citizens of the village and the will of fire said we needed to look out for one another.
For my presents I received: A fuinjutsu set from my godfather Jariya with the promise of lessons once I got my handwriting up to snuff. Sasuke handed me a scroll with an e-ranked fire jutsu and promised to help me learn it if I helped him learn how to jump higher. I had learned to use chakra to jump and cushion my landing. Itachi gave me his old wooden sword once I promised to only use it to learn kenjutsu. My head nodded up and down fiercely because quite frankly his serious face is SCARY.
Mikoto and Fugaku didn't bring any gifts but did wish me a happy birthday. I was grateful and thanked them for allowing their sons to attend. I got a surprised look from The eldest Uchiha when I added on that when I become a super strong ninja I hope he is alive and Hokage.
The Akamichi's gave a family gift of ten free meals at any of their resturants. They also specified that it was ONLY for me and my mom still had to pay, which resulted in her pouting. I laughed as I knew my mom could eat a LOT.
Shino apologized for his father's absence which I assured him was fine. He asked why I was ok with the potential slight to my honor and I responded with, "He is busy with Clan issues, correct?" At his nod I smiled and said, "Then he has a valid and logical reason to not be here. If he didn't need to handle clan logistics, I am certain he would have attended if he was able."
I watched amusingly as Shino went back to his mother to explain the "confusing Uzumaki family" and came back with a book on all the insects in Fire Country and how to safely gather them. He then informed me that he would be willing to help me look around Konoha and teach me using the book as a guide so we could have something he wanted to do when he was tired of playing pranks.
Accepting his gift with gusto and got a chuckle from his surprisingly outgoing mother. I smiled and waved since she was near the back of the room in support of Shino's tendency to get overwhelmed in crowds.
Hiashi Hyuga was stuck-up, traditional, up-tight and a bastard at times, but I was NEVER to tell him mom said that or call him any names. Kushina valued her friendship with Hinata's mother too much. I did, however, have full permission to tell him to stop being rude when he was overly polite to hide an insult.
I surprised him and his entourage with that when they first arrived. He had slightly bowed as appropriate and I returned it as I had been taught. What flowed from his mouth was flowery words that I don't quite remember meant to sound complimentary in a regal manner. I responded with, "Cut the shit, Hyuga-sama. We both know you wouldn't be here if your wife didn't want to be. I know you don't like me. I don't need nor care for your honor. I merely wish that you treat me civilally and we will get along fine."
I was 'chastised' by my mother until we were out of sight. She gave me a high five and a hug. Then I pretended to be solemn when we came out so she wouldn't look bad in front of everyone. People that knew me backed up from Hiashi and even his family knew to give him space. A water balloon fell from the ceiling and drenched him. I fully expected him to get mad or take Hinata away from the party. Instead he sighed, looking at my mother with a deadpan look and said, "I apologize for my apparent insult. Please refrain from pranking me further, Your royal highness the Prank Queen."
Giddy clapping came from the entry to the hall and I cackled. Leave it to my mom, who taught me everything I know about pranking from this lifetime to be the "Prank Queen of Konoha". Too bad he was wrong about who pranked him. Sucker.
After Hiashi left to go get a change of clothes, the party livened up a little. At least until he returned with his families gift. Then shock rippled around the room. He approached me with THE BIGGEST fox plushie I had ever seen. The shock came not from the gift, but that he walked in with it in his hands. That means he was SEEN in PUBLIC giving me a fox gift. He placed it in front of me and gave me the smuggest smirk I have seen from a Hyuga in my five years here. Then I recieve my first revenge prank from someone other than my mother, "I thought it would fit you just fine, foxy woxy." He said as he tossed it at me.
I had made my mother SWEAR she would never tell another soul that cute pet name she gave me when I was a 3 year old. Turns out, she talks in her sleep when she is in the village. She leaves the door open so I think that is how he found out.
Needless to say, the party goers had a laugh as I was caught flailing under the thirty pound fox stuffy. Once my mom finished laughing she picked it up and took it to the spare room we had.
Shikamaru walked up to me with that semi-smug, semi-lazy grin he usually has and hands me a shogi board and set. He then promptly tells me he will teach me how to play if I can find his house. I sigh and nod slowly. His father walks up and hands me a go board and set after my mom sets aside the shogi set. He repeats his son's "Find me and I'll teach you" line and I have to wonder where they get it from.
Shikamaru's mom wasn't there as she was very pregnant and currently on bedrest in the hospital. Another change. I didn't think there would be that many, but 'one ripple in the pond creates others'.
All in all, I had a good haul. I mean a happy birthday party. I recieved one gift from the Hokage through my mom and that was a short bo staff to practice with in case I wanted to branch out. It was literally a carved branch. He made a PUN. This guy has my sense of humor. My favorite gift was from my mother, several hours later. I was tired and had just finished cleaning up after the party. She handed me a wrapped gift. I opened it to find my father's fuinjutsu journal. Tears in our eyes we hugged after her telling me he would have wanted me to have it.
I bathed and dressed for bed. I have been laying back and thinking about my life so far as a change is coming soon. In the Spring, I start the Academy. I am both terrified, dreading it and hopeful. I am Naruto Uzumaki. I am Masteria. I am Michael. This is my Story.
AN - Hello. Welcome to the Rebirth of my Story. I won't promise to upload frequently as I still am depressed and dealing with anxiety. I will, however, acknowledge all the people that reviewed my previous stories. Thank you very much for offering your criticism and support. I want to apologize for my years long delay, but that would seem disingenuous. I shall try to have a chapter or two up every month, but again: NO PROMISES. This fanfiction, if I get it to where I want it to go, will be part of several in a series. Time will tell. I hope you all enjoy this chapter. Thank you for reading.
1) This is said as Kurama is being drawn into the seal. I wanted to make it seem like her voice is fading. I may do this some other time if I feel like it.
2) Naruto is a sensor in this fic. Chakra sensing can seem like another sensory input so I am having "myself" percieve it as noise until I learn otherwise.