Chapter 1 – Forlorn.
She looked at the man beside her. His name is Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Hokage of Konoha.
The title of Hokage meant that the man was the leader of the Hiden village in the leafs. A man with great power himself. Being Hokage was not a political career. But a position acquired by the most powerful and distinct shinobi, who have proven themselves not just great combatants but also remarkable leaders.
She could observe his age through his wrinkled skin, his tired eyes still hold fierce strength that did not match his body. He smiled with kindness and sadness at her. She never knew why the man acted the way he did. He always picked a time in his probably busy schedule to visit her.
An orphan of the kyuubi attack. Or so was the official story. If it was so simple, why would a man of such importance be visiting her so often? Would she remind him of some relative he lost in such grim event? Did the man felt guilt that back at the time he was not the one to sacrifice for the good of Konoha? Was he projecting her as all the lives that were lost that day?
She did not believe that such was the case. After all, behind his grandfatherly demeanor, the man seemed much more dignifying. He would recognize the sacrifices made by his young successor instead of belittling the fourth Hokage stating that he would had done better.
She heard another voice in the room; she could not really put her attention to it. She would not really bring herself to put much attention to anything indeed. It was as she once went to sleep and never really woke up in the next morning. Everything felt rather numb, with a few exceptions. The Hokage being one of them.
"Hokage-sama. It have not changed since the last time you visited."
The woman besides her sneered, and wouldn't even dignify in acknowledging her as a human being. The woman was one of the matrons of the orphanage. As all the staff, their loafing and hatred towards her seemed never ending.
The Hokage gaze shifted to the woman seeming to pin her in place. His eyes rumbling behind his blank expression.
"By all means. Tell me how Zelda-chan have being. If anything, you noticed any difference in her behavior, ever since the 'accident'. "
Zelda kept her face blank. It was no accident; the caretakers of the orphanage took a particular method to celebrate her birthday. They would first get drunk and then, they would chain her dangling from the ceiling and proceed to hit her with wet towels to leave no marks till she passed out. However, on her sixth birthday they felt it was not enough for Zelda to repent from whichever crime they believed a six years old was capable of committing by tripping her down the stairs. A couple of times.
That rendered Zelda in comatose state for a few weeks, or so did believe the Konoha medic-nins. Truth to be told, it was no mere coma that she went trough. The near death experience put her so close to the other side that Zelda met herself. Her true self. Her very soul.
The soul of the Goddess Hylia. The protector of the Triforce, the Hylians and the Kingdom of Hyrule and all her reincarnations trough the eons.
Zelda could see time and time again the full cycle of rebirth, were she took the role of sovereign and guide to the people of Hyrule. Always standing between them and total annihilation angsts the curse of hatred launched by her ancient nemesis. The demon King and incarnation of hatred itself, Demise.
The curse took form time and time again by the Gerudo King and Lord of Darkness Ganondorf. Wielding the most powerful artifact in know history, by irony of destiny. The man was the chosen of the Triforce of Power. He tried to conquer the ultimate power through the eons. Nevertheless, never succeeded.
Until the break of the cycle. All because of one little imp.
Who would say that such great fate weaved by more than one Goddess could be so simply destroyed, by one little imp? That Hylia no longer possessed the duty to guard the Triforce. Because there was no more Triforce to be guarded. All there was left from the great relic was only one piece. The piece that Zelda still hold through her rebirths. The Triforce of Wisdon. The only piece left.
The goddess no longer was hinged by the curse of Demise. No longer needed to defend a kingdom or the existence of its people. No longer needed to defend the relic that if fallen in the wrong hands could bring the end of the world. All that was left was a soul without a purpose.
Zelda felt hollow, and for the first time in Eons, the goddess made flesh did not know what to do with its mortal life. She could not go back in being a full fledge divinity. She gave up on such when she descent to fight alongside the mortals against the demons at the beginning of the existence. She no longer knew what to do with herself.
She remembered before the accident that she really tried to be part, to belong in the community of Konoha. She tried to have friends, she was a good and gentle girl as far as she could see. Nevertheless, there was always that seething hatred from the adults towards her. And the names. Why to call a child a demon or claim that she was the cause for death and suffering. The line of people claiming that she was guilty of such never diminish, it only grow, and the children soaked such behavior. If anything went wrong or anyone did mischief, Zelda would be the scapegoat. No matter how.
With time Zelda began to feel isolated from the others, she could not even talk anymore. She just tried to stay away from people in general. However, such is not the way of mortals, and Zelda could not but crave for the company of others. Until the accident in her birthday, something seemed a little more broken than the usual. Moreover, her mind was somewhat numb with all the truths about herself. It made everything else easier. She no longer could feel the same way she used to.
The care taker scowled and cleared her throat.
"Well since the incident, two years ago. It have not responded to any form of communication. If we set it to do something it do without questioning in any way or form."
Zelda remembered being tasked in cleaning duties that nobody wanted to do or to work on hours that no sane person would work, usually trough the nights.
"It also work on her lessons. During classes It doesn't make questions. But it tests have perfect attendance."
The Hokage face grimaced with worry, his eyes looked at her, searching, hoping. The woman sneered spatting 'It' as something filthy she would hater not have anything to do with.
"It also do everything in that quiet creepy way. If it needs to go to the bathroom, it just goes and come without making a sound, just like eating and the like. It is quiet the problem. Sometimes we have to waste time looking for it up and down. I really think it should be put in the care of more appropriated personal trained to do with insane things."
Hiruzen looked tired, showing his age for the first time.
"I had hopes that she could get better. Perhaps then I could finally enroll her in the Academy…"
The rest of the talks where tuned out as Zelda herd the words. Academy. It meant that the Hokage was willing to enroll here as a kunouchi. Why would the man do such a thing?
It was clear that she is hated. For this Goddess forsaken land reason, she is hated for the whole village. Going to the school even in her unresponsive state seemed to cause even more the ire of those around her. Shoving her to ground, screaming at her face, throwing rocks and so forth.
More than once, the shinobi with animal masks called ANBU had to step in to save her life. Some of them seemed only to intervene if she was at the brink of death.
What in itself was another mystery. One that she did not had found in herself the will to investigate. The ANBU were obviously the police force of the village. Their elites. Why would an orphan dispose of such undivided attention?
However, there he was, the Hokage. The most powerful man of the village, if not the Fire Country alone; taking its time to visit her on her eight birthday to see if she had the desire or the possibility to attend the shinobi academy.
Zelda eyes slowly turned to man, her movement did not go unnoticed. The man stared at her in silence, his dark eyes had a glint of hope, Zelda for the first time in two years took the ambient around her as reality.
Until that very moment everything felt just like a dream, she suddenly felt the weight of her tiny body. She felt slight trembles and her lack of strength. Obviously results of malnourishment and the physical abuses. She blinked her eyes a few times as if she never truly used then so far. Like she was seeing for the first time. She felt her sore muscles and shifted her weight from leg to leg. Her eyes swept around the room finally taking in its details; so far she did not even noticed that she was standing. It was a long room with several beds with a chest at the end of then where were her belongings.
The Hokage was sitting beside her. Zelda turned her eyes to the elder that had his eyes tense in anticipation. Zelda swallowed, her throat felt hoarse and her voice was shaking for the lack of use.
"Ho… Hoka…"
She coughed once as the Hokage's eyes swept across her as if taking everything happening now. As if, she would just crumble into dust and disappear. Zelda cleared her throat and bowed respectfully.
"When shall I begin Hokage-sama?"
The Hokage blinked twice, the woman behind him seemed to acquire a new shade of white.
"The demon child is back!"
Zelda turned her eyes to the woman. She felt a really mortal feeling now. She felt anger. As her general existence so far felt somewhat numbed so did her feelings. And right now Zelda though that she could choke on so much hatred she felt for the woman. But Zelda's hatred was not something done like a child or a person with poor control over herself. No, she had being noble or at least high social status for all her rebirth cycle. She was trained and ingrained in control over her emotions even the more unruly ones. Her fury was cold, and her displeasure translated in an edge knife cold glare. That trough her blue sapphire eyes generally cut down to the person's very soul.
The woman blushed and could not turned the gaze away. Zelda was no longer of divine flesh. Nevertheless, she was of divine spirit and soul, she knew how unnerving locking eyes with her was. The woman stuttered and only the Hokage intervention saved the woman.
"Zelda-chan."
Zelda turned her eyes to the man. Instantly turning back to her blank expression. The man had never wronged her. If all he looked after her to the best capabilities of one with such prominent position could. He went as far as to visit her personally. She could hold nothing but respect to the man. Who had such an honesty and grandfatherly worry in his eyes.
"Is that really you Zelda-chan?"
Zelda did not smile, after so long in numb state she did not think she still could. She only nodded at the man.
"Yes Hokage-sama."
The world was warmth, Zelda didn't quiet understood till she took in the scent of tabaco and leafs. That was the scent of her Hokage. Of her ruler. Who was holding her in a tight embrace, her body stiffened by itself, anticipating danger by human contact. The man did not seem to notice, and if he did he pretended he didn't.
Zelda felt the slightest frown on her face, being raised as royalty for most of her life, such public demonstration of affection was hardly proper for a man in such position. None of the less she did nothing to consciously, shy away from him. It being too long since she last felt that kind of warmth.
The Hokage then hold her shoulders, his eyes smiling at her.
"Welcome back Zelda-Chan."
Zelda tilted her head.
"I never left."
The Hokage shook head with a soft chuckle and Zelda answered.
"I was always here Hokage-sama. I remember all the times you visited. All the lessons I took. All the chores I did, all the attempts to lynch me in public from school to the orphanage…"
Zelda watched as the man's eyes scowled in fury trough her narration of the events of her life in the last two years in an emotionless voice. Her monotone in it self seemed to deepen his scowl, as the caretaker in the room became whiter. The Hokage rose making a signal with his hand. An ANBU appeared beside the Hokage wearing a white cat mask.
"Your will Hokage-sama?"
"Take Zelda-chan to the hospital wing. I want you with her trough a full checkup. And a talk with Yamanaka-san."
Zelda looked at the Hokage and tilted her head again.
"Can I still go to the academy Hokage-sama?"
Zelda observed, as her emotionless voice seemed to send shivers down the woman in the room and set ablaze the Hokage's dark brown eyes. His scowl then turned in an assuring smile as he addressed her.
"Of course Zelda-chan. I just want to be sure that you are well to begin classes."
He then scowled at the woman on the room.
"While I decide what to do to the staff of this orphanage."
He then stopped for a moment, his eyes glazed.
"Perhaps it is time for me to reevaluate the other orphanages as well…"
Zelda hold her gaze at the man, conceivably the abusive behavior occurred in others orphanages as well? The ANBU then offered her a hand Zelda took the hand as guided her to the hospital.
Zelda went through a battery of exams that seemed endless and then the talk. Zelda sit in a room with a blonde man with pale green eyes. The man smiled at her.
"Hello there Zelda-chan. I am Yamanaka Inoichi."
Zelda stared at him and gave the slight nod of acknowledgment at him.
"It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance Yamanaka-san."
Zelda analyzed the man features and nothing betrayed his pleasant mask of cordiality.
"Ah there is no need for that Zelda-chan. You can call me Inoichi. We are here to talk a little okay?"
"No. You are here to make sure I am not mentally ill to serve. It would do poorly to have mentally insane kunoichis serving Konoha."
Somewere in the Forest of Death, also know as training ground 44 a kunoich sloughing in a giant tree branch sneezed and looked around. Then shrugged her shoulders and continued to eat her dango.
Inoichi regarded Zelda for a moment.
"The reasons are not just for the benefit of having mental capable soldiers Zelda-chan. Your wellbeing is also a concern for us."
Inoichi was obviously an able man in the arts of the human mind. Zelda could read how he diverged her thoughts by claiming the concern they allegedly posses towards her. Perhaps it was real. The Hokage actions could not be mustered in such ways, unless the man really cared at some level. Underneath the kind words, Yamanaka-san was saying that if Zelda could not pass his little 'talk', she would be rejected to serve.
Zelda responded with a small nod. The man was concerned with her mental faculties. That was no problem at all for her to show that she was fine. As long as she did not mention the fact that she had the memories of her previous ten lifetimes. Moreover, that it was from apparently another world. And the reincarnation of a minor Goddess nonetheless. Zelda stilled for a moment. Who many of the crazy homeless the street could actually be being in the same position as her? In Zelda's memories, before Konoha she never heard of shinobis and chakra. No there was no need to share such information.
The man smiled and sat up straighter.
"So Zelda-chan. Cat told me that you said you remember everything. That you have being listening the whole time. Why did you not spoke before?"
"I was busy thinking Inoichi-san."
The man cordial smile prompt at her questioning.
"Thinking of what Zelda-chan?"
A sliver of annoyance fell through her eyes. Although she was indeed a child, the suffix chan seemed to undermine her words and credibility of anything she might say. Even with the well-intentioned tone in Yamanka-san's voice, she felt annoyed. None the lass, antagonizing the man would do her little good.
"On purpose. What purpose do I hold. What should I do with my life? These kind of thoughts."
Zelda watched the man's eyes hold a tight marks close to then.
"Ah yes. These kind of things take time to think. But why to talk just now?"
Zelda tilted her head raising her eyebrows.
"Hokage-Sama offered me purpose. He told I could be a kunouchi. I decided to accept."
Yamanaka-san closed his eyes nodding. Zelda knew the man already had what he came to get. However, that did not stop them from a four-hour talk to proceed. He was also digging up for the abuses and people who did her wrong, in a subtly way, avoiding her to properly dig through such memories. Zelda recognized, the Yamanaka-san was a master in his art.
When Yamanaka was done Zelda felt herself sleepy. She never before had noted how tired she was. Her body felt like ledge.
"Zelda-chan?"
She lifted her eyes; the Hokage was smiling at her.
"You look tired Zelda-chan. Let us take you back to the orphanage. Next week you will be starting the academy and you need to recover your strength."
Zelda just nodded as cat offered her a hand and the world disappeared in a blur.
Through the next week Zelda's life on the orphanage drastically changed. As the new caretakers seemed to look after at Zelda as if she was made of glass. The anger and rage were still there, but now there was a healthy measure of fear. Undoubtedly instilled by the Hokage, that seemed to put the staff on their toes in thinking twice before doing anything against herself again. Zelda felt a sliver of vindictive pleasure at that. Especially when they were forced to properly feed her food in place of nothing or scraps. Some times they would tremble in barely controlled rage.
The shinobi academy however was remarkably… Non-different from everything that she had being trough so far. Apparently there were three shinobi classes that trough the following four years would end up being narrowed till only the most promising students would make through the end to become full-fledged shinobi.
Zelda perceived with a slight disappointment that her teachers would treat her the same way the staff of the orphanage did. Moreover, so did the children. For Zelda dismay…
Dismay?
Zelda was walking through the school grounds in the recess as the thought hit her. Why did she felt dismay? What was she hoping in the academy? She already headed toward the path of a kunoichi. What else could she hope from a word that seemed to hate her very bones?
Her mind immediately reeled back to the warm hug of the Hokage around her shoulders. The feeling of not being alone and human warmth.
The answer came so clear in her mind she barely understood. Zelda scan around all the children playing ninja around her. Her hand tighten in a fist and her hearth throbbing Zelda pushed back tears as she walked down the grounds. Once more ruling over her unruly emotions. Part of her mind reasoned that it was ridiculous that she could have such childish toughs or desires.
Nonetheless, she still had then.
Zelda stopped in front of a tree; it had a swing with a boy on it. He had spiky blonde hair, curious whiskers birthmarks, or really nasty scars sets, on his face. He whore baggy clothes and had a wistfully look on his blue eyes watching at the other children playing.
The boy had such a hollow feel to him that it hurt.
Much like myself.
Zelda's mind mused. Her eyes frowned in annoyance. What was she thinking? How dare her thoughts to compare her to a mere child? She did not know the reason why a child was she giving her such thoughts. She just feel it.
Zelda just walked away, but her eyes could not help to track the child during the following days. Through the academy corridors or rooms, the boy seemed an endless pity of energy and mischievous joy. He would proclaim, screaming to the four winds that he was Uzumaki Naruto and that he would become Hokage.
Zelda could not help to feel pity of him, and a sliver of annoyance. He was clearly a delusional troublemaker. The teachers would continuously chase him from classes or chase him through the academy, due to his pranks.
Although, Zelda had to admit the child had made good use of the trapping classes, applying then of his pranks. In addition, he has a reasonable good mind for strategy, since his traps could snare the chuunin teachers of the academy.
The boy seemed to attract the teachers ire so frequently that it did not took pranking anymore for the teachers to seem irate with him, not giving him any more attention or instruction. What was… odd.
Zelda frowned as she begun to digest some information. Something did not added up. Even if the boy would be, a little overenthusiastic or annoying in general. It did not justify his treatment. If he was misbehaving, it was their duty to bring it up to his parents to make sure he would have proper behavior to properly learn in the academy.
That was not a play ground, they were learning skills that were detrimental for their survival. Falling to properly learn here the shinobi way could meant an early death. Shouldn't it be the instructors priority to make sure they had the proper set of skills to fight for Konoha?
On the other hand, she could see herself receiving a nearly identical treatment. Teachers would call upon her on subjects they haven't properly brushed yet and demanded her to respond their nonsensical questions. She got surprised to see their dismay and fury every time she could properly answer. Zelda possessed nearly eidetic memory, and natural grasp on academic subjects. Nevertheless, she could not study on how to properly work her body.
It was the taijutsu instructor twisted pleasure in berating her for her poorly instructed forms that greeted her to no end. Being a demanding instructor when you would properly instruct was understandable, even desirable. But they were simply abusive. To the point to pity themselves, fully grow adults chuunin to fight against her. Alleging that she was so bellow that she need more individual instruction, not instructing her at all. If not for her time as a sheika, Hyrule's equivalent of a shinobi, she would have believed that she was a hopeless case.
She felt her mouth full of blood and her parted lips sting with the pain. She looked up to her instructor smirking at her.
"That is no good. You will never be shinobi if you can't grasp such simple block exercise."
Zelda considered herself a reasonable person, a person with iron grip grasp on her emotions. But right now she stood limping on her legs looking down at her instructor that seemed to flinch under her scrutiny.
"You can't blame the student for the sensei's incompetence. My failures are your failures in the attempt to teach. How do expect for me or Uzumaki-san to learn taijutsu with your blatant attempts to drag us down?"
The man's face passed from surprise to a nasty scowl he opened his mouth to argue when the preteen high pitied voice rang.
"Yeah! Zelda-chan is right! How can we learn when you are not teaching us propr-per-pri… Teaching us good?"
Zelda's mind cringed at the grammatical murder of that sentence. She had not noticed when Uzumaki Naruto-san had got next to them. He stood there glaring at the instructor with his arms crossed standing between her and the instructor. Zelda frowned a little, was it possible that Uzumaki –san was trying to protect her? No one ever did that to her. In the next moment she felt a suffocating feeling that poured of their instructor. He then raged.
"Shut up you damn demons kids!"
The man rushed at them, Zelda registered his movements as nothing more than blurry motions. When her eyes focused again there was the tip of a kunai in front of her right eye. Umino Iruka sensei was holding the other man's arm. The teacher voice came low with a remarkable authority to it, in contrast to his usually comically loud teacher demeanor.
"That is enough. You are out of place."
The man snarled at Iruka that shifted his body and throw the man on the ground. An ANBU quickly appeared relieving Iruka and taking the instructor away. Iruka still managed to walk up the two of them. Making sure, they were all right. In addition, for some reason, Zelda could not help in noticing that the teachers voice seemed to carry a remarkable amount of worry between the two kids.
Naruto just disregard to case with a wave, claiming that someone as 'awesome' as him would had dealt with it. After all he was the future Hokage. Zelda's eye did catch that his hands were trembling when he walked away, part of her berated the boy for reckless behavior, part felt warm and fuzzy feelings in her chest. She just nodded to Umino-san in gratitude for his intervention. Other wise she had no doubts that the man would had killed both of them. Zelda walked away trying once more to understand what was really happening in that academy. But above all she had Naruto to thank. The boy in some way tried to stand up for her. An attitude she was yet to see in another child of their age.
The next day during recess, she found Naruto standing in his swing. Zelda made her mind in knowing the boy. She needed at least to thank him for standing up to her. It was, after all the proper thing to do. She sat in the swing beside him and he jolted looking at her with wide eyes.
Zelda raised one eye brown and nodded at him. Still not sure on how to begin a talk with a child, of her 'own' age but a child nonetheless. She got her lunch box and opened it as she heard ruffling beside her and looked at the boy who was staring at a cup of instant ramen with such intensity, that she question if he was trying to cook it through his sheer will power.
"How do you plan on cooking that?"
The boy tuned to her startled for a moment and then smiled grinned sheepishly.
"Ano… I don't know."
Zelda rose her second eye brown and the boy release a shy chuckle. He seemed remarkable awkward with the situation. For someone so loud, that meek behavior was not what she expected.
"Your parents didn't gave you a bento?"
The boy startled with wide eyes and looked away. Zelda frowned. Bothe remained in silence for some time. Zelda nodded.
"So you are like me."
The boys head snapped in her direction and she found a very confused pair of blue eyes staring right at her. She then stood at the corner of the swing closer to him, the boy seemed to recede a little Zelda then offered her lunchbox.
"Want to share?"
He seemed suspicious of her innocent act, Zelda could understand. After all, she was not that much expressive anymore. Her voice still sounded monotone and disproved of emotion. She then insisted passing the chopsticks to the boy.
"Share."
He looked at the lunch box and to her, she then looked down at the lunch box and he took a little of rice tentatively and ate as his stomach begun to grumble. He blushed as Zelda smirked with a very unladylike snort. His eyes snapped at her as she covered her mouth with her hand. He gave a foxy grin at her.
"I am Uzumaki Naruto! And I will be Hokage. Believe it!"
Zelda stared at the boy with a smile she did not know she still had curled up on her lips as she bowed politely at him.
"And I am Zelda. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance Uzumaki-san"
His grin reduced into an awkward smile and she could feel a tension in the air. Perhaps the teachers berating made him wary of polite behavior. He forced a laugh.
"Right, right…"
Zelda shrug the awkward feeling and begun to eat too. Naruto shared a few bites staring at her as if she would simply disappear in thin air. He opened his mouth to emulate a question and closed it again. He did it a few times as if choosing what he wanted to ask.
"Ano… Zelda-chan are you also going to be shinobi?"
Zelda cast him a look and nodded. The boy seemed to light up with that. His eyes gleaming with excitement.
"I am going to be an amazing shinobi too! You will see! I will be just like the Fourth Hokage! And the whole village will see how awesome I am!"
Zelda the look up the boy, he had such a determination and eagerness that Zelda could only envy herself of. She wondered if the boy would had shut down from the world just like she had done, if he ever was in her shoes as the village pariah. On another hand if he wanted to be just like the Yodaime Hokage he was half way there. She speculated that when he grew up, he probably would look like the fourth Hokage. After all, apart from members of Yamanaka clan, as far as she knew, just her Naruto and the Yodaime were the only blondes of Konoha. That and only her and Naruto had such blue eyes and… Whiskers… Birth marks?
Wait. What?
"Ne? Ne? Zelda-chan, you alright?"
Zelda seemed to snap out of reverie as Naruto shake her shoulders, she blinked at him numbly, he was so close. She then flinched away from his contact and saw a sliver of hurt in his eyes. Zelda felt a little of guilt and annoyance at his reaction. She then ruled her emotions and stated at his eyes coldly. She had new questions and needed answers.
"How old are you Uzumaki-san?"
Naruto blinked at her.
"I am eight. Why?"
Zelda blinked back.
"When is your birthday?"
Naruto frowned and looked away. Zelda sighted and announced.
"My birthday is October 10th."
Naruto snapped with wide eyes.
"Me too!"
Zelda nodded. Pieces seemed to fall in place.
"On the orphanage, Hokage-sama told me that my parents died during the Kyubii attack."
Naruto mouth was agape, the action did not improve his overall look, it indeed seemed to make him look dumber by the second she criticized internally. He then sobered up and frowned.
"The old man said the same thing about my parents too! Wait! I was in the Orphanage! I don't remember you there!"
Zelda looked up in tough then stared again at him.
"Well I was in an orphanage and I don't remember you Uzumaki-san."
Naruto was taken back and scowled hard, Zelda could almost smell his brain burning trying to solve the puzzle. He muttering under his breath.
"But I was in an orphanage… But she was also in an orphanage…"
Zelda already understood that there were more the one orphanage in Konoha. And questioned once more Uzumaki-san's mental faculties. Although trying to explain that to Naruto would probably take a lot of convincing. It would be easier to let him find it out by himself. He then startled and jumped up with a victorious grin.
"Ah! There are two orphanages in Konoha!"
Zelda nodded agreeing in her monotone.
"And you only needed five minutes to solve that Uzumaki-san. Very astute of you."
Naruto narrowed his eyes at her accusing.
"Are you mocking me?"
Zelda looked away trying to hide her smirk of her face.
"No."
Naruto stomped his feet and pointed at her.
"You totally are!"
Zelda coughed politely and looked over him.
"Why you are no longer in the orphanage Uzumaki-san?"
The boy startled and gave a huge grin.
"I am just that amazing! I just moved out. Jiji got me an apartment and all."
Zelda stared trough that grin of his, there seemed to have an story behind that.
Orphanage?
Zelda then heeled back the memory of the Third Hokage announcing that he was going to take care of other orphanages as well. So was Uzumaki as hated as her too? To the point that the Hokage had to give him an apartment away from such a place? Zelda could very well understand an escalating war between Usumaki's pranks and the Natural hatred of the caretakers. However to approach such manners required a minimal decorum.
"I see the teachers seen hater… abrasive with you Uzumaki-san."
Uzumaki looked down with a frown on his face and a very familiar glint of loneliness.
"They are kind like the rest of the village I guess. They don't really like me."
When the boy voice seemed ready to drown him in loneliness the stupid grin splattered in his face.
"But since I am an awesome shinobi jiji got me an apartment and brought me to the academy to be even more awesome!"
Zelda though the words for a moment, what he did not tell her. She did not heard him talking about someone taking care of him. The Hokage seem to isolate him to make sure others would not hurt him.
Zelda took a long time staring at Uzumaki in silence, analyzing. They were most likely family the coincidences were too much. Moreover, if it was indeed the case, he was, in some ways, her responsibility. She was after all the oldest, taking of course the count of her many life times. Uzumaki-san was not really bad, just awfully loud and annoying. He had a lot of charismatic potential. The class he pranked would always had children screaming in glee and mischievous happiness. Yes, she could shape him properly. Then perhaps they would not had to be the village pariahs.
She heard the sound of the school bells. Despite of all the adversity he would be facing, she saw a ingrained determination in his eyes. Uzumaki Naruto was eager to become a shinobi.
"Ne Zelda-chan. We can't be late for class. Sensei will get mad at you if you're late."
Zelda shook head.
"You go ahead Uzumaki-san. I have an appointment."
Zelda watched Naruto moving to the school. She picked her things up and walked to the Hokage Tower. The people on the street sneered in her direction, insulted at here mere presence and moved away. Some just pretended she did not exist and Zelda had no problems with that.
There was one person she wanted to talk to and one person alone.
Zelda reached the base of the Hokage tower, she stride purposely through the door. As her first foot touched the floor of the inside the tower, her posture changed. She was straighter; she poured an aura of command and royalty. Her eyes were sharp with purpose. A few workers of the tower seemed to jolt stunned when she looked their way. Zelda stood in front of the Hokage secretary and the woman squirmed under her scrutiny.
"I am here to see Hokage-sama."
The secretary seemed confuse in how to proceed, opening and closing her mouth in the best imitation of a fish. Her eyes the run through the organizer on her desk growing in insecurity as she heard the Hokage opening the door scanning the entrance of his office. Only to give a confusing glance over Zelda. The secretary took a tentative look at the Hokage.
"Hokage-sama. Hime is here to speak with you, but I don't believe that she has appointment."
Hokage raised an eye brown at the secretary. Zelda gave the Hokage a royal bow.
"If you would so kindly to spare me a moment of your time Hokage-sama. I wish to discuss family matters with you."
The Hokage shoot his both eyebrows up and nodded.
"Of course hime. Please this way."
The Hokage hold the door to Zelda and gesture to her sit on the guest chair as he sat behind his desk. Then he gave her an intrigued smile.
"I must say Zelda-chan, it is a remarkable trick of presence. Enough that normal people and some shinobi are not quiet capable to recognize you."
He then light up his pipe.
"Not quite a killing intent but… Anyway, what brings you here Zelda-chan? I was under the impression that you should be at the academy at this hour."
Zelda did not nod. Did not argue. Did not give a response. Zelda stood up, and crouched in geisha position so low that her forehead touched the floor.
"I beg of you Hokage-sama. Let me live with my brother!"
Zelda felt surprise when she heard the desperation in her voice. She never knew how much she wanted a family or to stay away from the constant hatred that poured from the orphanage care takers. She stood there facing the floor for a few minutes while she could feel the Hokage gaze upon her.
"Rise Zelda-chan and sit."
Zelda stood slowly and looked at the Hokage. The man's eyes were scrutinizing her for a moment before smiling innocently.
"I am afraid I don't know what you are talking about Zelda-Chan."
Zelda tilted her head.
"I am talking about Uzumaki Naruto-san."
Hiruzen eye brown just shoot up in surprise.
"You think Naruto is your brother?"
Zelda nodded.
"My twin brother Hokage-sama. We are both born in the same day. Our parent's story is the same. You monitor both of us. Even going as far as to take Naruto away from his orphanage. He admitted that he was as hated as I am, although the reasons for such hostilities are still beyond me. What could two eight year old children possibly do to provoke such hostility?"
The Hokage puffed lazy smoke rings. The filling the air with sweet tabaco scent.
"That is an interesting theory Zelda-chan. Nevertheless, why then, would you both be raised in different orphanages? Or why would I not tell neither of you about the other?"
"Protection."
Zelda stated as a matter of fact. The Hokage just stared at her prompting her to delve in it more.
"Whoever our parents were I deduce that they made a lot of enemies. Alternatively, because of them, we are in some form of danger if our lineage is revealed. Henceforth the need to keep the secret from us. After all how much can you trust a child in keeping a secret? As for us being raised apart, I believe that it was an attempt to not let all the eggs in the same basket. If the, hypothetical, enemies were to find the connection, they not necessarily would know about us being brothers. As cold as it look likes, at least one of us would be safe if the other were ever found."
Hokage nodded listening to everything unfazed. His hands played with some of the papers over the table.
"That is quite a lot of speculation Zelda-chan."
Zelda nodded conceding.
"Indeed, it is Hokage-sama. However, I find hard to take apart the other similarities that we share. Our physical semblance, that is quiet a unique trace within the village."
The both hold stares at one another for a few minutes until the Hokage's face cringed in to a smile.
"You will be a fine kunoich Zelda-chan. You are correct Uzumaki Naruto is your brother. But you also know the risk of putting you two together…"
"Please Hokage-sama we need this."
The Hokage took in Zelda's plea. He stood up to the window and stare at the village and the Hokage monument. His voice sounded cold as steel.
"Naruto must never learn of that. You are to never repeat such things to him. Until I deem it an appropriate time and will fill him in myself about it. In addition, till such time you are to size any attempts to find any information regarding such matters."
Zelda nodded.
"I understand and comply with such terms."
The Hokage turned to her and smiled.
"Then Zelda-chan, lets introduce you to your brother."
Later in the afternoon they finally reached the pink building were Uzumaki Naruto lived. Zelda remembered that the ugly pink building reminded her of a strawberry cake.
The Hokage smiled when they reached the door and knocked on it. She heard a hesitant voice on the other side of the door.
"Who is it?"
"It is the Hokage Naruto-kun."
Naruto opened the door and smiled broadly, as he shouted in glee.
"Jiji! What are you doing here…? Zelda-chan?"
Hokage made a surprised face as he turned to Zelda then to Naruto.
"Did you met Zelda-chan Before Naruto?"
Naruto smiled and scratched his neck.
"Yeah we met at school. Iruka saved us from that crazy bastard. She also shared her lunch with me. Hey Jiji why is Zelda-chan Here?"
The Hokage nodded.
"Well Naruto we have something very important to discuss can we come in for a moment?"
Naruto eyed the Hokage bringing a bag with Zelda's belongings and nodded.
"Sure Jiji."
Zelda entered the small apartment and her nose wrinkled at the smell and untidiness of the place. She though the boy would have at least a guardian or someone looking over him. Nevertheless, it did not seem so. The boy was probably alone in there. The lack of hygiene, the stashes of instant ramen. The clothes throw all over the place.
The room had a bed and a single dinner table with only one chair and a make-shift kitchen. The Hokage entered smiling.
"Naruto I want to introduce you to Uzumaki Zelda-chan."
Naruto frowned.
"I already know Zelda…"
His face then twisted in confusion as his head snapped to Zelda.
"Eh?"
The Hokage smiled apologetic.
"You see Naruto, there was a problem with the paper work when you two were sent to the orphanage. You two should have being together, you are after all family. She is your twin sister Uzumaki Zelda."
Zelda bowed respectfully.
"It is a pleasure to meet y… Onf!"
Zelda did not manage to finish speaking as Naruto tackled her in a tight hug. Zelda fell hitting the floor having the air knocked out of her. Zelda looked down to see a mess of sunshine blonde heir trembling and snuggling on her. So desperately trying to not let go that it strained her heart at the same time, being hugged by him gave her fuzzy feelings her hearth.
"Naruto I think you might be hurting her."
The Hokage warned amicable, Naruto head snapped up looking at her. His face in utter terror and fear. Naruto let go of her as if she white hot steel and desperately moved away from her on the other side of the room. Zelda rose slowly as Naruto put that huge grin on his face again and scratched his back.
"Sorry, sorry Zelda-chan."
His grin than became awkward as rose and looked sheepishly.
"Ano… you not hurt are you?"
Zelda bowed slightly.
"I am well Uzumaki-san."
The Hokage raised one eye to Zelda.
"Naruto I brought Zelda-chan here so that you two may live together. Her orphanage also brought her some problems and we were thinking if you are not opposed, if she could move in with you?"
"Yeah! That would be awesome!"
"Yes."
Came Zelda sharp voice, the two other people in the room looked at her with raised eye brows. Zelda slightly frowned at Naruto improper language.
"The word is 'yes' and not 'Yeah' Uzumaki-san. 'Yeah' is not a word."
Naruto eyebrows shoot up as the Hokage coughed.
"Yea… Yes I mean. Since you have no problem having Zelda-chan with you Naruto, then I will take my leave. Just one thing first."
Hiruzen pulled a scroll and taped it causing a second bed to be appear in the apartment. And a second set of drawers. The Hokage nodded to himself as he towards Zelda handing her money.
"Now it should be everything that you need Zelda-chan. Here is this is the money that I usually send to Naruto so he can take care of himself. Since you are living here too I will be sending you the same amount."
Zelda bowed respectfully.
"Thank you Hokage-sama."
The Hokage nodded at the both of them and left. Zelda's eyes scanned the apartment and she scowled locking eyes with Naruto. How could he live in such a filth? That was doing him no favors; it would be only bad in the long run and most certainly. She refused to live like that.
"Cleaning."
Naruto's head tilted.
"Eh?"
Zelda's eyes narrowed.
"Start Cleaning."
"Anoo… Z-Zel"
Zelda head immediately snapped and Naruto flinched under her gaze, she would not have a stuttering socially awkward family member.
"And we do not stutter!"
"Hai!"
Zelda kept her glare, until Naruto begun to sweat.
"Why are you not cleaning yet?"
Naruto scrambled to look for cleaning material. Zelda scrutinized him. Naruto was aloof, loud, and most of the time clueless. The boy was not intelligent. Perhaps perceptive or smart. And really lacked focus. Zelda could not remember any of her lifetimes were such behavior would have been acceptable. She was going to slap him into shape.
Zelda begun getting ridden of the pranking material. Then the ramen stashes and full control of finances. Not wasting money on useless stuff. Zelda was really taken back as she noticed how the price of everything was out of the roof. However, if the Hokage decided that it was the proper amount of money they need it so be it. She had to slap out his terrible speaking idiosyncrasies. His posture, his behavior. His nonexistent studies.
After three months of strict behavior control Zelda manage to make the little barbarian into something akin to civilized. After all, there was just so much she could do to such a damaged good, perhaps if they had being together sooner she could had the opportunity to do more for him.
They were in dinner, Naruto movements were stiff while eating perhaps with time they would come to be gracious. The chopstick in his hand slipped as he was trying to hold it in her graceful stances. She glared at the food on the floor and scowled pinching the bridge of her nose.
"I don't see why it is so hard in simply eating properly. We will have to practice more Naruto, you are really lacking…"
Naruto smiled strained and nodded.
"Gomen Zelda-chan."
Zelda scowled. The boy was becoming more and more awkward. He seemed to shy away from confrontations that he usually would not. It was somewhat more proper that his previous behavior. However, was somewhat lacking. He was quieter but in a way that seemed the annoy her. And he was remarkably clingy.
Although he is ratter warm and comfy…
Zelda smashed the though. Such behavior was not proper. She was there, he did not need to act as if she would disappear in the next blink of an eye. She needed to shove him away from her constantly. Such behaviors must be nipped in the bud. She took a deep breath in annoyance.
"Ano… Zelda-chan are you alright?"
Zelda's eyes snapped at him. How could he be worried about her? She was to be worried about him. He was the one who needed help. All the help she could shove down that thing he called brain. And he asked at her with such worried eyes.
"Yes Uzumaki-san. I just have a lot on my mind."
Naruto grinned.
"Ne, ne. I know you don't like living here in the apartment. But soon enough I will be Hokage and we will have a better place to live. Believe it!"
Zelda scowled.
"You will never be Hokage Naruto. I know that, you know that. To keep shouting such non-sense on top of your lungs will not make it real. And 'Hokage' is not a magical word that will make everything fine just…"
"Enough!"
Zelda raised her him one eyebrow in question. Naruto seemed to be trembling.
"I m sick of it!"
Zelda frowned at the raised voice. Sure she did spoke of his childish dream, but he was needed to wake up from this childish dream and face reality. For more that it hurt, Naruto was the dead last from his class. No matter how much she tried to beat the knowledge in his mind and cut of his idiocy it was never enough. She could not see him being a wise and powerful Hokage.
"That is not a proper voice volume for an evening meal."
Naruto slammed his plate on the table crashing it in several pieces, growling growling at her.
"Proper this! Proper that! I am sick of it all! Why can't I have ramen? Why can't I prank and play? Why are you such a stuck up about everything!"
Zelda threw him a cold glare.
"It is for the best for the family. You must wake up from that childish dream Uzumaki-san."
"The hell it is! You are always saying that! But you never used my name to talk to me! You never smiled at me! You are always scowling and berating me! You are just like the rest of the village!"
At this point he had anger tears running down his blue eyes and such a hurt expression that it tighten her heart. Zelda simply found herself in stupor unable to think. The accusation actually made her numb. She was not like the villagers! She was not a monster berating…
Her blood run cold as a notch strained her throat. The many life times of ingrained proper manners kicked in making her run in automated answers.
"It was for the better of the family."
Naruto rose and walked to the door, Zelda mind pleading for him to stay, as her body kept the demeanor of cold politeness that it had ingrained, as her emotions run wild numbing her actions. Naruto stepped away from the door and looked back at her sorrowful, and alone.
"I am not stupid. I know it is a hard path. But that is my dream! I will be Hokage! And everyone will recognize me… Even you."
He stormed away as Zelda remained there, watching the door as he left. Silent tears poured down her face. Why did it came to this? She was just thinking the best for him. Every time she was annoyed was because he would spout that Hokage non-sense with that stupid... Smile. When was the last time he really smiled since she moved in? When was the last time that he looked alive since she moved in? Why was she so annoyed that he had a dream.
Because I have none of my own.
Zelda trembled. Was she so small that she could not tolerate her brother happiness? With all the wisdom and intelligence she possessed Zelda did not have what he had. A goal, a purpose. Moreover, seeing someone actually trying grated her core. She felt small, she felt stupid, she felt jealous. She could not admit it she had to make him different… but Naruto was already fine the way he was. If there was, someone that had to change it was she. Zelda closed her eyes.
She was no longer the guardian of a kingdom. She was not a sovereign. She was not even a Hylian. It was time to let go of her old role.
She was Uzumaki Zelda, and she had a brother with a hard path in front of him. And she had screw it up. Her eyes widened immediately. She had instituted a curfew, because at night the drunks would actively hunt them down the village.
Zelda body trembled as she scampered through the door. She run through the streets. Her mind running wild. Where would Naruto go? Her steps faltered. With who he liked to speak? What he liked to do? His favorite song? Did he had a favorite song? What had she done in these past three weeks that she knew nothing of him? Zelda grated her teeth.
"Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!"
Zelda berated herself as her mind begun to run wild she quickly reigned over her wild emotions. If her stupid ability was any good now was the time to prove it. She kept her running as she begun to dissect her memories with him. It was a bizarre experience as it looked like she was seeing everything from a third person, as if it was not herself in those memories, and she had to admit. She was a stuck up bitch. Each memory seemed a stab at her hearth. How could she ever act like that? How could she be such a hurtful person and not recognize what she was doing to him? How much she was hurting him. It was right there! Beneath that huge grin and strained smile.
But what did he say? Why she could not remember their talks? Was she not paying… attention? No she was not. Her anger at what she had done boiled and she raged to the skies.
"Goddesses damn it! One memory! Just one memory!"
Zelda fell to her knees in sobs, as her heart begun to ach at her betrayal.
"Please Nayru. Just one memory. Anything to find my brother, on whom I have wronged."
She begun to run her mind once more through her memories, when one stood out.
Zelda was getting ridded of the ramen stash and Naruto cried out on how she could do it? Zelda answered that it was poison. He rebuffed saying that it was the food of the gods. And if she couldn't see it was because she never went to Ichiraku's.
Zelda laughed in relive whispering.
"Thank you."
She stood up and begun to run. Naruto was not stupid. He lived longer than she did on his own. He knew the city, he knew were to go. Moreover, Ichiraku's ramen stand was a safe spot.
She entered the stand running her yes wildly around as Teuchi came up to greet her.
"Hello there little…"
The man's welcoming smile become a scowl.
"Oh it you."
Zelda swallow, that judging look, this time was making her feel bad. Because this time she felt that she was in deed a monster.
"Please have you seem Naruto!"
The man seemed to sweep her entirely.
"You know three weeks ago Naruto passed her the happiest I ever saw him. Saying that he had found a lost sister. The boy was so happy, I though he had finally got lucky in life. He finally was going to have a family, someone he could trust and someone how would also trust him."
Zelda glanced down and Teuchi continue his chewing.
"It was heart breaking to see his happiness seeping away day after day. Damn it! Naruto have it hard ever since I knew him. No matter how many times the world tried to put the boy down he would always stand up and fight. Till you came and crashed down the boys heart. So excuse if for the first time I will refuse to answer a costumer. I don't want you anywhere near my stand!"
"AND I WAS WRONG!"
Zelda screamed at the top of her lungs, gritting her teeth in a sorrowful voice.
"And I was so wrong. Naruto don't have to change. I have to change! He is great the way he is. And I screw it up."
She rose her eyes filled with tears at Teuchi sobbing.
"And I am so sorry and I don't want to lose him! So please! Please tell where my brother is!"
The man frown seemed made of stone.
"And why should I tell you? So that you can go and hurt him all over again?"
Zelda eyes widened in despair griping at each word.
"Goddess no! I swear! I swear I will not ever hurt him again. Please!"
Ichiraku made a noisy with his throat.
"He passed through a few minutes ago. Went down the street. If you run you might find him."
Zelda Bowed quickly.
"Thank you!"
And run out. Naruto was not in his right mind if he ran towards were she though he was running. Zelda heard the commotion of an angry mob. So many times avoiding one had given her and Naruto the ability to recognize one miles away.
"We got the demon!"
"Shun him!"
"It is your fault demon child!"
Zelda Run towards the mob, seeing her brother being hit by a big man. She thanked the goddess that this mob did not had any shinobi with them. She cringed when she saw Naruto form. He looked like a he looked like a collection of bruises, his clothes torn apart, blood dripping from several cut. Naruto simply hissed and struggled trying to get away.
One man pulled a knife and Zelda thrown herself against him. The other one startled for a second, Naruto stomped on his foot. The man let go of him and Naruto grabbed Zelda's hand. They tried to run but the mob blocked their way, Naruto cursed under his breath. Zelda's hearth was pounding on her ears. Her eyes snapping everywhere around them.
She felt Naruto next to her faltering from his wounds, and the mob like a pack o hyenas jumped on them. Zelda thrown Naruto on the floor and fell on top shielding him.
Naruto's eyes flashed down at her with betrayal and then shock. His bruised face was agape as she winced at the barrage of raging the mob was directing at her back. The ANBU should had got there already.
"W-Why?"
Zelda looked at Naruto's strained face. She smiled wincing.
"You are my brother. My only brother."
She heard a crash, she though it was a crash somewhere. Or was it on her head? The then world fell apart in darkness.
Zelda woke up staring at a white ceiling; she looked around to find out she was in a hospital room. She was hooked up to some hospital equipment. She felt her ears buzzing; her eyes trailed to the side of her bed were she felt movement. To find a mop of blonde hair.
Naruto slept in a chair beside her, his head on her bed. She lifted her hand and pated his head, playing her fingers around his golden locks. Naruto's eyes fluttered looking up to her.
He was covered in bandages and full of purplish bruises, almost healed. His eyes widened and he stiffened under her touch. It hurt a little, but she knew why he reacted like that. He was just as broken as she was. He smiled such a shy smiled and then he frowned and growled at her.
"Baka! Why did you do that?"
Zelda tilted her head.
"Well your hair seemed kind fluffy Nii-san. I couldn't help it."
"I'm not talking about tha…"
Naruto then blinked owlish.
"'Nii-san'?"
Zelda felt her face flush. As she stood up she winced from her bruises. Naruto looked torn apart between being angry and worried. Zelda cast her eyes down.
"I-I am sorry Naruto."
She looked up to his eyes, he had a shocked expression on his face. Zelda bit her lower lip feeling as if she had ice on her stomach.
"Ne, Naruto. I am not good at this family thing. And I understand if you don't want to be with me again."
The blonde boy seemed annoyed now and Zelda continued.
"But if you could forgive me. Please give me a second chance. I will do better. I will be a good sister. And I will never hurt you again. Please Naruto, can you give… Onf!"
The world was warmth and smelled of sunshine and ramen. Naruto wrapped his arms around her and Zelda body went stiff.
"Yeah Nee-chan."
Zelda felt her shoulder relax, as Naruto suddenly moved away, with a flustered smile.
"I'm sorry. You don't really like 'clingy' stuff… onf!"
Zelda tackled the blonde boy out of the bed and she felt his body stiffening and a moment later relaxing. She felt a whisper coming through her lips.
"I think I can learn to like this kind of clingy stuff."