The King: Prologue
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto
"Come on Katsumi. Don't you want to learn about your future?" A small energetic little brown haired girl asked as she pranced around her friend. Her friend, Katsumi, was a very beautiful 16 year old girl with vivid red hair that seemed to glow in the noon day sun. Her eyes looked like two perfectly cut rubies and her skin was a healthy tan in color. Currently she had an exasperated look on her face as she listened to her friend rant on and on about a "psychic" that she had gone to the other day.
"How can you possibly believe in that crap Michiru?" Katsumi watched has her friend stopped her prancing and started to sputter.
"W-w-w-what? Oh I see you're just jealous because she told me that I would be the inspiration for the greatest warrior that our world has ever seen." Michiru began to swoon as she imagined her knight in shining armor charging into battle as her proclaimed his love for her.
"Yeah right knowing you he probably just wants to win every fight because if he lost he would have to marry you." At this harsh comeback Michiru simply stared with empty eyes as her jaw hit the floor, her perfect dream ruined with one sentence.
"Well then why don't we find out what she says about you. Knowing you it will probably sound like this ' You will live your life alone having nothing but your books and cats to keep you company because your best friend Michiru will be off touring the world with her strong and handsome husband after he returned from his triumphant victory.'" At the end of her little speech she pulled down her left eyelid as she stuck out her tongue.
"Hmmm well now that I know my prediction, I have no reason to see this psychic; however, I must admit that sounds like such a lovely life. All alone with my books it sounds so peaceful." Katsumi sighed in contentment as she imagined her life.
"Ha-ha that was soooooooo funny," Michiru looked at her friend as she continued "but as your friend it is my duty to help you do what is best for you even if you don't believe in it." At this Michiru's face shadowed over as her mouth made a wicked smirk as she pulled out a small book from her pocket. She opened it as she began to read "Page 73. Dear Diary today I saw Kisuke-kun as he was tending to his field. At about noon he noticed his shirt was all wet from his sweat and removed his shirt to reveal his perfectly tanned chest, his muscles quivering with hidden strength at every movement of his amazing" her mouth was covered over by Katsumi's hand as the girl fought to keep down the blood rushing to her red face.
"What do you want?" Katsumi whispered into Michiru's ear as she slowly took her hand from the other girl's mouth.
"I just want you to meet the psychic, and learn what you future holds for you." Katsumi hung her head in defeat as she motioned for Michiru to lead her to the psychic so she could get this over with. Michiru just hummed a happy tune as she skipped towards the small hut that the psychic was currently staying in. "I'm so happy that you decided to see it my way Katsumi and trust me you'll be much happier after you get your reading." Michiru stood at the entrance to the small hut bursting with excitement as her friend entered it.
"Well it definitely doesn't look like much in here." Katsumi continued to take in the room's appearance. It was a simple one room shack with plain white cloth used as dividers to separate the small room. The room was bare, hell there wasn't even a floor it was just dirt. However the entire room seemed to focus around a single table with two chairs on opposing sides. On top of it was a beautiful tapestry showing two dragons, one obsidian black and the other pure white, circling around a simple glass ball that seemed very foggy.
"Do you like the decorations?" An amused voice sounded from her left. She turned to notice an old man looking at her. He had long gray hair that fell around his shoulders, his skin was pale and wrinkled, but his brown eyes seemed glow with energy. "I often find myself simply staring at that tapestry trying to decipher its true meaning." The old man chuckled as he took a seat on one side of the table and motioned for her to sit in the opposite chair. "I take it that you are here to get a reading."
At this Katsumi seemed to return to the land of the living as she took her seat and huffed, "As if old man you're just fake who tells people what they want to hear so that you can take their money."
The old man began to chuckle, "I suppose that is true; however," at this the man took on a serious expression, "even though I tell them what they want to hear, I never lie. I simply do not tell them the whole truth; if their future is a grim one then I tell them in a way that gives them the most hope."
"Whatever old man lets just get this over with" Katsumi stated as she began plotting on how she would get her diary back from Michiru.
"Are you sure of that little one, for your tale is one that I cannot sugarcoat. If you wish to hear this you will have to listen to all that I can tell you." At this Katsumi seemed to show a little interest. "I am sure that your friend already told what her prediction was, am I correct."
"Yeah Michiru told me that she would be the inspiration of our worlds greatest warrior. Then she kept going on an on about how strong and handsome he would be and that she would use her love to make sure he always stayed on the right path." At this the old man gave her a small sad smile.
"I will ask one more time. Are you sure you want to know what your future holds?" At this Katsumi began to get a little nervous, but she gave a small hesitant nod. "Very well. We will start with your friend. It is not her love which inspires this great warrior, but it is her death." At this Katsumi gave out a gasp. "I am saddened to say this but our country will be devoured in a war. During the initial siege of this city she will suffer a great deal at the hands of the enemy soldiers." As the man spoke Katsumi began to have a strange urge to stare at the glass ball before her.
Slowly images started to appear in the small glass ball. At first it was blurry but it slowly became clearer to her. Katsumi's stomach began to turn as she looked at the image of an older Michiru lying in an alley completely naked with bruises littered all over her body. In her eyes unshed tears were waiting to roll down her cheeks as she seemed to be trying to breathe unsuccessfully. That was when Katsumi noticed the cut on her neck. It was thin obviously done with a very sharp tool, and each time Michiru tried to breathe a white substance seemed to bubble out of the cut mixing with the blood from the wound. Katsumi could not handle the intense image as she immediately began to empty the contents of her stomach onto the ground next to her.
"It is upon her grave that you swear to avenge her life to become the greatest warrior so that you may deal the ultimate punishment for your enemies. So that in the name of righteousness you may strike down the wicked." As Katsumi listened tears silently rolled down her cheeks. "You will become the greatest warrior and upon the throne of your ultimate victory you shall die as a hero of legends." At this another image began to form in the small glass ball showing an older woman with her hair and eyes in a stunning red armor standing atop a hill, in her hand a simple Katana drips blood onto the already blood soaked ground, behind her a thousand men lay on the ground dead or dying. Slowly the woman began fall as well, she landed on one knee showing the multitude of weapons sticking out of her back as blood slowly flowed from the corners of her mouth. Katsumi could not help but notice the woman had a content smile on her face when she finally collapsed.
"However, this is just the beginning of your life. As your soul slowly leaves your body it is drifts down to hell. For no matter how pure a warrior such as yourself may never know eternal paradise. In hell you become their greatest weapon a being of unmatched power." Slowly the image of the woman in the ball began to change shape turning into a large nine-tailed fox. "Although it is your soul you are lost within it, your mind long ago given into despair. As a result your mind only registers one thing: destruction. You will destroy all in your path and you will continue to do so for centuries." At this the glass ball began to show images of the fox destroying entire villages killing everything that it could see and then moving on to the next village. "However, there is hope, for one day you will meet your king and your love. He is one, born amongst humans but not one of them an immortal who escapes the grasp of time itself. As you gaze upon his face you will be calmed and your despair will vanish. As his first great act he will restore your mind and you shall find peace with him. Should you follow him you will serve the king whose power can bring peace even to hell itself." Slowly the image melted to show the face of a small baby with a tuft of blond hair on its head, and two glowing sapphire eyes.
(Konohagakure October 10)
"The hokage has arrived keep the beast at bay, we will win!" A young jounin yelled out as he charged the great nine-tailed kitsune and was immediately crushed under a large paw. The Kyuubi turned to growl at the new presence on the battlefield. It quickly lashed out with a tail and scored a hit against the giant toad.
Gamabunta pulled out his small sword as he prepared for combat only to get hit across his left eye by one of the beasts tails, "This idea of yours better work kid I don't really want to die yet" Gamabunta said gruffly as he jumped back to fire his water bullets at the beast. He continued to use long distance attacks in hopes of keeping the beast's attention without taking too much damage.
"Alright Gamabunta I'm almost done we need to get close to the Kyuubi now." Gamabunta only grunted as he headed towards the great fox as the Yondaime went through the final handseals for his technique. The Kyuubi stared down the toad as it approached; however, it was distracted as it suddenly felt a huge amount of charka being used by the small human on top of the toads head. As the great beast lifted its gaze it stopped on a small bundle tied tightly to the man's chest. As the Kyuubi watched the bundle it started to twitch and move revealing the face of a small baby with a tuft of blond hair on its head, and two glowing sapphire eyes. Slowly memories began to replay through the great beasts head as Katsumi's mind returned to her once more. As soon as the Kyuubi froze and its killing intent disappeared Minato seized his opportunity to use the last of his will to move the hand of the shinigami to rip the soul out of the kyuubi and seal it into his son. Of course the shock was only there for a minute because as soon as it felt the cold grip of the shinigami on its soul the beast began to thrash about wildly. In the end though it proved futile as the kyuubi's soul was forcibly ripped out of its body.
"Hehe I told you it would work Gamabunta." Unfortunately for Minato, Gamabunta was already gone the charka used to keep him on this plane already exhausted. He held his son tight to his chest intent on taking all of the damage of the fall himself, but he felt himself being grabbed by a strong pair of arms.
"That was one hell of a show kid." Minato looked up only to see the face of his sensei staring right back at him.
"I told you that I would kick that damn fox's ass. Hehehe the dumbass never even saw it coming." As he said this his eyes began to close as his skin became pale as the last of his life began leaving him. Slowly tears began to roll down the cheeks of the gama sennin as he looked down at his student.
"Hey there blondie you can't die on me yet you still have one job left." At this Minato's eyes slowly opened to look at his sensei in curiosity. Jiraya swallowed the lump in his throat as he looked back towards his student. "What's his name?" At that the Hokages face split into a large grin.
"His name is Naruto." With that final statement the hokage passed on, the large grin never fading even as small tears landed on his face as his mentor cried for the loss of his greatest student.