A/N: Is it not amazing how a simple quote can evoke such inspiration? I happened upon this particular one on Youtube, and, just like that, WHAM came the idea and the inspiration! I also have this chance to inform you: ALL of my fics (The decent ones) shall begin to receive updates once the New Year begins. That being said, I hope you enjoy THIS story enough to leave a review, and of course I wish all of you...
...A HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Moving Mountains
The Shinobi World is in crisis.
Two powers are the cause of this.
Akatsuki and Konoha.
The Akatsuki have caotured all but two of the remaining bijuu, and the world stands on the brink of war. The Godaime Hokage perished during the destruction of Konoha, and her successor, Danzo Shimura, has since brought their village under martial law in an attempt to consolidate power and preserve his position as Rokudaime Hokage. One such edict was to "retrieve" those shinobi who had defected from Konoha before or during his reign, and to bring them back to the village by the time of the Kage Summit.
Another, would be to "deal with" any potential threat to the village.
One of those "threats" just so happens to dwell in Earth Country.
It is here, in the Land of Earth, that our story begins. We find a squad of Konohagakure shinobi facing off against a lone shinobi from Iwagakure. Their mission unknown. Their purpose left unstated. Their intent seemingly peaceable. And yet it is the latter that refuses to let the former pass into the heard of Earth Country. He stands erect, a single an solitary soldier, prepared to give his life for his village, if neccesary.
"You shall not pass."
He was a tall, stocky young lad, dressed in the signature garment of a Jounin. And yet, he wore the mask of an Anbu, shielding his face from the evening sun. What the mask could not hide however, was the shaggy mane of blond locks cropping out from behind. And there could be no mistaking the Iwagakure hitiate that gleamed ever so brightly and prominently upon his right bicep.
"Who are you to say such a thing?" One of them demanded.
"My name is of little importance." The masked jounin replied. "However, what is of importance is this: what is a squad of Leaf Shinobi doing on the borders of Iwagakure and Earth Country? Surely you know that this is in violation of the treaty. Or are you here to visit my lord on business? The Kage Summit is not for several more weeks, and yet I see that you have entered our territory without announcing your prescence." Finishing, he cocked his head to the side.
"That would be-
"Why is that, I wonder?" he asked aloud, silencing the one who had spoken. "Why is it that...that one of you reeks of the blood of the sentries I sent out in search of you?" He let the statement hang, unadorned, between them like a noose. He let them choke on it a moment longer before he abruptly tucked his kness into his chest and hurtled into a battle-ready crouched, his hands armed with shuriken, one to each finger.
Before anyone could speak, he let them fly.
They lodged themselves, not within the throats of the Konoha shinobi, but within the bushes. A series of gasping gurgles rang out seconds later, as a second, unseen sqaud of shinobi flopped into view; each of them garbed in garments as black as night. Each, clutching at their throats as their lifeblood bled out between their fingers.
"And what, I wonder, is the meaning of this?" There was no amusement within the warrior's tone now. Only venom. "Why, it would seem that we've some uninvited guest at our little soiree." The masked shinobi shook his head tersely, cutting off all protest. "Now, that simply won't do. Whatever will Lord Tsuchikage say about all of this? You can also tell Danzo that we're very dissapointed in him. We expected better of the Rokudaime."
A rustle of alarm went up from the squad of Leaf ninja.
"How did you know that Lord Danzo authorized our mission?" One of them demanded, effectively shattering the facade of peace. "Speak, fool! Who is your source! Who is the traitor that has betrayed the Leaf!
"And now, you admit to your evil intent without hesistation." The blond chastised softly. "How far Konoha has fallen since I last walked within its walls." Slowly-lazily-he raised his hand and placed it upon his mask. "You disgust me." With a swift tug, he removed it, for all to see. "Look upon my face and know your answer." Shock and scorn rippled a wave across their faces, whiping clean their confusion and replacing it with an emotion as tangible as tears, as palpable as flesh.
"You-!"
Within an infinite slowness, the Iwa-shinobi, donned his mask once more.
"I refused to serve under Danzo then," He began, clasping his hands together, "And so I left." The faintest twing of sorrow, of anger, wormed its way into his words. "Only for him to finally follow me here...and just when I had finally built a new life for myself, The masked blond snarled, his fingers twisting and clasping and separting and binding as he drew against one another, as a surge of crimson licked across his features.
"It would seem that he's come to ruin it all over again."
Knowing what they faced, some of these shinobi drew their weapons. Others, began to edge away from the conflict. But none of them fled. They could not. They would not, for to do so would earn them death in the eyes of their Hokage. Weakness was not accepted. Cowardice was not tolerated. Failure was not allowed. Their could only be success or death. And now, it seemed that they were about to face the latter.
"It takes many, many atrocities to kindle the fury of our ever unmoving mother earth." The masked man continued to form seals as the Konohagakure shinobi continued to quake and quail before him, "I commend you on having crossed even that line." With a great and rending tear, the earth opened beneath them and bore her fangs; gaping wide for those who dared to trespass on this, the most sacred of grounds.
"Now pay for it."
His seals ended in the sign of the ram, and in that instant, as the earth itself turned against them, these men and women knew the true meaning of fear. They could not bring themselves to retreat; their mandate prevented it. However, neither could they hope to prevail against this foe, against the mountains and the trees and the soil. It was as if the earth itself had turned against them, rearing back to swallow them whole; devouring them the squad before they could even hope to resist.
The masked jounin watched and waited as their lifeless corpses sank beneath the gravel; where they would in time, become food for the earth itself. He maintained his silent vigil, until even their kunai and shuriken had slipped beneath the surface of his swamp. Only then, when the final footprint had been broken down and dissolved, did he allow himself to straighten from his readied crouch.
"You're a fool, sixth." The masked man scoffed at the men of the Rokudaime Hokage as he unfolded his arms. "You should have known better than to send a death squad after old man Tsuchikage." He removed his mask and spat upon the soil before replacing it. "And on the eve of my anniversary, no less." Grumbling softly to himself the mysterious jounin-his body-flickered briefly before his body blended with his surroundings as he vanished entirely...
(Meanwhile, in Iwagakure)
...and reappeared at the doorstep of his beloved.
"I'm home, Kurotsuchi-chan!" He called, stepping over the the threshold, frowning when no answer was immediately forthcoming. "Hello?" He cupped a hand to his ear when only the faintest of rustling was heard. "Helloooooo? Kurotsuchi-chan? Are you in the shower? Are you taking a nap? Are you-
"You're late!" An indignant shriek was the only warning he received. Proceded immediately thereafter by several kunai and shuriken. Which he narrowly evaded by flattening himself to the wall, leaving the deadly projectiles to impact harmlessly upon the door. Seconds after this close call, a young, raven-haired woman stormed out of the kitchen, her black irises gleaming, much like the kitchen knife she now brandished.
Unlike the masked-and now sweatdropping-shinobi she wore an elegant cream-white dress one that violently swept across the carpet of their abode as she swung her recently procurred weapon down at him in a violent decapitating arc. The masked man yelped and darted aside, but not before losing several strands of hair.
"Is this really neccessary, dear?"
"Don't you 'dear' me you asshole! Dinner was two hours ago and you're two hours late! Now take that damn thing off already before I take it off for you!"
"I'm taking it off!" Then more calmly, "I'm taking it off."
The young man removed his mask then, exposing his visage for the sake of his darling bride-to-be.
Revealed to the world was a face that the whole Konoha despised and reviled, save for a cherished few. A face many had-until recently-thought to be dead. His was a face the Shinobi World both knew and feared. A profile the Akatsuki continued to hound him for, and likely would still, until the day he died. Sapphire eyes glinted warmly as he placed his hand upon her cheek, and she, her lips to his own whiskered one.
"I missed you." she whispered softly, the anger leaching from her eyes as she gingerly touched a hand to her slightly protruding belly. "We missed you, Naruto-kun. Welcome home." She kissed him again, and this time their kiss had passion. Soon all thoughts of dinner were driven from their minds entirely as he found himself being almost dragged to the bedroom by his one and only love. She kissed him frantically, and he her, knowing that time would soon become scarce in the coming months. Every moment counted. Every single second of every single day would soon become exceedingly precious, and all he, the Kyuubi's jinchuuriki, proud son of Iwagakure and lover to the Tsuchikage's grandaugther, could think to say, was a simple:
"I missed you, too."
Despite whatever fate, Danzeo, or the Akatsuki had in store for them, this much was true:
Uzumaki Naruto had come home.
A/N: GAHAHAHAHA! NarutoxKurotsuchi! Aren't they adorable? If you're wondering how these two came to be together, well, you'll just have to wait for the next chapter then, won't you? One can only wonder if she was Princess Stabbity back then, too...ROTFL!