First Chapter of my Re-Write.
Chapter One
True Power
I do not own Naruto obviously. Enjoy:-
While Naruto was still stuck in his room, he dreamed about a peaceful life away from the village for the first time in months. He'd grown accustomed to the way people treated him and had accepted that he wasn't wanted in Konoha. Why? Naruto had no idea but he'd been stuck in his apartment for the last few days, afraid to talk to anyone let alone go out; and his heart floundered at even the most innocent noises: cats meowing, the whistling of the wind, even the clattering of bins being shut. By day Naruto sat on the foot of his bed straining to prevent himself going out to adventure and when he gave up, he sat by the window staring out at the Hokage monument with his tattered up jacket thrown over his shoulder – for he wasn't given any heating and the things he brought we're often throwaways and we're not warm enough even if he was indoors.
Outside, all was activity and cheer. It was October 8th. His senses were amazing for someone who had never received proper training. Pondering on that thought Naruto realised he'd have to start the Academy tomorrow of all days and he couldn't afford to miss the orientation. Shaking his head he isolated all thoughts of tomorrow. Don't focus on the future or the past focus on where you are. That was cruel lesson he taught himself. The future was linked with experiences and actions of the past. Judging his past Naruto realised he has no future. Not in Konoha anyway. So he would just focus on where he was now; trying to get by everyday to the best of his ability.
He had neither the luxury of friends or family. The closest of both was the Hokage. Naruto used to consider him his Jiji but a cruel event placed Naruto in the position where he realised that he was nothing special to the Hokage. It was his job to be the grandfather of everyone in the village. If you're nice to someone, you're nice to everyone else. Naruto clenched his fist in anger as he pondered on all the tricks this cruel reality played on him. Naruto took a deep breath and relaxed. Taking into account everything that happened to him it was a rarity to see him lose himself. But reality was so cruel that it played new tricks on him every time making it almost impossible to accept all of it.
Naruto turned back to the window. He could see everything beyond ghostly district he was slaved in; the lights twinkling on the lamp posts at night; the joy in kids eyes to the evil glint of shop owners; red cheeked Mr and Mrs, scarves flying in the icy wind, clattered down the cobblestone with decorations strapped to their backs in preparation for the upcoming Kyuubi festival two days from now. He could hear the sound of families singing and dancing but their songs hung tiny and fragile within his ear canal. He could smell the chefs preparing food for their customers and the sweet smell of ramen from Ichiraku almost a mile away.
During these restless days, Naruto got to know every inch of his apartment the same way a prisoner got to know his cell. Although he's lived there all his life the habitual terror draped over his apartment meant it was constantly changing. His home was Konoha and yet he had seen almost nothing of his city as the demon child was mostly constrained to the desolated yet calm poor district.
The next morning was a Monday which meant he would have to go to the Academy. It was almost winter so it would still be black out. Only academy students and their parents should be out at this time. Naruto readied himself and walked down the stairs out of his apartment. He needn't bother look his door because it does naught to prevent the civilian terrorists from terrorising his home.
A presence and Naruto whipped his head sideways. There, at the invisible entrance of the poor district, were a women and her son. Judging by the boy's bag he was going to the academy too. They moved with hushed voices and quiet footsteps, eyes gliding across Naruto coolly as if they didn't quite see me, the mysterious devil child who's been missing for the past few days.
"Kaa-san is that-" the boy tried to ask.
The mom slapped her hand on her son's mouth. Naruto could see the fear in her eyes. "Don't talk to him, stay away from him. Have nothing to do with him." She tried her best to persuade her son that Naruto was evil and that put a smile on his face.
Naruto even heard her mutter, 'I hope they're not in the same class.' He shrugged and continued walking. His eyes calmly following them as the mom continuously shoved her son to walk faster. The duo continued walking, Naruto strolled behind them as they neared the academy. However just as the mom turned the corner she turned around, smirk on her face, and gave Naruto a glance that sent shivers down his spine before she vanished into the safety of the academy.
Naruto eyes widened. Never before had he felt so much hate. They were planning something. And that's what scared him the most. The mobs just came randomly; never before had they planned any form of attack. He stood there frozen. He wasn't safe. He had to do something.
Look it's him.
Shit! How did he get into the Academy?
My child's not safe.
Fucking monster
Why doesn't he just die.
An unfamiliar pulse ran through Naruto. He grabbed his head and cried out in agony as pain flooded his nerves from his stomach. Did someone poison him?
Power…
Naruto looked around frantically before another pulse travelled through his body forcing him hunch over as he clutched his stomach harder.
Power…
"Please…" He whimpered, painful tears streaming down his whiskered cheeks. "No mo-" He was cut off as blood was forcefully ejaculated from Naruto's mouth as he dropped to one knee, hugging his stomach in agony. Orange chakra began leaking out of him just before a masked man with two red eyes, with three tomoes in each, appeared in front of him.
"Sleep…" He said his black tomoes spinning. Naruto's vision drooped and he lost consciousness.
xXx
A water droplet caused Naruto's eyes to snap wide open. "Where am I?" He asked himself. "Did I die?"
"What makes thee think that thou art dead?" An elderly man said causing Naruto to sit up in surprise.
There was an old man sitting in front of him. No… Naruto squinted slightly only to realise that he was actually floated above the water, these odd looking balls beneath him, with his back to Naruto. A staff sat diagonally across his back. On the back of his kimono was a large, black ringed marking with a pattern of nine magatama arranged in three rows of three beneath it.
"Thine ethical viewpoint on death differs much from that which prevailed in my time…" He continued in composed and knowledgeable voice. "To so easily replace oneself with the term 'death'…thou must gain mettle, oh fledging."
Naruto blinked. "Who are you?"
"Hmm 'Tis quite a precise query for this place, but…" He replied so calmly without missing a beat. His voice had a slightly ancient melody to it. "I am quite uneasy over whether thou shalt be able to connect my name with my actions as a herald…"
He turned around causing Naruto to tense up slightly. He had spiky, shoulder-length, pale grey hair, with a chin-length braid hanging in front of his left ear. He also sported a goatee which was tapered down to his waist. The old man had a pair of horn-like protrusions extending from either side of his wrinkled forehead, purple rippled eyes and no eyebrows. He also had a red rippled marking in the centre of his forehead. Hagoromo wore a white, full-length kimono with a pattern of six black tomoe around a high collar, beneath which he wore a necklace which was also made up of six black magatama.
"I am person of the past, someone long dead. A monk who wanders through this world as chakra, crossing generations and ascertaining the course of Ninshu, the Ninja Creed. I am he who shall achieve peace and tranquillity. My name is Hagoromo, the founder of the ninja creed. However thou may know me by the name of the Sage of Six Paths."
Naruto scrunched his eyebrow in confusion but Hagoromo paid no attention to it.
"On the other hand," He continued. "I had foreseen that thou wouldst end up in such a state as that."
Naruto silently groaned. 'Uh…I don't understand what the hell he's saying. He seems to be one of those annoying geezers!'
"Hey, gramps, sorry. But, I…" Naruto said.
"Now then…" Hagoromo interrupted. "All that remains is for thee to pragmatically comprehend thy circumstances. Thou has not died yet…this place is thine inner mind. I understand thine haste but at this moment rushing-"
"Can't you speak a little more smoothly using easy normal words?!" Naruto interrupted.
Hagoromo seemed unfazed, "I am an anachronism. Over the passage of much time, cultural traditions and notions, and ethics have brought about significant change-"
"Are you an alien or something?" Naruto asked. "I mean, you seem super dignified, but…"
Silence as Hagoromo seemed be having a hard time comprehending the ridiculous question.
"Uh, that's a bit much, doncha think? An alien? Seriously?" Hagoromo chuckled.
Naruto sweatdropped as he stood there frozen. "Eh?"
"Well, maybe that aint too far off. So anyway…" Hagoromo noticed Naruto's odd state. "Do you still fail to understand me?"
"No! Keep talking like just now. I finally get you!" Naruto blurted.
Hagoromo nodded. "Then I'll keep going like this. Much pleased!"
Naruto's eye twitched before he clasped his hands together. "Oh but, those words don't match up with you face at all, so it's kind of super scary."
'And he loses all dignity too.'
"You should be just a bit more formal" Naruto advised. "Otherwise you come off kind of dumb"
Hagoromo glared at Naruto, "Now you're going too far, no? What do you mean by dumb?!" He said before he calmed down. "Well, considering how I was talking before, I guess I can't blame you for that. So how's this?"
"That's it! All right! That's perfect!"
Hagoromo smiled, "Now then every time I cross time to meet a reincarnate, I have come to see how great the difference is between the reincarnate and reincarnated."
"Reincarnate? Of what?"
"That answer depends on who you are?" Hagoromo replied poetically.
"Who am I?" Naruto asked.
"That's something I'm going to figure out," Hagoromo closed his eyes and expanded his senses. Naruto's chakra seemed familiar but it was neither Indra's nor Ashura's. Hagoromo has recalled a feeling he forgot long ago. Confusion.
"Well?" Naruto asked.
Hagoromo sighed and took a deep breath. "You may be more complicated that I thought. Naruto-kun I'm going to need you to concentrate. Find the source of you power then release it.
To be honest after that voice he heard, he didn't want to find the source of his power but he did as he was asked. Sitting down; legs folded, he closed his and concentrated.
Source of my power.
Source of my power.
Source of my power.
He continued chanted to himself before his eyes were ruptured open by a quake that shook his whole body. Behind Hagoromo the water bubbled and gave birth to cage that rose to touch the ceiling. Red slit eyes burned through the darkness with.
Power…
Naruto's eyes widened as the same voice from before pounded into his head. He grabbed his head in agony. "GET OUT! GET OUT!" He screamed.
Give me your body and I'll destroy-
"KURAMA STOP IT NOW!" Hagoromo shouted, slamming his staff into the ground. The beast whimpered and the retreated back into his cage.
The voices stopped and Naruto lifted his head, visibly shaken by what had just occurred.
"W-Wh-What the fuck was that?!" Naruto asked.
Hagoromo sighed, "And I hid his cage just to avoid what wasn't my business. Alas this turn of events requires some explanation." Making his way towards the cage he said, "Come Naruto, I'll explain who you are."
xXx
Heavy, rushed footsteps echoed in the busy corridors as the Hokage made his way to the heavily guarded hospital which housed the village pariah. Barging through the door, he made his way towards the bed.
"Itachi how is he?" Hiruzen asked, concern plastered on his face.
Itachi sighed and removed his masked before facing his leader, "He was losing control of the Kyuubi due to the bloodlust he was faced with. Once this breaks out im afraid, Hokage-sama, the boy will not be safe on the day of the festival. I don't even think I personally can protect him."
Hiruzen took a seat next to Naruto before removing his hat and placing it beside him. "Im getting too old for this…" He sighed. "So what do you suggest we do?"
Itachi activated his sharingan and examined the boy. His eyes widened as he observed something odd occur to the blondes seal. It was changing shape. "Hokage-sama…"His shocked expression elicited the fear of the hokage. "His seal is changing."
"What!" Hiruzen cried as he threw off Naruto's clothes to examine his seal. His elderly eyes slowly widened as he too realised that the Hakke no Fuin Shiki was indeed changing. But worst of all there was this unknown purple and yellow energy leaked for both sides of the seal. Whipping out his pouch he brought out his paralysis seals and placed all of them on his chest. A tiger seal and a short outburst of chakra saw Naruto go limp.
"Inu!" Sarutobi shouted and within moments a second masked figure appeared before the hokage. "Gather your team and bring me Jiraiya NOW! Mention the seal. Go!"
"Hai!"
Hiruzen clutched his temple stressfully. Itachi placed his mask back on his head. "Hokage-sama I must head back and make sure my family is prepared to contain the Kyuubi if it breaks out."
The hokage nodded and Itachi vanished. Stroking his hand through the blonde's hair he sighed deeply yet with a lot of affection. He knew Naruto wouldn't go down without a fight and he believed in Minato's sealing prowess but what concerned him is the reaction this will receive from the public once this accident gets out.
This was going to be a long week.
xXx
"Naruto this here is Kurama, the Kyuubi…" Hagoromo informed as Naruto stared in a mixture of awe and fright at the massive now rested fox. "He was sealed in you by the Yondaime and your mother, Kushina Uzumaki."
Naruto dropped to his knees. "My own mother…sealed that thing in me. All the beats, the insults, the isolation it's all her fault?"
Hagoromo sighed, "Only Uzumaki's can handle Kurama's power. And you're parents we're sure you'd be able to control it."
"So where the fuck are they now?!" Naruto screamed, all these odd feelings flooding into him.
"Why don't you find out yourself?" Hagoromo said. "Take off your shirt and release the source of your chakra."
Standing, Naruto removed his shirt before he made the tiger handseal. Bending his knees he shut his eyes and released his chakra.
Purple and yellow chakra exploded out of Naruto. Tendrils of energy whipped the air around the sage as he stood there smirking. Waves after wave of chakra continued pouring out of Naruto as the air around the two inhuman beings became heavy. The floor beneath the blond began to crack.
"Hmmm…interesting…"Kyuubi said lifting his head.
Suddenly the tendrils stopped thrashing around in the air as Hagoromo witnessed the two chakra get absorbed into the blonde's two shoulders forming two seals. On his left shoulder there was a crescent whilst on his right there was a circle. The veins from his shoulder to his chest began popping and turning red as a spiral pattern formed between the blondes to breasts. Naruto's body began to take a reddish outline as Hagoromo eyes widened as two figures took form behind Naruto.
The on the left was made of purple chakra and had long hair cut short on top, with two locks wrapped in bandages framing either side of his face. His eyebrows were cut short and his eyes had blue markings around them, which were turned up at the corners. He wore a high-collared, light-coloured kimono held closed by a dark sash. Around the collar of the kimono was adorned with magatama under which he wore a black full-bodied suit. It was his son Indra.
The one on the right was made of yellow chakra and had short, spiky brown hair — two locks of which were wrapped in bandages framing either side of his face in a similar manner to the one on the left, and also had stern facial features. He also wore what seemed to be a blank forehead protector. He wore a light-coloured kimono which was adorned with magatama around the collar. The kimono was held closed by a dark-coloured sash. Underneath all of this he wore a black full-body suit. It was Hagoromo's youngest son, Asura.
Then suddenly both chakra figures merged and formed something else. Realisation caused the Sage to drop his staff on the floor and to feel a feeling he thought he forgot. Fear. For standing behind Naruto was a red chakra figure of a young man. He had spiky, shoulder-length, pale-red hair, with a chin-length braid hanging in front of his left ear. He also sported a goatee, which was short, and had a pair of horn-like protrusions extending from either side of his forehead. Standing behind Naruto was a man the sage thought was long gone. It was himself standing behind Naruto, Hagoromo Otsutsuki, the Sage of Six Paths.
As Naruto stood there with his eyes still closed, Hagoromo noticed something shining in Naruto's hands. He thought nothing else could surprise but he was wrong. Placed in Naruto's hand was a glowing white weapon the Sage hadn't seen for a long time.
Hagoromo smirked, "Damn you Kushina…You hid it here…"
Hagoromo prepared himself before a bright light filled the chamber blinding everyone within.
Naruto opened his eyes to see himself in a grassy plain, standing next to the sage.
"They are here…" The sage said before they were both shadowed by nine majestic beasts. Naruto spun around; awe struck as all tailed beasts had gathered in front of him and were looking right at him.
Naruto looked around in amazement before his eyes realised that the sage was holding the sword towards him. "It's yours bestowed upon you by its previous owner, your mother. It's the Uzumaki heirloom, crafted and wielded by myself. Take it for we have one last journey to make after this."
The blonde walked towards him and picked up the sword. Energy came rushing out of the blade and entered Naruto. "Whoa…"
Hagoromo smiled before turning back to the tailed beasts, "This is my last time talking to you. Shukaku, Matatabi, Isobu, Son Goku, Kokuo, Saiken, Chomei, Gyuki and Kurama… Even if you are far apart you will always be together inside Naruto. The time has come when you will be united again. Each of you with a unique name and a different form that before and unlike when you were inside me you will be guided down the right path, I hope you learn what true strength is before your time ends…" The sage said before light washed over them and they vanished.
xXx
A knock and an invitation gave birth to a frail, old man, walked with a cane. He had black, shaggy hair, and his right eye was bandaged. He has had an x-shaped scar on his chin ever since his youth. He wore a white shirt, with a black or dark grey robe over the top of it covering from his feet, to just over his right shoulder. The robe concealed his right arm which was bandaged.
Hiruzen looked up and kissed his teeth. "Not now Danzo." Hiruzen snarled.
Danzo smiled. "Don't be like that now Saru…" He said before he made his way to the bed.
"Danzo did you not hear me?" Hiruzen asked threatening.
Danzo waved him off, "Don't worry Hokage-sama, I'll be gone soon…" He said before turning to the blonde. "But if what I heard is true and that boy is a threat to Konoha, be sure to know I'll kill himself."
The air suddenly grew colder as Hiruzen appeared under Danzo kunai against his neck. "Try it!" he snarled.
Danzo smirked, turned round then left.
Hiruzen sighed and sat back down. Come on Naruto! He wanted Jiraiya back here before a council meeting is called. But before that he had to get the blonde through the festival. Hiruzen prayed that no one would push Naruto to his limits tomorrow because judging by today's events the seal won't be able to contain the Kyuubi if Naruto loses control.
xXx
"Naruto...Don't be picky... Eat lots and grow strong...Make sure that you bathe every day and stay warm. Also...Don't stay up late... You need lots of sleep...And make friends... You don't need a lot of friends...Just a few... Ones you can really, really trust…"
She chuckled before coughing up more blood. "I wasn't very good at it, but keep up with your studies and practice your Ninjutsu hard... Remember that everyone has strengths and weaknesses...So don't get too depressed if you can't do something well...Respect your teachers and upperclassmen at the Academy."
"Oh, and this is important… It's about the Three Prohibitions for a shinobi...Be extra careful about lending and borrowing money...Put your mission wages into your savings account. No alcohol until you're twenty…Too much can ruin your health, so drink in moderation. Another Prohibition is women... I'm a woman, so I don't know too much about this but...All you need to remember is that this world is made up of men and women... So it's only natural to take an interest in girls... But just don't get hooked on bad women... Find someone just like your mum. Speaking of the Three Prohibitions…be wary of Jiraiya Sensei, -ttebane..." Minato chuckled at this.
"Naruto, from now on, you're going to face lots of pain and suffering in your life…" Tears began streaming down her cheeks splashing down on baby Naruto's sleeping form. "…Believe in yourself...Believe in your dreams and believe that your dreams will come true! There are many, many, many, many, many, many more things I want to share with you. I wish I could stay with you forever! I love you!" She pulled her sleeve and rubbed some blood on a swirling seal on her shoulder. A small puff of smoke revealed her weakly holding the Kojin. She placed it on the ritual alter beside the sleeping Naruto's form.
Naruto and Hagoromo stood there watching the whole heart wrenching scene. Naruto gripped the sword tighter as tears streamed down his face. "Kaa-san…Tou-san…" he whimpered within tears.
Hagoromo looked at Naruto with sympathy evident in his eyes. Despite all his been through he was still just a child. This was too much for him.
"I'm sorry, Minato, I spoke for too long." Kushina said in between tears.
Minato shook his head, "Don't worry. Naruto, my advice as your father…" He looked at Kushina briefly, "…is everything your chatty mother just said."
He closed both eyes, "Kushina are you ready?"
Kushina nodded and made the snake seal, "Hai!" She said before closing her eyes. "Senshuu no Fuuin!" A stream of white energy left Kushina and made its way to Naruto and was absorbed into the baby's chest.
Minato felt Kushina lean on his back. Her heavy ragged breathing made him cringe in sadness as he too formed his jutsu. "Hakke no Fuin Shiki..."And the Kyuubi vanished in a flash of light and Naruto's parents crumbled into the ground. Naruto walked towards, Hagoromo tagging behind.
He stopped when he was directly above them. His tears splashing onto the grass beside them. He watched his mother interlock her fingers with his father's as they lay there dying.
He knew he couldn't bend down and touch them, that any contact was to violate the rules of their world and his; he had come to know of his parents death the only way he could, and as he was about to close his eyes and return to his mindscape; their eyes met for a long still moment; but just as she seemed about to speak – with what seemed a combination of fear, shock, affection, exasperation – a vapour rolled between them and Naruto woke up.
Well there it is. Hopefully this is better than the my first chapter of the chosen one. As you can see I'm focusing mainly on character development. A mindset only achieved with the help of you guys. So I hope you'll continue to help me make this story the best it can be.
I'm going to change a lot of the plot but the main events should still remain. I plan to spend a lot of chapters in Naruto's youth before moving to his Ninja career cos going to fast was my biggest mistake in the Chosen Ones.
Anyways I hope you enjoyed please review.
Kuroko out!
