Disclaimer: Kekkaishi nor Naruto belongs to me.
Previously…
Due to Minato, the current Hokage's recent and abrupt death. Sarutobi, the previous Hokage had been forced to retake the position, until a suitable replacement had been found. The Hokage turned around, gazing to the surrounding ninja, and civilians.
"The Yondaime Hokage has passed on. His ultimate sacrifice for the village was his life. He, and his master both gave their lives so we wouldn't have to. They are the heroes of Konoha, and will be remembered as such."
The people were all silent as they processed the information being given. Once processed, they scattered to track down their loved ones. Thanks to Minato, and Tokimori, the losses were minimal. The Kyuubi hadn't even managed to reach the village, let alone cause any damage. That only left one problem.
'The kyuubi was anything but an idiot. He had a reason for attacking Konoha. What was it? And an better question…what will we do next time? There won't be a Minato or Tokimori to stop it next time…' Sarutobi thought as he walked slowly towards the tower. He was in no hurry to restart his lifelong war with his immortal enemy, known as paperwork.
Tokio's thoughts were running along the same vein as Sarutobi's as he reached the hospital. He had to inform Kushina of Minato's death and offer his condolences. And after that, he needed to go home and make sure his own family were still alive. The Yukimuras were a reckless bunch when nervous, and nothing would be more nerve wracking than the Kyuubi attacking.
Chapter 1
Konoha, a place where ninjas thrive on the concept on teamwork, and protecting one's comrades. A mindset radically different than most other shinobi villages. It was because of this mind set that they became strong. If only the other villages realized this…
Now a village such as this one is bound to have some good ninja, some bad ones, and some…odd ones. Our story begins with one who isn't even a ninja. Not yet anyway. The preteen chuckled to himself as he painted the Hokage Mountain in an assortment of colors and swirls. He wore a dark blue short sleeved cheongsam with a red spiral insignia on the back. Not too complicated, and it matched the black shinobi pants he wore. On his feet he wore plain black shinobi sandals.
He absentmindedly brushed out a blonde lock of hair out of his hair. He had to do that carefully, because he didn't want to get paint in his hair. Or on his face for that matter. Blue eyes scanned the surroundings carefully for a second, before resuming his duty.
This boy was Namikaze Naruto. Born to Minato and Kushina Namikaze twelve years ago. Most people let Naruto get away with things because of who Naruto's father was, and how much Naruto missed him. The thing was, Naruto didn't miss him. He was just born the day he died for Kami's sake! You can't miss someone you never knew! He had the common sense not to say this however. To anyone. He was grateful and all, but if Minato hadn't died, then his mother wouldn't have problems.
Naruto grinned as he dispelled the Kekkai he'd been standing on top of. He frowned as he prepared to build another kekkai to springboard off of. It would be so much easier if the timing wasn't so tricky…and if he wasn't carrying a bucket of paint. In hindsight, he should have left the bucket up there. Chances are they already knew that he did it.
"Got it!" Naruto yelled as he successfully placed the kekkai where he wanted it to be. He misjudged the distance however, and just landed on it. He dropped the bucket however. He sweatdropped as he saw the two shinobi sent to retrieve him, with the bucket on top of one of them, and paint splattered on the other.
"Oops…?"
"Naruto you little troublemaker! Your pranking days are over!" shouted one of the men chasing him.
"Yeah! We've had enough!" bellowed the other while waving his fist around wildly.
Not going to get away with it huh? He'd already done the prank, where were they then? Everytime he did something, these two were sent first. You'd think that they'd learn by now, but whatever. Naruto chuckled to himself as he leapt to the rooftops.
Naruto's adversaries followed him and began a rapid chase sequence from rooftop to rooftop.
"You can do better than that! Or can you?" Naruto taunted as he narrowly avoided one of their's grasp.
"Shut up!"
xKekkaishiX
In the large building known as the Hokage Tower, an old man was brushing up on his painting skills using a paintbrush. He was enjoying his time away from the paperwork, and was convinced nothing would interrupt him. The room Sarutobi had chosen to whole himself up in was a study that he often disappeared to when he felt like painting. Or reading in private.
He'd just finished his painting of…something, when a konoha-nin appeared of thin air with a shunshin.
"Sandaime-sama, we have a problem!"
"What did Naruto do this time?" Sarutobi asked, without missing a beat.
"Yes, he just vandalized the stone faces of the Hokages," replied the annoyed shinobi with a shrug.
Sarutobi chanced a look out of the window to see four paint covered faces that represented Konoha's heroes. Himself included. He could also see what the others had missed. That is, a group of small white shikigami already at work cleaning up the prank. By the time Naruto was actually caught, there would no prank for him to clean up.
'He needs to hurry up and graduate. He has too much time on his hands.'
The young pre-teen had skills. Sarutobi could give him. How Naruto managed to do this without anyway noticing was anyone's guess. He didn't think he'd been able to do that.
The young man had skills. Sarutobi could already tell that Uzumaki Naruto would prove quite the asset to the unfair village he resided in one day. Surely in the near future…
xKekkaishiX
The two men were still chasing Naruto, or so they thought.
"He went this way!" shouted one of the men as he and his partner rounded a corner.
Once the faint cry of the two pursuing ninjas faded completely, Naruto removed his camouflage covering. An great use of basic concealment tactic had allowed him to avoid the annoyed ninjas, who were now chasing a well made shikigami now.
"Too easy," bragged Naruto to himself.
In his moment of victory, Naruto never saw the figure standing behind him coming.
"Hey, Naruto!" bellowed an enraged ninja with long brown hair tied in a gravity defying ponytail.
He had tan skin with a shallow scar running horizontally across his face. He wore the same standard issued Jounin to Chuunin apparel.
Naruto jumped maybe a good five feet into the air in fright. At the same time he released a short lived scream of surprise before whirling around, reaching downward to draw a kunai. Looking back up, and realizing he wore no pouch to draw tools from, the preteen bore witness to the academically feared Iruka-sensei. The scarred man glared at his wayward student.
"I didn't expect you to come so fast…" Naruto trailed off, rubbing the back of his head.
"What are you doing Naruto!"
Naruto waited a few moments, and then raised an eyebrow. "Was that a question or a statement?"
"Not only did you miss the lecture, but you're pulling pranks again!" Iruka yelled. He hated the bored look Naruto was given him. His lectures were important damnit!
"Yeah? I don't see any pranks done lately…do you?" Naruto asked, smirking.
Iruka immediately looked to the Hokage mountains, and was shocked to see…no painting on it whatsoever. Well, even if Iruka wondered how Naruto had accomplished that feat, he was a teacher first and foremost. "Well you're still in trouble for skipping class!" Iruka yelled, tugging on Naruto's ear.
"Yeah Yeah…quit screaming please."
XKekkaishiX
Upon arrival, Iruka took Naruto to his classroom. Iruka had long since let go of Naruto's ear, once he realized that Naruto hadn't planned to flee. He was glad, it would have been embarrassing to be dragged into class.
Class was boring, as expected. Naruto was expected to get a detention though, due to ditching class. It would have been worse if he hadn't had his shikigami clean the monument while he'd been running around.
XKekkaishiX
"I'm home!" Naruto yelled as he entered his domain. He ducked a swing from a staff wielded by his grandpa.
"Naruto you fool! You waste time and effort! For pranks of all things!" His diminutive grandfather yelled as he did his best to lecture Naruto. Naruto had grown up listening to these…lectures so Uzumaki Shiro was pretty much tuned and ignored. His grandpa was a tiny man, he only came up to Naruto's waist. He wore a kimono, which ranged in colors. Today's color was orange. He couldn't seem to accept he was balding so his hair spiked out from the sides, while he was bald from the top. Naruto hoped his hair didn't do that when he reached his gramps age. IF he reached his gramps age.
'Forget depressing thoughts. I need to make dinner.' Naruto thought as he went over to wash his hands.
"Where's mom?" Naruto asked. She wasn't home that often as he was growing, but Naruto understood that. She was a shinobi. It happens. At least he had grandpa
Shiro grunted, which didn't really answer Naruto's question. He would have pursued that, but he didn't really feel like fighting with the man. Again. At least not today.
Dinner was eaten in silence until Shiro just had to ask.
"Naruto, why did you vandalize the monument anyway? You know who the Hokages are and what they gave up right?"
"Of course I do. They're the strongest ninja in their village, and aside from the Sandaime, they've all given their lives for the village. But no matter how great these people were, they're just people. Nobody realizes this…" Naruto trailed off at this point.
"I thought you wanted to be Hokage?" Shiro asked. He remembered Naruto yelling that a lot as he grew up.
"I've grown a little since then. I've got a better goal."
Shiro waited patiently (for him anyway) for Naruto to explain, until it became obvious Naruto wasn't going to say anything else. He sighed. His child, and grandchild for that matter, gave him nothing but headaches. He was getting too old for this…
XKekkaishiX
"We will now start the final exam," Iruka announced to the class. "If your name is called come to the classroom next door. The subject will be the bunshin technique."
"Will Akimichi Chouji, come to the testing room please?" called Iruka sensei.
As Chouji entered to take his exam, Naruto wandered over to Shikamaru, who was awake for once. "Nervous for your buddy huh?" Naruto inquired grinning.
"It's too troublesome to be worried."
"Yet you're awake."
"I don't want to miss my turn."
That was his reasoning, but Shikamaru and Naruto both knew the reason he was still awake right now. Shikamaru was grateful that Naruto hadn't called him out on it however. 'I wish my name wasn't in the Ns. Then I could take it and go.'
Naruto was nothing if not stubborn, so he waited and conversed with Shikamaru until it was his turn.
"Namikaze Naruto," came Iruka's long awaited call and with a feeling of dread Naruto rose to enter the examination room.
"Good luck." Shikamaru called out as Naruto walked away.
"Be prepared! You're next!" Naruto yelled back as he walked to the testing center.
Naruto walked up to stand in front of the examiner's table. Naruto's examiners were Iruka and Mizuki. Naruto was okay with Iruka, but Mizuki gave him the creeps. He gave no indication of discomfort however.
"Go ahead when you're really," encouraged Mizuki with a smile.
Naruto took a deep breath and closed his eyes in a frown of concentration. He quickly made a hand seal.
"Bunshin no Jutsu!" cried Naruto.
There was a poof of smoke and when it cleared Naruto was standing in the same spot as before. However, on either side of him were two more Narutos, both wielding expressions of major boredom. The looks on their faces caused sweatdrops from Naruto. 'I blame Shikamaru for their expressions. He's contagious!' Naruto realized as his eyes widened.
"You pass!"
Naruto smirked at both of them and grabbed his headband. After some careful thought, he tied the headband to his arm.
They said nothing as Iruka dismissed Naruto with a wave of his hand.
XKekkaishiX
The happy chattering of new graduates and their parents were getting on Naruto's nerves. He wasn't even sure of why he was still here. He KNEW his mother was on a mission. He was hoping her, or grandpa…someone would have came anyway. He merited that much attention right?
Naruto's thoughts were interrupted by a slim pair of arms wrapping around him from behind. "Congratulations Naruto!" Said a light voice that came from his all time favorite person, Tokine Yukimura. He blushed from the close proximity. But Tokine, being behind him, saw nothing. She released him and Naruto swung around to face her. Tokine was the most beautiful girl Naruto had ever seen. She had glossy black raven hair with it parted on the side. She wore it in a long tight ponytail. She wore her headband…Naruto didn't know where she wore it. Maybe she didn't. She was dressed oddly for a ninja. By looking at her, you'd think she was a priestess, rather than the shinobi she was. Her and Naruto were the only ones capable of using the Kekkai-jutsu. Naruto and Tokine's fathers had been capable of it as well, but neither one were alive any longer.
"You ready to be a ninja?" Tokine asked curiously.
"Duh. I'm tired of this place. I'm not coming back here for a while!" Naruto promised, eliciting giggles from Tokine, who knew of the hell known as D-rank missions. Naruto would be returning here sooner than he realized.
"Hey! I'll introduce to my squad tomorrow!" Tokine suddenly decided, clapping her hands together.
"Okay…?" Naruto asked, wondering what the point of her bringing that up was. Tokine didn't explain why she wanted Naruto to meet her team, nor did he ask. He knew she wouldn't explain even if he DID ask her.
"Come on, or I'm not treating you to any ramen!" Tokine warned from several feet away. Naruto blinked. That girl was fast when she wanted to be.
XKekkaishiX
Naruto sighed as he fell into bed that night. 'His date' with Tokine went rather well in his opinion. There were no awkard silences and he paid for the dinner that she was treating him too! Neither one of them could help laughing at that. A knocking at his window knocked Naruto out of his thoughts. Naruto walked to his window to see Iruka at his door. Iruka seemed just as surprised to actually see Naruto in his room as Naruto seeing Iruka at his window. A fact that seemed odd…
"Whatcha want Iruka-sensei?" Naruto asked, stifling a yawn,
"Naruto…do you know what you have done?" Iruka asked sternly, not believing Naruto's confused expression for a second.
"No…what'd I do?" Naruto asked curiously. Aside from painting the monument yesterday, he hadn't done anything…nothing he remembered anyway. And if he didn't remember it, it wasn't important.
"You've stolen the Scroll of seals!"
"I did?" Naruto asked curiously.
"You could at least pretend to care!" Iruka yelled, getting angrier by the second. Naruto was having none of that however.
"Why? I know I didn't do it." Naruto explained. Iruka stared at Naruto, particularly at his eyes. Seeing no deceit in them, he deflated.
"You really didn't do it did you…?" At Naruto's nod Iruka trailed off. "Then who…I'm sorry Naruto, but I have to go!"
"I'm coming to!" Naruto interrupted, grabbing his bladed shakujou (monk staff. Like Miroku's). If someone was going to frame him, he needed to know who's ass he needed to kick.
Iruka looked like he was going to tell Naruto no, but decided otherwise. The moment Naruto donned the headband, he became an adult, and adults made their own choices. They said nothing as they tracked the Naruto imposter in silence. Whoever the imposter was, he needed lessons in stealth. It was pathetic.
'Unless it's a trap.' Naruto thought to himself as he made a handsign. He made several kekkai leading upward into the air like staircase. If the tracks were believable, then Naruto believed he knew where whoever the guy was was headed. Iruka, lost in his thoughts took no notice of Naruto taking to the air. Even if he did notice, there was nothing he could do about it.
Traveling aerially allowed Naruto to finally spot a familiar bright shade of blonde hair, sitting down and studying a scroll. And since Naruto was the only one he knew of with blonde hair that bright he leapt upward, creating a kekkai above himself, and pushed against it, pushing himself downwards with great speed.
Naruto landed in a branch, making no effort to disguise or quiet his entry. His 'twin' looked upward, then adopted a nasty look that Naruto wasn't really comfortable seeing on his body.
"Well, if it isn't Namikaze-sama." He spat, his voice dripping poison.
Naruto jumped off his perch, landing on the ground. He gave a mock bow. "Pleased to meet you. You are…?" Naruto trailed off, then pointed his staff at 'Naruto'. "Scratch that. I don't really care who you are."
'Naruto' drew a huge shuriken from pretty much nowhere and hurled it at Naruto, who simply leapt at of the way. Leaping at of the way left him vulnerable to a counterattack from 'Naruto'. "Ketsu!" Naruto yelled with a handsign and 'Naruto' felt…something hit him in the gut, knocking him backwards. It wasn't enough to hurt him, but it did get him to dispel the illusion. His henge released, showing Naruto who it was.
"And here I was, wondering why you gave me the creeps…Mizuki." Naruto said, his voice dripping scorn. Mizuki snarled and pulled out another shuriken, and hurled it at Naruto. It never got that far, do to the Kekkai Naruto created, surrounded Mizuki and his large shuriken. Naruto, holding his staff in one and the other in a handseal frowned at Mizuki. "I hope you're strong enough to survive this, and that whatever you stole the scroll for…it was worth it."
"METSU!"
Naruto yelled, collapsing the kekkai and causing pain to Mizuki. Seeing Mizuki still standing, albeit weakly, Naruto was forced to admit that he wasn't as strong as he thought he was. A fact that Naruto would rectify as soon as possible. 'Where the hell is Iruka?' Naruto wondered, he couldn't have been that slow could he? Naruto twitched as he saw Mizuki reaching for something. If it was another shuriken, Naruto was going to lose it. Naruto leapt backward as Mizuki threw…a smoke bomb?
"Shit!" Naruto yelled as he looked around inside the smoke, trying to locate Mizuki. "Not bad, brat! But I have to say, I was expecting more from the son of the Yellow Flash!" Naruto growled as the voice seemed to come from everywhere, and seemed to be moving away from him. Naruto lost this battle and he knew. Naruto sighed as he realized Mizuki was right. 'I should be stronger than I am right now. I haven't been taking this seriously enough.'
Naruto sighed again as he took off towards the hokage tower. He needed to clear his name and alert the Sandaime to Mizuki escaping, and acquiring the scroll of seals. Not even 10 minutes after Naruto left did Iruka finally show up, only to find…nothing.
Xkekkaishix
That's chapter 1. The fight scene pretty much stunk because Mizuki has no skills. Aside from throwing his shuriken, but there's not a lot you can do with that. Him getting away with the scroll is going to be important later on. He couldn't see the kekkai cause normal people can't see them. The byakugan and sharingan can however. As can any chakra sensitive beings.
New techniques
Metsu-destroy-collapses a kekkai, destroying what's inside. Mizuki would have been destroyed, but Naruto's not strong enough to do that yet.
Ketsu-activates and places kekkai. Doesn't have to be said, but increases speed if said verbally.
Notes on Kushina- She wasn't really the same once Minato died. She lost a piece of herself, so she makes herself feel better by doing mission after mission. Naruto's not alone, because he has his grandfather looking after him.
