I Do Not Own Naruto
"Speaking"
"Demons, Jutsu"
A/N Again, early Merry Christmas everyone. I have an extended time off from work, and no homework. Plenty of time to write these out. Enjoy. I am working on a Christmas special for these stories. Look out for them either Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.
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A young boy sat nearly alone in the academy. His brilliant blue eyes drooped as the teacher droned on about the 'great' history of Konoha.
"This really isn't going to help me in a fight," he thought sleepily, "Though as ninja it's our birthright. At least that's what the pervert and tou-san always say."
He absently brushed a lock of his blond hair out of his eyes as he tried valiantly to stay awake. He closed his eyes and found himself in a beautiful moonlit forest.
He quietly wandered through the forest, his long white coat flapping lazily in an almost non-existent breeze.
A soft voice echoed, "Soon, little one."
"Soon?" The boy asked.
"Yes," the voice sounded closer, "It is almost your time."
"Who are you?" The boy called out to the forest.
"Naruto..." the voice sounded different, familiar.
"Yes?" The boy took another step into the forest.
"NARUTO!" The blond's head shot up to see an irrate teacher holding the bridge of his nose, a long scar ran across his face, just above his hand.
Naruto smiled, "Sorry, Iruka-sensei."
"Naruto," Iruka began, brushing some of his black hair out of is face, "I don't care if you already know this, but at least pretend to be interested."
"Hai," Naruto said, scratching the back of his head sheepishly.
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Naruto sat by himself waiting for a friend after class. He didn't have to wait long for once as a brown hair boy with twin red marks running down his cheeks came towards him, a white puppy riding on his head underneath the hooded shirt the boy wore.
"Hey Naruto!" the boy called as he got closer.
"Hey Kiba," Naruto said as they got to him. The puppy barked at him.
"Hey Akamaru," Naruto waved at the puppy as it gave another light bark at him.
"I'm still surprised, after all this time Naruto," Kiba began, "that Akamaru actually likes you. He doesn't really like anyone else save for me and mom. He doesn't even like my sister."
"You have sister?" Naruto asked quizzically.
"That's right, you've never been over, it's pretty dull over there though, and Hana's just a bitch, so I really don't mind," Kiba said.
"I'm just good with animals I guess," Naruto said, as Kiba gave a snort, "The usual, Kiba?"
"Yeah," Kiba said with a smile, "Training Ground Seven?"
"Taijutsu only?" Naruto finished with a smile of his own. Akamaru gave out a whine, "Sorry, Akamaru," Naruto petted the puppy, "After our first spar you can join in the next one, alright? Complete with Ninjutsu."
The puppy huffed, "I'll get you some biscuits," Naruto said, the puppy gave a bark as if to say, "Deal."
Kiba smiled the entire way.
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Minato could only smile sadly when Naruto walked in bloody and filthy. The blood never bothered him, Naruto would be healed almost overnight, but these late night would bother him at times. He wished Kushina was still alive to help him. He could only pray that things would be alright. It was almost that fateful time.
"Sparing with that Inuzuka boy again?" Minato asked his son with a smile.
Naruto's smile told him everything he wanted to know.
"Naruto," Minato began, "I'm glad you've found a friend in this boy, nor do you truly grasp how lucky you are. I only ask that you be careful in choosing your friends. Many people would seek to use you."
"I know, Tou-san," Naruto nodded, the smile fading a little, "Especially since I'm your son," he finished still smiling.
"I just worry Naruto, but I'm glad you play like a normal child," Minato said with a bright smile, "Anyway, it's time for you to go out to the shrines and pray."
Naruto groaned, "Do I have to?"
"Yes, Naruto," Minato said with difficulty, "It's very important as a Ninja to have some belief that you are anchored to, and I believe that this one is best for you. Faith is a good thing."
"There are other reasons," Minato thought, "I'm sorry I hid them from you, but I want you to live as a normal child for as long as you can. Just keep up your training and your prayers, you have great things in store for you."
"All right, Dad," Naruto said with a sad smile, "I'm going to do my prayers."
Minato watched sadly as Naruto walked off, "I only pray that your prayers catch someone's attention, Naruto."
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Three weeks later found Naruto in his family shrine, thunder boomed and rain rattled at the roof. Naruto was on his knees, with his hands down on them, reciting the prayers he had long been taught. The thunder crashed as Naruto passed out at the end of his long prayer.
Naruto awoke to find himself in an inky blackness. Voices whispered at him. Many offered glory, others offered chances at violence, others for darker gifts. He moved to stand, but stopped on seeing only three taloned fingers at the end of a short stubby leg. A strange, gray color ran through his arms.
Naruto bent back to get a better look at himself, and found surprisingly, and sickeningly easy as his body bent at odd places with no pain. He froze as he saw the serpentine figure flowing behind him.
Naruto twitched to run, and froze again as the form moved with him. Experimenting, Naruto lifted one of his legs, and saw a short, stubby leg rise with him. He played with his toes and the foot did the same thing. Naruto realized he could only feel three toes.
The whispers redoubled, causing Naruto to hunch down, trying to drown out the noise. A soft glow got his attention. As he moved towards it, the whispers stopped. Quietly he crawled towards the light. Shortly he came to a small clearing which had a beautiful, black haired woman sitting in it, the light seemed to shine off her. Naruto stumbled on himself as he got closer to her.
She smiled seeing him, "Come closer." Her voice was magically, have a musical quality to it.
Naruto got closer, seeing the woman was of average height, with a slim figure.
"Why," she said smiling, "You're but a child. Come on stand up."
Naruto struggled for a moment to keep his balance as stood himself on his back legs. He towered over the woman by about two feet.
"And here I am trying to be less intimidating," the smile never left her face, Naruto leaned down closer, and she reached for his head, "Hello, Naruto. My name is Amaterasu. I am your patron."
She laid her hand on him, and Naruto saw his scales take on a beautiful golden hue, a perfect shade.
Naruto tried to speak, it came out raspy, "What?"
"Rest now, child," she said soothingly, "Your father will explain it to you. Don't be angry, he only wanted you to grow up a normal child for as long as you could."
"Why?" Naruto barely rasped out.
"Because you have a gift Naruto," she said, humming a slight tune, Naruto's eyes drooped as fell into her lap, "You have the ability to bring a light to where I don't shine, you bring light to people's hearts. Rest."
Naruto quietly drifted off to sleep, listening to the woman hum a sweet tune.