Greetings and Salutations people of the internet, I welcome you to the first official chapter of the rewritten version of Naruto's Journey. I've made many significant changes to the overall layout of the story, so don't be surprised about that.
I apologize in advance to those who liked how the old story was going, but I just cannot continue it any longer. I'm quite happy with this new direction, as are my pre-readers(at least I think so)
Hope you enjoy
Naruto
Ten years later…
"Bye mom, I promised Kenshin I'd meet him before school!"I call, grabbing an apple as I run through the kitchen and out the door. She yells something after me, but I don't catch it, and I'm already around the first corner by then.
I run along my familiar path to the Tamura Clan district, and the single guard at the main entrance to the walls just calls a greeting as I run past him.
By the time I reach Kenshin's front door I'm panting heavily, and the door slides open before I can knock, Kenshin's father answering the door.
"Good morning Naruto. Did you run all the way here again?"He asks as I take my shoes off and step inside
"You bet, I get more exercise on the way here than at the academy."I respond with a grin
"I'll have to talk to your father about that, Kenshin's still in his room you know the way."He says
"Good luck getting to talk to him, he's always busy with work these days, and when he isn't he's training my sisters."I tell him, and I'm not sure, but I think a slight grimace crosses his normally perfectly calm features
I shake the thought away and pick my way through the winding hallways of Kenshin's house to his room. This time I don't knock, throwing the door wide open, and I snigger at the sight of Kenshin sleeping, cuddling with his katana, his red hair covering part of the hilt.
Oh how I wish I had a camera.
Instead I pick up one of his spare pillows in the corner of the room and throw it at his face with as much force as possible.
Without even opening his eyes he unsheathes his katana and cuts the pillow in two, little feathers raining down to the ground on either side of him as he then leaps out of bed.
"Naruto? Do you have to do that every time? My mother doesn't like having to repair pillows every day."He complains as he sheathes the blade and glares at me with his mismatched purple and green eyes
"Sorry, but it's just too cool a trick to pass up seeing."I reply
"It's not a trick. It's a rite of passage in our Clan, being so in tune with your Zanpakuto that you can wield it in your sleep. Of course, I am considered a prodigy, especially since I've unlocked the released form of my Zanpakuto already."He brags, and I roll my eyes.
Internally however, I wish I had that skill, and then my parents would have to give me just as much attention as they give the girls.
"Naruto?"
I snap out of my musings when Kenshin calls my name.
"What?"I ask
"You were staring off into space again. Were you thinking of Hinata again?"He responds with a smirk, and I roll my eyes at him again
"So what if I was?"I ask, starting out of his room
"You know what."He replies, and then closes the door to change
A few minutes later the door opens, and Kenshin is wearing his normal black pants and plain white t-shirt with a black jacket over the top. The only thing out of place is the black sash around his waist holding his katana.
We walk into the kitchen where his mom hands him an apple just like mine that I'd forgotten to eat, and then gives him his lunch, and then I remember.
"Crap, I forgot my lunch."I say, checking my pockets as if I'd left it there
Kenshin laughs as his mother hands me a lunch.
"You do that every time, Naruto, you're getting predictable."Kenshin says
"You two better go, or you're going to be late, again…"His mother says
"Yes Kaa-san."Kenshin says, and then we both dash out the door, Kenshin swiftly dodging around his father who had been just about to open it.
"Sorry!"I call as I do the same, running after Kenshin. Even when we have to go through a crowd his red hair is easy to pick out.
We get to school with five minutes to spare, and take our seats by the window, two of our friends waiting for us.
Hinata Hyuga and Suzume Sarutobi, both heiresses to their clans.
"Morning ladies."I say, sliding onto the end of the bench next to Hinata while Kenshin goes around to the seat directly beside the window, and directly beside Suzume as well.
"Not good morning?"Suzume asks
"Well you guys are having a great morning now that we're here, but before that it must have been so dull and boring."Kenshin says with his signature smirk, to which Suzume replies with a friendly shove
"It was just so mundane, what with an early morning workout and Bojutsu training with my grandfather, a lap around the village with Might Guy and his students, and still having enough time to shower before beating you here."Suzume says, flipping her long brown hair over her shoulder
"Really, how ever did we survive without them Suzume?"Hinata asks, leaning into me and pretending to fall asleep
"I don't know Hinata; I just can't figure it out."She replies
"Hear that Kenny, they need us."I say cheekily, and get a friendly shove of my own from Hinata
"Are we still going out later Kenshin? For your birthday?"Suzume asks
"Yeah, my cousin Kaien is going to be coming too, but he's awesome."He responds, and I wrack my brain to remember Kaien, and when I do I silently cheer
It doesn't last long, as our instructors arrive just after that. Both Iruka and Mizuki look very tired today, and I can tell that it will be an excessively boring day.
After School...
"I totally called that today would be boring, and it was."I boast, and Hinata pats my arm
"Of course you did Naruto-kun, of course you did."She says as we fall in step with Kenshin and Suzume, the former of which is looking for someone
"There he is, let's go."He says, and starts off in the direction of a fairly tall man with spiky black hair. He has a badge on the sleeve of one arm, over his Shihakushō, which Kenshin had described to me, in great detail, as being the traditional battle uniform of his father's half of the family.
"Hey Kenny-chan, how've you been?"The man asks when we get close, and I see Kenshin's eye twitch in annoyance.
I make a mental note of the fact.
"And I see you've got friends now. Naruto, I recognize you, but who are these two lovely ladies and how did you trick them into being seen with you two?"Kaien continues with a smirk just like Kenshin's
"We ask ourselves that question every day, but so far we don't have an answer."Hinata says, and I give her a mock hurt look
"And I thought you like having me around."I say in a hurt tone
"Aww, did mean old Hinata hurt Naru-chan's feelings?"Suzume teases
"I'm heartbroken now; I don't think I'm going to make it."I cry, overly dramatic fake tears pouring down my face on command, until someone crashes into me and sends me sprawling to the ground.
"Watch where you're going baka."
That voice, how I utterly hate that voice.
"Nice to see you too Kasumi-chan."I reply, and Kenshin reaches out to pull me to my feet. Once I'm standing I dust myself off and face my little sisters.
"It's good to see you too Hikari-chan."I say to my other sister, and I can admit without any type of second guess that she is my favorite sister, mostly because she isn't an obnoxious arrogant prick. There's just something about her that makes it impossible to dislike her.
Probably because she looks like our mother, but with blue eyes. Inversely Kasumi looked like a female version of our father with long hair and violet eyes.
"I didn't hear an apology."Kasumi says irritably
"Well then you should get straight to that, you did run into me after all, not the other way around."I retort
"You shouldn't have stood in my way."She responds
"You had a good ten feet of other space you could have walked through, and instead you chose to walk straight through the space I was standing in."I reply
"Then you should have moved."Kasumi continues
Her argument is almost laughable, and I can hear both of the Tamura trying to hold back laughter, and then Kenshin breaks.
"Ha! That is the worst argument I've ever heard, and I've had to listen to Naruto wanting to go get ramen for lunch every day for the past four years."Kenshin says, clutching at his side
Maybe not the best reaction to a half-Jinchuriki with obvious anger issues, but hey, he's had a good run…
I step back just in time for Kasumi to charge forward, her right fist cocked back, and her eyes shifting to red in a pseudo-cloak.
"Kasumi!"Hikari exclaims, but abruptly stops when Kaien catches her fist, and Kenshin taps her forehead just before she loses momentum.
"That wasn't very nice. If you're not going to apologize, I suggest you leave, or I might just have to get angry."Kaien says with a smile, and then releases her
Kasumi backs up a few steps, and then turns away in a huff, stalking away angrily.
"Do you always have to provoke her? I'm always the one that has to calm her down."Hikari complains
"It's just so much fun though. Oh, and can you tell mom and dad that I won't be home for dinner. We're going out for Kenshin's birthday."I respond, and she sighs
"Fine, but don't come crying to me when they get mad again."She replies, and then runs after our less pleasant sibling.
I turn back to the group and our internal arguments.
"I'm just saying that I didn't need your help Kaien. I'm perfectly capable of defending myself from the likes of her, plus I have these three to back me up."Kenshin says, gesturing to us
"Sure, but your mother wouldn't like to hear about how I let an enraged Jinchuriki beat the stuffing out of you on your birthday."Kaien responds
They continue like that for almost an hour as we make different stops. First we pick up a basket and a blanket from the Tamura District, as well as a small wrapped box that Kenshin's father hands to Kaien with an incredibly serious look.
After that we get food and drinks, including ramen from Ichiraku's, my absolute favorite on the entire planet.
Hinata insists on getting some flowers from the Yamanaka Flower Shop, and Ino greets us pleasantly.
"Happy birthday Kenshin!"She calls as we leave
"Don't get any ideas."Suzume threatens, latching onto Kenshin's arm and resting her head on his shoulder
"Aw… Little Kenny has a girlfriend, and he's only just going on eleven."Kaien teases, making Kenshin blush as red as his hair
"They've been like that for years now, they just won't admit it."I tell him
"That's rich coming from you."Kenshin retorts, regaining some composure, gesturing to Hinata with his gaze.
We both blush at that, and Kaien bursts out laughing.
"I should join you guys more often, you're much more interesting than my squad, all they do is argue."Kaien says
"So where are we actually going? We've been walking around forever."I complain
"We're almost there. Just be grateful you're going to be there, not many outsiders get to see one of our clan's more important rituals."Kenshin replies
"Rituals?"Hinata asks
"The one we're taking care of only applies to the family of the Clan Head. On the birthday after they unlock their Shikai they…well you'll see."Kaien says
"Aw come on! You can't just leave it at that!"I exclaim
"Patience my dear Naruto, you'll see after we eat."Kenshin replies
I open my mouth to retort, but Suzume turns her head and shoots me a sapphire death glare, so I keep my mouth shut.
Ten minutes later we arrive in a very secluded section of the forest outside the village, having passed through one of the different gates. A small creek burbles lazily over some rocks at one side of the clearing, and on the other side is a fallen tree, the trunk seemingly worn smooth on top.
We lay out the blanket and have a nice picnic as the light begins to recede and a slight chill starts to set in.
"I'm going to have to ask you three to stand on the other side of the stream. Kenshin and I are going to need space for what has to happen next."Kaien says, and Hinata hurriedly folds the blanket before we scurry to the other side.
Kaien reaches into his Shihakushō and pulls out the little package Kenshin's father had given to him earlier.
"Open it."Kaien orders, a new tone set in his voice, and tosses the box
Kenshin opens it after catching it, and whatever he sees inside shocks him, because his eyes widen considerably, and he draws in a sharp breath.
"Is this…?"He asks
"It is. You are its guardian and master now. What you do with it is your own decision, until you pass it on to your own child."Kaien says, and then Kenshin reaches into the box and takes out a strange glowing orb.
"I'll protect it with my life."He says, and then puts the orb into his right pants pocket, the glow blocked
"Now, we dance."Kaien says, and draws his katana, the movement mimicked by Kenshin, like mirror images at that moment
Then Kaien starts to spin his katana in circles in his right hand.
"Surge water and sky, Nejibana!"He exclaims, the katana glowing, and then morphing into something similar to a silver trident or a spear. The other end is reminiscent of a corkscrew. It has a blue tassel on one side of the trident end, and water flows from both ends as he continues spinning it, though it recedes somewhat when he stabs the single end into the ground next to him, looking altogether incredibly impressive.
Kenshin then gives us one of his trademark smirks
"Call forth the wild, Kemono-ō!"He exclaims, swiping his blade to the right, a purple glow surrounding it, but otherwise it doesn't change
"Did he break it already?"I ask, and Suzume shushes me, though I can tell she's wondering the same thing.
"Is that really it Kenshin? I was expecting so much more!"Kaien roars, and charges forward on his last word, his trident bearing down on the eleven year old
Well, that was...something...
For those of you that want some clarity:
Kenshin Tamura- son of Kazashi Tamura, heir to the Tamura Clan. He has red hair like his father. His right eye is red, the left is green. His Zanpakuto is called Kemono-ō(Beast King). Best friend of Naruto, Suzume, and Hinata
Suzume Sarutobi- granddaughter of Hiruzen Sarutobi, clan heiress, has long brown hair and blue eyes
Kasumi- Naruto's younger sister, has a low opinion of her brother. Has long blonde hair and violet eyes as well as three whiskers on each cheek
Hikari- Naruto's youngest sister, likes both of her siblings, generally the only one who can put a check on Kasumi. Has red hair, blue eyes, and two whiskers on each cheek
Those are going to be my main OC's. There will be others that appear for short periods of time, mainly some villains to accommodate greater story arcs.
The next chapter will be from Kenshin's P.O.V, you have been warned
I have also decided that I will occasionally include some form of quote or phrase at the end of my chapters from now on. Today's is:
"Light travels faster than sound, that's why some people may appear bright until you hear them speak."
Until next time
~Divine Justice