The Little Dolphin
The un-disneyfied version of the 'Little Mermaid' that has been Narutarded.
Rated: PG13 for language and violence in later chapters. As well as some innuendos and SUGGESTED sexual preferences.
Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING!! -cries-
Again, the italicized words are in Latin, but there's not as much in this chapter.
- Chapter 1 -
'Before the now.'
"Well, what's this?" Umino and his wife were taking a moonlit walk along the beach when they saw a small bundle lying in the surf.
"Go see what it is honey." His wife encouraged him. "I don't want to get my feet wet."
"Oh? The great ninja 'Mrs. Umino' is too afraid of the water?"
She gave him a playful shove. "Just go and look you great lummox!"
"Fine fine." He chuckled and jogged over to the small object. In the bright glow of the moon, he reached down and lifted the it up. He gave a startled yelp as the thing started to move. He almost dropped it when he saw a tiny hand poke out from beneath layers of cloth. A… a child?
"Dear… It's a baby." He called to his wife, not quite out of his stupor.
"A baby?" She hurried over to him. "What's a baby doing out here in the middle of the night?"
"I don't know." He went to uncover the poor thing's face when he heard a voice behind him.
"Hello Umino-san."
Umino and his wife whirled around, kunai at the ready. "Who's there?!" Umino shouted. He inwardly whimpered. Not another assassination attempt. They had only been in the Mist for a few days for crying out loud.
"Don't be alarmed my friend." A woman with unearthly beauty appeared out of nowhere. It was like she had been standing behind a shade and suddenly stepped out. "I mean you no harm." Her face was tanned and strong, but with soft cheekbones and jaw line. Her hair, ivory white, flowed in a cascade down her back and around her shoulders. She was dressed in a traditional white ceremonial kimono that had glowing silver around the edges.
Her voice rang out over the ocean, but seemed no louder than a whisper. "A gift." She gestured to the bundle in his arms. "He is for you."
"For us?" His wife, still pretty suspicious, slowly unwrapped the cloth from around the child. She took one look at the baby and squealed. "He's adorable!" She snatched him up in her arms and spoke to her husband. "Oh isn't he precious!"
He nodded and smiled. "He is handsome indeed." Then looking towards the beautiful maiden he asked her, "Why are you giving him to us?"
She smiled and the whole beach seemed to light up with it. "I see you walking out here and musing about having children every day of the week." She silenced his questions with a raised hand. "You need not know who I am, just that this child is my son. I cannot care for him." She bowed to the couple. "I humbly ask that you care for him as your own."
"Well, I…"
"Yes of course!" His wife interrupted him. "We would be honored to care for your child."
The lady straightened and smiled. "Thank you. I know you to be kind people," Her smile slowly faded into a sad frown. "But there is something you must know." They looked at her questioningly. "This boy is special in that he is not truly a boy."
"Whatever do you mean?"
She shook her head. "Have you heard the tale of 'Mare Maris Luna'?" When they both nodded, she said, "He is the dolphin."
"What?!" Umino exclaimed, "How can that be? Isn't it just a fairytale?"
"Does that mean you're...?" His wife began.
She smiled gently, but ignored his wife's sudden revelation. "Yes, he is that dolphin and no, it is not a fairytale." She gestured to the small bundle in Umino's wife's arms. "He will be needed in the coming future." The mysterious woman took the child from Mrs. Umino's arms. "You know the conditions, yes?"
"Yes, but what has that got to do with anything??" Umino said mournfully. He remembered the part about the bleeding feet from the story, but didn't quite understand what was going on. His wife nodded excitedly. She remembered the part in the story about beauty and dancing.
"Good. Then I won't have to explain much." She placed her linger over the bridge of the child's nose. "I disigno tu diligo de Marines et nox noctus (I mark you with love of the sea and of the night)." A bright light flashed and formed into a scar that sliced over the bridge of his nose. She turned and placed the child back in their arms. "He is like all other children in all other respects. Be sure to teach him well and love him dearly."
"But, but I…." Umino said, looking down at the small, scarred child. His heart melted at the sight of that tiny, completely trusting face. "Yes. We will." The sudden love that sprang from within him spread to his wife and they both gazed at the little child in their arms. When they looked up, the woman had vanished, but the moon shone brightly in the night sky above.
At last, happy, but utterly confused, Umino turned to his wife. "Who in the world was that?"
She looked up from the baby in her arms and smiled. "The moon."
"Eh?"
She giggled and started back towards the house that they were staying in. As he turned to follow, the Moon's voice rang out after them. "I'll be watching you, my sweet Iruka."
- 4 months later -
"Do you think we did the right thing?"
"Yes my husband. We did the right thing by telling the Hokage about Iruka."
"I bet he thinks we're crazy now."
"Who cares? I mean really." Mrs. Umino looked at Iruka, curled in his crib. "As long as we have Iruka, nothing matters."
"I still can't believe we named him Iruka."
"Well he is a dolphin isn't he?"
"Not literally hon." He came and stood beside her as they gazed into the crib.
"Well I think it's cute." She pouted as her husband chuckled quietly.
Umino smiled. "He is really quite something isn't he?" He remembered back to the first night that Iruka transformed back into a dolphin. They had taken a trip to the beach because there was no ocean in Konoha. They stayed all day and waited until night to put Iruka into the water. It was a terrifyingly beautiful sight as light flashed and Iruka began to glow. They had made sure that the transformation was safe and painless as possible. In the water, the child seemed quite happy. His bruises from trying to toddle around faded abruptly and his skin shone softly. However, when he had to return to being human, there was no avoiding the pain that came with it. Many tears were shed that night, he remembered sadly, but it was worth it to keep this wonder of all wonders. This tiny infant. This Iruka.
"I can't wait to start teaching him things!"
Umino laughed at his wife's eagerness. "Don't you think you're being a bit impatient now? He's still only 4 months old." He learned down and kissed her tenderly on the cheek. "Learning to be a ninja can wait. Learning to live and love life can't."
Mrs. Umino grinned and stood up to give her husband an embrace. As they broke apart, she looked into his eyes and said, "I just worry over him you know? I think about all that he'll have to face, being the way he is." She buried her face in his shoulder. "I love him."
"Yeah." He led her out of the bedroom and into the kitchen. "I know. I love him too."
- six years pass -
"Iruka!"
The six year old turned his head at the voice. "Hai?"
"It's time to come in!"
"But Mom," He ran up to Mrs. Umino, "I just caught lightning bug-san!" He held open his hands and showed a small glow to her.
Mrs. Umino smiled. "There are fireflies out already?" When the boy nodded, she chuckled. "Well, if you catch enough, you can make a firefly lantern."
Iruka's eyes widened. "Really?" His face broke into a broad grin. "Come help me catch them!"
"Oh, I don't know..."
"Pleeeeeeease??" He put on his best 'puppy-dog-pout', which stretched his scar quite becomingly across his nose.
"You know that face won't work on me."
He frowned. A sad look crossed his features. "Please Mom? It won't be any fun without you."
Her heart softened at the look on his face. "Oh, alright. Do you want to invite some of your friends to help?"
"Ah! That would be great!" His face lit up with joy. "You always have the best ideas Mom!" He gave her a huge bear hug and ran off to find Raidou, Kurenai and other such mini-nins.
"He looks more and more like the moon goddess every day." Her husband remarked as he came out on the porch and stood beside her.
"I don't know about that, dear husband. I do believe he has your eyes!"
"And your hair."
"But YOUR chin." They stared at each other for a moment before bursting into gales of laughter. When the laughing finally subsided, Umino turned to his wife.
"You know the rumors."
She averted her eyes downward. "I know. What will we do if they are found to be true?"
"Well," his face turned grave, "we can only hope that no one will pursue them."
"I know, but… What if something happens to him when we're not around? What… what will happen to Iruka?" Her eyes filled with tears as she spoke. "H-how will he recover?"
Umino pulled her close and held on as sobs wracked her body. "Iruka is tough. I see how his feet bleed horribly when he walks, but he hides it so we don't worry after him. We can protect him, but we know that he has to face those people eventually." He gently rubbed her back until the crying subsided. "He'll be fine, whatever happens to us. Besides," he tilted her chin upwards to gaze at her face, "we're ninja of Konoha and so is he. Nothing can take us down without a fight."
She smiled through her tears. "I love you."
He returned the smile and gave her a deep kiss. "I love you more."
"EEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeewwwwww!" The couple turned to see a gang of 6-8 year olds staring at them.
"Gross." One of the children in front turned to Iruka. "Your parents are weird."
Iruka just laughed. "They do that ALL the time." He shook a finger at the couple and in his best 'authoritative voice' he said, "You two behave while I'm gone!" Laughing, he ran in the direction of a small grove of trees. "C'mon! Let's catch lightning bugs!"
As the horde of children ran after him, the couple burst out laughing once more. As they clutched their aching sides they pointed to each other, blaming the other for teaching that to Iruka.
Okay, this was a pretty short chapter of Iruka's life. The one right before the angst. You Naruto fans know what I mean.
I didn't really know what his parent's names were, so I just called them Mr. and Mrs. Umino. I hope you don't mind. As for the villains of this story, that will become apparent after the next few chapters. I really just want to get all this flashback stuff out of the way first.
I had this chapter already written, so I figured I could just post it now. :3 The next one might take a while.
And thanks to all who reviewed! Keep the comments coming!! :D