1st Tail: Daughter of The Rain
It had been almost five years since he came to this world and physically he was back to thirteen years old again! What a wonderful age to return to when you started to grow facial hair and also hello again hormone! Not that it had ever bother him that much, what did he do when he was thirteen the first time around? Oh yes, he was busy scheming in the background, training his ass off, got Shisui and Itachi out of trouble… what else? Designing seals like a mad Uzumaki would in their worst day, and lots and lots of scheming.
He didn't even notice puberty, much to his friends' chagrin. The boys especially Shisui, (Itachi didn't give a damn since he was the same) and Jiraiya too, they were severely disappointed he had zero interest in dating. The girls were frustrated that he friend-zoned them to death. Even now the idea of relationship didn't cross his mind, simply because he enjoyed his single status to give it up now.
There was also his long life mission to complete, he promised Kurama that long ago.
He believed that in this world, where nature chakra or etearno was plentiful in the air he had better chance to accomplish his goal. He had to train his body again to regain physical power and speed back to prime condition. It was not easy to train with body of a child when you had memory of an adult body.
Another issue he had to solve after he left Mathew's care was his origin, he couldn't walk around without citizenship in Fiore forever. Surprisingly getting himself a citizenship of Fiore was not hard or rather… it was too easy to get because he could just waltz in to immigration and forged a request with fake age that already approved.
Apparently mages and stealth didn't go hand in hand with each other most of the time, so their security was not as good as those installed in Elemental continent. They were also very reckless when it came to background check, so he had no fear that his real identity would be exposed.
This world was too peaceful, by his world standard at least. According to history record, this world had not seen war in scale as great as Shinobi war for almost two centuries. Small conflicts broke out sometimes but it never got big enough to raise concern.
Then again they didn't have shinobi here, strangely he had seen mages dressing in shinobi looking attires but not the skill. Mages he had seen for the last five years were quirky, especially that guy who made his own private path with walking through walls. What was the name of that guy again? Gil something? The guy even asked him how to get back to Fairy Tail, what kind of mage needed help to get back to his own guild?
Oh well, it was not like he knew better about being normal anyway~ By the time he was thirteen the first time around he was an adult in teenage body after all. Jinchuuriki or not he had always been an abnormality.
"It's raining again."
Naruto paused from sipping his warm tea, glancing sideways towards two women chatting on the table behind his. He was under a henge that made him looked like Tenzo dressed in simple white shirt and black pants, and no one spared a glance at him. He was having a late lunch in this café, and he already heard almost everyone in town complaining about rain. It was odd, as he had been in neighboring town next to this one for one month and it was a very dry summer there but the moment he stepped his foot to this town it was raining cats and dogs.
"This rain is so gloomy, and at this rate our laundry would never dry~" The brunette housewife cried dramatically.
The plumper housewife who sat across the brunette one nodded in agreement, "I know! I know!" Then she leaned in to whisper to her friend, "Did you know that apparently this rain is caused by a cursed orphan girl our local orphanage accepted recently?"
They weren't loud but Naruto had better hearing than normal human so he could hear them well. 'A cursed girl?'
"I know that girl, my boy is in the same class as that girl and he said that little girl is so creepy! I saw her once when I picked up my son in school." She added, "That girl's skin is so pale like she has never been under the sun." She paused then continued in hushed whisper, "Maybe she is not even a human…"
"I think so too… maybe she is a monster!"
"Shouldn't someone do something to get rid of that girl? We can't live in this weather forever!" She moaned.
Naruto's eyes narrowed at that, 'Even in this world, human is easily wrapped in their perception and never bother to look deeper before they start blaming a child.' He sipped his tea and stood up, leaving his half eaten was about to walk pass the two gossiping woman but stopped mid-step.
The two women noticed Naruto was staring at them with disgust and they cowered. "Uh…"
"You should be ashamed as a mother to speak so ill about an orphan, imagine if it's your child in her position." He said coldly before he walked away from the two sputtering women.
Unexpectedly it was not that hard to detect one abnormally strong chakra (he was not used to call it magical energy yet) in the middle of this rain. He expected it to be like looking for Nagato in the middle of his rain, because this rain was so rich with energy that looking for the source should be like looking for a needle in a haystack.
Whoever caused this rain was abnormally strong and in tune with water element. Naruto couldn't help but felt his heart was gripped with sad nostalgia when he stood in front of an orphanage building. It seemed those women were right that the little girl was the culprit of this rain. With heavy heart he jumped to the roof of the orphanage, and he could feel the strongest energy concentrate on the backyard.
Then he saw her, a girl that couldn't be older than six crying in the middle of this cold rain. She was crouching on the ground, bathed in rain and so alone. Normally a caretaker should have carried the girl inside before she caught cold, but it seemed no one cared. Of course they didn't, if they cared this girl won't be there and crying her eyes out.
'Someone! Anyone! Why… why am I alone?'
Echoes from his past made his whole body numb. Recalling how alone he was in the middle of the crowd, their accusing gaze weighing down on him in every step he took.
Someone should have finish that Kyuubi brat off sooner or later.
Shouldn't someone do something to get rid of her?
Naruto knew he shouldn't involve himself with people of this world too closely, it had consequence and with it came responsibility. However he would never turn his eyes away from this lonely child, and he did what he hoped someone would when he was alone in that hell.
He jumped down from the rooftop and landed in front of the crying child.
'She cried and cried, clutching on teru-teru bozu doll on her chest. It was not a rare occurrence and caretakers had stopped caring to console the rain girl. She also heard the caretaker wondered if it was possible to transfer her to other orphanage because they couldn't stand the constant raining she caused.
A few of them consoled her in the first week, but as rain poured down for months even adult started to get annoyed by the constant rain.
Everyone hated her because of rain was always following her around. It had been that way since her birth, and it was the reason everyone rejected her. At first she thought it was just her imagination but even a child like her learned when she was transferred for the fifth time in one year to another orphanage.
This orphanage was out of luck though, because orphanage in surrounding town already received news of cursed rain girl and would reject her presence.
What grieved her most was… she couldn't control the rain and she was hated for it. And also… because bit by bit she could understand why they hated her rain. Constant rain destroyed their crops, making their life difficult because streets and ground became wet and slippery, people also could easily get sick.
It was not just gloomy, she caused trouble with her rain.
She didn't want this rain anymore! Someone! Anyone! Help!
Suddenly something warm touched her teary eyes and she was snapped out of her miserable thought.
"Hello little one, why are you crying in the middle of rain? You will get sick…"
Her deep blue eyes snapped open, and she was greeted by a warm smile of a stranger. "Juvia… Juvia will not get sick because of rain…" She muttered timidly, "Because… Juvia is a rain girl…"
The stranger blinked owlishly, "Is Juvia your name?" She nodded, "Hm… so you're the one who cause this rain?" She nodded hesitantly again, waiting for dismissal and rejection for causing the rain. "No wonder it feels magical…" He chuckled softly.
"Juvia is sorry…"
"Why?" The stranger queried.
Juvia swallowed, "Rain makes everyone sad and it's gloomy. It also troubles everyone in town!" She cried again and it rained even harder in response.
She didn't know how long she cried, and she didn't notice the stranger had used his umbrella to shelter her from the rain even though she didn't need it. The stranger was drenched as result as the umbrella he had was only enough for one person. He also looked unbothered by the rain and his wet clothes, and more than anything he stayed by her side and comforting her with warm hug and gentle pat.
"There… there… don't cry little one, it's not your fault…"
She sobbed, "It's Juvia's fault! And everyone hates Juvia because of her rain!" She didn't know this person but he was the first who stayed with her in the middle of downpour willingly even though he could leave anytime he wanted. "Juvia is alone! All alone! Hic! Hic!"
His eyes softened at that, "Then… I will stay with you little one, so you won't be alone anymore."
Her cries stopped at that, it was not like her sadness stopped too but she was dumbstruck by the stranger's words. "Why would you stay with Juvia? Won't the rain bother you too?"
"Rain?" He laughed out loud at that, "It's just rain, water falling from the sky~" He shrugged, "It won't bother me… I have lived with things worse than wet clothes and a little of shower." Just like that he diminished her worry, "And I will stay because me too, I don't want to be alone."
As soon as the last sentence was uttered, little Juvia looked at his eyes and she saw the same eyes as hers boring to hers. A pair of eyes that know of loneliness and rejection.
"Let's go Juvia, from now on you are part of my family…"
At that day her tiny cold hand accepted his warm and larger one, with a promise that she would never be alone again.
That was her first warm memory in the middle of cold rain, and even though rain had not stopped following her… for the first time in her life, she was happy.
Juvia had never seen the sun, but she imagined it to be just like him, warm and gentle. He was her family, a father, a brother, a friend, a teacher… and her only companion for a long time.
3 Months Later...
Naruto found himself enjoying being a teacher again, it had always been his passion to pass on his knowledge to the next generation. And more than anything he enjoyed her company, he loved to have someone close he could protect and showered with attention.
Juvia was a smart girl, and very eager to learn. Although he suspected she was more eager to please him in any way she could than learning magic (he get used to call it that) and sealing arts, which was why she always forced herself to excel. He had to assure her again and again that he adopted her not because he wanted a talented disciple; he wanted Juvia to be herself. He didn't want Juvia to go through what he had in his childhood, so eager for attention and acknowledgment that he forgot that there were people who loved him unconditionally. That he didn't have to be the best seal master and Shinobi, he could simply be Uzumaki Naruto.
They were resting in a small inn near Crocus, usually Naruto avoided the capital because Naruto disliked crowded place. However the sight of absolute delight on Juvia's face to see the beautiful capital convinced him that it was worth it. He wanted Juvia to relax, but after playing around the capital of blooming flower Juvia declared she had enough playing so she should continue her study. Since they came back to the inn this afternoon, Juvia's eyes had been glued on scroll after scroll.
"Juvia…" Naruto began, "Take a break… it's almost your bed time." He told her gently.
Juvia didn't pry her eyes from the scroll, her eyes teary from frustration. "No… Juvia… Juvia… will get this down tonight! Juvia will not disappoint Shishou!" She said determinedly.
Naruto sighed, now he understood how his vassals felt when he stayed up all night to study sealing arts. "Juvia, you have done well… " He assured her.
Juvia fidgeted at that, "But Juvia want Shishou to be happy!"
"I am happy to have you by my side." He assured her. "Now tell me Juvia, what I have to do to make you happy?"
Juvia shook her head frantically, "Shishou has done enough! Juvia only want to be with you!"
Naruto gave her an amused smile, "Then… that's all I wanted too." Juvia looked happy but Naruto could see hesitation in her eyes. He knew what she felt, she didn't want to take his kindness for granted. "Juvia… the reason I teach you sealing art is because it's something I love, and it's family tradition that will mark you as part of my family." She tensed at that, "However, I will always see you as part of my family even if you refuse to learn it…"
Juvia shook her head frantically, "Juvia loves to learn sealing arts! Don't stop teaching Juvia!" She pleaded.
"I won't." Naruto assured her, "Beside my other reason to teach you sealing arts is my hope for you to accomplish your dream…" Juvia titled her head to the side in confusion, she had no dream and she was happy as long as she was with him. "Isn't it your dream to see the clear sky one day?"
At that she rubbed the silver bracelet with seal carving on her wrist, it was a magical power restrainer he gave her to help her control her rain. It stopped the rain but dark cloud still darkened the sky above her, and when she was too emotional the rain would broke in again. It was not perfect but better to her, much better…
After a few months of her adoption, Juvia learned that it was raining because she couldn't control her magic that closely connected to her emotion. She was happy that she was no longer alone, so why the rain won't stop? Then again it would be too selfish of her to ask for more after she got Shishou in her life.
"Juvia… is fine now, it's fine if Juvia could never see clear sky." She mumbled timidly. "Juvia is happy… but Juvia is confused why it didn't stop."
"Because you're still hurting Juvia…" He answered.
Juvia looked hurt that Shishou said she was still hurting because those people hated her. She didn't care! She had Shishou now! "But Juvia isn't! After Juvia met Shishou, Juvia is not haunted by rain as constantly anymore, we travel from place to place so no one is troubled by Juvia's rain… "
He stood up from his chair and patted her head comfortingly, before enveloping her in gentle embrace she loved. "Juvia… pain in our heart is not that easy to heal, sometimes it take forever to forget and forgive."
Juvia couldn't deny it, as deep in her heart she still hated people who abandoned her because of something she couldn't control.
"I was just like you years ago… even though peoples who used to treat me with disdain started to hail me as their hero…"
Juvia tensed as she recalled her teacher's life, he didn't tell her everything but just from little of it Juvia knew he was also suffering of isolation like she was. They used to be alone in the middle of the crowd. He had it rough, much harder than her and yet… he strived to live and to be acknowledged. Unlike her who kept crying and giving up.
She thought he was amazing, too wonderful to be a mere human but he told her that he was as human as she was.
"I… I can't easily forgive them because deep down even though I know I have to forgive, I can't help but remember when I was all alone and crying for help... not even one of them look at me… my existence is denied." He murmured, "Nothing can make me forget the pain… but you see the wound in our heart can be healed." He placed his hand above his heart. "And one day… I believe the wound in your heart would be healed too…"
Her tiny hands wrapped around his, "Really?"
"Really…" The blond echoed, "Perhaps it will take a long time but that day will come for someone to bring you out of the dark cloud and show you the sunny clear sky you always wanted to see…"
Juvia frowned at that, "Juvia thinks Juvia already see clear sky in your eyes and the sun in your hair Shishou…."
The shinobi laughed out loud at that, he always did whenever she said she didn't have to see sunny clear sky because she saw it in him.
"I am flattered, my cute disciple. But I am sure the real thing is much better looking than I do." He quipped with a grin.
Juvia huffed, "No, it won't!" She exclaimed stubbornly.
Naruto turned his back on her and curled up to a ball, "My cute disciple don't believe me anymore… sob sob! I am such a bad teacher."
Her face morphed in shock comically, "I make Shishou cry!" She squeaked
I hope you like Naruto's personality... I don't want ordinary cool Naruto, he has a few screw loose on his head. I am sure you wonder why I just jump 5 years ahead from prologue, because to be honest I don't want Naruto walk around in henge forever... 13 seems to be a normal age to walk around unsupervised if you're a mage in FT universe.
And also... expect Juvia's personality to be different from canon, as much as I like canon Juvia... to be raised by Naruto make it impossible to make her have personality that completely the same with canon. She will stop speaking in third person for sure, because while it's cute... it's a product of her botched social life so it will go too...
Another issue I want to address is... PAIRING... oh wooo the ban of all author of adventure fanfic. Even so... unlike Naruto where the love drama is like... something you can forget after so much fighting. In FT it's a seasoning that exist in every arcs so it can't go away completely. Beside... I think I have plenty of multi-chapter adventure story like PAOST, Unsealing Legacy, and Saint Tenma where I kick almost all romance vibe out of it. The only long story I didn't do romance-filter on is Chronicle of Hope, but I think it has much smaller fandom and readers compared to this X-over story that I expect have as much potential as Unsealing Legacy.
So I am 'PLANNING' to have all canon pairing, or rather semi-canon pairing we have in FT by now... I think they're called the 4 top pairing of FT which is Nalu, Gruvia, Gale and Jerza...
And yeah~ I am a huge fan of Gruvia and Jerza, and I know there are people who dislike these pairings... but I will add some twist in their dynamic so it can be enjoyable.
Not sure about Nalu because I am indifferent about this ship. If it happens, fine, not, also fine to me~ I feel the same for NaruHina and NaruSaku unfortunately~ I do toying with the idea that by the time Naruto passed away in his world he actually already have them both as his wives LOL or we can have someone else... But I imagine it's political marriage to ensure Uzumaki line go on~ Sad to say in Unsealing Legacy I can't imagine my Naruto to be involved in strong romance.
I will open my option for Cana or Mirajane though... but I am afraid he is going to be too old mentally as by now he already go all fatherly on Juvia.
BTW in case of misunderstanding, the reason we have Team Natsu as character is simply because they're main character of FT and major focus in every arcs so... like it or not they would be constant presence. They're not going to join Naruto like Juvia did. They are fine with Fairy Tail, Erza included~
ONE QUESTION! Do you want me to continue Naruto's journey pre-FT canon timeline some more (more than 2-3 chapters) or you want me to skip to FT canon time line X784? Please state your opinion in your review~
And also... anyone want me to change the title~ I still want to keep the Foxtails bit though~
NEXT: Little Prince of Another World
Juvia stared in awe at the boy on his arms, "Shisou, is it normal to see a boy falling from the sky? Juvia thought only water fall from the sky."
Naruto looked at the unconscious boy on his arms and strange stick that strapped on his back,"Well... in my homeland, raining men and blood is pretty common." Juvia blinked at that, "But I am sure in Earthland, it's unusual... but he didn't fall from the sky but from a hope in the sky." Naruto corrected.
Juvia hummed at that, "Hm... but he is really lucky that you caught him when he fell Shishou."
Naruto rubbed his throbbing cranium, he was so focused in Juvia's training that he didn't watch out that someone fell on his head. "I am not sure it count as catching him if I did it with my head, he has a pretty hard head."
And sooo welcome to Uzumaki family Mystogan/EdoJellal