A bit late but whatever!
Been on holiday so...
Enjoy!
Chapter Three
Pain rockets through my body, I see a few droplets of blood exit my mouth before the wind is totally knocked out of me. I feel something break as I'm flung through a solid tree, I don't have any time to react as I feel something coarse and rough wrap around me ankle.
The ever so brief feeling of weightlessness I experience whilst being flung through the air, cancels out some of the blinding pain. Before the ever so harsh laws of physics kick back into action with an almighty vengeance and slam me into the ground once again.
I sense another attack coming directly toward me and put my hand up.
"Alright! I got it, without sage mode I'm no good in a direct confrontation" I say with a groan.
The sand stops mere inches from my face before racing back into the gourd of its wielder.
"Well done Gaara-boy, you kept attacking in order to stop her from formulating a counter attack. Excellent" noted Pa with a nod.
"Yeah… really got me there" I say with a chuckle as I flip up onto shaky feet.
Glancing across the grassy field that we had set up camp in, I see Tenten and Hinata practicing their Taijutsu with Jaime. The Pervy-sage proving to be able to keep up with both girls without the slightest glimpse of any real effort, I grumbled to myself, stupid legendary pervert!
"Sorry about that Naruko, I should have shown some minor restraint" noted Gaara as the last grains of sand returned to him.
"Don't worry about it, stupid fox'll fix me right up" I say with stretch.
"Here that, you should be more like the nine-tails" stated Gaara, obviously communicating with his tailed beast.
"HAHAHA! Getting beaten by the one-tailed Jinchuuriki! What a joke!" roared Kurama with laughter.
"Shut it you dumb fox" I say with a growl.
We'd been travelling for little over a week now, our journey was a rather long one so we took plenty of breaks. We make sure to spar every day in case of attacks and have been practicing our combination attacks, especially Gaara and I.
Ma and Pa are now able to easily perform their Genjutsu, Jaime is slowly working out all the kinks in her sage mode form and both Hinata and Tenten are growing stronger in their individual areas. I on the other hand just keep getting my ass kicked by everyone else.
"You just have to ask" tutted Kurama obnoxiously.
"Will you just shut up, why can't you get it through your thick skull that I can trust you about as far as I can throw you" I say with an annoyed sigh.
"I understand exactly where you're coming from kid, but your capacity to use ninjutsu is only so limited with the amount of chakra you have" noted Kurama.
And that was where he was ultimately right. Due to the nature between a Jinchuuriki and its beast, they both inhabit the same body; basically, meaning that we both have our chakras trying to occupy the same body.
In cases like Gaara, the two mixed perfectly throughout his life and allowed the Jinchuuriki to draw from both for extra power. However, due to the quick realization that I was the host of the nine-tails at an early age, I was taught how to lock out Kurama's chakra and prevent it from both mixing and corrupting me.
This meant that I was running on my own chakra though, and since Kurama is a massive giant composed of the stuff; there wasn't a ton of room for me to grow my own kind of chakra without breaking the seal and allowing his to mix with mine.
"I get that you don't have the upmost trust for me right now…"
"You did kinda murder both my parents and try destroy the leaf village… not to mention you tried to kill me at birth!" I say with a wave of my hands.
"I did… and I realize the severity of my actions. I can't change what I did in the past, nor do I want to. The humans have only used and abused us tailed beasts since they could seal us, I don't apologize for all the death I've caused but I ask that you trust that I honestly do not want to cause more" said Kurama in a very wise manner.
I couldn't deny what the fox was saying, he hadn't made any moves against me since we'd come to our agreement. In fact, he'd saved my skin during the fight against Deidara, I might have been seriously hurt had he not given me a heads up.
"Fine… but if we're going to do this, we do it under my conditions and at my speed. I want to know every step and if you try anything, I'm shutting you down so hard you won't even be able to sense me anymore" I say in my most serious tone.
"Calm yourself kid, I want you to get strong also because despite my jabs at your fight before, I can't stand you losing against the one-tail" growled Kurama.
"Alright, I'm coming in" I say with a new type of determination.
Finding a small piece of shade, away from the rest of the group, I sit down and enter a meditative position. Letting my mind slip from my body, I feel myself shift and the world becomes far darker and damper as a result.
"I still don't know why you sealed me in a sewer" noted Kurama from behind his bars.
I simply shrug.
"How we gonna do this foxy?" I ask curiously.
"First things first, we need to start blending our chakra. This is going to be easy but we'd better take it slow. Too much of my chakra could probably rip you apart if we're not careful" says the fox.
We both assume sitting positions and hold our hands together in a prayer. I feel the blocks I had set up begin to fade, letting in the potent nine-tails chakra. I let my own chakra meet the demon foxes in the middle, the two orbs of energy mixing into one another.
"Alright, feels good so far" I say with a light nod.
"Good, it seems you have a far greater capacity than I originally thought" noted Kurama, "I suppose that is due to your Uzumaki heritage"
I simply ignore the nod toward my mother and her clan, instead focusing on the whole not ripping apart thing. Slowly Kurama adds more and more of his chakra until I begin to feel a light stretching in my bones and joints.
"Relax kid, your body is just adjusting to the new chakra. It's actually popping your joints and reducing all the stress on your vital spots" explained the fox.
In all honesty, I was feeling far better. The pain from fighting Gaara was non-existent already, I felt stronger and faster than ever.
"How much chakra do you have left, to mix I mean" I ask curiously.
"Hah! I've used less than a tenth, I'm simply getting your body ready. Just in case you ever need a massive burst of strength, your body won't fry as a result" laughed Kurama.
I feel my eyebrow twitch in annoyance, this fox could be obnoxious as hell when he wanted.
"Well, can you keep blending our chakra?" I ask.
"Of course, I'll go slow" said the fox with a nod.
"Thanks… I'll get going now, we're supposed to hit the road soon" I said with a smile and wave.
As I fade back into the real world, I thought I saw Kurama smile at me sadly but I couldn't quite be sure.
A Few Hours Later
"Alrighty team! Time to hunker down and get some dinner!" laughed Jaime.
"Race you Pervy-sage! First one to collect enough food for dinner is the winner!" I cheer before racing off.
At Camp
"Naruko and Jaime are certainly close" noted Gaara as he watched the two-mentioned race off to find food.
"Aye… Jaime-girl is like the sister Naruko-girl never had" explained Ma with a fond smile.
Hinata and Tenten had gone off to collect firewood, leaving the Kazekage and two toad sages alone to talk before they returned.
"So, you raised her?" asked Gaara curiously.
He had already heard the fantastic version from Naruko herself, but he wanted the toned-down version from the sage's mouths.
"Yes, Ma bought her in when she was only five years old. Beaten and broken she was, till we taught her everything we knew of course. That never dulled the sadness in her heart however, no matter what she says" explained Pa with a sad sigh.
"She doesn't seem to be sad, in fact she carries herself with more pride and strength than any one of us" noted Gaara.
"You're wise Kazekage-boy, but you're still young. Naruko wishes to help her fellow Jinchuuriki because why?" asked Ma.
Gaara thought for a moment, the truth dawning on him.
"Because we're like her; feared and rejected because of something we could never control. I can't say I can relate, sure my mother died when giving birth to me, but my father loved me and tried his hardest to nurture my abilities" explained Gaara honestly.
Ma and Pa nodded in understanding.
"Yes, not every Jinchuuriki is treated poorly. However, Naruko doesn't like the idea of her 'family' being used as a weapon for the Akatsuki" said Pa.
"I understand that Naruko was treated incredibly poorly during her time at the Leaf, I know I said I can't relate to her ordeal but I'm glad she was found by you two" said Gaara with a nod.
"Hmm… your father raised you well Gaara-boy, I'm sorry that he was betrayed by Orochimaru" sighed Ma.
"No, my father was a kind man but an utter fool for trusting in that snake. I tried to stop him but he confined me to the village during the exams. I didn't find out about his death till much later" explained Gaara softly.
"Well you have a family in both your villagers, and this team Gaara-boy, remember that" said Pa with a nod.
Gaara smiled and gave a nod back.
"Rasengan!"
I brace myself as I hit the ground, my arms filled with fish from the nearby river. My wind style jutsu having launched me back into the clearing, far ahead of Jaime.
"Naruko-girl! Be Careful!" scolded Ma as she pinched my cheeks.
"Urm serri" I groan through pinched cheeks.
"You'd better be, using a Rasengan like that, my word" growled Ma as she finally let go.
"Oww… you meanie!" I yell, chasing the toad around the clearing.
Jaime trots into the clearing, a decent batch of fish in her arms and a sheepish smile on her face. I can't manage to get a single finger on Ma, her tiny body proving far too nimble for my slow and weighty hands.
"Alright you two, lets cook" said Pa.
"Alright, stand back guys! I got this!" I say with a laugh.
I throw the fish high into the air and perform a single hand seal.
"Fire Style: Fire Dragon Bullet!"
I let the chakra build to the perfect amount in my mouth before releasing a plume of flames that gently cooks the fish before they land softly on a blanket that Ma had quickly tossed over the ground beneath them.
"Wow… good cooking kid" noted Jaime with an impressed nod.
I simply smile and pick up one of the fish before taking a huge bite out of it.
"AHH! HOT! HOT! HOT! HOT!"
I can hear everyone laughing as I grab my flask of water and down it instantly. I sigh in relief, before growling at the chuckling tailed beast within my mind. Blowing gently on the fish, I take another, tentative bite of the meat and smile in satisfaction.
"Well done Naruko-girl" noted Ma with a toothless smile.
"We're back" said Tenten, Hinata only a few steps behind her.
I rush over and grab some of the wood they had been carrying and start making a small campfire in the middle of the clearing. Pa sprays some of his toad oil over the logs and I quickly set it ablaze with a fire release jutsu.
"Are you skilled in many other nature types Naruko?" asked Gaara curiously.
I turn to face him, a fish hanging between my teeth which earns a light laugh from the group.
"Well, kinda… I mainly focus on fire, wind and water but theoretically I could more" I say with a shrug.
Gaara seems impressed and nods lightly.
"I too am skilled in wind release along with my father's Kekkei Genkai: magnet release" explained Gaara.
This perked my interest.
"A Kekkei Genkai? A combination jutsu type" I say in wonder.
"Yes, my father studied the one tail and was able to create his own type of magnet release; one that focused on the manipulation of gold dust. Since I am the one tailed Jinchuuriki, I have access to the wind and earth combination jutsu" explained Gaara.
"That's so awesome! Kurama, do you have a Kekkei Genkai!?" I ask in excitement.
"Hah! I don't need a combination jutsu" laughed the fox.
"You're jealous, aren't you?" I say with a shit eating grin.
"Don't be ridiculous! I am the nine-tails, strongest of all the tailed beasts! Why would I be jealous of a simple combination jutsu?!" huffed the beast.
"Alright tough guy, no need to prove anything to me" I say with a giggle.
It was at that moment when I realize that everyone was staring directly at me. I must look like a right fool when I start laughing for no apparent reason, especially when it's at a god like being living within my very body.
The Next Day
As the first rays of dawn stream gently onto my face, I allow myself the rare luxury of a scratch around my chest. Despite the incredible support my bra gives me, my stupid breasts always get sore after a long day.
I haven't been able to personally tend to them since I left the mount.
With a soft yawn and a look around, I decide to head toward the hot spring I had found the night before. Grabbing my outfit, I walk of silently through the forest; my mind creating a map back to the spring simply from memory.
The spring bubbles gently before me; I stick a toe in and smile at the warmth of the water. Sure, we'd stopped by some springs on our journey but they had never been this quite or secluded before. If my fellow Jinchuuriki's weren't being hunted, I would be a very happy girl.
I let the water flow around me, the heat cleansing my every pore and washing away the nasty grit from our trek. I clean the places that are a little more difficult to reach before finally just deciding to relax and enjoy myself.
The soft sound of a branch snapping forces my eyes wide open; I enter sage mode and scan the area without moving my head. Someone is approaching from my left and I put my hands together, ready to perform a hand signal.
"Oh, hello there; I wasn't aware this spring was in use. May I join you?"
I turn to see a tanned girl with aquamarine hair and bright orange eyes looking at me. She was clad only in a towel and had a small smile on her face as she awaited my answer.
"Umm… sure" I say with a gesture of my hand.
The girl drops her towel and slips into the water before I can get a proper look at her body. We simply sit there for a few minutes, letting the warm water relax us.
"I'm Fuu by the way" she says suddenly.
"Naruko, nice to meet you" I say in reply.
"So… what's a pretty girl like yourself doing way out here? Nothing around for miles" said Fuu curiously.
"That's a lie and you know it, you don't have any gear with you, so there must be a village or camp you're staying at nearby" I say deductively.
She seems slightly surprised by my revelation and smiles lightly.
"You're quite smart Naruko, yes; I come from a nearby village, I am its protector" she says with sad eyes.
"I see… well, I'm on a mission with my friends to help others like me" I say with a shrug.
This seemed to surprise her even more.
"Like you?" she asked in confusion.
I mentally kick myself for giving away that titbit of information. Fuu seemed kind enough but I didn't really like telling other people that I was the host to a legendary creature of chaos and destruction itself.
"I prefer madness annihilation actually"
I sigh and look at Fuu, her orange eyes looking back in hope of an answer.
"I know you'll probably fear me when I tell you but… I'm… the Jinchuuriki of the nine tails" I say quietly.
I look up and see Fuu almost bursting out laughing, her face is red and her eyes are watering. Now it's my turn to be confused beyond belief; she wasn't scared or cautious in the slightest.
"Oh… I'm… so sorry!" she gasped out between breaths.
"Why are you laughing?" I ask in confusion.
She smiles and claps her hands together in a prayer, I raise an eyebrow before I'm hit with a wave of chakra that feels oddly comforting.
"Of course!" exclaimed Kurama from within me.
"Hello Naruko; I am Fuu, the Jinchuuriki of the Seven Tailed beast"
"Oh…"
Twenty Minutes Later
"I knew my intel was spot on, it was just a matter of getting Naruko to bump into you" laughed Jaime in delight.
Apparently the Pervy-sage had received word that the village of Takigakure had recently lost their Jinchuuriki. It just so happened to be on the way toward the Land of Lightning, so Jaime decided to have us camp out near the last known location.
It just so happened that Fuu had run away from her village due to abuse. She had found a small hidden village which had taken her in and accepted her nature as a Jinchuuriki.
I had to breath very deeply when I heard how she was treated but Ma and Pa were close by with gentle words. She and Gaara became acquainted rather quickly, sharing stories and tales of their different ways of life and such.
It wasn't until Fuu bought up the reason for our mission that things got serious.
"So, a group of terrorists wants the tailed beasts for a weapon? Sounds pretty bad" noted Fuu.
We'd explained the situation to her; the Akatsuki, their plan, the order of extraction and even where we were going next.
"We know you have your village but…"
"I'm in!" she says with her thumbs up.
"WHAT?!"
We all exclaim at the same time.
"What? I might be the protector of the village but that's only if anyone can find it. An incredibly powerful Genjutsu cloaks the village, only people living within the village can move through it; it's the reason we've never been attacked before" explained Fuu.
"I see… so even if you were to leave, the Akatsuki couldn't use the people of your village as leverage"
"Exactly, besides, I need some adventure in my life!" groaned Fuu with a stretch.
"Well Fuu-girl, you're more than welcome to join us" offered Pa.
"Great! Give me an hour to inform the village elders and pack my things, I'll be back soon!" laughed Fuu.
Two insect like wings suddenly sprouted from her back and she burst off into the sky.
Tailed Beast Astral Plain
"Hmm… hello brother" greeted Kurama as the seven tails appeared.
"Kurama, Shukaku; good to see you again" said Chomei with a nod.
"It's been too long Chomei, how is the life of captivity treating you" huffed Shukaku.
"Lady Fuu is a kind a faithful host, the abuse she suffered because of me is unforgivable. Perhaps you are familiar with this treatment of your own hosts?" asked the seven tails.
Kurama nodded lightly.
"Hmm… not really, my brat was well looked after by his father" noted the one tail.
"I understand you Chomei, my girl is very emotionally hurt but hides it masterfully" stated the fox with a small frown.
"Kami strike me down! Is the great and fearsome nine tails feeling some form of positive emotion for his host?!" exclaimed Shukaku loudly.
"Shut it you old raccoon!" growled the nine tails.
Reality
"Alright team… wait… do you have a team name?" asked Fuu curiously.
We look at one another and shrug.
"Never really given it much thought" I say honestly.
"Well then… what about Team Jinchuuriki?" suggested Fuu.
"But we're not all Jinchuuriki's now are we" sighed Pa.
"What about Team Lotus?" suggested Gaara.
"Lotus… sounds interesting" said Ma with a nod.
"Pretty and cool" said Fuu with a wide smile.
"All good on my end" said Jaime with a grin.
"Sounds nice" said Hinata softly.
"Ditto" said Tenten.
Everyone looked toward me for the final opinion.
"Sounds badass you know!"
A/N: Team Lotus Go!
So Gaara isn't the angst emo he once was!
Since Naruto is a girl in this timeline, things will be very different: Jariya is a girl, Gaara was well treated, Kurama is not a huge dickhead, Neji, Lee etc died.
Now before you jump in my ass over Fuu just appearing! She was drawn to the chakra signature of Naruko and Kurama; the reason Naruko was so trusting was because of the familiar chakra of Chomei. Things happen for a reason and those reasons are not always obvious
Read, fav, follow and review.
My name is Parradox and thanks so much for reading.
Bye!