Powerless

by bunnyhoodlum

[Modern Parallel AU] Why is it believed that calling a child 'dog shit' will shape them into a human being? Naruto knows that even dog shit is appealing to flies. As an orphan, Naruto fights to validate his existence, even if it means the only ones who want him around are the scum of the earth. NaruHina. Previously titled 'Blue Roses'.

4. Author's Note

Author's Note, 04/14/2019:

Hello to anyone who may still be interested in 'Powerless'. I do not know when the next update will be.

I have re-read my story very recently in order to refresh myself for the next part in my outline, but I realized something: My first two chapters are actually pretty strong, but the third one not so much. I intentionally shoved too many plot set ups because I promised the payoffs down the line. But now it's not even a question of whether I can deliver them or not, but how well can I deliver them. (And, tbh, I'm struggling to be emotionally invested in delivering them).

And by introducing Hidan, I've sidelined a bunch of things that were already happening. I somehow ended up forgetting what I really wanted to do with the chatroom subplot and thought 'Oh, introduce Hidan, perfect!'. And looking at my outline again, I realize that too many things will be happening to Naruto. They may still be because of him, but writing a passive protagonist for how many odd chapters is something that I'm unable to connect and commit to.

TLDR; I apologize for messing with this WIP so much, but I am rewinding everything that's happened all that way back to the Field Trip, and retconning Haku's expulsion from the Gato-gumi.

Meaning the Amusement Park scene will be rewritten, I'll fix Sakura's characterization in that scene as well, etc. This also means Fuu isn't dead anymore, and yes she was. I've made up a new outline for this new progression of events.

I apologize for retconning Naruto and Obito's bonding scenes, I really liked them too, but they'll prolly bond again sometime down the line. A lot of the stuff like with like Sasuke finding out his current bedroom in Itachi's apartment used to be Shisui's I'll be showing this time instead of telling, same with whatever's going on with Sasuke's mom, following up with the father-son rivalry, etc.

What I'm liking now about keeping Haku around for however much longer is that it'll keep the story grounded and keep the Yakuza relevant (and this may have been the thing that was stumping me about writing Hinata, was the fact that I had written the Hyuuga-gumi so far into the background that they were barely connected to the story, at least not until much later, and that's bleh).

I'm considering giving Hidan a subplot that exists outside of everything else (but is connected at the same time), but my outline is only so complete at the moment.

So again, I don't know when the next update with be, because I want to have several chapters ready to post. I know you guys have been waiting forever for the NaruHina parts, so maybe I'll have to have all the chapters up to that point and a little beyond ready in advance.

I won't be posting all at once, of course, but by having them ready means I'm committing to posting them (and I can do it on a schedule too. Actually, TBH, I've been getting my advice from an old reddit post, so if you guys have any preferences about any of my decisions, let me know and I'll listen.)

If knowing I'll be doing all this in order to continue is frustrating, I truly apologize. I feel reinvigorated to continue and hopefully, absolutely for sure reach the mid-point and hopefully, absolutely for sure get to the conclusion... But yeah, I am also completely aware that all my retconning is ridiculous. Sorry again. x_x