Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto
Welcome to the world of Naruto Elseworlds, a look at Naruto's life in an alternate universe where even the smallest of changes have the greatest of consequences. Hinata Hyuga was gravely injured by her cousin Neji but would make a full recovery and ultimately rebuild a close relationship with him. But what if the jonin had failed to stop Neji's final blow against Hinata? What if Hinata had died that day? Would the death of the shy and unnoticed Hinata be a footnote in history or would it be the catalyst for life changing events to come?
Naruto Elseworlds: Kyubi Avenger
Chapter 6: Inner Demons
Gaara stood in the hospital room arm outstretched and his hand nearly closed into a tight fist that normally would have resulted in the object of his hatred smashed under the torrents of his sand. But his motion had been halted and the boy lying in the bed continued to dream peacefully much to his growing anger. He tried to move his head to see behind him but found his body to be paralyzed.
Confusion led to pain as he felt a fist impact on his cheek, the sand armor absorbing most of the blow but sending him staggering back. It was not often that he was physically touched and to be struck stirred a sensation of rage within him yet at the same time filling him with exuberance.
"Sakura be careful, whatever happens to his body causes mine to react the same way," Shikamaru yelled annoyed.
"Sorry," Sakura said taking a defensive stance to Gaara's left.
"What the hell were you trying to do to Lee," Tenten growled pulling a kunai and watching as the sand gently returned to the gourd on Gaara's back.
"How is the sand moving if I have him trapped with my shadow," Shikamaru thought also eyeing the sand, "It's like it has a mind of its own."
Gaara looked over the four genin with disinterest as the sand funneled back from whence it came. They were nervous and a little afraid, he could feel it, even taste it in the air.
"Well, what were you doing," Sakura asked keeping one eye on the gourd and another on the Sand nin.
"I was trying to kill him," was Gaara's matter-of-fact reply.
This took the Leaf genin somewhat aback as he was admitting to attempted murder as calmly as if he was explaining he had been pouring Lee a glass of water.
"All I wanted to do was visit Choji and I run into Ino and her friends who are visiting Lee. Come on Shikamaru just stop in to say hello, what's the worst that could happen," Shikamaru whined to himself. "What a drag, now I have to get this psycho to calm down or he might try to kill us all."
"Ino, Tenten, you two go get help while I hold him here," Shikamaru ordered.
"Are you nuts, I'm not leaving you alone with that," Ino shrieked pointing at Gaara.
"I'll have Sakura here to back me up, now get going," Shikamaru said wincing slightly.
Ino had known Shikamaru long enough to tell when he was losing control over an enemy's shadow. At full strength he could hold his technique for nearly ten minutes, but Gaara was fighting him. She figured he had maybe five minutes at most and if Gaara got free, her two best friends would be killed.
"We'll be back as soon as we can," Ino called over her shoulder, her heading left and Tenten going right.
Sakura and Shikamaru warily eyed Gaara who seemed almost bored as he stood silently glaring at the two Leaf genin.
"You're losing your hold over me," Gaara finally said staring at Shikamaru, "I can feel you starting to weaken."
Shikamaru gritted his teeth, his mind racing for a way out of this mess. His chakra was fading fast and it was taking all the concentration he had just to keep his hold. Gaara would be free in a few minutes and then there was nothing he could do to stop this freak.
"Maybe I can try to bluff him," Shikamaru thought to himself.
"Our friends will be back with help soon, if you promise to leave peacefully we can all just turn around and leave," Shikamaru said trying his best to look confident.
"I will not leave until I have killed him," Gaara said motioning to Lee with his eyes.
"Why do you want to kill Lee? You beat him in your match, what else do you want," Sakura asked confused.
"I want to validate my existence by ending his," Gaara said, a crazed look sweeping over his eyes. "Through his blood my life will continue to have meaning."
"LIKE HELL IT WILL," a voiced yelled from the doorway.
Sakura, Shikamaru and by proxy Gaara turned to see Naruto rushing in with Ino close behind. Sakura had never been happier to see her teammate although Shikamaru was less than enthusiastic.
"Ino, when I said to get help I meant a jonin or a chunin at least,", Shikamaru huffed.
"Well he was the first person I saw and I figured he could help," Ino said rushing to Shikamaru's side.
"Ino told me what no brows was trying to do to bushy brows," Naruto said pulling out a kunai. "Let's get him."
"Naruto we can't have a battle in the middle of the hospital," Shikamaru said trying to hold his technique. "Now that you're here we have him outnumbered four to one, he's at a clear disadvantage and it would be smart if he just left," Shikamaru said trying to persuade the Sand nin to leave.
"You fear me, I can sense it," Gaara said fighting to raise his arm. "Your fear, your terror is intoxicating to me and I will have more of it."
Shikamaru's shadow broke from Gaara's and before he could say anything sand shot from Gaara's gourd wrapping around the Leaf genin wrists, necks and mouths lifting them in the air and muffling their screams.
"Mother shall feast on your blood starting with…him," Gaara growled turning to Lee.
"No, this isn't happening," Naruto shouted in his mind, "I won't let another one of my friends die."
Naruto struggled against the binds to no avail watching helplessly as the sand began to wrap around Lee's body.
"Your friends are going to die," Kyubi's voice echoed in Naruto's head.
"I won't let that happen," Naruto yelled back.
"You are too weak to protect them. Take my power and destroy those who would hurt you, hurt your "precious" people," the demon sneered.
"I…I…," Naruto stammered.
"Do you not wish to save them, do you wish for them to die?"
"NO," Naruto defiantly yelled out, "give me the power to save them."
Kyubi laughed as he began to pour chakra into Naruto's body. Gaara who had just been ready to strike Lee down suddenly froze and grabbed his head. The voice of "mother" was shrieking as if it was in pain the cries echoing in his mind. Turning he saw the loud blonde the girl had brought in was surrounded in a cloak of bubbling red chakra that seemed more evil than anything he had ever felt in his life.
Gaara watched in horror as the sand holding the boy slithered away as if burned by the vile red essence. The level of anger, malice and hatred fuming off the chakra itself was enough to cause the Leaf genin to pass out and had brought Gaara to his knees.
For the first time since the night his uncle had tried to kill him, Gaara was afraid. It was a sensation that thrilled him to the very core, feeling truly alive since he could not remember when.
Regaining his composure Gaara stood, his sand swirling around him in a protective cyclone. The chakra around Naruto settled into the form of a fox, a single tail swishing back and forth as Naruto looked up to reveal red eyes with slit pupils and fangs protruding from his mouth.
"I was wrong about you," Gaara said smiling, "killing you would prove my existence a thousand times over."
"You tried to kill my friends," Naruto said gathering chakra to his hand forming a claw by mere instinct, "I am going to destroy you."
"Then let us decide whose existence will continue," Gaara screamed shooting spears of sand at Naruto.
Naruto dodged and shot a chakra claw towards Gaara whose sand rose to block the attack. Chakra and sand clashed smoking and burning as the two attacks intertwined with one another. Naruto turned to launch another attack when a puff of smoke erupted between the two containers. Obscured by the smoke a hand shot out in either direction slapping a sealing tag on both jinchūriki. Immediately both Naruto and Gaara fell to the ground their connection to their prisoners cut off.
It was at that moment that Tenten had arrived with Might Guy just in time to see Jiraiya hoisting Naruto on his shoulder.
"What is going on here Lord Jiraiya," Guy said rushing into the room to survey the damage.
"I think the Kazekage's son had plans to harm Lee and the genin stepped in to stop him. I need to take Naruto to go check on something and to talk with the Hokage. The sand brat should be out for awhile, I'll tell the Hokage to inform his jonin sensei of what has happen here," Jiraiya said disappearing in a puff of smoke.
Tenten stood at the door wide eyed in shock as she saw her new friends lying on the floor. She gave a sigh of relief as she saw Sakura, Shikamaru and Ino squirm and groan as they lay unconscious but not dead. She looked quickly to Lee who remained asleep with a small smile on his face blissfully unaware of the danger he had been in.
"Come Tenten, let us try to awaken your youthful comrades," Guy said snapping Tenten from her trance.
Tenten helped to sit the three genin up against the wall as Guy tended to Gaara. Tenten had already told him what Gaara had intended to do to his beloved student and it was taking all of his willpower not to finish the job Naruto had started. But this was the Kazekage's son and such actions would lead to a war so he would have to keep his baser instincts in check.
Looking over his shoulder he couldn't help but have an immense feeling of pride well up inside him knowing that his students would go so far to protect their friends.
"I'm very proud of you Tenten, of all of you for protecting Lee. You more than anyone knows how much Lee means to me," Guy said a solemn look on his face.
Tenten gave her sensei a small smile and looked over to Lee. "He means a lot to us as well sensei and I know he wouldn't hesitate for a second to do the same for any of us."
At the Hokage's Office
The third had just taken a break from his paperwork to enjoy a little pipe tobacco and to maybe read a few pages of Jiraiya's new book when a heavy presence erupted from the hospital. Tough most civilians would be unaware of what exactly the presence was any ninja who had been there twelve years ago would know it was the power of the nine tails.
It was small and nothing like it had been all those years ago, but the level of malice lace with it was undeniable. Sarutobi was about to call the ANBU to investigate when just as suddenly at it had appeared, the energy disappeared.
Curious the Third Hokage rose to face window that overlooked the area of the hospital. There didn't seem to be any disturbances that he could see and it seemed that no one was rushing towards the hospital in panic. Scratching his beard he turned back towards his seat to find Jiraiya standing there with his arms crossed.
"Most people use the door Jiraiya," Sarutobi said smirking.
"Most people aren't carrying him on their shoulders either," Jiraiya said moving aside and motioning to an unconscious Naruto lying in a chair.
"I see," Sarutobi said sitting in his chair, "so that was indeed the fox's chakra I had felt earlier." Jiraiya nodded grimly.
"Is the seal damaged in anyway," the Hokage asked taking a drag from his pipe.
"From what I can tell no, but I'll have to do a more thorough examination later. I just wanted you to know that everything is fine…for now."
"Did something happen?"
"From what I can tell from the situation when I arrived, the Kazekage's son Gaara attempted to assassinate Might Guy's student Lee. Several genin who were visiting the boy attempted to hold him off but failed. Naruto may have called on the fox's power to help him defeat Gaara."
"And you didn't intervene before this happened?"
"I was unaware any of this was happening until I felt the power spike from Naruto and Gaara."
"Gaara as well, I've had my suspicions about that boy ever since the exams started, do you believe he is also a jinchūriki?"
"I'm almost positive, the suppression seal I used on Naruto I also used on Gaara. The seal is designed to cut off the chakra a tailed beast provides its host it's useless in any other situation but it worked quite well on Gaara."
"And what did you do with Gaara?"
"I left him at the hospital with Might Guy; the seal should keep him out for a few hours. I told Guy that I would inform you of the situation so you could alert Gaara's jonin sensei of what's happened."
"Very well, I'll have the ANBU take care of it," Sarutobi said empting his pipe, "but what is to be done with Naruto?"
"I'll take a look at the seal, but I'm sure he'll be fine," Jiraiya said shrugging.
"That's not what I meant Jiraiya," Sarutobi said rising. "If Naruto is able to summon the power of the fox then he must be taught how to control it. If he releases too much the seal could weaken and the nine tails could be unleashed."
"And I suppose you would like me to teach him," Jiraiya questioned.
"Well you do have the most intricate knowledge of the seal and you know the limitations of how much stress it can handle," Sarutobi said walking to the window.
"You know as well as I do that Hiashi would like nothing better than a stronger weapon to carry out his vengeance. I wanted to teach Naruto in order for him to protect himself against the threats that are on the horizon, not to serve the Hyuga's cold blooded ambition," Jiraiya said gritting his teeth.
"I am just as unhappy with the current situation as you are Jiraiya, but we must face facts. Naruto is set on his goal and has somehow tapped into the power of the nine tails. To allow him to continue without guidance is foolish and an invitation to disaster," Sarutobi said sternly.
Jiraiya could only sigh as he knew the old man was right and any further discussion was moot. Hoisting Naruto onto his shoulder he turned to face his former sensei.
"There isn't much that I can do seeing as the finals are tomorrow, but I'll take him back to his apartment and try and find out exactly how he learned to tap into the Kyubi's chakra and to what extent he can wield it."
The Hokage watched as his former student vanished in a plume of smoke sitting back in his chair and debating on whether or not to relight his pipe. The day had certainly been interesting so far and soon the end game to this drama would play out on the grandest of stages. Sighing he reached for his pipe and began to fill it once again, mumbling how he was truly getting too old for this.
At Naruto's Apartment
Naruto opened his eyes slowly, his head aching and his body feeling numb. He was greeted to the sight of gray ceilings rather than pristine white confirming at least he was not in the hospital. The smell of empty ramen cup and dirty laundry gave off a familiar feeling as his eyes opened wider revealing the picture of team seven he kept on his night table.
He was in his apartment, the question being now, how did he get here? For a second he thought that it might have been a dream, but the splitting headache and taste of blood in his mouth told him otherwise.
It was then he noticed a second presence in the room, one that he was not familiar with. On instinct he drew a kunai and hurled it at the shadow seated in the corner watching nervously as two fingers snatch the kunai from the air before tossing it to the side.
"You need to learn to be more careful brat, otherwise you're likely to hurt someone," a somewhat familiar voice chided.
"I know that voice," Naruto said standing, "you're that jerk that wouldn't train me from before!"
"No," Jiraiya said his eyebrow twitching, "I'm the jerk who's going to be taking your training over from now on."
"I thought you didn't want to train me," Naruto said pouting, "besides I'm doing fine without you."
"Oh really," Jiraiya said smirking, "then perhaps you would like to explain what that little explosion of demonic chakra in the hospital was all about?"
Naruto paled as the memories of exactly what happened came flooding back to him, his conversation with Kyubi and the torrent of power to his body, the feeling of near invincibility and the craving for more. He had nearly lost himself to the power and it frightened him.
"I…I lost control for a moment when I was trying to save my friends," Naruto said looking down in shame.
Jiraiya sat down next to his new student and placed a hand gently on Naruto's shoulder.
"One should never be ashamed to protect others, but you must understand that the power you wield is dangerous and difficult to control," Jiraiya said softly. "If you allow that power to consume you, if you release too much too soon, your mind will be overwhelmed and the seal will break releasing the Kyubi and destroying everything you cherish."
Jiraiya did not want to scare the boy too badly since he needed to learn how to control the demons power, but he also needed to be aware of what exactly the consequences would be in failing to control himself.
Naruto for his part took in the advice and warning silently, eyes still trained on the floor not even turning to look at his new teacher.
"Ever since I could remember," Naruto said quietly, "people have always shunned me, like I was some kind of monster. It wasn't until Mizuki told me about the Kyubi that I really understood why. But even then, I knew that I wasn't a demon or monster, I was me," Naruto said turning to jiraiya.
"But today, today I felt for the first time in my life that I wasn't me, I was a demon, a monster," Naruto said looking right into Jiraiya's eyes, "I don't ever want to feel that way again."
Jiraiya saw in Naruto's eyes all the resolve and determination of his father as well as the fierceness of his mother. He was truly their son and if anyone could tame the Kyubi, he was sure Naruto could do it.
"Alright kid, starting after the finals we'll begin you're training," Jiraiya proclaimed slapping Naruto on the back, "until then I don't want you using the demonic chakra at all. Do I make myself clear," Jiraiya asked sternly to which Naruto only nodded.
"Okay then, rest up because you have a big day ahead of you tomorrow," Jiraiya said rising to leave.
"Wait," Naruto suddenly said halting Jiraiya. "You were the Forth Hokage's sensei right?"
"I was," Jiraiya said smugly.
"I always thought he was so cool, even cooler than the old man," Naruto said somewhat embarrassed, "could you…could you tell me what he was like?"
A warm smile came to Jiraiya's face as he sat back down. The godfather in him wanted to tell Naruto everything, but he knew now wasn't the time. Still, there wasn't anything wrong about sharing a few fond memories with a diehard fan was there? And so they past the time reminiscing and laughing as Jiraiya told story after story about the man who for now, was only the coolest ninja ever.
Elsewhere with Neji
Neji walked down the familiar dark hallway knowing exactly who he would encounter at the end. The dreams, no, the nightmares had been fairly consistent for nearly a month now. Neji would walk down the hall of the deserted Hyuga Manor to find his father. No matter what he did or said his father would never speak to him, just offer a sad smile and vanish.
Neji continued down the hall and there sure enough was his father, looking just as he had the day he was killed. That sad smile etched across his face as he looked at his son.
"I don't understand father," Neji said angrily, "why do you not speak to me? I am fighting for our family, so that we can be free of our curse, to be free from our fate."
Hizashi said nothing, merely closing his eyes and shaking his head side to side.
"Why are you acting like this," Neji shouted. "The family is proud of what I'm doing; they told me that you would have been proud of me!"
Hizashi remained silent offering Neji nothing except another sad look. Neji was about to again confront his father when he heard the sound of footsteps behind him. Turning his eyes went wide and he stumbled back in shock and fear, before him was Hinata.
He tried to take a defensive stance but he found his arms, his entire body was paralyzed. He tried desperately to move as Hinata stalked closer and closer. She was right in front of him as she opened her arms and he closed his eyes waiting for the strike to come.
Instead he felt her arms wrap around him in a warm embrace, her hand patting his back as if to soothe his pain. Neji ran a marathon of emotions from shock, to comfort and quickly to anger. How dare she pity him, she had no right.
Neji struggled to break free to no avail as Hinata eventually broke the hug and moved past him. Neji seemed to regain control of his body as he turned to see Hinata and his father walking away hand in hand and fading into the darkness.
Neji woke with a gasp, clutching his chest and trying to steady his breathing. Getting out of bed, he went to the washroom to splash some water on his face, his reflection in the mirror and the blackness of the night his only company.
"Only a nightmare," Neji said to himself, "only a nightmare."
Neji returned to his bed and noted it was only two in the morning. He still had time to rest until Elder Gorou and Jiro would arrive to escort him to the arena.
Lying back down, he closed his eyes allowing the calm of the night to claim him once again.
"It was only a nightmare," his last waking thought.
I just want to thank everyone who left a review and helped with a few bits of grammer here and there. Well the story has arrived where you all have been waiting for hopefully, the finals are upon us and all bets are off. Will Naruto achieve his vengeance or will he die trying. Last chance to vote in the poll so until next time read and review people.