Okay so this may or may not be expected, but Naru's darker…half…will be making an appearance. I'm not sure if you will get the reference, but you'd have to be pretty far in the series to get it anyways. It will all be explained soon though, so just be patient. I'm also doing this on a 7-6 hour sleep schedule, and after taking a trip to Alamosa (6 hour round trip) and getting home at 2 in the morning (this morning) so yah. Sorry if it's not up to par but I still liked where I went with it, and I'll be going back to edit it soon anyways.
Little reminder for the speech, since it'll be changing more than normal in this chapter.
'Thoughts'
(")Flashbacks(")
(',")Darker Half Speech(",')
"Kurama, Black Zetsu"
"Normal"
Naru took shallow breathes, her chest rising and falling slowly. She muttered under her breath, sighing before standing again. She raised her arms and began to flow through hand signs, picking up pace as she neared the last set. She finally stopped, channeling her blood chakra into her fingers. She bit her thumbs, before finally doing the last hand sign. "Blood Style, Blood Prison Jutsu!"
She slammed her hand onto the ground, blood chakra shooting out of her fingertips, ripping into the ground before rising upward. Naru grinned, but it was short lived when she cried out, the chakra falling apart and hitting the ground. She collapsed, panting heavily as it vanished into the earth. A curse spilt through her lips as pain tore through her chakra network. She groaned and turned herself onto her back, only to freeze when she caught the gaze of a long haired raven, wearing a pink kimono. Naru sat up, wincing as her chakra coils tightened. "Zabuza's little Hunter…Who would have thought I'd run into you."
Flanking to the right, Naru spun two kunai into her palms and tossed them at the ice mirrors surrounding them. They bounced off, the dent created being covered. She grunted and pressed backwards against Sasuke's back, smirking when she felt his shallow breaths from the rise and fall of his back. "Exhausted yet Sasuke-Teme?"
Sasuke grunted, smirking despite actually wearing down. "In your dreams Dobe."
Naruko merely blocked a set of Senbon aimed for her chest, green eyes narrowed as her Sharingan spun behind the contacts. "Alright, formation V."
Sasuke nodded, and they pushed onto the ground and launched themselves against the mirrors surrounding them.
Haku looked into Naru's eyes as the red head stretched her arms above her head like a cat. The whisker marks on her cheeks helped prove the fat, but it still felt wrong to Haku for her to call the Kunoichi a cat. "Haku, actually."
Naru raised a brow at the other girl's obvious lack of hostility. Haku held a basket of herbs, along with a canteen of water. Naru still had on her ninja gear, however she looked more feminine with her skirt and blouse. She sent chakra into the ground, sighing as she realized she and Haku were actually really alone. "Naruko, Uzumaki Naruko."
Haku paused, but nodded at Naru as the girl relaxed. "I'd say we call a small truce for now, I don't feel like fighting and I can tell you only hurt people to help out Zabuza."
Sasuke let out a Great Fireball, while Naru let loose a wind bullet to enhance it. Even with the extra power added to the fire from the wind however, the ice still didn't melt. Cursing gently Naruko fell back into the middle, Sasuke pressing his back into hers seconds later as they rotated, striking down Senbon with their kunai.
Naru winced when on made contact with her leg, Sasuke grunting as a few hit his arm. Haku continued to travel through the mirrors, and even though he was moving slower than before due to the Sharingan helping both of them read his movements, Naru still couldn't attack him with the strength she needed to break through the mirrors. She had to plan carefully, after all Danzo's Ne Spy was watching her and the Uchiha Brat.
Haku giggled softly as Naru sneezed on some flowers, the two girls picking up herbs and placing them in the basket. Haku was showing Naru which were useful, poisonous, or just beautiful. It felt nice to have another girl to talk to; however Haku forced herself to still remain distanced from Naru. She could tell the red head was doing the same, based on the way she laughed half-heartedly.
The Jinchuuriki let out a soft gasp as one needle struck her side, and another struck her knee. She created an array of clones to help block the amount of Senbon Haku was launching at them. "Damn it."
Naruko pivoted away from Sasuke to block another row of Senbon, only to realize her mistake too late. She felt another set of Senbon lace the back of her leg, causing her to collapse forward. 'If this continues, I'm going to have to use blood-style or Kurama.'
Haku paused for a moment, before looking down at Naru as the girl dozed on her lap. She was slightly surprised to find that Naru was younger than her by two years. She had thought that the girl was at least her age, based on the way she carried herself and the amount of training she seemed to have. "Naru, do you have a precious person?"
Naru's hand still rested on her Kunai pouch, and Haku's rested on her Kimono, ready to grab her Senbon at a moment's notice. "Precious person?"
The girl paused, before sitting up, her eyes holding a haunted look. Haku was shocked when Naru shuddered, closing her green orbs before standing. "She'd dead."
With that, she walked away, leaving Haku to stare after her in amazement and shock.
Sasuke was in front of Naru in moments, taking in more than one or two dozen Senbon. He let out a grunt of pain, Naru's eyes widening in shock. "S-Sasuke?!"
Sasuke fell forward, Naru moving quickly to catch him. Haku stopped moving in her mirrors, watching the scene with interest. Naur said she had no one precious to her, and yet, she still guarded her raven haired teammate, she still protected her Sensei. Now was the time to strip Naru of her mask as Naur had stripped Haku of her shield. "Teme, what the hell!?"
Naru held Sasuke carefully as he bled onto her hands. She didn't care as the needles dug into her skin, she didn't care about anything other than his fathering breaths. "Idiot…"
Sasuke smirked at her. "You g-gonna cry now D-dobe? W-where's that bitchy side of yours, h-huh?"
The dying Uchiha coughed out blood onto Naru's shirt, but she could care less. In her mind, she was back in the rain, under a tree all too familiar. In her arms was Sashiko, a smile etched onto her pale lifeless face. Her emotions began to spin as her Sharingan followed. Images flashed into her mind, of blood, chakra, steel, blue hair, sad eyes, fear. "I-I don't k-know…why I…was-"
The Raven froze mid-sentence, unable to complete his last words. Naru didn't care much about the words though. No, she cared more about the fact that he wasn't breathing. She shouldn't care, however their training flashed into her head. This memory was soon followed by their D-Ranks together, of their team meetings, of the bell test, being assigned to Team 7. It went farther though, her mind conjuring up images of her ignoring him, of Kiba fighting with Sasuke, of Sakura fighting with Ino over who would marry Sasuke. Her head began to hurt as the images stopped on her 5 year old self, walking home from visiting Sashiko's grave. She was by the Uchiha docks, trying to keep in her tears as her blonde pigtails pressed into her cheeks, and she turned. Sitting on the dock was Sasuke, right after the Uchiha massacre. He looked up at her, and she froze in her stroll. They shared a look together, iris and sky blue.
Naru snapped to the present, standing after setting Sasuke onto the bridge, her fingers sliding his eyes closed. She tilted her head upward, the inner storm inside of her growing. She looked over to where Haku was, her contacts having been burned off. Black slit pupiled red eyes stared into Haku's soul, hatred, sadness and darkness expressed in one look.
Red chakra built up around Naruko, the spikes in her hair pushing upward as the debris on the bridge began to follow. Tools, nails, and pieces of wood began to float upward as Naru's chakra broke the ice mirrors surrounding her. She glared at Haku, and flashed through hand signs quickly. "Blood Style, Three Petal Lotus Flower Jutsu!"
The chakra turned to razors, forming three large petals that circled the red-head. Haku was launched back as the attack spun around Naru at a dangerous pace. Naru held out her hand, before making the Ram sign. "Blood Clone Jutsu!"
The voice of the red haired Kunoichi in front of Haku held a dark hatred that shook the very air. The Ice Kunoichi didn't know what to do against this Naru, though she could only blame herself. "Naruko."
Naru snarled at her, and dashed with her clones. "Shut up Haku! You…"
Naruko appeared in front of Haku in a burst of speed, punching her across the bridge. Haku let out a scream of pain as she felt the punch. She was surprised she hadn't broken a rib form just that one hit.
Zabuza turned sharply at the sound of Haku's scream, Kakashi's blood turning to ice as he sensed the malicious chakra filling the air. "Naru!"
Both of the nin stopped their battles to watch as one of Naru's clones drop-kicked Haku into the bridge, forcing boards upwards as the force caused Haku to break into the wood. Her other clone flashed through hand signs, standing not too far away. "Blood Style, Blood Whip Technique!"
The clone slashed a giant string of dark red chakra down onto Haku as the actual Naru walked closer, see-through red chakra and dark red chakra surrounding her, her red eyes having slit pupils. Her hair hung upwards in vicious spikes, a sick twisted smile resting on her face. She laughed out, her voice deeper. "Lovely, isn't it…"
The chilling voice was like a thousand needles to Kakashi's spine, forcing him to do a double take. Naru stood in front of Haku's unconscious and brutally beat form. "Such destruction…it's like a seductress that keeps whispering sweet nothings and naughty words into your head. Of course, in the Kitsune's case, it would be me whispering such things into her ear. It's fun."
Naru looked up at Kakashi, and smirked darkly, canines and all. Kakashi shivered, only to feel like he was on fire when Naru tilted her head, looking behind him. The two blood clones stepped beside their creator, leaving Haku alone for the moment as Gato tried to speak.
"Come to kill your nin, have you Scum?"
Gato growled, regaining his bearings as he began to sweat. "Y-You…I'll pay you double, n-no triple what these people are paying you if you kill these nin and leave me out of it!"
Zabuza growled in anger, turning to glare at Gato. "You bastard!"
Naru sighed, and closed her eyes. The chakra receded, covering her face, before it turned into an actual red hood, her hair lengthening a bit, her soft girlish features becoming sharper. Opening her, no his eyes now, Naru released his clones. "Or I could kill you for free."
Naru merely became a red blur, going from samurai to samurai until her reached Gato. As he stepped in front of the despicable man, the samurai who had come as guards all fell to the ground as blood sprayed from their bodies. Their heads rolled across the bridge or into the water. Naru, no Kakashi thought, the thing that was controlling Naru, stepped forward, laughing in actual amusement. "It's just sad that the little Kitsune won't remember this. Oh the breakdown she'd have if she had seen what I have done in her stead."
The man turned sharply, the kunai in his grasp severing Gato's head from his body before he could try to bargain for his life. He looked up at Kakashi again, and licked his lips. "If she asks, just tell her that Kurai Hafu decided to take over."
A sudden burst of red chakra surrounded Naru, expelling outwards. Kakashi shielded his face, Zabuza doing the same as they used Chakra to stick their feet to the bridge. When the wind and chakra cleared, Kakashi saw Naru falling to the ground, the red cloak from before all that covered her.
Kakashi dashed, catching her before she hit the ground. He moved his headband over his Sharingan as he looked down at her, pulling the cloak securely around her neck. He was glad he had made Sakura stay at Tazuna's house now, it meant he'd just have to keep Zabuza and Haku shut about the whole ordeal. Turning to confront the nin, he found Madara in front of him. "Kakashi…"
The man was of course dressed like an Anbu, which was a good thing. It meant he didn't have to worry about his identity.
Minato watched as Zabuza walked over to Haku, picking her up gently. He stood several paces behind the Missing nin, his brow creased. "You pretend that she is only a tool to you, but I know that look."
Zabuza glanced toward Kakashi, scowling. "What look?"
The Mist Nnin growled out the words, making Minato sigh. "It's the way a Father looks at his daughter."
Zabuza glanced back at Haku, sighing. "You're a father?"
Minato smiled behind his mask, chuckling out loud. "Yes."
Zabuza looked to Minato again. "What do you want, ANBU?"
Minato smirked, and Zabuza felt his eye twitch at the playful aura to supposedly Elite nin displayed. "Kin Kitsune please Zabuza-San, and I wanted to ask you something."
Zabuza nodded begrudgingly at Minato, who took out a scroll. He walked towards Zabuza, stopping in his tracks to hold it out to him. "I want to know if you would join the Village Hidden in the Leaves."
I~~~~I
Naruko groaned softly, twisting on her matt. Her eyes moved franticly under her eyelids, Madara and Kakashi watching as she whimpered. Kakashi took her hand, squeezing gently to reassure her as much as he could. "Naru…"
The Scarecrow Sensei brushed her hair back and took the steaming rag off her forehead. Madara leaned on the wall, his mask strapped to his side as he watched Kakashi ring out the dish rag. After replacing it on Naru's forehead after drenching it in cold water, Kakashi looked up to Madara.
Madara returned the stare, his eyes blank. The man before him was quite the troubling person, with his sharp intellect but lazy exterior. He reminded Madara slightly of Hashirama. The silver hair and thinly veiled dislike for him though made him seem more like Tobirama, but Tobirama was too serious too really match up with the Scarecrow.
"The man, the one that took over her, he wasn't the Kyuubi, was he?"
Madara glanced back down at Naru, relaxing slightly as she calmed down some. She had been under a fever since the bridge incident, which was definitely new, since the Fox normally took care of illness. This suggested that the Fox was unable to help, or that Naruko was under enough mental stress to keep him on his toes. It didn't help that she had been poisoned days earlier, or that she had just watched someone else die in front of her.
Madara was no fool, Naru's mind was a very delicate thing, and the thought of someone who, though she'd never admit it, she cared for dying was enough to send her over the edge. She had seen death at an earlier age than he had, as young as his youngest brother actually. He quickly pushed the thoughts of his dead siblings aside to study the red head and possibly answer Kakashi's question. He took a couple more seconds before pushing off the wall. "No. I don't know exactly what he was…though his name suggests that he is actually her."
Kakashi paused, brushing Naru's hair behind her ear, pulling away before his touch lingered too long. "Kurai Hafu, literally meaning Darker Half."
Madara walked to the door, taking his mask off his belt to replace it on his face. He glanced back at Kakashi, the mask almost completely on. "One can only suffer so much before their body and mind take measures to cope against the pain and hatred. I suspect that Kurai is actually a defense she built because of the hatred she experienced when growing up."
The Uchiha Betrayer pushed the mask firmly in place and exited through the door.
Kakashi sighed gently, replacing the hot rag with a cool one once more. "I wouldn't put it past you Naru, you are truly something to behold. The pain you have gone through, the loss and the sadness eating away at your sanity. It's no wonder…that you don't see Konoha as your home, merely your prison."
The Sensei moved to place the rag on her forehead again, only for his eyes to widen when Naru's hand shot up and grabbed his wrist. Her eyes opened, revealing glassy blue orbs. She stared at him as her breaths came out in short sharp pants. "K-Kakashi-S-sensei…"
Kakashi didn't try to hide his shock, simply watching as his student groaned. "D-Damn it…W-What happened…What were you and the Emo-S-sensei talking about."
Kakashi relaxed and gently removed her fingers form his wrist, only to hold her hand in his. It felt weird to try and comfort her when she was awake, and it was even weirder when she didn't try to pull away. "K-Kakashi…"
The Scarecrow sighed gently, and helped her up into a sitting position, propping her up against the wall. "Listen okay? First you should know that Sasuke is okay…Haku merely put him in a comatose state."
Naru's eyes widened, the glassy look clearing as she tried to lurch forward. He quickly caught her and pushed her back against the wall. "Naru, you aren't strong enough, you have a fever and the Kyuubi isn't helping…"
Naru bit her lip, closing her eyes as she leaning back. "K-Kurama…He's sleeping…said something about…sealing my other self away. D-Did I do anything?"
She opened her eyes, staring into his soul. He flinched, her gaze reminding him of the gleeful sadistic look that Kurai had given him before turning his attention to Gato. "You didn't do anything Naru…but your other self, Kurai he said his name was…He told me to tell you that he decided to take over."
Naru froze, and her eyes widened. Her breathing stopped as she roamed over her memories. Her free hand went to her head, and she shuddered. "K-Kurai? Darker Half…Kurama said…h-he said that that bastard…"
The Uzumaki grit her teeth as she finally began to breathe again, her eyes filling with hatred as her hand gripped his. He didn't notice the pain, too intent on figuring out what she was muttering. "That bastard…first he invades my dreams and then controls my thoughts…now he's decided I'm just his little puppet?!"
Kakashi's eyes narrowed as he caught on about the dream, remembering Minato telling him about Naruto's recent nightmares. He also remembered Madara telling him about her breaking down at her house the morning that they found the scrolls Sashi had prepared for Naru. Now she was linking them to Kurai, the man who seemed to be her defense against her life. "The Kyuubi said he sealed Kurai away…right Naru?"
Naru turned her attention to him, and then to his hand around hers. She let out a heavy breath, closing her eyes again. "I-I don't…I can't talk to him. I-I think he did, he was mumbling about it before he fell asleep anyways. I don't feel that guy's presence anymore…Kurai's I mean."
Naruko sounded as though she was testing the name, deeming it odd yet fitting for the alternate persona. "Alright, you might want to rest up then. If there isn't a possibility of Kurai taking over again or doing whatever he did…"
Naru scoffed, pulling her hand from his. "Doesn't matter anymore…The bastard won't get into my mind…N-Not again."
Stubborn blue eyes glared down at the red head's lap while Naru's right hand settled over the seal on her stomach. "I won't be that weak."
Kakashi sighed gently as Naru's mask returned to her face. He wondered if this was how annoyed Obito always was whenever he ignored him and recited the shinobi rules like they were his life. He silently thanked his friend for what seemed like the thousandth time for putting up with his stubborn ass. "You aren't, but don't forget that you aren't nearly as powerful alone as you are with other people."
Naru looked up at him, and let a sarcastic smile take place on her lips. "The only person who I ever shared my strength with was Sashiko, and she's long dead. I have no one else."
Kakashi grit his teeth under his mask, and in seconds, he had forced Naru against the wall again, their eyes locked in a dangerous battle. Her Sharingan activated automatically, her contacts having been burned up by the Kyuubi's chakra mixing with her blood chakra. "You act as though you truly have nothing, but you have Minato-Sensei, the Kage, your teammates, you have Madara Uchiha and me. You are not alone; we will share your burden and protect you with our lives."
Naru flinched, but maintained her glare. "Just because he is my father, does not mean Minato is automatically precious to me…He sealed a demon into me, he chose the village over his own daughter and his best friend's daughter…He left us defenseless. I barely know the other Kage, and Sarutobi never once saw the growing malice. He was blinded by his ideals that people could change."
The emotional Jinchuuriki bit her lip hard enough to draw blood, her eyes growing teary. "Madara wants to turn me into an emotionless tool he can command, to take away my freedom. And you…You want me to be the ideal little student who protects people who want her dead. You want me to give my life, for people who killed the only precious person I had."
Naru pressed her hand to his chest, and a surge of red chakra sent Kakashi back. He winced as he felt his chest burn, Naru standing as she grabbed her equipment. "Send someone who I can stand when we're ready to leave."
Naru turned and stalked to the door, sliding it open before sliding it closed. She walked down the stairs, reaching about halfway before she let out a soft sob, pumping chakra into her feet to gain speed as she dashed through the house, out the back and over the water. She felt the burning of her muscles, and her head swam as the blood rushed form her skull at the sudden movement. She didn't care much though, only stopping when she was deep in the forest. She collapsed, curling into a ball as her head pounded, her eyes flickering form her Sharingan to slits. "I'm not supposed to give a damn…"
I~~~~I
Haku sighed gently when she saw Naru, now dressed in her ninja attire, meditating upside-down from a tree branch. The girl was obviously frustrated, two leaves stuck to her cheeks, one to her forehead. "Chakra control is also known to help calm your emotions. Is that true Naru-Chan?"
Naru didn't open her eyes or show she had heard Haku, though Haku knew that the other Kunoichi had. Sighing, Haku sat down on a log, folding her Kimono under her. Her chest was bandaged and her arm was in a sling, curtesy of the girl in front of her. Haku didn't blame her though, as she had thought that the ice nin had killed her friend. She watched Naru as the girl remained utterly still, her breaths measured and controlled. She still had an irritated aura, however unless you were a sensory nin like Haku, or knew Naruko really well, you wouldn't notice it.
The comfortable silence went on for several minutes, before Naru opened her eyes, dropping down onto the ground. She flipped and landed in a grace full crouch, standing and grabbing the leaves as they floated downward. She sighed gently, looking at Haku. "Thank you…for not actually killing Sasuke. Still, if we end up as enemies ever again, I will not hesitate to kill you."
Opening her hand, Naru revealed a leaf with a small slice taken out of a part of it. She shook her head and dropped it to the ground, walking past Haku. Haku let her go, a smile present on her lips. She spoke as Naru was just about to launch herself into the trees. "That won't be a problem. Zabuza-San and I decided to join Konoha. The Gold-masked Anbu asked men to tell you 'A flower may bloom, and it may die, but it always does so in beauty.'"
Naru flinched at the little code her father had run through her head. He was there for her, and even as she grew older, he always would be. She then launched herself into the forest, shaking once more. This time though, she only shook, before surprising her emotions.
Finished! So this came sooner than I thought it would, I thought I'd be doing this for days, but it seems that I wasn't. Thanks for reading, and for the Reviews!
I tried to shorten the Paragraphs, but I'm not too sure how I did. I also gave insight on Naru's other self, effectively laying the ground work for the Chunin Exams and the battle against Orochimaru. Next chapter will be a filler of sorts, showing the different years of Jiraya and Itachi's lives up until the Chunin Exams Arc.
(6-7-16:Corrected Name Errors, Re-Edited Line Format, Fixed Grammar Errors, Fixed Line Breaks, and Cut Paragraphs.)
This the small Land of Waves section, and the official introductory faze.
Arcs go as follows:
Introductory (Graduation Exams, Land of Waves)-7 Chapters
Chunin Exams-8-10 Chapters
Tsunade Retrieval-3-5 Chapters
Uchiha's Betrayal (bet you can guess what that means…hehe)-2-3 Chapters
Preview
Itachi chose then to look up to the sky and let his tears fall down his cheeks. This would be the last time he would ever cry, as Missing Nin did not show feelings. He was a heartless killer now, his pain was irrelevant. He could only hope that Sasuke ended his misery sooner rather than later. It was the only selfish thing he ever wanted, to die by his brother's hand. He truly was a cruel elder brother. "I'm sorry Ototou."
Jiraya closed his eyes, standing before the memorial stone. Engraved on its smooth surface were several more names, several more ninja lost. They were friends, students, teachers, and most of all, family. They had nestled their way into his heart, and just as quickly torn it out as they died, the appendage still clutched in their fingers. Jiraya turned away after brushing his fingers over the two names, shivering as he felt his sorrow grow. Michiko Oreshizoku, Iraku Uchiha, Minato Namikaze, Kushina Uzumaki, Miya and Miko Oreshizoku, and many, many more were freshly carved into the obelisk. He did not know them all, but the ones he did know were enough to make tears slip down his cheeks.
