Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Legacy of the Messiah

Chapter10: Whispers

Snow Country: Film Ship / Ocean

The room was dark onboard the film ship where Yukie...Koyuki slept in bed. Naruto stood next to the window and kept on looking between both her and the necklace she wore which was now on the table beside the bed. The feeling he got from it was cold yet refreshing instead of the Shodaime's necklace which felt warm.

...Two of six...

Naruto looked around upon hearing the voice but found no one other than him and Koyuki.

...Tail...moon...split...sage...necklace...

'That's not Kyuubi,' Naruto thought since he didn't feel any demonic presence.

...Senju...Uchiha...legacy...Child of Prophecy...

'What the hell are you talking about? I don't understand you,' Naruto asked in thought but got no reply.

Naruto turned and stared at the necklace for a good ten more seconds before he made a hand-seal and whispered a few choice words. A second later a single shadow clone appeared in the room and transformed into a copy of the necklace. A second later he switched the two and placed Koyuki's necklace in his pocket.

Greetings Princess Koyuki, I do hope you're still carrying around the Hex Crystal.

'What's so damn important about this crystal?' Naruto asked in thought as he remembered the Yuki nin saying those words.

There was a knock on the door before it slid open slightly allowing Sandayu to look in. "The ship pulled into dock a moment ago, everyone else is waiting in the conference room," he spoke simply.

Naruto nodded, "yeah you've got some explaining to do". Sandayu nodded and the two walked to the conference room making sure to close the door behind them.

"Naruto; what did that snow guy mean when he called out 'Prince?' Why would he call you that," Sakura asked though it sounded more like a demand.

Yugito shot her an annoyed look, "why do you think pinkie? It's because he's the heir to the Whirlpool Country's throne and the only child of Uzumaki Kushina".

Naruto sighed, "It's true".

"Why didn't you tell us?" Sakura asked in surprise and almost a little hurt.

"Would you have believed me? I was the dead-last of our class Sakura; even if I'd known about it back then no one would have believed me. Besides I only found out recently so it really doesn't matter at the moment," Naruto responded.

Sasuke remained quiet as he watched him with narrowed eyes, "..."

"What I want to know is what's up with Yukie; if that's really her name," Yugito said as she leaned against the wall near the window.

"Sandayu-san...explanation, a good one, now," Naruto said with a hardened tone which surprised Sakura and Sasuke.

The manager calmed himself and sighed, "Alright". He took a deep breath and began, "Fujikaze Yukie is only an alias; your actually guarding Princess Kazahana Koyuki. The rightful heir to Snow Country's throne," he stated.

"I'm sorry, what?" Naruto snapped. "And when the hell were you going to tell us this?"

"I-I didn't think they would come after her so soon," the manager stammered out. "I'm a former resident of Snow Country so I know her," Sandayu continued unable to meet their gaze.

Yugito cast a look over at Naruto, 'she's just like Naruto'.

"I served the princess's father, the former Daimyo of Snow Country; Sosetsu-sama. Then ten years ago Sosetsu-sama's younger brother Doto hired a group of Yuki nins and started a coup d'état. The Kazahana Palace was burned to the ground and Sosetsu-sama was killed. I thought the same fate befell the princess but she was saved by Hatake Kakashi," Sandayu explained.

"Kakashi-sensei saved her?" Sakura asked.

Sandayu nodded, "the day I discovered she was alive I was practically beside myself with joy. She was...alive after all those years; we all thought she had perished with her father".

"I should have died that day," a voice rang out from the door. There leaning against the archway was Yukie...Koyuki, "I am alive...but whatever tears I had left all dried up that day".

Sandayu wiped the tears from his eyes, "and that's how I came to be the manager of Fujikaze Yukie. I have bided my time, waiting for the opportunity to return the princess to Snow Country".

"So you've just been using us all this time?" asked the assistant to his side.

"I'm terribly sorry for deceiving you all but...it was for Snow Country's people," Sandayu said as he stood and moved in front of the Snow Princess. He dropped to his hands and knees, pleading with her, "please Princess. I beg of you; confront Doto and assume your place as the leader of our home".

Koyuki stared at him impassively, "not a chance. I refuse to throw away my life in some fools dream".

"B-but you highness-" Sandayu began.

"You can forget it; I don't care. No matter what happens you can never get rid of Doto," the Princess said with a glare.

"Why don't you shut your mouth?" Naruto growled angrily at her surprising his team. "This man is on his knees, begging whatever self-respect you have left in hopes of accomplishing his greatest dream. Insult him like that again and, mission or not. Woman or not, I will beat you into the ground".

The room fell deathly silent after that; tensions running high as the two bit back their own sneers...

"And just who are you to tell me what to do?" Koyuki asked never taking her eyes off the blond boy.

"I can be your best friend or your worst enemy," Naruto answered as his Rinnegan activated creating a pressure in the air. "It's not like you have a choice; with this Doto after you now, your only hope is to keep moving". He let that sink in for a few seconds before continuing, "like it or not. We're your only hope; deal with it".

"..." Koyuki didn't know what to say to that.

Yugito spoke up next, "normally on a mission like this we'd return to the village but with Doto after us we'd be slaughtered before we escaped".

"Let's just deal with them here; it's nothing we can't handle," Sasuke grunted with his arms crossed.

"Sasuke-kun is right; we won the last fight," Sakura added in her two cents.

Naruto nodded reluctantly, "no we didn't. They ambushed us; we barely escaped without any serious wounds...they'll be prepared next time...but then again so will we".

Uchiha Sasuke walked along the length of the ship, his mind not on the ocean or the ship itself. Instead it was on his team, his second family; he cared for them, for the bonds between them but...something was missing. Something that was important...his goal.

Why are you still so weak? Is it because...you don't have enough hatred?

Uchiha Itachi...

The man who murdered everyone he cared about, the man who slaughtered his entire clan, the man who was once his brother. He had been on Sasuke's mind since their encounter a month ago; he had thought that Itachi had returned to finish him like he did the rest of the Uchiha Clan. Instead he not only all but ignored Sasuke's presence, his reason for returning was to capture his team-mate Naruto.

It was ludicrous; it went against everything he stood for. He hated it! The dobe was Itachi's target; he didn't even bother taking Sasuke seriously. At first he didn't really pay much attention to the orange-clad idiot but...the Chunin Exams. Between now and their time in the academy, it was unnatural progress.

At first he thought it was the Rinnegan that was giving him power but...that didn't account for their mission to Wave Country. The dobe had beaten the guy who had defeated him and was still conscious. He didn't have the Rinnegan back then so how did he not only survive but win against his opponent? Why was Itachi interested in him to begin with? Just who was Uzumaki Naruto?

Judging by the conversation earlier, Naruto was the Prince of the Whirlpool Country. He'd never heard of it before; it was strange especially considering the blonde's bloodline. Naruto had the Rinnegan so naturally his clan had it also right? Surely if there were a clan of Rinnegan users someone would have noticed right?

If there were such a clan then...why hadn't he heard anything about them?

Question's plagued Sasuke's mind but he couldn't seem to find any answers. There was also Yugito to consider; he'd never cared much for feelings, physical or otherwise, preferring to retain his seemingly cold appearance. The ambassador from Kumo seemed to embody what he'd always thought Kunoichi were supposed to be like.

She was strong, didn't need protecting and was capable to defending herself. Given time she would be a force to be reckoned with, especially considering she was the granddaughter of the current Raikage. Though for some reason—which he found frustrating—he couldn't seem to copy any of her Jutsus with his Sharingan.

'Dobe, I will find out your secrets. Yours and that girl's too,' Sasuke thought as he stared out at the sea, completely oblivious to the cold.

It's interesting how things had changed since their academy days Sakura thought as the ship pulled into dock and everyone began to disembark. Back in the academy everything was 'normal' and she knew where everything fit. Sasuke was the 'cool genius' who always won; Naruto was the dead-last who always asked her out and she always hit. She was the 'most popular' girl in school and wanted to get to know Sasuke better.

Things changed when she joined Team 7...

Kakashi taught her a very important lesson; look underneath the underneath. In other words don't take anything at face value. Kakashi had lain out Sasuke like he was an old rug; Naruto had not only mastered the ability to create clones but also managed to make them solid. Where Sasuke was beaten badly by Kakashi, Naruto had come up with a plan in the middle of the test and (though it was useless) managed to surprise the scarecrow-like man.

Then the mission to Wave Country...

She would never forget it, how Sasuke easily dispatched two Chunin Nukenins like they were nothing. The look on Naruto's face...and his vow; it was unbelievable and yet terrifying at the same time. Then they were attacked by Momochi Zabuza, the Demon of the Mist. He was able to catch Kakashi off guard though that was only because he had to protect his students while fighting.

Zabuza had taunted them, scared them beyond all recognition and just as they were about to run away in fear...Naruto did something that she'd never seen from him before. He didn't give up, he didn't run and didn't back down. He stood his ground and made up a plan which he along with Sasuke managed to implement. The plan surprised Zabuza and freed Kakashi from his prison who then proceeded to defeat Zabuza.

That was the first time she had really seen that Naruto wasn't what he appeared in the academy and Sasuke wasn't that strong when compared to others. It happened again when Zabuza came back with his apprentice and nearly killed them. She had thought Sasuke was killed but he was just put in a near death state; Naruto on the other hand had not only defeated the masked nin but he didn't seem to have a wound on him.

She'd thought Sasuke had won the fight since Naruto wasn't that hurt but when Sasuke asked her if Naruto defeated the masked nin she knew that wasn't the case. After they returned home they were entered into the Chunin Exams and yet again Naruto defied every image she ever associated him with.

He beat opponent after opponent; where Sasuke ran out of chakra and energy Naruto just seemed to go on forever. Then during the finals she found out that he had a bloodline and not just any bloodline but the same bloodline only the Rikudō-Sennin had. It had been months since the tournament and if she were honest with herself she thought that she was the only no-name on the team.

Then there was Yugito...

Sakura didn't care much for her; in her opinion the blond-haired girl was a cross between Ino and Temari. She was annoying, stuck-up and she was sure the girl wanted her Sasuke-kun. I mean why else would she have joined Team Kakashi? Surely it had nothing to do with Naruto; okay he had improved greatly but he was still an idiot.

Not that it mattered; Sasuke-kun would be all hers...

One way or another...

Snow Country: Mountain Range

After everyone had disembarked from the ship they had all used the small convoy of vehicles they brought with them to continue their journey on solid ground. It took several hours before the convoy reached the other side of the mountain; they had used a small tunnel going through it which had once been used by the railway which was once used by the natives.

When they stopped to rest however...things became complicated again.

The assistant jumped out of his truck and approached Makino frantically. "Mr Makino!" he shouted as he drew near.

"What is it?" Makino asked.

"Yukie has vanished again!" the assistant replied frantically.

"What?!" Makino exclaimed.

Naruto looked over at Yugito and said. "Find her," Yugito nodded and took off...

'No way; I am not going back there', Koyuki thought as she dashed through the frozen forest. Suddenly she tripped and rolled across the ground until she finally came to a stop at the bottom of a hill, 'why...why is this happening?'

Why do you run away?

Koyuki's eyes widened slightly at the voice but she didn't move.

...Senju...Child of Prophecy...

"Are you done?" Koyuki looked up and saw Yugito standing not too far away. "Come on; everyone's waiting," the Kumo Chunin said as she pulled the princess to her feet.

"H-how did you-" Koyuki began as Yugito suddenly holstered the woman up onto her back.

"I'm a sensory type; I had you picked out before you even ran away again," Yugito explained as she took off with the woman clutching her back. "You can run as far as you like and I'd still be able to track you," the blond stated.

"..." Koyuki remained quiet at that as they neared the entrance to the tunnel.

"Why do you run away from your fate? It can't be just self-preservation; it's got to be something more than that," Yugito said as she slowed to walking speed. When she didn't answer she decided to change the subject, "you know; you and Naruto are similar in a lot of ways".

Koyuki snorted, "yeah right. I'm nothing like your boyfriend; I'm not insane".

Yugito snorted, "he's not my boyfriend and yes you are insane. You're insane for making everyone worry; you're insane because you're afraid".

"I am not afraid," Koyuki growled out.

"I heard about your father; he was a great man who followed his dreams. What does that say about you?" Yugito said over her shoulder.

"I will not allow you to lecture me," Koyuki sneered.

A grin slipped onto Yugito's face, "then why don't you stop me?" (Note: I'm sure some of you have watched the new Star Trek film where I got this line from. It seemed to fit so I put it in).

Koyuki didn't respond, instead she dropped off the smaller girl's back and sent her a glare.

"You can never understand; every ounce of happiness I've ever had was taken from me because of this country. I hate it; I didn't want to come back here. I do not fear it; I loathe its very existence. Doto should have finished the job back then instead of making me suffer like this," the Snow Princess growled out.

Yugito just stared at her, "I may not be able to understand you but Naruto does. You're everything he's not and yet you're just the same as him. You're standing in someone else's shadow looking for a way to stand on your own. I've seen the way he looks at you, like he's looking into a mirror. He sees you as a reflection of himself; what he could be if he chooses too...I can't stand the sight of you".

"I don't care," Koyuki said simply.

Yugito turned away at that, "...fine. Stay a heartless monster forever; see if I care". Without another word she picked the princess up and started carrying her again in silence.

Author's Notes:

For this story I see Naruto and Koyuki being like brother and sister. They're both royalty but whereas Naruto is not sure what to do about Whirlpool Country, Koyuki never wants to return to Snow/Spring Country. They're similar and yet completely opposite. It's similar with Naruto and Yugito where they both share burdens and yet they've been treated differently in their childhoods.

As for Sasuke and Sakura well...how do I explain this? I guess I just wanted to show Sasuke's state of mentality when seeing how different Naruto has become since the academy days. Oh and the multiple bodies/corpses that Pein uses isn't going to be a part of Naruto for some time. He will get them eventually but not for a very long while.

One more thing; please everyone stop reviewing random shit and trying to justify it. This is my story; if you don't like it then don't read. Nobody is forcing you too; I'm doing this because I enjoy it not to make you all happy. There won't be any significant changes until the Sasuke Retrieval Arc; that is where everything will diverge from canon.

Translation

Rikudō-Sennin = Sage of Six Paths

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