Hi! Sorry for the long absence! I was kinda having a messed up time, and I also had to work on the other story (It's got more reviews than this one already! I'm so proud *sniffle*). Thanks for your faves, story alerts, and reviews! I love you all!
WARNING: MAJOR SPOILERS FOR (VERY) RECENT CHAPTERS.
Disclaimer: I don't own the Naruto (Shippuden) series.
"I came from the future by some type of technique I created, combining three space-time ninjutsus. You're going to hear the whole story later, so I'll skip to the stuff you'll need to be prepared for." Sasuke kept quiet, stunned. His teammate―his friend was really a time traveler, probably years older than him, in disguise?
"You killed your brother, but learned the truth of why he killed the clan soon after. Itachi was a spy for the village to see how the clan was acting. He loved peace, and was disgusted by the clan's plans of a coup d'état for spite." Sasuke clutched his head, eyes wide, as he listened. His breathing quickened as she went on.
"Fugaku, your father, planned to get revenge for all those years of the clan being shunned by the village. Before the Nine Tails attacked the village, the clan was already quite distant from the people, because of its history, and the clan was also being thumbed down by the elders. After the Kyuubi… attacked the village, its people grew suspicious of the clan, shunning them completely because they were strangely absent. Fugaku's anger grew tenfold, going as far as to plan a coup against it and the Senju clan.
"The third hokage learned about this from Itachi, and the council wondered what they should do. Danzo, was an elder of Konohagakure and leader of the supposedly disbanded Root Anbu. It turned out that he had a secret Root organization, and Itachi was part of it. Itachi was ordered by Danzo to assassinate the clan before the Hokage even decided yet, for the safety of the village."
Sasuke shook uncontrollably, grief filling him up along with hatred and anger against the village. He sat on Itachi's bed as he whispered, "Itachi killing the clan… was a mission?" He glared at the blonde, "How would I know if this is true? He told me he did it as a test of his power!"
Naruto looked down, her usually sky blue eyes darkening to a sea blue, "Itachi asked me once… If I had to kill you because you planned on destroying the village, would I do it? I told him no at that time, not really understanding what he meant, that I would save you from the darkness and I would still protect the village. He smiled at the answer, but I didn't get it. I didn't know the truth about the clan―everything―then.
"I found out about all of this only after Itachi died and you started hating the village for what it had done to your brother. I found out from the very same man who told you. He was the man who ruined my life from the very moment I was born. He stomped on the happiness I could have gotten, killing it, squashing it to dirt. He even took you away from us. I still have many other reasons why I hate him so much." Naruto banged her fist on the desk before calming down, and her hand retreated back to her side.
"When I met Itachi again―he was dead, but I would be explaining that later―he told me he was happy with my answer. He told me that he'd put his faith on me, and believed that I would be able to save you." Naruto clenched her hands, sobbing as she slid on the floor. Sasuke let his tears fall, but didn't let out a sound.
Naruto choked out, "Look Sasuke, I want you to know that Itachi loved the village very much. He wanted the village safe and wanted peace, after seeing war." She wiped her face with her sleeve and stood back up. "He sacrificed his happiness for it, he sacrificed everything important to him―all except you." Sasuke's eyes widened as he looked up at Naruto, who sat by his side on the bed.
"He loved you too much, more than the village. He wanted you to be free from scorn, so he threatened the council to keep it all a secret, and disgraced himself, becoming a missing nin." Naruto held his hand, "He also threatened that if anything were to happen to you he would kill them."
Sasuke clutched it like a lifeline as Naruto spoke the next words, "He cares for you and loves you so much that he would sacrifice everything just to keep you safe. He wanted the best for you, and he willingly sacrificed his bond with you for you."
She smiled as she wrapped her arms around him and rested her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes. She whispered softly, "Itachi loves his dear brother."
For the first time in nearly five years, Sasuke hugged someone back tightly and cried.
The first thing everyone in the office noticed from the two kids was their puffy, bloodshot red eyes, the effect from crying. They were shocked to say the least, when they realized that those two kids were Sasuke and Naruto. Sakura and Kakashi's eyes softened, as they walked past, the chunin and jounin ninjas making way.
Hiruzen coughed into his hand to gain everyone's attention, "I have gathered you all here today to inform you of Naruto's heritage, and what she has to say."
Naruto stepped forward, and looked straight at the crowd as he continued, "We haven't announced this in fear of her safety, because of who her father is." Naruto took a deep breath. "Naruto's full name is Namikaze-Uzumaki Naruto."
Many gasped at this, while the others were confused. Naruto closed her eyes.
"Her father is Namikaze Minato, the Yondaime Hokage. Konoha's Yellow Flash."
The people who didn't get it at first got it now and stared at the blonde as if she had two heads. Sasuke turned to Naruto, eyes wide.
"My father sealed the furball, the Nine Tails in me, having faith in me. Dad believed that I would be able to control him, and I did." Sasuke, Zabuza and Haku's eyes bulged out. Haku now understood, it made sense; the orange cloak around her from their fight.
Genma, who had been at the front, asked, "So you can control the Nine Tails? And you're on good terms with it?"
Naruto grinned, "Although he never admits it, we're pals! You know, he really isn't so bad, although his breath stinks and―okay, okay, geez!" She rubbed her temple, confusing the poor ninjas in the room. "Well, anyways, I'm about to tell you what really happened on the day of my birth. It's not what you think it is, either." The crowd of chunins and jounins exchanged glances, before redirecting their attention back to the blonde. The girl closed her eyes, and, after a while, she was covered in flames.
An orange-red cloak covered her being, and it took everyone a moment to realize that it was the Kyuubi's chakra. They looked in awe, as Naruto spoke again.
"I need a lot of chakra for the jutsu I'm going to use, and I want everyone to be calm. Don't freak out, because it would be really hard for me to keep all of you together." She frowned, before looking around. "Could everyone huddle together a little?" Everyone complied, the other people behind her going into the crowd, wondering what the technique was.
Naruto bit her thumb, drawing blood out of the wound. She furrowed her brows in concentration as she got out a sealing paper from her pouch, placing it on the floor. She wrote various lines and curves with the red substance on the slip.
Once done, she flashed her hands through various hand seals, the seal in her mouth. Placing the paper between her fingers in a right half sheep seal, the other withdrawn to her chest, she thrust it towards the group.
"Kioku toho no jutsu!"
They were all blinded by a white light, surrounding them, enveloping them in its warmth. Their eyes were screwed shut, and they opened them slowly when the blinding brightness was gone.
They were greeted with a snout. A very large, red furred snout, with a black nose, and black lips. They slowly brought their eyes up, only to see flaming red, demonic eyes stare back at them. It took them a minute until they finally jumped―fell and scurried―back.
They were mere meters away from the very large and very real Nine Tailed Fox.
Sasuke widened his eyes, being at the very front of everyone. A random chunin held him back, "What the hell?"
"Relax, geez." A voice came from behind the red fox, as a flash of yellow popped up from above the Kyuubi's head. "I'm right here. Kurama won't hurt you, so don't sweat it―"
The same chunin glared, "How can we not be afraid? It is the very reason―"
She glared and interrupted him back, "He has a name. Kurama, you dolt. I just said it, and it wasn't very long ago that I said what happened is not what you think."
That shut the man up, and she sighed. "Look, I'm sorry about snapping, but I want to get this done with quickly." She jumped off, and landed gracefully. She turned to her teammates, before looking at the Hokage. "Everyone follow me."
They walked after her, and were now in front of a locked up door. It was covered in chains and locks, everything made of metal. If it wasn't for the metallic plate at the top reading "Memories" they would have thought that they were tricked into the T&I department.
Naruto brought her hand before the door, and the chains quickly withdrew to their holes, the locks clicked. The door flew open, revealing a white room. She went in and the others followed slowly, looking around. Once the last of the people were inside, the door slammed shut, once again giving them an uneasy feeling of being trapped.
"As you saw on the door, this room is where my memories lie. We would see through them like a ghost, we can't touch anything that goes on in the memory, and everything would go through us. I'll be starting from my battle with Kurama, just before I got control."
She disappeared, and they all turned to the large demon and an older, seventeen year old Naruto slowly appearing. The blonde was clutching at her soul, which the Kyuubi's was grabbing hold of. They blinked as voices boomed and growled angry thoughts. Naruto yelped and whimpered out in pain as she clutched her head as the voices grew louder.
"I hate them! Why won't they see me? Why do they… it's always the same! The same eyes, all the time!"
"I'll get revenge!"
"I hate this! I hate everything!"
"Make it stop!"
Naruto choked, "Make it stop…" Iruka stepped forward in concern, his frown getting deeper as the pain in the voices grew.
The same voice as the seventeen year old Naruto's boomed, yet it was darker, more sinister.
"Doesn't it make you sick, that the village suddenly gets all happy and comfy around you? That they suddenly respect you after all those years of wanting you dead?"
The group widened their eyes, as other voices got stronger. The adults recognized what was happening, before some looked away in shame. Sakura and Sasuke looked horrified.
"Stay away!"
"Die, monster!"
"You should never have existed!"
Naruto crumpled to the floor, whimpering, "Stop!" The voices still continued, booming and echoing as it bounced off the walls.
"Go away, demon!"
"No, you can stay right here," Everyone whipped their heads to a beautiful woman, who had long, flowing red hair. She smiled softly, her voice almost angelic, "Naruto."
The tailed beast was gone, and all that was left was both women, including the group. Kakashi and Hiruzen widened their eyes. "That's…"
Naruto looked up, tears evident. "Who are you?"
The lady giggled, "Take a guess."
By now, the people unnoticed by the two realized who she was. They had the same face, except for the colors. Naruto frowned, before widening her eyes, "You're…"
The woman grinned eagerly, "I'm…" The group of ninjas leaned forwards, anticipating her reaction.
"You're the Kyuubi in disguise, aren't you!" Everyone fell over; the supposed to be touching moment shattering after those words were spoken out in accusation.
The redhead bopped the blonde, "Hell no! I'm Uzumaki Kushina, idiot!"
The blonde gasped, as her teammates face palmed, "You're my…"
"If you're trying to say mother, then ye―"
She was cut off when the girl ran up to hug her tightly. Everyone smiled at the sweet scene before them.
The scene faded, and the twelve year old jinchuuriki appeared again, scratching her cheek as she grinned sheepishly. "Yeah, so she's my mom, sorry about that… I guess I went back too far… I don't have great chakra control right now. So, now's the part where she tells what really happened on October the tenth, twelve years ago, and a little of the Uzumaki clan's history."
She flashed away again, as the two females appeared in her place. They were sitting down, serious faced.
Kushina explained patiently, Naruto was silent, and the team reeled back in shock, except for the people who already heard of it. Sasuke's legs gave in as he collapsed on the ground, realizing just how Naruto had her happiness stripped away from her, all from one man.
The chunins that had hated Naruto before were ashamed of themselves, at how they put all the blame on her. They blatantly ignored the Fourth's wishes, and treated her as the demon itself.
Everything returned to the empty white room again, and Naruto was back in front of them. "Jiji, may I reveal Itachi's mission?"
The man nodded solemnly, and the scenery changed to a snowy wooden building. Yamato, Kakashi, and Naruto appeared, along with a man trapped in wood. He wore an orange mask, and a black cloak with red clouds. The people recognized him from the descriptions Kushina gave, and glared immediately.
The hateful looks were wiped off their faces though, when he said the truth behind the Uchiha massacre. They were left with horror etched into their faces, Kakashi's team and Sarutobi grim faced. Many shot a glance at the boy from the clan mentioned, before they studied their dear leader's face in clarification.
They were met with a hard, tired look, making the old man seem more like his age. They turned to gauge in the reactions of Team Seven, but noticed that they were all serious faced, but not surprised.
"The fate of the Uchiha and Senju clans… Sasuke and Naruto's destiny is to fight each other to the death, as the last of the ancestor's descendants."
The flashback faded, leaving behind the white room and the group of Konoha ninja. Zabuza and Haku were still wondering why the hell they were being informed, but didn't voice it.
Naruto's voice brought them out of their thoughts, and they looked around to find that they were back in the office. "He wasn't Uchiha Madara as he claimed to be. During the Fourth Great Shinobi war, he told me he was no one, and he didn't want to be anyone." Naruto's fist shook in rage, as people recovered from the fact that there was another war, and they looked at her worriedly.
"To me, the hosts and the Tailed Beasts, that's a really big deal. I… We jinchuuriki―" she spat the word out. "―know what it's like to feel so much pain from loneliness. Everyone in our villages hates us for something we couldn't control, they ignore our existence. I guess I was lucky, compared to the others, that I didn't get assassination attempts." She ignored the large intakes of breath. "But anyways, we want―need―people to acknowledge that we're there. That's why I acted like a fool. To get attention, even negative ones. I didn't care as long as someone saw me, and didn't see through me."
She willed her trembling hands to stop, as she tried to contain her anger at the thought of the man. "Hearing him say that he didn't want nor need anyone to acknowledge him made me hate him more than I already did. It was only after that did I learn that all the Tailed Beasts had names, names that the Sage of Six Paths thought up for them. I learned it from the Four Tails, Son Goku, and he was a proud ape." Naruto smiled to herself. "A while after that, me and the furball somehow formed a kind of friendship. To be honest, I was jealous of Killer Bee and the Eight Tails, who were great pals under their quarrels and insults. I wanted to have that with Kurama. I wanted to joke around with him, have fun with him." She grinned at them, making them astonished at how bright her smiles could be. "I think I'm a really lucky girl to have him sealed in me."
The beast smirked as his eyes closed, his head resting on his paws from his place. The people in the room stood frozen, before their lips quirked up. Naruto was oblivious to the smiles, however, and laughed sheepishly.
"Hehe, sorry I kind of went a little off topic. So, um, yeah." She ended awkwardly, not knowing what else to say.
"Pft." Everyone looked down at the two kids in the room, blinking in surprise as Sasuke and Sakura held their laughs. Sakura was barely containing it, though.
Naruto huffed, crossing her arms on her chest. "Glad to see you got a kick out of it." She changed her face, setting it to match her seriousness, before looking at the group as a whole. "I hope you all keep this a secret?"
Iruka gaped, as did many others, "Why, Naruto? Wouldn't it be good to stop the glares and hateful remarks of the civilians? They need to know―"
"No, they don't. I don't want this to be spread around; otherwise it would reach the Akatsuki. The group where he is hiding, and the group that is hunting me―the jinchuuriki―down." She looked back, out the window to see the bustling villagers. "And also, I want to make them acknowledge me with my own achievements again."
The group looked at each other, before shrugging and smiling at their new and old friend.
Naruto scratched the back of her head, "I need to tell―show―you some more things that messed up the future." She got everyone's undivided attention and continued. "It's about the Fourth Great Shinobi War."
Somehow, the ninjas knew that this wasn't a normal kind of war. Nothing in Naruto's time period was ever normal though, was it?
Everyone was out of the door once the meeting was over, drained and exhausted by Naruto's story, except Sasuke, making the blonde raise a brow.
"Sasuke?"
He knit his eyebrows close, frowning, before dragging her out of the tower, Naruto shouting obscenities the whole time. "Sasuke! Hold up, and tell me where we're going before I kick you where it hurts!"
He let her go abruptly, making her trip over her own foot. "Sorry."
She snorted, "I can walk, you know." She dusted herself off the ground. "So? Where are we going?"
"Bring me to your house."
She paused, before looking at him strangely, "Huh?"
He furrowed his brows irritably, "I said, take me to your house."
She spluttered, before finally getting a grasp on words, "W-Why would you want to go there?"
"I'll tell you when we get there."
They walked in silence, and Naruto fiddled with her keys. Once inside the apartment, she went to the kitchen. "Want anything?"
"No thanks."
She poured herself a cup of orange juice, before shoving him a cup of it as well. "I don't like not serving a guest."
He rolled his eyes, but took it gratefully anyways. "I want to know about your childhood, using the jutsu from earlier."
Naruto stopped drinking, before setting the cup down slowly. Her eyes were guarded, as she quietly asked, "Why?"
"I want to know more about you."
Naruto widened her eyes, before letting out a hollow laugh, "It's better if you chose a different topic, Sasuke." She scowled when he kept his stubborn attitude.
"How would I know more about you, my teammate, if you won't show me what it was like for you when you were younger?"
She growled, "Fine. But don't expect too much. It's probably most of the stuff you've seen before anyway."
Naruto did the same thing as before, and Sasuke found himself already inside the room. He raised a brow, and Naruto answered the unspoken question.
"I'm only summoning one person into my mind, so it's easier to bring you here than it was with the group." She turned to the middle of the room, before disappearing. Sasuke shut his eyes when a sudden light flashed, before opening them to see the village streets.
"Hey, hey, isn't that her?" He turned his gaze to the owner of the voice, huffing at how loud it was, when it was meant to be a mere whisper. He laid his eyes on two women, and glared at their intense hatred towards the seven year old girl.
"Yeah, that kid."
"Hah, she should just disappear to save us all from the trouble of the mon―"
"Shh! Do you want to get yourself killed?"
Sasuke watched the other civilians surrounding the young Naruto, and saw that they all had the same angry eyes. He couldn't help but feel isolated, despite that it wasn't directed at him.
It's always that look. Every single time!
He glanced at Naruto after hearing her thoughts and saw that she was glaring back at the people around her. "What's so different about me?" She barely spoke, nearly a whisper. "Why does everyone…" She clutched the ends of her shirt, now glaring at the ground. Sasuke looked away, but snapped his head back at the blonde after hearing her outburst.
"Yeah, well, I'll show you all! I'll be the greatest hokage, and you'll all give me the damn respect I deserve!" Naruto yelled out, before running to the direction of her house. Sasuke looked around him to see that the people were scoffing at her.
"Hokage? Pft, in her dreams. Monsters don't deserve any respect."
"You should stop it at that! Remember the law?"
The memory faded away, and Naruto appeared in a blur. "Happy? I don't have many happy memories before team seven, and this is all I could think of right now."
Sasuke bit his lip, "Then show me your old team seven."
Naruto chuckled without any humor, a distant look in her eyes, "My old team seven, huh?" She laughed, "Not many happy times… we never really went out all together, and we were like a broken one. It wasn't until the Chunin Exams that we worked well. So... nah."
Sasuke frowned, before he knit his eyebrows together, "How about me and you?" Her reaction surprised him.
Naruto brightened up considerably at that, "We were great, although rough at first. You acknowledged me as an equal in the exam, and all that stuff… but it's private. I want to keep it to myself, thank you very much." She grinned. "Besides, with you guys, I'll make new memories, and better ones."
Sasuke's lips were tugging down, before it loosened and worked its way up at the last sentence. Naruto laughed and gave him her softest smile.
Sasuke didn't want the warm feeling in his chest to go away. He frowned, trying to distract himself with something. "Hey, Naruto, what was the name of the Nine Tails?" Well, he was honestly curious. "I don't think it's polite to keep calling him a 'beast' or 'demon.'"
Judging from the look on her face, she was delighted he asked. "Kurama. His name's Kurama." She grinned, and Sasuke cursed the throb in his chest.
Not that he didn't like it.
Naruto brought them back to the apartment, before pausing as she remembered, "Sasuke?"
"Hm?"
"What are you going to do… about Itachi?"
Sasuke smiled sadly, making Naruto's heart constrict. "I would like to get him back."
Naruto took hold of his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "I'll help, if you want; Sakura and Kakashi-sensei are here, too. You won't be alone."
He squeezed back, "Thanks."
He left without saying another word seeing as it was already quite late. Naruto sighed before going to her kitchen to grab something to eat for dinner.
I guess this chapter kinda disappointed you... It does seem kind of boring so I'm so sorry! :'( Please give some feedback, advice, and no flames please! I'll try to update this every Saturday, and if it works, then that would be the schedule (and also for the other story).
B.T.W. 'Kioku Toho no Jutsu' literally means 'Memory Walking Technique' or something along those lines...