Eyes of the Broken Soul
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor am I affiliated in any way with Naruto. I just like the show and mangas so I wrote this fanfic.
Hey everyone! It's chapter 25 and Naruto's field trip gets underway! I was quite happy with this chapter when wrote it, mostly because it gave me the opportunity to have a bit of fun with Naruto. It also allowed me to introduce a few more interesting scenarios as well as possible future bonds for our young hero.
Hope you enjoy the next chapter. ^ ^
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Chapter 25 - Unwanted Attention
The shuffling sounds of scampering feet scantly wisped across the air as a group of travellers slowly made their way out into the countryside that bordered Konoha, scraping through the dusty path beneath them with little concern while the sun shone through the trees that scattered around their trail. Naruto's eyes hadn't stopped wondering around himself since they had left the safety of the village gates for the first time, taking in all the sights and sounds of the forest as he marvelled at the wonders of what he was seeing.
The chorused symphony of singing birds was only further enhanced by the gently rasping sway of leaves as they rustled about in the early morning breeze, creating an enchanting atmosphere that swept away his heart in its endless beauty. Even the insects seemed to join in the musical orchestra, contributing with gentle hisses and shrewd chirps that whispered from the undergrowth that fell around the path.
"It's all so.... beautiful." The young boy whispered to himself, unable to speak properly as his breath was taken away by the sights, smells and sounds that flooded his senses. "I just wish I could have seen it sooner. If only my orphanage would have let me out more..."
Of course, this was Naruto's first time wandering so far from Konoha's walls, the village itself having already long since disappeared completely out of sight, leaving only the increasingly dense wilderness and all of its marvels. The path that they all walked upon was quickly degenerating into nothing more than a scant trail and would soon disappear all together, leaving no other sign of human influence on the otherwise seemingly untouched forests and mountain slopes as the class descended further into nature itself.
Naruto was almost too lost in his own excitement and sense of wonder to even notice the stares being directed towards him and for the first time in his entire life, the world seemed to be a beautiful place to live in. For the first time since leaving the dark confines of his orphanage, he finally felt like their was something better out there in the world after all. Since they had begun their journey, that would soon develop into a training exercise, Iruka had lead the group forward through a preordained path that had since been decided on long before the trip itself started.
It wasn't too difficult for him to navigate through the dense forests and mountain trails before them, mostly because this wasn't his first time travelling through this part of the countryside. The academy would often use this similar path for many of their field training exercises, in order to prepare the students for duties in the field, and Iruka was often chosen to head such expeditions. Unfortunately, because of this fact, Naruto was unfortunately forced to wander further down the group, unable to travel side by side with his father for the time being, lest he distracted the man from his duties. After all, he had a lot of lives in his hands, not just Naruto's, so the boy had resigned to sinking further down in the crowd until he eventually found himself wondering near the back of the class.
There were two reason's for this, the first being that he didn't like to stand in crowds, mostly because of the risk of physical contact. The second reason was his own subconscious defences instinctively guiding him away from the hateful eyes that bore down on him, as well as the potential threat they posed to his wellbeing. After a few more minutes of walking, Naruto's gaze eventually wondered back to the virtually nonexistent path before him, instead focussing on the other's travelling in his group.
Most of his other classmates were busy talking to their friends or their parents, leaving only Naruto alone in amongst the rest of his peers. He had thought about going over to talk to Hinata, but found himself somewhat intimidated by her father, who would often take a brief moment to glance back at him every now and again with a strange expression on his face. He didn't know whether it was a good or bad expression and it was really hard to tell with the bitterly stoic face of the Hyuuga clan head, but he wasn't about to take his chances.
Shikamaru himself hadn't stopped complaining since they had left the village, continually mumbling about how troublesome the entire trip was, which was only mirrored by the profoundly similar words coming from his own father. The Abarumes seemed to be content in just observing any insects they came across, often taking samples from any that gained their curiosity, before sharing their findings amongst one another while acting completely disinterested in anyone else around them.
The Akimichi's spent most of their time tending to their growling stomachs, trying to resist the urge to devour their emergency rations on the spot while Ino and Sakura, much to both of their fathers' dismay, were still busy fawning over a certain Sasuke Uchiha and he even noticed some of the younger female parents behaving in a similar fashion towards his older brother, who he had since discovered to be none other than Itachi Uchiha.
Naruto had never come into contact with any other Uchiha other than his classmate and even then he had never spoken to the said boy before, but even still he had heard enough about them to know who they were, especially the renowned genius of their ranks and heir to the clan. Of course, it didn't help that much of the history lessons learned in the academy, especially those detailing Konoha's founding, often revolved around that particular clan as well. One would think they were gods gift to the world, in the way that the textbooks held them in such high esteem.
"Why do all the girls always act like they're so special? Would they act the same around me if they knew about my heritage?" Naruto mumbled sourly to himself.
However, the boy quickly shook away his thoughts and stomped them completely, realizing that the last thing he needed was for more people to see him for his status rather than for who he really was. He had already suffered enough because of the blindness of those around him, a fact that made his genuine relationship with Iruka and the few friends he had that much more important. In fact, when he thought about it even more, he didn't even envy the Uchiha one bit, especially when it was so obvious that people only saw them for name itself and not the person wearing it. That was a flaw that many in his village seemed to share when it came to judging others around them.
"Man, it totally sucks!!! Even if they were horrible people, everyone would still worship the ground they walked on, but when it comes to an innocent person who holds something they have no control over..." Naruto's eyes began to water as his thoughts began to deteriorate ever so suddenly, thinking back on the treatment he had endured throughout his life all in the name of something he had no choice in, but he quickly shook it off once more.
"No... get a hold of yourself. There are people that care about you. There are people that love you for who you are and not what you carry." As Naruto reminded himself of his most precious bonds, he began to notice the cold stares of those around him, placing even more doubts into his heart as he was forced to bear the hateful eyes of some of the other parents.
Naruto turned his eyes to the ground again, trying to avoid the harsh glares and silent whispers that came from nearby. It only made him feel even more alone than before and all he wanted to do was run up to his fathers side and walk under the protection and comfort of his arms. He just needed a friend, someone to keep him company who wouldn't judge him or treat him like an outcast. As the boy wondered about what he could do to ease his loneliness, an idea suddenly came to mind, causing him to smile in excitement.
"I know just who to call!!!" Naruto quickly bit his thumb and formed a series of hand seals, before slamming his palm into the ground. After a brief flash of smoke and a few seconds had passed, the plume cleared away again, revealing the prone form of Ryuukimi as he came into view, his eyes only now opening as though he had just been woken up.
"W... what? Who's there? Who summoned me at this time in the morning?"
"Hey Ryuukimi-chan, it's me!!! Naruto!!!!" The small dragon quickly shot open his eyes in surprise and jumped to his feet, excited about hearing the voice of his friend again.
"Naruto!!!!" The dragon quickly jumped up into his friend's arms and snuggled tightly against his chest, almost causing the boy to fall over from the impact.
"I was so worried about you! I thought I was going to lose you..." Naruto just frowned in confusion as he heard his friend's anguished voice as well as the pain in his expression.
"What do you mean? What's wrong buddy?" Ryuukimi looked up tot he blond boy with pain filled eyes, but eyes that showed the clear signs of the inner relief he felt deep inside.
"The day after we did that test with Kakashi-sensei, after I went back home, I felt something strange while I was walking with my father in the afternoon. I felt all of this pain all of a sudden and a lot of sadness as well, and I knew that it was you... somehow I just knew. I knew you were hurt badly and it felt like your life was disappearing. It was horrible..."
Ryuukimi then dug his head back into Naruto's chest again and began to quiver violently, as if to release the tension he felt inside. Naruto didn't know if dragons could shed tears, but he suspected that the young creature was crying in his own way. The blond could feel the panic and raw emotions coming from his touch, as well as the shock that had gripped his small body.
"Then t... the day after that, I could feel you... crying. You felt so sad and alone, as though the entire world had abandoned you, and it made me feel alone as well. I wanted to come and see you, I wanted to be there for you, to tell you that you weren't alone, that I was there to... help you, but there was no way for me to get to you. I felt so helpless." Naruto just squeezed tightly around the small creature in his arms, trying to comfort him in any way he could as well as to relieve his tension.
"It's alright buddy, I'm still here. I'm better now... I'm alright..." After a few moments of allowing his companion to calm down, Naruto eventually spoke again in a gentle tone.
"How... how did you know...?" Ryuukimi finally broke away from Naruto's chest and looked up to share in Naruto's gaze.
"I don't know... I just felt it. When I asked my dad about it, he said that it was because we were soul mates. He says that because our souls are linked to each other, when one of us is in danger or in pain, the other one would feel it as well. He says it's because we are connected to each other in a special way." Naruto nodded his head in understanding before Ryuukimi spoke again, this time in a near whisper.
"Just promise me... please... promise me that if you're ever in trouble again, that you'll call me. I don't want to feel you in pain like that again. I don't want to feel helpless when I know you're hurting. I don't want to lose my best friend..."
Naruto just nodded his head numbly once more as his own emotions began to churn deep inside, realizing exactly how it felt to think that you've lost someone precious to you. He knew how helpless he felt when he saw his own father lying in a pool of his own blood and he never wanted anyone else to ever feel that kind of pain if he could help it.
"I promise Ryuukimi-chan..."
The small dragon seamed to light up a bit when he heard those words and felt his body begin to wash over with relief, something that Naruto noticed easily as well. He knew that the boy would never make a promise that he didn't intend to keep, no matter what he had to do to achieve it. Ryuukimi then shook himself off again and climbed onto Naruto's shoulders, resting on the backpack that fell behind him.
After raising his front paws up onto the boy's head to support himself, he quickly propped up his head and began to take in the view around him. It was then that he first noticed that they weren't in the village and that they were travelling with a group of people, some of whom were staring curiously at his blond friend and the newly adorned headgear that sat on top of him.
"Sheesh Naruto-chan, you could have told me that we would have an audience. Then I wouldn't have gone and embarrassed myself like that." Naruto just scratched the back of his head sheepishly.
"Sorry Ryuukimi, but you didn't exactly give me any time to explain. Besides, I don't think they heard you anyway. It's just that... I was a bit lonely, so I needed someone to keep me company."
Ryuukimi noticed his friends head fall slightly, which was easy considering he was resting on top of it. He then just grinned playfully, knowing that is his friend needed cheering up, then that was exactly what he would do.
"Well then, If it's company you want, you've got just the right dragon for the job!!!! I'm sure to light up any dull mood!!!!!" Naruto immediately perked up and giggled at his friend's silly antics as well as the implied pun, his thoughts on those around him quickly disappearing once more. This was exactly what he needed right now.
"So... Naruto... where are we going anyway? And what's with all these other kids?"
"Oh, them?" Naruto murmured despondantly. "Well our whole class is on a field trip at the moment along with all their parents. I'm here with dad, but he's a bit busy at the moment so I can't really spend time with him right now. I don't know where we are at this point in time, only that we're supposed to learn how to survive out in the wilderness, or something like that..." Ryuukimi just nodded his head in understanding.
"Makes sense... although dragons already know how to live with nature. Maybe I could give you a few pointers." Naruto just giggled under his breath.
"Yeah... if I need to start a camp fire, I know exactly who to ask!" The young boy just burst out laughing at his own joke, causing Ryuukimi to pout as his spotlight was quickly doused by his friend's words, but it wasn't long before he was laughing as well. As the two continued to giggle away in the sunlight, they caught the unwanted attention of three certain boys as they walked behind the happy pair.
"Looks like the dobe has a new hat!" One of them sneered, causing his two friends to laugh.
"Yeah, it's pretty ugly too! Looks like his fashion sense is about as bad as his choice in friends!"
Ryuukimi easily heard the snickers coming from behind and began to growl under his breath, his mood instantly souring. It was bad enough for them to mock him like that, but to make fun of his best friend was definitely asking for trouble. Naruto seemed to have heard it as well, because the young dragon noticed his friend begin to tense up as well, causing him to fume even more. He silently wondered whether it was because of their reference to his own friends as well. A small amount of smoke began to flare from his nostrils and his wings began to waver restlessly.
"Idiots! I should just roast their asses right now!"
"Just relax Ryuukimi..." Naruto mumbled softly in reply. "... It's not worth the trouble. I don't want to hurt anyone unnecessarily, so lets try to avoid a fight okay." Ryuukimi just scowled in disapproval and plopped his head down on Naruto's soft blond hair.
"Man, that just sucks. It's not like anyone's gonna miss them..." The three bullies themselves seemed to notice Naruto's lack of response because they too also began to seethe at the absence of attention.
"So, the dobe just wants to ignore us eh? Well lets see him ignore this!!!!"
The fuming boy then quickly picked up a branch off the ground next to the path and hurled it to the blond in question with all the force he could muster, aiming straight for the youngster's head. Ryuukimi noticed the approaching projectile from the corner of his eyes and quickly snapped up again, turning to face the threat. After taking in a quick breath, a large burst of flame suddenly erupted from the dragon's mouth, before smothering the would-be weapon in a plume of fire, causing it to fall harmlessly to the ground in nothing more than an smouldering heap. He then turned his gaze over to the perpetrators with a hardened glare, his eyes narrowing dangerously as he did.
"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT!!!!!!!" Naruto turned on his heels to face the source of the commotion, only to catch sight of the smouldering ruins lying on the ground as well as the shocked faces of his attackers.
"HOW DARE YOU TRY TO HURT MY NARUTO-CHAN!!!!!!! I SHOULD JUST ROAST ALL OF YOU RIGHT HERE AND RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Naruto quickly tried to calm his friend down before he created to much of a scene, although it was already a bit too late for that.
"Um... Ryuukimi-chan, could you keep it down? You're kinda attracting everyone's attention."
Ryuukimi turned around to where Naruto was looking, only to see the other stunned faces staring back at them. Even Iruka had paused to see what the commotion was about, although the dragon could clearly make out the tell tale signs of the smirk on the chunin's face. The small dragon began to seethe even more as the rest of their audience stared at the two of them with bewildered expressions, causing his dragon-like temper to flare even further.
"What are you all looking at!?!?!?! Hasn't anyone here seen a dragon before!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!"
Naruto just sank into himself even more as everyone who wasn't already staring paused to face them, his body beginning to waver under the pressure of their gaze. He suddenly found himself wishing he could just disappear on the spot, if only to escape the overwhelming urge to jump off any available nearby cliff. It wasn't often that he was the centre of everyone's attention like this and when he was, it only ever meant that he was in trouble. Even the Uchiha brother's spared a glance his way, causing Naruto to simply just scratch the back of his head sheepishly.
"Um... hehehe... you'll have to forgive him. He kinda gets excited when I haven't summoned him in a while." He gulped lamely, trying the first excuse that came to mind.
He was relieved to see that everyone seemed to accept his explanation and quickly got over their newfound shock, before continuing about their business, save for one or two pairs of curious eyes. Ryuukimi just pouted in annoyance at having been dismissed so easily before slumping back onto his friend's head, stifling a groan as he did. Once they were on their way again, Naruto breathed a deep sigh of relief.
"You know buddy... I could have deflected that branch myself. Those guys didn't even try to hide their attack and it was quite easy to hear it coming." Ryuukimi just grinned mischievously before looking down at his friend with a evil glint in his eyes.
"Yeah, I know that, but then that wouldn't have been fun! Besides... I had to get a point across to everyone. No-one tries to hurt my friend while I'm around!" Naruto just smiled as well, comforted by the fact that the small dragon was so willing to defend him from harm, even if it meant taking on the entire crowd by himself. It made him feel safer just being there and it also helped quell his nervousness. The young blond somehow suspected that Anko's influence had something to do with the overly excessive display and it only made him grin even more.
"Thanks Ryuukimi... I appreciate it."
The said dragon just nodded his head sharply before quickly snapping around again, shooting a deadly glare at the three bullies walking behind them. He was pleased to see them all jump back in fright before slowing their pace down to fall further behind and coudn't help hold back the evil grin that plastered across his face.
"Hmmmph! Serves them right!" The dragon sneered under his breath, before turning his gaze forward again. "They're just lucky I didn't bite their rears. Now let's see them try their luck again..." Naruto just gagged at the thought of what his friend had described.
"Ughh!!! I don't think that would taste very good at all. They probably haven't even changed their underwear in weeks. I think you'd die of food poisoning if you did that."
"Yeah... you're probably right about that..." Ryuukimi concurred as a shiver ran down his spine. This only prompted them to both laugh out loud again as they thought about it even more, causing Naruto to forget what had just taken place.
Perhaps this day was just going to get better and better.
--
After travelling for a few hours thereafter, Iruka finally prompted for the group to take a break while taking advantage of the small clearing they had stumbled upon. Everyone seemed to jump at the chance to allow their legs the subtle relief of resting while some of them began to hear their stomachs growling.
"Well, I guess we've covered enough ground for today. Maybe we should set up camp here tonight..." As Iruka became lost in his own thoughts, a voice suddenly called out to him, snapping him from his trance as a pink haired kunoichi jumped into his view.
"Hey Iruka-sensei, so what exactly do we have for food out here? I'm kinda hungry right now." Sakura moaned, tired of having to hike for so long without pause or food. Iruka just grinned heavily, noting the expression on her face.
"Well if you want to eat something, you're going to have to find your own food."
"What!!! Find our own food!?!?!" Ino shouted, causing her father to shake his head disapprovingly. Iruka just let out a deep sigh.
"Well, what did you expect? This IS a survival training exercise after all." After that, he let out an another exasperated breath as he slapped his forehead in disbelief, wondering how some people could be so dense, before continuing with his explanation.
"Look, there's plenty of food all around this forest if you just know where to search for it. Some of the bushes and trees contain edible fruits or seed pods, although I'd let your parents examine them in case they're poisonous before you stuff your mouths if I were you. You could also just hunt for food if you wanted to and the wildlife is pretty prominent in this area. The options are endless really..."
Just then, Naruto came running up to where his father stood with Ryuukimi bouncing happily on his shoulders, causing Ino and Sakura to both look on with confused expressions. They were even more confused when the said boy threw his arms around the scarred chunin and hugged him tightly, before quickly pulling away with a big grin on his face while the man patted his head.
"Oi Naruto, what are you doing here?" Sakura questioned dumbly. "I thought that you had to have a legal guardian to go on this field trip." Naruto just looked up to Iruka with a questioning stare.
"Um... dad, what's a 'legal guardian'? All of them just jumped in shock when they heard the question as well as the reference to Iruka as his father, while the chunin just smiled back down at his son.
"She means someone who has the legal authority to care for the personal wellbeing and interests of another person, like the way I take care of you."
"Oh, so it's just like a mom or a dad." The boy concluded, to which Iruka nodded his head.
"That's right, although technically speaking it could even be a sibling or a cousin, or anyone else for that matter, just as long as they're capable and legally old enough to care for the other person, whether it be financially or just generally. Not everyone is cut out to look after someone else though." Naruto just bowed his head knowingly, his eyes wondering to the floor as he did.
"Yeah... I know all about that..."
Iruka just mentally slapped himself once more as he saw the reaction. 'Damn it, why do I always remind him of his past at the most inappropriate times! I have to watch my tongue more carefully...' The chunin's wandering thoughts were quickly shattered soon afterwards as Sakura and Ino both shouted out in unison, gaining their attention once more.
"You mean Iruka-sensei is your dad!?!?!?!?" Everyone else in the area turned to look as they heard the commotion, causing Naruto to once again withdraw himself from their gaze. Iruka noticed his discomfort and quickly spoke up to ease the sittuation.
"Yes, as a matter of fact, I adopted him about three months ago. Is that really surprising?" The last question had a bit of distasteful sarcasm to it, although it wasn't misplaced considering how the chunin felt at the moment.
"W... well..." Sakura stammered, unable to find the right words. "It was just unexpected, that's all. I just didn't think..."
"That someone would care about me enough to take me in..." Naruto finished her off numbly.
Sakura just stood there silently, already regretting her choice of words as she noticed the pain forming in Naruto's eyes. Although she never really took the time to get to know him, she had always just assumed that he was nothing but trouble, especially with the way most of the other kids and their parents avoided him all the time. But when she saw that look, she suddenly realized that there was more to it than what she had first assumed.
"Naruto... I didn't mean that..."
"It's fine." Naruto cut her off again, rather coldly to boot. "I don't need you to understand how I feel. No one else ever cared anyway, so what difference does it make? None of you guys ever even bothered to try to be nice to me, you just didn't care about how I felt at all..."
Naruto's voice trailed off to the end as he spoke in a near whisper, causing Iruka to grow concerned while Ryuukimi just growled under his breath as he felt the boy's emotions dwindle precariously. Many of the other witnesses in the area had already since returned to their own devices, except for a curious few, including chouji, Shikamaru and Hinata, who had all witnessed the outburst. The blond boy then looked back up to his father again with a blank expression, his voice returning to normal as he spoke.
"Dad, there's a river nearby that we could catch some fish from. I saw it on the way here." Iruka just nodded his head, before squeezing Naruto's shoulder gently, causing the to relax once more.
"Good job... son" he grinned in reply, Emphasizing the last word for effect. "Lets both go and get some lunch." Naruto just smiled happily, finally having the opportunity to spend some time with his father. The two began to make there way to the river, with Naruto leading them, when a voice called out from behind.
"We'll come with you guys, that is if you don't mind..." Both of them turned around to see Shikaku, Inoichi and Choza walking up to them, the larger man already patting his stomach with glee.
"Besides..." the Nara continued. "What better bonding exercise is there than a father fishing with his son?" With that statement, the dark haired jounin slapped Shikamaru on the back, gaining a muffled "troublesome" as he did so. Iruka just looked at the three with a concerned frown, but then relaxed when he saw the genuine expressions on their faces.
"Sure, we don't mind if you come, do we Naruto?" The said boy just looked up to his father with a questioning stare, before the man winked back down to him. He then looked over to the three men as well as their own children.
"A... alright. I guess it's fine..." He gulped nervously.
"I'll come too!" Sakura quickly blurted, before holding her hand up to her mouth. "I... um, mean... I wouldn't want Ino to mess things up on her own. Someone's got to make sure she gets things right." This only got a glare from the said blond kunoichi as well as shaking heads from both of their fathers. After that, the group made their way to the river that Naruto showed them, leaving the rest of the crowd behind. Once they were out of sight, Hinata turned to her father with a nervous expression.
"Um... Hiashi-sama...?" The said man looked down at his daughter with a questioning stare, "Is... is it alright if I go with them?" Hiashi just continued to gaze for a brief moment, as if to contemplate his daughter's request, before nodding his head sternly.
"You may go, but I expect you to behave fittingly for an heiress. Don't do anything to embarrass the Hyuuga name or my own. You are my daughter and I expect you to act accordingly."
Hinata just nodded her head quickly in response to the cold berating, before turning and running off in the opposite direction, trying to catch up to the small group that had just left. As he watched his daughter disappear from his sight, Hiashi just shook his head in confusion as his thoughts began to wander.
Flashback:
Hiashi was slowly making his way through the Hyuuga compound, ready to retire for the evening, when he heard the subtle sound of impacts coming from the direction of one of the training dojos.
'Who could be training a this time of night...?' He thought quietly to himself. Letting his curiosity get the better of him, the Hyuuga clan head quickly made his way to the source of the commotion, arriving just outside the doorway to the large room. As he peered inside, careful not to make any noise to draw attention to himself, his eyes widened in surprise as he caught sight of his own daughter busy moving away from a demolished training post before stepping up to another one, falling into her Jyuuken stance as she did.
'Hmmm, so it seems my daughter has decided to continue training herself despite her failures concerning our families taijutsu style. Perhaps I should have a word with her...' before the Hyuuga could even finish his thoughts, Hinata suddenly released a barrage of pin point strikes at blinding speed, targeting all of the marked tenketsu points on the training dummy with a frightening precision.
It was over in a matter of seconds and the girl quickly returned to a normal stance to inspect her handiwork. Hiashi quickly activated his Byuakugan in order to take a closer look, but was surprised to see that every single target had been hit perfectly, singed with the small marks of slight burns that were no doubt a result of the chakra released during the impacts.
"Impressive..." He whispered to himself, stunned by the unexpected display. "... although her power is still a bit lacking."
Just as he said that, Hinata turned to leave the training room, deciding to call it off for the night. As she stepped away from her target, the wooden dummy suddenly exploded into small fragments, leaving nothing but a mess of splinters on the floor, no longer able to sustain it's form due to the critical damage it had sustained. Hiashi just stood there in shock, wondering how his daughter, the same daughter that had only been a disappointment to the main branch so far, had shown so much precision and power using their family taijutsu style.
'I guess that explains the sudden decrease in our training posts.' The man quickly rushed after her quietly and followed her to her room, standing just outside the doorway while eavesdropping for anything that would give him a clue as to her newfound determination. After a few more moments of silence, he finally heard her speaking in a near whisper.
"I have to get stronger, no matter what. I wont just stand by and watch you get hurt again, not like the last time. Next time, I'll protect you..."
Flashback End:
Hiashi just stared blankly out in the direction his daughter had headed while his thoughts continued to repeat through his mind, causing his curiosity to grow even more.
'Hinata, just who is it that you care so much for? Who is the one that has given you the will to become so much stronger...'
--
As the small group of shinobi and students made their way to the rivers edge, Hinata quickly caught up to the rest of them, quickly falling in beside Naruto before slowing down her pace to match his. The young boy immediately noticed her and turned to smile in greeting.
"Hey Hinata!!! It's really good to see you again!!!" Hianta just bowed politely before returning the smile, causing Iruka to warm at the sight.
"It's good to see you too Naruto. I'm glad to see you're doing well." The chunin was surprised to notice that their wasn't a single stutter in the Hyuuga's voice, which was somewhat shocking considering how she used to act around others. It showed just how much she had grown ever since becoming friends with the blond and his older accomplice, Lee.
'I guess all a person needs to grow stronger is just to have someone who really cares about them standing besides them all the way.' The chunin then focussed his gaze on his son, noticing the smile on the side of his face. 'Isn't that right Naruto. That's why you've grown so much stronger as well...'
"So Naruto, aren't you going to introduce me to your 'friend'?" Ryuukimi teased, emphasizing the last word with a hint of mischief in his voice. He was pleased to see that his efforts had the desired results as he watched the said boy's face begin to turn red in embarrassment. The emotions he felt coming from the boy's touch did little to hide his companion's obvious discomfort, causing the dragon's grin to widen even more. He had now found another weakness to use against his young friend.
"Um... H... Hinata... this is R... Ryuukimi. He's my summoned companion and he's also a dragon." The boy gulped, stuttering as he spoke. The young girl just smiled at his silly actions and bowed respectfully to the small creature.
"Yes, I guess we established that a bit earlier." The young girl giggled. "It is good to make your acquaintance Ryuukimi-san." Ryuukimi just rolled his eyes.
"Sheesh, there's no need to be so polite you know. You're almost as bad as Lee, just call me Ryuukimi." Hinata nodded in agreement.
"Ano... Ryuukimi..."
The three were interrupted in their conversation when they eventually stumbled upon the river, coming to a halt at it's base. Iruka then walked up besides his son and placed his hand on the boy's shoulder, before squeezing it gently.
"Why don't you take care of this one Naruto, it will be good practice for you." The boy just took a deep gulp before nodding his head.
"Alright dad. I'll do my best." He then made his way up to the surface of the water, but quickly paused when he heard someone else speaking.
"It's time to watch you old man work his magic!!!" Shikaku boasted nearby, gaining a grunt from his own son.
"Heh, so that's how it is eh? Kids now days are so disinterested in their parents. Oh well, guess I'll put on a show for the birds, seeing as how I'm not cool enough for you guys." The dark haired man then held his hands together in the 'rat' seal. Naruto watched on with interest as his shadow suddenly extended from his feet and shot into the crystal clear water, traveling underneath his prey. Shikaku then quickly switched to the 'bird' seal.
"Kage Nui no Jutsu!"
Suddenly, hundreds of small dark tendrils burst out of the shadow and impaled some of the nearby fish in an inescapable snare.
"Hah! Looks like I've still got the touch!!!" The tendrils then hurled the fish over to the embankment before the shadow returned to its owner, causing him to cock his head up with pride.
"Being a little bit flashy aren't we?" Inoichi sighed, shaking his head from side to side. Shikaku just grunted in response.
"You just don't appreciate the subtle art of shadow weaving. Some people think it's really cool."
"Oh and who would think that?" The blond Yamanaka sneered in return, gaining a sharp glare from the older Nara.
"Wow!!!! That was so awesome!!!!!!! You totally nailed that fish with your shadow!!!!!" Both men turned to face he source of the praise, only to find the bewildered face of Naruto as he stared back at them in amazement.
"Well, I guess there's your answer." Shikaku smirked. "At least some kids now what it is to be cool, unlike a certain young boy I know..." Shikamaru just snorted as his father turned to face him with an accusing stare before lying down on his back to watch as the clouds strolled past through the sky.
"Parents are so troublesome."
A bit further down the river, Choza was busy using his multi-sized techniques to capture his own prey by the handfuls, literally, while his son tried to mimic his actions. Naruto just shook his head at the sight of it, knowing that they would probably finish the whole lot off in a single sitting without much effort.
Inoichi himself seemed to use some kind of paralysis jutsu for his efforts, holding the fish he targeted in place while Ino impaled them with wired kunai, before dragging them over to shore. It took a bit longer than the other techniques being used, but still worked effectively none the less and Naruto was surprised to see so many variations that one could undertake to finish any given task.
"Alright, I guess now it's my turn." He mumbled quietly to himself before stepping onto the waters surface. Naruto quickly made his way out onto the centre of the river while Ryuukimi continued to ride on his back, searching around for their prey with beady eyes. Once they were in position, the small dragon noticed the curious stares coming from the corner of his eye.
"Um, Naruto, I think we have an audience again." Naruto turned around to see what his companion was talking about, only to catch sight of the bewildered stares being returned to him. It was almost as though he had grown a second head.
"What the hell!?!?!?!" Sakura shouted, almost causing the boy to lose his balance and fall over. "How the hell can you walk on water!?!?!?!" Naruto just shrugged his shoulders before scratching the back of his head with embarrassment.
"Ehehehe... well, the thing is I can't really swim that well." He mumbled sheepishly, somewhat embarrassed by his own 'shortcomings'. The pink haired girl just deadpanned.
"So... you just decided that defying the laws of nature and walking on water was easier..." She replied sarcastically. Naruto just nodded his head nervously, wondering why everyone looked so surprised by that.
"Yeah... that and I wanted to make sure that my dragon didn't get wet either..." he added lamely, trying to to escape the sittuation that he had gotten himself into. Ryuukimi just rolled his eyes before falling into his own blank expression.
"You just had to use me as a fallback, didn't you? You know, dragons aren't afraid of water and we don't mind getting wet either, despite what everyone might think. Some of us are actually quite good swimmers as well." Naruto just looked up with apologetic eyes, gaining a brief huff from his companion, before looking back down to the waters surface.
"Alright then, now lets do this!" He quickly brushed off the odd feelings of nervousness floating around in his stomach and then activated his Tenraigan, careful not to let anyone else see it glimmering in his eyes. After that, he scanned over the waters surface to search for the signs of life flowing beneath him. It was easy to make out his prey, even those that swam deeper from their view, especially when they lit up like that.
"Okay, I've got them. Are you ready Ryuukimi?" The dragon just nodded his head enthusiastically, giving Naruto his confirmation, although the boy didn't need to see his response to know his answer. Iruka just watched from the shore as he began to swell up with pride, especially after noticing the stunned expressions on everyone else's faces.
"Then lets go!!!" The young blond quickly threw a shuriken up into the air with steel wiring attached to it before forming a series of hand seals, while everyone else watched on with bated breaths, wondering what the boy would do.
'Sheep, Rat, Rooster, Boar, Tiger'. "Shuriken Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!!!!"
Suddenly, the single shuriken that he had thrown immediately split into five copies, before shooting down into the water with blinding speed. As soon as they hit their marks, Naruto quickly pulled on the wires, causing the fish he had ensnared to burst out of the water and fly up into the air above them. Ryuukimi didn't even hesitate for a second as he jumped of his companion's shoulders and quickly whipped around in the air, swatting the fish over to the shore with precise flicks of his tail, before landing back onto the boy's extended arm with a massive grin on accomplishment.
It had all happened within a matter of seconds and the others watching couldn't help but gasp in surprise. Naruto then deactivated his doujutsu and turned to face his audience once more, noting the falling jaw lines as he did. Even Shikamaru's normally bored expression was replaced with one of surprise, even if only a little.
The young boy just shrugged it off and grinned wildly, before running over to his waiting father and jumping into the chunin's arms. He didn't know why, but he felt like he had achieved something important, he just felt really good about himself. The others just watched on in surprise at the sudden display of affection.
"Did you see that dad!?! It was pretty cool huh!?!?!" Iruka just pet the boy's head affectionately, while enjoying the excitement and happiness coming from his son's touch. It was enough to make chunin himself happy as well, just knowing that Naruto was having a good time.
"You did great Naruto, that was really awesome, but where did you learn that technique you used just now?" Naruto quickly pulled out of the hug and shared in his father's gaze, never once losing his victorious grin as he did.
"Anko-neesan helped me create it during our weapons training exercises saying that it would come in handy to conserve ammo and catch my enemies by surprise. She said that it was the same as using normal shadow clones, except instead of making more of me, I just had to focus it on my weapons instead. The hand signs are also a bit different from the normal shadow clones, but it's basically the same idea behind the jutsu so we eventually figured it out. She also said I had to be careful not to make too many at once right now, because it also has similar downsides that the shadow clones do as well."
Iruka nodded his head in understanding, glad to note that Naruto already knew the risks of physical strain if he used it excessively and had already compensated accordingly. He knew the boy was just playing it safe by only creating five copies of his weapons even though he could have made a lot more with his chakra capacity.
"Alright then, lets get these fish back to the clearing. After that we can set up a campfire and eat to our hearts content." Naruto seemed to light up at the prospect of food because his mouth was already watering just at the mention of it but then a question came to mind.
"Um, but dad, what about everyone else? Are they gonna have some too?" Iruka just shook his head.
"No, they're going to have to find their own food as well if they want to eat. It wouldn't be fair for us to do all the work while they sit back and relax." Naruto seemed to understand, although something was still bugging him slightly, but before he could say anything else, Ino spoke up in his stead.
"But I thought that shinobi shared their food during mission, with each member of a squad taking turns to hunt or gather supplies."
"Yes that's right..." Iruka replied. "... but ninja squads are normally composed of four members per cell, so it's easier to feed a smaller group. When there are larger groups of strike forces or massed defenses consisting of multiple squads, each one of those individual teams are still expected to carry their own weight so that they don't hinder the performance of the entire group."
Ino just put her hand on her chin. "I Guess it makes sense."
"Is it alright if Hinata eats with us dad? She did come along after all." Naruto queried, worried about his friend going without food.
"Ano Naruto-kun, but I don't think I can." She quickly answered. "My dad will probably expect me to stay with him anyway. We'll have our own food so don't worry." Naruto just sighed in disappointment before silently nodding his head.
"Okay, I understand..."
The small group then made there way back to the clearing with their prize in hand, with Naruto and Hinata running up ahead while the rest followed a bit further behind. Iruka watched on with a smiling face as the two youngsters shared in one another's company, laughing and playing as they tread through the dense undergrowth.
"It looks like you've got a good kind there..." The scarred chunin quickly turned to his side to face the one who had spoken, only to catch sight of Shikaku walking up to his side, seemingly lost in the same view that he was.
"Yeah, he is a good kid. I just wish there were more people that saw him that way." Shikaku seemed to remain silent for a brief moment after that, sharing in Iruka's gaze as he watched the young blond in the distance. After a brief moment, Iruka turned to face the ground again, talking in a shallow voice.
"Look Shikaku, we both know what he is and what he carries, but if you try anything to..."
"Whoa!!! hold on there Iruka!" Shikaku quickly cut him off. "I have no intention of doing anything to harm him and I can assure you that Choza and Inoichi share the same feelings as I do. Not all of us are bloodthirsty animals you know."
"You mean you don't hate him? You don't blame him for what the Kyuubi did to the rest of the village like everyone else does?" Iruka questioned, somewhat curiously. Shikaku just shook his head.
"Iruka, I may seem lazy and shallow on the outside, but I assure you that I'm not as dense as those pitiful excuses for human beings that live in amongst our village. It doesn't take a genius to know that this boy isn't the Kyuubi, even though it has been sealed inside of him, but it does help that I am one anyway. I've heard all about the rumors regarding Mizuki's defeat at the hands of a 'monster' as well as many other's as well, but when I look at him, when I see the way he holds onto you so desperately, I know that the one who's really getting hurt is him. He's the one who is suffering the worst kind of pain."
Iruka just scratched the back of his head sheepishly, slightly embarrassed about reacting so harshly without any thought.
"Thanks Shikaku, I appreciate it more than you could imagine. I'm sorry for lashing out at you earlier, but I just thought you might be like the rest of them." Shikaku just smiled back at his fellow shinobi with a reassuring grin before waving his hand to dismiss the apology.
"There's no need to be sorry Iruka, any good parent would want to protect their child from harm. I would have reacted the same way if it was my Shikamaru that had to carry that curse." The Nara's head then dropped as he spoke those words, almost as if to contemplate the meaning of them, before speaking softly once more.
"If it was my son... I... I don't know what I'd do actually. I don't know if I'd be able to handle it... knowing that he would have to suffer so much. You're a very strong man Iruka, far stronger than most people give you credit for. I don't know how you do it, but it's good to know he has at least one person that's willing to care for him."
Iruka just turned to look forward again, watching as his son continued to walk further in front of him, his laughter filling the air with an exuberant happiness as well as filling his own heart with an deep sense of fulfilment. He allowed a brief smile to appear on his face as he heard Naruto's innocent chuckles scattered across the air while Ryuukimi prodded his cheeks again in an attempt to tickle the young blond. It was then that he understood where his strength came from. That was why he was able to endure.
"When I see him smile, it suddenly doesn't feel that hard any more." Shikaku looked over to the chunin curiously as he spoke in a near whisper.
"Just seeing him happy and smiling makes it all worth the trouble. That's all the strength I need..."
After that, they continued to the camp in silence, sharing no more words between them as they waded through the forest, their faces touched only by the scant rays of late afternoon sunlight that managed to pierce through the trees. Not to far in the distance, two wondering eyes gazed on with a keen interest as they captured two certain youngsters in their gaze, watching carefully as Naruto and Hinata interacted with one another.
"So, this is the boy. He is the one you want to protect so badly." Hiashi quickly deactivated his Byuakugan and then made his way back towards the campsite, ensuring that he arrived well before his daughter noticed he was gone.
"It seemes we have a lot to talk about, Naruto uzumaki..."
--
Note:
"Kage Nui no Jutsu!" = Shadow Sewing Technique
"Shuriken Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!!!!" = Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu (Used by the third Hokage in episode 69 during his battle with Orochimaru).
Well, I hope everyone enjoyed that chapter. I'm sorry if I ended it with a bit much left in the air, but it was becoming a bit long again. There will still be even more interaction with the other rookies in the following chapters, so don't worry. I just didn't want to rush things to much, but everyone will get their chance eventually. I'll also give more insight as to what the others think about him after today's show, but that will come in the next chapter.
As for Naruto learning the 'Shuriken Kage Bunshin no Jutsu', I thought it was only natural, especially considering Anko was teaching him in weapon use. It also falls in nicely with his Kage Bunshin no Jutsu as well and i just think it just rocks. (I couldn't help myself).
Hope you enjoyed that chapter!!!!