Original Summary: He was a Jinchuuriki who was murdered by his best friend. But Fate has other plans, and Naruto wakes up in his five year old body. KakaNaru Yaoi
New Summary: After his death in the Valley of the End, Naruto wakes up in his five year old body and the ideals and responsibilities of his father's clan fall upon his shoulders as he becomes the bearer of the impossible Yochigan. As his mind threatens to break under the strain of the legacy of the Kazama clan, his only hope in salvation lies in the hands of the one person he pushes away due to his overwhelming love for them. Can Kakashi get close in time to preserve Naruto's deteriorating sanity? KakaNaru Yaoi
SS's Notes: I'm not happy with the ending to the last chapter, not at all. My muses think its ok, but I think it's too sappy. But then all the reviews came in, and so many people liked it, so the ending to the last chapter is here to stay! Thank you all for your support! Now on with the story!
Previously on Soundscape…
Six lives came together on that day, guided by fate, and as their destinies ran their course, their numbers would grow, and by their deeds, they would bring an end to the ever repeating tragedy of love of death that came with the overwhelming love of an Oracle…
This was their fate, for better or for worse….
And Fate would not be denied…
Chapter 25: Freefall
Naruto, dressed as a Hunter, his mask secured at his belt, smiled as he stood on top of a billboard sign advertising a newly opened weapons shop and looked through a window at the six Konoha-ninja who were meeting for the first time under the service of the Oracle. There was a swirl of leaves and a silver haired old man appeared, sitting beside him.
"Is this alright?" Jiraiya asked, "Not introducing me to them, I mean?"
"It's fine," Naruto said. "At least one Anchor is kept secret at all times, so if something happens, there is one still alive to Anchor the Oracle. In theory, it's the perfect backup plan. In the end, it's merely tradition. Hinata, as my Mouth, will be the only other person to know the identity of the Shadow Anchor. Ibiki, having once been a Mouth himself, will know that there is another Anchor somewhere, he just won't know who it is."
Jiraiya sighed. "Man, I knew the Kazama Clan had complicated traditions, but this one is just plain weird."
Naruto twitched. "The Oracle is the Kazama Clan's greatest commodity. The Clan will do whatever it takes to ensure the Oracle's long life."
"That's all and well, but what about your teammates?"
"Sasuke, so long as he follows the path of an avenger, will never mature, and I can never trust him with something as delicate as the Yochigan," Naruto said calmly. "Sakura lacks maturity. I cannot trust her not to treat this like a game. Kakashi is the only one in Team 7 that I can trust to be an Anchor."
"Oho!" Jiraiya grinned, "Are you sure you didn't just make him an Anchor so you would have an excuse to keep him near you?"
Naruto blanched. "Wha-what are you talking about?"
Jiraiya looked like the cat that caught the canary as he said, "So you do like him."
Naruto huffed. "Of course I do! He is—was—my jounin sensei!"
"Is that all he is to you?" Jiraiaya leered.
Naruto spluttered. "Shut up you pervert!"
Jiraiya's face became solemn. "It's not a crime to love, you know."
Naruto looked away. "A Kazama's life is too short for it to be safe to make any permanent attachments."
"Kazama Clan Rhetoric," Jiraiya said dryly, "Your father used that excuse too, and then he married your mother."
"Father was not an Oracle," Naruto said quietly, lowering his head so his bangs covered his eyes.
"No, he was not an Oracle," Jiraiya agreed, "But he had an advanced form of the Insight, didn't he? That's probably as close to the Yochigan as a Kazama Son can get."
Naruto said nothing.
Jiraiya leaned back slightly, and said quietly, "As a ninja, you are entitled to love and make your life with whomever you choose. That hitae-ate means you're an adult, and most other ninja won't say a word, even if your lover is several decades older than you are since they know the hardships of being a ninja can only be offset by the presence of someone you love. The only people who will make a ruckus would be the civilians. Life for a ninja is much too short to reject your own feelings, you know?"
"…"
Jiraiya stood up and formed the ram seal. "Think about it," he said, and vanished in a puff of smoke.
Naruto closed his eyes, and gathered up the dark emotions that Jiraiya's words had pulled up, and shoved it all behind the bars of the seal, into Kyuubi's waiting paws, to be locked away until there was a chance for him to go through it without loosing his mind.
The Hunter knelt there, his eyes watchful. Movement caught his attention and his muscles coiled and tensed, preparing to pounce… The bushes rustled and a dark figure emerged, fighting their way out of the undergrowth. There was a flash of silver as moonlight reflected off metal. The Hunter recognized the symbol. Hidden Sound. It was his prey.
There was a faint whistle as the Hunter lazily tossed several weapons in the direction of the figure. As he expected, the Sound ninja dodged, and the Hunter was ready for it. There was only the weight of his blade in his hand and the thrill of the Hunt as he raced forward, seemingly appearing out of nowhere in front of the ninja. And then there was the sound of metal slicing through blood and bone and the coppery scent of blood as it splashed out of delicate veins, over finely wrought steel and onto the surrounding forest…
Word spreads quickly in Konoha.
Within hours of the meeting, everyone was aware of who held the Oracle's greatest trust. Naruto stood alone on the Hokage's monument, his eyes watching dispassionately as the village below seethed like a kicked anthill.
There was a strange feeling welling in his heart, one that told him that his Mouth should have been someone else, that by rights, his current sworn Mouth should have been an Anchor.
Naruto knew the feeling.
He knew exactly why he felt it.
Every Oracle chose a potential lover before they chose anything else, and it was that person who was the Mouth. To put someone else in that position, when it was the Mouth to whom the Oracle would go to for support and comfort, as well as advice, he had been foolish, but the Oath had been taken and accepted. There was no chance of selecting a new Mouth unless Hinata died, and since she had been sworn, Konoha would protect her as furiously as they protected him.
Naruto didn't mind. He wanted it this way.
However much he loved Kakashi, he dared not approach the man; dared not bare his heart to him as he would have to with his Mouth.
He regretted nothing of his choices.
But if that was so, than why did his heart hurt?
Hinata knew very well that she wasn't the one who was supposed to be Naruto's Mouth. Anyone who knew anything about the Kazama Clan knew that the Oracles tended to select their lovers as their Mouths, and Hinata knew that Naruto didn't see her in that light. She knew, however, that people tended to attack the Mouth, knowing that the close bond that tended to lie between Oracle and Mouth would hurt the Oracle, and Hinata knew without a doubt that she was the decoy for the Anchor that should have had her spot.
Whomever Naruto's most precious person was, Hinata would protect them, for Naruto's sake. If Naruto was happy with someone other than her, then she would be happy for him, and protect them both. Only Naruto's smile could make her smile, and she would preserve that with everything she had. That was a promise….
She was not meant to be Naruto's Mouth, but since she was there, she would fulfill the duties of that position and ensure Naruto's happiness. She would not allow anyone to keep Naruto from being happy, no matter what…
Because Naruto's happiness was her happiness…
There was a strange feeling welling up in him…
Kakashi didn't have to wonder what he was feeling when he saw Hinata.
It was jealousy. Pure and simple.
Anyone who knew anything about Oracles knew that the position of Mouth was usually filled by the Oracle's lover.
Kakashi just wished that it was him instead of Hinata…
Ibiki remembered when he was Mouth to Chizuru, Naruto's Aunt, and the previous Oracle. He knew what the second meaning behind the title of Mouth meant.
Lover…
But Naruto held no such feelings for Hinata.
Ibiki wasn't blind. He could see the jealousy in Kakashi's eye when he watched the two together, could see the frequent looks Naruto gave to Kakashi. He could see that Hinata could see that she was not supposed to be the Mouth.
Whatever the Oracle was planning, Ibiki could only hope that things would turn out alright despite the convoluted circles in which events seemed to travel in, because the person who was supposed to be an Anchor was the Mouth, and the person who was supposed to be the Mouth was an Anchor…
TBC …
Totally Random Babbling: It got shorter... ((falls on face))
SanadaSayuri