The Atma Chronicles
By
Zackary Thomas Briggs AKA Narakusnoone
Disclaimer: For some reason I can't seem to stop writing so I guess I'm going to keep writing. Anyway, I don't own anything.
Chapter 33: Revelations and Family
It was 8 at night. The the crew had just returned home and by now, most of them had heard about the prison break. Tazuna was outright laughing when Kakashi had regaled him with the truth. Hell, Gai wasn't even that mad when he heard. In fact, he gladly took the punch in the face after screaming about how so many youths were possessed by the Flames of Youth. But Kiba still brought up what the preacher said about Naruto. Mind you, he didn't know what an Ascended was, but he was curious and decided to bring it up in front of everybody not knowing what it meant to Naruto. Sasuke and Hinata looked at Naruto with expressions that said that they would stick by him even if the others turned their backs on him. So, his confidence bolstered somewhat by their silent approval he asked that everybody sit in the living room and he would explain everything, to all of them.
He sat silent for a moment thinking how he would word his thoughts while everybody got comfortable. Then he said, "Before I go into this, I ask that everybody here hold their questions to the very end and don't judge me until everything is on the table. I had a hard enough time explaining this to my own teammates, and it won't be any easier telling it to you. Now Kiba, you asked me what that preacher meant when he said he sensed Ascended blood in my veins. But before we get into that, does anyone know what an Ascended is?"
It was Tazuna who replied. "An Ascended is a term used to describe creatures bound to flesh that aren't Human, like Demons and Dragons."
"Correct. Now before I get into that, I have to tell you all something else about me. And what I have to tell you is supposed to be considered an S-Rank secret of the highest order, but it's probably one of the worst kept. It has to do with my birth and the events that followed it. You see, My birthday is October 10th. That just happens to be the same day that the 4th Hokage was supposed to have killed the Kyuubi no Kitsune. But the fact of the matter is that that is actually a lie. The 4th couldn't kill him. He was much too powerful to be killed by mortal hands. So, the Yondaime had to stop him another way. That way involved him sacrificing his life to the Shinigami in order to seal the Kyuubi away into a living vessel. Now the Yondaime couldn't seal the Kyuubi into just any vessel, no, that would have been too easy. You see, If he were to have used a full grown adult, the sheer power of the Kyuubi would have ripped that person to shreds and the Kyuubi would have just gotten loose again. So, he had to use a vessel whose Chakra network had not even developed yet. That meant he had to seal it into a newborn child and I was the only child born that night." he paused for a moment to let that sink in. "Make no mistake, I don't hate the Yondaime for sealing the Kyuubi into me, nor do I blame the Kyuubi for its actions and I will explain why in just a little while so bear with me until then. Anyway, The Sandaime, after taking the office of Hokage again, decided to make it illegal for anyone to speak about my status to anyone else, especially the new generation born around that time. I guess he was trying to insure that I would have a normal childhood. But sadly, that wasn't meant to be. I didn't have the easiest time growing up. The older generation, well most of them anyway, went out of their way to make my life growing up a living hell. I had to endure their hatred, their scorn, I was beaten up by some on a regular basis, I was either tossed out of stores or charged up to triple what something was worth, and the worst part was when they didn't even acknowledge my existence at all. And yet I couldn't find it in my heart to hate them for it. After all, many of them lost friends and family to the Kyuubi attack and they needed someway to get rid of their anger. While I hate that they used me as a scapegoat, I still can't hate them." again he paused to let it all sink in. "The truth is though, I didn't know about the Kyuubi being sealed into me until I turned nine. I asked the Hokage outright. When he told me the truth I spent the better part of about two hours crying. But after that, I decided to do something next to nuts. I decided to speak with the Kyuubi. This is the second part of the truth that almost nobody knows. The Kyuubi didn't want to attack Konoha. He was in fact forced to by a man who had a Sharingan."
"Mind if I cut in?" asked Sasuke. "When Naruto told me about that, I made it my mission to validate his claim. When I got home, I started searching my clan archives. Eventually, I came across one of Uchiha Madara's journals and according to what he wrote, it is possible for someone with a fully developed Sharingan to control a Biju so the Kyuubi may very well have been telling the truth."
"Thanks Sasuke. Anyway, after I talked with the Kyuubi, He decided to teach me. And he is very knowledgeable and even wise. But, he was also the one to tell me something that I didn't want to know and commonly went out of my way to deny and it pertains to what Kiba heard the preacher say. You see, he told me that I wasn't human. You see, I'm, that is to say..."
That's when Tazuna said, "You're a half breed, aren't you?" Naruto nodded.
"How do you know the Kyuubi wasn't lying to you, Naruto?" asked Kakashi.
"Because, I trust him more than I do most Humans, Kakashi-sensei. But it's the truth. And it was confirmed by an Ascended we met in the Forest of Death, and the preacher outright said it. I am not a full blooded Human. I am in fact Half Human, Quarter Demon, and Quarter Dragon. As Far as I know, I am the first to be so. I haven't come into my actual Ascended power as of yet, but according to the Kyuubi, I don't have a lot of time left before I do. But that's the truth. I can understand if some of you won't trust me from this point forth and I won't blame you if you do." he said as he turned away.
That's when Shikamaru said, "You're joking, right? What right do we have to call you guilty by association? And really, what do I care that you're a Half Breed? It would be more troublesome to hate you because you have done nothing to deserve it."
"Yeah." chimed in Chouji. "If you were a monster, you wouldn't have tried to help those people earlier today."
"The Aburame have always been looked down upon for our relationship with our bugs. Hating you for your relationship with the Kyuubi is not only illogical, but it would be hypocritical on my part." said Shino.
Tenten got up from where she was sitting and grabbed Naruto and pulled him into a hug. "I finally understand why my family went out of their way to treat you like one of our own. And you know what? You are as good as my little brother. So chin up. I ain't abandoning you just because of this."
"And here I was thinking that I was the only one." said Lee.
"What do you mean Lee?" asked Gai.
"Don't worry Naruto-san. I'm a Half Breed too. I'm a Half Demon on my fathers side. So you're not alone." Lee said with a smile. Naruto smiled.
"And I thought Fate dealt me a bad hand." said Neji. "Naruto-san? You're a greater person than me by far for living with what you have and still being unable to hate the people who have made your life miserable. I am actually humbled to be in your presence."
But Sakura said, "I'm a horrible person." she said it a little quietly. "All those times you tried to talk to me, all the times you I hit you and called you annoying, You were just looking for a friend and I treated you like trash." she started to cry. "I'm sorry Naruto."
"Don't worry about it." Naruto said. "I find it easier to forgive than most."
Then Ino said, "I should apologize as well. I went out of my way to treat you like dirt as well." she was looking down with a hurt expression on her face. "But, I won't let myself do it again. Or may I burn my wardrobe."
Finally Kiba spoke up. "The Kyuubi killed my father." Naruto looked away. "But you didn't. While I may not forgive him, yet, I have absolutely no intention of turning my back on you. Right Akamaru?" the puppy sitting on the floor next to him barked in approval.
"And if it makes you feel any better," started Hasrayo, "Hinata's not a full blooded human either. In fact, Seraphi is a full blooded Dragon. That makes Hinata quarter dragon." Hinata looked at her grandfather and then at Naruto. Did this mean she could stay by Naruto's side? "Hell, She's gonna outlive me by at least 500 years." Naruto looked at Hinata. Did this mean he could keep her by his side?
"So Naruto? What about your parents?" asked Kiba.
"I don't know anything about them. I don't know their names, which one was attributed each of my ascended bloods, or whether they really wanted me. On the one hand, I get a few people telling me that they loved and wanted me with all their hearts, but on the other..." he paused. "On the other hand I have too many people telling me that my mother was a hooker who never wanted me and threw me away the first chance she got and that my father was just a coward who ran away when the Kyuubi attacked. And I don't know who to believe."
Hasrayo and Kakashi were trembling with a fierce rage at hearing that and both had the same thought. 'Screw what he needs to know, consequences be damned.'
That's when Kakashi said, "As everyone in this room is being let in on this secret who cares about revealing one more? Naruto, first off your parents wanted you more than anything. I remember them going on and on about what they would do for you."
"What?" asked Naruto.
"You tell him who his mother was Kakashi. I'll tell him about his father." said Hasrayo.
"Naruto, You're mother was one of the strongest Kunoichi Konoha ever had. Her name was Uzamaki Kushina. And from the moment she knew she was having you, she loved you with all her heart. She was by no means some whore who popped you out and left you for dead." Kakashi said with conviction.
"And your father," started Hasrayo, "Was one of us. He was the greatest success of the Devil's Playground. He was the son of the founder of the Blue Grace. Your father even went on to be Konoha's greatest hero and soon after its most famous Hokage. You are the son of Namikaze Minato. And you should be damn proud of that." then he said, "What most people don't know though is that Namikaze was the bastard name of those illegitimate children who were born into the Senju clan. Hashirama had two children, one by his wife Mito, and one by a lover he took named Saiyuri. They had a son named Seiko who in turn had a daughter named Mimiko, an old friend of mine. You are not just related to the Yondaime kid, You're related to the Shodaime. And you're mother was the daughter of Uzu no Kuni's last Daimyo before its fall so blood more noble than most people in Konoha can boast flows through your veins. You should be proud of it. So what if your parents were Half Breeds? They gave their lives for the village and wished for nothing more than your happiness." Naruto was looking down to the floor with a forlorn expression on his face. "But I'll tell you this, and listen well Uchiha, this involves you too. I also met your grandfather. You two are the grandchildren of Azulong, The Holy Imperial Dragon, the strongest of the Dragons. Your mother, Uchiha, was Minato's older half sister, same Father different Mothers. You two are cousins."
'I knew there was something I didn't like about either of them.' thought the Kyuubi.
'What do you mean, master?' asked Naruto.
'Nothing.'
Sasuke, when he heard that looked at Naruto. They were blood. They were family. Itachi didn't kill them all. He had a cousin. A cousin who he was seeing as a second brother. He started to chuckle a little. Than he started to laugh earnestly like he hadn't in a long time. "I still have family. Itachi didn't take them all away." he reached over and pulled Naruto into a brotherly hug. Naruto was also happy to know that he had a living relative. Everyone else was flabbergasted for the moment.
The silence was broken the sound of the front door slamming and Inari walking into the front room. He had a very sour look on his face. "Whose bright idea was it to stage a prison break?" he asked angrily.
"Well, it was kind of a group effort." said Kiba.
"Do you have any idea what you've done? Now Gato is just going to get worse! He'll start outright killing anyone who gets in his way now! You've just sealed the fate of everyone who would even think of fighting back now! You people should have just left and let this land tondie on its own! How Dare You!"
"No." said Naruto. "How dare you stand there and moan, groan, and complain about something good actually happening for a change. You have absolutely no right to stand there and say that it was a useless venture because in the end, we proved that Gato wasn't as invincible as you thought he was. Or are you going to tell me that that's not the way it is? Are you honestly going to stand there and tell me that your way of thinking is the right way and that it can't be changed? What about your Granfather, huh? Are you saying that he should stop building the bridge now because It will enrage Gato more?"
"It's because of my grandfather that both my Fathers are dead!" screamed Inari. "He killed my real Father before I was born and he just let my second Father die! How can I care about anything that old fool does!?" Inari shot Tazuna a dirty look.
"What's he mean?" asked Naruto.
Tazuna looked down to the ground defeated. "It was about nine years ago. Actually a little longer than that. About thirteen in fact. My wife had just died and It was just me and Tsunami. Then, along came this drifter, a fighter seeking to make a name for himself. He came to me for training. His name was Budou. Well, I figured, I could pass some of what I know along to him. So I started to train him in the ways of one of my specialties, in this instance, Hadou. And he was a quick learner. After a little while though, he fell in love with my daughter and asked my blessing. I gave it to him eventually and they married. But, He was an impatient whelp. Started testing his skills against monsters at first and then he started to turn the skills I taught him on men. Then one day, he said that I wasn't teaching him enough and demanded more. When I refused, he threatened to kill Tsunami. I couldn't let him live after that. So we fought and I killed him. I didn't actually mean to but he was beyond redemption. Tsunami didn't know she was pregnant until a month after I killed him. And that's when I came to realization, I killed the man who was the father of my grandchild. More to the point, I killed him in cold blood. That was the day I swore off fighting. And Inari's right. Had I not let myself make that vow, I could have saved Kaiza that day. Hell, I could have killed Gato by now. But I couldn't bring myself to do it. I couldn't bring myself to take another life with these hands no matter how much I wanted to." then he looked at Inari. "How did you know about my killing your father?"
"You told me when you were drunk."
Tazuna looked sour after that. "Maybe I should swear off drinking too." But Naruto went over to Inari, Picked him up, and carried him outside. "What's he about to do to Inari?"
"If I know the Dobe, He's gonna knock some sense into him." said Sasuke.
Naruto was staring down Inari. "It's bad enough that your grandfather feels guilty about more than just one death. Hell, he probably feels more pain than you do over it."
"I don't care. Let him suffer. I hope he dies." said Inari with tears in his eyes.
"You don't mean that."
"Yes I do."
"What about your mother?"
"What about her?"
"Do you want her to die too?" asked Naruto. Inari started to make his way past him. "Where are you going?"
"To my room."
"I don't think you are." said Naruto.
"And why is that?" asked Inari angrily.
"Because you obviously don't consider this place home. So why should you live here?" asked Naruto getting in Inari's way.
"Move." said Inari.
"No." said Naruto calmly.
"I said move!" Inari shouted. And then he got knocked upside the head.
"You don't live here anymore so go somewhere else." said Naruto emotionlessly.
Then Inari let out a roar of defiance and rushed Naruto. Naruto simply dodged to the side and hit him in the back of the head knocking him down to the ground. "What's your problem!?"
"My problem is that you take your family for granted and that you can treat them so shamefully." Then he picked Inari up. "Think about this for a second. Your grandfather may have killed your father, and he may feel responsible for Kaiza's death. Yes he told us about Kaiza. But think about it from his standpoint. He swore off fighting because he took away from you your real father. But at the same time, while he gave up fighting one way, he still has the will to fight, just in another way. In fact, he puts his life on the line every day that he works on that bridge. He's willing to sacrifice himself so that you can have a better life. And he doesn't do it because he feels guilty, he does it because he wants you to have a better life. He loves you."
"I don't care!" Inari screamed with tears filling his eyes.
"Do you hate him?"
"What!? No!"
"Then why are you acting this way? Is it because of Kaiza's death?"
"It's because of that stupid vow!" cried Inari. "Had he not made that vow, Daddy might still be alive, Mother wouldn't cry herself to sleep every night, Gato wouldn't have took hold of this land. Why did he have to give up fighting?"
"Because sometimes, when we fully realize the consequences of our actions, we find that not everything can be solved with violence. Gato took advantage of the peaceful nature of these people and before anybody could stop him, he already had assumed control. He made the fighters lay down their arms or else he would hurt the people they loved. You've been letting him dictate your life. But the only one who has the power to control your life is you. Today we proved he wasn't invincible. Hell, had we the want to we could have killed him today. But, would killing him have brought anyone back to life? No. And there are people out there worse than Gato. But, that's why I and even your grandfather fight. It's so that people like him can't oppress the innocent or the weak. The people need heroes who are willing to stand up to every adversity. That's what Kaiza was. In your eyes he was immortal. And he still is as long as what he tried to teach you is still held within your heart. Your grandfathers a hero because he refuses to sit back and let Gato do as he pleases. He's building that bridge, that symbol of hope, for you, me everyone who he holds dear. Sure, he may have felt like a coward for not doing something sooner. But it's often better to take action when it's close to too late than to have never done anything at all."
"But, Gato's too powerful. Grandpa will die if he doesn't stop."
"Didn't you just say a few minutes ago that didn't care if he died?"
"But..."
"So you do care then."
Inari sniffled. "But, what if Gato does kill him?"
"Well, that's why we're here. Where your Grandpa stopped using violence to fight, we will use violence in his stead. But unlike Gato, who uses violence to force you to fear, we use violence to fight for those who can't or won't fight. What about you? Do you want to keep living your life in fear? Or do you want to fight back?"
"But, I'm just a kid. How can I fight?"
"There are many ways to fight kid. Not all of them involve violence. Just hanging on to hope is a fight, but it's a worthwhile fight. Besides, technically I'm still a kid and I fight. I'm only 4-5 years yours senior. There were plenty of times I wanted to give up but you only truly give up when you have nothing left to live for. You, you have two people in there who love you and want you to be happy. Isn't that something worth fighting for?" Inari looked at the ground. "I'm not asking you to go into Gato's base fists Flailing, I'm simply asking you to fight for what is precious to you. Now what's precious to you?"
"My family." he said quietly. "But I don't know how to fight."
"Tell ya what kid. We're training tomorrow at 8 in the morning. Be up and have a good breakfast. I'll show you how to fight. After that, It's up to you to decide what to fight for." Then he moved aside and let Inari in the house.
The first thing Inari did when he got in was run up to Tazuna, get into his lap, and cry into his shirt and start saying how sorry he was for being such a brat and asking to be forgiven for not being stronger. Naruto came in shortly after. Then he told Kakashi that Inari would be joining them tomorrow. Kakashi looked at Naruto like he was crazy but he silently agreed. Then they witnessed Inari getting up from Tazuna's lap and seeing him run into the kitchen to probably do the same thing with Tsunami.
R&R and I also noticed something earlier today. I now have one hundred followers. Thank you so much for liking my story so far.