A/N: Next chapter, and I divulge from canon for a while. Sorry, but that means it will be a little while before VoTE,
Summary: To be a Jinchuuriki, a container to one of The Nine, beings with the power to shape the world. More than just a state of being, The Power of Sacrifice is a process. Does being a demon make me any less human? No one is born a monster, are they?NaruxHina
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto…I don't even own the computer I'm using to post this
Key: Normal "Speech" 'Thoughts' "Demon/Inner Speech"'Demon thoughts' /animal 'speech'/ Sound Effects/Illusions "Enchanting voice" "Enchanting Demonic Voice"
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Chapter 37
New Beginnings
The fox returns with the old flame, and on the way is exposed to the legendary chest, but he soon overcomes it. Upon returning, the fox learns that the hawk and scarecrow have fallen into dream, and it is up to the old flame to awaken them. The fox encounters the sunny place, and learns that an eclipse is coming. Determined, the fox seeks the sun's chosen.
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"Hehe, Trust Tsunade-Obaa-chan to pick the inn that has an outdoor onsen" Naruto chuckled to himself, carefully placing his belongings in the designated basket on the shelf. It had been three days since the battle of the Sannin (one Naruto was most pissed at having slept through, mortal wound or no), with a different hotel or inn each night. For tonight, Tsunade had chosen the luxuriant 'Taira-Ubuge-Shiruki Inn'; a day's walk away from Konoha and their last stop on the trip home.
As the blonde reached for a towel, he was suddenly aware of something cool pressing against his neck, the contact so sudden that it sent shivers down his spine.
"Huh? This is…" Pausing, he clutched at the Shodai's necklace around his neck; holding the blue stone firmly in his hand.
"…I wonder…" With a look of naive curiosity, the fox-boy closed his eyes and began channelling his chakra into the gem.
"…" Peeking out through one half-lidded eye, the young youko was delighted to see that the stone was glowing with a soft yellow-green light.
"Awesome! I got my own little light-jewel! Hehe…I wonder what would happen if I…" Glancing around to ensure he was alone in the changing rooms, the Kyuubi-heir began channelling a tiny amount of youki into the stone, hopeful for a more fantastic display. The reaction was instantaneous.
'Die unholy spawn of Evil!!' The stone's glow turned from a cool lime to sudden brilliant white; and sent a mild jolt through the blonde's body. It was like a slap in every sense of the word. It stung mildly, hurt the pride more than the flesh, and sent an itching sensation from the mouth all the way to the fist.
"You bastard rock! I should kill you!!" The fox-boy snarled in response, his eye's flashing red, and his tails waving freely behind him.
"I'm gonna-! …Ara?" The Kyuubi-heir paused, mid-rant, as he suddenly realised the situation. Blushing furiously, he hastily retracted his tails and claws, his eyes returning to their human blue.
'This stone pisses me off! I can't believe I was about top go all out against an inanimate object. I feel like an idiot…stupid rock, how dare you get me riled up! Bah, I'm not gonna stoop to his level'
"Rock, you belong to me now! And that's not gonna change anytime soon now, so get used to it!" As the gem failed to respond, Naruto's blush grew; the blatant lack of intelligence in arguing with a rock making itself apparent.
"Stupid rock. Just for that, you're gonna have to put up with me in the onsen as well!" The blonde shouted angrily, stomping his way over to the men's side of the baths.
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As Naruto sank into the steaming hot water he let out an overly content moan. His eyes fluttering as the almost overwhelming heat washed over him.
"Sugoi…" It was late at night, and only one other person happened to be in the springs with him at the moment. Across from the blonde sat Jiraiya; A floating tray of sake by his side, a healthy blush about his face, and an odd tune spouting from his lips.
"Girl, you're fi-ii-iine! Lay you down…Fi-iine! I'm horny, yeah" Ignoring the bizarre ballad, Naruto swum over to the white-haired sage
"Hey, Ero-sennin"
"Ah? Oh, it's the Masagaki."
"Why do you keep calling me that? You said yourself I'm legally an adult!" The blonde ninja whined,
"Because you're still a brat in my eyes, that why!" The man asserted, taking another gulp of sake. After a few moments, Naruto spoke up again.
"I'm surprised you're not peeking. Turning over a new leaf?"
"Hehe, no. I've already seen heaven once. If I saw it a second time I don't think they'd let me come back alive" The toad-sage replied vaguely, waving his hand in a dismissive manner before reaching for more sake.
"I'd say I don't wanna know…but that'd be a lie, and odds are once you get drunk enough you'll blurt it out anyway so who cares?" The blonde muttered, before moving so as to float on his back, a full moon hanging directly overhead…calling him in…
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"Ah…this is soooo relaxing…" Tsunade moaned; sliding into the water until it was up to her neck.
"I know what you mean, I could just fall asleep right away" Shizune fluttered, stretching out her limbs before leaning back against the edge of the bath.
"Even better than the one's in Konoha" The younger blonde agreed, diving underwater and emerging a few metres away from the busty sannin.
"That's a shame…I was…" Tsunade started, only to have her brain process the presence of the third occupant.
'Blonde hair…three whisker marks on each cheek…blue eyes…my necklace around his neck' In an instant, the younger blonde suddenly found herself hoisted out from the water by the neck, a murderous look in the to-be Hokage's eyes.
"Uzumaki Naruto…I want you to tell me two things" Tsunade hissed, holding two of her fingers in front of the blonde's face for emphasis. "One. Why are you on the woman's side? And Two, What possible reason is there for me to not kill you right here and now?" Coughing, the younger blonde struggled to hold up three fingers,
"One. You're not my type." The Kyuubi-heir coughed, counting off a finger. "Two, I already 'hack' have someone. Three, I'm Naruko" She finished, clutching her own breasts for emphasis. Narrowing her eyes, Tsunade tightened her grip on the girl's throat.
"Using a henge to sneak into the women's bath's…despicable"
"Not…henge…" Naruko gasped, her eyes rolling to the back of her head. Unbeknownst to the blonde sannin, the water around the base of her captive's spine started to glow an ominous red. Pausing, Tsunade loosened her grip.
"But you are Naruto?"
"Naru-ko! Going by a guy's name…feels weird like this…" For a split second, Naruko's eyes flashed red; the young demon's survival instincts kicking in. Before she could even blink, Tsunade suddenly found herself suspended above the water by three glowing tendrils of crimson chakra. Freed, Naruko fell back down into the water before quickly rising again, coughing violently.
"You crazy old hag, trying to kill me!?" She demanded. The blonde raised her head to say more, only to choke on her words as she took in the sight before her; Tsunade, stark completely naked, and splayed out in the air before her. Inexplicably, the girl's eyes were drawn straight to the woman's chest.
"By Inari-Daimyojin's glorious sack of rice…those things are HUGE!!!"
"You bastard fox, what are you doing?" The Sannin demanded, struggling against the ethereal tails that bound her. Twisting her head, she was about to call for help when she saw that her assistant was sleeping peacefully on the edge..
'So much for 'loyal subordinate'…I'd call for Jiraiya…but if he saw me like this…' The elder blonde balked suddenly, as she felt an inquisitive hand make contact against her left breast.
"It really is heaps soft…I wonder if Hinata-chan's will get as big as this…" The younger blonde muttered to herself, clenching and unclenching her palm before giving the breast an experimental jiggle.
"You little punk! When I get down from here I'll-!" The soon-to-be Godaime's threat was enough to snap the Kyuubi-heir out from her breast-induced stupor. The girl blinked as her brain processed what just happened.
"Huh? Ah! PLEASE DON'T KILL ME!!!" Naruko suddenly screamed, dropping the slug-summoner unceremoniously into the water as she frantically scrabbled for the edge of the bath.
"NARUTO!!!" Like the jaws of death itself, a long, slender arm shot out from the water, dragging the Kyuubi-heir to her untimely demise.
"Goodbye cruel world!!!"
XX
A swift beating later, Naruko sat huddled up on the rocks that made up the spring, clutching her tails as her youki healed the bruises.
'I knew it should have been the Kage Bunshin that went into the women's side'
"So why are you in that form anyway?" Tsunade demanded, brandishing her fist menacingly. "And remember, you're response to this question determines how many organs you get to keep!" Sniffing, Naruko turned to face the elder blonde.
"I do it all the time; a guy in the men's section and a girl in the women's. I like to check which side's better" She mumbled.
"…I really want to hit you again…" Tsunade muttered, causing the blonde to cringe. Those punches really hurt, even when pulled.
"Please don't"
"Why do you have a…female form…anyway?"
"…To seduce men" Naruko said, as though stating the most obvious fact of the universe. The earlier beating she received already slipping to the back of her mind.
"…What are you, gay?"
"Like a fox!" The Kyuubi-heir grinned, flicking her tails about behind her. Sighing, Tsunade massaged her temples with her fingers.
"I know Jiraiya said the Kyuubi had been teaching you, but I didn't realise it was teaching you this"
"Tsuku-sama taught me everything I know about being a Kitsune…well, Youko, but still."
"And what's with those tails?" The elder blonde demanded, gesturing to the swaying chakra tendrils. Blinking, Naruko waved them in front of her face.
"Why wouldn't I have…" She trailed off as her slitted eyes finally noticed a very important detail. "BY INARI-SAMA'S GLORY, MY THIRD TAIL!!!" She screamed, hugging the newfound tail to her chest.
"…"
"Ah, this is so cool! Two tails in as many months! This opens up a whole range of new sex techniques I could use! Oh, I bet it's because I mastered Rasengan! Aha, praise the gods, I win again!"
"You've lost be completely, Gaki" Tsunade muttered, redirecting the blonde's attention back to the sannin.
"Huh? Oh, right. If I do something particularly difficult, impressive, or awesome, I get a new tail. Once I get all nine I'll be undeniably the Kyuubi no Youko, and my powers as a bijuu will be complete."
"…I…see…so you have to prove you're worth the Kyuubi's power?"
"Not quite…I have to…build up my own power to that of Tsuku-sama. Of course what that power does is somewhat different, but you get the idea" Naruko shrugged, walking over and dipping her feet into the spring.
"I assume Tsuku-sama is the name of the Kyuubi then?"
"Yeah. Kurui Tsuku."
"I didn't realise being a Jinchuuriki worked like this" Tsunade muttered, holding a hand to her chin in thought.
"Yeah, it's the same for all of the nine. We build up our power, and gain our predecessor's memories, until there's nothing left to gain. Then by rights we are the Bijuu…well, once you're human life ends anyway. Of course, how long it takes depends on the number of tails we have to gain, and how quickly we absorb the memories. For the first three it only takes about ten or so years. For the middle three it can take around twenty years, and for the last three, it can take us as long as thirty, depending on how we live and stuff" Naruko explained, idly twirling her feet in a spiral in the water.
"You're gaining the Kyuubi's memories?" Tsunade demanded, somewhat alarmed by the revelation.
"Well, kinda," Naruko shrugged. "They go into our head as we sleep, but for the most part we can't access them until we gain our last tail. To make sure the Bijuu has a different personality each time around"
"Makes sense I guess…" The Sannin muttered, wishing she'd noticed that Jiraiya had taken all the sake earlier. "What started this conversation again?"
"I…I don't remember" Naruko chuckled sheepishly, absentmindedly rubbing the back of her head.
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Deep within a dark sewer, a young heir stood before the cage of his predecessor. Sensing his presence, the slumbering beast stirred.
"Junjou Mugen. Has the moon truly returned so swiftly?" Kurui Tsuku asked, his enormous red eyes snapping open.
"Hai, Tsuku-sama. I have much to tell of you" Junjou Mugen said, kneeling before his surrogate father.
"Kukuku, so you do. You're hand was not marred last time I woke" The terrible fox chuckled, causing Naruto to self-consciously cover up the mark.
"Hai. Through the pain on my hand, I have learned a new technique…it was Tou-san…" Naruto muttered, averting his eyes. He never felt comfortable discussing his biological father with the creature that had all but raised him, lest he seem unappreciative.
"You did? If I could say one thing for the man, he had power. I admit, I was surprised when he used the power I had given his predecessors to summon the Shinigami…but it is of no consequence…I see you have gained a new tail" Tsuku said, stepping forward and shifting to his human form.
"Yeah, I think it's for gaining that technique"
"Do you? What part of yourself does this tail manifest?"
"I'm not sure…but I believe its my 'desire to succeed', at least, that's what it feels like.""'Desire to protect' and 'desire to succeed', I wonder what you're fourth tail will encompass…'
"Ah, that reminds me. I think I'm starting to understand your fascination with large breasts…" Mugen said, stepping towards the cage so as to better see the fiery redhead.
"As I have told you countless times, child-bearing hips and a bosom you can sink your face into. Those are what makes a woman"
"And the capacity to have kits," Mugen added.
"That goes without saying. Someone who can't have kits is woman in name only. Now tell me about these breasts" Tsuku smirked, leering perversely at the blonde.
"Well…to be honest I hadn't noticed them at first, not until I saw them uncovered at least. I was…mesmerised…so soft and malleable…supple…and each was larger than my head!" Naruto exclaimed, throwing his arms out in emphasis.
"Bwahahaha, they sound like a mighty pair indeed. I would love to meet this woman,"Tsuku laughed, licking his lips lasciviously.
"Oh yeah, you met the Shodai Hokage once, right?"
"…Ah yes, I remember, the one who went on to lead your village. I did indeed meet of him"
"Could you tell me about him?"
"He was one of several that approached me in my slumber, and one of the few that could stand before my presence. He was…a unique person…a Ningen who possessed kami…" Tsuku said, causing Mugen's eyes to widen.
"How can a Ningen possess kami?"
"As you now, all Youkai are considered to be either kami, or oni, depending on their nature"
"Helpful, or antagonistic, benevolent or malevolent. I know"
"And everything that exists in this world possesses either a kami, or an oni, that influences their nature"
"But you said Ningen where the exception, that they where unique in the matter"
"They are unique, but not in that way. By default, Ningen possess neither kami, nor oni, an equivocal 'blank slate' so to speak. However, the soul of a Ningen attracts entities of a similar nature…if the soul is corrupt, or cursed, then the Ningen will come into possession of an Oni, and if the Ningen is particularly pure, and untainted, then the Ningen will come into possession of a Kami"
"But a thing like that…it can't possibly happen often"
"Can't it? Look at you. Although you're soul is human, you also possess the soul of a demon…even the voice that whispers in your ear…"
"My…Oni-Zenshin!" Naruto gasped, realisation dawning. "Even the name"
"You're friend, the Uchiha, ever since he was marked by that man-snake, he too, has possessed an oni"
"I…think I understand"
"Well the man you call 'Shodai' also possessed a Kami. A Kodama (Tree spirit) to be exact. As such his very soul was tuned into defeating oni."
"What do you mean?"
"Should a kami and an oni ever encounter, the two will instantly try to quell the other's existence. They raise their own power as much as possible, until the other submits, and is consumed by the victor. Of course that's just basic instinct, the more intelligent ones can ignore this instinct, and even co-exist, for a time at least. Conflict is inevitable."
"So the Shodai could defeat demons just by being near them?"
"Indeed. His Kodama was an immensely powerful one, and even I was forced to submit before him. Of course, that was after several hours, during which I could have just eaten him should I have awoken, but nonetheless. I was impressed, and so I gave him my blessing. I believe you already know of this"
"You gave him 'the will of fire'"
"I was surprised it stuck to be honest. I thought his kami would have destroyed anything that even smelled of oni, but he was able to prevent that from happening. Truly someone tat I respected. What caused you to ask of him in the first place?"
"I recently gained a necklace, that had belonged to the Shodai. When I attempted to channel some youki into it, it reacted violently…and so did I. I had hoped you might explain why"
"Hmm…for such a thing to happen…it is probably a crystallised drop of his chakra"
"You can do that?""The refining process is long and arduous, but yes. Back to your question, if the chakra most likely possesses a kami of it's own…a seedling of his kodama in a sense, of course, such a small object would only have a small kami, I would be surprised if it even had the capacity to conceptualise"
"So, in other words, it's weak and stupid"
"In a words, yes. Now then, tell me more about the woman with the large breasts"
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"To be back…I never thought I would ever see this day occur…" Tsunade sighed, gazing up from the village gates to the Hokage Mountain.
"Well if you had of asked, I could have plucked out your eyes last night, then you still wouldn't have seen it" Naruto offered, grinning cheekily at the elder blonde.
"You little punk, I could kill you at a moment's notice"
"I get a whole moment to escape? Nice"
As the group approached, the gates, the chuunin partners Kotetsu and Izumo happened to see them coming down the road.
"Hey, isn't that-"
"BEHOLD! THE GALLANT JIRAIYA HAS SUCCEEDED IN HIS QUEST TO BRING BACK THE FAIR LADY TSUNADE!!!!!" The Gama-sennin bellowed, hopping from one foot to the next as he danced his way into the village.
"I always wondered why he didn't just write newspaper headlines…" Tsunade muttered, glancing about at the quickly amassing crowds.
"I thought he wrote porn?" Naruto asked.
"Ah, that's why" She muttered, feeling another headache coming along. Already, no less than three attractive young women were draping themselves over the toad-sannin, the man laughing boldly as he retold the story behind Tsunade's return, albeit a slightly modified version that omitted Orochimaru and Naruto, and seemed to contain both an increasing and decreasing number of virgins.
"You know, I wouldn't be surprised if one day he writes my entire life story, and just switches my name with his" Naruto muttered, gazing disdainfully at the spectacle.
From within the crowd, the blonde suddenly noticed a lash of pink, before his female teammate came running out, tears in her eyes.
"Naruto!!" She cried, coming to a panting stop before him.
"Sakura-chan? What's wrong?"
"It's…its Sasuke-kun and Kakashi-sensei, something terrible has happened!" She stammered, forcefully grabbing the blonde by the wrist and dragging him towards the hospital.
"Teme and Kakashi-sensei? Obaa-chan, I think we'll need you!" Naruto hollered at the elder blonde, beckoning her to follow even as his teammate led him along.
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Sakura stared wide-eyed as Tsunade's hands ran across her sensei's forehead, the soft green glow of Shousen no Justu illuminating the man's skin.
"So exactly what happened?" The Sannin demanded, looking from Sakura to the doctor present.
"It was…Uchiha Itachi…he came to the village…looking for you" The doctor stammered, pointing frantically at Naruto. Scowling, the blonde glanced at his sensei.
"And Kakashi tried to stop him?"
"Not just Kakashi-san, Asuma-san, Kurenai-san, and Gai-san where all there, they say Itachi just glanced at him, and he suddenly became exhausted, before passing out. Itachi then left with his partner.
"Then what happened?"
"I don't know the details, but it seems Sasuke-san heard about the attack, and ran off after Itachi. Gai-san found him unconscious outside Otafuku-Gai, in exactly the same condition" Frowning, Tsunade turned back to her patient.
"It sounds like a genjutsu of some kind…but I've never heard of one so…drastic in effect…" She muttered, moving her hands about as she tried to locate the problem.
"Tsukiyomi…" Naruto whispered, clenching his eyes shut at the memory.
"What?"
"The technique…its called Tsukiyomi…you see and experience whatever the user wants you to…for as long as he wants you to…as many times as he wants you to…all in the space of a single second" Tsunade narrowed her eyes, noticing the way the younger blonde's hands where deathly pale and trembling.
"He used it on you too…" She whispered, causing Sakura's eyes to widen.
"Hai…he…killed everyone…it was…the time it takes to blink, but it stretched out like an eternity…"
"Then why aren't you like these pair?" The blonde med-nin asked gently. Glancing first at the doctor, who was distracted by a chart, and Sakura, who was eying him intently, Naruto slowly raised his shirt; revealing the spiral-seal on his naval. Sakura blinked in confusion, but the to-be Hokage instantly understood.
'Somehow he was able to resist…either because of the Kyuubi, or something the Kyuubi taught him'
"I see, so the problem is likely extreme mental trauma, mental fatigue, and information overload…okay, I can deal with that" Nodding to herself, Tsunade's hands glowed brighter as she subtly influenced the man's brain; artificially isolating his most recent memories, and relieving the built-up tension in the synapses. After a full minute, her Shousen dimmed, and the man's eyes fluttered open.
"Where…what happened?" He asked bewilderedly.
"Hmph, to think a shinobi of your calibre bested by a little punk like Itachi," She muttered, patting him on the forehead.
"That's right…that technique…"
"It's best if you don't think about it if you can help it, otherwise you might risk a relapse" Tsunade explained, marking off several notes on the Copy Ninja's chart.
"…Just bring me Icha-Icha Tactics and consider it done" The one-eyed Nin muttered, glancing about for his bed stand.
"Hey, hey, what about Teme?" Naruto demanded, grabbing the elder blonde by the sleeve and tugging her towards the next room.
"Sasuke?"
"The same as you I'm afraid" Tsunade muttered, making her way out the room. Behind her, Kakashi furrowed his brow.
'Sasuke met Itachi? I've got a bad feeling about this Obito…'XXXXX
Sasuke rose slowly, once the blonde woman had healed him. Trying to think but the befuddled fog in his mind.
'…What…happened…there was…Itachi! That's right…nothing worked against him…and then…then he…that night…like a fly…swatted away like a fly…there is…still such a gap between us? I must train even harder, if I am ever to catch up to him!'
'Train…train, train, train, train, train…surely there is a better way to train? One that yields more results… '
'Kakashi-sensei…I should get Kakashi-sensei to train me more'
'Hatake will not give you individual training. He only did that once because he wanted you to defeat the sand demon, and even then his training was not enough'
'…Naruto? If he could defeat Gaara then surely I should train against him"
'Can you do that? Will you're pride allow you to approach him and admit his is better than you?'
'…What else could you possibly suggest? Kakashi-sensei is said to be one of the most powerful shinobi in the village'
'Yes…in the village…' Blinking, Sasuke suddenly realised that there was something heavy against him, something pink, and sobbing,
'Sakura? …Why is she crying? I'm uninjured…I'm certainly not dying…then why?' Confused by the situation, the Uchiha simply sat there, unmoving while his teammate cried her eyes out. Glancing about, Sasuke just managed to catch a glimpse of orange as it slipped outside the door.
'Naruto…'XXX
Naruto gave a soft smile as he left the room, somewhat pleased with the outcome. He really did hope that, one-day, his two teammates would hook up together. After all, Naruto would give anything to have seen the origin of the pink-haired Uchiha menace that would be the next generation.
"A-ah, Naruto-kun" Turning, he was pleasantly surprised to see Hyuuga Hinata making her way towards him, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment, and her fingers tapping together in that way that just made him grin like an idiot.
"Hey, Hinata-chan. I was thinking about you while I was gone" He said, grinning mischievously at the girl.
'…Hinata-chan…with big breasts…somehow I like the sound of that…'
"Y-you did?" She stammered, her blush deepening to her collar,
"Yeah, all the time, as I flittered on the line twixt wake and sleep a beautiful girl appeared before me" He hummed, causing her blush to rise to her hairline.
'Because now we both now what it feels like to be on the receiving end of heart surgery…it hurts like crap'
"R-r-really?"
"Of course" The girl swooned at the declaration, catching herself only just in time before slipping into unconsciousness.
"A-a-ano…" She stuttered, desperate for something to say. "Neji-Nii-san apologised!" She all but screamed, causing Naruto to blink.
"He did?"
"H-hai! Demo…just after you left…he was very serious. He…he even got down on his hands and knees…" She muttered, glancing at her twiddling fingers.
"That's great. It's just like they say 'repent, and thou shalt be saved'" Hinata smiled, blatantly missing the hidden meaning behind the boy's words.
"A-ano…the clans been in an uproar since you left…" She muttered, her cheerful tone diminishing as she spoke.
"Why? Where they about to organise a fox-hunt?" The blonde joked,
"Iie…it's about several things…a lot about you're fight against Neji-nii-san…"
"What about it?"
"Neji-nii-san showed several techniques in the fight…techniques a branch family member should not know, under any circumstance…"
"How did he learn them then?"
"…He told me…he spied on the main family training grounds a few times…then worked out the techniques for himself, with TenTen-san's help"
"So…what's the problem?"
"…The branch family has been in a state of unrest for a while now…I suppose when Hizashi-ojisan died, that's when it started…the Hyuuga council fear a rebellion…"
"What have they got to be afraid of?" Naruto demanded. "They've got the whole Branch Family effectively under lock and key, they couldn't rebel if they wanted to" He scowled.
"They're afraid the Branch Family might start making demands, taking their case to the new Hokage…"
"So what are they trying to do then?"
"…Some of them…they're starting to blame Otou-sama…they speak behind his back at how he's lost touch as a leader…how they need someone the family will respond to…but the truth is the council just wants a figurehead whose under their thumb" The demure Hyuuga scowled,
"…"
"They…I fear they may start pressuring Otou-sama to announce the heir soon…"
"Between you and you're sister?"
"Hai…If he chooses me…then I fear they may try and force me into an arranged marriage" She admitted, causing the Kyuubi-heir's eyes to flash furious crimson, however, Naruto remained silent.
"And If I was chosen…then poor Hanabi-chan…she would be branded with the Caged Bird Seal and condemned to a life as a branch member."
"…"
"She would…she's so precious to me…I don't want to lose her…she's strong and prideful, perhaps a bit too prideful…I fear what would happen to her if she was forced into a life of servitude…she would fight back…at best she might become like how Neji-nii-san was…at worst…they could kill her!"
"Why would they do that!?"
"There are certain Main Branch members…that are not above using the seal for…frivolous, trivial things…. they see Branch Family members as…less human than they are…I one makes a mistake, they almost always use that accursed seal, even for the most petty of accidents…and of course no-one listens if someone reports it, because those certain people are somehow 'important'!" She spat, her normally soft and caring eyes replaced by white orbs of hardened righteous fury.
"…And if Hanabi becomes heir?"
"She is still young…young and impressionable. If Hanabi became heir, then the council would have their puppet…and I would either be sent to the branch family…or if a main-house member so desires…I would become betrothed to that person…" The fury that had burned so strong just a moment ago melted away, revealing the sheer terror that it struggled to veil. Bursting into tears, she embraced the blonde genin before her, sobbing into his chest.
"Hinata-chan…" Naruto whispered, holding her tight.
"I'm so scared…I'm scared for Hanabi-chan…I'm scared for myself…I'm scared for the family…I don't know what to do anymore…I can't just sacrifice my beloved Imouto (little sister) for my own sake…but…I…I just can't sacrifice what I would lose to save her…" She sobbed.
"There are things in life that we must never give up..." Naruto muttered, his mind whirring into motion as he frantically tried to think of a solution. After several minutes, something fell into place. Prying the weeping girl from him, he held her and looked into her eyes.
"Hinata-chan…do you trust me?" He asked. Blinking away tears, she gazed longingly at him, as though he really could just make all her problems go away.
"I do…" Nodding, Naruto pulled her back against him, and pressed his lips to hers.
"!" She trembled slightly as her knees went weak beneath her, letting out a muffled moan as the blonde worked wonders on her mouth. However, after several seconds of glorious bliss, the turmoil of emotions welling within her came to a head. For a split second her whole body seemed to glow in a head to toe blush, before suddenly going pale as the blood tried to rush everywhere else at once, forcing her brain into shutdown. When he was sure he was unconscious, Naruto removed his mouth from hers, smacking his lips at the taste.
"…Cherry?"
XXXXXXX
Tsunade frowned as she examined Rock Lee, her hands moving steadily up and down the boy's spine as she took in the extent of the damage.
"Well? Well? Is Lee going to be okay? You can fix him, right?" Might Gai forcefully grinned, trying to will his statement into reality. With a dejected sigh, the blonde removed her hand and lowered the boy's shirt, before turning to his sensei.
"…As it is…I can only suggest that this boy give up the life of a shinobi"
"No. No. You're kidding right? Hahaha, please, how long until Lee gets better?" Gai demanded, his smile never faltering.
"Maito-san, as it is, this boy is lucky he can still walk, let alone fight!"
As the doctor and his sensei fought, Lee tried desperately to look on the bright side. Gai-sensei had always said there's a bright side to everything.
'It's okay…I just won't be a shinobi anymore…there's still lots of other stuff I can do! I can…I could…I could always…what? What can I do? I can't even walk without crutches! What life possibly lies before me now? I…really am…just a 'hot-blooded dropout'' Clenching his fists, the dark-haired genin struggled desperately to fight back the tears that threatened to spill forth from his eyes. 'Is this…? Is the springtime of my youth really over?' Slumping, Lee's ears managed to pick up the tail end of a sentence.
"…An operation, that could restore his mobility completely…" For a single, brief moment, the boy's hopes soared. He would be okay. Everything would be fine. Everything would-
"Or it could just as easily end his life for good. As it is, there's only a 50-50 chance of success, even if I did the operation myself" –come crashing down around him once more. This was it? This was his ultimatum? Live a life not worth living, or risk losing even the pitiful existence he had left? Where was the 'bright-side'? What possible hope was left for him now?
Thunk
All heads turned as Lee slipped of the bed, his crutches impacting heavily against the tiled floor.
"Lee, where are you going?"
"You should stay in bed, if you move about to much-"
"I'm going to the roof…that is all…" The sheer emptiness in the boy's voice was enough to stop anyone dead in there tracks. For several seconds the only sound that could be heard was the unsteadythunk of his crutches hitting the ground at odd intervals, silenced only by the sound of the door being slammed shut.
"Tsunade-sama…that boy…that proud, beautiful lotus of mine…you are asking him to choose between death, and to give up his Nindo. I ask of you, what difference is there?" Gai said darkly, before leaving the room himself
XXXXXX
Naruto furrowed his brow as he approached the Hyuuga complex; the unconscious heiress held upon his back like some sort of living backpack. He could scarcely believe the audacity of his own actions, but he knew his plan could work. He would make it work.
The guards tensed as they saw him approach, however, when they saw Hiashi's eldest daughter unconscious upon his back they quickly switched to full-blow livid.
"You…fiend! What have you done to Hinata-sama!?" The fox-boy came to a stop right in front of them, a quick glance at their bandaged forehead telling him all he needed to know. He'd heard Hinata was popular amongst the Branch Family, now it was time to test it out.
"Gomennasai, Hinata-san was out training, and had worked herself to complete exhaustion. She managed to come around long enough to notice I was passing, and implored me to return her to her home. Please, allow me to pass so that I might fulfil this duty" Naruto said, throwing up his best façade of the 'noble emissary'. The guards stared nonplussed at the blonde, unsure as to wether believe his story or not. For all they new, the boy could have been molesting the poor child and had come to dump the evidence.
"…Onee-san?" All heads turned to face the new voice, non-other than Hyuuga Hanabi, youngest daughter of the clan head, standing in the doorway and staring at her sister's prone form.
"Gomennasai, Hinata-san was out training and-"
"I see. You had best bring her inside," The young Hyuuga said, narrowing her eyes at the blonde.
"Ah-Hai!" Naruto nodded. Adjusting Hinata's weight, he quickly forced his way passed the guards.
XXXXXXXXX
The once proud Azure beast of Konoha stared blankly into the distance as he gazed out over the edge of the balcony; the wind causing his hair to sway gently in the breeze. Behind him, his trained ears detected the telltale sound of footsteps behind him. Just from the weight and pace of the steps he could instantly tell who it was. There was only one person left in Konoha who walked around with that much weight.
"Gai-sensei…"
"Lee…"
For a while, that was all that was said as the master and apprentice stood side by side; a sight that would have been better reserved for a sunset-lit beach, than a hospital roof.
"Lee…I…" The elder man paused as he struggled to find the words that he so badly wanted to say.
"…"
"Lee…what happened to you…I can not help but blame myself…"
"Gai-sensei…that's-"
"No. It was I who instructed you how to use those techniques…it was I who told you to use them against that boy…I am the one to blame…"
"…" The younger boy struggled to find some way to deny it, to say it wasn't true. But deep down, he knew it. Where it not for the man beside him, he might still have a chance.
"However, even now, I do not regret choosing to do so" Gai said suddenly, stunning his apprentice.
"What do you-!"
"When they where forming the genin teams that year…we where given a choice…the senior jounin could request a genin, should they desire it…I chose you. Do you know why?"
"…Because you took pity on me?"
"No. I chose you because for the weeks leading up to your graduation, no matter what hour I showed up at, my favourite training ground was always occupied. Day and night, that same boy, not even out of the academy, was putting himself through what some would call torture, completely through his own devices. The passion that I saw was the most beautiful thing I had laid eyes on in years."
"…Gai-sensei…"
'How ugly I must look to you now…'
"I demanded that boy, even though he was ranked last in the entire year, and had practically failed the exam I still wanted him. Because I new that, beneath this Rock, lay the most precious gem I would ever lay eyes on. And so I did what must be done. I put you through fire and water, I pushed you so hard that I feared you might break, and bit-by-bit you're true self began to shine through. The pain you are feeling now…I am responsible for it…I realise…I am being…so selfish…but Lee. I believe in your splendour…I want you to go through with the surgery"
"Even though I may die?"
"If you die…then I will build a glorious shrine in your memory, and live out the rest of my days within, never teaching another student again. However, if you live, then I swear all the world will hear of Rock Lee, Konoha's Noble Azure Beast!"
"…Gai-sensei…"
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Naruto glanced at the young girl before him, although some six years his junior, the way she spoke and carried herself made her seem like someone straight from a royal court, instead of a ninja clan. He could see why people believed she would make a good head.
'But what of the heart?' Pausing as she led him around a corner, she spoke.
"I saw your match against Neji-Nii-san in the chuunin exams…it was…a most intriguing display, to say the least" Pale eyes stared piercingly into brilliant blue, and Naruto almost cracked up laughing.
'The mask of 'dignity' is well made, but in the end she's still just an little kid who wants to know' Smirking, he replied.
"Nah, he saw only what he wanted to see, instead of what really is. I just opened his eyes a little" He would have shrugged, had the action not risked sending his cargo crashing to the ground. Hanabi paused for a moment, before smiling to herself.
'Open the eyes of a Hyuuga huh? I never would have thought it possible'
"I admit, your reputation says little of your modesty, in fact, public opinion is that you have none. Is it true you once ran, unclothed and painted bright red, through a meeting of the fire lords?" She asked, continuing their journey through the halls of the Hyuuga.
"Hehehe, yeah, I remember that. The paint was still wet too. It took them ages to get the footprints off the furniture." Naruto chuckled, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly
"And yet, despite being a person who does such things, you intend to become Hokage someday?" She asked, scarcely able to conceal the mirth in her voice.
"Yup. And neither man, god, or demon can stop me"
"Bold words, and how does my sister factor into your intentions?" The young Hyuuga demanded, her voice taking on a fiery edge as an unvoiced threat hung in the air.
"United, we stand taller than the mountains. Together, we can crush them. If I'm going to be Hokage, I'll need many allies"The blonde reassured,
"So in the end she's just an ally?"
"Hehe, Hanabi-chan, I don't think I could ever consider anyone 'just' an ally, least of all your sister" He grinned, following her up across a particularly long corridor.
"Hanabi-chan? I don't recall giving you permission to refer to me so informally" The juvenile Hyuuga scowled, the fiery edge returning to her voice.
"Well I can hardly call just you Hyuuga, not in a family as big as yours"
"At the very least, you shall refer to me as Hanabi-san"
"Hanabi-san? That's way too formal for me" Naruto whined, re-adjusting Hinata's weight on his back.
"Perhaps, should we get to know one-another better, you may refer to me by something more casual" She declared, holding her head up high. If she had turned around, she would have just been able to stare Naruto in the naval.
"Whatever you say, Hanabi-chan."
"…He doesn't listen, does he?" She muttered, opening a door. "This is Onee-san's room. Please place her on the bed and I'll have a Branch Member attend to her immediately." Nodding, Naruto entered the room and gently laid the sleeping Hyuuga upon the bed, sniggering slightly at the perverted loom on the girl's face.
"Hey, when Hinata-chan wakes up, tell her to meet me at my place for training again tomorrow"
"And just what do you mean by…training?" Hanabi turned to glare accusingly at the blonde, only to find herself alone in the room, with just her sleeping sister for company.
"I suppose that's the skill of a shinobi…" She muttered, before scowling. "Meeting at his home. Onee-san…if he's doing this and that to you…" As the scowling Hyuuga left the room, the red fox attached to the ceiling sweat dropped.
"And Jiraiya says I'm the Masagaki…"Naruto muttered, having shifted back to his human form, before sighing "They never look up…I could have been a seven foot, salivating alien with teeth the size of their forearm, and they still wouldn't look up." Shrugging, he silently dropped to the floor, before forming a handseal.
"Katachi Koutai no Jutsu" His features shifted, and where once stood an energetic blonde genin, now stood a delicate looking Hyuuga girl in her late teens, dressed in the standard Hyuuga garb and with a layer of bandages wrapped around her forehead. If anyone were to look at her, they would have seen a perfectly normal member of the Branch Family.
"Oh my, I'm late. I really must attend to my duties," She said, quickly gathering herself and slipping out of the room.
XXXXXX
' ' Hyuuga Hiashi sat unmoving in his private training hall. Deep in meditation, his mind was like a blank slate, presuming nothing and knowing everything. Everything, that is, except why the door was being opened, despite his explicit request to be undisturbed.
"Shujin (family head)-sama, I brought the tea you asked for" A young Branch Family woman said, daintily stepping inside, before closing the door behind her. Hiashi said nothing as she placed a tray of green tea before him. Silently, the girl carefully poured him a cup, before offering it to him.
"I did not ask for any tea." He said sternly, not even bothering to open his eyes.
"Th-that can't be." She stammered, binging one hand to her mouth in shock. "Kamijochuu (head servant)-sama explicitly said that Shujin-sama had requested he be brought green tea to his private hall. I-I'm so sorry, I'll leave you at once, Shujin-sama"
'It seems the servants have been harassing their staff again…I really must have a word with our kamijochuu'
"No, that won't be necessary. As it happens, I just happen to be in the mood for some tea" The Hyuuga head said, taking the cup from the panicking branch member. Pausing a moment to inhale the fragrance, Hiashi turned the cup, before bringing it to his lips, only to have something rather hard and pointed poke him in the back. With a sudden, and violent burst of chakra from his back, the Hyuuga head blasted the would-be assailant into the far wall behind him.
"Gwah!"
poof
The stoic man let out another sigh, before taking a sip of the tea, allowing a content smile to grace his lips.
"This tea is good. At first I thought it might be poisoned, but then that was just a ruse for your clone to sneak up behind me, wasn't it?" Hiashi asked, opening his eyes and rasing his head to reveal his active Byakugan.
"…" The girl remained silent, glancing about the room nervously.
"Although I must admit, I didn't even suspect until I heard them draw a kunai, might I ask the reason behind this attempt?" The Clan head asked calmly.
"Just a statement about the security in this place, if I wanted to kill you that clone would have been wearing explosive notes for clothes" Naruto admitted, his features shifting back into his own. "That, and I wanted to talk to you"
"Oh really? About what?"
"Before I continue, are we…private?" The blonde asked, glancing about the room.
"This place has been specially designed to allow no sound in, or out, and it is forbidden to use the Byakugan inside any of the houses"
"That's good, because I want to offer you Kyuubi" Naruto smiled, causing Hiashi to narrow his eyes.
"By Kyuubi…"
"I mean myself. If you accept my offer, then I will swear an oath of loyalty to you, personally, and the family Hyuuga shall receive my favour."
"And in return for this…loyalty?"
"I want you to draw up a betrothal contract between Hyuuga Hinata, and myself" The Kyuubi-heir said, his smile dropping from his face. Hiashi narrowed his eyes.
"And who are you to ask for my first born daughters hand in marriage?" Reaching into his pocket-seal, the blonde procured a very official looking document, and handed it to the clan head.
"Uzumaki Naruto, heir to the Kyuubi no Youko, heir to the lost family Uzumaki, first born child of the Yondaime Hokage, and future Hokage" Naruto stated, not a hint of humour in his voice. Hiashi glanced over the paper, written in the Sandaime's hand itself.
"…This is…"
"My birth certificate. The only copy in the world, actually."
'Uzumaki Naruto, born October tenth, mother: Uzumaki Kushina. Father: Minato Namikaze. Special conditions: JINCHUURIKI.' Hiashi's eyebrow rose slowly as he read the document. After stating the facts, it then went on to detail other points of notice, his mother's lineage, his father's status, and the means in which the Kyuubi was sealed within him, until with the Sandaime's official seal.
"…I admit, I was unaware of some of these details…in terms of nobility, perhaps you could be a suitable husband for my worthless daughter." Hiashi stated, taking not of the way the blonde snarled under his breath as he said it. Handing back the document to the boy, Hiashi closed his eyes.
"Might I ask why you desire my daughter?"
"She is very precious to me, and I am unwilling to see her be taken away from me"
"I see…and does my daughter know about what you are seeking to arrange?"
"She does not, and if she doesn't want to marry me when I ask, then she will be free to leave me. I just…want to make sure that, if she leaves me, its because she wants to, not that she has been forced to"
"…You fear an arranged marriage then?"
"Amongst other things, yes. This contract will also protect us from any interference from the rest of your family"
"And in return for this…insurance…you are handing yourself over to be?"
"Well, to word it precisely, 'I will commit any act you ask of me, as long as it doesn't go against any other oaths I have undertaken, and I won't undertake any oaths in future that go against your will'"
"…And this oath will last indefinitely?"
"As long as I remain betrothed to Hinata, or have married her. Of course, if for any reason we are unable to get married, then the deal is off" Naruto said, staring boldly at the Hyuuga head.
"…So you're saying it is in my best interests for you and her to remain together…"
"See? It's a win-win situation" Naruto grinned.
"…" Hiashi said nothing, in his mind he weighed up his choice. He would effectively lose his firstborn daughter, the same daughter whose younger sister would soon overtake her in terms of skill, and prowess, and in return, he would be handed control of the ninja who bested the most prodigious Hyuuga he's ever seen, and whose power could only grow even stronger as time went on…the boy's sensei was the renowned Copy Ninja Kakashi, and there were rumours floating around that the Sannin Jiraiya, who hadn't been seen in years, had suddenly taken an interest in him as well…not to mention he had managed to sneak up on him...
'I really must reprimand the guards for that...'
"So be it, I accept the terms of this deal" Grinning, Naruto quickly procured a pair blank scrolls, and a brush from his pocket seal.
"Two identical copies, one each. We sign in blood" Nodding, Hiashi took the brush and set to work writing out the contract.
"Uzumaki…my daughter is now yours to do as you wish…and let us keep this arrangement a secret between us"
"Hai, Hiashi-danna" Naruto said, making every effort not to scowl at the man's disregard for his own daughter.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
A/N:
If I hadn't set this up from the very beginning to be NaruxHina fic with an emphasis on loyalty, this would SO be an awesome harem by now…ah well, I'm sure you can fill in the blanks where a lemon would have been inserted, so no loss.
Originally, this chapter had a lot more Lee-centric scenes in it…unfortunately, I somehow ended up with the lateral equivalent of Senzu beans, which lets face it, are a Mary-Sue in themselves, so I had to scrap over half the chapter. But it's better this way, since I'd wanted to move the meeting with Hiashi to this chapter anyway.
On kami vs Oni
As I said, Kami refers to the spirit of something; if the object is broken, then it's kami is usually killed along with it. In Japanese history, it is often said that amongst all men, only the emperor and his family possessed kami. The term is usually translated as God (and indeed Kami-sama is used to refer to the Christian God in Japan), however a more accurate translation is 'holiness'. Ie. A river kami is in fact the holiness of that river. Amaterasu is the holiness of the sun, etc.
As for Oni, although today they're normally portrayed as ogre-like demons with fangs and horns, traditionally thee where essentially the opposite of kami. If Kami is 'holiness' then Oni is 'unholiness', where kami are normally benevolent (to those who respect it at least), oni are almost always malevolent, of causing pain and misfortune upon all they encounter, and completely disregarding the lives of others. Of course, the keyword is almost always; the gods Suijin and Raijin (also known as Raiden) where both originally oni, who took on the position as gods of water and thunder respectively.
On the conflict between the two, although most of it I thought up myself, upon later investigation I found it was not an uncommon occurrence in stories, especially in video games.
For instance, in Soul Calibur; whenever one sword gains power, the other gains power in response, and any object that comes into contact with one of the blades is either cursed or purified respectively, and indeed when the two swords came into contact in SCIII they both attempted to assimilate the other, the chaos born from their struggle enough to turn Zasalamel into Abyss when he absorbed the two blades.