Naruto: The Rabbit Prince.
This Fanfiction is a crossover with The Naruto series, Darkstalkers, Summer Wars featuring: King Kazma, with elements of Watership Down.
Rated: M for violence, blood, swearing, physical combat, mentions of sexual content, murder, and death.
Fair warning, this fanfiction contains the following tags/clichés: Competent Naruto, Fuinjutsu (not master level) Naruto, Kekkei Genkai (with conditions) Naruto, Potent Chakra Naruto, Rabbit Summons Naruto, Animalistic Naruto, and Good Kaguya. Antagonistic Sasuke and Sakura within.
Pairings: None unless they are adults.
Summary: What if Kaguya wasn't as evil as everyone perceived her to be and the Chakra Fruit drove her mad? What if she had another son that turned out to be her official firstborn that was to be the King of the Rabbit Summons? What if her son adopted Naruto and cared for him as if he was one of their own? And what If Naruto had another Godfather? As Naruto grows into a fine shinobi, he must face the many trials that come with his growth.
Disclaimer: I do not own the following Anime, Books, and Games. Naruto is rightfully owned by Masashi Kishimoto. Darkstalkers is rightfully owned by Capcom. Summer Wars and King Kazma are rightfully owned by Madhouse. Watership Down is rightfully owned by Richard Adams.
Chapter 21: The End of a Tyrant, a Return Home.
Zabuza, who had Gatō's throat in his hand, ready to decapitate him, looked back to Kakashi with shock as the people of the bridge marched forward.
Naruto, who still had needles sticking out of his body like a pincushion, looked back to the crowd of people, finding Tsunami and Inari amongst them. It was shocking to say the least. How did they get away from my clones?
To find out what happened, Naruto made the plus-shaped hand seal that would dispel his clones. He clutched his head in pain as an influx of memories came pouring in. Blood began to trace from his nose as the stress and experience of the memories came full force.
My clones managed to get them into a safe place where they could never be found, then they began to scout the area for any of Gatō's men. They must have snuck off when they weren't looking and gathered the townspeople.
Meanwhile, Kakashi was trying to convince Zabuza to let Gatō face retribution for his actions from the people he had oppressed for so long. Gatō began to whimper in Zabuza's hold as Kakashi spoke. "He could die now, but that would take away everything they had gone through. If you let the peoples' justice come first, you will see firsthand what their wrath entails, and see him executed by their means."
Zabuza thought about letting Kakashi convince him of public execution and then narrowed his eyes at the cyclops. "What would be the difference? Either way, the bastard's going to die, so why not send him to hell now?"
As he said this, Gatō was now beyond desperate to escape with his life as he pleaded, "Please, I'll do anything you want! You want money?! You can have it all! Just please let me live!"
Kakashi's one eye squinted in disgust. "Just talking makes you look more pathetic than you actually are. You hurt so many people, kill for nothing more than the expansion of your own empire, so why to beg now that you're gonna die?"
"P-Please, I'll do anything you want!" the shipping tycoon begged frantically.
"Anything?" Kakashi asked, bending down to the tyrant's level, only to receive desperate nods from the bastard. "I want you to suffer the same you way you made the people of this nation suffer. The only way to do that is to atone with your life. And in the afterlife, you will accept whatever judgment the Kami will deliver upon you."
Zabuza watched as Kakashi put the fear of death and the afterlife into Gatō's head, and the prospect of having a public execution became more of a pleasant thought in his head. He threw down the bastard and kicked him towards the crowd that was now getting closer to the scene.
"You all want justice?!" Zabuza shouted at the people with sadistic glee as they looked at him in surprise. "You all want retribution? Here it is! Gatō will die, but not by my hand, but yours. Take your pound of flesh!"
The crowd turned to look at Gatō on the ground, enraged. After a year of torment and forced poverty, they were now going to take vengeance on the bastard. They surrounded the greedy tyrant, and soon after began beating, stabbing, and slashing away at his body as he screamed in pain. Everyone could hear each other's cries of retribution.
"This is for my son!" an old woman screamed.
"My sister died because of you!" a man shouted.
"We all starved while you got to eat like the pig you are!" a man in a farmer's outfit yelled.
Meanwhile, Gatō was begging as the public execution continued. "I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY, PLEASE STOP!"
A young woman in the mob became even more enraged. "SHUT UP! HOW MANY PEOPLE DID YOU KILL TO LINE YOUR POCKETS?! YOU TOOK EVERYTHING FROM US!"
It wasn't long until the weapons that the people had brought were now being used in full effect. One person carried a naginata and began to leave deep stab wounds on Gatō's arms until they were useless. Soon after, the desperate man's cries were drowned out by the carnage of the mob.
Naruto, Haku, and the rest of Team Seven looked at the scene with shock in their eyes. It was a horrific sight, but they all knew it was well deserved. Gatō's pleas for mercy were becoming silent as time passed, and it wasn't long until the mob had backed away to see if Gatō was still alive, only to find a bloody corpse.
After so long, the man that had brought so much pain and suffering was now dead. They were all free. It wasn't long until a person from the crowd shouted, "Let's celebrate!"
A roar of approval emerged from the crowd as they reveled in their supposed victory against Gatō. Meanwhile, some were concerned about how their lives were going to get back on track.
Naruto turned to Haku only to find that she had disappeared alongside Zabuza, living well on her promise. Team Seven didn't notice a thing until last second.
Later that evening... in Tazuna's home...
Team Seven and Kakashi were now sitting once more in the kitchen of the bridgebuilder's home as they celebrated their victory. Naruto and Sasuke had the needles removed from their bodies and were healing nicely under such a short time.
Unknown to them, Zabuza had infiltrated Gatō's company stronghold where he had stored the wealth of the nation alongside the wealth he had accumulated, not without him getting his cut of it before the villagers began raiding the place. It would take up to two months or so to get the village back to normal, but at least the people would prosper.
Right now, Naruto was leaning against the wall where the picture of Tazuna's family hung near the cupboard. His eyes were closed as if he was trying to focus. He was trying to find a name for the collaboration technique he and the Uchiha pulled off.
"Hey, Naruto," Inari called out, trying to get his attention. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, Inari," the blonde answered, trying to keep some of his composure. "I'm just thinking about a few things."
"What about?" the green-clad boy asked.
Naruto then decided to change the subject. "Oh nothing, just about how a boy and his mother managed to sneak off to gather an angry mob and endanger themselves without my protection."
"I-I-" Inari stuttered as he tried to explain himself only for Naruto to cut him off.
"It's okay, but what you and your mother did was dangerous, and it could have gotten you two hurt or killed," Naruto mediated and ruffled the boy's hair before he became a stuttering mess. He then nodded towards the small party with his grandfather and mother cheering at the other side of the kitchen. "Now go spend some time with the old man. He went through a lot of stress trying to build the bridge."
With that said, the boy went off to celebrate with his family on their nation's liberation. Naruto then took the time to name the collaboration ninjutsu he made with the Uchiha's assistance. Right now, there were a bunch of names it could go by, but it all seemed up in the air.
"Enough squabbling with yourself, brat. I'll name the technique," Kurama claimed, impatient with his host's diverging thoughts.
O-Oh, sorry about that, Kyūbi-san. So what kind of name do you have in mind? Naruto mentally asked with eager curiosity.
"The technique will be known as Burning Petals. And the Uchiha will have no credit to it," the fox answered, taking the opportunity to berate his host. "It's something so simple that even a brat like you can remember it from that Scattering Flower Dance you performed."
Kurama had made it well known that he had a distaste for the Uchiha clan, which made Naruto curious about his animosity. How come he shouldn't get any credit? He helped me defeat Haku in our battle. And why do you hate the Uchiha clan?
"The Uchiha are nothing more than a bunch of power-hungry mongrels that are more likely to slaughter their own children if it meant gaining power! If you ever get into a life and death battle with that worm you call a comrade, take out his eyes no matter what. He does not deserve to live!" the beast answered venomously. "If you think he's an ally, don't. He will only use that against you to satiate his desire for power. The second you turn your back on him, he will use the opportunity to kill you like the miserable rat he is."
A-Alright, but how come you don't want him to get any credit?
"Because it will only go to his head, brat. You can't be that stupid."
Naruto rolled his eyes at his prisoner's constant irritability. You're never gonna stop looking down on me, are you? I thought we were finally getting along. And are you going to keep calling me a brat?
"Remember this, kit," Kurama warned, leaving Naruto in a stupor because of the new title that was given to him. "I'm a lot older than you, I've seen more than you, and if you think I'll just respect you all because you consider me to be your cousin, don't make me laugh; you still have a long way to go before you can garner just a little bit of that from me. I have my reasons and my way of living, and I won't let us be killed because of your ignorance."
Fine. But respect goes two ways, Kyūbi; I'll respect you if you respect me not as warden and prisoner, but as a cousin that wants to know his family. It was one thing to help him on the bridge, but for one moment, Naruto actually thought they were getting along now that they were speaking on better terms.
The Kyūbi huffed in pride as he acknowledged his Jinchūriki but didn't say another word as the banter ended. For now, Naruto blocked part of the mental link between him and his cousin so that he wouldn't hear his thoughts. It looks like we won't be cooperating for a long time. I have to do more to gain his trust.
For now, the celebrations went on as Naruto leaned against the wall for the rest of the evening. Now was the time to relax for a bit and enjoy the moment while it lasted.
One week later...
It was daytime. The sun shone brightly in the sky as the heat bore down upon the earth. And Team Seven was gathered at the completed bridge alongside the villagers that wanted to see their heroes off as they wished them a safe journey. The connection between the mainland and the island appeared as a bright embodiment of hope.
Meanwhile, in the crowd, Tsunami was urging her father about what the structure would be called. "Tou-san, we need a name for the bridge. After all that happened, we can't just let it go without a name."
Tazuna hummed in acknowledgment, and everyone looked at him in curiosity as he had a smug smirk on his face. "Well then... how about the Super Tazuna Bridge?!"
The bridgebuilder looked back only to receive sweat drops from everyone around him while hearing a cricket chirp in the distance. Tazuna put his hands in the air. "Alright, alright, I won't name it after me."
Tazuna was deep in thought as he tried to come up with a name for the bridge but was only drawing blanks. However, Tsunami had an idea of her own. "What about 'The Bridge of the Fallen'?"
Her name seemed to spark a bit of skepticism but also got some well-received feedback from the crowd. Suddenly, a lightbulb lit up inside Tazuna's head as he got an idea on what to name the bridge. "How about 'The Great Bridge of El-ahrairah'?"
"What does El-ahrairah mean?" a young man in the crowd asked.
Tazuna grinned. "It's the name of that young man right there." He pointed at Naruto, who was surprised that the bridge would be named after him. "It means, 'The Prince with a Thousand Enemies' and the sun. And the boy is a rabbit at heart, a trickster that can bring great change! When an assassin targeted me on the bridge, his negotiations with his accomplice had stopped the assassin's attempts on my life. Because of him, we are free from Gatō's rein!"
The crowd turned to cheer for Naruto, who was now blushing at the praise. All he did was talk to Haku and convince her to help the nation while they could benefit from doing a form of good. But that line of morality was a weakness, one that both student and accomplice were vulnerable to, and from there they found common ground for negotiations.
Trickster... Naruto reflected with wonder as he closed his eyes. Frith had recited to El-ahrairah that if his people wanted to live, then his people must be cunning and full of tricks. What does this mean for me?
Everyone had given their gratitude towards Team Seven before left to return to Konoha. They began their walk across the bridge to the mainland, but before they made it three quarters past the bridge, a familiar voice called out, "Wait!"
Team Seven turned to see Haku running up to them in her pink kimono, much to Naruto's surprise. "Haku? What are you doing here?"
Haku gave a warm smile and put her hands on the Human Prince's shoulders as she replied, "I came to see you off and to wish you a safe trip."
Sasuke came forward aggressively and tried to attack Haku only for Kakashi to stop him. Needless to say, the Uchiha was pissed. "What are you doing?! She's the enemy!"
"She isn't our enemy anymore, Sasuke. You know very well that in the shinobi world, an enemy can become an ally in an instant. And she decided to help us and ensure none of us were truly hurt," reprimanded Kakashi, but this only angered Sasuke even further as he began to shake in anger.
"So you're just letting her get away with everything she did?!" the Uchiha screamed in outrage. In the Uchiha's eyes, this was an offense that couldn't be forgiven, especially since his pride had taken a fatal blow.
"Yes," Kakashi answered as if it wasn't a problem as he looked down on the Uchiha. "It's because of her and Naruto that Zabuza had turned on Gatō. If it wasn't for them, we'd be dead, or the other way around."
Sasuke was ready to lash out but held his tongue and controlled his rage as he stopped trembling. He put his head down and his gaze was directed at the concrete. Right now, it wouldn't do him any good if he just acted out only to be put in his place once more. As for Sakura, she followed suit, very well knowing that anything she did would be shot down.
During this mission, both of their egos had taken a severe blow; left and right, every time they tried to put down their supposed comrade, Kakashi, the Human Prince's cousin, and the Human Prince himself had made their time a living hell. What seemed to be the best choice was to never acknowledge him at all, even during training, to save themselves the humiliation.
Meanwhile, Haku was busy saying her farewells to Naruto. "I know you're going to be a powerful shinobi one day. All you have to do is never lose sight of who you are."
"W-Will I ever see you again?" Naruto asked, concerned for his new friend's wellbeing.
"You might, or you might not," Haku answered vaguely, making Naruto turn his head in confusion. "Practice what you preach on killing, Naruto-kun, or else it'll come back and bite you where you least expect it."
"W-What do you mean? What are you trying to say?" Naruto was frightened about what her answer would be.
"Zabuza-sama and I have operated from the shadows alone long enough. We've heard from a source that there is a bloodline rebellion taking place as Kiri goes through civil war," Haku answered. She took a deep breath in before continuing, "We're going to join the rebel forces and take out the Yondaime Mizukage once for all. He has gotten away with slaughtering those born with great gifts. Kiri always had a dark past, but if that's my homeland, then I must fight for it, no matter the cost."
Naruto was baffled by the answer. On one hand, he was happy that Haku was going to fight for what she believed in; on the other, he was worried about what might happen.
It wasn't until Haku noticed the disturbed look on his face that she knew he was concerned for her wellbeing. She tightened her grip on his shoulders in reassurance. "Naruto, don't worry about me. If the war ends sooner than expected and I'm still alive by that point, I'll send you a letter to let you know."
The Human Prince gave a small smile at brunette's means of comfort. "Alright then, I'll see you around. Good luck, Haku. I wish the best for you."
"And I wish the same for you, Naruto," Haku returned as she took her hands off his shoulders and began to take a few steps back. When she got far enough, she performed half of a tiger handseal and began to fade away with the wind's breeze.
Naruto didn't need to be told where she was going, and deep down, he knew that she was going to be alright. The blonde closed his eyes in content as he savored this moment.
"Hey, Naruto, we need to get going," Kakashi called out as he looked to his sensei's son with a bit of pride. His teammates were giving him a death glare.
The blonde was taken out of his relaxed state as he opened his eyes and turned towards his team. "Coming."
And with that, they continued their journey back to Konoha, where they would likely be given time off from their time away from home.
Burning Petals.
Rank: A.
Class: Offensive, Collaboration Ninjutsu.
Range: Short to Long.
By combining Wind Style: Scattering Flower Dance with any fire jutsu between the Ranks of C and B, the user creates a beautiful vortex of fire and petals that can inflict severe burns to the target(s). The burning petals can be scattered all over the opponent's clothing and skin, even when 'successfully' dodging the technique, resulting in minor burns.
To answer a question regarding a character that hasn't made an appearance yet, I will say that I have plans for them.
I'd like to thank Conejo-sama for being my Beta Reader and helping me along the way.