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, Fūinjutsu (not master level) Naruto, Kekkei Genkai (with conditions) Naruto, Potent Chakra Naruto, Rabbit Summons Naruto, Animalistic Naruto, and Good Kaguya. Antagonist Sasuke and Sakura within.
Pairings: None unless they are adults because the plot doesn't revolve around romance.
Summary: What if Kaguya wasn't as evil as everyone perceived her to be 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 22: Sweet, Sad, and Bitter.
It took hours of travel, but Team Seven was back in Konoha. It was close to midnight as the stars and moon filled the sky with their embrace, and everyone in the village was fast asleep.
Naruto was in his apartment as he set the storage scroll on the dresser right next to his bed only to crash on it. All he wanted to do right now was sleep. Kakashi had told his team to head home in the meantime as he gave his report to the Sandaime, and Naruto couldn't be more than relieved. Team Seven had the rest of the week off. Now was the time to rest.
Finally, we're back. Naruto mentally sighed as he tried to drift off to sleep, but his cousin decided at that moment to express his disappointment.
"You were trained by the firstborn son of the progenitor of chakra, and you're tired from one day's travel?" Kurama asked in dismay as the boy disregarded his words, not caring if the beast was tearing into him. "I can't believe this. We have a lot of crap to sift through before I can even consider letting you use my power, brat."
Berate me later, sensei, Naruto retorted sarcastically. His eyes began to close as he was slowly entering the realm of dreams. I have better things to do then spread myself thin for others. Besides, this is all part of your rehabilitation; you have to at least socialize with someone and see from their eyes, and that person is me.
The blonde only heard huffs and grumbles from the fox as his mind slipped further and further into sleep, ready to handle what tomorrow would bring.
One day later... In the streets of Konoha.
The daytime sun shone brightly in the sky as Naruto was up and about shopping for groceries. Today, he didn't don his headband. And right now he was walking down the road, looking for a store that sold cocoa powder while ignoring the critical glares he got along the way from the civilians.
It wasn't until the blonde came across a store with a sign that had the kanji for "baking goods" and "supplies". But before he went inside, he was stopped by a familiar soft voice, "N-Naruto-san?"
The Human Prince turned to the source of the voice and saw Hinata alongside Kiba and Shino.
Kiba called out, "Hey, Naruto."
"Hey, Kiba," the blonde returned. As he went to join them, Akamaru popped out of the hoodie, much to his delight. "Hello there, Akamaru."
"Arff," the small hound happily responded.
Naruto turned to the Aburame. "Shino."
"Naruto-san," Replied the stoic boy.
Finally, he turned to Hinata. There was a nervous air between them as the tension became so dense, one could cut it with a knife. "H-Hinata, I'm sorry about what happened when—"
"No!" the pearl-eyed heiress cut him off and began to stutter as her cold demeanor faded. "I-I'm sorry. I let my past get in the way of whatever friendship we could have. Naruto-san, please forgive me for my ignorance." Hinata bowed in apology towards the blonde.
For the moment, everyone was bewildered, Naruto especially. He had hoped that he could talk to the heiress, but it seemed to have happened much sooner than expected. "Hinata..."
The Hyūga heiress got out of her formal disposition only for Naruto to put his hands on her shoulders and give her a small, gentle smile. "It's all water under the bridge. I actually wanted to talk to you when you were ready."
By that point, Hinata seemed to have calmed down but looked grateful that the blonde was so understanding. She wanted to explain everything to him, but now wasn't the time. "I-I'm sorry, but I'm going to need more time." She tried to walk off and leave her team behind, but the blonde stopped her.
"Wait," Naruto called out as he put a hand on her shoulder again. "Why don't you all come over to my place? I can make us some sweets," the Human Prince offered in a slight singsong voice.
"Naruto-san, I don't know if we should—" Hinata started but got interrupted once more.
"Please, Hinata," the blonde begged. "Just one afternoon over for some tea, and whatever you say will be kept between the five of us." Naruto turned to Kiba, Akamaru, and Shino. "Right, guys?"
"Yeah, sure, if you don't mind making some meat for Akamaru," Kiba happily answered with Akamaru barking in excitement.
"As long as Hinata is comfortable," Shino added as he turned to the pearl-eyed heiress.
Does he really want to get to know me? the brunette girl thought in suspicion as she narrowed her eyes at the fellow Genin before her. If he's being genuine, then I have to give our friendship a change to grow.
Hinata finally came to a decision. "Alright then, Naruto-kun. I'll join you for this afternoon."
"Great!" the Human Prince exclaimed in joy. Suddenly, his face turned white with shock as he came to the realization of his unfinished shopping. "Oh wait, I have to get my shopping done today. I'm sorry."
"It's okay, Naruto-kun. Why don't we help you?"
"I-I'd like that," the blonde agreed as he blushed in embarrassment.
There they went off, going from store to store trying to get every ingredient for the sweets and meats the Human Prince would be making for the occasion.
One hour later... In Naruto's apartment...
Here, one would see Naruto with one of his clones at their best, cooking steak down to mixing sugars and sweet ingredients. Team Eight was sitting down by the table in wonder of what their friend was making.
Naruto was by the oven mixing brown dough while a clone was chopping up two bars of chocolate, one dark, one semisweet, into chunks for what seemed to be part of what the blonde was making.
The clone at the stove cooking meat was just about finished, and the scent permeated the air with its rich aroma. As time passed, the meat was cooked to a slightly chewy and edible texture for Akamaru. When it was finally done, the clone served the ninken a large bowl filled with sliced meat. By that time, Naruto had mixed the chopped chocolate chunks into the thick brown batter. He then kneaded small spheres of the chocolate-infused dough onto a metal baking tray.
Naruto quietly muttered to himself, "Put them in for nine minutes and broil them..."
A clone came up to the original and whispered in his ear, "Boss, I finished the steak."
"Got it, thanks. Give it to Akamaru if he wants more," the Human Prince acknowledged his clone as it went back to work while he put the timer on for ten minutes. It seemed pointless to show gratitude to a clone, but to Naruto it showed how much respect one had for themselves as a person.
Naruto leaned on the counter and closed his eyes in meditation, much to his friends' concern. Then as a few minutes passed, the fragrance of delicious dough and chocolate filled the air with its intoxicating fragrance, replacing the previous smell of meat.
"Naruto, what are you making—" Kiba asked curiously only to be cut off by the blonde.
"In a few minutes, Kiba, you'll know."
A few minutes later, the timer finally hit zero, indicating that the cookies were done. One of the clones donned oven mitts to take out the tray. After setting down it down, the same clone began taking the pastries off with a spatula and putting them on small plates for Team Eight. They looked like crisp golden-brown disks with morsels of melted chocolate pockets on its surface.
The Jinchūriki began to speak with confidence, "These are sweets from an extinct recipe. They're called chocolate chip cookies, and my mother taught me how to make them when I was seven. They usually go good with milk."
For a second, every member of Team Eight looked at the pastry on their plate in curiosity, wondering what it would taste like. Hinata was the first to grab a cookie, and as soon as she bit into it, it was like she was in a dream. She began eating the cookie more slowly to savor it. She closed her eyes in content of the warm taste of chocolate and finely baked, soft dough that made her think back to the best times in her life.
It tastes like something Kaa-san would make, Hinata thought with a bit of sadness. She never sampled something like this, something that made her feel... as if she was home, safe, and happy. She didn't know why but tasting this made her feel as if Naruto was a person that could be trusted.
Kiba and Shino looked on as Hinata ate her first cookie in solace. The Inuzuka heir was curious; for one of his friends to act like this, this sweet must have been pretty good.
Kiba picked up the cookie and began to chow down, and when the taste hit his mouth, he almost broke down crying waterfalls from the flavor. It's so good.
Meanwhile, Shino had already bit into the pastry and seemed to be staring off into the distance in shock; it was as if the secrets of the universe had been unraveled from the one bite. Afterwards, he began to eat the cookie really fast.
Naruto just stood there reading all their emotions. He was happy his friends were enjoying themselves; it seemed like the stress was melting off of them.
Much like the children were after eating one cookie, they wanted more and looked towards Naruto in hunger. Even Akamaru was looking forward to more meat. Kiba was the first to voice their desire, "Naruto... do you think we could have some more cookies?"
The Jinchūriki tried to contain his laughter; their reactions provided more than enough entertainment for him. "Go right on ahead. I made these for you guys, and I'm going to be making a few more batches anyway."
It didn't take long for Team Eight to dive on in and eat cookies like mad while Naruto went on to prepare the next batch of cookies and meat.
One hour later...
Naruto was now sitting at the table with his guests after having baked more sweets. During this time, Naruto gave his friends some tea as they all relaxed.
Everyone was talking about a variety of things that ranged from their senseis down to what kind of missions they took for the last few days while Akamaru had taken place on Naruto's lap, happily sleeping in a self-induced food coma while the Jinchūriki petted him.
Now, Naruto was concerned about what happened last month with Hinata during his sparring match against Kiba. With a serious tone, he spoke, "Hinata, Shino said something about the events that happened when you were young that triggered a reaction caused by my Black Lightning. I'd like to know more if you're willing to tell me."
"I... I..." Hinata trailed off as she tried to get hold of her bearings. It was almost too much for the poor girl to admit.
Shino was quick to get up and put a hand on her shoulder. "It's okay, Hinata. Naruto has shown no intention of trying to use us in any way. I think he just wants to know the truth."
The pearl-eyed heiress looked towards the blonde that sat across from her, skeptical. "So you want to know the truth, Naruto-kun?"
"If it means getting to know you better as a friend, yeah," Naruto said sincerely. If their friendship was going to grow, then they needed to trust in one another.
Hinata took a deep breath. "I was just three years old, and my life went to hell. My clan has always been divided against one another due to the two houses. If you were born in the Branch family as the second-born, you would be branded with a seal that binds you to the main branch of the Hyūga and basically became a slave." She waited for the blonde's reaction, leaving judgment up to him.
Naruto was shocked. For a family to simply brand one of their own like a slave was unspeakable. "W-Why would they do such a thing to one of their own?"
"Tradition. One that should have been abandoned years ago," Hinata answered coldly, making Naruto flinch. "But that's not all. My clan resents the way I am because they think I'm weak."
"B-But how—"
"Because they deem aspects like kindness and compassion to be a weakness when it's not." Her voice was as cold as ice. "On that night, my life was ruined before I even got a chance to prove myself."
For Naruto, it was time to be direct. His hands went from petting Akamaru to planting themselves on the surface of the table in an abrupt manner. "Hinata, what happened that night?"
Hinata's hair covered her eyes as she took another deep breath before explaining. "When I was three, there was supposed to be a peace treaty between Konoha and Kumo. Nothing was to go wrong during the process, but that all changed when the Kumo ambassador decided to abduct me." She slowly told her story so everyone at the table could hear. Kiba and Shino didn't say a word, already well aware of Hinata's past.
"Can you believe that?" Hinata whispered, making everyone around her feel her silent rage. "People from an enemy village had the gall to try to abduct me when we were on the verge of obtaining peace. That night, my uncle had saved me, but it came at the price of his own life; he had died so that Konoha would not go to war as a result of killing my abductor in defense of our clan." Naruto's bewilderment was there for all to see as he began to shudder, the pressure in the air is too much as he held Akamaru closer to himself.
The Hyūga heiress shed a tear of sadness and then wiped it away, trying to hold her composure. "My cousin resents me alongside some of the other members of the branch house. There is no way to change people so bitter; even my own father, who is head of the clan, seems to not care for me, only my strength, and whatever latent talent I may have." Her story now finished, she sat there waiting for her new friend's judgment.
Naruto's heart went out for Hinata as he sensed so much hate, anger, and sadness that seemed to envelop her. He was astonished that her family could resent a child for things out of her control, and it explained why he sensed a cold layer of emotion emanating from the pearl-eyed heiress. She was trying to live up to expectations and standards set by her family, and the only way out was through her friends. By that point, Akamaru had gotten up and moved over to his master's lap.
"H-Hinata... why would they do such a thing when it was out of your control?" Naruto asked hesitantly, afraid of what her answer might be.
Shino interjected before Hinata could answer. "Because they are fools that believe strength is the true path for the Hyūga."
"They act high and mighty, but the truth of the matter is that they're cowards willing to turn their own pack into slaves," Kiba grumbled maliciously. "I swear, Neji won't know what's coming if I ever run into him again."
"Who's Neji?" Naruto asked in concern.
Hinata looked Naruto directly in the eye. "My cousin who resents me. He blames me for his father's, my uncle's, death."
Kiba once more intervened. "Hinata, my clan always says that a pack that mistreats one of their own is not pack. You need to get out of there."
"As much as I'd like that, I can't, Kiba," Hinata sadly confessed. "I have my reasons for why I have to stay in the Hyūga clan."
Naruto slammed his hands on the table and stood, upset with his friend's circumstances. "And why not?! A family isn't just blood relatives; it's the people who care about you and want you to be happy."
It was Hinata's turn to slam her hands on the table, startling the Human Prince and her teammates. "And you don't think I know that?! I have a personal duty to uphold, not for the Hyūga, but for myself. And those reasons are mine and mine alone!"
Both were now panting from the sheer rage they shared with one another. Moments passed, and soon the realization of their actions sank in. Akamaru began whimpering in his master's lap, quite scared of the commotion. The blonde was the first to snap out of his sympathetic rage and quickly wanted to make amends. "Hinata, I'm so sorry—"
"No-No, Naruto-kun, it's fine. I should be the one apologizing—"
"You shouldn't apologize for wanting freedom..." Naruto looked her in the eye with more care and worry in his heart. "But why do you stay with the Hyūga?"
The heiress sent a sad, sympathetic look towards the Human Prince. "I'm sorry, Naruto, but that is something I have to keep to myself. One day, I'll tell you everything, and maybe then, you can understand me a little better."
Naruto looked down in disappointment and clenched his fist on the table, reluctantly accepting her decision. "A-Alright, Hinata. But can you promise me something?"
"W-What is it?" the pearl-eyed girl asked hesitantly.
The Human Prince looked back up with a determined look. "If you have a problem, come talk to me, Shino, Kiba, or your sensei; we'll be here for you if you need us." He reached out for her hand.
Hinata nodded as she put her hand on top of Naruto's. "I promise I'll tell you all what's going on if I have a problem."
Naruto looked at Shino and Kiba. "The same goes for you two as well."
He couldn't help Hinata if she didn't want help, but he could offer her solace in her dark world. The Human Prince was glad to be here for his friends if they needed him.
That afternoon, they all began talking about sweets and which ones Naruto could make. It seemed like the Jinchūriki was going to have his hands full the next time they came over. Naruto then made more cookies for them to take home. Despite knowing their newest friend for such a short time, it seemed like he was more genuine than he let on.
Later that evening... With Kiba in the Inuzuka clan compound...
The Inuzuka compound was like any other with the clan districts. Many of the houses bore a resembles to each other in a cookie-cutter fashion. Wooden houses were linked together yet separate like an enclosure. What stood out was the Inuzuka clan animal hospital and kennel that stood on opposite sides of the compound.
Kiba, with Akamaru by his side, entered their home with a box filled with a dozen cookies. Kiba was greeted by the sight of his family's living room as soon as he walked in. It had a large couch, two loveseats, and a coffee table with pictures of his family and himself.
"Pup, is that you?" a familiar, gruff feminine voice called out.
"Yes, Kaa-san."
The source of the voice walked into the room to reveal Inuzuka Tsume without her Jōnin vest, who looked slightly irritated by her son. "Where were you, young man?"
"At a friend's place," he answered casually. "He baked these for Hinata, Shino, and I when he invited us over." The feral boy opened the box of cookies to offer them to his mother. "He can really bake, Kaa-san!"
Tsume huffed. "Can he now?" She reached for one of the cookies and took a moment to sniff it to ensure that it wasn't poisoned. It seems fine. It looks like my pup isn't hanging around the wrong crowd.
She bit down, and her reaction was similar to Kiba's when he first tried it. It was soft in the middle, hard on the outside, and filled with sweet chocolate. As she chewed, she was getting more and more curious about who baked this.
Tsume hummed, savoring the chocolate taste. She looked at her son with an eyebrow raised, a bit skeptic and playful. "Are you going to share these with Hana as soon as she gets home?" she asked, referring to his sister.
Kiba rolled his eyes. "Yes, Kaa-san. My friend told me to take some home and share them."
The feral woman looked quite satisfied that Kiba had found himself a friend even though she'd yet to meet them. She crossed her arms with the cookie in her right hand, giving her son a questioning look. "Who's your new friend, Kiba? 'Cause I know Shibi's kid can't bake."
The feral boy grinned. "His name's Uzumaki Naruto, and he's pretty cool. I actually sparred with him last month."
As soon as Tsume heard the name Uzumaki Naruto, it felt like she was hit with a brick. I-It can't be... "Kiba," the feral woman said, making sure she had her son's full attention. "Does he have spiky blonde hair, blue eyes, and whisker marks?"
"Yeah, why? Do you know him?" Kiba asked, curiosity evident on his face.
"I-It's nothing, Kiba." The Inuzuka matriarch quickly tried to change the subject to hide her shock and sorrow. "Now go wash up."
Kiba walked off towards his room with Akamaru in tow, obeying his mother without a moment's hesitation.
As soon as the Inuzuka heir left the room, Tsume broke down sobbing, tears streaming down her face as she was filled with grief and guilt. "H-H-He's back." She buried her face into her hands sorrowfully.
Little did she know, someone entered the room. "Tsume, what's wrong?"
Tsume turned to the source of the voice to reveal her husband and mate. It was then and there she told him what she had learned. "Our godson is back."
I'd like to thank my Beta, Conejo-sama, for her help in overseeing this story.