Night had overtaken the day by the time Naruko decided to leave her room for the first time in hours. Her eyes drifted from one end of the hallway, to the beginning. She began walking slowly, trying her best not to wake anyone, especially her dad.
As soon as she got to the stairwell, leading down into the dining area, she hopped the railing. Landing on her feet gracefully, she tip toed as quietly as possible thinking that she was home free. Until...
"And where is it you think you're going."
As soon as that question was asked, the lights in the living room sparked to life, causing her to curse aloud.
"Damn it." Naruko swore, giving her father, who was sitting in an armchair with a disapproving frown, a hateful scowl.
Minato lifted a brow, shifting in his chair.
"Well?" Minato asked once again.
Naruko smirked, and scoffed.
"To see pervy sage, where else?" Naruko questioned sarcastically.
"Naruko, we talked about this. You are not allowed to be trained by that man."
"That man!? THAT MAN!?" Naruko clenched her fists, anger filling her bones.
"Naruko, please you're-!?"
"NO, DON'T 'NARUKO' ME. WHY!? WHY DO YOU HATE PERVY SAGE SO MUCH!?" Naruko questioned, angry at what she perceived as an unjust hate.
"Enough." Minato said, a dead serious tone permeated by a wave of killer intent, scaring Naruko out of her fit of rage.
"Go to your room. Right. Now." Minato ordered.
Tears welled up in her eyes, as she stomped back up stairs, the look in her eyes making Minato flinch. Letting loose a hefty sigh, he sunk back into his chair. This was the third time he had gotten into an argument with his daughter in the past three weeks. He didn't like yelling at her, and some part of him knew he was in the wrong.
But he couldn't forgive Jiraiya for leaving them all for so long. The man who practically raised him. It angered him.
And so, when his wife came to him, asking for his approval to let their sweet Naruko be trained by him.
He just couldn't allow it.
It was childish, it was bitter.
And it was hateful.
He knew that, but still...
And so, this was his fate for the foreseeable future. Kushina, angry at him as well, had banished him to the one place all husbands fear sleeping in.
The living room.
And he deserved it.
He knew at least that much.
Rubbing his temples, he got up from his arm chair, and proceeded to walk to his daughters bedroom, up the stairwell. He got to the orange door, and knocked.
"Go away." Naruko's voice tiredly called out from within the room.
"...I just wanted to say...I'm sorry...And, ya know...I'll be sleeping in the living room...Probably won't be able to hear a sound." He said, a knowing grin on his face.
It took a few moments, the sound of shifting blankets could be heard beyond the door.
"...And so?" Naruko timidly asked from within the room.
"So, if you decided to...Oh, I don't know...Leave from out your window...I probably wouldn't be able to hear a t-!?"
The sound of the window shuffling open was immediately heard, causing Minato to grin bitterly. He opened the door, to see a empty bed and open window.
"Be safe..." He said, his voice small.
He walked to the window, closing it before fixing his daughters bed. After he finished, he stared out the window, wondering if he made the right choice.
He heard footsteps approaching from behind, and felt arms wrap themselves around his waist. He leaned into the embrace, allowing himself to be overtaken by the scent he had been missing for the past three weeks.
"You did the right thing." Kushina whispered into his back.
"...I know...But I-!?"
"Shhh. Come on. You must be tired...Lets go to bed." Kushina said, dragging him by the arm.
"I'm sorry for being difficult...Kushina..." Minato said softly, as he was pulled into their bed.
"I know...We'll talk about it in the morning." Kushina said, as the two sunk into the bed with one another.
And so, with a relieved breath, Minato closed his eyes, allowing sleep to overtake him.
'...Finally...I've missed this damn bed.'
Jiraiya sat upon a stone, his arms still at his side. As if in a meditative state, he took deep and controlled breaths, allowing the breeze wafting in the night air to flow. It was nights like these, where he could feel at peace with the world. Where all his worries, fears, and regrets could leave him. Suddenly, he heard the fast pitter patter of feet rushing towards. With a relaxed breath, he slowly opened his eyes, and turned to face the one who had approached him.
His eyes widened in surprise.
"Naruko? Why are you-!?" Jiraiya began, but was cut off by Naruko.
"My dad said I could! Well, kind of." Naruko said excitedly.
"I see...That's good to hear. But how did you find me?" Jiraiya asked.
"Shadow clones, duh!" Naruko said, proudly puffing out her chest with a pleased grin.
"Ah. Of course." He responded with a smile.
'She must've combed the whole village. Impressive.'
A swarm of emotions exploded in his chest.
Happiness.
Warmth.
Relief.
But most of all...
Pride.
He was proud seeing how much his god-daughter had grown over the years. And he was proud that his pupil would allow her to be trained by him.
"Alright then! We only have five days until the tournament begins, so we have a lot of work to do! Lets get to it!" Jiraiya declares with a boisterous laugh.
Naruko grinned from ear to ear, pumping her fist into the air in excitement.
"You got it pervy sage! I'm a quick learner, so you got nothing to worry about!"
And with that, Naruko's five day training regimen began.
...
...
...
Silence.
It was a...welcoming thing for a man like Danzo Shimura.
He and the other Jonin tasked with the elimination of the Akatsuki intruder behind the nightly murders were presently on break, affording him time alone to meditate. He stood still, in the middle of the training grounds he and his old friend Hiruzen would train at...Before the mantle of Hokage tore their relationship apart.
He contemplated life...His many regrets...The darkness he must carry for the sake of all in the leaf...And lastly...
The boy he had come to see as his own son, despite no biological connection.
Yuma Ito.
He contemplated the boys future. Felt regret for manipulating and intensifying the darkness in his heart. And...
For setting him down the path of darkness he himself walked on.
It was a lonely path.
But a necessary one.
He regretted it, and mourned it. But the village needed people like him. People who can and will get their hands dirty. People who will take on dark and dirty deeds, for the sake of the village. The true ninja who would do what needed to be done, so that the "Hero's of the Leaf" could remain spotless in the public's eye.
But Danzo was getting on in years. He was becoming older. He could not continue to be the darkness that the village needed to preserve the night.
He needed a successor.
And Yuma Ito would be that successor. Danzo Shimura would make sure that it would come to pass, even if Yuma had to suffer for that to happen.
Because the village comes first.
...
It always comes first.
...
The stillness of the night air wavered, as the sound of feet approached Danzo from behind.
"...Is it over?" Danzo asked.
"...Yes. Now hurry up you old codger, we need to find that monster before anyone else gets hurt." Responded Obito, a scowl on his face, anger filling his soul by just the sight of Danzo.
"Of course. I'll be right there." Danzo responded coolly, not letting Obito's ire draw him into an argument.
Such things were beneath him.
And as Danzo and Obito left the training grounds...
So too were Danzo's feelings of regret and melancholy.
For such trivial emotions would only slow a true Shinobi down.
Neji stood still, his Byakugan activated and ready, focusing for any change in scenery. The forest quiet and still, a pleasant facade that hid an opponent in its midst. Suddenly, a large stone jutted out from behind Neji, signalling the beginning of the enemies assault.
A small senbon needle whizzed through the air and raced towards Neji, giving him no time to run or dodge. Being left with no choice, the boy smirked and with a thunderous voice, declared his counter.
"EIGHT TRIGRAMS: PALM ROTATION!"
The senbon needle bounced off his Hyuga technique, causing Yuma to pop out from the ground and hit his head on the hard branch high above him.
"Damn. Still not fast enough." Yuma grunted, rubbing his sore head.
"Not yet, but your speed has increased tremendously. I'm certain you'll master this new technique of yours soon." Neji said confidently, offering the fellow boy a hand up.
It was a few days ago, while in the middle of his team practices, when Neji was approached by Yuma. Yuma had come to him to ask him for help. Neji, knowing he owed Yuma a great deal, decided "Why not." and agreed to aid him. When he asked what he needed help with, Yuma merely replied-
"I've come up with an idea for a new technique that only I can do. Please, as a member of the Hyuga clan, I require your help with this."
Back then, Neji was unsure of why Yuma needed someone from the Hyuga clan specifically, but after Yuma demonstrated his new technique to him, he immediately understood why.
"I hate taking a page out of that bastards book, but I gotta admit, it isn't completely original. This technique...You could call it a poor man's "Flying Raijin" that only I am capable of pulling off." Yuma explained, stretching his arms and legs to limber up.
"Yes...It's quite similar. Its impressive what your shadow hopping abilities can do. Who knows what other things you could come up with. To be able to meld into a shadow as small as the point of a senbon needle that has been thrown and use it to seemingly teleport from place to place...It's impressive." Neji said, complimenting Yuma's ingenuity.
"I wouldn't praise it that much, it ain't worth much if I can't get my throwing speed up." Yuma said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment.
His throwing speed. That was the only thing keeping Yuma from calling this technique truly something to write home about. Hell, he hadn't even came up with a name for it yet. But that's why he needed Neji's help.
"With your extraordinary reaction time, practicing this technique is doable. But if I can't get it to go fast enough to out-speed your "Eight Trigrams: Palm Rotation" then there will be no point in using it." Yuma grumbled , lamenting his current predicament.
"What about pouring chakra into your arms so that you can throw farther?" Neji suggested, sitting beside Yuma as the continued to discuss with one another.
"It would be too taxing on my chakra reserves. Besides, this technique is meant to be used repeatedly to dizzy my opponent, close in on enemies, and avoid damage. So it'll be steadily chipping away at my chakra reserves as it is." Yuma reasoned.
"I see, that is troubling. But...I don't see a problem. Your throwing speed has already increased significantly, I'm certain you'll be able to get this technique working before the tournament." Neji said, patting his friend on the back.
"True, thanks for the encouragement Neji. I'm glad to have your help. Honestly, without you helping me this technique wouldn't be possible to make." Yuma said, getting up with a smile, the sun beginning to rise.
"Well, I've gotta go. I'll see you at the same time tomorrow Yuma. Have a great day." Neji said, waving goodbye to Yuma as he made his way up into the trees, and disappearing into the woods.
"See ya then Neji!" Yuma yelled his goodbye, rubbing his tired eyes.
He smiled to himself, thinking over the Neji's words.
"...He's right, I can do this." Yuma affirmed, grinning to himself.
His musings however, were cut off by the growl of his own stomach, signalling to him his hunger. He snickered to himself, and reached into his pockets, pulling out his wallet. Checking to see how much money he had, he breathed a sigh of relief.
"Awesome, I have enough for breakfast. I wonder if Ichiraku Ramen is open yet?"
And with that final musing, Yuma began to make his way back to the village, with a hungry stomach and a huge appetite to go with it.
Dirty, filled with filthy water, and a sense of dread that permeated the room with its red hot malice. Its enraged gaze laid bare before her. Trapped behind its seal, all it could do was flash its fangs in indignation and anger.
That was the situation Naruko currently found herself in.
"What is it you want, puny girl." Its demonic voice boomed, hatred radiating from every word the mighty beast uttered.
Naruko steeled herself. Refusing to let her fear impede her, she took a confident step forward, determination brimming in her eyes.
"I'm here for your chakra! What else would I be here for!?" Naruko declared, masking her fear with a mask of confidence.
"Your false bravado can't hide your fear from me little one. How could a puny mortal hope to tame me when even their shaky legs refuse to obey them?" The beast said, mocking Naruko with an air of total superiority.
"S-Shut up! I'm not scared of ya! You fuzzy asshole!" Naruko snapped, not liking having been seen through so easily.
The beast merely laughed, finding humor in its jailers' embarrassment.
"Have you forgotten? I live within you. All your insecurities, doubts, fears, and regrets. All your emotions have always been laid bare before me. I refuse to yield to a weakling like you." The beast proclaimed, its eyes peering into Naruko's, as if staring into her soul.
Naruko took a step back, fear filling her to the brim.
"I-I'm not weak! Take that back! I-I'm the hero of the leaf! The daughter of the Hokage, the one who sealed you within me!" Naruko yelled back.
"Ha. And? So what? All those accomplishments are not your own. You have done nothing. Your title remains empty. For all your bluster, you couldn't even come up with any feats of your own. All borrowed. Second hand rubbish."
Naruko flinched, taking another step back.
The beast smiled at that. It loved to see weakness.
"See? Not a single word of defiance back. For all your posturing, you must've known yourself. You are no hero. No matter what the weaklings that surround you say. You never will be. You live in your fathers shadow. How lonely it must be. How sad it must feel." The beast sneered.
"S-Shut up! Shut the hell up! You know nothing about me! Don't get cocky and-!?"
"Who are you trying to convince here? Do you really expect me to take you seriously? You are brat that knows nothing of suffering or pain. And that's why you cling to that boy isn't it?"
Naruko's expression shifted into one of pure fear, unable to offer any counter argument.
"You're envious of him, aren't you? He has experienced true pain. Pain you wish to understand. So you cling to him, spouting lies of friendship and camaraderie. Hoping, praying that he suffers more. So that once you save him, you can finally feel like the wonderful hero others claim you to be."
"T-That's not true!" She muttered, her voice now desperate.
"You are nothing. Your titles, your accomplishments, all worthless. I refuse to offer my chakra to a foolish and puny girl like you. Now go, GO!"
Its voice made the walls tremble as a gust of wind swept the room in its wake. Dragging Naruko away from her goal.
"Your chakra will be mine mutt! I swear it on my name!"
The mindscape crumbled away, as an all encompassing white light drowned out the sewer room, and then banished itself. Leaving only darkness.
Naruko's encounter with the nine tailed fox...Had ended poorly.
Naruko opened her eyes in shock, gasping as if she hadn't taken a breath in hours. Jiraiya got to his feet, a worried expression on his face.
"Naruko...You okay?" Jiraiya asked.
"...Y-Yeah...That bastard...S-Sorry...It...said some things. Messed with my head. But I'm fine...Really." Naruko said, her voice ragged and tired.
Naruko huffed and puffed, falling to the forest floor in a tired heap. Sweat rolled down her brow as she let her body relax. Jiraiya merely smiled, handing her a bottle of water to drink as she pulled herself up into a seating position. She snatched the bottle from his hands, and began gulping down its contents vigorously, finishing it off with a loud gasp.
"That damn red fuzzball. Taming him is more trouble then I thought." She huffed, throwing the empty bottle to her side in a fit of anger.
"Fuzzball? Ha, that's a new one." Jiraiya joked, helping Naruko to her feet, the sun beginning to rise.
Naruko smiled, glad to see her grandfather-like figure in good spirits. Although she would appreciate if the joy didn't come at the cost of her expense.
She stood up tiredly, stretching her arms over her head with a tired yawn to accompany the motion. Jiraiya smirked, patting her on the head.
"You did well Naruko. Its gonna take awhile to master control over the nine tailed beasts chakra. As they say, the leaf wasn't built in a day!"
"Thanks pervy sage. I'm glad to be learning from ya by the way." Naruko said smiling wide at his praise.
But the beasts words still stuck with her.
Was she really...
that weak?
*Growl*
Her stomach released its battle cry, signalling her hunger. Naruko blushed, looking to ground in embarrassment.
"Someone sure sounds hungry." Jiraiya joked.
"Y-Yeah. Ya wanna get breakfast pervy sage?" Naruko asked.
"I would, but I got somewhere to be." Jiraiya said, patting Naruko on the back as he began his trek back the village.
"Awwww, but pervy sage!" Naruko groaned, watching his back as he left.
"Don't worry, I'll take you somewhere to eat tomorrow, promise okay?"
"Fine! But you better keep your word! See ya later pervy sage!" She yelled back to him, as he left her to her lonesome.
...
"..."
...
"...What now?"
And with that thought, Naruko's morning began.
Yuma walked down the early morning streets of Konoha. Street vendors beginning to fill the street as a steady breeze from the north brought a chill through the air.
"If I still had arms, I'd probably have goosebumps right now." Yuma mused aloud to himself.
It was a chilly morning, a rarity for the leaf village. The morning had just begun, and Yuma was currently on his way to the Ichiraku Ramen shop, hungry for a hot bowl of ramen to warm himself up with. He let out a yawn, tired and sore after a night of training.
'Just a quick bite to eat, then I'll get some sleep.'
After finishing that thought, Yuma had finally made it to his destination.
There was just one problem.
A strange man, clad in black and white stood in his way. Pale skin, just as pale as Yuma's. and a dark mop of hair that reached all the way down to the small of his back. This man, stood still in front of the noodle shop, staring blankly. As if reliving an old memory.
"Hey." Yuma called out, an annoyed expression on his face.
The man's body stilled, as he turned to face Yuma. And when the man did so, his eyes widened in shock, confusing Yuma.
"What? Do I have something on my face?" Yuma asked with a twitch of his brow.
"...Kami-Sama...You truly are a cruel one." The man muttered, a single tear running down his face as he stared at Yuma.
"Huh? What are you mumbling about?"
And thus...The fated moment occurred...
Without Yuma realizing it...
He had finally met...
His own father.
Gakuta of the Akatsuki.
A/N: Hope you enjoyed the chapter!
