My fulfillment of my promise to make a series where Naruto actually grows, using canon events... I am actually quite proud of this.
Naruto was familiar with Nightmares, he had them all of the time. Usually they were of Fruit attacking him, him becoming Hokage naked, or the villagers staring at him with those cold, cruel eyes...these Nightmares were different, scarier...
They all started in Wave, with him meeting Haku in the woods and hearing his story. He always thought of himself and how much he would do to save his precious people, people like Iruka and the Old Man... then it changed, to his battle on the Bridge... Sasuke all but dead on the ground, Sakura screaming in Misery and Kakashi ramming his bright hand into Haku... only it wasn't Haku anymore, it was Naruto himself... and it wasn't Kakashi, it the Old man... and it wasn't Zabuza he was protecting but Iruka... then it changed, Iruka switched places with the old man, then Sakura, Sasuke, all of his classmates, random villagers... the only thing that didn't change was himself, he was always Haku...
The dream changed again, with a Dead Haku staring at him...laying on the ground for a moment before poofing away, leaving Naruto looking down at himself dead and bloody... Haku stood above him, screaming at the Old man, Iruka, whomever he was protecting at the time...
" He... he really Liked you... he liked you that Much...Even so, you don't feel anything at all. You really, Honestly, don't feel anything at all. When a person becomes as strong as you, deos that person really behave like you? He threw his life away for you! He didn't even Fulfill his own dreams, and yet... to die as a tool... That's... That's too painful... "
Everything changed one more time, Naruto watched himself on the ground... eyes red and slitted, talking to a Raging Haku. " You Told me that you'll become the best Ninja in your village, and make everyone respect you...if someone comes along and accepts you for who you are, no one could be more important to you then that person... Even though he knew I had the Kyuubi in me, the Third and Iruka took me in. My power,that everyone hated... they wanted it, wanted me to use it to keep the village safe... I was so happy, So happy to be worthy of someone's love... If being a Hokage meant being loved by them, if keeping the village safe meant I would be loved... the I would do that, for as long as I need to... no matter what..."
Then he woke up, crying, holding his arms and shaking. " No... No ... It's not true... it's not the same... They love me, I am going to become Hokage and they are going to love me..." Haku's broken, desperate eyes, talking about Zabuza flashed before Naruto's eyes, making him drop his arms... " No... No they don't. I'm a hypocrite... I yelled at Haku for Loving Zabuza, being his Tool... But I'm no better...The village hates me for something I can't control like Haku's did for his Ice powers. The Old man doesn't really do much, same with Iruka... I'm alone and I'm their tool...No, No I'm NOT!" Fingers gripping into Fists, Naruto gritted his teeth and stood from his bed, marching over to his Closet and getting dressed in his Jumpsuit. " I am going to listen to me Dammit. I am going to live for myself...But, I guess I need a new dream... How? I always wanted to be Hokage... I still want to be strong, the Strongest Ninja ever. I want to show them all, I am not stupid and slow and evil. I am Naruto Uzumaki and I am going to find a new Dream, a New Nindo!" He turned to leap out of the window, then stopped..." I don't want to use the kyuubi's power... i hate it... I hated how angry, how... evil I was... I need to get stronger, so I can fight the Kyuubi... I can't ever be that person again... "
Leaping out of the Window made his way to the Nearest Training feild.. it was time to complete his Nindo..
Chapter End, tell me what you think in the Reviews.
I got the idea from Obito giving Kakashi the Sharingan when he fought Kaguya, only they just made Naruto look at something he wasn't brave enough to face on his own... a Truth Naruto needed to Learn, one Zabuza and Haku both noticed in their own way..From Zabuza is was how complacent the Leaf is ( He acutally tells Kakashi as much) and how he treated Haku... they didn't want this boy to suffer the same. He needs to stand on his own two feet... They were not literally there, just in memory... Ghosts of them... so to speak...
This will not be an instantly mature Naruto, or instantly powerful Naruto... this will be a Naruto grow's story... I do want some thoughts on skills, Wind is a definite as is taijutusu but I want something unique... he won't be using Shadow clones to get stronger for a while or ever... I'll explain that in the next chapter.
Love, your Ninja Overlord,
Mika