Do you have an suggestions, ideas etc for Niko?
"... and so he is barely genin level, but Yugao is sure with his raw focus and determination he could easily reach Chunin level in a few months once his faults are rectified," Tsunade said, standing tall. "I have watched him as well, during his training, and monitored his physical powers as well. If he passes on his genes, has even a few children, he will drastically empower the village with not just a new line of Uzumaki's with different genes than Naruto given a new mother, but also a new line of potential jinchuurikis."
The Elders nodded, pleased. "This is fantastic news, Princess Tsunade."
She cringed at that title, hating it. "That was my thoughts."
Shikaku stood up. "If he is that behind, do we believe Naruto is as well?"
"Likely, but we all know a lot of that is due to not only Naruto's issues but the neglect of the senseis which was clearly documented by the Third. If we were not super short-staffed, Ibiki would have a field day with senseis that think it is okay to teach so poorly... but alas, we cannot afford that. Still, I can see them pulling extra guard duty for a few months."
They all nodded, entirely understanding that.
"Will he be staying in Naruto's old apartment?" The Elders asked.
"No, I will be getting him an entirely new one, Niko has made it clear he wishes to be his own person entirely. I will honor that, we are asking a lot of him as it is."
Not even the Elders argued against that.
:::
It was amazing to Yugao how fast Niko learned, in just a week of training he was already fully integrating the katas from the Leaf Academy Taijutsu into his style of combat. His speed had gone up at least ten percent and he had put on at least four pounds of muscles. He even looked buffer already, more cut, less thin and waifery. His face, which had little fat anyway, turned sharper. He had finished Twelve books, reading at every turn whenever he was too beat up or tired to train and even at night. The kid was making amazing progress already and she was proud of it. Still, it made her sad. How far would Naruto or Niko be if they were given proper education and upbringing?
Still, she was proud that she had a little announcement. "Niko... how do you feel about learning Kenjutsu?"
He turned to her and beamed. "I would love to! Swordplay is so badass!"
"Well, you are in luck, I am the foremost expert in Kenjutsu in the Leaf Village." It broke her heart to say that, when it should have been Hayate that was the foremost expert... but she buried that feeling deep down, as far as she could. She had a mission to accomplish in training Niko... the boy deserved her full attention. "Now, I brought you a training sword, so you can learn without risk of losing a limb." She presented him with the blade, made of bamboo, and he grabbed it appropriately. "Please, a blade is an extension of you and must be treated as such. Live steel is only used in battles of real risk. Never forget that."
Niko nodded, accepting the blade and the promise in full. "I understand."
"Now, let me show you the proper movements, so you can properly begin to master your new blade." Together they started to move through the katas, with her giving him instruction to move his arms up, legs more splayed, back straighter and so on.
She never expected to feel so... uplifted in training another person. It was the oddest thing...
'Did Hayate feel this, training me?' She thought, only to sense another's presence and wonder just who was spying on them.
:::
"Who are you?" Hinata asked, staring at the new boy, who looked so much like Naruto... he had longer hair and his whiskers were covered in a mask, but he was Naruto in all other ways... at least physically. He wasn't a ray of sunshine, sent from above to make her smile. He was calmer, quieter, more astute to his sensei. She knew of Yugao through Kurenai Sensei, so naturally, she was confused as to why she was teaching a Naruto clone. "Why do you look like Naruto but your chakra is so intensely different?"
"The better question is who are you?" Hinata jumped, turning to face a very amused Yugao looking at her. "Why are you watching us, Hinata Hyuuga?"
"I, ugh... I... I thought he was Naruto."
She sighed, Yugao, and kneeled. "That boy is a clone of Naruto, but from what I can tell he is very different than Naruto, but he is still developing his personality... tell you what, why don't you interact and stop stalking him? Help him figure out who he is?"
Hinata, shyly, nodded. "Okay... the other rookies are setting up a meeting today...if he wants to join. I was going to go soon."
"That would be delightful. Thank you, Hinata." She led the girl out, against her will, to a Niko swinging his new bamboo blade. "Niko, Hinata wanted to asked you if you'd like to join her in meeting the other Rookies for a meeting?"
Niko nodded, smiling behind his mask. "I would love to, except Kiba. Having Naruto's memories, he wasn't very nice. I remember Naruto being very fond of Neji and Lee, so I am looking forward to meeting them. Or that Sakura girl, she was mean to... same with Ino."
Hinata smiled at him, pleased to find that she was not considered mean. "Um...I... do you want to come with me, Niko?" She held out her hand and the boy happily grabbed it.
"Sure, Um... is this going to mess with my training, Yugao Sensei?"
She shook her head. "No, Niko, you need to practice socializing as much as you do train. Seal your blade, as I taught you, and go into town. I want you to spend at least six hours a week socializing, you need it for mission practice and just to be human. You are human kid, clone or not. You deserve to feel that way."
His smile, even if was only the eyes, was utterly radiant and it lifted Hinata's spirits. That sounds great! I will do just that. See you at dawn, Yugao Sensei."
He hurried off, with Hinata taking lead. "So did you know who I was before you started watching us?"
She eeped. "How did you know?"
"I saw you, a few times when I was training. I remember Naruto saw you a few times too, I have most of his memories."
That was mortifying for Hinata, but she could not really claim that much embarrassment, it was true after all.
They reached the Village proper after about ten minutes of silence and found a nice dango shop a few minutes later where the others were already gathering. Hinata led Niko into the place to where she saw Kiba, Shino, Ino and Choji already were sitting. "Um... Hello, everyone. I have someone to introduce."
They all turned to her, with Ino saying. "Oh, you have a new friend, I thought this was just for the Konhona Twelve?"
Hinata smiled. "It is, but this person is both a member and not a member. Niko Uzumaki."
Niko smiled at them. "I am a clone of Naruto created by an ex-scientist of Orochimaru. I have been verified by Inoichi Yamanaka and Tsunade herself. They have me training with Yugao Uzuki. I wanted to meet you all for some time, the whole week I have been in the Leaf."
Hinata watched as the scientist, medic and gossip in Ino took over. She focused, clearly reading Niko's chakra. "Wow, your chakra is so similar and yet entirely different than Naruto's. It's less than, Naruto had chakra for days, but it is still vast and so strong. It is less physically aligned but so much more spiritual. I guess that explains why you sound more articulated than Naruto."
"I have been reading a lot." Niko said. "Yugao has me reading during every break, and for a few hours each night. I have Naruto's skills and memories, a property of chakra and clones... but they need to strengthen my body and refine my abilities beyond memories. I am learning a lot. I think I am already mid tier genin after just a week of training, Yugao is a fantastic teacher. I am learning Kenjutsu starting today."
Kiba finally laughed. "That's wild, man! Two Naruto's, permanently!"
"No, I am not Naruto. We have the same essence, sure, but I am not him. I lack his energy, his spunk, his forgiveness... Yugao had me read a book on philosophy, I am all but a reincarnation. The spark is the same, but the fire is entirely my own."
"Hey, who's this?" Shikamaru, who suddenly arrived with Lee, Tenten, Sakura and Neji said as she walked into the room.
Hinata sighed and reintroduced him all over again. Lee beamed. "Another rival!"
Niko laughed. "Oh Lee, when I was still in the test tube, being created, I wanted to meet you!"
They all went quiet... and then Tenten asked. "Test tube?"
He shrugged. "I was made in a lab, as a clone of Naruto after that mission Naruto, Ino and Shino went on for Isaribi. I am only a few months old, technically, but I have advanced memories through my chakra link to Naruto."
"What was it like?" Sakura asked, with shocking kindness.
And Hinata watched as horror drifted over the boy's eyes as he dived into the world of memories.
"""
'... where am I?' He asked as color and sound echoed in his mind. Looking around, he realized he was in a tube, filled with fluid, with a device over his mouth and nose. He clawed at it, without thinking, only to hear a man's voice.
"Oh I wouldn't do that, less you drown." Turning, he saw the source, a familiar man with grey hair and a scar on his face. "You see, you are my newest project. A clone of that foolish boy, Naruto. He had enough power to summon Gamabunta, a legendary figure, and I saw that red charka erupt around him...a jinchuuriki. How I could not realize that, is beyond me... I will use you to create an army of powerful figures, all blessed with his tremendous vitality and strength, and then Lord Orochimaru will appreciate me once more!"
The boy trembled, memories overwhelming him of the dark shinobi, and the man before him who had hurt Isaribi... he wanted to scream as the memories came in waves, unclear but also crystal in focus, leaving one question.
Who am I?
The memories faded as Niko managed to focus his breathing. He saw them all look at him, Hinata with concern and fear. "I... it was horrible, Sakura, the man who cloned me was a monster, up until he took his own life. Please do not ask me about it again, the memories are weapons all on their own, tearing at my soul. I may never be entirely free of their weight.
Now... enough of that, let's talk dreams and hopes and good things. I may have Naruto's memories but I know some of you so faintly. Kiba, what is your goal? Neji, what do you wish to make of yourself, Hinata what is your greatest ambition? Mine is to find my limits, to see what I can do and to make everyone realize that I am my own being... not just a clone of Naruto."
And so, with those words, the silence was shattered and a conversation started, with everyone informing Niko of the truth of themselves, something Naruto's isolation never allowed him to know.
However, Niko was not blind to the sympathy and pain in Shikamaru and Hinata's eyes, the empathy in Neji's and the shocking depth of Ino's gaze. It really made him wonder...
By the end of the evening, he set up a sparring match with Lee and a hangout a stunned Hinata. It was nice.
Chapter end, tell me what you think in the reviews.
This was a lot of fun, I am really enjoying this story.
Love, your Ninja Overlord,
Mika.