A New Nindo
Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto I would be rich, I don't. If I did own it I wouldn't be counting my pennies like the pauper I am. In the future some of my jutsus may be borrowed from other authors; if they are I will hopefully remember to point them out in my author's notes. This story does not reflect the ability of those authors I borrowed from. In other words if my story sucks it's not their fault, it's mine. However I haven't borrowed any yet so I don't worry about it. This version of the Naruto story belongs to me; most of the characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto.
Summary: What if you died? What if it was a mistake? What if you were given a chance to step out of your normal everyday life and become hero? I'd grab the chance. This is my story.
Hiiro and Angelica: Thanks and to answer your question it is easier for me to write in first person because the story is about what I would do in Naruto's shoes if I knew what was going to happen. At the same time I think it's important to hear the other characters thoughts. I'm still working on how to factor in the other character's feelings and thoughts. Because I sometimes include their thoughts in italics it seems confusing and some kind of hybrid mix between 1st and 3rd person. Sometimes there thoughts are only a sentence and it seems like a waste of space to write begin POV and end POV so many times.
Rhythmic: Thanks and yes Haku's a girl.
Bam Dasher: Just wait and see. He's only a child but that doesn't mean he's weak.
Arrow of Hikaru: Thanks for the review and should I up the rating because there is swearing. I mean I am a child but with a twenty year old's mind. Some bad habits are hard to break. Besides Naruto's always calling Sasuke a Bastard and Sakura usually calls Naruto an idiot or dumbass.
Meheeners: I realize she was happy with Zabuza but I don't think their relationship was a healthy one. Being someone's tool, even though they give you a purpose sounds no more like a zombie to me. Although I can't understand Haku's feelings in the anime I understand that you were right when you said she was happy.
Blackmamuth: I won't comment on their teamwork but I will say this. Haku and I will be growing up together and have a healthy relationship (friends/lovers?). It would be reasonable to believe that we would work well together. However that won't be for awhile because I believe good teamwork takes time to grow and they're only children now.
Wolvesmon: Thanks for your, ranma hibiki, mercva, and arrow of hikaru's multiple reviews.
Author's Notes:
1) Haku is a girl, in case you didn't catch that in the reviews section or in the story.
2) For pairings you must understand my personal views. Naruhina is sweet like the best friends growing up to become lovers type of romances. I like it and I like Narusaku. For Narusaku it marks for me an accomplishment on Naruto's part. It's like getting the hottest girl in school to go after you. I don't like the animosity between the two and personally believe that the two can get along like in the many fics I've read. The fact that there are so many of Naruhina and Narusaku proves that many people also believes the genuine possibility of both pairings. However, because I want to make my story different and more original, this is my main reason behind the Naruhaku implications. Whether or not it turns out that way I won't say but no matter what Haku, Sakura, and Hinata will probably be happy. Pairings will become apparent. Hinata's pairing will be apparent later on. I only ask that you keep an open mind about the pairings. They won't be completely weird and Sakura and Hinata's pairing will have been done before. I've seen at least a dozen fics with their possibly chosen partners done before. I repeat I will not say if this is a Naru/Haku/Saku or Hina fic.
3) I already have everything up to chapter 9 planned in my mind which is right before Genin exam. Everything will flow smoothly until then. You can expect to see chapter updates within several days of each other or multiples in one day. After chapter 9 I will have to slow down because I want to make my story different from the anime and the fanfics I've read. Things like the teams and the chuunin exam will stay the same but how they happen will be different. I can't get rid of some key events like the bell test but I can change how they happen.
4) Although I said I can't get rid of some key events I am Naruto, I know what will happen, and my goal is to change certain events. I have already saved myself from the villager's hate and Haku. My goals are the same as in chapter 1 with a few unmentioned but that is to keep you surprised and guessing.
5) Naruto will grow steadily he won't have mastered Shunshin by next week or Rasengan. I think it took two and a half months for him to learn Rasengan and a week to master it. That's what it seems like in the anime and manga. By the end Naruto will not be godlike.
6) OCs there may be some but not yet at least probably not until I'm done with the regular Naruto arc-up till chapter 244. OCs will not be way stronger than Tsunade and Jiraiya. Kage level is what I consider the height of ninja potential. Maybe there will be one class or league above it but not for awhile.
7) I know I'm rambling too much and things are confusing so just read on.
Chapter 4: Strength of Love
"Shit," I said.
Judging from this guy's appearance I could tell he was a chuunin, the way he carried himself was very professional. Though his hands were at his sides, his body was in a relaxed stance and I could ready for me.
Shit he's already seen my speed, judging by his reaction it's nothing he can't catch but I still have my trump card.
"Hmph," he said from behind his mask.
I recognized his mask as the ones that Mist-Nins used for underwater breathing. It covered the mouth but not the rest of the face. He wasn't wearing the goggles that came with the mask.
"I didn't really think those trash would be defeated by a shrimp like you. Where did you learn to move like that"
I could tell he was confident.
Dumbass, you just gave yourself away in one sentence. If he doesn't know about my training, he must not know about Tsunade and Shizune. If I can only make it back… Tsunade may still be afraid of blood but Shizune's at least Jounin-class.
He took my silence as defiance.
"I'll be taking the girl now."
"Like hell you will!"
I dashed towards him in a straight line.
"Oh?" he asked, slightly amused.
In the next moment he was in front of me with his fist in my gut. Then it was replaced by a log.
"Kawarimi?" he said, alarmed.
My earlier fighting had been impressive but sloppy. I made sure to do this because 1) I was slightly confident in my skills and 2) I didn't want anyone around to know I had ninja training.
Plan success.
I was behind him as I dashed forward he turned around to hit me.
"Hmph," I gloated.
His fist went through one of my after images and to him I appeared to merely slip away. I had already mastered Hirameku to an intermediate level. So that when I moved I appeared to disappear and then freeze for a moment with an after image flashing behind me.
My entire plan relied on him being surprised because I couldn't gauge his strength. Getting hit would lull him into a false sense of security and Kawarimi would get me in the right position while Hirameku would help deliver the blow.
I ducked under his guard while he was surprised and thrust my Chakra-Mesu into his chest, severing the arteries around his heart. I knew this would be my first kill but I didn't know how he would react to one of my punches and I couldn't fool around for many reasons. 1) It wasn't just my life in question it was Haku's and 2) He was a chuunin and I was four year old (going on five).
I saw blood spill out from the sides of his mask and knew my aim had been correct. I immediately cut his arms, preventing him from using any jutsus. I had decided that at this point I had been lucky enough so I turned, picked up Haku bridal-style, and ran. I didn't even wait to hear his body hit the ground. I was worried he might have survived or that other ninjas may be around. After my fight with him I knew any backup would be extremely cautious and prepared. If they appeared I was screwed because it either meant they had prepared something for me or they were a lot stronger than me. I had laid all my cards out on the table I had no more tricks left.
As we neared the apartment I was jumping with joy on the inside and didn't even notice Haku's blush.
Almost there now… what's this feeling, this chill? Fuck… It's someone's chakra and it's huge!
My worst nightmare came true when I saw him.
He looked the same as always. He had a mist headband and bandages around his mouth. He was wearing a flak jacket but it was a Jounin's.
Damn.
He had urban camouflage pants on. A huge sword stood erect, embedded into the ground next to him. If that wasn't enough of a description then the lack of eyebrows definitely gave him away. Momochi Zabuza.
Shit shit shit!
Since no one came out of the apartment I guess I had come home too soon. Shizune was out earning money while Tsunade was out loosing it. We had agreed on a little stipend for her to enjoy herself.
What do I do? Do I run? Yeah right! Out run a Jounin? Fight? Are you insane?
"Very impressive boy," he said. "But you're still just a brat. Step away from the girl."
"What do you want with her?" I asked.
I was stalling and he knew it. I didn't even have any weapons with me because I didn't feel the need. In reality I knew it was because I had been lulled into a sense of security with Tsunade and Shizune. I knew what he wanted, Haku's bloodline limit.
"There are many special people in this world. She's one of them and you're not. So I have no use for you."
Man kids are gonna be the death of me yet. First it was that child and the car. Now it's Haku and this psycho.
For a moment I thought of what would happen if I let Haku go. She seemed pretty happy in the anime with Zabuza. However there were a couple of problems. At that point she was so broken she would accept anything. I could tell that when I first found her that she still had emotions and she wasn't that desperate. I didn't think she could survive in Zabuza's world now. As she clutched my arm I reminded myself of the issue at hand.
Give her up? Am I on crack? I can't believe I just though that! She needs me!
"Over my dead body."
"That can be arranged."
He made some hand seals and I saw mist roll in. At this point I knew I had run out of options. He had probably seen my moves and he outclassed me. His mist made my Hirameku useless. Hirameku only fooled your sense of sight, he was trained in silent killing and probably depended more on his other senses. My sweat mixed with the mist as I futilely thought about what I could do in this situation. I gripped Haku's hand to reassure her but she was numb from Zabuza's chakra like me. Then I felt it, something in the air or maybe it was just instinct but I pushed her away. Just in time it seemed for her, but not for me.
I felt his sword slash across my chess. It was so swift that I barely had time to register it. I couldn't even feel the blood as it gushed out and blurred my vision. I didn't even know I was falling until I hit the ground with my face in the mud. I heard Haku's screams in the distance but I couldn't move.
"Naruto!" she was crying out my name.
Haku's POV (I thought it was important to point this out because even though I frequently use I instead of Naruto I will include other people's thoughts in Italics).
Why do you go so far for me Naruto-kun?
As she saw Naruto push her away she was surprised but frightened when she saw his wound open up.
Please God, I don't care what happens to me, just save him please.
End Haku's POV.
I couldn't help but cry. For all my planning and training to go to waste it hit something deep within me. Something unexplainable, the heart? My confidence? No, something that could only be explained as the core of my being. As she screamed my name harder I could hear her choked sobs.
You're so pathetic.
I know.
You're so weak.
I know.
Do you seek power?
Yes…
Then I shall grant it to you.
I felt power rushing through my veins along with the bloodlust. It was like fire searing throughout my body but the pain was absent. I felt my wound closing up almost immediately. My eyes turned into dark red slits flowing with tears, my whiskers stretched into dark scars, and my fangs were grit in anticipation. I felt like I was on the ultimate high from drugs, not that I had ever experienced them.
You should be thanking me, human.
I'll thank you when I tear this guy apart.
All thoughts of guilt about killing that chuunin were gone. Whether or not he died no longer mattered. All that mattered was for me to sate my thirst for his, no, Zabuza's blood. I hungered for it and anything less would be meager side dish.
I could see the surprise on Haku and Zabuza's faces, but only Zabuza was afraid. He quickly squashed that feeling and steeled himself for the oncoming fight. For me there was only the hunger for violence, blood, and … vengeance? I wondered where that came from. Was it from the Kyuubi? I didn't have time to think as moved towards with his sword ready. As he swung it I disappeared from his vision.
"Where?" he mumbled.
"Above!" I yelled.
I was standing on the tip of his sword and dove down towards him. In one swift motion I raked my claws across his face. I wanted to rip out his eyes but unfortunately I had to settle for a single scar that ran across his face from the top of his right eyebrow, across his nose, to the bottom of his left cheek. When I looked into his eyes I saw only rage. I felt his free hand sock me in the face. Even with the Kyuubi's power I was still only a child as I still felt some of the punch. It sent me sailing through into the wall. I coughed up some blood.
As I fell out of my resting place in the wall I landed on my knees and looked up. Zabuza had finished his hand seals and out of the mist a huge water dragon appeared.
"Suiton, Suiryudan no Jutsu," he shouted.
Thanks for the captioning asshole.
The Kyuubi's chakra shielded me like a thin but effect armor. So I guess I was lucky that the water dragon only pushed me through the doll and away like thirty meters, like a rag doll. Still the wound from earlier hadn't completely healed and I was left with some serious but non-fatal wounds.
I hit the floor with a loud thud and turned my head to the side. I saw Tsunade drop her groceries.
Shit! I can't die hear not in front of Haku and especially Tsunade.
I could see Tsunade tremble from her hemophobia (Author's Note: earlier I said homophobia, sorry for the mistake). I tried to get up. I didn't want to hurt her heart anymore than it already had been from the deaths of her lover Dan and her little brother Nawaki. I felt the least I could do was die out of her sight. However my body wouldn't respond no matter how much I wished it.
Is this my limit? Is this all my hard work amounts to?
Zabuza wasn't a merciful guy I could tell as he stepped down on my chest. If it wasn't for Kyuubi's chakra my ribs would have already been crushed and punctured my lungs. Even so I couldn't help but cough up some more blood.
Is this the end?
My eyes became heavy as I saw Zabuza raise his sword above his head, ready to plunge into my chest. I didn't think I would survive that.
Ha-ha… Game Over…
I thought bitterly and my life flashed through my eyes. What I didn't realize was that the same thing was happening with Tsunade.
Tsunade's POV
Tsunade's hands were trembling as she watched her son's body fly through the air, being pushed by a water dragon. At this point she was shocked, but when she saw his condition she couldn't help but cry. Her hands had begun to tremble already when she saw his blood. When she saw a man step on her son she panicked.
What are you doing Tsunade? Are you going to let him kill your son?
When he raised his large sword above his head, poised to strike. She could hear her heartbeat in her ears.
Move… Move… Move, God damn it!
Suddenly her body moved into action. Her trembling fist met Zabuza's shocked face. It was Zabuza's turn to fly through the air this time along with some of his teeth that exited his mouth.
End Tsunade's POV
Zabuza's POV
What the hell is with this woman? One moment she's trembling the next she's a monster!
As he struggled to get up he saw the woman approaching. He quickly regained his composure and brought up his sword to block her incoming fist. A loud echo resounded from her skin meeting metal and he couldn't help but stare at her face. It was a mixture of anger and sadness. However the tears in her eyes couldn't erase the obvious hate in her eyes and hardened face. Then the impossible happened. Her fist shattered his sword!
"What the!" he yelled.
Her fist cracked some of his ribs as it collided with his chest. Zabuza was grateful that the sword had absorbed some of the impact, enough to save him from immediate death.
What up with this woman? And what is this monstrous strength? I've never encountered something like it before.
All his questions were answered and replaced by fear when Shizune's voice cut through the mist.
"Tsunade-sama!"
Tsunade! Isn't she one of Konoha's Sannin? Shit, talk about unlucky.
He glanced at Naruto's still body.
I guess I have to retreat. I'll remember you kid.
End Zabuza POV
Back to Normal POV
When I awoke I was in a comfortable bed. My wounds were healed on the outside but my body still ached. I felt a weight on my chest so I turned my head around to see my surroundings. I could Kaasan on my chest and Haku sitting in a chair in the corner.
Aren't they supposed to switch positions. Oh well beggars can't be choosers. Besides Haku's only what five or six?
"Kaasan I love you but you're crushing me," I said softly.
Tsunade groggily woke up from her sleep and stared at me. She started to cry and hugged me. Haku woke up and joined us in crying and hugging. Then Shizune a couple minutes later. When we finally got that out of our systems I spoke up.
"I'm sorry Haku," I said.
Haku looked at me confused.
"If I had been stronger then…"
Haku slapped me.
What the?
"It's not your fault," she said holding me close. "It's my fault… It's always my fault."
Tsunade wanted to get some answers since Haku was hysterical while I was asleep. Shizune suggested it would be best to talk about things when I woke up. After some explaining we got around to Haku and her story. I knew this wouldn't be easy so I held her hand and stayed close to reassure her. She told us about how one day she activated her bloodline limit. Sensing the tension I decided to do some Naruto-ish.
"Wow so that's mean you have a special ability and can do some cool shit that other people can't do, right?"
Everyone looked at me weird. Haku was probably thinking how I could take this so easily. Tsunade and Shizune probably wondered where I got my dirty mouth from.
Man I keep forgetting I'm twenty in a child's body. Gotta tone down the language.
Haku's face softened and she smiled at me before continuing.
"My mother understood that people with bloodlines were hated. People with bloodlines were seen as weapons and hated for the memories of all the destruction they caused from the Third Great Ninja War."
She gripped my hand tighter, I could tell she was getting to the uncomfortable part.
"She tried to hide my ability but my father found out. One day…"
This time I squeezed her hand to let her know I was there and that I would accept her for what she had done.
"He came home with a group of men who had lost their families in the war. They… my mother…"
By now she was slowly but steadily sobbing. Tears were streaming down the sides of her face. I could hear in her voice that they had done more than just killed her but I didn't want to imagine that. I once again realized this wasn't an anime. There are real people here this is my world now and I have to do what I can to protect it.
"When he came for me I was so frightened… and the next thing I knew there was an explosion… of ice… I had killed my father…"
Only Shizune seemed surprised but neither she nor Tsunade seemed disgusted. I made sure to go the extra step and hug her. I had always thought that group hugs looked funny but within the confines of my family it felt sacred as we did so for a second time today.
We settled down again and Haku fell asleep on my shoulder. I smiled gently at her before turning to Kaasan.
"What happened with that eyebrow-less freak?"
"I took care of him," Tsunade replied with a grin.
I was a little surprised because I had been unconscious when she wiped the floor with him.
"But Kaasan there was a lot of blood…"
My blood mostly.
"That's okay Naru-chan," she said as she gently touched my face. "Kaasan's no longer afraid of blood."
"But how?"
"The strength of love," she replied. "I couldn't let anyone touch my little baby boy and get away with it."
Love? I suppose that's what spurned me to protect Haku. Whether it was from brotherly or romantic feelings I don't know. But in the short time I had known Haku she has worked her way into my heart. I wonder why? I never had this feeling while I was alive in the other world. Yes, the other world, this is my world now.
"Thanks Kaasan," I said as I hugged her with my free arm.
"You're welcome Naru-chan," she said, returning the hug.
I eventually drifted off to sleep with Haku next to me.
A guy could get used to this.
Tsuzuku…
Author's Notes: Next time I return to Konoha and my journey truly begins. I begin to work harder and grow as a ninja along with Haku.
Thank you for your reviews and remember my creative talent and engine feeds off of them. Just dropping a line to say hi reassures me that this fanfic is actually being enjoyed and read. Your comments are important to me because it helps me judge where to fix things.
