Warnings: Female Haku.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto and gang. Just playin' with 'em ;P. Any OCs you see in the story are mine.
Review Replies:
nishasha: Naruto likes RAMEN, not chocolate :P As for your other questions, look at my author notes.
Dragon Man 180: Heh. Don't worry, Naruto won't be overpowered. He has one particular disability. . .
Firedude328: Thanks.
VentMonster: I'll try to update fast :D
TenshiKaitou: haha, thanks very much!
Notes: Tentou is Jap for "Heaven". Forgot to add that last chapter. Sorry. Anyway, nishasha has asked whether there will be any pairings. Yes, there will be but no, it will not be NaruHina/Saku/Ino. I'm leaning towards Naru-femHaku/Temari. Let me know what you think.
Anyway, next chapter! 8 pages in all (not counting the author notes). Enjoy!
Chapter Four: A misty bloodline, A sad past.
3 years later. . .
Naruto crouched, dodging the punch the mud golem flung at him, before stepping forward, slamming a flaming fist into its face. Then, the blond whirled around, grasping another fist and pulled on it. The fist's owner, another mud golem, was dragged forward into Naruto's open palm.
Stiffening, the humanoid gave a soundless scream, its mouth open in shock as a fiery blue chakra ripped it open.
More golems poured in, trying to overwhelm the fighter. Naruto was a blur, ducking under punches as he did a sweeping kick, knocking some to the ground. Blocking a fist from his right, the blond twisted and pulled it, elbowing the unfortunate golem in the chest. The creature soon crumbled, chakra leapt up from its collapsing figure.
Leaning backwards, Naruto grabbed the arm he dodged, using it as leverage as he pushed against it and kicked backwards, slamming another two golems into oblivion. The surprised humanoid tried to pull his arm back, but the blond had already swung himself under the arm, treating it as a swing as he flung himself up, smashing his feet into the golem's head. Making a quick jutsu, the blond disappeared in a puff of smoke. The remaining golems jumped away, scattering as they looked for their target.
Suddenly, a orange blur darted around them. Lunging, the mud golems tried to punch the boy, only to meet empty air. As the creatures straightened up cautiously, they caught sight of a strange yellow paper, with shiny black kanji written on it stuck to their backs.
Massive explosions rocked the place, ripping the mud figures into a dispersing storm of dirt.
Naruto stood in the middle of the battlefield, panting lightly as he surveyed the battlefield. Seeing all the golems destroyed, he gave a large grin, before shouting to the man in the tree.
"Hey Iikagen! Look, look! I destroyed them all!" cheered the boy.
Tearing his eyes away from his book, the deity raised an eyebrow as he stared at the dancing figure below.
"Wow, wow, how cool," he muttered lazily.
Naruto pouted. "Meh. . .would it kill you to say just one compliment?"
"No. I'm too awesome to be killed by something as stupid as that."
"Gah! Stop being so egoistical!"
"Wrong. I'm just being factual kid, FACTUAL."
Sweatdropping, Naruto ignored his brother's retort as he began jumping up and down again. "Hey aniki! Its been a month since you taught me something new! Can you teach me another chakra attack, huh, can you?"
Sighing, Iikagen put away his novel before leaping down from the tree.
"Naruto, I have. . .well, I guess you could call it a training exercise."
Curious, Naruto just nodded.
"Ever since you were born, you've been isolated and mistreated by those retards back in the village due to their inability to let go of the past. Unfortunately, things were exactly great, considering you were tortured and then left for the dead until I found you."
Naruto shifted his gaze to the ground, staring the fluttering bits of dust twirling on the ground.
"Now, you're with me. For the past 4 years, you have almost zero human contact. The only people you talk to is that baka fox and the awesome me. Unfortunately, we are not human. We aren't you. Sooner or later, you'll have to return back to civilisa---"
"Return? But. . .I don't want to!" cried Naruto frantically. "Even if you were to leave me, I rather live as a hermit tha---"
"Exactly. A hermit. Look, Naruto, as much as you want to believe that, you know that isn't true. You want attention. You need friends. It is the greatest weakness, yet the strangest strength in humans. You have the ability to instill courage and hope to boost your own morale. You are able to console each other in times of crisis.
"Naruto, you need to be human. You need to regain that ability to console, to empathise, to encourage, to love. For without those, you can never feel whole. Without them, those nightmares will always be with you, haunting you, crippling you, especially if an enemy use a fear-based genjutsu on you.
"There are many other people in this world like you. I haven't cuddled you, nor have I babied you, because some people are like, or worse off than you. But, hey, you know what? They pulled through it. They went through shit, but they still can talk about it, openly too.
"Humans have a amazing healing power within their hands. No man is an island. You have to bridge those waters someday Naruto. By familiarising yourself with your world would do you good."
Naruto looked down, blinking away his tears rapidly as the deity heartfelt speech ended.
"I-I-" he chocked, trying to find a feeble protest against the exercise.
"Look. You don't have to return to Konoha. Anywhere would be suitable, as all as you expose yourself to human contact."
"What if I don't. How would you know?" grunted Naruto in a raspy voice.
"I'm a god you moron, of course I'll know. And well, if you don't, I'm not forcing you. Just don't expect to see me again. If you can't get the idea that not everyone hates you on sight, or that not every dark corner you see has lurking ninjas waiting to pounce on you, you're not good enough to be my brother."
The blond remained silent. Taking the silence as a grudging consent, the deity continued.
"Questions?"
"What would I do for money?"
"Hn. Remember our last card game? You nearly beat me. I have no idea why, but my sister seems to favour you. You're a natural gambler kid, use that talent wisely," said Iikagen, smirking, before shoving 10,000 yen into the blonde's hands.
"Good luck foxy boy!" he cheerily waved, before disappearing from sight.
"Gah. . .stupid aniki," murmured Naruto under his breath as he took out a map. "Hm. . .the nearest town is a small village in Wave Country. I guess I'll go there. . ."
Despite his protests, Naruto smiled.
Perhaps this village won't hate me like the citizens of the Leaf. . .
---
Slurping his last bowl of ramen, Naruto happily placed the bowl on top of 7 other bowls, before pulling out some money to settle the fee. Jumping off the stool, the blond, after politely thanking the chef for the great food, walked out into the village.
Ahh. . .the food was good. Hmm, where should I go now?
Looking around, the boy saw a small clothier at the corner. Looking down at his faded shirt and dirty pants, he decided to buy some clothes to replace the ones he had now.
Strolling into the shop, he greeted with friendly smile. Giving one in return, Naruto waved off the assistance and walked to the back of the store himself.
Ten minutes later, a masked boy strolled out the shop. Half of his face was covered by a black mask. He wore a dark blue long sleeved shirt, with a baggy orange short sleeved shirt over it. A pair of indigo pants covered his legs.
Slinging a bag over his shoulder, Naruto looked to his left.
Hmm. . .to my left is Water Country. I heard it was a nice place. I think I should go there, eh?
Making his mind up, Naruto started walking off to the east.
Suddenly, as the blond passed a darkening alley, he heard stifled crying coming from behind an empty dustbin. Curious, Naruto walked toward it, only to find a sobbing girl huddling against the wall.
Crouching down, the boy tentatively patted the girl. She flinched, her head jerking up to stare at the blond with fear-filled eyes.
Those eyes. . .
The faint echoes of his own screams and cries during that night suddenly flashed through his mind. Shaking his head slightly, Naruto forced himself to not think of the incident. Giving a small smile, he looked into her haunted eyes and comforted her.
"Hey. . .don't be afraid. I'm a friend."
She was still backed up against the wall, but her muscles relaxed a little.
"You. . .um. . .hungry? I can buy something for you!" continued Naruto, his smile breaking into a hearty grin.
The girl stared into his cerulean eyes, as if she was judging whether the blond was truthful of not. Slowly, she nodded, not trusting her own voice.
Beaming, Naruto dragged her from the ground, grasping her arm loosely as he dragged her into the forest. Normally, she would have screamed in fear and struggled to free herself, but this time, she found an oddly comforting sense of security coming from the boy. The strange feeling nuzzled her, hugged her, giving her the familiar, yet foreign warmth, something she forgotten since her family. . .
Suddenly, they stopped. Naruto pointed at a flowing river, his eyes closed in a high arch as he continued to ramble.
". . .here! Don't worry, no one will peek! I bathed here just a few hours ago too! The water's not too cold, just quite refreshing. You just wash yourself up and wait here. I'll go buy some food and clothes for you!" the blond chatted excitedly. "Oh, and here's an extra bar of soap and another towel. You can use it to dry---
"What's is your name, by the way?" Naruto suddenly asked, stopping his speech abruptly.
"H-Haku," the girl replied, after a few seconds of surprise at the sudden question.
"Haku," repeated Naruto. "Heh, pretty name!"
Haku blushed and gave a slight bow of her head. "Arigatou."
"Well, I'll be off then! Wait for me, ok?"
"H-Hai," said Haku, but the strange boy was already gone.
The corners of her lips perked up a little as she picked up the bar of soap lying on the white towel.
---
Waiting for his two ramen to be cooked and packed, Naruto thought back to the girl.
Those eyes. . .
THAT'S YOUR REASON FOR HELPING HER?
Kawaiibi?
ITS KYUUBI YOU BAKA! NOT KAWAIIBI OR KAWAII-FOX!
I thought you were supposed to be sleeping and not talking to me?
I WOKE UP, HAPPY?
Naruto smirked, before the chef packed up two bowls of ramen and put them into a bag before passing it to him. Paying, the boy then picked up the bag and starting walking back to the river.
HN. I GUESS SHE IS LIKE YOU.
Naruto kept silent.
FINE. IGNORE ME.
Hn.
Naruto felt the fox shifting away, falling back to sleep.
That was a strange conversation. . .
---
Haku wrapped herself up in the fluffy towel while watching the reddish rays of the setting sun dancing across the shimmer river. The yellow clouds drifted lazily in the orange sky.
Those blue eyes. So much cheeriness. . .yet. . .
Haku touched her cheek, caressing it gently as she felt the faint memory of her father's blood trickling down her face.
The girl shut her eyes, remembering the fear in his eyes as her mirrors burst out of the ground, circling her father in a dizzy formation.
Haku remembered the blind terror flashing through his onyx orbs, right before a thousand water needles buried themselves within his neck.
That terror. . .those eyes. . .so much like him.
Suddenly, she heard someone bursting through the bushes. Whirling in fear while unconsciously clutching the towel closer together, she saw the same blue-eyed boy, carrying two bags with a blindfold over his eyes.
"Yo, Haku! How's the bath? Don't worry, I can't see anything except your chakra signature," Naruto reassured the girl before putting down the bags. "Here! The right one contains some clothes, while the other one has two bowls of ramen!"
Soon, in less than a few minutes, Naruto heard a shy "You may take off the blindfold now. . ."
Slipping the rag off, he saw the girl already polishing one bowl of ramen.
"Hungry, huh?" smirked the blond as he watched her picking up the second bowl.
Haku just nodded.
The two then sat in silence, watching the sun sinking down behind the tall mountains.
---
Haku slurped up the last of the noodles. Tentatively, she placed the bowl down, before quietly asking the boy his name.
"Neh? Oh, ashikarazu, I forgot to introduce myself. I'm---"
DO NOT SAY YOUR REAL NAME. GIVE AN ALIAS.
Wha---?
". . .Narashi."
"Arigatou Narashi-san," thanked the girl politely as she gestured to the empty bowls and clothes.
"Neh. . .it was nothing," said Naruto, smiling.
Oi baka fox, why did you call me to give an alias?
I HAVE A FEELING THAT IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO YOU, the fox roared with a tone of finality, warning the boy not to pursue the matter anymore.
Frowning slightly, Naruto turned to the girl. Haku was leaning on a tree, staring at the winking stars with a faraway look on her face.
"So. . .um. . .what happened to you?"
Haku glanced at Naruto, before looking down at the ground.
"Hey, don't worry, if you're not comfortable in saying it, you don't have to," comforted the blond.
"Do. . .do you hate people with bloodline abilities?" she asked after a minute. Her soft whisper was barely loud enough to be heard.
"Eh, no. Why should I? They're just normal people with really cool powers, that's all," wondered Naruto as he cocked his head in thought.
At this, Haku suddenly chocked, biting her lips before dissolving into tears. She drew her knees into her body, hugging them tightly while sobbing. Naruto, feeling slightly panicky, timidly place his hand on her shoulder.
Haku unexpectedly latched herself onto the blond, crying into his chest. Flinching faintly, Naruto cautiously patted the weeping girl while quietly reassuring her.
"Hey, it's alright. . .it'd be ok."
Slowly, the loud hiccups faded into a chocking whimper.
"I. . .am a Mist nin. In our country, Shinobi with A-advanced Bloodlines are the primary weapons. O-over time, those with "Advanced Blood" came to be h-h-hated and f-feared. This forced those with advanced bloods to go into hiding in order to live in peace.
"I am one of the few people in the Mist with Advanced Blood left.
"One day, my father. . .he found about our bloodline heritage. Then, then he. . .k-killed my mother. He stabbed her to death! Then he tried to kill me!
"I was afraid, so afraid, that, that my bloodline was activated."
Haku looked up into Naruto's eyes, her hazel orbs slick with horror and disgust --- at herself.
"I killed him. I KILLED MY OWN FATHER!" she howled.
"Then I ran. Ran until I had no strength but I still ran. I only reached here yesterday. I was so, so hungry, I felt as if my stom--- no, my body was on fire. I felt as if I was going to die. . .
"I'm a monster, Narashi. A monster unloved by anyone, a devil who killed her family. I don't deserve to live Narashi. . .I should have died. . ."
Flashes of his past life in the village flashed through Naruto's life.
. . .it's him. . .
. . .no, no, don't play ever with him Hikoru. That boy's a bad, bad boy. . .
. . .he should have died. . .
"Haku, you're not a monster. Never believe that you are. You are beautiful, you are pure, you are innocent. You are not, and will never be, a monster!" said Naruto firmly, forcing her eyes to look into his, to see his sincerity.
Haku completely broke down. Her shaking frame collapsed into Naruto. He hugged her tightly, whispering into her ear while trying to warm her shaken soul.
"Don't worry. . .it'll be ok. It'll be alright. Just cry it out. . .just cry it out."
. . .I haven't cuddled you, nor have I babied you, because some people are like, or worse off than you. . .
Iikagen's word echoed within the blond's head. Naruto subconsciously tightened his grasp around Haku.
. . .you have the ability to instill courage and hope to boost your own morale. You are able to console each other in times of crisis. . .
. . .it is the greatest weakness, yet the strangest strength in humans. . .
"Don't worry. . .everything will be ok. . ."