Okay, on with the story!
Shinzui stirred in his bed. What had happened? He couldn't remember-FLASHBACK
"DIE, YOU PITIFUL EXCUSE FOR A HUMAN!!! YOU'RE GOING TO WISH YOU'D NEVER BEEN BORN!!!" Kyuubi swung his arm forward blindingly fast and impacted the evil energy with the unfortunate man's head. Death came immediately to the Jounin. His head exploded backward, away from Kyuubi's hand, showering that side of the clearing in crimson rain.
END FLASHBACKHe lurched out of bed as quickly as he could and emptied the contents of his stomach in the nearest trashcan. The door opened and a nurse looked in excitedly. Her excitement turned sour as soon as she saw that he was still alive.
"Oh. You're awake. I'll inform Hokage-sama." She withdrew her head. Shinzui kept retching even though there was nothing left in his digestive system.
Oh man, I forgot how much dry heaves suck...("You can't be serious, can you? You mean that really WAS your first kill!?")
You've seen my memories, you stupid fox. You should know the most combat I've seen is when I pushed a kid over a desk in school!!
("Pathetic. Absolutely pathetic. I'd never guessed you were that squeamish.")
Oh, yeah right. Like I'll believe that, you stupid fox. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up into a pair of gentle red eyes.
"You look like hell, Shinzui."
"Kurenai! How can you tease him!?" Iruka spluttered from the doorway. She just blew a raspberry at the other boy and helped Shinzui stand.
"I'm getting real tired of waking up in the hospital." he muttered as he sat on the bed. A golden blur burst into the room and latched itself onto the emerald-haired boy.
"ONII-CHAAAAAAAAAN!!! I THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD!!!" Naruto shouted as he clutched onto his brother's shirt. Shinzui fell flat on his back, and dragged himself back to a sitting position.
"Calm down, Naruto. I'm still alive, alright? Calm down, I'm not going anywhere..." he hugged the younger boy and pulled him onto his lap. He patted him on the back, and ruffled his hair affectionately. Sarutobi walked into the room and smiled gently.
"Kids, I need to speak with Shinzui alone. It'll just take a second, you can wait in the hall."
"NANI!? NANDE!!" (1) Naruto yelled. Shinzui winced at his volume.
Number one loudest ninja is right... the kid's only three!! How can he be that loud!? Kyuubi snorted, and withdrew his presence from Shinzui's mind. Iruka dragged a struggling Naruto out of the room, and Kurenai followed, giggling at Naruto's antics. Once the door was shut, Sarutobi's smile vanished as he took a long pull on his pipe."Shinzui, I need you to tell me about yourself. About the other you, from the other world." Shinzui's face fell slightly. He should have known the geezer was going to ask him about it sooner or later.
"What's there to tell? I wasn't that interesting. Nothing you need to be concerned with, Sarutobi-san." The old man's eyebrow rose at his response.
"Fair enough. Can you at least tell me how old you were, what you were good at...?"
"Seventeen. I was almost eighteen. I was quiet... one of my friends used the term 'painfully shy.' I was told I had leadership qualities, but I didn't want to be in the spotlight. I guess I should tell Iruka and Kurenai, ne?" Sarutobi stood.
"Yes, you probably should. Naruto deserves to know also, since you'll be the one with custody of him. I'll let them back in." He exited the room and the kids entered, bowing respectfully. Except for Naruto, who stuck his tongue out. The door was closed again, and Naruto sat next to Shinzui on the bed, while Iruka and Kurenai each took a chair.
"Shinzui?" Kurenai asked tentatively.
"Nani?"
"Well, why don't you... tell us more about yourself?" Shinzui took a deep breath.
"Before I do, you have to promise me two things. One: you can't tell anyone else what I'm about to tell you. Nobody. Only Sarutobi-san knows, and that's enough, and two: You have to believe me. I'm not going crazy, the stuff I'm about to tell you is true." Kurenai nodded, followed by Iruka. Naruto bobbed his head up and down enthusiastically. Shinzui took a deep breath.
"I'm not from this world."
"Nani!?" Kurenai was suddenly very interested in what the younger boy had to say.
"It's true. I was born and raised in another world. I was seventeen, practically eighteen, when I woke up one morning here in the forest. Yondaime-san found me, and took me back with him to his house. And well, the rest... is history, as they say."
"So, you're almost twenty-one? In your mind, anyway?" Iruka asked. Shinzui nodded slowly, and picked up a glass of water and started drinking.
"That settles it. You're the team leader." Kurenai stated. Shinzui sprayed the mouthful of water he had in his mouth.
"What the hell!?"
"Kurenai-chan's right. You're the obvious choice. I mean, you just don't act like an eight-year-old." Iruka said, leaning back in his chair. "You're smarter than us, older than us, in mind anyway, and you know more than us." Shinzui shook his head.
"You're being redundant, Iruka. Not to mention irrational. Who in their right minds would make me the leader of the three of us?"
"I would." Sarutobi phased out of the wall with a big grin on his face. Shinzui's temper flared instantly.
"You planned this, didn't you, you old fart?" Iruka started spluttering when he heard what his teammate called the Hokage, but Naruto just giggled.
"Shinzui-niichan's funny!!" Sarutobi smirked.
"Yes, I did plan it. I knew there was no way you'd let yourself be one, so I tricked you into it. You may be older and wiser than you look, but I'm older and wiser still."
It's not a good idea to kill the Hokage... It's not a good idea to kill the Hokage... It's not a good idea to kill the Hokage... It's not a good idea to kill the Hokage... It's not a good idea to kill the Hokage... Shinzui repeated to himself over and over. Kyuubi snickered.
("He sure got you good, kit. No way out of this one.")
I know, I know... Shinzui sighed.
"Fine, I'll lead, but I won't like it." He stood up as the others merely smirked, minus Naruto who just smiled up at his brother. He closed his eyes momentarily, and opened them again, revealing a yet unseen amount of steel in them.
"You want me to train you, you two? Deal, but I'm not going to be nice. Meet me at Ichiraku Ramen stand once you've run five laps around Konoha."
"NANI!?" Kurenai screeched. "You can't be serious!!"
"Do I look like I'm kidding? Get. Going." Shinzui pointed to the door. The two Genins' shoulders slumped, and they walked out to certain torture.
"See you before noon!!" Shinzui called after them, and he snickered when they both cringed visibly. Naruto looked at him worriedly.
"That wasn't nice."
"No, but it sure as heck was reeeeeal fun." He nodded to Sarutobi, and the old man left, still smiling.
Fox. I need new clothes. The robe isn't gonna cut it, I'm not used to moving around in one.
("Well what do you suggest!?")
Knowing you, you'll want it to be black. How about some black wind pants and a black t-shirt with white trim?
("... Fine! Don't expect to make a habit out of this!!") Shinzui's clothes changed instantly into the ones he had described. Naruto's eyes were nearly bugging out of his head.
"Sugee!! Oniichan's awesome!! How did you do that!? Was it some super cool ultra secret technique!?" Shinzui patted him on the head.
"I'll tell ya later, kid."
"Did the fox do it?" Shinzui froze. He looked down at Naruto in disbelief.
"You know about him!?" Naruto nodded sadly.
"I asked Iruka-nii and he told me what I was..." Naruto's shoulders started trembling as he talked. Shinzui knelt and hugged the boy.
"Naruto, listen to me. You're not a monster, no matter what the others tell you. They're just jerks. You are a human, Naruto. Human. Not a demon. We've been given an unkind hand by fate, Naruto, but we can change their glares, with a little time and hard work. Never forget, I'm your aniki, (1) and I'm here for you." Naruto hugged back, and said something muffled. He pulled his head out of his brother's neck and repeated it.
"What are we gonna do until noon?"
"Konnichiwa." said a lazy-sounding voice from the doorway. The speaker was wearing a forehead protector over his right eye, and his silver hair was gathered sloppily on top of his head.
"Hatake Kakashi-san, I presume?" Shinzui asked.
"Yo. Just giving a message from Hokage-sama. He's nominated you for the Chuunin exams."
"Our team isn't ready yet."
"Not my problem. I'm just the messenger. You three have one month. Oh, one more thing. Here are the keys to your new house. Hokage-sama said you're supposed to live there now, once you pull Naruto out of the orphanage. Ja." The copy ninja vanished in a poof of smoke, leaving a slightly confused Shinzui.
"Let's go, Naruto. Why don't you take me to the orphanage so we can grab your stuff and move into our new house?"
"Yosh! Let's go, aniki!" Naruto grabbed Shinzui's arm and pulled him out of the room. The nurse glared at them as they walked away, and Shinzui casually raised his right hand and gave her the finger, after making sure Naruto looked the other way. She started yelling, so Shinzui grabbed Naruto and ran.
"Why's she so mad?" Naruto asked confusedly.
"Because she's narrow-minded." Shinzui replied as he set him down outside the hospital.
"Lead the way, kid."
"YOSH!!" Naruto walked down the street next to Shinzui, and the older boy appreciated for the first time the glares Naruto was given, the whispers that were murmured behind his back.
"So now the other one's awake? Knew he couldn't die."
"No, that'd be too easy, not to mention nice." Naruto's eyes drooped as he listened. Shinzui's anger flared up, but he quashed it back down again.
Self-control, boy, self control... A massacre would only prove them right...("Che. We'd be doing this hole-in-a-wall village a favor by eliminating them. It's not like they're necessary or anything.")
True, but that's not the point, Kyuubi. The point is I'd be in hot water if I slaughtered anyone. Shinzui's mind snapped back to reality as he sensed something flying towards his head. His hand flew up and caught a rotten tomato, which he quickly returned to where it came with a resounding splat.
Okay fox, explain. HOW did I know that was coming!? The fox merely snorted.
("I'll be damned if I know, kid. Are you positive you don't have a kekkei genkai?")
It's possible... But I doubt it. I mean, what are the odds of me having one!? I'm not even a ninja! Shinzui stopped mid-rant, still following Naruto on autopilot.
("Something wrong?")
How the hell can I use any chakra!? Non-ninjas aren't supposed to have any chakra reserves!! Kyuubi stayed silent for a moment, as if in deep thought.
("I think your body found a new chakra source. I've been feeling a slight pull on my power ever since I repaired your inner coils system. I think your body is unconsciously draining off some of my chakra for your own use.")
I'm constantly pulling on your power!? That can't be good for me.
("No, kit.") Kyuubi growled.
("I mean you siphon off some of my Chakra, and store it in your body. It ceases to be mine, and becomes your own. You don't have as much natural stamina as the other kit, but it's way more than someone at your rank should have anyway. It's gonna have a slightly demonic taint to it, but what can you expect?") Shinzui shook his head and pushed the fox back to his cage. Naruto was walking up to the door of a large building that had definitely seen better days.
"This is the orphanage? It's falling apart!"
"We do quite well, thank you." came the huffy reply of a woman standing behind the desk.
"Can I help you?" She asked with a tired expression on her face, and a matching tone in her voice. She glared at Naruto, who flinched. Shinzui put himself between the two.
"Yes, you can. Thank you very much ma'am. Naruto, go on up to your room and gather your stuff. I'll be up in a sec."
"Okay aniki." Naruto walked up the creaking and groaning stairs, and once he was out of sight, Shinzui turned his full death glare on the woman.
"Look, obaa-teme! That's my little brother you keep glaring at. He hasn't told me what he's been through, but I have a pretty damn good idea! You put him through so much crap I'm surprised he's still alive!! Listen and listen good! I'm taking him out of this hellhole, and you're welcome to try and stop me!!" He let some of the fox's Chakra into his eyes, and the woman trembled under his crimson glare. He spun on one heel and followed the younger boy up the stairs.
("Impressive.")
Shut. Up. Shinzui pushed the fox away as hard as he could, and felt the presence vanish from the edges of his mind. He was definitely not in the mood for a sulking demon fox. He turned the corner and saw the hole in the wall Naruto called his room. It was a janitor's closet. A janitor's closet!! Shinzui shoved the rage and hatred back down, just like he always did.
"I'm ready, aniki." Naruto walked up to him holding only a box full of clothes.
"That's everything?"
"H-Hai." Naruto's voice trembled on the end of the word. Shinzui put a hand on his head and ruffled his hair.
"What do ya say we leave this place?"
"Yosh!" The two boys walked back down the stairs, only to see the woman standing there with a triumphant smirk on her face, behind a large, angry, muscle-bound man.
"You. With the green hair. You're the demon that threatened my wife, huh?"
"Only because she threatened my otouto. We'll be leaving now." The man thought otherwise, and advanced on them with an aluminum baseball bat.
"You're going to see what your little brother goes through every weekend, you demon." Shinzui's eyes turned crimson immediately.
"You beat him. With a baseball bat. Every weekend?" There was a chilling aura rolling off of the boy, but the man didn't seem to notice.
"I could only beat him once a week because the other kids would notice if I did it any more often!!" Shinzui's right hand grabbed the hilt of the sword over his shoulder. In a blur, the sword was being held parallel to the ground out to Shinzui's right side. The bat in the man's hand slid apart in half, and a long split appeared on the chest of the man's shirt. Shinzui sheathed his sword as he forced the anger down again.
"Consider that your warning. I'm not going to repeat it." Shinzui stated as he walked out. Naruto ran after him after blowing a raspberry at the pair of adults.
"You're really cool, aniki! How can you use a sword like that??" Shinzui shrugged.
"I guess it comes naturally. Let's see... the address of our house is... right there!" Shinzui led Naruto up to a medium-sized two-story house. Naruto started cheering as he ran up to look closer. Shinzui slipped the key into the door and opened it, revealing a cozy looking interior. He stepped inside, and immediately felt as if his insides had been dipped in ice water.
What's this feeling...?
("Be on guard, kit. You've just encountered your first ghost. Feels like a fixated spirit... means it's not gonna leave easily.") Shinzui shook his head.
So how do I get rid of it?
("Simple. If you kill it with your sword, it'll be sent to either heaven or hell, whichever it warrants.") Shinzui nodded wordlessly and walked further inside the apartment. He let out a breath, and could see it in the air.
"Naruto, don't come inside yet. There's a ghost I have to get rid of." Naruto gulped and nodded.
"Will you be okay aniki?"
"I hope so." Shinzui felt the largest disturbance from upstairs, and followed the feeling, much to the dismay of his rational mind. He opened a door, and met a young girl with black eyes and hair.
"This is my room. Mine." she said emotionlessly.
"I'm sorry, but I don't suppose you could leave?"
"Mine."
"Please?"
"MINE!!"
"I guessed as much..." A wave of anger and malice washed over Shinzui and made his knees buckle. The girl ran forward and swung her arm at him.
She's a ghost, it's gonna go through-
CRACK
Or not!! Shinzui spat some blood from his mouth as he stood. He gripped the hilt of his sword and swung it as hard as he could. It traveled through the girl's head cleanly, and Shinzui fought the urge to puke. She smiled warmly, and the coldness and evil feeling vanished.
"Arigato, onii-chan. I can rest now." Tears sparkled in her eyes as she vanished in a white light.
("Not bad, for a human. One good crack and you split her like a melon.")
Do NOT remind me!! Shinzui snarled as he swallowed the bile that had risen in his mouth. Now that he thought about it... the house seemed much more homey... nice, even. He walked back downstairs.
"Okay Naru-" he was cut off as a blonde-haired blur ran around the lower level of the house. This was definitely going to take some getting used to, but... this was home now.
Yeesh!!
Dragon Man 180 – Yeah, this is gonna be a tribute fic to odd pairings... Oo
Tiffyki – Thanks!
Night-Owl123 – Sorry it took so long to get out...
sephynarutocloud – I did...
Metanaito-san – Thankies.
Okay, here's what I meant earlier...
OFFICIAL PAIRINGS AS OF THIS MOMENT!!!
Shinzui/Ayame
Naruto/Ino
Gaara/Hinata
Sasuke/Temari
Shikamaru/Sakura
Not sure about the last two... Oo In any case, until next update!!