Ok, I'm back with another chapter yay! Now, those of you that read chapter six, I reread it and I'm like, "My god, I rushed that…" Yeah it is true, it was a part of the story that I just wanted out of the way so I could get to the next part, I am sorry that I rushed it, it is really sloppy compared to the earlier chapters, people got over their emotions to fast, and that kind of stuff, so to make it all up to you, I'll be sure to make this chapter worth it!
DISCLAIMER – I'm getting tired of everyday being my saddest day of my life, so I decided to hide in a closet… sadly the boogeyman told me I didn't own Naruto… It was a sad day for me indeed…
Ok, enjoy!
"Speaking"
Thinking
Kyuubi speaking in fox mode
(Miles outside of Konoha.)
"Ayumi, are we there yet!" Naruto wailed for the hundredth time.
Ayumi looked as though she was about to explode as she yelled, "NARUTO, we just left the village like what? An hour ago? My god, this is going to be a three day trip at most, so keep your freaking mouth SHUT!"
Naruto was effectively out of 'wailing mode' after her outburst and he just followed behind her with his father. After a few more hours, he and his father decided to play a game…
"I spy with my little eye, something that is… GREEN!" Naruto shouted.
"Could it be the leaves…" Koga asked.
"How did you know!" Naruto asked as though his father answered the hardest question in the world.
"We're traveling at incredible speeds through a forest, where practically everything we see is green because of the speed we're going. If we were to slow down though, we may be able to get a serious game going." Koga explained.
Naruto sighed and muttered, "So, anything else we can do?"
Ayumi suddenly appeared besides Koga and said, "Hurry up you two! You're slowing us down!"
Both boys nodded and sped up slightly so that they were only a few feet behind Ayumi. Koga decided to start something up, "So, Ayumi, what are you going to talk to Suna about?"
"Nothing that concerns you." Was her answer.
Koga's eyebrow twitched violently. My god, she is one evil woman…
"How long will we be there for?" Naruto asked.
"Probably for a week at most." Ayumi responded. "You might meet a few new kids there, so be happy!" She assured him, throwing a quick smile at him.
Well, at least she doesn't see Naruto as me. Koga mentally thought happily. "Hey Naruto, lets play I spy again, I'm getting bored…"
"Okay Dad!' Naruto shouted happily.
"No talking! I just want peace and quiet!" Ayumi shouted.
Both the boys sighed again, and decided to use their mental link. So Koga… I spy with my little eye, something that is… Naruto paused for a little bit before saying, Green!
This is going to be a long day… Koga whined to himself.
After the three had traveled a good distance from Konoha, they decided to set up camp for the night. Ayumi grabbed the sleeping bag on her back and began to set it up while Koga and Naruto began to cook some of the Ramen that Naruto bought.
"I'm starving!" Naruto muttered as he tried to light the fire.
"Move aside Naruto." Koga said, he quickly made a hand sign, and a flame came to life in his hand, he quickly lit the fire to both Naruto and his delight.
"Do you guys have enough for me?" Ayumi asked as she moved over to the fire.
"Yeah, Naruto usually brings well over the normal amount of Ramen any man would bring." Koga explained to her.
"Yeah!" Naruto exclaimed, "I think I have enough for the return trip also!"
"I see…" Ayumi muttered. The three of them sat together and began to eat their Ramen together. It was really quiet until Naruto began some conversation.
He looked over to Ayumi and asked, "So, are me and my dad really going to have to protect you from someone in Suna?"
"Probably not." She looked at his confused expression and elaborated saying, "You were to come because a few kids found out your secret, so while you are here, the ANBU will probably use some Genjustu on them to make them forget about it."
Naruto noticeably twitched when she said, 'your secret', and could feel his anger at the village rising within him. Koga noticed them and mentally told him, Calm down Naruto.
How Dad? I just realized that the village hated me for something that was completely out of my control. They nearly killed me because of it… Naruto would have continued ranting but his father cut him off.
I know Naruto; I was with you the whole time… That was partly a lie, Koga had learned Naruto's past by looking at his memories of the past. None of them were very pleasant however.
Hey dad, Thank you for adopting me… Naruto muttered.
Why do you say that now? Koga asked.
Because, even if you're the evil demon fox that attack so many years ago, you're different now, you allowed me to have friends, and you even saved some people's lives… For all of that, I thank you. Naruto said, tears threaten to well up in his eyes.
Naruto, it is the duty of a father to his son, nothing more. Koga said with a hint of a smile.
Ayumi noticed their expressions changing as if they were having a conversation and when Naruto looked like he was going to cry she finally asked, "What the hell are you guys doing?"
"What?" Koga looked over to Ayumi before realizing that she could not hear their mental conversation. "Well, Naruto and I have a bond where we can communicate within our minds, so we were just chatting… We didn't want to disturb you or anything!" He quickly explained.
"Well I'd rather you talk out loud, I find it more disturbing that you guys keep changing expression without me figuring out what is going on, than when you chat out loud so I know why you have those expressions…" She explained.
Koga sighed and dismissed the entire situation by saying, "Whatever…"
After the trio finished eating, Koga and Naruto unpacked their sleeping bags and the three slept for the night. Nothing out of the ordinary happened…
(The next day.)
The first of the three to wake up was Koga, when he realized his two traveling companions were asleep, and by judging the time by pointing out where the sun was in the sky, he figured that he had about an hour before the sunlight would wake them up.
"I guess I should go back to sleep…" He muttered. He went back into his sleeping bag but was not in the mood to sleep at all, so he decided to stay up and prepare breakfast for his companions.
So… What do we have…" He searched Naruto's bag and only found Ramen, and he hadn't brought any food. "I wonder if Ayumi has anything with her…" He snuck over to her bag and opened it. He sighed when he found no weapons, but only little trinkets and various other things.
"I guess that means we're having Ramen!" He said with a sarcastic cheer. He began the fire like he had the previous day, and just sat there until he counted up the last few minutes his team would sleep. He cooked t just in time for them to wake up by the sunlight hitting their face.
"What time is it?" Ayumi muttered as she crawled out of her sleeping bag.
"Not sure, but we should be heading out soon." Koga answered. "By the way, I cooked you some Ramen, so eat up so we can leave right away."
When Naruto heard the word Ramen, he shot out of his sleeping bag and quickly began to eat it. "Thank you Dad!' He said in between mouthfuls.
Once they finished, Ayumi began to speak, "Okay, we will repeat yesterdays behavior on our travels! Try not to lag behind!"
"That was a short speech…" Koga muttered.
"It was!" She said. "We need to hurry and I don't feel like explaining this to a thick headed idiot like you."
Koga felt a vein in his head pop out. "A think headed idiot?" He questioned.
"You heard right!" She said as she turned away from him and huffed.
"You are going to be the death of me…" Koga muttered.
"Ok! Lets head out now! Keep up Naruto!" She said Naruto's name in a sweet voice which Koga noticed right away. She is really getting on my nerves…
She just doesn't want to be mean to children, what is wrong with that? Arashi suddenly spoke up in his mind.
That is not what I mean, I am glad she is kind t Naruto, it is how she acts to me that annoys the hell out of me… Koga explained to Arashi.Heh, sounds like she has something for you… Arashi explained.
Her? Arashi, she hates me, isn't that clear? Koga asked.Arashi sighed and said, You'll find out eventually…
After a long time of silence and travel, Naruto finally asked, "Are we almost there yet?"
Needless to say, their trip there was quickly turning chaotic…
(Two more days later… in Suna.)
"Are we almost there yet?" Naruto asked for the millionth time.
"YES!" Ayumi shouted as she saw the village in the distance. She sped her pace up and quickly met up with the village patrol.
"What is your business in Suna?" One of the two they met up with asked.
"We're here to negotiate about our current trade with you." Ayumi spoke with an official kind of sound in her voice.
The two Suna guards chatted for a little bit before they finally allowed them in. "Enjoy your stay in our village."
"We will thank you." Ayumi smiled and dragged both Naruto and Koga into the large village in front of them. She turned to them and said, "Ok, Koga take this card and go to the hotel mentioned on it and get us two rooms, one for me and one for both of you. I will go see the Kazekage about our negotiations." She quickly ran off afterwards.
"At least the card tells us where the place is…" Koga muttered as he grab hold of Naruto's hand and they both began to walk to the hotel listed on the card.
Naruto looked around excitedly, but got bored within a few seconds and complained saying, "This place is almost exactly like our village, it is just a lot more sandy!" Naruto complained.
"What were you expecting?" Koga asked.
"Well you know, like…" Naruto stopped mid sentence… What was I expecting?
Koga laughed and said, "Exactly, you weren't expecting much, so lets just get to our Hotel."
"Fine…" Naruto muttered as he crossed his hands.
One thing Naruto grew to like about this village apart from his was that no one gave him death glares. Everyone walked right pass him, as though he was normal like them, which is not saying he isn't normal like them. Once they got to the hotel, Naruto noticed a playground nearby.
"Dad? Can I go out and play there?" He asked.
"Fine by me, just don't get hurt." Koga muttered as he went to the counter to buy their rooms.
Naruto ran over to the playground and quickly began to meet all the children there. They were all very kind, and even offered him to play tag with them, that of course, was an offer Naruto could not refuse.
"I got you!' Naruto shouted as he tagged a girl around his age.
He quickly ran away from her as she went to try to tag him back. "Come back here Naruto!" She shouted at him.
"No thank you!' He yelled back as he got quite a distance away.
The game went on for quite a while until the children, too beat to continue, all sat on the ground and looked up to the sky. They began to pick out various clouds and say what they looked like.
"That looks like… A fox." Naruto said as he pointed to the cloud right above him.
"Yeah it does…" The children around him agreed.
Naruto looked over to the swings and saw a lone child on them. The child had red hair and a cloak all around him, covering him completely. The one thing Naruto noticed the most though, was what was written on the left part of his forehead, love.
"Who is that?" Naruto asked as he pointed to the boy.
"That kid? He is Gaara, do not go by him." The child simply stated.
"Why should we all stay away from him?" Naruto asked, now more interested.
The children all exchanged glances and the boy continued to speak saying, "He is a monster. He can control sand to crush people and that kind of stuff!"
"Really?" Naruto asked, now even more interested.
"Yeah, so don't go near him." The boy warned.
"Okay…" Naruto said as he again glanced at the child known as Gaara. He is just like me… Naruto thought. It seems as though these kids never allowed him to play with them… Naruto sighed.
"I am going to see if he wants to play with us." Naruto finally stated as he got up.
"No don't!" One of the children said, almost begging.
"Yeah! He is a monster! If you ask him to play with us, we won't play with you anymore!" Another child chirped. The others agreed with him shortly after.
"Shows how much of friends you really are…" Naruto murmured as he walked over to Gaara. Surely enough, the children kept true to their words and ran off.
Once Naruto finally reached Gaara he held his hand out and said, "Hi Gaara! I'm Naruto and I am wondering if you'd like to play with me?"
"Go away…" Gaara muttered as he looked to the ground.
"Come on, you're here all alone, can I at least swing next to you?" Naruto asked again.
"I said, go away…" Gaara warned.
"I guess I'll just swing right next to you. Then…" Naruto muttered.
Gaara looked up in surprise, here was a child around his age who did not fear his warnings. "I was warning you… Now go away before I decide to hurt you!" Gaara shouted, Sand suddenly shot up and spun around him.
"Why are you like this Gaara?" Naruto asked as he pulled back from the threatening child.
Gaara began to remember painful memories. I am like this… I have to kill to feel a purpose… No one loves me… No one wants to be my friend… it's all a lie! Gaara screamed and sand that was laying the ground suddenly went directly at Naruto, who in fear jumped away right in time.
"What is wrong with you? I just ask to be your friend and you try to kill me!" Naruto shouted.
"Stop lying to me! You're just like the rest! My purpose is to kill, and that is all!" Gaara shouted at Naruto.
"Naruto, who is your new friend?" A figure behind Naruto asked. Naruto jumped and turned around to see Koga.
"Dad, this kid… Something is wrong with him…" Naruto tried to explain.
"I see Naruto, stay here… I sense something within this kid… Something like you…" Koga muttered as he walked towards the child.
"Stay away from me!" Gaara shouted as the man advanced towards him, he lashed some sand at the man, but he simply dodged it and continued forward.
"Look child, I am only trying to help you…" Koga said when he was sure he was out of earshot of his son. "When did you find out about Shukaku?"
Gaara's eyes widen when the man said his demon's name. "Why do you want to know!" He screamed. This was bringing up more painful memories for him each passing moment, and he wanted this to end quickly, but the man in front of him was too powerful.
"Kid Shukaku and I go way back…" Koga's red eyes pierced into Gaara's and the once powerful killing intent within Gaara's mind became one of fear.
"W- who are you?" Gaara asked, his voice beginning to crack up in fear.
"I am the adopted father of a child just like you Gaara, I can help you if you just allow me to." Koga explained.
"How can I trust you?" Gaara murmured, he no longer had sand up and around him anymore, and he simply wanted to run from the man that was able to fear the demon within him.
"You need to learn to trust more." Koga muttered.
"I- I… Ok, I trust you…" Gaara whispered.
Naruto had come over when the sand seem to die down and see what his father and Gaara were up to. "Dad? Did you find out the problem?"
"Yes, it appears this child here is just like you Naruto, meaning he has a demon within him as well. Though unlike you, it appears he had cracked under the treatment the village has been giving him…" Koga explained.
Gaara's eye widen when he had heard Naruto was like him and he turned to him and asked, "Is it true? Are you really like me?"
"Yeah…" Naruto said as he put his hand behind his head and let off a small smile.
Koga inspected the child in front of him for a little bit. Around his eyes it was completely black. It looks like the seal that keeps Shukaku inside of this kid isn't very well done… Koga thought.
"Gaara." Koga spoke up, "How was the demon sealed inside of you?"
Gaara looked down and muttered, "When I was born… My mother was a sacrifice used in its sealing… I had never known my mother, and was told that she loved me very much… but one day, I learned that she cursed the village, and me wanting it all to die, and she wanted all her hatred to go to me, so I could fulfill her dream… I learned all of that four years ago…"
Koga nodded. That explains why he didn't seem so sane at first… He figured. "Gaara, allow me to finish the seal for you, it will allow you to rest well, and control the demon within you, and the only thing you have to do is accept my son's friendship…"
Gaara looked up at the man in front of him. "This isn't some kind of trick is it?" he asked.
"No!" Naruto shouted. "So will you be my friend?" Naruto held out his hand for Gaara to shake if he accepted.
Gaara looked back and forth between the two people, he had a huge debate in his head. His small sane side was saying to do it, while the side corrupted by Shukaku was telling him not to. Finally he made his decision.
"I will gladly be your friend Naruto." Gaara announced as he took a hold of Naruto's hand and shook.
"Awesome Gaara!" Naruto shouted as he hugged his newest friend. Gaara was never this close to anyone, so it felt quite strange.
Koga split them up and said, "Naruto, allow me to fix his seal first." Koga muttered a few things under his breath as he did a few hand signs. Suddenly all of his fingers turned a bright yellow like color. Without any warning at all, he rammed it into Gaara's stomach, making the child scream in pain in the process, and effectively knocking him out.
"Dad! Did you kill him?" Naruto shouted in fear.
"No, I guess I forgot to warn him that it was really painful…" Koga muttered as he held the unconscious child.
Naruto thought for a moment before asking, "Doesn't sealing require a lot of strange symbols to be written on the ground?"
"Naruto, you're forgetting that I am over a thousand years old, I know so many different Jutsu's." Koga thought for a moment before saying, "For example, when I was the evil demon fox you learned about, I stole many scrolls from powerful ninja's, showing some very powerful Jutsu's."
"I see…" Naruto muttered, suddenly a light bulb went off in his head. "Why don't you teach me how to do some of those moves?" Naruto shouted.
"Ha, no way Naruto. The Jutsu I just did on your little friend here, if used by a normal human, would have a ninety percent chance of death."
"I see…" Naruto muttered.
"Now, lets head up to your room so I can put this kid down on a bed." He motioned to the Child still in his arms.
"Ok Dad lets go!" Naruto shouted once again.
(In the Hotel room.)
He sighed, the sun beat down on him, and he felt good. The breeze was just right and he could finally feel at peace without any killing intent rising up within him… Wait… why isn't Shukaku saying anything in my mind? The red haired child thought. He then realized something… Crap! I'm dreaming! He focused on waking up, and shortly after he did.
He woke up is sweat. His once peaceful dream was turned into a panicked one. When he looked around he realized that Shukaku did no damage. What the? Suddenly the days events ran through his head, and he understood now.
"Gaara! You're finally awake!" Naruto shouted happily as he entered the room carrying some food. The room was small; it had two beds with a lamp in-between, a bathroom, and a kitchen.
"Why did your father do that to me? It hurt like hell.. " Gaara muttered as he sat up.
"He fixed your seal, Shukaku won't enter your mind, and you can now sleep, of course the price was to be my friend." Naruto reminded him.
"I remember now…" Gaara muttered.
"So, what do you want to do today?" Naruto asked as he sat next to his friend.
"Well, it is getting pretty late, so lets go eat some dinner." Gaara said.
"Sure Gaara! Do you want to eat here or do you know of some good places to eat?" Naruto asked.
Gaara thought for a moment before saying, "I never really went anywhere… wherever I went people's fear of me was too great so I was never served…"
"I see…" Naruto muttered.
"Did the villagers at your village fear you and call you a monster and demon?" Gaara asked as he tried to strike up a conversation.
"They called me a demon and monster, but instead of fear they expressed towards me, they showed me hate, they always threw things at me, and tried to hurt me…" Naruto looked away, not wanting to remember the painful memories… "There was one time when I was nearly killed."
"Really…" Gaara murmured. "If it makes you feel any better, I have had many assassination attempts done to me by my father…" Gaara muttered.
Naruto looked over in surprise. "Why does your father want you dead?"
"Same reason everyone wants me and you dead. He viewed me as a project that had gone wrong, and ordered people to kill me. The one that came to kill me was the one that was caring for me… I no longer care for his name, as the last thing he told me was the truth that everyone but me knew about me…" Gaara explained.
Naruto looked away. "Man, our lives have been pretty rough… Who is your dad anyways?"
"My father is the Kazekage." Gaara muttered.
"Wait? THE Kazekage? He should be an honorable person, he should never attempt to murder his child!" Naruto shouted.
Gaara looked over to his new friend and said, "He isn't honorable… and sadly, I can only hope for when his death comes…"
"So, when did you realize that your dad was Kyuubi?" Gaara asked, changing the subject.
"That is funny actually." Naruto said laughing, "Only three days ago." Naruto said.
"And you still love him?" Gaara asked.
Naruto looked up to the ceiling and said, "Yeah, even though he once was the evil demon fox, he is now a kind and loyal person of my village, and I am proud to be his son."
Gaara nodded. "I wish I could feel that feeling…"
"Maybe someday Gaara, you can…" Naruto muttered as he looked to his friend.
"Yeah, possibly…" Gaara whispered.
Shortly after that the two boys decided to go out and try a new place to eat. Gaara and Naruto both left a note for Koga saying that they'd be out for a little while, and afterwards they left the Hotel.
(In a Restaurant.)
"I have never done this before…" Gaara admitted as he looked through the menu.
"What have you never done before?" Naruto asked.
"I mean that as in,what do we do? Yelled out for someone to come and we choose what we want or will they come eventually? Do we have to click some hidden button or something?" Gaara explained.
Naruto laughed a little and explained saying, "They'll come over asking us what we want to drink first, then after a little bit they'll come and ask us what we want for our main course."
"I see…" Gaara muttered.
"You do have money for yourself, right Gaara?" Naruto asked.
Gaara searched his pockets and realized that he had no money. "Uh, Naruto, I don't have any money…"
"Ok…" Naruto search his pockets, he pulled out a large sum and said while smiling, "I think this will cover for both of us."
So after they got their drinks and food, they began to eat. They talked very little for they both tried something that was completely new to both of them. After a little bit though, they were beginning to get full.
"Ok Gaara, I don't think I can eat anymore, Naruto muttered as he patted his stomach.
"Same here…" Gaara muttered as he leaned against his chair.
"Here is your bill." Their waitress said as she laid down their bill. Naruto instant set down the money, and she took it right away.
"Now that that is over with, lets get going Gaara." Naruto muttered as he got up, Gaara followed suit, and soon both of them were walking along the road, no certain destination in their minds.
(Roads of Suna.)
Gaara and Naruto both were in a park. It was quiet, almost too quiet. They both were growing suspicious, and wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. That was after they felt the presence of a person creeping up behind them.
"Do you feel it Gaara?" Naruto whispered.
"Yeah… someone is behind us." Gaara muttered.
"Show yourself!" Naruto shouted as he turned around to see a man completely in black standing there. The moonlight was the only thing that revealed him, and it made him look quite imitating.
"Hello children. I just need your head Gaara, and the other can run away safety, can we agree to that?" The man asked.
"Do you think I'll abandon my friend?" Naruto shouted, "I will not leave his side if he is going to be fighting someone who wants to murder him!" Naruto shouted.
"Well then, I guess that you'll die with him as well!" The man shouted as he jumped towards Naruto.
"No!" Gaara screamed as sand that came up from the cracks in the cement ground intercepted the man's punch at his friend.
"We're going to do this the hard way are we?" The man said as he sighed. He pulled out a Kunai, and both Gaara and Naruto fell back a little. Right about now, Gaara wished that he felt the killing intent from Shukaku.
When the man charged, Gaara pushed his hand forward, making his sand fly directly at the guy. The man in black had little time to dodge the projectile, and that allowed him to be hit with it. With a sickening splat sound, the man was dead, and the two children were running away.
When the two felt that they were far enough, Naruto finally said, "Man, that was scary…"
"I know…" Gaara muttered, "Thank you for not leaving my side, Naruto…" Gaara said as he breathed in a huge gulp of air.
"Yeah…" Naruto managed to say, he looked up and realized that it was very late, "Do you want to stay over at my place tonight?"
"Well, I doubt my father and siblings would care much if I was gone for one night… possibly even a whole lifetime…" Gaara muttered.
Naruto looked to the ground with a sadden face. Gaara's life was much more difficult than his own. "Ok let's get going Gaara…" Naruto muttered as he ran for his Hotel, with Gaara tagging along behind him.
That night, Gaara realized something, it was that a true friend never leaves their friends side, during hardships, and always tries their best to assist their friend. So, with these thoughts in mind, Naruto was Gaara's frist official friend.
CHAPTER SEVEN – ENDOk, I achieved what I wanted to do most in this story, introduce Gaara, my absolute favorite Naruto character of all time!
Anyways, something to note, a lot of things about the battle between the Hyuuga and Uchiha I really overlooked, such as the children, and the ones to be married, etc. So if you realized these, just know that it was my mistake, I hope it will not happen in future chapters.
So, I hope that chapter made up for the one I made yesterday! I'll see you in Chapter eight!