Disclaimer: I Do Not Own Naruto
UZU THE WORLD TRAVELLER
"What is it to dream? To hope for a better place or way of life? What is it to reach out and grasp your destiny and master your potential?" – Uzumaki Naruto, the World Traveler.
Chapter One: Fly Free
KONOHA: Six Years After Kyuubi Attacks…
In the world of ningen, the sun shone down brightly on the Hidden Village in the Leaves, Konohakagakure. The sky was a soft blue filled with white, puffy clouds and the village seemed to be alive as ever. Most traces of the attack from the Kyuubi had been removed. The once demolished manners, shops, and buildings had all been repaired or torn down and built over. Huge paw prints and other scars upon the land had been filled in or transformed into beautiful ponds and creeks.
Truly, Konoha had overcome its trial of fire.
… or so it seemed.
While the scars upon the land had now long since healed, other deeper wounds remained fresh and to many raw. With nearly a third of the village ninja population lost to the demon beast, many families were broken, others wiped out, and some were never found at all. The nights of the citizens of Konoha were filled with images of burning buildings, mangled corpses, and the cries of those in agony and others wailing for help. For a village of ninjas who prided themselves on their courage, ability, and skill such an attack seemed impossible and more of a living nightmare than anything else. For all their worth, they were nothing to the Demon Lord.
For them, that was unforgivable, dishonorable, and shameful.
So, each and every day they stepped out into the bright sunshine and marched on, fighting to restore their sense of dignity. They tried hard to rebuild and put the past behind them, but it seemed impossible at times, especially with him around.
Oh yes, how they hated him. The bane of Konoha and the constant reminder of their failure, the container/reincarnation of the Demon Lord Kyuubi.
No one was sure other than the Hokage how the Kyuubi had been defeated. The Fire Shadow was more than tight lipped about it. He had literally passed a law that stated that if anyone were to even discuss it the penalty would be death. Needless to say, this did not help to endear the child to anyone. To most who were unsure if the demon had been sealed in the boy with the boy as a container or if the boy was the demon given human form, the law now lent credence to the latter.
The old man Sarutobi could have kicked himself afterwards when these opinions became more widespread.
In any case, the sun shone on all citizens of Konoha on this day. Perhaps on a day such as this, a festival of all things, peace would reign…
For one little blonde haired boy, the hope that this birthday, this October 10th, would be better than the others was all he had left.
Konoha Ninja Academy
"Uzumaki Naruto."A voice called out. "Uzumaki Naruto?" the voice intoned again with a measure of irritation.
The owner of the voice, one Umino Iruka, sighed and brought his pen down to mark the demon boy absent. He was interrupted with the pen half way to the paper when the door flew open and a blonde haired blur rushed through the class and up to the desk.
"Sorry I'm late Iruka-sensei!" the whisker-marked boy, one Uzumaki Naruto, stressed to the chunin instructor. "I got caught up by something today and couldn't get away in time."
The scar nosed chunin looked down on the ragged child in front of him. What caught the boy was easy enough to see. The ripped shirt, the dirty, stained clothing, and the blood splattered haphazardly across the rest of the ensemble. It was more than obvious that the villagers had decided to give the boy an early birthday present in the form of a morning beating.
Perhaps if he were older, more experienced, and actually got to know the child he would have been more sympathetic to him.
This was not the case however. One Umino Iruka was still angered by just seeing the boy in front of him. It made him sick to even think about actually teaching the demon child the shinobi arts. Naturally, his response was a given.
"Yes, I can see what happened clearly enough Uzumaki. You were out partying and lazing the day away last night and couldn't even bother to clean up or dress properly for class. I can also see you didn't even bother to bring any of your materials. Detention today after class for not taking your studies seriously and wasting our time. If you don't think being a ninja is worth the effort to prepare then I as a ninja don't think you're worth the effort teaching. Now, get out and go stand outside for class today."
Taking in the look of shock and hurt on the boy's face, Iruka felt a brief sensation of pity for the child, but that was squashed when the images of his family's demise sprang back up to the forefront in his mind. Turning to the class he began the lesson. "Okay class, today we are going to learn how to learn to manipulate our charka. This is a vital and necessary skill for a ninja to have so…" Iruka was interrupted by the boy who still stood near his desk.
"But Iruka-sensei I.."
"Shut up Uzumaki!" Iruka hissed. "Get out of my sight.."
Naruto's eyes dimmed and his head lowered as he slowly walked out of the classroom. Before he stepped through the doorway he turned back and raised his face to look at his only friend in the class, Hyuuga Hinata, and waived in a subdued manner before moving on.
Hinata who had no delusions about what had happened to her friend was more than angered at her sensei. "Sensei" she intoned sharply. " I do not believe …"
"Silence, Hinata." Iruka gruffed. He was well aware of their friendship and her sentiments. He didn't know what had initiated such a bonding between the Hyuuga heiress and the demon boy, but they had been joined at the hip since. So much so, that in fact some of the elders of the Hyuuga council had even gone so far as to request he intentionally break them apart. " I am the master in this class. If you do not like how things are run perhaps you can find someone better elsewhere. " he gestured to the door.
Hinata blushed brightly for a second in embarrassment before gathering herself and hotly responding. " Perhaps I will Iruka-sensei. How am I to learn properly when my own instructor is blind to the truths around him?" Hinata quickly threw her things together and rushed out of the class before she died from embarrassment or the shock of the class wore off.
As the door slam shut behind Hinata, Iruka internally cursed himself as he realized he might be seeing the Hokage or Hyuuga Hiashi soon. Ignoring the wary looks on the faces of the children, he returned to his lesson. "Okay class now get a partner and…"
Konoha Woodlands
"I thought I might find you here" Hinata softly stated as she sat down next to Naruto on a log overlooking a pond. "I can't believe Iruka-sensei treated you like that. I mean, he's never been nice to you, but nothing like that…" she trailed off not really knowing what to say as Naruto just sat silently staring out at the scene before him. " Naruto" she whispered. "Why… why do they all treat you like that?" She didn't need to specifically point out individuals or instances. They both knew what she was talking about.
"I don't know Hinata-chan…" he barely muttered out as tears gathered in his eyes. "It's always been like this. At the orphanage no one ever hugged me, or kissed me or anything. They didn't even want to touch me… None of the parents that would come would even look at me. None of the matrons wanted anything to do with me either. I was always blamed , sometimes beaten…" he ended.
"Oh Naruto-kun" Hinata sobbed as she grabbed him in a hug and began to cry on his shoulder. "Why does this happen to you? You're always so nice..."
"Like I said… I don't know." He smiled softly as he hugged Hinata closer to him. "But you know what Hinata-chan?"
"Wha what?" she stuttered out as she blushed at his bringing her closer.
"It doesn't matter any more." He finished with a large grin on his face and kissed the top of her head, to which she blushed beet red. "I have you and Hanabi-chan, and sort of the people at the ramen stand, and in a way even your dad Hiashi, kind of. " at the mention of Hiashi his face crinkled in confusion and thought. "That's all I need now…"
"Really?" Hinata's face broke into a large innocent grin, as she cuddled up to Naruto .
"Yeah…" Naruto returned as his eyes glazed for a moment looking above the pond and out into the sky. Suddenly a flock of birds flew up and out of the trees and headed out towards the horizon. "Look, Hinata" he pointed out towards the soaring birds. "Do you see them?"
"Yes, Naruto-kun." She looked out and saw the brilliant white birds flying gracefully and then turned to see her friend looking longingly at them.
"They're so free…" he whispered. "There's nothing holding them back…"
Thinking of her clan and all it entailed she looked at the birds and soon found herself looking at them longingly as well.
"Hinata-chan…" he turned to look into her pale lavender eyes. "Do you ever think about what it would be like without your clan or the village. Do you ever wonder what it is to dream? To hope for a better place or way of life? What it is to reach out and grasp your destiny and master your potential?" he trailed off whistfully. "I know I do… I want to live my life to the fullest Hinata-chan."
Hinata was confused somewhat at his odd choice of words and didn't like where this was starting to go. She was beginning to get a bad feeling.
"What are you talking about Naruto-kun?" she hoped he wasn't thinking about what she thought he was.
Naruto ignored her question in favor of one of his own.
"What do you see when you look at this pond Hinata-chan?" he asked.
She didn't know where he was going with this. "A pond?"
"well… yeah…" he stated as he grinned and scratched at the back of his head. "That's true I guess…" he became more solemn quickly after. "But I see change. Change in a big way Hinata-chan. People don't talk to me much Hinata-chan but that doesn't mean I don't listen. It's … surprising … the stuff you hear out at night. Take for instance, this pond. Yes it's a pond now but it didn't used to be. When the Kyuubi attacked this was the site where many gathered to defend against him. They put up such a fight that the Demon Fox had to bring out his full power against them at one point. They were wiped out of course… and a massive crater was left behind as the only reminder. The crater was then a symbol of death… sadness… and cursed ground, but now… now it's a pond filled with life." His solemn voice took on a happier note. "When people come here, they don't necessarily think of death and destruction here now…they see life. That is change Hinata-chan…. Powerful change." His gaze became focused once more as he engaged Hinata in eye contact, smiled and then jumped up and started to walk back towards the village.
"Change…" Hinata spoke out quietly before jumping up and following him.
"Yeah, change Hinata-chan. It's what makes this world great. Change is hope given form… All across Konoha change has occurred and people have healed. Things have gotten better… and someday things will change for me!" he yelled out with a small tear sparkling in his eye.
'Naruto-kun' Hinata thought to herself.
Naruto turned around and gave her a big cheesy grin. " Someday soon, Hinata-chan , things are going to change for me. That is my hope, my dream, and I will grasp it one way or another."
"What are you talking about Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked worriedly.
"It's simple!" he explained easily with a smile on his face. "I'm going to steal the academy's teaching scrolls and run from Konoha!"
It was a credit to the emotion control training she had already received from her father, Hiashi, that Hinata did not faint or break down on the spot. "What are you talking about Naruto?" she asked as tears gathered in her eyes once more.
His grin subsiding some, but a small smile on his face, Naruto turned to her once more. "It really is simple Hinata. I don't know why the village hates me or why my life has been the way it has been, but I know what I need to do to change it. Am I scared? You better believe it, but it'll also be an adventure. I'll escape this village and see the WORLD!" he finished by exclaiming wildy and gesturing openly to the surrounding sky.
Hinata ran to him and threw her arms around her one true friend. "No… no I don't want you to go Naruto! Why… why can't you stay here with me? What about me and Hanabi and the others?"
Bringing his arms up and hugging her tightly to him , his glaringly bright smile softened immensely. "Hinata-chan… I have to leave. I will never be able to grow strong here and be the person I want to be. I want to fly Hinata-chan." He took her chin in hand and brought her face up to his. "I want to really live, but here I cannot. I .. love you Hinata-chan. I love you and Hanabi. You're the only people I have, but it's not about that. Just look at today, I was thrown out of a vital class on chakra control at the academy because of Iruka-sensei and no body stopped him or gave a damn that that might stunt my growth as a shinobi. You and I both know how much that would've set me back if you hadn't already taught me the stuff your dad has taught you. They're intentionally holding me back when they can and pretty soon… they're going to start doing it to you too Hinata-chan."
Hinata made to protest but he silenced her by kissing her on the forehead.
"I know you don't want to hear it Hinata-chan but it's the truth. Like I said, it's amazing what you can hear out and about. All the instructors have been intentionally holding me back. They've already planned out how to sabotage my genin exams and we're years away!' he gestured wildly at that part. "I also heard where they started to plan on doing it to you too just because you're my friend. They hate the fact that the Hyugga heiress is friends with the exile kid. It's not just that though…" Naruto's eyes deadened some when he thought about the plans to cause a divide between Hinata and Hanabi. "Some of the higher ups from your clan apparently don't want you around me either so they've decided to use any failures you have as evidence that I'm a bad influence on you…"
Hinata began to protest once more, but was once again cut off by Naruto.
"I know, I know but you wouldn't even know when they're messing with you Hinata-chan. They can do mind illusions and all sorts of stuff to mess with you and that's at your home and the academy… I don't want that for you. You mean too much to me Hinata-chan."
"Naruto" Hinata sobbed. "There… there's got to be a way …"
"Fraid' not Hinata-chan. You and Hanabi and the little bit I've had with the others are all I've got. It'd kill me to see all this stuff happening to you. Even if I stayed… the way things are now… we'd be pulled apart."
"No… I wouldn't let it happen Naruto!" Hinata begged.
" It's not your choice Hinata…" he spoke softly. "the old fogies in your clan have a lot of power. It's only because your dad is the clan leader that we're even allowed to be friends at all…If they push it… they can get it… plus… there is something else…"
"What… Naruto-kun ?" Hinata asked tiredly as she held onto him with all she had.
Naruto looked angry for a moment before a forced calm appeared on his visage. "They plan to force a divide between you and Hanabi-chan. Right now she's two… and she calls me her brother, but with a little time, effort, and lies they'll make her forget me. You have to be strong for her Hinata-chan. When I come back… and I will come back… I want to see you two together as sisters and friends. Be there for her and each other. You're so nice Hinata … and I know you don't like to hurt others, but you must be strong. Be strong for me, Hinata-chan…" he moved his hands to her shoulders and made her look up at him. " Will you be strong for me, Hinat-chan?"
Hinata was torn. Should she say yes? Could she even let him go? Looking up into the eyes of her friend and in her own heart she knew the answer.
"…yes." she said softly.
"There's my Hinata-chan." He forced out as he gripped her in a tight hug and allowed some of his own tears to fall down and over her shoulder where she wouldn't see them.
"When are you leaving?" she asked him.
He paused for a moment considering whether to tell her or not. Finally he decided to go ahead and do so. "Tonight" he said as he heard her take in a sharp breath. "I plan on stealing the scrolls this evening after Iruka-baka-sensei's detention and leaving town. This morning the villagers attacked me when I was leaving my apartment so whatever was in there is probably gone now. I'll be traveling real light, but… I have what I need." He then pulled a handkerchief with the Hyuga fire symbol on it.
Hinata smiled at the sight of the familiar handkerchief, but became sad once more when she realized he really planned on leaving tonight. " Is there… any way I can at least help you Naruto-kun?"
Naruto backed up a bit and grinned sheepishly before saying " well, actually…"
As Naruto explained his plan to his friend Hinata he failed to notice the hard white eyes watching him from the tree tops.
Konoha- Hyuuga Manor
"ummphhh" Naruto breathed out as he landed in the shady corner of the Hyuuga manor that Hinata had instructed him to go to. The scroll or rather set of scrolls weighed more than he had thought they would as he had traveled across the village and were taking their toll out on his body. In any case, he had finally arrived where she had told him to go and waited for her to find him. He wondered how she would know when he got there since she had told him that this particular corner of the grounds had seals around it that both produced a genjutsu to obscure his presence and prevented the sight of the byakugan.
A soft hand suddenly gripped his shoulder and pulled him along the wall towards a series of trees. He normally would have reacted loudly to the sudden touching sensation, but the soft hand and blue hair he could vaguely make out in the dark told him all he needed to know to figure out who it was.
They walked quietly for a few minutes into the woods of the grounds before they emerged in a clearing filled with flowers and a dirt circle in the very middle. Also, there was a little two year old Hyugga Hanabi. Hanabi appeared to be overjoyed to be playing in the flowers but seemed even happier when she saw who her sister had brought to their special place.
"Naruto-niisan!" Hanabi joyfully cried out as she ran over to him and gave him a big hug and a kiss on the cheek.
Naruto returned the hug and kiss on the cheek before looking to Hinata for an explanation for Hanabi's presence.
"She would have never forgiven you or I if you didn't say good bye to her." She responded with a forced smile, holding back her own tears at the occasion.
He silently mouthed a thank you to her before turning his attention to Hanabi. "Hey lil' Hanabi-chan. How're you doing?"
Hanabi giggled as she held onto him and snuggled into him before answering. "I'm doing okay! Will you play with me?"
Naruto's face softened as he hugged her tightly. " Not this time, little Hanabi-chan. I'm… I'm going away for a time."
Hanabi's face scrunched up in thought. "Can I come with you, Naruto-niisan?"
"Naruto-kun has to go alone…" said Hinata as she came near them and kneeled on the ground next to Hanabi.
"why?" asked Hanabi as she began to tear up a bit.
Naruto sensing the impending temper tantrum interceded quickly. "Now now Hanabi-chan… don't cry. I'll be back some day, but for now I need you to be strong and listen to your sister." He hugged her tightly and kissed her tiny head. "Can you do that for me my little Hanabi-chan?"
"I….I…" Hanabi didn't know what to say. Her big brother Naruto was leaving! "But I don't want you to go! Why do you have to go?"
"Oh Hanabi…" Hinata teared up a bit as she moved to hold onto her sister.
"Hanabi…" Naruto intoned smiling slightly. " I have to go to be free… Remember no matter what, even if you forget me, my little Hanabi-chan, that freedom is what is most important. You can never be truly strong till you're free. Now, Hinata has already promised me to watch over you and stay strong. Will you do the same for me?"
Hanabi cried openly now, but blubbered out an affirmative.
Naruto cried a little too as he embraced the two for the last time for a long, long time. " I love you both… you've been everything to me since we met. Take care and stay safe." He then kissed them both and moved over to the dirt circle in the middle of the clearing. Pulling some charka out from his reserves, he molded the three seals that Hiashi had shown to his daughter and then disappeared.
Hanabi continued to cry for a while over the loss of her brother Naruto but eventually calmed down and took notice of her sister Hinata who was strangely enough smiling.
This angered her some so she verbally accosted her sister. "Why are you so happy Naruto-nissan is gone!"
Hinata looked at her in a confused manner for a brief moment before understanding shone in her eyes and she corrected her sister. " I'm not smiling because he's gone, Hanabi-chan. I'm smiling because I know some day he'll be back and when that day comes we can be together again."
"He's really coming back nii-chan?" Hanabi mumbled hopefully with her eyes innocent and open.
Hinata took out two things from her kimono, a picture of her family with Naruto in it and a set of worn looking goggles. "Yes, Hanabi" Hinata said as she looked at the items." He will return."
Looking up into the now dark night sky the girls saw a shooting star pass over head.
'Fly free Naruto-kun, Fly-free' Hinata thought.
Konoha- Hyuuga Main Branch Escape Tunnel
"Whoah…" Naruto moaned as he righted his sense of balance after landing in an electrically lit tunnel. "That was wild."
"Well I've never heard it described quite that way, but I suppose it applies." A deep voice replied from behind Naruto.
'oh no…' Naruto thought as he turned around to see one of the last people he wanted to at the moment.
"Hello Naruto-kun. Not going to say goodbye to me?" Hyuuga Hiashi spoke with his arms crossed over one another.
"er…goodbye…Hiashi-sama?" Naruto uneasily smiled while scratching the back of his neck.
Hiashi looked hard into his eyes.
"We need to talk."
A/N: - n – a – r – u – t – o - n – a – r – u – t – o- n – a – r – u – t – o- n – a – r – u – t –
Greetings! I'm sure there are… many, many questions that are going to be asked about this, but I'll go ahead and say this… I like peanut butter… Right, anyways, moving on, the next chapter might take a while to get out but it should answer most of your questions about the Hyuuga. The name of the next chapter is "Honor of The Hyuuga, The Seal of Fire".
