Chapter 4: Shall Not Be Infringed
Greedily inhaling the oxygen from the mask held in front of him by Kabuto, Orochimaru gasped in pain. He had waited until the last possible moment to switch bodies, hoping that Sasuke would arrive before his previous body expired. Alas, the boy had come too late. This transfer was the worst one he'd gone through yet. Whether that was because of his arms, or because he had waited too long to perform the transplant was unknown.
His predicament after Hiruzen sealed the "soul" of his arms into the Shinigami was fascinating. His arms had begun to rot after the sealing, as though they had a mind of their own and simply lost the will to live. His heart beat, but the blood in his arms simply refused to function. No matter how much he had increased his circulation through the use of various drugs, his arms continued to decay. Even with the aid of his ever-faithful Kabuto, the progression had refused to waver.
The stench and disability had been manageable. However, the constant infections had worried him. He had taken the strongest antibiotics available, but they could only do so much when your cardiovascular system was directly attached to rotting, necrotic tissue. Kabuto had informed him that the infection had reached his heart, and had begun to spread to his brain as well. If he didn't switch bodies when he did, he would have died. He didn't plan on dying, ever.
Orochimaru leaned back from the mask that was held to his face and looked down at the pale skin of his arms. His current body was taken from an Oto chuunin that had been quite a specimen. She had dedicated herself fully to the art of taijutsu, spending little effort to work and grow her chakra network. This made it exceptionally easy for him to uproot her soul, and supplant it with his own. It also meant that the usual physical augmentations he applied to his hosts had been even more effective than usual. He would need all the help he could get in the physical aspects of being a ninja, particularly with the use of his ninjutsu hampered as it was.
He was capable of moving his arms again, yet there was no sensation. No, that wasn't true, he could feel them move, but he couldn't connect the sensation to any form of context in his mind. It was a bizarre form of synesthesia that he had never experienced before. He could tell by his charts that for all intents and purposes he was now a perfectly healthy 23 year old woman. Yet when it came to moving his arms it felt like he was swimming in some kind of thick syrup. The movement was entirely conscious, there was no instinct behind his actions.
"Status report." Orochimaru whispered with a hoarse voice towards his assistant.
"Sasuke arrived at Otogakure while you were mid-transfer." Kabuto began, "I diverted his escort to base 33 and ordered them to treat him as an S-class guest until such a time that you could collect him personally. Yesterday's report says he is growing restless. You were unconscious for over 5 days Orochimaru-sama." Kabuto took a breath before continuing. "Several of our double agents inside Jiraiya's spy network have gone missing, while the ones that still manage to report to us are sending in contradictory and nebulous information. We are unaware if they are compromised as well, or if Jiraiya is feeding false information to all his agents as chaff in an attempt to disorient the entire system."
Kabuto paused after his report. "There was also a bit of information I picked up when conversing with Uchiha-san's escort. Although, it may be inaccurate."
"Continue," The Snake Sannin spoke.
"It appears as though Sasuke has awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan."
Orochimaru stood quickly, fumbling a little. He wasn't used to having breasts, he would have to have them removed later.
"Orochimaru-sama!" Kabuto interrupted. "Please, remain seated! Your soul has only just taken hold inside your host, you are still weak!"
"I'm strong enough to greet my new pupil, Kabu-" Orochimaru began, before a rush of vertigo overtook him and he stumbled forward. He tried to bring his hands up to catch his fall, but they didn't react and he landed flat on his face.
"Orochimaru-sama!" Kabuto shouted before turning to a nearby guard. "Bring me a syringe of norepinephrine now!"
"That won't be necessary, Kabuto." Orochimaru spoke calmly into the tile floor. Finally, after making the conscious effort of which individual muscles to tense and relax in his arms, he managed to push himself off the floor. "I am merely still getting used to this body. There is no need to worry."
Getting to his feet Orochimaru sighed, looking down at his breasts. "Although perhaps you are right, and one more day of rest won't hurt. Prepare the operating room. I wish to be rid of these fatty lumps."
UN:PoA
Naruto tried to look inconspicuous as he explored. He had managed to find a small port town just on the inside of the border of Hot Springs after another day and a half of travel. It was large enough that there was a chance that he could find some work, but small and out of the way enough that the odds of running into a Konoha-nin was unlikely.
The town's name was Shiokiri, and it appeared as though it's primary purpose was as a sort of transport hub between the lands of Fire, Lightning, and Water. Particularly for purposes of trading mainland goods for the various fish that inhabited the reefs of the Land of Water. Watching the dockworkers go about their business was rather fascinating actually. Naruto had never known that tuna were that large. He only ever got the cheap cans that he liked to mix into his ramen when he wanted to feel fancy. The smell of seawater and fish filled the dense fog that covered the town as Naruto watched the dockworkers move crates of goods about.
"Hey, kid!" A voice shouted from nearby, startling Naruto with how he hadn't managed to notice the burly man that was walking towards him. He was just under 6 feet tall and had a gut that would put Tsunade's bosom to shame. It looked like all the hair on his head had decided to migrate down to his chin. Leaving a shiny scalp with a greasy, wiry beard. "You lost or something? Where are you parents?"
A concerned adult? Naruto could use this.
"They're dead, sir." Naruto said, playing up the sadness just enough to make the man pity him, but not enough that he felt like an asshole for doing it. The best kinds of lies were the ones that were half-true. He still wasn't sure how he felt about suddenly knowing his father was the Fourth Hokage, but it wasn't exactly like the revelation made him any less of an orphan. "I came into town looking for work. My last job... fell through, and I figured there might be something available here. I know some basic ninja skills and I can work longer hours than you'd think. Do you know of anything available? Please sir, I need the money."
"Your last job 'fell through,' and you know ninja skills?" The man stood taller, sucking his gut in slightly and looking at Naruto incredulously. "You're not a missing-nin are you? I won't turn you in, but I don't want no trouble with the law neither."
Naruto shook his head. "No I was-" 'assumed dead and buried alive' "discharged for medical reasons." Or at least he thought he was assumed dead. That or someone tried to kill him for not bringing Sasuke back. He didn't think the second option was very likely, however waking up in a casket had this funny side-effect of making him slightly more paranoid.
"Oh?" The man spoke, softening his voice slightly. "What hidden-village were you a part of then, boy?"
Naruto tried not to frown. He hadn't expected to be grilled like this. He should have spent some time preparing a new persona or something. As it was, he was just bluffing and hoping for the best. "I was an Oto-nin, sir." He said. He couldn't say he was from Konoha. That would be idiotic, and he didn't know enough about the hidden-village in Hot Springs to be able to act as though he had been a ninja there. Otogakure was a newer village, and therefor shrouded in mystery. He didn't know much about how it functioned, and was hoping that this man didn't either.
The man scrunched his face, as though he had just smelled something nasty. "Otogakure? Aren't those the fuckers that attacked Konoha? I get a lotta business from Fire, and I don't want no Fire merchant jipping me on prices because he found out I hired someone from Oto."
Shit, Hot Springs and Fire were allied, he should have known that calling himself an Oto-nin would have looked bad. "I wasn't a part of their nin-corp during that sir. I had nothing to do with it. Besides, I told you I'm not an active Oto-nin, and no one will recognize me as one so long as you don't tell them. I won't cause any trouble with anyone from the Land of Fire. I just need a job." Naruto flashed a smile and held his hands up in a mock surrender pose. Trying to appear as non-threatening as possible.
A twinkle of sadness entered the man's eyes as he looked at what he assumed was another forgotten dredge of a war-torn world. In a way, he was right. "What's your name, boy?" He asked.
'You didn't think of a name!?' Naruto internally screamed. 'How the fuck did you not think of a name!?' "Uzumaki Haku, sir." Naruto said, silently praying that Haku wouldn't haunt him for stealing his name.
"Haku? Ain't that a girl's name?"
"It's complicated."
The man scratched his beard and nodded. "Name's Tamamono Hige. Guess I'm your boss now. Get to work moving those crates from dock 13 into warehouse 11, and I'll watch you. None of that ninja magic though. I don't need you drawing attention. I'll pay you whatever I think you're worth at the end of the day, understood?"
Naruto breathed out a sigh of relief. He hoped it looked like he was happy for a job and not that he was happy he didn't just blow his identity to the first person he'd talked to since leaving Konoha. With a big smile and a thumbs-up Naruto looked at his new boss.
"Yes sir, Hige-san! I'm on it!"
UN:PoA
Kurenai had chosen to ease back into training with her team after Naruto's death. Kiba had been suitably shaken to learn that Naruto was the Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi, claiming he would have 'helped carry the burden' had he known Naruto had 'such a badass duty.' He somehow managed to straddle the line between celebrating the death of the Kyuubi, and mourning Naruto's death without overly offending either side.
Shino was as stoic as ever. Not mentioning Naruto unless he had already been brought up in a conversation. Although, he now exclusively referred to him as 'Naruto the Hero' like many others had begun to do as well. He didn't show it outwardly, but Kurenai knew the similarities between Naruto being a Jinchuuriki and the Aburame clan's use of their kikaichu had struck a chord with him.
They were both shaken, of course, but they would manage. Kids were resilient like that, especially when they're also trained killers.
Hinata though... After seeing her breakdown at the sight of Naruto's body Kurenai had expected the already fragile Hyuuga to become a puddle of anxiety and tears. Hinata never spoke much with the rest of her team, but when she did speak it was almost always about Naruto. The girl's infatuation with the boy had been obvious. In fact, it was a testament to Naruto's stunted social skills that he had never figured it out for himself.
Instead of showing up to their meeting a sobbing mess however, Hinata had walked in tall, head held high with a broad smile, and covered in bruises. She knew it wasn't her place to interfere with clan politics, but the sight of the dark purple welts that littered Hinata's ivory skin was enough to make Kurenai see red. She kept up the charade as long as she could, told them all that she was planning on slowly increasing their training due to 'recent events.' She came up with an exercise for Kiba and Shino to practice. It was essentially a glorified game of tag that would have them running about in the woods far from her and Hinata.
Once they were out of sight Kurenai whirled on Hinata and got to her knees. "Hinata-chan," She began, quickly pulling the girl into a brief hug before holding her back to look her in the eyes. Gently taking one of her arms, Kurenai pulled back on Hinata's sleeve, revealing more bruising. "Your father, did he do this to you? He's gone too far Hinata, we can petition the Hokage, we can-"
"He didn't hurt me, Kurenai-sensei." Hinata answered quickly, her usual stutter was gone. "I've been sparring with several chuunin and jounin of the branch-house." She explained, as though she had just won the lottery.
"Jounin?" Kurenai asked, "Hinata, you're still a genin! You should be training with your peers or learning from your sensei. I gave you and the rest of your team specific instructions to rest during your break, not pick fights you can't win."
"I need to get stronger." Hinata justified, pointedly avoiding eye contact with her sensei.
"Everyone does." Kurenai shook her head. "That doesn't justify getting yourself hurt like this. There are safer ways to train."
"I don't have time to waste, I need to hurry." Hinata tried to deflect.
"Hinata-chan, you're barely 13." Kurenai explained. "You have plenty of time to get stronger."
A long pause filled the air. Hinata's excuses had been thin and flimsy and they both knew it. Kurenai waited for the next excuse, when one didn't come she made to continue, but Hinata spoke first.
"I never told him I loved him," Hinata whispered, tears welling in her lilac eyes. Her smile dropping as they threatened to spill over.
"What?"
"I… I never told him I loved him. N-naruto-kun died. Alone. Thinking no one cared for him. Thinking no one loved him. I loved him. I should have told him. I should have been there for him, but I was scared. I don't even know what I was scared of, but I was scared. So, I let him suffer. I let him wallow in loneliness because I was too much of a coward to tell him I loved him. Even if he didn't love me back, I could have been his friend. I could have been something." Hinata's whole body shook. Tears fell down her cheeks; no matter how hard she tried to stop them from coming. Her words slurred together as she spoke. "Naruto suffered, every day to protect me and the rest of the village from the Kyuubi. He died, cold and alone, never knowing what it feels like to be loved and it's my fault!"
Hinata collapsed into her sensei's arms, finally surrendering to the emotions she had been suppressing. She had tried. She had tried to put on a brave face, just like Naruto would have. She had tried so very hard, but she wasn't Naruto. She would never be Naruto.
Kurenai held the sobbing girl in her arms, looking out into the treeline she saw Kiba and Shino watching. Kurenai shook her head subtly, and they nodded back, returning home for the rest of the day.
"I never even got to see his grave..." Hinata whispered.
"The renovations on the Namikaze estate finish today," Kurenai whispered soothingly as she rubbed Hinata's back. "We could go visit Naruto tomorrow if you want, and you can tell him that you loved him."
"… I think I'd like that, sensei."
UN:PoA
Author's Notes
Oof, lot of emotion in that last segment. I hope I wrote it well. I didn't want it to be too long, or too short. Hinata has a lot of baggage, and I don't want to unpack it, just air it out a little.
I have gotten further questions about why Naruto didn't use a henge to sneak into Konoha, so I will talk more about it here and then I'm dropping the issue.
1) Henge is classified as an E-class ninjutsu, NOT a genjutsu. It is a physical transformation technique, NOT an illusion. In chapter 75 Naruto uses a NORMAL HENGE to transform into Akamaru and bite Kiba. No one freaks out about this, it's perfectly normal. In chapter 76 Akamaru (A PUPPY) uses a henge to turn himself into a copy of Kiba, and then fights Naruto.
2) Sasuke was able to tell that Naruto had henged into a fuma shuriken during the Wave Arc, and he was just a genin. This was mid-combat with two upper-level jounin throwing ninjutsu back and forth. Henges can be detected if you're perceptive enough, and military guards would be.
3) As I stated in chapter 1 of this fic, Naruto was buried OUTSIDE the village walls, and would have had to single-handedly infiltrate a village full of ninja to gather intel or to retrieve supplies; a village that just had the "Last Uchiha" go rogue for Orochimaru, the leader of a known terrorist-state. They would be on high alert, and would have caught Naruto instantly.
I'm not a wise sage of all things Naruto. There will be mistakes in this fic. I just don't think this is one of them. If you still disagree with my logic then just categorize this under "The author is fudging canon for his fic."
