Captain Blues: Ahoy-Hoy! Captain Blues here, and I know what you guys are thinking. "You're re-uploading this?" And the answer is yes. I initially took it down because as much as I appreciate Rain giving his stories and account to me, he left me in an awkward place with this story regarding where I wanted it to go. So, I decided to take it down and rework it and also edit it. So sit back, and enjoy this old but new tale of Ame Nochi: The Oath.


Summary: There were a lot of things Tenten had heard about Uzumaki Naruto. She heard that he was a prankster, a troublemaker and that Konoha would be better off without him. But after chance encounters with the "Disgrace of Konoha" during a summer storm, she would soon make an oath that would change the shinobi nations.


Pairings:
Naruto/Tenten,
Haku/Ino
Gaara/Kagerō
Shikamaru/Temari
Tayuya/Hinata
Shino/Kin
Rock Lee/Yakumo
Chōji/Karin
Kiba/ Sasame
Neji/Fū

And many more.

Rating: M

Genre: Romance, Drama, Hurt/Comfort, Action


WARNING:

1. Ages of Naruto and his Genin classmates have been aged up by 3 years (while Temari's and Haku's have increased by two years), but the ages of the Iruka, Jōnin, Kages, Sennin, etc. will remain the same.

2. Canon events will still occur (such as Wave and Chūnin Exams, for example).

3. While I am unsure about smut, I am putting this warning up to let people know if I do decide to do them, but even if I don't, this story is a mature one all the same.


Disclaimer: The Following is a fan-fiction based on the anime/manga series NARUTO by Masashi Kishimoto. Please support the official release


Ame Nochi: The Oath
The Blond Outcast

"Naruto!" A voice shouted.

Hōkuai Tenten flinched as she threw her kunai, which caused her to lose her grip on the kunai, where it then flew and embedded itself in a tree right above the head of an unsuspecting sleeping Rock Lee.

With his eyes locked on a book, Hyūga Neji wordlessly pulled the kunai out from the tree behind him and placed it in his kunai pouch.

Tenten blew out a sharp breath and said, "God, that dumb blond needs to stop being such a pest."

"It amazing who they let become a shinobi nowadays," Neji said as he licked his thumb and turned the page of his book. "Especially such a failure like him."

Tenten smirked and said, "Right? How he became a shinobi after failing our class and the class before ours, I will never know."

Neji snorted but continued to read.

Tenten began to pick up her discarded kunai, but as she stood up, a blond blur slammed into her body, sending them both to the ground. Tenten groaned in pain as another groan reached her ears. She opened her eyes to see the blond-haired Uzumaki male slowly rising to his knees.

"Kami, can you use your eyes and look where you're going before colliding with me?" Tenten said with an angered tone as the blond opened his eyes, and for a moment, Tenten was taken aback by the beautiful shade of blue that she saw.

But that quickly faded away as Naruto said, "Yeah, yeah. Sorry about that. Trying to get away fr-"

"Get back here, Naruto-baka!" A raging pink-haired girl shouted.

"Whoops. Gotta go!" Naruto said before he scrambled to his feet and ran as fast as he could as the pink-haired girl chased after him.

Tenten watched the pair run off and let out a disgusted groan. She could not allow herself to be seen talking to the "Blond Menace of Konoha"; otherwise, her mom would bear the consequences.

It was then she noticed that the gray clouds were coming into view. "Looks Like Gai-sensei won't be coming today. Maybe we should pack it up?" Tenten suggested.

"Normally, I'd refused, but it seems like that would be best," Neji said.

Tenten nodded, but her gaze looked in the direction that Naruto and that pink-haired girl had gone to and scoffed slightly.

Hopefully, their paths wouldn't cross again.


Tenten: Ame Nochi: The Oath


Tenten was bored.

A few hours after ending training, Tenten and Neji found out that both Lee and Gai had come down with the terrible flu, which made Gai cancel shinobi training until further notice.

So, there she sat at her mother's weapon shop known as the "Blades of Royai," looking out the window at the heavy rain that was falling. She shouldn't be sitting here in the store. She should be out there training.

How was she going to be the strongest Kunoichi in the world when she was stuck sitting here?

"Ten-chan," her mother called, which caused Tenten to turn around to face her mother.

Her mother, Hōkuai Tenrai, was a fair-skinned woman with long brunette hair and a pink Chinese-styled dress, but while her right eye was the same toffee-brown as Tenten's, her left eye was a dull brown.

Back in her youth, her seemingly sweet mother, Hōkuai Tenrai, was known as the "Ōja no Hyoukyo Hōkō (Ruler of the Cursed Roar).

A fearsome Kenjutsu master held the legendary "Hyoukyo Hōkō," a set of seven blades, four of which were Katana, two were Wakizashi, and the last one was an Ōdachi. Whenever she was in combat, the speed of her using and sheathing each blade made it sound like a lion's roar.

Her biggest claim to fame was fighting the famed Yondaime Kazekage to a standstill. However, that battle had left her losing her ability to walk and the sight in her left eye.

But despite her fearsome past and the vast amount of respect that Konoha shinobi gave her, her mom was a humble and kind woman.

"Yes, mom?" Tenten asked curiously.

Her mother held out a bag and an umbrella. "I just finished this order for the Hokage. Do you mind taking this to him? I hate to ask this of you due to how hard it is raining out there, but I'm unable to make the trek."

"Sure, mom," Tenten said with a smile as she took the bag and the umbrella. "I'll be back as fast as possible."

"Be careful, honey," her mother said with a loving smile.

Tenten nodded and stepped outside of her weapons shop, and opened the umbrella before beginning her trek to the Hokage Tower. As she walked through the heavy rain, she passed by Team 7's training ground and noticed that there was a humanoid shape leaning against a log.

And it was wearing orange.

Only one person in the village wore such a vibrant orange, and many folks would say to stay away from him. But as she narrowed her eyes, she noticed that he wasn't moving, despite the downpour.

Worry instantly filled her heart, but for a moment, she hesitated. If she were to interact with him, her mother's business would suffer because they would view her as a "Demon Lover" of some sort.

But her mother would help him, even at the risk of herself.

Tenten let out a deep sigh and then looked around. It was raining heavy enough that no one would be able to see her help him, so she would be able to cast some suspicions away if someone did see her action.

And that was enough for her.

Tenten rushed across the street and onto the training field, the orange shape getting closer and closer until she could make out the rope around his torso.

"He's tied up…" Tenten said before she whipped out a kunai and cut the rope, and without warning, the blond-haired shinobi slumped forward and nearly crashed into her.

But thanks to her training with the insane Green Beast, Tenten was able to get a hold of him immediately. "Just hang on," she told him as she held him bridal style in her arms and quickly made her way back to her shop.

Once she arrived, she got to the door and peeked through the side window, where she saw her mother working. "Mom!" Tenten yelled.

Her mother turned her head at Tenten's yell and turned her body around before wheeling herself to the door and opened it for Tenten.

Tenten rushed inside with the boy on her shoulder. "I'm sorry I didn't deliver the Hokage's package, but I found him tied up to a post," Tenten explained as she sat the wet boy on the couch in the backroom.

A frown crossed Tenten's face as she eyed the boy. His face looked malnourished, his clothes were practically hanging off of his scarily skinny body, and his skin was unnaturally pale.

How did she not notice this when she saw him earlier in the day?

Tenten then touched his forehead and realized that he was burning up with a fever. "Mom…" Tenten said as she turned to her mother. "He's in a terrible state…"

Her mother agreed because, without hesitation, Tenrai told her, "Take him to the spare bedroom upstairs and get him out of those clothes."

Tenten hesitated again.

She thought her mother would have him taken to the hospital, but instead, she wanted to help him here?

She knew that helping the blond was the right thing to do. However, helping someone who is dubbed as "Konoha's Disgrace" would mean terrible business for them.

She wanted to question her mother to see if this was the right call, but as she looked at the woman's expectant face, Tenten felt guilty.

Of course, this was the right call to make.

Tenten nodded and lifted the blond into her arms, and rushed upstairs.

Hopefully, he will be okay.


Tenten: Ame Nochi: The Oath


It had been three days since Tenten had come upon Uzumaki Naruto, and the rain still hadn't let up yet. The blond was still resting through his illness, and Tenten was concerned. He hadn't moved an inch since she saw him.

"Do you think he'll wake up today, mom?" Tenten asked.

Her mother only gave a small smile and said, "I think he will. The sooner he awakens, the sooner he can eat something. Force-feeding him liquids isn't pleasant."

Tenten nodded in agreement before her mother handed her a bowl of soup. Tenten walked up the stairs to the spare room, but she felt her mouth drop in shock when she got up there.

The bed that Naruto occupied was empty, but not only that, the bed was neatly made, and the window was wide open.

"Unbelievable…" Tenten whispered in shock. She quickly ran back downstairs and exclaimed, "Mom! Naruto is gone!"

"Is he now?" Her mother asked with concern. "He shouldn't be out and about with his illness. Especially with this weather."

Tenten looked at her mother and asked, "I'm worried about him, but…Maybe this is best. If anyone found out we helped him; they would run us out of business."

Her mother let out a sigh and replied heatedly, "The village can't keep doing this to that boy…Has everyone fearing for their jobs just for serving him. It isn't right to keep denying that boy anything for something he can't control."

Tenten watched as her mother took a deep breath to calm herself. "Find him and bring him back here," her mother told her softly. Tenten nodded and took her umbrella, and rushed out of the house and into the pouring rain.

Tenten frowned and looked around until she spotted a dull white form moving in the downpour and mumbled to herself, "That must be him…He moves fast for a sick guy…" before she shouted, "Oi! Blond!"

She saw the white blur in the distance stop, and that gave her a chance she needed to run after the blond, who had begun to walk again, but Tenten managed to catch up to him and grabbed his arm.

"What's the big idea? You should be resting, not walking in this shitty weather," Tenten asked.

Naruto turned his head to show his bright blue eyes, which caused Tenten to be mesmerized by their beauty and sad at how empty they looked.

Naruto seemed smaller and vulnerable compared to before.

It had to be due to him being sick.

Right?

"I'm sorry…" Naruto whispered as he lowered his head. "I just don't want anyone to get in trouble because of me."

Tenten felt a large amount of guilt hit her heart like a sledgehammer. "Hey…It's alri-" Tenten started, but a faint smile from Naruto stopped her from talking.

"Thank you for your hospitality. I will never forget you or your mother's kindness to me in my time of need…" Naruto gave her a small bow before he began to walk away.

"Are you sure?" Tenten asked, his retreating back.

She watched as he paused briefly before he continued to walk away from her, but he raised his right arm in the air as if to confirm his answer.

She was so confused.

Was this indeed the runt she had gone to the academy with a year ago before he failed?

Was he truly the kid who desecrated the Hokage Monument?


Tenten: Ame Nochi: The Oath


Two more days passed since Tenten's brief conversation with Naruto, and the rain was just as heavy as it had been for the last few days, but unlike before, Tenten wasn't bored. Her mind was still on the Uzumaki.

He was so different from what she had known.

Was the downtrodden yet humble Naruto the real him, or did she catch him at a moment of weakness?

She didn't know what to think. "Ten-chan, are you able to deliver this to the Yamanaka clan?" her mother asked, which caused Tenten to blink at the relatively large package. Of course, Tenten accepted the request, and after placing opening the umbrella, she walked outside into the pouring rain.

'I wonder if I will see him again…' Tenten thought to herself as she carefully walked down the street, her eyes focused on the road ahead.

As she walked past the Team 7 training grounds, she noticed an orange blur sitting beneath a tree.

Tenten knew she should have finished her delivery first, but instead, she found herself walking across the street and walking through the training ground until she stood in front of him. He seemed to be deep in thought because he didn't notice she was standing before him.

"You know, we have to stop meeting in the rain like this," Tenten said with a sigh and a smile.

Naruto's head snapped up in alarm before a small smile appeared on his face. "Hello, Hōkuai-san."

"Hello Uzumaki-san," Tenten replied. "You seem to like the rain. Considering this is the second time I found you in it."

Naruto chuckled and said, "Well, at least this time, I'm out here under my own volition."

"Yeah, when I found you, you were tied up against a post…What happened?" Tenten asked.

"My bullshit team happened," Naruto said, a hint of bitterness in his voice. "After we passed our test, they all left me tied up to the post…That bastard-sensei of mine knows how to keep someone tied up…"

"That's terrible…Gai-sensei would never have left one of us tied up to a post," Tenten said.

"During that time, I realized how much I hate the rain," Naruto said with a small laugh, which caused Tenten to laugh as well.

"I can understand that, but if you hate it, why are you out here?" Tenten asked.

"Because nothing can stand between me and training. Not even this weather," Naruto said with a toothy grin on his face. "I have to keep myself strong to become Hokage after all."

Tenten nodded and said, "You know, back when we were classmates, you always went on and on about being Hokage, but you never would explain why."

Naruto's smile diminished as he looked away from Tenten. "I...I wanted to be Hokage to make everyone respect me. At least, that was the original reason…"

"The original reason?" Tenten asked.

"Yeah…Heh, I'm sure you've heard about me. How everyone hates me, ignores me, and tries their damndest to forget I exist," Naruto said with a mirthless smile. "Hell, it's gotten so bad that I even had to stop going to Ichikaru's so they could make money again…Not that they know, of course…"

The heavy hand of guilt gripped Tenten's heart at his words.

"I am the bane of Konoha…I understand that…Meanwhile, Everyone adores Hokage-Jiji. He became the Hokage to bring unity to our village and then returned to the seat because he wanted to keep Konoha strong after the Kyūbi. Because of this. He's not just my "Grandfather" but the entire village's "Grandfather" and going from him to me…" Naruto paused to let out a sad laugh then added, "There would be a riot..."

Tenten didn't know how to deal with this. This was not boastful, bratty blond that she and the village were annoyed to have.

This was a different beast altogether.

"I could be the reincarnation of Kami himself, and no one in this village would ever respect me. Hell, even my team despised me enough to leave me tied up." Tenten could see the sadness in his glowing blue eyes at his admission, but she remained silent.

"I want to be the Hokage so damn bad, but without the trust of the people, I might as well just hang up that dream," Naruto finished.

"I'm sorry…I shouldn't be holding you up," Naruto said as he stood up and gave her a small smile. "You didn't have to come to check up on me. Hell, you didn't even have to save me the other day, and I thank you for it. But we shouldn't talk again. I don't want you to become an outcast because of me."

And with those words, Naruto walked away from Tenten. And as much as Tenten wanted to stop him, she couldn't.


Tenten: To be continued


Captain Blues: So, not much has changed with this initial chapter. Just making sure it flows okay and editing it down, so that's all for this one—time to set sail.