Underneath the Underneath
By: FlameXFullmetal
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or its characters. I do own any original characters.
A/N: Hello once again! I am absolutely blown away by the amount of support that I have received on this story even before I rewrote it. You guys are awesome! Anyway, you know the drill!
Rbear1231: lol I keep focusing on the main characters so much in all of my stories I forget to focus on some of the other characters that assist the main ones. Thanks for reminding me. I had actually intended to do something with Shino and kept getting distracted. Sai on the other hand...he's okay but could have been so much better. As for the toad summoning, I don't mind them but at the same time, I never felt as if Naruto actually connected to them as well as the other ninja that had summons.
Marquis shax: Thank you for pointing out that the idea for celestial contracts was originally done by devilzxknight86. I have since asked him for permission to use it and have gotten the okay. You are right about the tiger contract being one of the celestial contracts as the white tiger is a celestial animal in Asian mythology. I have gone back and corrected that.
Zigmas: I have actually never read a story where Hinata has gotten a feline summons, so I am going to have to look for them. Usually, when Hinata gets a contract in the ones that I have read, it is usually the fox or slug contracts. I never even considered the lion fists as a reason for the contract either. In all honesty, I forgot about that as she only used it once.
"hello" people (bijuu in human form) speaking
'hello' people (bijuu in human form) thinking/coded hand signals
"HELLO" bijuu (full demon form)/summoning/deity yelling
"hello" bijuu (full demon form)/summoning/deity talking
'hello' bijuu (full demon form)/summoning/deity thinking
hello jutsu
**********The Trials********
"Daiki, why have you brought a human here?"
"This is Kakashi Hatake, the summoner for Pakkun and his pack. He seeks permission to summon the wolves as well to minimize any danger to the pups." The wolves nearby raised an eyebrow at the explanation. Looking to the human, Kakashi's, side they spotted the smaller canines peering at them.
"I see. What would you say, Pakkun, of this human's traits? You know we have sworn off aiding humans since our last summoner betrayed us."
"Kakashi might as well be a canine himself. He is exceedingly loyal and his senses rival ours. When something does go wrong and an ally gets hurt because of it, Kakashi places all of the blame on himself even if there was nothing he could have done to stop it in the first place. In all honesty, had we said that we were uncomfortable with the idea he would have refused to sign the contract. The only reason he considered signing in the first place was that recently while attempting to track a missing-nin, we wound up being the one's hunted and were injured as a result. He is afraid we will be injured again as we aren't suited for combat." Pakkun explained. The elder wolves eyed Kakashi cautiously. The man, though he seemed un-phased being in their presence, was actually quite alert to his surroundings. He was ready to attack at any moment, but would only do so with provocation.
"I see. What, pray tell, would you do with our contract if you should pass our test Kakashi?"
"I would use the contract as I have always with Pakkun's. The wolves would be summoned to aid me in battle should I need it, help train my cute little genin if I feel that you would be better instructors than I for an exercise, and to assist in tracking down targets. The only difference between the two would be which battles you are summoned to aid me in. There are battles in which Pakkun and his pack are perfect for. However, there are also battles in which they would be severely injured should I call on them to aid me. That is where the wolves would be summoned. Admittedly I may also summon you for advice should I become conflicted on an issue, however, I was trained to never betray my pack and never abuse a summons contract." Tilting his head almost in contemplation Kakashi sighed,
"In all honesty, I feel that I could summon Pakkun and the others more but I fear for their safety which is why I don't. If I could pair them with a summons more suited for battles but could keep up with their tracking I wouldn't be so hesitant."
"I see. You are an interesting one. We shall see where you stand tonight."
"Elder you don't mean?!" One of the wolves exclaimed.
"I do. Hatake Kakashi will join us for our hunt this year."
"Hunt?"
"Yes. Every year we hold a hunt for the older wolves to keep our skills sharp. It is also a good way to scout the borders of this land to ensure no one is attempting to enter them. While it is generally accepted that you do not enter another summon clan's territory, it does happen on occasion." The elder explained. "In this instance, we can ensure that the pups are safe. The hunt itself...well you will have to wait to see what you are hunting."
Kakashi felt a small sense of nervousness creep into him for the first time in a long time at the way that the elder had described the yearly event. For some reason, he found himself hoping that he wasn't the object being hunted.
With Hinata...
"Asami you have brought the human here, why?" A voice bellowed out no sooner than they had arrived. Hinata jolted activating her byakugans and looking around she found that they were already surrounded by tigers of all shapes and sizes.
"Calm yourself, love. This girl has proven herself to be worthy to attempt our trial. She is strong, compassionate, polite, and even a little unconfident. Unlike those before, she did not seek out the contract to increase her power, but rather to become better equipped to protect her loved ones."
"...and yet she descends from that clan. The same clan that has caused all of this, to begin with."
"She does indeed. However, I am certain that she will not repeat her ancestor's mistakes. Even now she searches for a way to free her family from the enslavement that they are currently suffering. She seeks to end the division of the Hyuga and reunite them as one family." Asami explained to her mate.
"Tell me do you know what the tiger summons represent?"
"I fear I don't," Hinata confessed. "My clan has forbidden the use of any technique that isn't the juken. The concept of a Hyuga using a summoning contract was never even considered. As a result, we learned next to nothing about them. What I do know is from my sensei who holds a personal contract himself and from Kimiko-chan."
"Kimiko-chan?"
"Kurama's newest name and form. It seems that Madara Uchiha has caused the bijuu to be imprisoned inside of humans and used as weapons. These jinchuriki, as they are called are usually treated as lower than dirt in their villages. I know not how, but Kimiko despite still being bound by the seal she was imprisoned in is outside of her vessel." Asami explained causing the tigers to growl menacingly.
"What do you think of the jinchuriki, Hyuga?"
"They are no different than I...actually they are. They are better than those around them because they shoulder all of the hate and prejudice around them by themselves and yet they still have the courage to dream and try to make a life for themselves. They are the ones that should be treated as they are, as special people that are sacrificing their lives and happiness to ensure that not only are the ones around them safe but that the bijuu are as well." Hinata replied. Silence reigned as the Tigers took in the heiresses declaration, almost as if they were in shock.
"You care for the well being of the bijuu?"
"Why wouldn't I? Only heartless monsters attack for no reason and after getting to know Kimiko I have come to the realization that it is humans that have forced the bijuu to attack before they are attacked themselves. If anyone is to blame for the bijuu's behavior it is the humans around them that caused them to be as they are."
"The tigers symbolize peace, Hyuga. Despite the fact that we are fierce warriors, we prefer not to fight. Can you accept that?"
"Yes. There should be no reason that someone who wants you as an ally would refuse to accept that. If it is your wish not to fight then so be it. In combat situations, I would summon you if there truly was no other way to survive."
"We will not be used as transportation either."
"That would be an insult to a majestic creature such as you." Once again the silence emerged. This girl was challenging everything that they had come to know about humans and yet she wasn't even trying.
"I see. Eiji will test your strength. With our contract comes with the responsibility to protect it. There is no point in peace if it cannot be protected from those who wish war. Show us you are willing and capable." Hinata nodded as a massive tiger stepped forward and growled at her. Swallowing her fear she slipped into her stance and waited for him to move. She had no idea if she would survive the fight but she wouldn't allow Eiji to win without trying to defeat him.
Naruto...
Naruto cursed the day he was born as he yet again dodged a strike from claws meant to bisect him. As soon as he agreed to the fight he had been led to a large mountainous area where he was introduced to his opponent, Chiasa. At first, he was somewhat relieved when he learned that her branch focused more on support than anything but then he was told that she had developed a hatred of humans due to the attack of Uzu the nervousness returned tenfold. He had every right to be nervous as well. As soon as the signal to fight had begun she had tried to devour him. For what seemed to be several hours he had been dodging the irate female trying to find an opening. Easier said than done.
"Stop moving human!"
"Only an idiot would do that! I have no desire to die or be eaten by you! I know that you hate what happened to my family, but there is no reason for you to blame the whole species over the actions of a few. That is how the cycle continues and why history repeats itself! All your behavior is doing is proving that they had a right to fear the clan." Naruto snapped back at her finally losing his patience. The reply caused Chiasa to freeze as they words sank in. The realization dawning on all of the summons that heard.
"What..do you mean human?" She demanded.
"Hatred. Anger. A thirst for vengeance. It can all be traced back to the same thing. Retaliation for a perceived wrong or attack. Even if there was an attack, many don't stop to think of why. Why did they attack? Did the attackers have a choice? Was it a last resort? Were they tricked? For the most part, it all comes about as a way to seek revenge."
"I don't understand."
"Think of it this way then. Uzu was attacked by a combined force of nations seeking to end the clan. If you were able to go to the human world and be allowed to seek revenge on the countries involved then, in the end, you would be no different than the ones that attacked Uzu. Survivors of the attack and family in other nations would come to hate your clan. From there they would either deal with the grief and try to move on or they would begin to train and find a way to end the summon clan once and for all. If they succeeded then the other summons would feel threatened by the humans that attacked and the most likely outcome would be a war between humans and summons." He said sitting in front of his opponent.
"During the war, those summons that are contracted would be divided between those that would want to protect the humans that they have grown close to and those that believe that the war is justified. Even the clans would be torn into two factions. Those that agree with the fighting and those that do not. In the end, there is no winner and only senseless death. Humans would no longer trust the summons and those that retained their contracts would be outcast and seen as traitors to their homelands. The summon clans would have the same problem and all that would have been accomplished is creating more war and hatred. Families would have been torn apart and children would have buried parents. Parents would have buried children. Siblings would seek the death of one another and no one would be happy."
"Revenge and war accomplish nothing but creating more thirst for revenge and more war. So what do you hope to accomplish with your behavior right now?" The silence was deafening as his words sank into everyone listening. Chiasa seemed to be struggling with herself as she contemplated the human's words.
"So you are saying that they should be allowed to get away with genocide?"
"They haven't and they won't. The Uzumaki guaranteed that few if any of the invaders left the island alive. Those that did survive were most likely killed in the war that followed. In the end, the countries that invaded were left to deal with the backlash of their actions and to bury their dead. Dead that could have still been alive had they chose differently. The survivors of the clan like me were left with no family to take us in if our parents died and as a result, some of us have never known a parent's love or what it means to be safe. Nothing at all was accomplished that day but death and sorrow."
"You do not want revenge for what happened?"
"I didn't say that. The part of me that is still human in nature and still a child wants them to pay for what they have done but I know that will solve nothing at all. I am still human and a small part of me wants to go after the countries that ended any chance of a family that I could have had before I was even conceived. If I did succeed in getting revenge I would only have doomed another child to my life, I don't want that for anyone."
"You are wise for a human let alone for a child," Chiasa whispered. Kaze smiled at the others who nodded in agreement.
"Indeed you are and by proving your wisdom to know when to fight and when not to and the consequences that it would have, you have proven yourself worthy to be our summoner. Do not look so surprised. The dragons understand that a balance must be kept. Our summoner must understand that conflict is not the only way but it is sometimes necessary. You are the first to understand so well. Perhaps it is because you have seen both sides of human nature. The hatred and anger that comes from a desire for revenge and the kindness and compassion from genuinely wanting to help people. It is most likely because you are a jinchuriki that you understand so well." Kaze explained. Nodding in understanding Naruto smiled at Chiasa.
"It is hard, isn't it? Trying to deal with the grief that came with their deaths. I never knew any of them and yet even now I grieve for them. I can't imagine what someone who knew them is feeling."
"Congratulations Naruto, you are the next summoner of the dragon clan," Kaze said then took a serious expression. "However, you are also in desperate need of training."
"What do you mean?"
"You are good but you could be much, much better." Naruto got a gleam in his eyes that worried the dragons.
"Then fix it."
Hinata...
Breathing heavily Hinata gazed at her opponent and narrowed her eyes. She had been on the defensive from the start and even now he barely looked winded. All the training that she had done thus far was not even helping her. The tiger was faster than she expected and far agiler than he looked. She had been told that she was far agiler then the rest of her clan but in regards to Eiji, she might as well be an unmoving rock.
'Wait! That's it. I might as well be a rock because I am acting like one. He is getting around my guard and blocking me because my strategies have been predictable. I know what I have to do, but will he give me time to do it?' She thought to herself scanning the area they were in. Locating what she was looking for she took a deep breath and began to move to the left as fast as she could. Eiji narrowed his eyes at the girl and ran in front of her blocking her route. Quickly before she could react he lashed his tail out and sent her flying in the opposite direction. Flipping up to her feet she took a breath and prayed that she could make it work.
"Katon: Gokakyu no jutsu." She called as soon as she weaved the required seals. Instead of firing the attack at the tiger, however, she launched herself into the air and aimed the attack at the lake she had landed on. As soon as the fire met the surface a thick cloud of steam filled the area concealing everything caught in it.
"This won't save you, Hyuga," Eiji growled running towards the steam cloud confident in his ability to find the girl. In his mind, humans had long since shown that they could not be trusted to keep their word and he had tried unsuccessfully to convince his father to cut all ties to them and yet still he refused. Now he was being forced to test one of them to see if they were worthy to be their summoner! It was ridiculous and an insult to him. Add in the fact that he was still unable to make her submit and he was rather frustrated.
What the tiger never expected, however, was to have his prey explode into smoke in his mouth as he bit down. He had no time to regain his bearings as he felt several swift strikes to his side followed by a palm strike that sent him flying out of the cloud and onto his side. Moving to stand he found the girl's chakra filled palm a mere inch from his head.
"I don't want this to continue. I don't want to hurt you. Please surrender." She asked genuine pain at being forced to attack him visible.
"Tch. Even if I didn't want to I have no choice. You are more likely to land your attack before I could land mine in this position. Add in the fact that I can't feel my legs thanks to your strikes and I am all but helpless."
"Very good Hinata. However, if you intended to use the water why run away from it?" Asami asked the young girl.
"To make Eiji send me right into it." Everyone sweatdropped at the strategy that she had pulled while realizing that one of their best warriors had fallen for it. "I made it look like I was trying to get into the forest to hide in the trees so he thought nothing of sending me to the lake instead. If I had run to the lake he would have knocked me into the forest and I couldn't risk using a fire jutsu in such a flammable area."
"Impressive. You have done well. I admit that seeing a Hyuga use ninjutsu even took me by surprise. We will need to work on your skills they are not helping you as they are. You are too flexible for the traditional juken to be of any use. However, you have earned a break. When you have rested your training begins in earnest."
"Thank you...ano...you never told me your name."
"It is Hisao."
Kimiko...
"That is the situation."
"I see. You have been caught in quite the mess. However, we will honor this request. The boys personal summon contract with you will be moved to the main scroll. If the girl and her summons agree she will be allowed to summon as well. Haruo will draw the contract. Stay safe Kimiko, the world has reached the calm before the storm and when it hits, there may be nothing left to save."
"I know, Hitoshi."
***********T.B.C*********
A/N: I am back once more! There were some mistakes that I noticed in the last chapter that I went back and fixed and as one reviewer pointed out I really need to update more frequently as I forgot that the Fox contract was already mentioned. Everything will be smoothed out next chapter I promise. Until then! Ja ne!