It had been a few weeks since he discovered the truth about himself. The truth that he was a demon, a demon that had been hiding in the skin of a human being all this time. That during his entire life, or since Hinata found him all those years ago, was all a plan set up in order to hide him, to keep his secret a secret even from himself.
That he was a demon, and not just any demon but the rightful heir.
Naruto groaned as he laid on his bed. Why was it that everything was starting to crash into him all at once now? He needed some fresh air, wanting to get out of here and to clear his thoughts. Though he would have to make sure that no one saw him.
Even though, he had learned of his illusions, he could hide himself for the most part. Yet, he still struggled to keep it up for long periods of time. God, his demonic powers were still strange and new to him, it was getting difficult to the point that he had to get Kakashi to protect Hinata here and there. For that, he was thankful, though he wasn't sure how long he could keep this up. At some point, he may have to leave and Hinata would have to be left behind as well.
Sighing softly, he pushed himself up from his bed and made his way over to his window and gazed out at the window. It was still early in the day, though he knew that the day was going to be a long one with him having to leave many times during his guard duty with Kakashi when it came to protecting Hinata in order to get himself to relax.
The winter ball, it was coming up and he knew that he would have to keep his practice up until then. He would have to get the gift that he had ordered for Hinata. It was going to originally be a sign of his love for the blue haired woman.
Now though, he wasn't even sure if he deserved such a thing from the woman. Letting out a soft sigh, the blonde ran a hand through his hair as he grabbed his sword before closing his eyes and focused on the demonic energy within himself. Kakashi had told him in order to bring it out, he would have to focus on the part of himself that he feared.
The part of him that he hated more than anything about himself. That he was a demon, a monster. Breathing deeply, he felt like everything was tingling across his skin, as if a sheet was slowly covering his body in some kind of warmth and comfort. Opening his eyes, he saw that his hands no longer adorn claws, reaching up he touched the sides of his head and felt normal human ears. Turning around, he didn't see any tails. He looked human again.
Letting out a soft sigh, the young man walked out of his room and started to make his way to the hall and started to make his way toward the village. Maybe if he was lucky, Jiraiya would have what he had asked for. It wasn't much yes, but at the same time it sort of was. It was only as a means of protecting Hinata from any and all danger, but it was also to be hidden in plain sight without anyone knowing what it really was.
It would keep her safe, no matter what happens. Should the time come when he wouldn't be around, because he had either had to go into hiding or… if he was dead, then Hinata would be safe. That was the only thing that mattered to him. Her safety, took over everything, even if she didn't love him back.
Reaching up, he couldn't help but grasp at his chest. Why did his heart hurt thinking about it? It wasn't a normal pain, it felt different. As if it was a mixture of dread, pain, loss, and emptiness. But why? Was this something that mixed with his demon heritage? Something that he couldn't understand?
Shaking his head, the young man knew that he should ask Kakashi about such a feeling but, he already had enough to think about. Not to mention Naruto still had too much to learn already. Plus, it wasn't as if this was killing him or anything like that. Right?
Looking up at the sky, he wondered if Jiraiya have returned yet. He hadn't heard from the man for a while, he just hoped the old pervert was okay. Frowning a little at the thought, Naruto knew that Jiraiya could easily handle himself, but at the same time he couldn't help but worry about the old pervert. Though, knowing him he must have been distracted peeking in on women in the hot springs again.
Running a hand down his face, the young man couldn't help but wonder what that man goes through each and every day. He was a warrior yes, but Jiraiya really needs to learn some kind of self-restraint or something. Because one of these days, it may end up being a woman that kills him. No one would be at fault of course but the man being murdered because of his peeping ways.
That man though, he wouldn't deny it but Jiraiya did train the boy. Trained and taught him so many things and, Naruto wouldn't lie but he looked up to Jiraiya as a father. Reaching up, the young man couldn't help but worry for the man. Even though there are times where he wanted to slap the white haired man upside the head but now, he didn't think that he could with his strength being a lot stronger than it should be.
There would have been a chance that he would have killed Jiraiya if he wasn't careful but he hoped that he could learn how to use his new powers soon. Wait, did they count as 'new' when these are powers and abilities that he was born with.
"Naruto!"
Looking up, he saw the man in question and gave a small smile. "Hey Pervy Master, you finally got back eh?" Naruto said with a weak chuckle.
"You alright?"
"I'm fine, just… a lot on my mind." Naruto whispered softly before letting out a soft sigh.
"You mean that demonic energy that is swirling around you?" Jiraiya said calmly.
"Yeah-wait what?" Naruto said with a frown on his face.
"Do you really think that I couldn't sense your chakra all this time?" Jiraiya said with a sigh. Naruto could only stare with wide eyes. There was no way that he could have sensed it. Even demons could sense such a thing from him so how was it that Jiraiya, a human, could sense that in the first place? Jiraiya chuckled a little as he looked at Naruto with a calm yet gentle gaze. Like that of a father to their son. "Didn't you wonder why I didn't want to teach you at first?"
"Uh… because you didn't want to teach some snot nosed kid to beat people up?" Naruto said, recalling Jiraiya's words.
"No, well yes and no." Jiraiya said while scratching the back of his head and chuckled. "I sensed your demonic aura back then, though it was very faint. I knew something was strange about you, yet you also held some kind of innocents about you almost like that of a newborn." Jiraiya pointed out only to look up at the sky as he let out a soft sigh. "You see, I had thought that if I did train you, you would use it to hurt people when I had only wanted to protect…"
"But…"
"Yet, when I saw that look in your eyes. That fire, that passion to protect your friend, I sensed no lie on you Naruto. There is no way that someone so young would have had such a passion deep within their soul regardless of the demonic aura that surrounded you. Yet, over the years I noticed that your aura had changed more and more until recently."
"What do you mean?"
Jiraiya placed a hand on his chin, eyes closed in deep thought as he tried to think of his next words carefully. The young man couldn't help but look at the older man in confusion. "To best describe it, I'd say that it was as if the demonic aura was disappearing with a human one. So it made me think that maybe you had some kind of seal placed upon you all this time to make you look human and you never tried to use any powers or strength during our training so it made me think that you didn't even know that you were a demon of some kind."
"Why didn't you say anything?" asked Naruto.
"Would you have believed me?"
No, no he wouldn't have. How could he? For years, he had thought that he was nothing more than a human. A human that was trained to have high endurance and pain tolerance but, now it made him wonder if that had been his demonic blood keeping him from feeling the king of pain that he was already tolerant to. Shaking his head, the young man looked up as he mumbled "Yeah, I wouldn't have." Jiraiya gave a faint smile before reaching into his pocket and pulled out a wrapped package as he held it out to Naruto. "Huh?"
"It's what you asked me to get. I hope you like it, because trust me it wasn't easy to get a hold of. All you have to do is place your own chakra into it and it should be enough to keep her safe." Jiraiya pointed out with a chuckle, causing Naruto to smile a little at the sight. "So, what did I miss while I was gone anyway?"
Naruto went pale at the thought.
"Obviously you know you're a demon now so I'm guessing that you had finally transformed." Seeing the blonde nod, Jiraiya chuckled a little before reaching out and ruffling his hair. Causing Naruto to growl a little as he swatted his hand away. "Let me see?"
Naruto blinked a little in confusion before nodding his head slowly. Gulping a bit, the young man took a deep breath as he allowed himself to release his hold over his powers, over his illusion and couldn't help but grit his teeth. God, why did this have to hurt just to release it himself? Taking a deep gasping breath, Naruto's eyes snapped open causing him to look up at Jiraiya, wondering what the man would end up saying.
"You do look so much like the past king."
"Huh?" What the hell was he talking about?
Jiriaya chuckled a little as he looked at Naruto with a small warm smile. "I met the king when I was a small boy. Though at that point in time, Minato, your father was a powerful man and had been trying to have a child with his wife, his mate for a long time. I had heard tales of how the great Fox King, was trying to bring union between humans and demons." Naruto blinked as he looked up at the older man with wide eyes. What? His father wanted to do something like that while he was… "Your parents, when they found out they were having you they were overjoyed." Jiraiya chuckled a little before looking over at Naruto.
"Did he have any idea on how to do that?" asked Naruto.
"He thought that, maybe it was best to get you to interact with other humans, but I don't think he had an idea on how at the time. Then with the war, everything else that was happening, I didn't hear about his death, as well as your mother's until years after it happened." Jiraiya sighed softly before looking at Naruto with a frown. "I didn't think you were his kid though, I had thought that it was wishful thinking regardless how much you resembled your parents I knew that I couldn't have held such high hopes for such a thing until now."
Naruto blinked a little in shock. Not sure what he could really say for that matter. It just seemed as if everything was coming into a weird circle. What was he to really say to such a situation at this point? In a way, his father's dream did come true, just not in the way that he had originally hoped it seemed. Naruto did indeed grow up among humans, but at the cost of his parent's lives and of course in order to keep him safe. So what was he to do?
"Now what though? What could I ever do to bring such a dream come true? It isn't like I have a chance with anyone here. Once Lord Hisashi learns that I'm a demon, he'll kill me. Hinata will never speak to me, she'll think of me as nothing but a monster." Naruto said with a frown on his face.
"Do you really think that?" Jiraiya said with a sigh, scratching at his cheek as he glanced at Naruto. Seeing that the young man was really stressing out over the whole thing. Sighing softly once again, the older man calmly said "Think of it this way. Do you really think, that someone whom you have known for pretty much all your life would just throw you out to the wolves?"
"I… I don't really know."
"Naruto, look in your heart and you'll know the answer. Hinata isn't like anyone else. She has a good and pure heart, she would stick up for you that much I know for sure." Jiraiya said, before pointing his finger against Naruto's chest, right over his heart. "You know the answer, even if you can't really understand it yourself."
Blinking his blue eyes, the young man couldn't help but be a little curious himself. He wanted to believe that Hinata wouldn't think of him in that way. But, at the same time he couldn't help but be worried. What if Hinata learned the truth and couldn't be around him. Not just because her father wouldn't allow such a thing, but because she would end up fearing him? Shaking his head, he let out a whine before covering his face, trying to think on what he should do. On what he should say at this point.
It just seemed that everything lately was going to throw itself at him in one way or another. And it was starting to bother him. Why was it that his life had to be some kind of hell like this? A life that he never wanted in the first place? First he has no memories of who he was or where he came from. Then he finds out that he is really a demon prince to a kingdom that was taken over by some kind of mad man that wanted his parents out of the way and now he had to worry about what he should do about his feelings for Hinata and of course on what he should do about her finding out what he really is.
There was no way that she could ever love him at this rate.
"Naruto, you need to relax."
"How do you know I'm-"
"You're tails are flinching so much I wouldn't be surprised that they knock a tree down at this rate." Jiraiya said with a soft sigh before shaking his head as he looked over at the young man, placing a hand on his shoulder as he calmly gazed down at him. "If she really cared about you, which I'm sure she does there is no way that she would leave you to hang to dry or to leave you to the wolves."
"How can you be so sure about that though?"
"Because she is a pure person Naruto. Hinata is accepting of others, that much I know for sure. After all, you are her best friend, someone that she cares about deeply to the point that she saved you as a child. You just have to have some faith in yourself for a change." Jiraiya calmly said before chuckling a little before adding "You may as well change back now. You may have to go back to the manor soon though."
"Yeah, though I just wished that I could handle the illusions better, I can't hold it for very long on my own." Naruto said with a sigh before Jiraiya reached out and pulled on the necklace around his neck.
"I sense their power in this."
"Yeah, Kakashi said something about their illusion magic being in there though I don't know what that meant." Naruto said with a frown on his face.
"Idiot, you can use their magic to help you look human for as long as you need. Just focus on that magic instead of your own until you can learn to use it better." Jiraiya pointed out with a glare.
Naruto wanted to smack himself for that one. Of course he could have done that but he must have been stressing out so much about everything that it hadn't come to him in the least! Groaning, he grasped the necklace in his hand as he took a deep breath. Hoping that he would be able to use the power within the necklace to make himself appear human. Though, he wasn't sure what he would be able to hold onto it for too long either even though it belonged to his parents for that matter.
It just seemed as if everything around him would bite him in the ass at some point or another. Yet, he had to at least try at some kind of normal life. More so with the winter ball coming up in such a short amount of time now. Gritting his teeth, he opened his eyes as he looked up at the smiling face of Jiraiya and frowned a little in confusion.
"Welcome back Naruto." Chuckled Jiraiya.
Naruto blinked before looking down at his hands. He felt none of his own power but the power of someone else coating his skin. He couldn't help but smile, at least he could manage this for the most part, but he knew that at some point, he would have to learn how to use his own power to do this and not just the power of his family. "Thanks." Naruto whispered softly.
Though, what he didn't know was that his life was only going to get worse, as a dark shadow was starting to head its ugly head toward the Hyuuga Manor.
