"You don't have to yell." Naruto scowled at Anko, her hands covering her ears. "It shouldn't be that surprising since ninjas aren't exactly known for keeping their word, are they?" she added dropping her hands.
"Naruto, are you sure?" Sarutobi asked looking deeply troubled by the news.
"I wouldn't have told you if I wasn't sure." Naruto replied moodily.
The Hokage sighed slumping in his chair. "I don't suppose you know exactly how they are going to attack?"
"No, I don't." Naruto said stuffing her hands in her pockets.
"Then, this makes it even more troublesome." the Sandaime said turning his gaze to the jounins who nodded leaving the room at maximum speed.
"Wow." Naruto whistled looking at where the jounins had just been. "Like trained dogs."
"Naruto." the Hokage whispered quietly gazing at her so intently she snapped.
"What? This village is lucky that it has had some great Hokages in the past but that luck won't last forever." Naruto patted the Hokage on the hand. "You're going to die sooner or later."
Sarutobi caught Naruto's hand, who gasped her eyes glazing over. The familiar whooshing sound resounded in her ears. Her stomach twisted with nausea. A premonition flashed through her eyes.
The Sandaime was grasping Orochimaru's shoulder with a death grip, a look of cold determination on his face.Blood trickled down his chin. A blue transparent gresuome hand was petruding through his stomach and dragging a blueish substance from Orochimarus stomach. A sword was also stciking through Sarutobi digging deeper and deeper as Orochimaru moved his fingers. A monkey was trying to pull out the sword.A Shinigami was floating behind the Third. It grabbed a katana from its mouth and severed the connection between the Third and his former student. The Third finally fell back the blue substance sealing itself in the hokage. A seal nearly identical to the one Naruto had appeared on his stomach. Sarutobi was smiling at Orochimaru saying something as Orochimaru screamed at him like a lunatic. His arms were rotted inside out by the Shinagami's curse. The Sandaime closed his eyes and did not open them again.
Naruto gasped pulling her hand away from the Third Hokage as if she'd been burned. Her heart was thudding in her ears and she felt a huge lump in her throat preventing her from talking. Her lip was trembling and her eyes were burning so bad that she kept blinking.
"Naruto, are you all right?" the Sandaime asked worriedly rising from his chair.
Naruto took a step back and carefully looked at the old man who had insured her survival for thirteen years. She knew at the beginning that the Third had only kept the council from killing her because he felt indebted to the Fourth. The Fourth had supposedly wanted her to be treated as a hero-probably so she would love Konoha and become its greatest weapon- that was why the Sandaime had fought the council and allowed her to live. After she had found out that that was the only reason she was alive she had been angry and resentful with the Hokage. Her feelings toward him had bordered hate. Then she had thought about all the times the Third had visited her, how he had treated her, the ANBU he had made watch over her and the law he made so she would be able to have friends and she had been ashamed of herself. The Third had gone against the entire village and against all odds; he had won to keep her alive. He even signed that contract with her so she could do as she pleased. He was the last person that deserved her hate.
"I was just kidding; you're not going to die. You're too old die." her voice trembled too much for the Third to be able to take it as a joke.
"What is it?" Sarutobi asked gently.
"Promise you won't die." Naruto whispered her eyes focused at the corner of the Hokages desk.
Sarutobi strode over to Naruto and enveloped her in a hug. "You know I can't promise you that." he said gently as Naruto gripped his robes resting her head on his chest. "I'm the head of this village and as such I have to protect it with my life." Sarutobi pulled away to look carefully at Naruto. "You do remember what your promise to me was?"
Sad, weary blue eyes gazed up at an age worn face and eyes that reflected a bone deep weariness that mad your heartache. "I haven't forgotten. I will do everything in my power to protect this village." she spat the words bitterly. It didn't matter to her. This entire village could burn to the ground; she only wanted the Third alive. "But don't forget, if you die than the next Hokage might not honor our contract. In that case Konoha won't let me leave the village and I will probably be forced to flee." And here her eyes hardened. " If they decide to send ninjas after me then I will officially become an enemy of Konoha."
The Third nodded as if expecting this going back to his desk and pulling out a scroll. "If that is the case, then I'll entrust you with this."
Naruto blinked. "What is that?"
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Naruto sighed patting the inside jacket pocket where the scroll the Third had entrusted her with resided. Hopefully she would have no reason to use it.
She sat on a tree branch of the forest that was the border of the Fire Country. A red flash came barreling through the forest jumping from branch to branch. It stopped short though when a kunai with an exploding tag wrapped around it came sailing down. A small explosion filled the forest with smoke.
Wind blew the smoke away as Naruto leaped down looking at a red haired woman before her. Sky blue eyes clashed with ocean blue eyes.
"Wow. If I had known better I'd have to say your reflexes are way too good to be of someone who has spent the last thirteen years in a hospital bed. Was that someone else's body transfigured to look like yours?" Naruto asked breezily her right hand covering her left ring finger where her silver ring rested.
"Naruto." she breathed looking quite shaken at the sight of her daughter.
"Oh. You recognized me. I'm surprised you even remembered my name since you went through so much trouble to get rid me." Naruto said her tone light but the hard glint in her eyes was unmistakable.
"So are you going to answer my question or not?" Naruto asked through gritted teeth when her mother just kept staring at her like she'd seen a ghost.
"You look like a female version of your father." Kushina whispered finally in a voice that was hoarse from disuse.
Those were the last words that Naruto had wanted to hear from her mother. The questions flew out of her head. Everything was distant and unimportant to her except the roaring in her ears. Anger was coursing through her so vengeful it put Orochimaru's to the level of a hissy fit. The ring on her finger glowed red and transformed into her kantana. Naruto gripped it so tightly her hands bled. She charged at the red headed woman who dodged at the last second.
Naruto slashed the air with the sword and devastating wind came forth leaving a huge scar in the earth where Kushina had just been.
"Stop this. I don't want to fight you." Kushina pleaded appearing behind Naruto.
"You should be dead. I'm supposed to be the last Uzumaki. I've been the one that everyone looked to when they thought of an Uzumaki. When they wanted an Uzumaki dead they came after me while you were playing the mental retard." Naruto said quietly her body trembling with effort to keep her from simply transforming into her full Kyuubi form to rip out the human's throat like she deserved.
"YOU LEFT ME TO DIE." she roared spinning around and smashing her sword into the ground where lightning sprang from the sword creating an explosion that incinerated a good part of the trees surrounding them. It tore apart the earth and created a huge hole that Naruto was in the middle of. Her mother lied on her back, conscious but covered with a few burns from Naruto's attack. She hadn't been in battle for thirteen years. That attack was too difficult to dodge for the most advanced ninjas.
Naruto pointed her sword at Kushina's heart who, eyed Naruto through lidded eyes drifting from consciousness to unconsciousness. "I frankly don't care how or why you've been pretending to be mental for all these years. What matters to me is that you are the reason I'm stuck in this world. And you were the one who gave the Fourth the sealing technique to seal the Kyuubi in me." Naruto pressed the sword into the fully awake woman's chest so it grazed her skin and drew blood, her voice taking on a deadly whisper as a horrible memory came to haunt her with emotions she had looked away years ago.
"You were afraid of me from the moment of conception. You could feel my magic. You, who bound her powers away to live with mortals, were too afraid that I would be born and people would find out about us. Or more importantly my father would find out about us. That must of been some mortal man you found yourself if you couldn't even tell him the truth about yourself." Her whisker marked face twisted with repulsion as she looked at the woman who had supposedly given life to her. How had she come from that thing?
Kushina gripped Naruto's sword with her hand and pushed it away delivering a kick to Naruto's chest, which put her momentarily off balance.
"You can say what you want about me but don't you dare talk about your father like that." Kushina shouted her eyes flashing with the first emotion anyone had seen in thirteen years, blood dripping from her hand. "I may not have told him the truth but it wasn't because I didn't love him. Even if he had known the truth, I know with every fiber of my being that he would've loved you with everything he had regardless."
"Neither of you loved me to begin with." Naruto replied with an expressionless mask stuck to her face. The wind was gathering around her sword at such a speed it was crackling. Sparks were giving off signaling the wind was transforming into thunder.
"That isn't true." Kushina whispered her face crumbling. "You were our whole word. You meant more to us than anything."
Naruto burst out laughing like Kushina had just told a hilarious joke. "What sappy movie did you get that line from? If you've forgotten, there was one thing that meant more to the both of you than I ever did." Naruto raised her lightning sword to her face and looked at it as if she were examining jewelry.
"Konoha…. Konoha mattered more to you guys than my well being. That's why as big of a pain in the ass parents are usually, none is worse as having shinobi parents." Naruto said venomously directing her sword in Kushina's direction.
"You leaked a forbidden Seraphine technique to a ninja who used that technique-"
"And saved thousands of lives." Kushina cut in studying Naruto intently. "I know that you had to suffer a great deal because of what Min-the Fourth did to you but would you have rather let the Kyuubi destroy the village? There was no other option at the time."
"Although I do consider the Fourth the scum of the earth after you and daddy dearest" Kushina winced like someone was sticking senbon needles in her. "I'm not angry that he sealed the Kyuubi in me. I'm angry because you had the audacity to go and decide my future for me. Who the hell gave you bastards the right?" Naruto shouted the earth beneath her shaking ferociously like there was an earthquake. The lightning on her sword was leaping off in sparks and sizzling the ground in a testament to Naruto's anger, her hurt, and her pain. The darkness she had buried for years, hoping she would never have to confront it. She had never wanted to become clouded with hate, her only purpose in vengeance but she absolutely could not just let this woman leave alive.
" Who said I wanted to save Konoha? Even after I saved Konoha, did anyone give me a second thought? I was used and disposed like trash and you and my father helped. You spared me no expense. Like I was nothing. There was no money left to me, no legal guardian who would take care of me in case you were dead, no plan to ensure my safety or even my survival. Nothing." Naruto said her eyes looking back to all those years she had spent so painfully alone. No kind words, no loving hands, no safe haven for her. Everywhere she had turned people had a vicious thing to say, some cutting edge remark. They had painful blows to accompany them as the Konoha police turned a blind eye.
"Then you'll kill me?" Kushina asked her red hair shielding her face from view.
"You gave birth to me so I would serve as a sacrifice for the village you loved. You betrayed my home and broke my grandfathers heart. You deserve to die." Naruto said calmly, raising her sword and swung down as hard as she could but she was blocked. Blade met her blade, metal clanged and sparks flew.
Naruto backed up to find five cloaked figures surrounding her mother. They ranged from different heights and each possessed a different weapon. None of their faces were visible.
The one who had blocked Naruto's attack had leaped back to Kushina's side to converse with her. She for the most part looked very surprised to see the five hooded warriors.
Looking closely at them, she could see that they were of all different sizes and carrying different weapons. They were tensed and ready to strike, forming a protective circle around Kushina.
Naruto took a deep breath. She was losing focus; her anger was blinding her. She should've been able to sense these guys a mile away. She had also forgotten how much energy her sword would give off. If the intense spiritual pressure didn't draw attention then the lightning, ripping winds and earth quaking was bound to alert people. She had to finish this before any ninjas from Konoha who were in the area managed to stumble upon them back from a mission and on their way home. It really wouldn't look good if someone reported that she had been trying to kill her mother when she had promised the Sarutobi she would check what happened to her.
It was time to cast away all emotions and pretend that this woman was just another traitor she had to eliminate. It was time to get professional.
"Hey, you cloaked dudes, this the only warning I'm going to give you. Move out of my way or I'll kill you along with her." Naruto said icily.
"We won't let you or any Seraphine soldier take Kushina-hime away from us." the one that had blocked Naruto's attack said in a deep, unmistakable male voice. He stood in front of Naruto's mother who actually didn't look to enthusiastic to see any of them.
Naruto shrugged.' They know about Seraphine and while they do have chakra it's very different from any ninjas I have ever met. Better to finish off the red slut than see what these weirdo's know.'
"Fine, don't say I didn't warn you. This time I won't be holding back." Naruto told them unzipping her weighted down jacket and gently depositing on the floor so it didn't make a crater. Then Naruto reached her hand back grasped her cap and whipped off. Her mid waist blond hair tumbling out framing her face and flowing down her back. It was straight silky golden hair with two shorter strands in front of her shoulders and straight bangs that fell into her eyes. Looking at her now there was no mistake that she was female and a very attractive one at that.
Naruto smirked at the black cloaks as she leaked out some of her chakra. The difference was impossible to miss. Before everyone had been able to feel the chakra but not like this. Now, it was heavy and suffocating, the earth was shaking under everyone's feet and the wind was slashing around everywhere looking to draw blood. Naruto disappeared suddenly and reappeared behind Kushina her blade going forward, centimeters away from reaching her heart before Kushina and the guy with the sword jump out of the way.
Naruto spun around immediately not losing momentum and struck forward. A burning arrow sailing towards her caused her to stop and turn her head sideways to see one of the cloaks shooting arrows at her. Growling in annoyance she crouched down low in stance, she threw her sword up and drew her hands up and brought them out in front of her like she was pushing somebody away.
An overwhelming gust of wind rushed past her and headed toward the archer. He avoided the full blow of the attack but was still scratched up. Naruto didn't have much time to remedy that as the three other cloaks decided they wanted in on the action as well.
The three ganged up on her from behind raising their weapons to strike down. Naruto spun pivoted on her heel one hand grabbing a wrist where the spear was in and with the other she sent a jolt of lightning into the guys system sending him flying back in a painful heap. She turned to see a scythe and a halberd ready to slash her to pieces. Performing a hand seal, Naruto grabbed both weapons on the non-sharp places and used them as levers to flip behind her opponents. Once she was behind she grasped the both of them by the back of their cloaks. The result was instantaneous, they stopped moving, ice forming beneath them, sliding up their bodies and turning them into unwilling ice sculptures.
"Well, that didn't work out too well." Naruto remarked casually strolling up to the sword user who didn't look bothered by the fact Naruto had just disabled all of his teammates in a matter of seconds.
"That hat-"he said his eyes flickering to Naruto's deposited hat. "It's a seal."
"Oh, you're a smart one." Naruto grinned at him pleased that someone had picked up on it. "Most people just think I have horrible sense in fashion but that's not the case. That hat contains a large part of my chakra and other energies while I'm in battle so I don't over do it. I have to wear it nearly all the time since I usually have to fight with people and homes near by but this time mother dear picked a great place for a rumble." Naruto spread her arms out wide indicating the forest that was uninhabited probably for miles. "I can go all out without having to worry about killing someone by accident."
"Enough." Kushina ordered firmly to the sword user, to Naruto she said, "I won't fight you. Not now or ever. You're my daughter. That may not mean much to you now-"her voice broke here before she regained it. "But it does mean something to me."
"Daughter!?" the swordsman looked thoroughly shocked looking back at Kushina to Naruto. Probably looking for any similarities between the two. It was a hopeless search though. Naruto took after her father and grandfather in looks; she didn't look at all like her mother.
"You're Naruto-hime?" the swordsman asked incredulously. "Granddaughter of Shido-sama and Koyuki-sama?"
"Don't look so shocked." Naruto answered irritated by the blatant surprise in the mans voice. "I do look a lot like Gramps or have you never met him to be able to tell?"
"Why would you be trying to kill your mother?" the black cloak asked Naruto.
"I'll mail you a list of reasons but the main reason right now is that I can't have her going around and giving forbidden techniques to ninjas ." Naruto explained.
"But that's-"he started to protest but Naruto cut in before he could finish.
"Look, if you think that there is some mother daughter bond right here, then you are dead freakin wrong. That -"she pointed towards her biological mother who wouldn't meet her eyes. "threw me to the wolves and now she is causing more trouble than I can handle. I can't risk her turning and helping out enemies of mine. She bound her powers and who knows when she'll be getting them back. She is too easy of a target for any one who would need an Uzumaki so I'll get rid of her right now and be done with it."
"And Shido-sama approved of this?"the swordsman asked his grip tightening on the sword.
"As for as I know he doesn't even know she is still alive but it doesn't matter. She is a traitor and a deserter. The punishment is death for both crimes."Naruto stated , her sword materializing in her hand.
"You won't back down then?"Naruto asked quietly shifting into a stance.
"No, I won't. I'll tell you right now that Shido-sama would be ashamed that you're so rooted in your hatred that you'd be willing to let it take control, so you could kill your own mother. Hatred has never been the Seraphine way."the swordsmen informed her shifting into his own stance not noticing Naruto's pupils had begun to dilate. A red hue spreading through her eyes.
'Ashamed? Who was the one who abandoned her entire family? Everything is always my fault, is it? People like this PISS ME OFF.'Naruto's chakra rose in intensity. Red chakra began to pour out surrounding her like a cacoon. The chakra burned skin and made it difficult to breathe. It was tearing the earth beneath Naruto. Her grandfather's approval was one of the most important things to her and this guy had just pressed a very sore button and he was going to regret deeply. She was going to make sure of it.
The swordsman's stance didn't waver but Kushina looked like she was having difficulty standing up.
"Don't you freakin dare tell me what my grandfather thinks!"Naruto roared as she lunged forward. Her sword clanging with her opponents. "You're not him so don't tell me what he would think."
The force of Naruto's attack dug the man's heels into the ground. Naruto withdrew her sword and slammed it onto the ground again splitting up the earth and putting her enemy off balance.
Naruto rose into the air gaining momentum before she launched herself toward the off balanced warrior.
"Wazashi!" she heard her mother yell before a horde of kage bunshins came towards her. With the hand that wasn't holding her sword Naruto sent a blade of wind towards her mothers kage bunshin dispelling them with ease.
The real Kushina was pulling Wazashi up bent on fleeing rather than fighting. Naruto clicked her teeth in an expression of disdain. Like she was going to let them escape.
"I'll end you right here , right now." Naruto whispered pouring a huge amount of chakra into her sword. She raised her sword intent on letting destroy this entire forest, taking her mother with it. A hand wrapped around her wrist stopping her.
Out of the corner of her eye she saw black before she was knocked out cold.
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Blue eyes creaked open and closed immediately as sun blinded her. Memories began resurfacing. She had been fighting her mother then she had been knocked out cold.
She stood up realizing she was in her room back in Konoha. Looking down at herself she saw that she was wearing pajamas and had bandages wrapped around her head. Fingering the bandage she felt a huge knot in the back of her skull that was sore.
She cursed getting out of bed and entering the living room where her bastard attacker was sitting calmly on the couch watching a movie rated R for sexual content and nudity with her resident demon.
"The hell is the matter with you!?" Naruto shouted in front of Ryouma who was licking his paws, Kyuubi picked up the remote and turned off the TV.
"Good morning to you too." Kyuubi replied tonelessly as Ryouma's bright emerald eyes took her in.
"Why the hell did you knock me out?" Naruto yelled at Ryouma angrily. "I was going to end her and you stopped me." A vase shook crazily before it exploded into shards that embedded themselves in the walls and scattered to the floor. One of the shards ripped her pajama collar and tore Naruto's flesh between her collarbone and her shoulder. Blood began to seep through but Naruto didn't even notice she was so furious. "What? Do you have some soft spot for my mother that I don't know about? Well?"
"Naruto-sama , why were you trying to kill your mother?" Ryouma asked steadily.
"She's a traitor." Naruto answered automatically growing more irritant by the second.
"Kushina-sama did desert Seraphine but it wasn't out of malice or revenge. And she was never marked as a traitor or a danger to our country." Ryouma contradicted watching her unnervingly.
"All right then. I didn't like the shape of her nose." Naruto said hotly her eyes flashing in defiance.
"Where has your mother been for the past few years since you were brought back to Konoha?" Ryouma asked abruptly.
"Pretending to be insane." she answered surprised by the sudden question.
"Pretending to be insane?" Ryouma repeated looking at Naruto uncomprehendingly.
"Supposedly after my father died, she couldn't handle it and went insane." Naruto smiled bitterly. " I found out she was alive around two years ago by accident."
"She tried a large arsenal of healing spells and methods for the witch but none of them seemed to work." Kyuubi piped in as Naruto glared at him her cheeks starting to turn red.
"Then who has been watching you all this time?" Ryouma questioned sounding like he dreaded the answer.
"Myself, naturally." Naruto replied sending Kyuu a confused look who in turn stared at her grimly.
"This is not good." the cat muttered to himself pacing the length of the coffee table. "Shido-sama is going to have a fit."
"Why? What's wrong?" Naruto asked starting to feel anxious.
Kyuubi beckoned to her with a hand and she obeyed. She sat down on the couch beside him as he rose and went into her room to return with a first aid kit.
Naruto stared as the red headed demon pulled out a wad of cotton and hydrogen peroxide. "What's that for?"
Kyuubi looked down at her collarbone. Naruto followed her gaze and cursed. " Where did that come from?"
"That came from your little tantrum earlier." he said dryly as he dabbed the wound on the already healing wound.
"Ah." Comprehension dawned on her then she glared at the two males. " Don't try to distract me." she warned the two of them. "Tell me , what the hell is going on?"
The two of them refused to meet her gaze. Then as she was just about to start a tirade against them Ryouma finally spoke.
"This wasn't what your grandfather agreed too." Ryouma snarled anger flashing in his glowing green eyes. "This breaks every rule that they agreed to. If I hadn't been sent they would've gotten away with this. The Goddess curse them ."
"Naruto-sama." Ryouma turned to look at her. " I will return to Seraphine now. This needs to be reported to Shido-sama immediately." He leaped gracefully into her lap catching her eyes with his feline ones. "Do not try to kill your mother again. Murder of your own kin is a common mortal practice, not ours. You were taught better than that." Naruto turned her head towards the wall refusing to acknowledge her mother as kin.
"Naruto-sama, I'm serious. You can not be wasting your time trying to kill-"
"Ryouma." Kyuubi cut in drawing the cat's attention to himself. " I'll talk to her. You go and take care of whatever you need to take care of."
Gazing at the Kyuubi suspiciously and sending Naruto a final concerned look, Ryouma leaped off of her lap and sped out of the house.
A few moments of heavy silence transcended upon the two . Naruto's wound was almost completely healed.
"Why? Even you are keeping secrets from me?" Naruto's voice came out tired and hallow. An empty void that had opened when she realized her mother had really been able bodied was clawing at her, ripping her resolve and sensibility to shreds like a vulture with a rotting body.
"I'm not keeping secrets from you." Kyuubi replied reaching his hand out to her.
Naruto sprang to her feet , her blue eyes wide with anger and pain. "Liar!" she yelled at him. " You know what Ryouma is talking about but you won't tell me. You helped Ryouma stop me from finishing my mother off."
"Think for a moment you idiot instead of letting your anger get the better of you. Do you think that your grandfather wants to hear that his daughter and granddaughter were fighting to the death? Do you think he wants to hear that his daughter was killed by her own daughter?" Kyuubi stated calmly as Naruto breathed in and out heavily.
"I'm not her anything. I hate her." Naruto said her voice trembling. "She cursed me for eternity."
"You can't change what or who you are, kit." Kyuubi said softly.
"What was Ryouma talking about ?" Naruto asked not allowing him to digress from her original question.
"I'm not telling you." Kyuubi replied his voice leaving no room for an argument.
The twelve year old didn't even bother glaring at him; she turned her back and strode to her room slamming the door in the face of the demon who followed her.
"You're not acting like an adult much." Kyuubi remarked opening and closing the door behind him.
Naruto didn't answer him with some curse words or a sarcastic witty remark as she had would've normally. Proof that Kyuubi's refusal to tell her about a matter that concerned her, had cut her deeply. She hadn't asked the Kyuubi anything personal so there was no reason for him to deny her information about herself.
She sat on her windowsill with the view of her backyard with the small pond and fertile garden Haku took care of. Her head was buried in her arms and her knees curled in her chest. Her long mane of hair was shielding her face from view.
Kyuubi winced. She wasn't angry with him, which made this worst. " Naruto, listen if I told you it wouldn't help you. It would just make you even angrier. Any more anger in you and you'll burst."
Naruto didn't give any indication of hearing him which agitated the looked upon king. He leaned forward and pulled her head out of her arms only to recoil in shock.
"Go away!" Naruto shrieked at him her shoulders shaking as unwanted tears brimmed and fell from her glistening eyes.
"You.." Kyuubi was at a loss for words. Naruto hadn't cried in years and he had never been in corporeal form when she had. He had been stuck in his cage aware of her grief but never actually having to be the one to comfort her.
Hesitantly, unsure whether his touch would be welcomed or not he laid a hand on the blonde's thin shaking shoulder. Kneeling down so that he was at her level, he gently pulled her off the windowsill and into his lap.
Naruto continued to cry silently unconcerned with anything around her. Kyuubi ran his hand through her hair trying to concentrate on what had upset her. They were still connected even though he was in corporeal form.
Slowly closing his eyes he felt for his chakra that had become suffused with Naruto's essence. From there the connection between them pulsated he could feel her emotions again like when he was in her body.
There was the obvious emotion, anger. It was lingering everywhere sending stress and depression throughout the twelve year olds body. From there everything became confusing, there was hurt. The dread of an incoming lost. Homesickness. A sense of being unwanted. A terrible sadness and empathy with others. Guilt for some unfathomable reason. Betrayal. Kyuubi opened his eyes his head spinning with all the different emotions. He hadn't understood a anything except the last one.
This was why demons limited their emotions. Too many emotions all at once would probably cause your head to explode.
"Naruto…Kit…"Kyuubi called in the gentlest voice he had. Demons and humans would drop dead of shock to hear the Demon King use a gentle voice. "Tell me. What's wrong?"
"Go away, you stupid furball." Naruto mumbled wearily not having the strength to add much bite to her sentence.
Kyuubi's eye twitched before his hands enclosed on her shoulders and shook her out of her pity party. "Listen, you dwarfy witch. Tell me what's wrong or I'll take you and hang you off of purgatory until you tell me."
"Its nothing." Naruto said tiredly wiping her eyes.
"Don't stress my patience you insufferable brat." Kyuubi growled fed up with his vassal.
"Its really nothing." Naruto insisted standing up. "Its probably that time of month again."
"It is not." Kyuubi pushed her down. "Are you going to talk to me?" Naruto shook her head not looking at Kyuubi. "Fine, then we'll go back to what we were talking about before. You are not going to attack your mother under any circumstance, alright?"
Naruto's teeth clenched, her eyes turning into sapphires and her lip lifted in an animalistic growl. "Why? So she can have another opportunity to make a mockery of the Uzumaki's? So she can make my life more hellish than it already is? No freakin way."
"If you play your cards right then you might be able to go home ahead of schedule." Kyuubi informed her watching Naruto's frozen expression. "Killing your mother really wouldn't be helping you. Besides your mother turned herself into a mortal. She bound her powers so she is virtually harmless."
"What about those black cloaks?" Naruto asked cautiously unwilling to believe the Kyuubi just yet.
"Ninjas." Kyuubi scoffed. "You took out four of them without a problem. They are about as dangerous as a drunk monkey."
"Exactly, how does not killing my mother help me get home early?" Naruto asked warily.
Kyuubi smirked showing some razor-sharp fangs. "It'll make her look like the bad guy." At Naruto's confused expression he added, "Trust me. Your great aunt and your mother are going to be in big trouble."
Naruto's expression remained doubtful as Kyuubi smirked.
"Fine, I won't kill her. Yet." Naruto conceded reluctantly her shoulders drooping.
"That's good." Kyuubi stared at her for a moment in silent observation. " What were the waterworks for? You are not the blubbering type unless someone eats your food or drinks your coffee."
Naruto glared at him trying to will him to combust while her face turned red. " None of your business."
Kyuubi flicked her forehead in infuriation. "It is when I start picking up your emotions and they give me a headache."
Naruto frowned in annoyance running an agitated hand through her hair. " Its nothing. I just…. death is coming to this village. Lost of people are going to die. Worse is I saw the Third die." she finished quietly.
Kyuubi snorted apathetic. " So? They're just ninjas trying to kill each other off. Nothing to be crying about. And the Third is old. He probably just wants to rest after all the bloody things he's seen in the past. What else is bothering you?"
Naruto didn't even bother arguing this time. He would bug her until he got all of them. "I feel…selfish and ungrateful. Look at Gaara; his seal wasn't even prepared right. Everyone's afraid of him and he's all alone. But I was saved and I was given a family, a home and friends. Gaara and the others like us probably are a lot worse off then I am." Naruto breathed her fingers tightening on her pants.
"So why am I still so angry? Why am I so bitter and spiteful? Why can't I just move on? Why does everything about this place make me want to go off in a homicidal rage?" Naruto asked looking at Kyuubi desperately as if he held all the answers.
"When I hear about my mother I can't think straight because I know right from the beginning I was…unwanted. Nobody here wanted me to begin with but still I eventually got everything, so why am I still like this? So hateful and cynical." Naruto whispered quietly her shimmering blue orbs looking lost.
"You can't help feeling the way you feel." Kyuubi said finally after a few moments of silence. "You saw a completely different world than this one. Although both have their flaws, when you compare them, Konoha does seem inadequate. Seraphine is a lot more open minded, they're kinder to their children, they value honor and they aren't antagonists. They have avoided war for nearly three hundred years. Why wouldn't you be angry that you had to leave a place like that for Konoha?" Kyuubi's slid a his fingers into her hair.
"You're angry for a good reason. The people here tried to kill you and used you as a scapegoat. You are not going to be dancing in the streets singing the village anthem. So being angry is alright."
"You're just saying that because you like it when I'm angry." Naruto muttered a feeling of appreciation for her biju blossoming inside her chest.
"Humph. Of course I do. You kill cute when you cry but you look sexy when you're angry. And I like my women sexy." Kyuubi said a lecherous grin spreading across his face.
"SIT."
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"So what's the big emergency?" Naruto asked following Obito into one of Konoha's many forests.
"Some one wants to meet you." Obito answered leading her to a clearing where a ghost stood.
The ghost turned towards her revealing pupiless eyes and milky white skin. Shoulder length black hair fell past his shoulders and was kept together with a rubber band at the bottom. He reminded her of the Hyuuga jerk she had met at the chunnin exams.
"Naruto, this is Hyuuga, Hizashi." Obito introduced ending Naruto's observation of the dead Hyuuga. "This is Uzumaki, Naruto."
"You're the man Konoha sold out to keep peace between them and the lightning country." Naruto said recalling where she had heard his name before.
"One man in exchange for thousands of lives." Hizashi said his tone neutral. " It was a necessary sacrifice."
Naruto shook her head. " Your sacrifice was great but no sacrifice is ever necessary. That is just what people say to ease their own conscious. I won't argue with you though. I hate politics." Naruto smiled kindly at the older man. " What can I help you with?"
"You'll help me just like that?" he asked surprised as Obito, which he made known.
"Yeah, how come you're going to agree to help so easily? You never want to help any ghosts in Konoha. We usually have to bribe you with some new jutsu or something." Obito said looking at Naruto like she might be sick.
"This is different." Naruto said miffed at Obito for making her look like a self-serving bastard. To Hizashi she said, " This entire village owes you a debt it'll never repay. You're just like me. Sacrificed to save this village and then forgotten." Naruto looked bitter and sad before she smiled again. "That's why I think that if there is anyone who deserves to have their final wishes carried out it's the dead who are true heroes but forgotten because they don't have a huge monument made after them. Like you. So what is what you want me to help you with?"
"Its my son." Hizashi confessed looking at Naruto with deep respect. " He is suffering in darkness because he is still angry with the Hyuuga clan main house for sacrificing me. He is letting his supposed idea of fate decide everything for him. I don't want that for him. I want him to go beyond what I ever did. With his potential he could set the path to freedom for the Hyuuga branch family."
"Your son? The Neji kid?" Naruto asked at Hizashi nodded she sighed.
"So what do I do?" Naruto asked expecting some family soap opera type answer not " I would like you to beat him in a fight."
The blond stared at the Hyuuga for a minute before she said "Say what!?"
"You're the dead last in your year and a female." Hizashi elaborated watching Naruto's eye twitch at the insult to her power. "By Neji's idea of fate you're destined to lose to him in a battle of taijutsu. If you beat him that'll prove that fate doesn't dictate every aspect of a person's life and hopefully bring him to his senses."
"Tough love, man." Naruto grinned. " Alright, I'll help your fate-obsessed son just because I like beating up assholes so much."
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"What's up, Hyuuga?" Naruto greeted Neji in the forest where he was training by himself. Neji looked at her oddly before he replied, "Go away."
"Nah but thanks for the offer." Naruto responded brightly ignoring the twitch in Neji's eye and sitting at the base of a tree surveying the hole that Neji was standing in.
"What do you want?" Neji asked cautiously remembering her explosion in power during the second part of the chunnin exams.
Naruto smirked at him looking every bit of the Vixen she was. "I want to fight with you."
"I don't have time to waste with you." Neji replied pompously looking her up and down. "Besides I fight with taijutsu, a kunoichi 's weakest point. You would have no chance in beating me."
"Oh? Is that so?" Naruto rose slowly walking up to the Hyuuga. "Then what are you afraid of pretty boy? " Neji's face turned into a glare at the insult to his manliness. Naruto circled him predatorily. " Afraid I'll bash that pretty face of yours into the ground? Or maybe you'll break a nail? Or -" Naruto let out a huge gasp. "I'll accidentally cut off some of that pretty hair?" Naruto pulled on an ebony thread of hair. Neji slapped her hand away fiercely getting into a stance as Naruto smirked in victory.
If there was one thing she knew how to do it was make a pretty boy angry. She had plenty of practice with her brother and grandfather. "You're gonna fight me after all?" Naruto asked in feigned shock.
"Shut up." Neji hissed looking quite dangerous. Maybe she had wounded his manly pride a little too much. " Fate has already decided I will this match dropout." Ok, maybe she hadn't wounded that pride quite enough.
"Let me tell you, pretty boy. Fates not only a real bitch, she's very fickle too." Naruto said smiling cheekily at the enraged boy.
"I've met her. We didn't really hit it off to hot. Might explain why I have such bad luck." Naruto continued on ignoring Neji.
"If you won't come then I will." Neji stated before launching himself at Naruto.
"Jyuuken." His palm came in contact with Naruto's chest who exploded into white smoke. A kage bunshin.
A fist flew at him from behind. Neji quickly released his chakra from his pores and rotated in place. "Kaiten!"
Naruto was blasted back a few feet, her fist scratched. "Impressive. The main houses technique. You mastered it all by yourself."
Neji jumped forward trying to strike Naruto's tenkutsu points. He was having trouble though as Naruto dodged every one of his attacks with ease.
"What is fate telling you now, pretty boy?" Naruto smirked at the Hyuuga's pissed off expression.
"I'm still going to defeat you." Neji told her settling into a stance. "Its already predetermined like everything else. There's no way to change it."
'No way to change it? Just what crack has this guy been smoking? He sounds like a priest.' Naruto thought inwardly. "What's got you so confident in destiny and fate? What makes you so sure that everything is set in stone?"
Neji glared at her . " I'm confident because fate has decided my path before I could even understand it."
"Care to explain?" Naruto asked confused at Neji's answer.
"Why should I explain it to you?" Neji demanded. " Someone like you would never understand." he spat vehemently.
Naruto narrowed her eyes at him trying to keep her cool. She was supposed to help him first then beat the crap out of him.
"Try me." Naruto said her eyes shining with curiosity. "Is it because Konoha handed your father over?"
"It wasn't supposed to be my father!" Neji shouted furiously. Years of anger and bitterness visible in his eyes. "It was supposed to be my uncle. But because my father was born a few moments after my uncle he was put in the branch family while my uncle became head of the main house. Even though they were twins a few seconds decided their fate."
"What does it matter if someone is in the main or branch family?" Naruto asked .
Neji snorted at her ignorance. "It matters a great deal in the Hyuuga family. For the ones who are born in the branch family are cursed to become nothing more than faithful slaves to the main house." Neji reached up and untied his headband revealing his cursed mark. Naruto's face went white, her eyes widening in disbelief. She knew that symbol . "This seal will kill us the moment we defy the main house. Even after we die it will seal our bloodline limit , so it'll be like we never had the byakugan ."
Neji mistook Naruto's shock to be horror and smirked at her. " So you see , fate does decide everything."
Naruto's fist clenched. That seal . How could anyone still be using it? Anger coursed through her veins like lava coursed down a volcano. Why had the previous Hokages allowed such a disgusting custom to continue? She was going to find out very soon as soon as she was done with Neji.
"Listen to me, pretty boy." Naruto started her voice tight with suppressed anger . "There is plenty of reason to be angry and bitter but there is hell no way I'm just gonna let you go around saying it's all fates fault."
"You're an idiot, then." Neji stated dryly.
"No, you're the idiot and I'm going to kick your ass and prove to you that fate isn't the only one who can decide our destinies for us." Naruto responded as the wind began to pick around her.
Neji backed up a little as the wind wrapped around Naruto before settling down. Naruto beckoned Neji with a hand.
Neji glared at her before charging in trying to hit one of Naruto's tenketsu points. Naruto kept evading his attacks with amazing speed.
"I'm going to destroy that ideal of yours right now." Naruto whispered quietly into the Hyuuga's ear before vanishing from his sight.
Neji turned his head in every direction trying to catch a glimpse of Naruto. He didn't notice however a small vine gently entwining itself with his leg. It continued to grow rapidly until it wrapped around Neji's waist and then tightened its grip. Neji looked down immediately and cursed trying to untangle himself. It was too late.
The vine's roots started to shake the ground as it grew pulling Neji up with it till he was dangling very high from the ground.
" Hey , there pretty boy!" Naruto called cheerfully from on top of the huge plant like thing she had created. " Get ready to be crushed!" As she said that the vine's that had been holding Neji up released him and retracted into the ground. Neji was falling fast toward the ground at a speed that'll probably turn him into a Neji pancake. 0 sweet and 100 bitter.
Naruto was also falling but she was swimming in the air toward him. When she was close enough to touch him, she drew her fist back, grinned at him and said " Nighty-night pretty boy."
Neji was punched into the sweet arms of slumber.
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"You know you always wind up with the strangest outcomes in your fights." Nidaime remarked looking down at the sleeping Hyuuga who had attached himself to a disgruntled Naruto.
"You think I want a Hyuuga stuck to me like a parasite?" Naruto asked gesturing toward Neji who had flung himself at Naruto at his last waking moments and had refused to let go.
"You look pretty cozy to me." Obito muttered glaring at the Hyuuga who had his head buried in Naruto's chest.
Naruto chose to ignore Obito's comment and focused her glare at the two Hokages who noticed the change in behavior immediately.
"What is it?" Shodaime asked cautiously .
"This main house and branch house thing." Naruto said her eyes hardening into sapphires. "Did you guys just allow them to continue enslaving their own family with that seal?"
The two Hokages glanced at each other as Obito just looked downcast.
"Well?" Naruto demanded.
Shodaime sighed. "Its not that simple Naruto. We never willing would've allowed that type of tradition to continue but we didn't have power over it."
"You're the Hokages. How could you not have power over it?" Naruto growled in anger.
The Nidaime shook his head. "You are thinking about how Seraphine's system works. Its not the same here. We can't just decide we're going to change this overnight and except it to be done by tomorrow. You have to bring it up to the council and spend months maybe even years arguing on whether or not you'll change it. And you are forgetting that the Hyuugas aren't even fully under our jurisdiction. Their family laws stay to themselves. If we just told them to stop with the cursed seals, they'd leave the village and possibly ally themselves with another village. And trust me you don't want the Hyuugas as enemies."
Naruto looked at Obito who was busy staring at the ground. "The Uchiha's did the same thing?"
"Not exactly the same but something like that." Obito whispered not meeting Naruto's gaze.
Naruto's heart felt like lead inside her chest as she stared down at the slumbering Hyuuga. They had just been children, innocent and unaware that their futures had been decided for them. Like her but even worse. They weren't saving an entire village from being destroyed, they were being used as replacements for self- serving bastards. Her enslavement had been born of urgent necessity while Neji's had been born of paranoia for his clans kekkei genkai. His own family had turned on him. Neji had every right to be angry.
"That seal…" Naruto started her throat clogging with emotion. "It was used a long time ago to make slaves of war obedient. Mostly on woman and children. Its recorded in the Book Of Shadows. It was supposedly created by this wizard who had became a tyrant. He mostly just wanted woman as bed slaves but the woman weren't just gonna sit quiet so he invented the seal to make them obey. The male children were put to work and the females until they were old enough to be used." Naruto let out a laugh. " It continued for years as he destroyed country after country, ruining the lives of thousands of people. Until he made the mistake of capturing my great-great-grandmother. She was very beautiful and very powerful. Not a person whose bad side you wanted to be on. She found a way to break the seal and destroyed the tyrant and freed the enslaved people. The seal was lost after that. My ancestor made sure to destroy every last thing about that disgusting marking but it looks like somehow it managed to survive. And now people are using it to mark their own family members. Even after hundreds of years pass mortals still learn nothing." Naruto looked up at her mentors whom she had come to love and respect over the years.
"I don't know how you guys handled it."
"Naru." Nidaimes said calling her by his nickname for her , which he knew she hated. "it' s a new generation. I can feel that things are changing."
"That's right." Shodaime agreed. "Your generation will be the greatest yet. Especially with you at its head. You'll change a lot of old ways."
Naruto shook her head not saying anything. They believed in the future. They believed that things would change. She didn't. How could she when she continued to witness heinous acts like this? Humans would never change. If they could change then why hadn't they already? Were they waiting for an open invitation or something?
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Neji's eyes opened slowly before he shot up in place and winced instantly. His body was very sore. He ached in places he didn't even know he could ache.
"You shouldn't be moving around so much. I think I hit you a little too hard." Naruto remarked pulling her earphones out of her ears .
"Where am I?" Neji asked looking at the living room with suspicion like it may have been ready to jump him.
"My house." Naruto answered lazily propping her legs on the mahogany table.
When Neji continued to stare at her until she snapped "Take a picture it'll last longer."
"Why did you bring me to your place?" Neji asked .
"What was I supposed to do? Take you to your house?" Naruto snorted at the idea. " You looked pretty beat up. I'd be chased around the village with pitchforks and bonfires."
"You could have left me there." Neji pointed out looking at Naruto as if it was the first time seeing her.
"You've been asleep for half a day. The night's are cold here. I may have a history of being a mean bitch but I'm not that mean." Naruto yawned stretching her arms.
Sharp blue eyes snapped at the rising Hyuuga. "Where do you think you're going?"
"Home." Neji curtly replied as Naruto's eye twitched in exasperation.
Naruto pointed her hand at the Hyuuga and flicked her hand back to the couch. Then as if an imaginary hand had pushed him, Neji he was shoved back on to the couch. His bruised body screaming in protest.
"How did you do that?" Neji asked in a calm voice but the way his eyes kept darting to the door it was clearly an act.
Naruto pulled at a blond bang of hers regarding the Hyuuga minutely. She probably shouldn't have used telekinesis on him but she really didn't feel like getting up.
"I'm home." Haku announced joyfully entering through the front door. The smile wiped off his face when he entered the living room to find Neji and Naruto in a stare down.
"Naruto, you haven't been stressing him out , have you? He still needs to rest." Haku chided.
"I haven't done anything." she pointed to Neji. " He is the idiot who thinks he can leave after the serious beating he took."
Haku's eyes instantly narrowed at Neji who squirmed uncomfortably under the gaze of a pissed medic.
"Hyuuga, Neji, you will lay down and wait for your wounds to heal or I'll sedate you until then." Haku said dangerously his eyes glinting at the Hyuuga as Naruto just tried to do her best to keep from laughing out loud.
"I have to-" Neji started but stopped immediately at the icy look on Haku's face. Slowly and deliberately he lowered himself onto the couch.
"Am I supposed to lay here for the next few weeks because I have a tournament to train for?" Neji asked sarcastically.
"Actually, you can come with me and Naruto for a trip." Neji and Naruto who both turned to look at Haku who was holding out three tickets.
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"Haku, I'm going to build a monument to your greatness." Naruto sighed blissfully her waist long blond hair tied up in a messy bun, a towel wrapped around her form.
"I'm not." Neji muttered his face red . " And shouldn't you be on the women's side of the hot springs?"
Naruto waved him off. " I reserved this entire side of the spring for the three of us, so its no biggie."
"That's not the problem." Neji said trying but failing not to look as the water trickled down Naruto's neck to disappear between the curves of her mature D-cup breasts.
Neji turned his back to Naruto his face red. Haku smiled at Neji who felt a shudder of terror travel down his spine. How the hell had he gotten himself into this? Was he just dreaming ? That was the only explanation to why he was currently in a hot spring with Konoha's biggest drop out and an academy teacher.
"Hey, hey, Neji could I braid your hair?" Naruto asked suddenly with a puppy dog face as Neji's eyes twitched.
"I'm not a girl." Neji shouted at her.
"So?" Naruto pouted pulling at his hair.
"No." Neji pulled his hair out of her hand. " You can not braid my hair."
Naruto huffed looking extremely disappointed. She brightened up though when Haku said she could braid his hair.
Naruto hummed happily to herself as she braided Haku's hair. Neji was wondering if he hit his head enough times, would he wake up from this nightmare.
"Why exactly am I here?" Neji asked aloud.
"Why, Neji, didn't fate already tell you?" Naruto grinned wickedly at his flushed face as she tried to braid Haku's hair and instead getting it tangled.
" Don't tease him. The hot springs should help your body heal a little better." Haku explained kindly trying not to wince as Naruto pulled a little too hard.
"Yeah, sorry about that. I didn't mean to hit you that hard." Naruto smiled sheepishly as Neji frowned thinking back to the fight.
She had only punched him once and he was in this much pain. The realization of how easily he had been defeated aggravated him to no end. A part of him though, a part he was strongly denying- was relieved to have beaten by this odd girl. She had proved him wrong. Destroyed his entire life philosophy, yes- yet he felt strangely liberated.
"What's wrong pretty boy?" Naruto asked bringing the normally stoic boy out of his musings.
"I was wondering-" Neji paused rethinking his question. Did he really want to ask this of someone he hardly knew?
Naruto sent a perplexed glance to Haku who looked just as confused as Naruto. The two were probably the first to ever see the Hyuuga hesitant to ask anything.
Naruto removed the towel from her hair letting the straight locks dampen and return her hair to its natural curly and wavy state. She lifted a basin of water spilling it on her hair and threw her head back to get her hair out of her face when something caught her gaze.
A blood-curling scream filled the air as Naruto ducked behind Haku and Neji who were looking at her in alarm. She pointed towards the wall where at closer inspection there was a peephole where a creepy perverted eye was looking through- drinking everything up with the thrill of someone who just thought they'd won the lottery.
Before anyone could say anything the water in the hot spring had risen and was floating in the air as Haku lifted and held his arms. When he released his arms with a flourish the boiling hot water had landed on somebody whose anguished shrieks filled the air .
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"Die, Die, you perverted old geezer." Naruto roared as she stomped on the old man again and again. A crater was starting to form where the old man was, from the number of times Naruto had stomped on him for the last half hour.
"Should we stop her now?" Neji asked Haku looking at the crowd that was beginning to crowd.
"We should stop her before she gets arrested." Haku sighed in disappointment . "It's a shame we won't get to see Naru-chan finish him off."
"Naruto!" Haku called drawing her attention from the tormented white haired old man. "We're going to go eat now. You coming?"
Naruto jumped on the white haired pervert one final time before she walked towards Haku. "Hell yeah! Fighting perverts makes a girl hungry."
"That wasn't really a fight considering you just stomped the living hell out of the old man for half an hour like a psychopath." Neji muttered wondering, what the hell he was still doing here.
Naruto slapped him on the back . "That's the only way perverts learn pretty boy. Just wait until you grow up a little and they start on you. Let's see how you are going to take it."
"I'm a guy." Neji growled at Naruto who shrugged.
"There are gay perverts too."
Neji paled hearing that before scowling . "I'll jyuuken anyone who comes near me."
"That's right , pretty boy. Protect your virtue till the bitter end." Naruto cried ebulliently, a wicked gleam dancing in her eyes.
Neji choked on his spit while Haku just snickered in amusement.
"Could you try to have a little shame?" Neji hissed at her his face the color of ketchup.
"I do have shame." Naruto retorted unruffled by the older boys embarrassment.
"You spent the last two hours in a hot spring half naked with two guys. That's a perfect example of shamelessness ." Neji replied .
Naruto blinked in surprise before she began to snicker. "Was that what was bothering you? My awareness of the sexes probably isn't normal but I grew up in house with all men except for my grandmother. I bathed all the time with my brothers so I'm guess that's why I'm not uncomfortable with mixed bathing."
"Are you sure your not a lesbian?" Neji asked but regretted it instantly as Naruto invaded his personal space.
"I'm sure. You wanna find out how sure, pretty boy?" Naruto whispered sultry into the highly uncomfortable teens ear.
"T-This is my stop." Neji stammered his face still red heading off the direction that would probably led him farthest away from the blonde.
"You should really stop embarrassing him. You scared him off." Haku chuckled as Naruto smirked sadistically.
" Then, what would I do to amuse myself all day?"
Haku and Naruto continued their walk to Ichiraku Ramen but stopped as Naruto heard a familiar voice accompanied with the voice of a shrieking female.
Walking up to the commotion she spotted the same perverted old guy she had beaten up at the hot springs.
"The woman from here are as feisty as ever. I've missed this village." the old man said to himself rubbing the cheek were the woman had slapped him.
"Missed it like your going to miss your arms after I rip them off?" Naruto snarled cracking her knuckles a dark shadow looming over her face.
The perverted old mans neck snapped in her direction. Recognition sparked in his eyes as his face paled. His trembling legs backpedaled and he ran in the opposite direction with Naruto right on his heel.
"I guess I'm having dinner alone." Haku sighed when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see red eyes leering at him.
"Actually, it's just going to be me and you." Kyuubi corrected winking down on Haku who frowned at him.
"I've lost my appetite." Haku stated walking away from Kyuubi who sighed before bouncing after Haku unaware of a very dangerous ghost following him.
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"GET BACK HERE , YOU FILTHY, PORCUPINE-HAIRED, PIN HEADED, MOLE NOSED, PERVERT. I'M GOING TO ANNIHILATE YOU." Naruto screamed through the streets of Konoha disrupting everyone-living or dead.
"Where the hell did he go? Where?" Naruto said looking in every direction when she spotted a couple of good looking girls walking with something rustling in the bushes beside them.
"There." Naruto grinned predatorily before quietly sneaking into the shadows.
"Naruto! What the hell is up with you?" Obito yelled from behind her startling her so much that she let out a shriek. Naruto covered her mouth automatically, turning around to glare at Obito and the two Hokages.
"You just blew my cover!" Naruto roared quietly sending Obito a glare that said 'I-wish-you-were-alive-so-I -could-kill-you!'.
"Cover?" they chorused in unison . Naruto, however, wasn't paying attention to them anymore, her eyes were flickering from bush to bush trained to detect any sudden movement. Her nose attempting to sniff out any unusual scents. Her ears were wide open, itching to hear any motion.
A bush near the road where the two girls had been walking rustled.
"Found you." Naruto whispered pulling out a kunai. She jumped down from the tree and into the bush containing the pervert.
The forest rumbled and shook before quieting. Naruto grinned happily, her foot engraved in the perverted old mans face. His body was laying in a crater.
"Naruto!" Obito's horrified voice brought her out of her victory dance.
"What?" she snapped , still mad with Obito for startling her earlier.
"Do you have any idea who that is you're standing on?" Obito asked his face even paler then what is normal for a ghost while the first two Hokages wore expressions of exasperation and amusement.
"That is Jiraiya-sama, one of the legendary Sannin. This guy was my sensei's sensei." Obito informed her as Naruto's expression went from annoyed to gleeful.
"Really?" Naruto exclaimed excitedly. " So I didn't catch a pervert, I caught the Fourth's teacher. That's a double bonus."
"You can't kill him!" Obito protested aghast at the idea.
"Hey, I don't care if he is the Queen of Sheba." Naruto retorted tartly. "He was spying on me in the hot springs."
Obito was about to protest further when Jiraiya still half-unconscious mumbled "Queen of Sheba, nice figure and amazing boobs."
Naruto kicked him till he was really unconscious. "See! He is a damn perv." Naruto said looking at the Shodai and the Nidaime for help.
"Naruto, he may be a perv but you can't kill him for that." Shodai told her chuckling. "If that were the case then, my dear otouto would have never lived past puberty." The Nidaime shot his brother a scandalized look.
"Fine." Naruto removed herself from on top of Jiraiya and turned to walk away.
"Naru." Nidaime called and the blond turned. Nidaime pointed to the unconscious old man in the crater Naruto had created. "You forgot him."
"What!?" Naruto bellowed looking wildly between the two Hokages, whom nodded solemnly.
"Ah, man." Naruto whined walking back to the pervert to grab a piece of his tunic and drag him through the street.
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"Ah, my head hurts." Jiraiya groaned rubbing the multiple bumps on his head. He let out a girlish scream, though, when he set sight his eyes on the peeved Naruto, who was gazing at him as if he were a worm she found slithering out of the apple she was eating.
"Stand back. I'm warning you! I'm trained in the arts of the ninja." Jiraiya yelled getting into a fighting stance.
Naruto's burst out laughing, when her laughter turned into giggles she was able to gasp out. "You are the one…(gasp)…who trained the Fourth…(gasp)…one of the legendary sannin…(gasp)…you're just an ero-sennin."
"Ero-sennin!" Jiraiya sputtered indignantly. "Who are you to call me that?"
"Uzumaki, Naruto." she introduced herself a cocky smile on her face as she saw the recollection of her name in the perverts eyes.
"Yeah, well, Naruto, you just interrupted my research." Jiraiya said glaring at her.
"Research? For what?" Naruto asked curiosity getting the best of her.
In the trees the three ghosts shook their heads.
"Don't show her the book. Don't show her the book." Obito pleaded wincing when Jiraiya revealed his book.
"I'm a novelist." Jiraiya boasted as Naruto's eye twitched, recognizing the infamous Icha Icha Paradise. "Maybe you've heard of my masterpiece."
Jiraiya found his face in the dirt and a kunai at his neck. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't do mankind a favor and eliminate you right now."
"Well, uh…" Jiraiya's face scrunched with an idea. "I'll teach you a jutsu."
Naruto looked at him before snorting. "What kind of technique could an ero-sennin like you teach me?"
"A summoning technique!" Jiraiya answered quickly as the kunai seemed to be getting a little to close to his jugular vein.
"I can already-" Naruto started but was cut off by a hand clamping down on her mouth.
"The summoning jutsu is a jounin level technique." Shodaime reminded Naruto. "You're a genin." Naruto sent him a questioning look.
"Yes, it would be a good idea to learn something from him. His summons are very useful. Don't underestimate them." Shodaime said sending Naruto a look for the last part, removing his hand from her mouth.
Jiraiya watched the emotions flicker on Naruto's face and started to sweat. He really didn't want to die yet. He hadn't finished the Icha Icha Paradise series. He couldn't disappoint his fans like that. It was inhumane.
"Fine, then, ero-sennin teach me the summoning jutsu." Naruto ordered getting off the Sannin for the third time that day.
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"You still haven't got it?" Jiraiya asked from his peeking spot.
"Shut up!" Naruto growled in frustration performing the seals again and slamming her hand on the ground.
This time smoke pooled and Naruto jumped in excitement. The smoke cleared to reveal a tadpole.
"Ero-sennin! Ero-sennin! Look, I did it." Naruto announced as the Toad sage came over to see.
Jiraiya's face went blank as he scrutinized the tadpole before turning to Naruto. "YOU IDIOT! DOES THAT LOOK LIKE A FROG TO YOU!"
"WHAT THE HELL IS A FROG ANYWAY!?" Naruto shouted in return ready to rip her hair out. She couldn't reveal her true strength to the ero-sennin so she had to try to summon something with a normal genin's chakra supplies. Needless to say she had been unsuccessful.
Jiraiya smacked himself in the face before looking down at the pouting Naruto. It was a cute sight.
"Alright, Naruto, lets end practice for today." Jiraiya said as Naruto stood up turning to leave. She was stopped short , however, when a fist implanted itself in her stomach. She gasped , clutching her stomach before lurching into the perverts arms unconscious.
"Don't take this personally." he whispered looking at the Fourth's head on the mountain and propping Naruto up on his shoulder.
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"The hell?" Naruto groaned waking up with her face in the dirt. Turning her head she saw the pervert bearing down on her.
"Its sink or swim, kid." he said his face impassive as he pushed Naruto in the chest , who realized with a start that they were standing on a cliff.
"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Naruto screamed falling at an alarming rate.
'That stupid pervert is trying to get me to use Kyuubi's chakra. Well, then, I'll show him.' Naruto thought inwardly biting her thumb and performing the seals to the summoning jutsu.
A huge 'POP' was heard as white smoke descended. It billowed before lifting slightly as Naruto found herself safe on top of a huge frog.
"Alright! I did it!" she cheered jumping up and down on her summons.
"OI, WHAT THE HELL? WHO THE HELL IS JUMPING ON MY BACK? JIRAIYA, WHY THE HELL DID YOU SUMMON ME HERE?" the giant frog bellowed his voice rippling the air.
"Jiraiya didn't summon you here. I did." Naruto admitted jumping down onto the frogs face so he could see her.
The giant frog regarded her for a second before bursting into peals of laughter. "YOU! A TINY THING LIKE YOU SUMMONED I, GAMABUNTA, THE CHIEF TOAD. THAT'S FUNNY!" Gamabunta paused in his laughter ignoring Naruto's trembling form. "IF YOU TELL ME, WHERE JIRAIYA IS, I'LL MAKE YOU ONE OF MY HENCHMEN."
"OI, YOU STUPID FROG! I WAS THE ONE WHO SUMMONED YOUR SORRY AMPHIBIAN ASS HERE! SO YOU SHOULD BE FOLLOWING MY ORDERS!" Naruto roared back her blood boiling from the chief toads laughter.
"ME! FOLLOW YOUR ORDERS! THE CHIEF TOAD IS NOBODY'S PET!" Gamabunta howled in rage, his hind legs crouching against the spiky ridges
of the chasm and pushing out of the ridge so fast Naruto had to gasp for air.
They were flying through the air for a few minutes before landing on some trees with a huge thump , that blew dust everywhere and shook the ground.
Gamabunta shook his snout, where Naruto was sitting and dislodged the unprepared
genin.
"GO PLAY IN THE SAND , YOU BRAT." Gamabunta scoffed in his booming voice that riveted through the air. "A BRAT WHO CAN'T EVEN STAND ON MY BACK, CAN'T BE MY SUBORDINATE."
Naruto's mouth popped open in an O shape as her brain just processed what the giant frog just said. 'I know I didn't just get dissed by a talking frog who needs an ocean supplies of mouthwash.'
"Let's see about that, you stupid frog." Naruto shouted jumping onto Gamabunta's back. "If I can stay on your slimy back until sunset, then you'll become my subordinate."
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'I'm going to fucking die. I'm going to fucking die.' Was basically the only thought running through Naruto's head as Gamabunta dived under water again and resurfaced by jumping at an accelerated speed that it put the two hundreds of feet above ground level.
She was either going to die from suffocation or from smacking into the water at the speed Gamabunta was going.
'You think he'd get tired of all this jumping up and down. Ugh, duh. He's a frog. I'm going to drown every frog I see from now on. My amphibian enemies. And I am throwing out my frog wallet too. Sorry, Gama-chan but if you're related to this scaly, grinch then you need to go.' Naruto smiled deliriously, hardly taking notice when Obito materialized beside her.
"Naruto, maybe you should let go before you end up killing yourself." Obito said expecting Naruto's answer to be telling him to shut the hell up.
"Goggle head!" Naruto exclaimed happily. " What do you think I should get?"
"For what?" Obito asked uneasy at the swirly look in Naruto's eyes.
"For a wallet. I have to throw Gama-chan away. I don't like frogs. So what kind of wallet should I get?" she asked.
"I think you should let go of Gamabunta and go see a doctor." Obito advised her like one would advise a three year old.
" I don't wanna." Naruto shook her head childishly.
"Naruto, sensei didn't learn how to summon Gamabunta till he was fifteen or something. So you don't-"
"So the Fourth couldn't control this lummox my age!" Naruto said her eyes glinting with something that made Obito's skin crawl with shivers. " Then, I'm going to become Queen of the frogs."
"Its almost sunset, Chief toad and you still haven't managed to get rid of me yet!" Naruto announced boisterously . "You're going to be my subordinate."
Instead of answering her, Gamabunta jumped into the forest and shook his head in the dirt. Branches scraped Naruto's exposed face and she was adjusting chakra into her hands to hold on to the frog's back while he dug his face in the ground.
The sun was barely visible now, its ray fading giving away to dusk.
"Yatta!" Naruto cheered jumping down onto the ground to face Gamabunta. " I beat you! Now, you have to be my subordinate and-" the words died in Naruto's as she fell back unconscious not having any more energy to finish her sentence which would have been a painful promise of dismemberment to Jiraiya.
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Sorry this chapter is late but schools in again and it's a lot of work. But this is my longest chapter yet. I really wanted to start the invasion in this chapter but it doesn't look like I'll be doing that this chapter. The next for sure. Thanks all for waiting and plz be patient with me because I have a procrastination problem
Next:
"Rise and claim the heads of all those who oppose me."
"I won't let you die! You were all heroes ! You don't deserve this!"
" No way………What have I done? I brought my worst enemy to……."
