Promise of a Lifetime

You ready folks? Time for the last chapter in the Fuu-arc!

Beta by Kiyomos

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"Why would you wish to steal such a thing? The lord has never taken much pride in that artefact."

Naruto plucked the orb from its pedestal and tucked it safely into the confines of his bag. "Because I don't like to starve and this pays for my dinner." He shrugged. "It's just a mission. But..." he flashed a grin in the girl's direction. "I made a new friend. That's a bonus."

Fuu blushed and turned away from him. "What is this feeling...? Why...?" she stole a quick glance at the blond who was laughing heartily at beating his teacher to the goal. " ...Does he make me feel so hot inside?"

Suddenly the wall opposite them was violently ripped apart with the force of an explosion. From the smoke ebbing out of the newly placed whole a tall man emerged in front of the small children. He had dark skin and silver hair, a commanding aura surrounding him.

"Daughter of mine." He spoke in a low dangerous tone. Fuu knew the comment was directed at her. "Step away from the intruder and let daddy deal with this."

The hyperactive jinchuriki suddenly had a feral grin spread on his lightly tanned face. "Brilliant. I've been meaning to test out my training for ages!" his elongated canines flashed dangerously as he locked eyes with the tall man. "Hope you can keep up, Ossan!"

"You're a cocky brat, aren't you?" murmured Gen, with a small smile. "Good. Very good. Die with a smile brat." He pointed his black gloved hand towards Naruto's head.

Fuu's eyes suddenly widened. "FATHER, NO!!!"

"Baku" a seal, in the form of a kanji for death, appeared over the leather-clad palm. " Ha!" (Explosion)

Before Naruto could blink he was hit with the force of a cannon ball, sending him rocketing back into the wall, smoke ebbing from his forehead. His eyes had gone blank, and the boy was barely holding onto consciousness.

"Did he move...? No..." through the haze which clouded his sight he saw Gen, still standing erect and motionless, his palm still pointing directly at Naruto, the white seal glowing eerily over the leather glove. "That seal Did it cause the damage?"

"You're 20 years too early to be taking me on boy." Gen snapped, with a merciless smirk. "I am the seal-master of the Hidden Waterfall; Gen Remake!" the seal began to flash again. "Now be a good boy and die silently."

Naruto opened his mouth to reply, but before any sound left his lips, Fuu had leapt in front of him, spreading her arms wide, shielding him from her fathers gaze. "Don't, father! H-he... He..."

Gen grunted, then grabbed Fuu by the face and slammed her into the wall. From the gaps in his fingers he revealed her wide eyes, frightened and filled with tears. "You're just like your mother, Fuu-chan. A hopeless romantic. But you see..." he gestured at Naruto who was still lying against the wall motionless, his mouth still open as if planning to speak. "This type of person is the lowest of the low. A boy who has sunken bellow shinobi-level. A guild-hound." He sneered. "Those who would sell their right foot for a few ryo. Pathetic creatures." A second seal began to glow on his free hand. "This is what happens to those who betray there father's, daughter of mine."

Fuu was staring helplessly at the still motionless Naruto who was gazing back, the lustre gone from his eyes; only a ghost of his former spirit remaining in his now blank irises. The girl struggled helplessly against her fathers grip, but to no avail.

"Goodbye, Guild-hound. Bak-"

"Awaton..." Gen's gaze shifted to his side slightly, to see a stranger wearing a blue kimono performing a wild set of hand seals. " ...Awatama!" A single bubble exploded from the confines of the newcomers jaw, slamming with the force of a rocket into Gen's chest, before exploding violently, causing him to cry in pain and drop Fuu, while rubbing his eyes frantically trying to remove the soapy liquid which now resided there.

In a flash, Utakata was beside Naruto, examining the small gash which rested in the centre of his forehead. "It'll heal. That's all that matters. You have the orb?"

Naruto nodded slowly, before getting tossed over Utakata's shoulders as they retreated through the door. Behind them Fuu was getting to her feet, following as fast as her they would allow. For a few seconds, it seemed as though Gen had not recovered, but the loud explosion from the direction of the wall erased that theory.

Sure enough, Gen was standing in the wreckage of the vault's wall, clutching his eyes which were a raw crimson colour. "I'll never forgive you... SCUM!" in a swift movement he tore both his sleeves off, revealing two tattoos which spiralled up his arm. "NOW DIE!" he thrust his arms forwards, and the seals began to glow a hazy white. "TSUINRYU-HOU!" (Twin-Dragon Cannon).

In a flash of light two spiralling beams of white light were flying towards the trio at a far greater speed. Utakata cast an eye behind him and grit his teeth. "Damn it!" he spun round and bit his thumb drawing blood. "Kuchiyose..." The white light drew closer to Fuu, who felt the heat biting her heels. " ...Pure-Tatekun no Jutsu!" (Summoning: Praying-Shield Master Technique)

A resounding 'boom' rang throughout the dungeon halls, and the single standing figure, Gen, began to laugh, still groping his red eyes. "Haha... I killed them... I killed... " he suddenly gasped. Fuu had been with them! His face instantly fell from a grin into a terrified grimace. "Daughter of mine...?" the smoke began to clear from the narrow corridor, and what it revealed shocked him. Where the floor should have appeared dusty due to the devastation of his technique, it was relatively clean. And above this odd patch of floor was a large hole in the ceiling.

He growled and grit his teeth. "Those damn hounds."

XXX

The ceiling of the large estate exploded as a huge bubble burst out of it. Utakata, Fuu and an unconscious Naruto resided inside. Utakata was kneeling over Naruto, examining the small scar in greater depth. "I knew Gen was a seal master... But such a thing..." he grimaced. "... Is an abomination to this world."

Fuu looked questioningly at the bubble-user. "W-will he be alright?"

"That's not the question. The real question is how your father managed such a complex seal." He narrowed his eye. "Explosive-tag like in strength; his weapon allows him to expel explosive force from his palm. But such a thing would have to be perfectly designed to the finest detail; or he would be at risk of blowing his own arm off."

Naruto groaned in his sleep. "This boy took a raw blast of that attack. If it were a normal kid, it would have smashed his skull inside-out. And that last attack he used The spiralled-seal If not for my summon, we wouldn't have survived."

In a flash of light two spiralling beams of white light were flying towards the trio at a far greater speed. Utakata cast an eye behind him and grit his teeth. "Damn it!" he spun round and bit his thumb drawing blood.

"Kuchiyose..." The white light drew closer to Fuu, who felt the heat biting her heels. "...Pure-Tatekun no Jutsu!"

A huge mantis suddenly appeared behind Fuu, its massive claws folded in a defensive brace. As the blast hit it directly, the creature shuddered and fell back a few steps, but nevertheless didn't waver. "Awaton..." Utakata pulled Fuu beside him and Naruto, then preformed a single hand seal. "...Awadenshin!"

"So... Where are we heading?" mumbled Fuu.

"Most likely back to Yamagakaru. But..." he looked directly at her. "You may not come with us."

Fuu's eyes widened. "W-what?! N-Naruto saved me! I can't leave him... He-"

"Don't be so self-indulgent. Do you think I have not taken this into consideration? I am thinking more of Naruto here. That attitude he had- he took on an opponent who outclassed him in every aspect and he didn't even realise it. If that boy becomes too close to someone-" he trailed off, and glanced out of the bubble towards the rising sun. "For a ninja, being attached is the same as death. If this kid becomes stronger, he may gain enemies. Who would gladly use someone close to him as bait."

The girl began to tremble.

"I have some contacts near Yama. I can leave you there. With luck, you'll be able to hone your skills and control over the Nanabi- do not ask how I know of it. You may continue to see him, but not for concentrated periods of time."

Fuu clenched her fists and glared at the kimono-wearing man. "Are you saying this out of experience?"

Utakata said nothing, instead choosing to land the bubble over a clearing in the woods, where it suddenly popped causing Fuu and the unconscious Naruto to fall onto the dirty ground. "We'll rest here tonight. Yama is a long way away. Just let the boy rest." Before Fuu could say another word, Utakata vanished in a swirl of bubbles.

For a moment, the girl just stared dumbly at the spot where Utakata had just stood, before she screamed in frustration. All her emotions- bottled up after years of solitude- were released in a furious mixture, consuming her thoughts.

"Keep it down, will ya..." a weak voice murmured. Fuu suddenly stopped yelling, glancing down at the body of the blond jinchuriki, who was staring directly at the green haired girl.

"You... You..." she couldn't finish her sentence; the words just wouldn't come.

"Um, hi-" Naruto in turn could not finish as he was cut off by a furious hug via the young girl.

"Idiot!" she snapped. "You stupid idiot! Why did you attack him?! Why?!" tears were flowing from her melancholy eyes. "You could have died! Y-you dumbass!"

Naruto chuckled nervously, and drew back from the sobbing girl. "I'm sorry bout' that. Last time I fought seriously it just sorta came out..." he briefly recalled his scuffle with Gin Inuzuka, and how his strength had suddenly flared. Gen however had beaten him in a single attack.

"Don't do it again!" she yelled. "Don't put yourself in that much danger again! If anything happened..." she sniffed. "If anything happened to you..." "But If you want a friend... I'll happily be your friend!" Even Jin, the loyal and kind butler, had never referred to himself as her 'friend.' Naruto was her first and only friend. "...I don't know what I'd do without you."

Naruto opened his mouth to speak but was silenced by the furious tear-filled glare she sent him. "Promise you'll never get hurt like that again! Promise me!"

The blond laughed and stood up, helping the girl to her feet as well. "Alright Fuu-chan! I'll promise!" he lashed out with his hand and intertwined his pinky finger with hers. Fuu, surprised by the sudden contact, blushed scarlet. "Fuu, I swear on my blood I'll never get beaten like that again. Or I'll stick a thousand needles in my eye!"

The girl stared dumbly at the blond in front of her, then a small smile bloomed on her young face. "Y-you mean it?"

"Of course I do!" cried Naruto, stubbornly. "This is a promise! The promise of a lifetime!"

XXX

The trio had walked for two days straight until they came to a small canyon-like area, leading into a gully. An arch covered the gap between the two canyon sides, red diamonds lining it at brief intervals.

"We part ways here." Muttered Utakata. He was staring into the distance, but it was obvious the comment was directed at Fuu. "You may go to my contacts in the diamond village. I have a friend who may be able to expand your affinity with genjutsu." He nodded slightly at the girl, then turned on his heels. "We may see you soon, or we may never meet again. Only fate will decide." He began to walk off, away from the canyon, back onto the main road. "Say your farewells."

Naruto grinned at the girl, who was pouting in sadness. "We've just met... Do you really have to go?"

The blond shrugged. "I suppose so. But that's how it is; anyway, we're definitely gonna meet again! I need to prove I've kept my promise!"

The girl giggled, then suddenly ensnared the young boy in a tight embrace, tears streaming from her eyes as she did so. "You better come back... Idiot."

He broke the embrace, nodded with a small wave, then dashed off to join Utakata in the distance. Fuu continued to stare until he was out of sight, and stared for even longer afterwards, simply rolling the thoughts of the boy in her head, replaying them over and over again. "Naruto..." she smiled softly, and touched the corners of her lips where he had first touched her. "I like that name."

XXX

"My, my- the orb of Aquarius! My collection is finally complete!" cried the huge man with a loud chuckle. He fingered the blue orb greedily, before placing It lovingly on a cushion in a row with its eleven other colleagues; each in different colours, such a crimson, emerald, lilac, fuchsia, indigo, and many more. "You would not believe how much these things are worth- over fifty thousand ryo on the black-market! I had to stretch pretty hard for someone to take this request."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Why? What's so special about some weird circles?"

The fat old man laughed heartily. "Such a silly boy! Haven't you heard of storage items?" he tapped the Aquarius's symbol, which suddenly glowed a pale white. "In each of these orbs sits an item; be it a scroll filled with hidden arts, secret maps, or powerful weapons! But not many know of their value, which is why I managed to gather so many." He cackled. "And even if they did know of the value, only I know how to open them!"

The bubble-user glanced at Naruto. "The reward is a scroll from one of the orbs. Is that correct, Mr. Client?"

"Yes, yes! Take your pick; any orb! Of course, the catch is I don't tell you what's in it, so it's a real gamble!" the man laughed again. "Even so, any item which is contained in one of these babies is worth thousands. I'm really only interested in the orbs, so I don't really care. Take your pick."

Utakata nudged Naruto forwards; then nodded at the row of orbs. "This task was for you, kid. The reward's yours this time."

Naruto grinned childishly, looking frantically from his teacher to the orbs. "Wow! Really?! Awesome!"

The client chuckled and patted his round belly. "Such an energetic little tyke! But take your time; many would take hours to choose-"

"I pick the orange one." Stated the blond stubbornly, cutting in on the man's speech. The boy was staring at the bulbous orb with mild fascination. A gothic 'M' like symbol was emblazoned on it, a slight arrow like shape veering off from the tail end of the shape.

"Ah- the orb of Scorpio. Eighth symbol of the zodiac. You've chosen that?" he was wincing slightly. "Are you sure? I mean, you can choose ANY orb-"

"Yup. I like orange." He tapped the orb slightly, causing the 'M' symbol to glow a pale amethyst.

"But- but" the orb collector could not think up an excuse to make the boy change his mind. Sighing in a defeated manner, he strode over to the orange orb, and grasped its top, so his hand was wrapped around it. "Symbol of the zodiac; open for your master. Let the light of the eighth shine." The 'M' glowed even brighter, before cracking in half, revealing a small spiral seal. With one swift tap, the orb was enveloped in smoke, and a giant scroll appeared in the man's outstretched hands. It was covered in an iron holder, with a scorpion-shaped clasp keeping it held shut.

Utakata faintly raised an eyebrow at the sight of the scroll. "How interesting. That is something I've not seen before." He watched as Naruto took the scroll and held it easily in one hand, despite its gargantuan size. "It appears to be a summoning scroll."

Naruto cocked his head. "Summoning? You mean like that giant bug thing you attacked me with?" he shuddered as he recalled the memory of the huge black mantis tearing apart the forest as it chased after him. "I'll be able to do something like that?"

"No." stated Utakata in a deadpan tone, causing Naruto to fall flat on his face. "That level of skill is millenniums beyond you. I doubt you'd be able to even sign the scroll without being rejected." He nodded at the sour-faced client, who looked rather miffed having lost such a valuable item. "We thank you for the reward, and hope to complete any other tasks you send to the guild. Come, Uzumaki."

The boy glared, then slung the scroll behind his back using the strap attached to the metal casing. "I'll get rejected? Naruto Uzumaki will show you, idiot-teacher!"

Utakata seemed to hear the unspoken comment, as a small smile appeared on his face. "We arrive at Yama tomorrow. Be prepared for far more gruelling training than before."

The boy's face fell as they exited the mansion. "Eh?! But why?"

"You were beaten by Gen in one attack and were rendered unconscious for nearly a whole day. That kind of weakness will get you killed." He glanced up at the clouds. "I won't have you dying, Uzumaki. Your story isn't ready to end yet."

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That's all folks!

...Just kidding, the authors note is still to come; and here it is! I'm currently prepping myself for a maths exam, so I'm currently finishing off some revision. Until next time, adios!

Hangman1