Return to the Depths
XXX
"Your abilities have progressed an extraordinary amount since we first met." Mused Utakata as he surveyed the eager blond, who was gazing at his teacher expectantly, almost poised for an insult. The kid had taken to carrying the huge scroll around with him wherever he went, and refused to let it stray from a five-meter radius of his body. Even though Utakata had outright forbid his signing of the contract, he wanted to keep it on his person, as though proving to the scroll he was worthy to sign it.
Utakata scratched his chin, pondering silently. "I'll admit you have impressed me Naruto. Your strength is that of a low chunin and your stamina is that of a high one. However…" he narrowed his eye. "You lack subtlety in your style; you are slow, easy to predict and sloppy in your stance. If I were to rank you on the ninja scale, from zero-to-ten, I'd say you'd be a two- at best."
Naruto shouted at his teacher indignantly. "Two? That's hardly fair! I've been working my butt off for the last month! You've not given me a single break since we got back from Taki!"
The brunette shrugged, and took to his hobby of blowing bubbles from his small pipe. "He does not seem to understand the gravity of the situation. Being simply two-out-of-ten is astounding for someone his age." He stopped blowing bubbles and removed his pipe from his jaws. "We will need to improve your speed and defence statistics if you're ever going to reach a balance. Right now your style is bordering on being a brawling-type; which we want to avoid at all costs. Tomorrow we journey to meet one of my contacts- she may hopefully have a solution to your problems." The man shrugged. "And while we're at it why don't we take a guild request in the area- we are particularly short on funds and as it is will hardly last five days."
"Huh? But you did a request two weeks ago! How can we have run out?" cried the annoyed jinchuriki.
"Because you- oh restrained disciple of mine- consumed a vast amount of ramen noodles and carbonated drinks in my absence, leaving us with a very small amount of ryo left. Though I blame myself for leaving you alone with my hard-earned gains." He shrugged. "From now on you receive a 15% cut of the request pay- it will be used to clothe and entertain you, but you may not touch my 85%- that goes to food and lodging."
"Aw… But that's no fair! You never buy ramen!"
"Your obsession with noodles is unhealthy. From now on you are on a diet, Uzumaki. "We leave at dawn. Pack your clothes and study the map I gave you." Utakata had been forcing ninja theory into the kid's head for the last month; either about prediction, anatomy or geography.
"I once knew a man- Zabuza was his name. He could easily pierce a vital point of his opponent with his eyes closed. An assassin by nature, but just as deadly if confronted. If you can take out a vital point like him you'll have no problems."
"Seeing the present is easy- but seeing the future, that's another thing entirely. You opponent will plan ahead, but you must see their moves and counter just as fast."
But the most common line in Utakata's arsenal was simply; "Ninja's don't get lost, Uzumaki."
"So where are we actually going?" asked Naruto as he stuffed what little he owned into his bag. "Grass? Cloud? You've mentioned them often enough."
The brunette paused, and then glanced at the burning fire in the corner of the inn's room. "Mist."
XXX
Utakata was awoken in the morning by a bird; a raven to be precise, tapping at his window and forcing him out of his sleep. When he saw the tag attached to its leg he knew immediately who it was from.
He opened the window and allowed the creature in, before removing the tag and the message with it. The text was short, but to the point.
"It's been a while, Bastard. You really think, after all these years, that I'll help your so called 'disciple' out of the blue? You really are a self indulgent shit- just like Dokuri.
But I'll see what I can do. Meet me at the usual place at 4 pm. Sharp. And stay in touch, Bastard. All of our motley crew miss you.
xxx-Rera."
A kiss mark in crimson-red lipstick smudged the bottom of the page beside the signature. A ghost of a smile formed on his face, but it vanished quickly. He noticed Naruto was still asleep in his own bunk, and snoring loudly, a trickle of dribble sliding down his mouth as he slept. The boy was brought sharply out of dreamland by a pipe to the head.
"Get up, Uzumaki. We have a long journey ahead of us." Utakata whispered, sharply.
The next few minutes passed in a blur for Naruto as he got dressed- slinging on his orange jacket, bandages and goggles, grabbed his bag and scroll which he strapped to his back, then dashed outside to meet Utakata who was waiting impatiently.
"We have a limited time, so we must travel fast." Murmured the bubbles user, before he began to perform a few hand signs. "Awaton: Awadenshin." From the ground a foamy substance began to emerge, slowly but surely enveloping Naruto and Utakata in a giant bubble. "Hold on. We're going fast."
"We're in a bubble thou-" Naruto screamed as the bubble suddenly shot up into the air and zoomed through the sky, tossing Naruto into the bouncy wall which thankfully held due to Utakata's chakra padding it.
Utakata stood stock still, his face fixed in a frown as he directed the speeding bubble to its location. But the fact remains he was taking a huge risk going to the Mist at this time- especially as the civil war was still raging. Before he'd left he'd been a notorious member of the rebellion, the Mizukage versus the Bubble-user, a battle between jinchuriki. His master had always treated those who were different in a kind manner, and when the bloodline purges were released, he was one of the first to join 'The organisation'- an elite group of rebel terrorists who fought against Yagura.
He only prayed his nightmares wouldn't plague him after returning to the place of his birth. After he'd left, hunters from both rebels and Yagura's forces were sent after him, making him no longer safe in water country, resulting in his escape to the land of fire. He cast an eye at Naruto, who was still bouncing around the bubble helplessly.
Hopefully Rera wouldn't be too hard on the kid.
XXX
Utakata finally stopped the Awadenshin above a large waterfall, which cascaded down into a crystal lake, where a single island rested, a massive castle surrounded by walls visible even from the distance. A hazy mist surrounded the spires of the castle, turning the crystal water around the lush island an eerie navy.
"that, my disciple…" whispered Utakata. "Is the hidden mist." He gestured to a bride at the side of the island, which connected it to the mainland. "One way in, one way out. A prison under the mask of a utopia."
"It can't be too bad, surely…" muttered Naruto, as he eyed the island from his safe distance.
"You haven't lived there. I have. The leader, Yagura, was once a wise and just ruler. Then he changed dramatically, and declared the bloodline purges." He crinkled his nose in disgust. "Thousands dead. People from all over the land of water- innocents. Women, children, war veterans who had lost so much fighting for their countries. Murdered by a monster." He sighed. "We do not go there. We are going down."
The boy cocked his head before the bubble abruptly popped sending him into the rushing current which lead to the mouth of the waterfall. Utakata stood calmly on the surface of the water, watching his student sink like a stone. "Y-you idiot- GULG-GULG- I CAN'T WATER-WALK!"
"Ah well, as they say in the land of wind, no better time to learn than when your life is at stake."
"YOU UGLY BAS-" he sunk again beneath the current for a large amount of time, until Utakata plucked him out the water.
"Not as graceful as I would have liked, but that is life." He slowly walked towards the mouth of the waterfall and stood calmly at its edge, watching the waves ebb out into the endless void of nothingness.
Naruto regained his senses and thus put two and two together. "No. No-no-no. You wouldn't do this; after all we've been through! I was pushed down a damn chimney! Come on! Don't!" His teacher smiled sweetly, allowing the boy to regain his confidence, before promptly throwing him off the mouth of the falls. "YOU BASTARD!" roared Naruto as he descended into oblivion.
The bubbles user shrugged, and then shed his kimono, tying it around his waist, before he too leapt off the cliff-side in an erect position, hurtling down towards the waters bellow…
XXX
"Wakey, wakey blondie." Grunted a sharp voice. One of Naruto's cerulean eyes snapped open to see a teenage boy of around 17 standing over him, with a toothy grin plastered on his pale face. The boy was red haired, and wore his hair in a boy tail. Six throwing knives were sheathed in pouches on his belt, and he seemed to be examining a large item with great interest. An item which Naruto instantly recognised as…
"…My scroll!" he lunged for it, only to have the metal case yanked out of reach by the elder boy.
"Nuh-uh, blondie. This is my room, my rules. No scroll until your older." He examined the massive item a bit more closely. "Heavy thing, two heavy for one hand…" Naruto raised an eyebrow, but made no comment. "… Doesn't seem to open. Useless." He tossed it to the ground, and shrugged. "I don't care. Burn it for all I care." He walked away from Naruto, into the darkness. "The name's Dokuri, blondie!"
Naruto grit his teeth at the unaffectionate nickname, then took notice of his surroundings. He was in a cave, the walls damp and slicked with moisture. A bed lay in one corner of the room, along with a few other odds and ends- such as a few dirty clothes, a few knives embedded in the wall, and a large dart board with the bulls eye practically worn away. "Where the hell is this place…?" mumbled Naruto, getting to his feet and dusting himself off. Too his surprise, his clothes were still wet. The boy raised an eyebrow, then grabbed the scroll and strapped it to his back. Something was really 'off' with this place. Then it hit him- like a rain drop. Literally. A drop of water landed on his head, causing him to look up in surprise.
His jaw dropped. There was no ceiling- only water. The roof water a cyan blue water, ebbing and flowing over an odd invisible force-field which he assumed to be chakra. It was so beautiful yet so terrifying at the same time- this level of power could only be accomplished by a kage-level ninja!
"Examining the architecture are we?" a female voice sang in his ear. The boy looked round and saw a 16 year old girl standing there. She had flowing red hair which ran down to her lower back, and bangs that covered one of her sea-foam green eyes. A rather skimpy dress covered her torso, only just hiding her ample chest. She was smiling sweetly at Naruto. "I am Mei. Mei Terumi." She offered him a hand and helped him to his feet. "By your drenched appearance I'm guessing you came via Heaven Falls. That should have been rough- I've only known three people to have ever used that entrance." She laughed in a heavenly tone, causing Naruto to blush. "I guess it's five now." Still holding his hand, she led him out the small chamber along the spiralling catacombs, the pale light from the sun above illuminating the cave in a bluish hue.
"You're Utakata's apprentice, aren't you?" Mei asked, without looking back at him. "He's pretty famous around here- hundreds would give their left foot to be his apprentice. You're super lucky, kid."
"I'm not a kid." Grunted the blond. "My name's Naruto Uzumaki."
The girl squealed happily. "Naruto? Aw, that's just so cute!" she glanced back at him and giggled at his furious blush. "You are too cute! But you seem to have seriously pissed my brother off."
Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Brother?"
"Yeah; Dokuri. He wanted to be Utakata's apprentice before the man left, and now he's come back with you. That kind of thing really dampened his day!" the cavern suddenly opened out, revealing a large room completely furnished to look like a standard living room (Except with water for a ceiling) Red sofa's lined the room between the openings in the cavern, along with a few mulberry-coloured leather chairs. On one of these pieces of furniture Utakata sat, opposite a stunning lady with a pale face and raven black hair.
She appeared to be talking to his teacher in a friendly, even informal manner, which Naruto had never seen. A single onyx black eye glanced in Naruto's direction, before scanning over him. Smiling, almost approvingly, the lady stood up and walked towards the chocked blond and Mei. "Naruto Uzumaki. My old friend has told me much about you." She knelt down so her face was level with his own, her blank onyx eyes seeming to peer into his soul. "He said you were stubborn, foolish, idiotic and bordering on insane." She paused, glancing over Naruto's exasperated expression at the statement. "… But he also said you were progressing through your new style at a rate of knots. For one so young, that is quite an accomplishment."
Turning on her heels, the woman motioned the blond to follow her through another set of caverns, Mei trailing behind, smiling happily. Utakata remained on his seat, a thoughtful expression on his face, hardly even acknowledging Naruto's appearance.
"My name is Rera Roronora. I am the current leader of our little band of rebels. Tell me Naruto, did Utakata explain about the situation in Kirigakaru?" The boy nodded, slowly- he was hardly going to forget his experience atop that damn waterfall. "Well, I and my followers are part of the Vein-Mist. A spilt from the main village, commonly referred too as the Bloody-Mist. You will understand that our Mizukage, Yagura, began a genocidal act of murdering all those who possessed clan talents- such as the Hyoton element or the Dead-Bone Pulse bloodline. Thousands dead because of one man's self-indulgent hatred. That is why Vein-Mist exists- deep in the catacombs under Kirigakaru. To overthrow the Mizukage and liberate our land."
Naruto was staring, wide eyed, at the lady in front of him, unsure what to say or what to think.
"The reason I tell you this is because I believe you have potential; potential to be a great ninja, Uzumaki. And if I help you, some emotional knot left in your heart might one day cause you to help our group in one way or another." Suddenly her arm flicked out to her side, a paint brush sliding out from the confines of her sleeve, landing gracefully in her grasp. "I am a seal-master by trade. Utakata told me of your confrontation with Gen Remake. But he is simply a hack- seals lie in their art. And I am an artist."
The cavern opened up again into a small room- single quarters belonging to Rera no doubt. There only seemed to be a pot of ink and some complex diagrams pinned to the wall. Pictures of human bodies with complex symbols lining the side of the page, along with a few markings which the boy could not decipher.
"I created many seals in my youth, Uzumaki. Seals which may help your training…" she pulled a few pieces of parchment from her desk and examined them. "The gravity seal, the drain seal… Oh, and how about the lock seal. All should form a perfect combination for one of your stature." She clicked her tongue, then made a faint gesture at Mei. "Strip him."
"…Eh?" Naruto had time to mutter one syllable when the red head pounced, quickly removing his jacket, shirt and trousers, leaving him only in his underpants. He tried to struggle but was easily blocked by the older girl's iron grip.
Rera dipped her brush into the ink pot brining barely a droplet onto the brushes tip. "To business…" she cast an eye over Naruto's form then stopped abruptly. The large tattoo on his chest caught her attention. "What…?" she drew closer and ran a cold finger along the complex spirals. "So detailed- This is truly… A masterpiece. Who created this?"
Naruto shrugged, his face showing honest confusion. "I've had it as long as I remember. Never knew what it was though."
The ebony haired woman clicked her tongue again, but found her attention drawn back to Naruto's body on whole. "I see… I see… A seal on the lower back and on both shoulders- hmm… Maybe on the legs as well, perhaps the thighs? Or should it be the legs on whole?" as she spoke to herself the brush began to glide across Naruto's skin, the cold ink burning his flesh.
"Yes, yes… That's it." She drew back, admiring her work. Naruto's whole form was covered in various spirals and runic designs, covering his arms, legs chest and back. Ominous purple light radiated from the designs, pulsing every so often in time with his heartbeat. "The ink I use is chakra sensitive- it detects the miniscule amount of chakra you permanently give off from your pores and synchronises with it. It technically becomes a tattoo- of course they disappear after being activated or deactivated; only the release seal causes them to appear. I'll show you later, but first…" she moved in again and placed the brush on his face, continuing to paint around his eyes and over his cheeks. "There we go; a finished Locking seal. I've painted all three pieces of my artwork onto your lucky body." She laughed heavenly. "I'll teach you how to use them tomorrow. Now we rest."
XXX
Three figures stood atop Heaven falls, piercing eyes staring down at the depths bellow. Each of them wore large conical hats with paper tags that covered the face and coats covered with red clouds.
"What are our orders again?" came a sharp voice wet with arrogance. The tone of voice suggested it was a young man in his late teens.
Another figure snorted, then followed to make a gruff response, "We take control of Vein-Mist. Using it as a cover we retrieve Yagura and possibly terminate. His influence over the Sanbi is proving too troublesome for leader. The Bijuu will be released into the wild where we will retrieve it later." The voice suggested a great age, possibly early fifties. From the speakers shoulder a lump appeared which spoke in its own high-pitches voice, stringed with an insane laughter. "Yeah! A Bijuu is less trouble without a Jinchuriki!"
The final figure simply grunted and folded his arms, green and crimson eyes staring out at the horizon. "Yagura has fulfilled his duty. He will pay the price for betraying Akatsuki. Ooi, Axel…" The two other figures glanced at the male who appeared to be the group's leader. "We move at sunset tomorrow."
XXX
Kay, explanation time; the two characters I've introduced (Ooi and Axel) were never part of Akatsuki in the canon or even existed. My excuse is before Itachi and Hidan joined these two were here. But alas, I can say no more…
Anyways, I'm considering doing the trademark MEGA TIMESKIP chapter seeing as I've passed 9 chapters and a prologue already and he's not even hit puberty yet. THIS CANNOT GO ON!
And now, a word from our sponsor/beta/random person(s)
Kiyomos: YOSH! I AM THE GREAT, POWERFULL, MAGNIFICENT, YOUTHFUL.....
Zorro:Ugly
Kiyomos: ...KIYOMOS! AND I AM THE BETA FOR THIS STORY!
Reina: he didn't do much
Kiyomos: I AM GLAD I WAS ABLE TO ADD MY FLAMES OF YOUTH TO THIS STORY! BUT ALAS REINA IS CORRECT; I ONLY CHANGED/ADDED A WORD OR TWO.
Kenpachi: if that is true why are you even here?
Kiyomos: BECAUSE I CAN FEEL THE MOST UNYOUTHFULL KARMA BEING DIRECTED AT ME!
Reina: Why the fuck are you yelling!
Kiyomos: BECAUSE IT IS ANNOYING!
Zorro: while Kiyomos is being mauled by a PMSing Reina while Kenpachi is rotfl I shall take the liberty to say adieu.
Kiyomos: REVIEW OR THE COOKIE MOSTERS EVIL TWIN WILL GET YOU!