Immortal Phoenix

Author: The Phoenix is Immortal

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto nor am I making any profit from this work.

Chapter 13: Massacre and the Aftermath

I had just been flying over the village when I saw the massacre. I had not noticed anything amiss, until I began seeing dead bodies on the streets of the Uchiha section of the village.

At the time, I had not known that it was the Uchiha clan that was killed. I learned that later.

Wondering what was going on, I adjusted my flight and flew down into the street where I saw the dead humans. On closer inspection, one of the humans was indeed dead, along with all the humans on the street. It was not a…pleasant sight.

Many, if not all, of these humans had been ninja. Whoever had killed them must have been someone quite powerful. Assuming it was another human, and not a something.

Should I leave and tell the wrinkly human about this? This whole street was littered with bodies. It was likely the houses were also. This was not just a mass killing…it was a massacre.

As I was wondering what to do, I heard footsteps approaching. I decided to hide. It could be the killer of all these humans.

It was not. It was a child human, dark-haired and about the same age as Naruto. Judging by the symbol on the child's back, he was from the same clan as the…humans who had been killed. This child would…die also.

I was now a little concerned for the child. What can I say? I have always cared for children. I flew to the child. "You, human child! Leave now!" I actually spoke to the human, so he had better listen to me.

The child was too shocked, I think at the sight of his dead…clansmen, to listen. I do not think he even registered me as strange. He just shook his head and started to run into the street and into one of the houses. This child was going to get killed!

"Wait! You stupid child!" Was he trying to get killed? Could he not see that his clansmen had been killed?

I flew after him. He ran to one of the doors and yelled for his parents. Someone from inside yelled at him…his name was Sasuke…to not go in.

He opened the door anyway. And he went in.

What was I to do at this point? It was one thing to reveal myself to a traumatized child, and another to reveal myself to another human who had the ability to kill many humans. I did not know. Should I reveal myself to help this child? I was taught survival first. This counted as a dangerous situation.

I was confused. The killer was obviously dangerous. I did not know what he or she might be capable of. But the dark-haired child…But, this was a different case from Naruto. Naruto's pursuers were not this dangerous. What should I do? My own logic dictated that I avoid this situation. But…the child…

…I had taken too long in my thoughts. And I could not and did not hear what had happened inside. The next thing I knew, the child had run outside, with another person stopping him by stepping in front of him.

For now, I would watch. The child was still alive, so perhaps the killer (I presumed it was the other person) did not want him dead. I hid and just listened to their conversation.

The killer of the humans…had been the child's brother. That meant...he had killed his own family. The clan had been a clan of ninjas. Apparently, they had a doujutsu. The older…brother of the child had said something about the Mangekyou Sharigan. I did not know what that was.

The killer had spared his younger brother…because it apparently was worthless to kill him. He wanted…Sasuke to come before him when he had the same eyes as him. Whatever that meant, I did not know. Then the child fell unconscious. The killer human left after that. I deemed it best not to follow.

Exactly what had happened? One person…had killed his entire clan…but left his brother alive. The child's mental health…would definitely be affected by this. Speaking of the child, I wonder if he would remember me talking to him. It was possible…this night would probably be ingrained in his memory. I would have to avoid being seen by this child again. I actually think…this child might have been in Naruto's class, but I was not sure.

Anyway, I would have to get help for this child. He needed it.

I got help for the child. I had flown through wrinkly human's window and told him about the child...and the massacre. He was very…worried. Was he worried about the massacre, the child…or the fact that I had seen a part of it? I could not tell.

The child was picked up, and then he got taken to the building called the hospital. I guessed that it was a place where they took the injured.

I would not tell Naruto about this. Naruto…did not need to know.

After that night, I did not know what to think of humans. Humans were capable of killing their own families; humans were capable of whole massacres. Humans were…not at all what I expected. They were such an unexplainable species.

I would remember this night for a long time to come. It was certainly not the first time I had seen death on such a scale…but coming from humans…

Yes, I would remember this night for a long time to come.

After that disturbing night, life just continued…without most of the Uchiha Clan. Naruto's classmates spoke of it a little…but I do not think Naruto understood exactly what had happened.

I never did tell him that I witnessed some of it. I did not need to tell him. He did not need to know. It would be better that way.

The days passed quickly. I learned more about humans, attending the academy with Naruto. I still did not know the names of many objects…but I was beginning to learn.

Naruto's birthday soon came again. And again. He was ten now. I had been in this world for a total of almost three years. Three years was not really a long time to me. But it was a long time for Naruto. He had grown. Quite a lot. Unfortunately…he did not grow in maturity. He played more pranks…such as the one involving the classroom and some paint.

Still, Naruto was certainly a friend of mine. I knew that I cared for him quite a bit.

During the three year period, I had not talked to many humans in my real form…except to Naruto and the wrinkly human. I had my own human form, but I did not like to use it if I did not have to.

So anyway, it was soon after Naruto's tenth birthday that Iruka human told us the option to take the graduation exams had come again.

Of course, Naruto jumped for the chance to take it. He was certainly more prepared. But I was worried for him. He still could not do the Clone Jutsu. If the test involved that…he would fail.

Naruto would not take the failure well. He had already failed once. To fail twice…

So during the days before the test, Naruto wanted to train. I agreed to help him. Then he asked me something quite odd.

"Akarui, could you help me with target practice?"

"Target practice? If you wish, I can help you." Why not? It would help out Naruto.

"Yay! So you can be the target!"

"If you want." Wait…what? Me, the target? No, I do not want to be the target! "Wait! Wait! Before you throw that shuriken, I am not going to be the target!"

"Aww, but it'll be good practice!"

"No! I refuse! If you do that…" What should I say? "I will burn all your orange jumpsuits!"

"Fine…I was just joking…" He had better have been joking…

Now I felt a little bad. "I will help you in human form…I just will not be your target."

"Yay!"

I decided to accompany him to the test. A support of some kind, I supposed it could be called.

During the test, he…failed the written portion. But on the weapons portion, he did quite well. I had helped him to practice, so he did well. The problem was the Ninjutsu portion.

He could not do the Clone Jutsu. Even though I had tried to find out why for over two years, I still could not figure it out.

Because of that…he failed a second time.

"Why did I fail a second time?" He was asking this of me. I would have to answer.

"Perhaps you are not quite ready to protect those close to you. You will pass when you are strong enough to protect those. So do not worry."

"But…"

"You will pass the next time. You will. I believe in you."

"I will pass the next time! Believe it!"

He would, too. All I had to do was solve that pesky Clone Jutsu problem. And help him prepare for the written portion also.

So, to help him, I decided that I would spend some time in the library. Depending on the librarian, Naruto sometimes had a hard time getting in.

I also still did not know why Naruto was hated in his village. It was still a mystery.

So I went to the library and checked out some books on chakra…and a book called a dictionary. The dictionary was a book with definitions of words! It was quite amazing really. With this book, I could know the names of everything! I would have to buy a copy.

The only problem was…I had no money left. I spent it all on Naruto's last two birthday presents.

So for now…I would have to use the libraries. I also needed a calligraphy set…to practice my handwriting in my human form. I was sure being able to write in my human form would be useful later.

Oh well, when I had more money. What jobs could I do? Need to talk to wrinkly human about that.

When I looked in the books…I just saw more chakra exercises. I already knew about those…but I had forgotten about them. I decided to tell Naruto about them. Who knows? They could help.

When I went back to the apartment, still in my human form, I decided to go and drink something. But when I checked the refrigerator…the milk was expired. Again.

I refused to drink expired milk. Yet Naruto had no problem with it. Why was that?

I decided to go and buy some good milk. So I took the expired milk and…what was I supposed to do with this?

Oh, I know! Naruto always poured water into the pots that hold his plants. I could pour the expired milk in, right? They were both liquids. So what if the milk was white.

I dumped the almost full carton of expired milk into one of the pots…Was the milk supposed to be leaking out the sides of the pot? Oh…whatever.

After that, I took some money from Naruto's Gama-chan demon frog purse. (I learned that it was a purse a while ago, and I was using this money for groceries…not stealing it.) So I headed out to the grocery store place.

I went to the milk section and bought a carton of milk. After I exited the store with it, I went back to Naruto's apartment.

He was at his apartment by now. Then he said, "Akarui…why is there milk leaking out of one of the pots?"

"Oh, I watered…wait, milked it."

He got a funny expression on his face. I had not seen that one before. "You don't milk plants."

"You do not? Oh, sorry! But milk and water are both liquids…"

Naruto just shook his head. I just put the new milk in the refrigerator.

"Oh, by the way, I read about some chakra exercises. If you want, you can try them. They are supposed to help with your chakra control, which then helps with your jutsus."

"Really? Can I see?" Naruto seemed interested. That was good.

"In there." I pointed towards the books. He went over there and started to read them.

He would be ready for the next graduation exam, indeed.

Author's note: Sorry if I spanned several years…if I had kept going at the rate I was…I would have gone on for another 10 chapters…

And I want to get to Team 7 already. Anyway, thanks so much to my reviewers!