THE UZUMAKI BRIGADE
"Okay Naruto, come at me," Simon called out in another Lagann that Viral had ordered.
It had been three days since Simon, Yoko, and Leeron had arrived in Konoha. The first two days had been interesting. Naruto and Hinata had shown them around the village, letting them experience the foods, the entertainment, and for Leeron, the architecture and history of Konoha. To the newcomers, these people had a sturdy civilization building, but since they hadn't the technology of gunmen on the planet, they had advanced much more slowly in that department.
Now that the foreigners had a decent feel for the village, they had decided that it was time to train their new protégés in their respective fields (a.k.a piloting and using a rifle). At the moment, Simon was training Naruto in battle techniques with Lagann.
"Yahhh!" Naruto cried as he charged at Simon.
Simon sidestepped the punch Naruto threw, and began to dig underground. Naruto had searched the field for him fruitlessly. After another three seconds, Simon emerged five feet behind Naruto and was about twenty feet in the air, using the propulsion system in Lagann's back. Then the blue-haired pilot had tossed paintballs down on Naruto, peppering him in blue, black, and mostly red.
"Keep your guard up at all times," Simon called as he slowly descended to the ground. "If that had been a real attack, you'd be dead already. You have to remember that moving is key when fighting gunmen, whether you are fighting one or one hundred. And while I'm thinking about it, always make sure you know where your opponent is. If you lose sight of them, retreat a short distance away, then scout for them. You don't want them to get a sneak attack in, because they won't use paintballs."
"Ptew! Ptew ptew!" Naruto spat out some of the paint that had gotten in his mouth. "Ugh God! What's in these things?"
"Oh, just some dried mustard, food coloring, a few pieces of bug cocoons, and a touch of sand to give it texture. I added a bit of water so that it would still flow like blood. Speaking of which, I used some pig blood that the butcher in the shopping district was willing to give me. How is it?"
'It tastes HORRIBLE! Why didn't you just buy a few from the general store that was a block away?"
"But then there wouldn't be as much incentive for you," Simon joked.
"Ugh, I think that I need to go wash off. But just to make sure I get the full lesson…"
Naruto created a clone right quick, leaving it to go wash off. The copy henged before entering his Lagann, and the two continued their training session…
I.I.I
"Okay Darry, I got his coffin dug up! Get the chloroform ready in case he turns violent!"
On the other side of the clearing, a Naruto clone was helping Darry dig up Kamina from his makeshift tomb. Now that Yoko and Simon had landed, he should be awake, and ready to come out of his small container. And if Naruto knew Kamina, just a little, then the blue-haired teen should be VERY pissed.
Darry came over with a wet rag that carried a sweet fragrance on it. Naruto, with his enhanced senses because of Ryu's chakra input, was able to smell it, and it gave him a light head. He shook the drowsiness away, and focused on opening the coffin. As soon as he began, the cover burst out, flying about ten feet away. A VERY pissed, and VERY hungry Kamina stepped out of his wooden cage, with a wild look in his eyes that said everything.
"…Naruto," Kamina said quietly, something that made the blonde cringe worse than if he had shouted. "Why the hell did you shove me back into that…thing?"
"A precaution Aniki," Naruto said calmly, holding up his hand in a peaceful manner. "If you had been out here when Simon and Yoko had landed…Well let's just say I know you, and you would most likely give them a heart attack. Don't forget, they don't know that you're alive."
"That's a load of crap! Simon wouldn't mphmph-!"
At that moment, Darry had taken the drugged rag and snuck up on Kamina, placing it over his nose and mouth. At first he struggled, but after a few seconds the chloroform began to kick in, and Kamina was out like a light again.
"How long do you think that he'll be out?" Naruto asked.
"My guess is about two hours, tops. We'd best get him somewhere isolated and restrain him before he wakes up." Darry said sternly.
"Right, I'll ask Gramps if I can stow him with the Interrogation Corps. There he can kick and scream all he wants, and no one will be any wiser about the invasion. Plus if anyone does get suspicious, the Hokage will give them some excuse about him being a mental asylum patient or something."
"There are kind of a few holes in your theory Naruto." Darry said, voicing her thoughts.
"Well we can't restrain him in a populated area, and we can't leave him out in the open or someone might find him. Plus there aren't that many abandoned buildings in Konoha. People take what they can get, you know?"
"*Sigh* Fine then. You know Naruto, you can be real stubborn sometimes," said Darry, shaking her head and shrugging in false defeat.
"Only as much as my friends Darry."
I.I.I
"…Hmmm. I wonder what Daddy is doing. I haven't talked with him for a few days."
Back at Naruto's apartment, Hinata was relaxing and looking after Tora, the cat of the Fire Daimyo's wife. It wasn't really all that interesting though. Sure the little tom was cute, but all he really did was rub against her leg, and meow when he wanted something. Since he was back in good health, Hinata figured she could let a clone stay with the fella and take care of it. And while the copy did that, she could visit her father.
With this idea in mind, Hinata stepped out the window, and shunshined over to the Hyuuga Compound. As she arrived at the mansion that overlooked the rest of the district, Hinata turned around to gaze at the beautiful scenery that stood before her. The sun shined brightly overhead, giving the whole district a golden white glow to it. It caught her breath, and she wished that she could capture it somehow. But she would have to settle for the memory, something that was just as good.
Pushing open the door to the main lobby, Hinata was greeted by Neji, who looked a little upset. As he stomped by, Hinata caught a glimpse of a 'kick me' sign on his back. She giggled at that for a second, and turned around to see a pair of whiskers and fangs appear before her.
"Hello darling," Naruto said, placing a kiss on his beloved's face. "What brings you to this neck of the woods?"
"Hello Naruto-kun," Hinata said quietly, returning the kiss. "I came to see how my father is doing. It's been a few days since I last saw him, and I've just been curious to see what's been happening at the estate."
"Hmm. Right now, I believe that Pops is instructing me on a few techniques with my swords right now. If you want I can get him out here. I'm not in a rush to learn anything new."
"P-Pops?" Hinata stammered.
"Oh right, um," Naruto said, scratching a place behind his head. "I decided that 'Father' was too formal for my taste, so I dropped it down to that. He doesn't seem to care too much. But everyone else seems to have issues with me. Although, I'm kind of glad that they do, it's been weird ever since Gramps told the village about my heritage. They all treat me so nicely, I feel like it's some kind of trap they're waiting to spring on me."
"Well, I know for a fact that these villagers won't harm you," Hinata said with conviction, hugging Naruto to show her support. "You are the kindest, most gentle, likable, fiancé a girl could wish for. If none of Konoha can see that, then they are truly blind and ignorant."
"Thanks Hinata," said Naruto, returning the hug. "It feels good knowing I have the most beautiful, generous, loving fiancée in the universe. Anyone who thinks otherwise is wrong in the head."
The two of them stood there, enveloping the other in the hug. Some of the Hyuuga residents stopped to watch this public display of affection, and it made Hinata blush, as she was aware of their stares. Naruto chuckled, feeling her face get hot from the attention. And he thought HE had trouble with attention. While Naruto knew the two of them would overcome this issue of public attention, he knew that it would simply take time, something both of them had plenty of.
"Hello Hinata, what brings you to the estate?"
At that moment, Hiashi emerged from the back room, followed by a sweating Naruto clone. The clone, upon seeing the original, expelled itself, transmitting all of the knowledge it had gained from its short time on this planet.
"Father, good to see you," Hinata said joyfully, going over to hug her dad. For both of them, it felt weird to hug the other, as they were so unused to it. "Have you been well?"
"As good as I can get with everything that is going on…"
'What do you mean?" Hinata asked worriedly.
"Half of the Clan does not take well to Naruto for one," Hiashi remarked tiredly. "It's not surprising; they just can't seem to get over the fact that he is a container for the Fox Demon."
"Um Pops, do you mind calling him Ryu? He finds it tiring to be called the same thing that he has been for the last decade."
"Ryu? What are you talking about son?" Hiashi asked, confusion showing on his face.
Naruto didn't like to explain things more than once, so to make things easier, he led the two of them into a small room, and began to summon his least favorite friend from his cage.
"I'm going to warn you now Pops, don't do anything brash."
Hiashi, now confused more that he had been since the meteor incident, simply nodded, and Naruto continued.
"Now then…'Release unto the world your might, and let your roar reign supreme, Ryujimaru.'"
As the chakra began to cluster on Naruto's shoulder, Hiashi began to feel something ominous coming, and activated his Byakugan in defense. Hinata placed her hand on his shoulder, signaling for him to not worry. Reluctantly, the older man deactivated his bloodline, and continued to watch. As the ball of chakra finished expanding, it burst revealing the chibi version of the Nine-tailed Fox. It was all Hiashi could do not to lunge at the miniature Demon. The only thing that held him at bay was his loyalty to the Clan, and its leader, whose orders were not to do anything brash…like attack the small foxling.
"Ryu, meet Hiashi, my in-law," Naruto said, indicating the horrified man in front of him. "Pops, this is the 'Demon' that everyone fears so much. Right now, he has no power and follows my orders. That being said, Ryu, play nice or no ramen for you."
"Whatever, but I want to eat soon, so let's get this over with."
"I-It talks!"
"Yeah, and so do you. But you don't see us acting all surprised at it, do you?" Ryu retorted.
'Ryu, what did I just tell you,' Naruto said giving the foxling a hard stare.
"…To play nice with the old man," Ryu said, sulking.
Naruto nodded, saying "That's right. Now what do you say to Hiashi?"
"Please! I refuse to degrade myself anymore than I already have! I'm leaving, and if any of you pissants need me, I'll be dragging Minato through the shopping district. Hehe, that never gets old!"
Before Naruto got the change to argue back, Ryu jumped off his shoulder, and crawled into a hole in the floorboard. Naruto sighed, and Hinata just shook her head. Hiashi wasn't sure about what to make of his meeting with the Fox Demon.
"Th…That was the Demon?" He asked in a stupor.
Naruto shrugged while shaking his head. "Yup, the damn thing is almost as stubborn as me. But again, his name is Ryu now, so that's what he'll be called. Okay?"
"…Sure?" Hiashi said, still confused. "I think that I'm going to go lie down."
"Okay then," Hinata said happily, forgetting the event with Ryu. "I'll just take Naruto away for a bit Daddy."
"How long have you been calling him 'Daddy'?" Naruto whispered to his fiancé.
"I started that about two days after the incident at the district gates," Hinata said quietly.
"Alright then," Naruto said louder now. "I think we should head on out of here. There's nothing for us to do here yet."
Hinata nodded, and the two of them left the mansion with their arms linked together.
I.I.I
"Claude, I've had a change in plans," Sarutobi said to the ANBU captain.
After seeing the recent arrival of Simon and the other two, Sarutobi had been giving a lot of thought to that last plan involving the Oni-masked ninja. As it stood, destroying the team that Naruto was trying to build would not be wise. The time they would need to heal would cut back on training that could help them save the Elemental Countries, and possibly the universe if Viral was telling the truth.
"What have you in mind Hokage-sama?" the captain asked his leader.
"You are not to attack any of Naruto's friends. That wasn't wise on my part. You'll still join your brother's team, but that can wait until later today. For the moment, how are the retrievals coming along?"
Claude thought for a moment on all the messages he had seen over the last few days. He remembered one for the village of Suna, and he remembered the one about the Sannin.
"If I recall correctly, the Village Hidden in the Sand will be sending out a single team composing of three genin. Yes my lord, I know what you are thinking. I looked at their stats, and they are quite good. They have been on many missions, even a B-ranked mission, and never received a scratch. Deeper research revealed that a Demon resides within one of them. It would seem that they have a near perfect attack style with one being close- to mid-range, another that is mid- to long-range, and the one harboring the demon is good at all ranges. Even all of our best jounin at once would be hard pressed defeating these genin."
"Hmmm," Sarutobi said aloud. "What about the Sannin?"
"Jiraiya will be entering the town any day now, my lord. Tsunade is reluctant to return to Konoha, but I think I can manage something. As for Orochimaru…Well you know."
Sarutobi grimaced at the thought of his old disciple. He stared out the window, smoking his pipe, looking at the town he loved so much.
"Yes, I do. This is good news Claude. Now then, will you do me a favor?"
"What is it you desire Hokage-sama?"
"I had talked with Viral, and it seems that he has more of those - gunmen I think – on the way to Konoha. You will be piloting one of these, so I've requested that a special one be transported here. But there is a catch. The only one that Viral could spare was a gunman that requires two pilots. I know you are close to the other captains, so you may choose who will be your partner. But choose quickly, as your training is to begin right away."
"Very well my lord. I shall choose…Akira."
Sarutobi looked at Claude for a minute. Was that really smart? Claude and Akira may be friends, but they had a tendency to heckle each other at the worst of times. The old man was sure that the Oni-masked ninja would choose Kenichi, the more capable of the two.
"Understood Claude. Now that we have taken care of the more important business, would you please open the door behind you? Our visitor is here."
Claude stood up and did as he was told. He was not expecting the person on the other side of the door.
"Hey Gramps, what's goin' on? Hey I remember you! You were at Simon's arrival."
The ANBU captain just stared at Naruto, confusion evident on his face. He was glad his mask had been on, or else everyone would have seen. When Claude regained his ability to move, he turned towards Sarutobi and stammered out a question.
"L-Lord Hokage! S-surely it is t-too soon for him to kn-know?"
"Claude, if everything is to be ready in time, we have to rush certain details. This is one of those things that must be taken care of quickly."
"Hey Gramps, what the hell are you two talking about? Who is this ugly ANBU?" Naruto asked the old man.
"Naruto all will be answered in a few minutes. But before that, we must relocate to a more…open area." Sarutobi said walking out the door. "Come; let's head over to the training grounds. Kurenai's field should be empty now."
I.I.I
Naruto wasn't sure what was going on at the moment. Earlier this morning, he had received a message from Sarutobi, asking him to stop by the Tower later in the day. He figured it was about the invasion and Naruto's plans, but when he got there he found the old man talking with an ANBU wearing some freaky mask. It was the same ANBU that had been at Simon's arrival. Naruto could recognize him by the swords and black trench coat
At the moment, Naruto was walking with the two of them down to the training grounds. He would've shunshined there, but he wasn't in a rush to go anywhere. You know what they say, 'Patience is a Virtue.'
As they approached the clearing, Naruto noticed the ANBU tense up, as if he could feel some ominous event coming. Naruto instinctively pulled a kunai from his pouch. Sarutobi noticed this, and signaled that there was no danger. The blonde returned his weapon to its pouch, but kept his guard up just in case. He could still punch the shit out of someone if they attacked.
As they neared the bank to the pond, Sarutobi turned to look at Claude and Naruto. He focused his attention on the older of the two, and nodded slowly, taking a puff on his pipe. The hesitation that followed told Naruto that whatever it was, he wasn't going to like it.
The strange ANBU turned towards him, and took a few steps back, just out of Naruto's reach and far enough away to dodge a quickly tossed kunai. Then the man removed his mask, and Naruto took a good look at his face. Brown hair stuck out from parts of his bandanna, giving him that 'fell-out-of-bed' look. He had shockingly blue eyes that reminded Naruto of someone else. He saw pain in these eyes, as though the guy was reliving some painful memory. His cheeks were slightly round, and for some reason, Naruto felt something strangely familiar about this man.
"Naruto Uzumaki," the ANBU called out. "It is good to finally talk to you, even if it is about something so serious. What I say here will change both our lives forever."
Naruto didn't like the sound of this. Whoever this guy was, he clearly had something important that involved just the two of them. But what the hell could it be? Naruto was racking his brain for an answer that it couldn't give.
"Just who ARE you?" Naruto asked the stranger. "I feel like I should know you from somewhere, but I can't put my mind on it."
The ANBU smiled, and began to chuckle to himself. Naruto was even more confused by this action. Was there something wrong in this guy's head? But if that was the case, Sarutobi wouldn't be here.
"I guess you could call me someone close. Truth be told, we have more in common than most people would think."
"What are you getting at?" Naruto said back, narrowing his fox-like eyes.
"Master, his aura has the same glow as yours," Nina called out in his head.
"That can't be right you supid pixie! No one can have the same aura as another person," Dinah retorted to her counterpart.
"Easy you two. Let's hear what this guy has to say before we do anything."
"What I'm getting at," the man said. "Is that we are of the same lineage…Naruto Uzumaki! I am your brother, Claude!"
Nruto couldn't believe what he was hearing. This ANBU-this…Claude…He was claiming to be Naruto's brother? Why had he heard nothing of this guy? Surely this was some sort of sick joke that the town was trying to play on him?
Naruto looked over at Sarutobi, expecting him to say something along the lines of: "Surprise! We got you good, didn't we?" But when he stared at the old man, Sarutobi just stared back, his eyes showing deep concern for Naruto, and telling the boy that Claude was telling the truth. They were brimming with tears, and Naruto could feel his own building up, catching in his throat. He turned to look back at the other guy, the one that claimed to be his brother. His eyes were flowing freely with tears. At that moment, Naruto KNEW it was no prank.
His fists clenched, shaking violently, Naruto walked over to his newly discovered brother. He was torn between doing two things: punching this guy square between the eyes, or grasping him in a hug. He stopped as he came within a foot of Claude. Lowering his head, Naruto began to speak, just barely audible.
"You're supposed to be my brother huh?"
"…"
"…Where the hell have you been?" Naruto said so quietly, looking up into his brother's deep blue, red-rimmed eyes. "I've been alone for so long…so long."
"Br-…Naruto, I understand how you feel…I had no idea myself until Hokage-sama told me. Had I known sooner, I would've-"
"What?" Naruto cried out, tears now pouring down his face and falling onto the ground. "What would you have done? I've been alone for twelve years now! TWELVE YEARS! It wasn't until Iruka-sensei came into my life that I truly had someone to talk to, to hang out with! And even then, he could only get so close! Yet all this time, you've been out there!"
Naruto reared back his fist, ready to smash Claude's head in. But at the last second, he found he couldn't do it. No matter how much he refused to accept it, Naruto had to. And no matter how much he hated the guy for not being there, Naruto just couldn't bring himself to do anything.
"All these years, and I had a brother just outside my door. I grew up thinking that I was an orphan, that everyone hated me BECAUSE I was an orphan. The only people to ever show me kindness before was Gramps and Iruka-sensei…How long have you known?"
"Ever since Hokage-sama declared it to the village. At the time, I was out on an assignment that sent me outside the village. Had I been there, I would've stood beside you, accepting my lineage with pride on my face and in my heart."
Naruto's face hardened, and he turned away, unable to face this man.
"You expect me to believe this shit? What do you take me for, some sort of kid that can't handle himself?"
"Naruto," Sarutobi said froma few feet away. "I had to keep your heritage secret. Had anyone gotten wind of this, there would have been attempts on both of your lives. I couldn't let that happen, no matter what. Your father's enemies would've been knocking down our doorstep, ripping out the throats of anyone that stood in their way. The only reason I felt is was safe to reveal the secret now was because you had so many people to bear the burden with you. You weren't as vulnerable as you once were just two weeks ago. In the short time that you've known Gimmy, Darry, and the others, you've blossomed into a ninja capable of anything."
"Dammit Gramps!" Naruto shouted, his heart torn into fragments smaller than dust. He felt so betrayed, that he couldn't think straight. "How could you think, that for even a SECOND, that I needed protection from some bastards with a grudge? I could've taken the punishment, if only I'd known that I wasn't alone in a world of people that hated me! I've had to fight tooth and nail to get just a fraction of everything a normal person has! Claude, what have you gone through?"
Claude wasn't sure how to answer the question. He had felt that his life had been normal enough, until Sarutobi had told him the truth. That day, Claude had left town, to escape everything and think about what he had been told. To know that he wasn't alone in the world had been dramatizing, if anything.
"Before I learned the truth, I had just assumed that my parents had died nobly on the field of battle, like true ninja. It was so different, to know what had REALLY happened. Up until that point, I had left a normal, modest life. A small apartment in the slums, taking classes with my two friends, becoming a genin…"
"…"
"Naruto, I know I wasn't there before, but I'm here NOW. I want to do all that I can to be the brother that I should've been from the start. I know that it must be hard, trying to accept all of this, but I swear by all that I stand for, this is the truth. I know you may not want to, but can you forgive me?"
Naruto was torn between anger and joy now. He wasn't sure what to do. Should he forgive the guy and give him a chance, or trn his back on him? Looking into his eyes, Naruto knew that there was only one thing he COULD do.
"I…I forgive you, my brother. But don't think this is over. I might be able to trust you in the future, but not now, not yet."
"I understand," Claude said, his eyes shining with a glimmer of hope. "I'll do everything I can to help and prove that I can be the brother that you can count on."
Sarutobi looked on with a smile. Knowing his work was done here, he began to walk away, back towards his office, and the giant paperwork he would have to fill out. He would've enjoyed staying with the two of them, to see what sort of day they would have, but no one likes to be a third wheel.
"Hey Gramps, where ya goin'?" Naruto called out. "The fun is just startin'!"
"I have too much paperwork to fill out Naruto," Sarutobi said, turning around and sighing. "Besides, you should be spending time with your closest family and friends right now. Go enjoy yourself today, there is no shame in taking a day off over a reunion like this."
"In that case," Naruto said walking over to the old man. "You SHOULD be joining us! You ARE family Gramps! Can't you make a shadow clone to do the work for you or something? Being cooped up in that office all day must be a real strain on your mental and social capabilities."
Sarutobi had to admit, the boy made a good point. He COULD make a shadow clone to do the work, which would leave him plenty of time to spend with his 'family'. Why hadn't HE thought of this?
"I must be going senile in my old age," Sarutobi thought to himself.
"Okay Naruto, you win. I'll join you in a few minutes. Where would you like to meet?"
Naruto thought for a moment on a good location for a large party to be held. Naruto's apartment was too small to hold everyone he wanted to join them, so that option was out. The training fields and clearing in the area were large enough, but they were difficult to find if you didn't know where to look or couldn't shunshin there. Then it struck Naruto like a brick to the head. The Hyuuga Mansion! It was easy to find, was QUITE large, had good scenery, and would be the perfect place to hold a party celebrating family!
"Got it," Naruto said aloud, hooking his thumbs in his black and orange pants. "How 'bout the Hyuuga residence?"
"Very well then, I shall see you there," Sarutobi said nodding, and walked away.
The two brothers smiled at each other, and headed on back to town, each one had their arm hooked over the other's shoulder.
I.I.I
"Hinata darling, I'm home! And I've brought good news!" Naruto called into his apartment.
Hinata poked her head out of the kitchen, wearing a 'Kiss the Cook' apron, which Naruto, naturally, began to do. After they finished that, Hinata noticed the strange man standing in the living room, checking out the décor. Naruto followed her eyes, and began to explain.
"Hinata, meet Claude. He's an ANBU captain, one of four, that specializes in swords and knives. He's 7 years older that me, a natural leader, top of his class, and has a unique fashion sense that could catch on. He's also my brother," Naruto finished.
Claude smiled and shook her hand politely. She was taken aback by his outgoing nature, and his strange appearance.
"That's nice," Hinata said with a smile. "So will he be joining us or…Wait…Did you say he's your BROTHER?"
"Yup," Naruto said happily, scratching at the back of his head. "Just found out today that I had one. Here I was, thinking that I was the only one going to get In-Laws, and the next thing I know, he opens the door to a whole new world for us!"
"I don't know if I'm all that special," Claude said kindly.
"He's also modest," Hinata whispered to her fiancé.
Naruto explained what was going on, and asked her to spread the word to their growing list of friends. Claude did the same, but just with his two friends. He said that Sarutobi would instruct them to join the cause as well. With than, the two of them headed over to the Mansion to wait for their guests.
As they arrived, they were greeted by Hiashi at the front door. He looked better after having rested for a good while, and smiled at them as they entered.
"Ah, it seems my son-in-law has arrived for a second time today," Hiashi said calmly. "To what do I owe this visit to?"
"Pops, it's time to hold a party!" Naruto said, flashing the older man a 'Gai Smile'. "Recently, I received news about someone that you might also find interesting."
"Oh? Do tell."
"This guy here," Naruto said indicating Claude, "Is my long lost brother that I never knew I had. What do you think about that? You get In-Laws out of me!"
"Impressive, my son. So, tell me about yourself," Hiashi asked, talking to the older of the brothers.
"Well," Claude began slowly, "My REAL name is Claude Uzumaki, as I recently discovered. I'm nineteen, an ANBU captain, and I specialize in swords and knives. I guess you can say that I'm a bit of a kid at heart, so I share that with my brother. I fight at close- to mid-range, using mostly wind jutsus. Other than that, there isn't much to reveal about myself."
"Hmm," Hiashi said, thinking to himself. "You're an ANBU captain? That means you have at least three elemental affinities. What are they?"
"My personal affinities are Wind, Lightning, and Earth. My friends, the other captains, have the remaining elements, making us an effective team."
"I see," Hiashi said calmly. "Well then, I guess it's time to set up that party you requested…Steve!"
The called for Hyuuga stepped out from a room down the left hall, and calmly strode over to the group.
"You called my lord?"
"Yes, gather a small group of ten and organize a party for the arrival of my newest son. There will be amny people here, only the closest to Naruto may join, so begin the décor here in the lobby. Also, instruct my secretary that I will be taking a temporary leave, and that she is to hold all my calls."
"Very well then, my lord."
"He seems…different." Naruto poined out.
"Yes, I had him undergo mental rehab about two days ago. Since everyone had difficult understanding him, I figured it would be best this way."
"Nice plan Pops. That will definitely make things easier. Now it's time to enjoy this party," Naruto said with a smirk.
I.I.I
The party had been an interesting event. It started off good, but soon after it became a mess of things. At first, everyone arrived in pairs of two and three. Simon came with Yoko and Leeron. Viral came with Gimmy and Darry, feeling like a third wheel. Kiba came in with Tenten, Kurenai came with Kakashi close behind her, and Shino came with Akira and Ken. Even Shikamaru made it, still leaning on a crutch. Anko was standing near the bar, asking the bartender what his strongest drink was. The only ones unaccounted for were Hinata, Ino, Sakura, Neji, Lee, Choji, and the Blue Bastard: Sasuke.
Looking around the room, Naruto was surprised to find Neji and Lee there, talking with their sensei. How had he missed seeing them enter? Then Naruto heard a loud commotion over at the buffet table, and knew Choji was there without having to even glance in that direction. Naruto was afraid he might encounter three if he searched for them, but he did so anyway, looking for a certain girl that was close to him. He saw Ino, unfortunately, but she looked like she would play nice for once. So long as Sasuke didn't show up, he knew there would be no trouble from her.
At this, Naruto smirked. He had specifically mentioned to the bouncer not to let a certain chicken-butt-haired, emo boy onto Hyuuga grounds. There would be no depressing people here, at an event that celebrated a momentous occasion.
"So Claude, what do you think?" Naruto asked his older brother. He liked the sound of that, older brother. It made him finally feel like he truly had someone, other than Hinata, that he could truly connect with on a more personal level. "Not bad for a welcoming party, eh?"
"I think you spoil me, little brother," Claude said embarrassed. It felt akward, being treated so kindly.
"Don't like being the center of attention?"
"I guess you could say that."
"Hehe. Man, I have the weirdest brother."
"As do I," Claude said jokingly, grinning at his younger sibling.
The two of them laughed until the firsts of the guests came over to them. Naruto recognized Shikamaru instantly, and for some strange reason, Claude tensed up as he approached. The younger brother looked into the older one's eyes to see a touch of fear, which quickly dissipated. What was all that about.
"Hey Naruto, how's training with Kurenai-sensei?" The lazy genin asked.
"It's fine Shikamaru. Have you met Claude? Turns out he's my older brother."
"Claude? I didn't realize you were Naruto's brother!" Shikamaru exclaimed uncharacteristically.
Neither did I, until recently," The ANBU captain said cooly.
"Wait," Naruto said disbelievingly. " You two actually DO know each other?"
"Claude here came by one day after my unfortunate fight with that ANBU captain. He told me that he was a friend of yours so I assumed that you had snet him."
At the mention of the fight, Naruto saw Claude tense up even more. What was he not telling them. And a couple other things Shikamaru had said disturbed him.
"That can't be right Shikamaru. I only found out about Claude today. But one other thing you just said concerns me. You said he was an ANBU captain? Well, Claude is one as well.""
At this, Shikamaru's eyes widened, then hardened. The two of them turned to the now sweating ANBU. His eyes were darting about, looking for all the escape routes most likely. Then a terrible thought struck Naruto in the chest.
"Claude," Naruto said, struggling to find the right words. "What are you not telling us?"
"I-um…Uh…I think I hear Akira calling for me," Claude stammered. "I think I'll just-"
"Don't try that shit with me 'older brother'!" Naruto spat out, using the term as an insult. " I have enhanced hearing right now. She's giving Shino advice right now. I didn't hear her call you at all, so how could you?"
"Hold on a second Naruto," Shikamaru said. He glared at Claude for a few seconds. Then he finally spoke out. "I thought those eyes looked familiar! I saw these sam eyes stare at me through that demon mask my attacker wore! Naruto, your brother is the ANBU that attacked me!"
I.I.I Author's Notes I.I.I
"Woo! Spring break! Sorry if I take too long on these chapters people. I have a demanding family as well as school, so I find little time to write this tale. Now that I have a week off though, I'll be devoting much more time to releasing the next chapter. Once Summer rolls around though, that's when the story will REALLY pick up.
"On a different note, I'm also considering writing another story. How many of you know about the series 'Warriors' by Erin Hunter? For those of you that don't know the story, it's about these group of cats that live in the wild, guided only by a code and a firm belief that their ancestors are watching them. I can't explain it very well myself, but I would suggest checking it out if you can.
"Anyways, I'm going to be making a fan fiction crossover between Naruto and Warriors. It seems to be something no one has done before (Trust me, I checked.). Keep your eyes open for it. Until then, here is a sneak peek at, 'The Forgotten Prophecy'!"
The Forgotten Prophecy
Prologue 1: The Warning From Above
The wind blew endlessly through the open moorland, carrying a scent of rabbits…and blood. At the base of a tall hill, lies a group of cats, their eyes clouded with worry. Their pelts glittered dully, and shined with the brightness of weak starlight. All around them, their friends and family that still clung to life were fleeing the home they had shared for longer than any cat could remember, chased out by those of a different Clan. This enraged the cats, that these attackers would break the Warrior Code, the rules laid out to guide the Clans down the path of truth and justice, set down long before any of those present could remember.
"Curse those RiverClan bastards!" cried out a light brown tabby tom. His fur bristling in anger. "How DARE they! Driving another Clan from it's home! Why, If I were there I'd-"
"WHAT? What would you do, Reedfeather?" retorted a pinkish gray she-cat. "Do you think that one cat would make a difference against those RiverClan warriors?"
"It wouldn't hurt to try Heatherstar!" growled Reedfeather. "What would you do? Try to TALK with Crookedstar? That arrogant piece of fox dung would just laugh at you, then carve you down to nothing! He has no honor!"
"Enough you two!" hissed a mottled dark brown tom. His yellow eyes bore through them life claws of steel. "It matters not what we would do, it matters only to those that live. Being that we are warriors of StarClan now, and not of WindClan, we cannot interfere in these matters.."
Both Heatherstar and Reedfeather looked taken aback to see the small, gentle tom show such anger. Usually medicine cats were separate from Clan rivalries, sharing all their wisdom and abilities with those that needed it most. Both cats let their fur lay flat on their backs before padding over to the tom. The she-cat was the first to speak.
"You are right Hawkheart. We must not fight amongst ourselves if we are to help our old Clan make it through this time of evil. I apologize Reedfeather."
"As do I, my old leader. No sense in us getting caught up during such a time of strife. Hawkheart, what do you suggest we-"
"Shh!" the small cat hissed. "I feel something. I…I see it. The white and red ones will join, and there will be much turmoil in the forest. Yet in the end, no one will know the truth."
"Hawkheart, what do you mean?" asked Heatherstar.
The dark brown cat turned to her, his eyes shining with knowledge and wisdom. At that moment, the old leader of WindClan knew that the medicine cat had learned of a prophecy. As he spoke, she heard not only his voice, but the voices of many cats.
"Three of two will join together, and end the life of one. The forest will quake to its roots, and yet those that remain will forget."