Chapter 3- hope you like it. Please vote in the poll on my profile. Also, check out my other story 'Naruto, the Birth of a Bounty Hunter.' I am still looking for ideas for the question posted on it. Thanks!
The new Mizukage [not the one responsible for the bloodline purge] was staring at his calendar and deciding that he was not having a good year. His predecessor had turned out to be Orochimaru in decade, so he could weaken Mist- hence the bloodline purge. Shaking his head, he sighed and thought that at least he had managed to save some clans. Unfortunately, all the really powerful ones had died. He also made it known that the 7 Swordsman of the Mist were no longer conceited traitors. Shaking his head once more, the Mizukage thought that what he really needed was bloodlines. For a moment, he stared sightlessly around the room, questions churning around his brain. A weary, futile feeling threatened to overwhelm him. To shake it off, he stood and walked over to the window. He looked out with little interest until he saw a group of traders coming into town. "Well, at least they still had trade and good supplies." he thought. The Mizukage knew that bloodlines just didn't come up to a village, go to the 'kage's office and say "Hey, I have a bloodline. I want to become a member of this village. All right?" Shaking his head, the Mizukage allowed himself a small smile at his fancy. While it was a fantasy, it would be oh- so much easier if it could happen that way!
Walking into the hidden Mist village, Naruto was looking around at all the new sights. It was similar to Konoha, but the buildings were shorter and painted like the ever-present Mist. It made it hard to tell where the village ended and the Mist began. Craning his neck to see more, Naruto traveled a few more feet into town, but then he stopped dead as he smelled something. A smell that had haunted his dreams many a night. His other senses forgotten, Naruto took a long whiff, them broke out into a huge grin. Ramen noodles! His stomach began to growl hungrily and his mouth watered, drool dripping from his long teeth. Following his nose, he quickly made his way towards the noodle stand in the village square. He was suddenly and almost fiercely glad he still had the money he took with him from Konoha.
As Naruto sat down to order, he checked to see that he still had his hood up (for obvious reasons- with his new "look" people might think he was more interested in them than the noodles!). Having ordered and assured himself that his noodles were on the way, he glanced around the square. It was a fairly active day with people bustling around going about their every-day business. It could have been any day in Konoha. No-one seemed to be giving him a second look, so Naruto began to relax.
With several empties and one new bowl of noodles in front of him, Naruto had relaxed enough to begin to savor the rest of his meal (the first several bowls he had bolted). As he enjoyed the salty goodness of his noodles, he gave some thought to his situation. He had not really thought about what he might do once they reached the village. He had strictly concentrated on getting the travelers safely there. Once they had arrived, he had separated from them as quickly as possible and then, well, that enticing aroma had hi-jacked him! Naruto grinned to himself. Now, though, he realized that he had some responsibilities that came along with his bloodline. "I should probably go visit the 'kage to see about becoming a ninja." he thought.
Naruto knew that it would be hard, after all it had been common knowledge that Mist people did not like bloodlines. As he scraped up the last few noodles in his bowl, Naruto decided that he might as well get the duty over with sooner rather than later. As he paid, his eyes searched above the buildings around the square and soon spotted the Mizukage Tower. Standing up, he stretched, checked that his hood was still in place, then started towards the tower. As he approached the tower, he listened to the conversations going on around him in the increasingly crowded street. His eyes widened, when he heard that Orochimaru caused the bloodline purge and that Mist wanted bloodlines- and wanted them badly! Chuckling under his breath, he felt relieved. This wouldn't be as bad as he had anticipated. He would have smiled if he could, but settled for grinning to himself.
As Naruto entered the tower and walked up the many stairs to the 'kage's office, he began to second-guess his decision. He had to admit to himself that he was suddenly scared out of his mind. He had never met a 'kage besides the Hokage, but what he knew of the others was enough to make anyone nervous. How would he explain himself? Perhaps the 'kage would take one look at him and scream for his death. He knew he barely looked human now. He paused and shook himself out of his sudden panic. He firmly reminded himself that THIS 'kage was supposed to be desperate for bloodlines, according to the conversation he had overheard. Pulling his hood more securely forward and taking a deep breath, he approached the secretary. Taking one more deep breath, Naruto cleared his throat and spoke "I would like to see the Mizukage."
Without looking up from his paperwork, the secretary replied in a bored tone "State your business with the Mizukage."
Clearing his throat again, Naruto tried for a firm tone "It's about becoming a shinobi for Mist."
The secretary's head popped up in surprise. With wide eyes, he quickly, but covertly looked Naruto over, then bustled into the kage's office. The Mizukage was trying to bring order to the piles of parchment on his desk (he sometimes felt they were his worst enemy) when his secretary burst in and told him that a man was here, asking to become a ninja for Mist. He straightened in surprise as his eyebrows flew up. The statement had taken him so off-guard that for a moment he was speechless (something that VERY rarely occurred). It quickly passed, though, and he tried to grill his secretary for details, but apparently the man had very few. Rolling his eyes at the hapless secretary, he demanded to know who would come up and just ask to become a shinobi. Finally, he flapped his hands at the man and told him to bring the guest in- immediately! As his secretary hurried from the room, the Mizukage quickly thought over his options in the upcoming conversation. He decided that he would talk to the stranger in a friendly tone and try not to appear too eager so as to not scare away potential ninja. He rubbed his hands as he felt a lifting of the heavy burden he had been carrying. "This could be our salvation." he thought.
Naruto was still standing in front of the empty desk when the secretary came hurrying back out and said " He will see you now" before reseating himself. While the secretary's head was bowed over his paperwork, Naruto could feel his eyes following him as he walked towards the 'kage's office.
Naruto paused briefly in front of the door, squared his shoulders, then opened it wide. He did not step in yet, but quickly looked over the room. There was a couch on the left and on the right wall were pictures of each succeeding Mizukage. Naruto noticed that one had shurikens stabbed into it (like a dart board). A massive oak desk dominated the room near the middle, piled high with parchment sorted into haphazard stacks. Two wooden chairs were arranged in front of the desk and a large leather-bound one in back held the Mizukage. His face was drawn and lined with deep wrinkles and his red, pinched eyes spoke of sleepless nights and unpleasant dreams. He had a long, pure white goatee and he was wearing shapeless gray robes. As he spotted Naruto, he waved him in with a hopeful smile. He then spoke in a fast, but friendly voice "Greetings. Now what is it that you can offer me and this village of value? Did you have ninja training before you came here? What village did you come from?" This was all said with no discernable pause for breath.
Naruto swayed back on his feet from the flood of questions, but the tone had been friendly enough, so he replied slowly and deliberately "My name is Croc now. I was from Konoha, but I do not live anywhere now. I have a summing contract and know the Rasengan and shadow clone, plus basic academy jujitsu. I possess a new bloodline that…" Here Naruto paused as he searched for the words to explain. "Well, it kind of made me look like a crocodile."
The Mizukage barely heard anything that came after "new bloodline." He was too busy mentally thanking every god he could think of for the new bloodline standing before him. Naruto noted the relief flooding the face of the Mizukage and his shoulders relaxed visibly. The 'kage strove to keep the glee out of his voice, but he was like a kid on his birthday and would have been bouncing on his seat in anticipation/excitement were his bones not too old to do so. "Well, what does this bloodline do?" he asked.
" Well, it has increased my strength, speed, and endurance. It give me the ability to stay underwater for hours, and an alliance with the crocodiles. It also gave me scaly skin, razor sharp claws, and VERY pointy teeth." As he spoke, he removed his hood (tensing up again as his face was revealed). However, the Mizukage did not recoil in disgust or fear. Instead, his eyes widened with what appeared to be surprise and joy.
The Mizukage was thinking that Croc looked intimidating and that all those additions would make him a grand shinobi! He was at least chuunin rank, just because of two jujitsu standings, but his bloodline was what made him invaluable to Mist. Grinning openly, the 'kage spoke "I will give you the chuunin rank and assign you to a team. I will also appoint someone to help teach you more. We want you to become the best you can be." He paused thoughtfully, then spoke again. "Your teammates will be Nazo and Fumiko. Your sensei will be Kei Tamou."
Naruto for his part was shocked. That had been very easy. His life had just been rearranged- again. He felt an enormous relief that he was not hated- at least not here- for his appearance. His cocky self reappeared and he did his version of a smirk while he thought "This is going to be interesting!"
Well, that is chapter 3. I hope you like it. Please review- I take your comments to heart! Also, can someone please tell me where Isaribi lives? I missed that episode. By the way, I tried to get clever with Nazo's name. See if you can discover my inspiration (hint- it lies in anime's roots). His name will clue you in to his role in later chapters.