Naruto: Harbinger of Balance

by Harmless Romantic

After being chased into the Forest of Death Naruto finds himself hunted again. This time the hunt will end in a away that will a change in his life that will bring happiness to him and peace for the Elemental Nations.

4. Chapter 4

A.N. – Thank you for the reviews you have graced me with and I have some reviews that have asked me a few questions and I will enlighten them.

Flameus: In regards to what you had asked me to tell you, I can't say because it may cause some of my readers who my review to stop reading my story and then I may lose people who my review later on down the road. If I could find a way to tell just you then I would gladly tell you. I may be able to PM you but I don't know much about how it works or what it is expressly for.

MagicFear: No he is not Jesus. But I had never said that those people will get off scot free because my personal belief is that rapist never truly regret, that and the filth that did that to Naruto only did that to him because they could get away with it. Everyone else may come to regret what they have done to him then they have his forgiveness but as it said in the last chapter they will only be forgiven once. If they ever harm him after he has proven to them that he is not the Kyuubi then they will feel this wrath.

This chapter is the beginning of the 'Harbinger's Birth ark' in the story. This ark will be where he is traveling the world and learning the different type of elements and things about the regions they go to. Now without further a due. The fourth chapter of Naruto: Harbinger of Balance.

"Speaking"

'Thought'

"Demon Speaking"

'Demon Thought'

"Nature Creature Speak"

'Nature Creature Thought'

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. 'bastards.'

Chapter 4:

The Harbinger's Birth

The forest was quiet as the two people trudged through the underbrush. One was small and loud with blonde hair and was clad in orange. The large of the two was tall and quiet. He had on many animal pelts and furs that covered his form refusing others from seeing any farther than the skins. He did not wear any shoes but found walking through such a dangerous forest as the one he was walking in to be not bother, regardless of the many sharp, pointy, and most of the time poisonous plants he stepped upon. They walked on ignoring the many wild beasts that roamed by them, some close enough to touch. Finally the smaller of the two grew bored and began to speak. "Hey Bosh, what are we doing back here? I thought you said that we were going to leave." the young child asked.

"Well Naruto, we are looking for a cave that will lead us to what I think is the cause of this forest's continued existence. You see many of these plants and animals should be extinct. The time that they originally lived in has passed and now, other than the ones that live here, they are no longer alive. This place is one of the few that our Goddess has allowed to continue. You see she never likes having to kill off her own children, for all that live on this earth are considered her children to her, and so she made places like these so that the ones that were not allowed to survive could do just that. The best thing is that God has allowed this because he does not like these creatures to die, even if it is necessary, the thing is if any were to leave the forest then they would turn to ash. It is one of the duties of the Harbinger to protect these places as well. But the source of this place is below it and one of the secrets that the Harbinger keeps from the world because if what created this forest were to get in any mortals hands then they will corrupt it, no matter if they have good intentions or not." The large man explained. The young boy looked at the large man, confused.

"Then why are we going there. I wouldn't want to do anything that would cause this forest to be hurt." Bosh looked down at the boy with a bright and proud smile on his face.

"Naruto, you have just proven again that you would make a great Harbinger. To think about this forest and the creatures that inhabit it than the power that you could gain from the Waters shows that you have a good heart that thinks of others above himself. You should be proud of yourself, like I am." Naruto's head shot up to look at the big man's face. His own face beaming a grin that could split another persons face as he absorbed the words of the grown man.

'He's proud! He's proud of me! Wait why am I so happy? I don't even really know this guy. Who cares someone actually is proud of me for something.' He screamed in his head out of joy. They continued to walk through the forest, looking for the cave that would lead them underground. After hours of walking Naruto began to tire and thus complain. "I'm so bored! Can we do something else? Oh, I know let's play 'I Spy'. I spy with my little eye something… green."

"A leaf."

"Dammit! OK, I spy with my little eye something….. brown."

"Tree bark."

"Dammit! You're cheating somehow."

"No I'm not how could I cheat at this game?"

"Whatever. OK one last time and you'll never get it right. I spy with my little eye something….. dark and cavernous."

"…..OK I lose what are you spying?"

"Duuuh! The cave we are looking for. What else." He said in a smartass tone.

"Jackass." said the large man as he made his way toward the cave. As they came closer something sprung out of the forest and landed in front of the mouth of the cave. "Hold, Protector! I have with me one who has the potential abound to become the next Harbinger. I am taking him to the source of this grand forest so that he may take the final test and pass or fail and lose his life. Either way he will not speak of this place to any man that the Goddess we serve does not deem worthy." The creature stood still, poised to attack. Then all of a sudden it sat down and bowed it's head. Bosh moved toward the mouth as Naruto hesitantly followed behind, warily watching the beast sitting at the entrance of the cave. It caught his glances and made a sound that was reminded Naruto of laughter. The boy huffed and raced after Bosh that had gotten ahead as he watched the animal. When he was out of sight the monstrous beast opened it's mouth and laughed.

"I think that boy will actually do it. Goddess knows we are in need of another Harbinger."

"Hey Bosh, what was that back there? What was that thing?" Naruto asked as he caught up to the big man.

"That, my young friend, was the Protector. There are Protectors that guard the entrances to the Waters that make places like this." He answered.

"What are the Waters?" he asked curiously.

"No more questions until you pass the test. We're almost there." After that he refused to talk anymore. Naruto also stopped speaking when he saw a light at the other end of the tunnel. When they got to the end he saw an expansive cavern with green glowing crystal everywhere. There was a waterfall that came from a wall that became a river that lead to a large lake, one that you couldn't see the other side of and along the walls there entrances that obviously led to exits that wind was blowing in and out from. Finally there was a stand, similar to a dais, near the end of one side of the cavern with a door behind it. "This, Naruto, is the Harbinger's sanctuary where the Harbinger is able to heal not only physically and mentally, but spiritually as well. Can you feel the peace this place holds? If you ever take a person down into one of the Harbinger's sanctuaries then they must never know where you are. The Water that is here is where your people get the myth of the Waters of Life and the Fountain of Youth. The water here, when drunk, can extend a person's life for a time, but if you drink too much you will be bound here and should you step out of the forest then you will turn to ash. Finally a person can only accomplish the final test and become the Harbinger in one of the Sanctuaries. I like to call these places Nature's Havens, because all of the animals can come down here to escape the world above, for a time, because no violence of any kind is allowed here."

"Cool. I do feel what you are talking about. I feel like a place to pray and to honor nature. I feel…. Something." said the boy reverently. Bosh looked at the boy again with pride.

'No one else who had taken the test and gotten this far had been able to feel anything. That must mean that he is suppose to be the new Harbinger, because no natural person would be this in tuned with nature and The World Not Seen.' the large man thought. "OK Naruto, in case this is the last time that we ever see each other should you fail the last test. I just want you to know that I think you would have made an exceptional Harbinger."

"Thank you. Now what do I have to do to start?" he asked looking around while heading for the dais wondering if that was where whatever he had to do was where it would be done on.

"First you must begin meditating and find you center. It's like your mindscape but you must not go into it yet because if you do then you won't be at the proper place to accomplish the test. You see if you become the Harbinger then that is the place that your power will lie. Your center is between your mind, your soul, and your body. When you find it you must throw your being, and by that I don't mean your physical self, I mean your soul and mind into the nature around you. Let it fill you and become part of you and thus realize that you are a part of it. When you do that you must then listen, listen for the voice of Nature that speaks the names and words of those that inhabit the world. Learn from it and gain the knowledge. When all of this is accomplished, all the knowledge will forever be in you center it will be a part of you and you, it. Should this happen then you will awaken a month or so after, and I will tell you what we will do then if you succeed." When Naruto closed his eyes after Bosh was finished speaking he decided that he would not fail.

-SUPER AMAZING TIME SKIP JUTSU ACTIVATE-

Naruto opened his eyes when he felt a slap hit his cheek. "Wake up ya bastard! How many times do I have to tell you to wake up? Are you deaf or something? I hope to Goddess that you aren't deaf because you already look stupid, we can't go having a deaf and stupid Harbinger around making more trouble than good." Naruto looked up at the woman who had slapped him awake.

"Who the hell are you and what are you doing here? No one is suppose to be down here." He said with wonder about how she got down here.

"Great, not only is he stupid he's blind too. At least we know he's not deaf since he's able to hear me speak. Well Mr. Harbinger-Sir if you had any eyes and actually saw what I look like then you will see I can come down here." she said with a huff in her voice. Naruto looked her up and down. She was a little bigger than he was, she also had a pair of insect-like wings, close to butterfly wings, and had what looked like feathers growing in her hair. But the most noticeable of her features was that she was totally naked.

"What the hell! Put some clothes on for Goddess sake! Wait did I say Goddess?" he asked rhetorically. The strange girl sighed as she could tell that he was more worked up about her lack of wear and not that she was flying in mid-air.

"Well I guess that is to be expected. Not many people see us sylphs much anymore so I guess it is understandable that you are repulsed by how I look. I can tell you the reason you said Goddess is because she is now your Goddess she is the one that will take you away when you die." She explained. Naruto took a second to compute what she said.

"Who told you that I'm repulsed? The only reason I acted like that is because you're naked, which for some reason doesn't bother me any more. I personally think you're hot. As for the Goddess thing,… whatever."

"Really you think I'm hot?" she asked blushing.

"Oh Goddess, get a room you two if you're gonna have a love fest in here." Naruto looked where the new voice was coming from and saw what looked like a bearded kid. Naruto looked at the person for a while before the guy said, "Take a picture it'll last longer 'cause I don't swing that way."

"What does that mean, and what exactly are you?" he asked politely while trying not to insult them. He looked around to see if there were any more. One was sitting on a rock looking in the water at her reflection. She had long dark hair and pale skin, the strange thing was that she had a fish tail instead of legs and when she looked up and noticed that she was being looked at she primped her hair and struck a pose and wiggled her fingers at him, she had lightly webbed finger and she lacked any form of clothing as well. Next was what seemed to be a flaming lizard that looked a bit worried, what was strange was that it didn't burn. Then there was the girl that slapped him awake. She had delicious dark-chocolate colored skin and blonde hair with feathers growing it. The wings on her back were from a butterfly, but bigger. After her was the bearded kid. Naruto looked harder and saw it was just a short, sickly old man that seemed healthy at the same time. The last was something that made Naruto jump back in shock while shrieking. It was a horse that came out of nowhere into his face, the weird thing was it was made out of what looked like lightening. After seeing all of the strange strangers Naruto began to look faint.

"Oh no you don't!" said the dark skinned girl. She reached over to him and pulled until she was in his face and shook him yelling. "Don't faint. What ever you do don't faint."

"Who, and what, are all of you?" He asked. Each of the strangers looked at each other.

"Bosh probably left before he woke up. That means that jerk left us to explain stuff. That's so like him." said the fish-girl on the rock. "OK. Now what is your name my Lord?"

"My name is Naruto and why are you calling me your Lord?" he asked. Each of them looked like they thought they were being pranked.

"Is your name really fishcake?" asked the short man incredulously, like he couldn't believe someone had such a weird name.

"It's written as maelstrom!" he yelled. He hated it when people called him fishcake.

"Oh thank Goddess. I had thought your name was actually fishcake. That would be embarrassing. Anyway because Bosh didn't tell you anything when you woke up the first time we'll have to tell you. There are five different elemental spirit species, the sylphs,' which the butterfly-girl struck a pose. 'the gnomes,' the short man grunted. 'the salamanders,' the lizard's flames grew brighter. 'the ifrits,' the horse whinnied. 'and my race, the undines.'She said as she wiggled her tail. "Each race embodies an element. The undines are the 'children of the water,' the salamanders are the 'dragons of fire,' the sylphs are the 'people of the winds,' the ifrits are the 'thunder of the sky,' the gnomes are the 'workers of the earth.' All of these were people made to have a conscious control of these elements so that they won't go out of control. Next are the Bijuu. The Bijuu are the manifestations of the life energy of the Juubi, an ancient primordial creature that ruled the world by destroying all others. The Juubi was sealed away by the first Harbinger, the one you know as the Rikudo Sennin, and its life force was spilt into nine beings, the Bijuu, and given consciousness to work as the forces of destruction in Nature, the opposite of you, and to stop anyone from reuniting them and resurrecting the Juubi, for Goddess knows what reason. Some things have happened that Bosh has told us that he was informed of by our Goddess that worries us all. The Bijuu have all been sealed away, this is bad because that makes them vulnerable, and opens the possibility of the Juubi's return and the destruction of the world. Bosh told us that what she and God have decided to do is that the Harbinger is to find all of the Jinchuuriki, I think that is what you would call them, and allow them to become the new Bijuu. This is good news because if this happens then that would make the Juubi's seal permanent because his life force would have been replaced with the new Bijuu. Finally the Harbinger is on the same level of command as Bosh, who is the right hand man of our Goddess. He or she has the duty of protecting the Havens, as Bosh calls them, and the five elemental species, which hasn't been going to well since we haven't had a new Harbinger in a long time but we'll get to that later. The Harbinger also issues and obeys the orders of our Goddess, the Goddess of Nature and our Mother Nature. Her orders supersede those that are given to you by all others. But the utmost duty you have is to stop those that pervert and corrupt the laws of nature and laws of God. The Harbinger has control of all of the elements and weather if you need something like fire then just will it to be and use it at will these are useful but you need to learn how to use them properly before use them or you could cause more harm than good. Not only that but as far as controlling the weather goes you will have to tread carefully because tampering with the weather can cause catastrophe elsewhere, so only do that as a last resort. So that is about it, if you have any questions then Bosh will tell you if he can remember. Did you get all that?" she asked. When she asked her question Naruto gave her a look.

"No, I got it all. Now if you will excuse me I think I will pass out now." When he finished his sentence he passed out from information overload. None of the elementals looked surprised that he had done that, like they expected him to do that. It was then that Bosh walked in whistling a snappy tune and looked like he was about to start skipping. He saw them looking at him like he was crazy and he stared back like what he did was normal.

"Where the hell were you?" asked the gnome.

"I was getting me some food while I wait for him to finally wake up." He replied. He saw the looks that they all gave him. "He woke up didn't he? Dammit!"

"I guess we'll have to wait until he wakes up again. He passed out from information overload is my guess. That and I think that was his first time waking up." Said the undine, and wait they did.

-HE'S TOO LAZY TO NOT DO A TIME SKIP?-

"Motherfucker!" Was the first thing Naruto said when he came to. All the males laughed, while all the females blushed at his wake-up greeting. "That was too much info, but thank you for telling me. Now I have some questions. First is why is it that you ladies aren't wearing anything? I thought that women are against anything perverted."

"Well my Lord, unlike human women undines and sylphs prefer not to where anything at all it feels a lot better and no, women aren't against anything perverted we all, with some exceptions, prefer to be perverts with in private than in public." replied the undine.

"So basically when it comes to being perverts women and men are the same and the only difference if the location. Then why is if a man is being a pervert in public a woman, or women, will beat up the man and call him a pervert. That would mean that most, if not all, women are hypocrites." When he finished you could hear a pin drop.

"Are you saying that we are wrong to do that?" asked the sylph in a dark voice.

"Not at all, I'm saying that you should only hit them, not because they are being perverts, but when they are being so in public. If you don't hit them for the right reason then you are just as wrong as they were." He said. "In fact now that I think about it, I think that women take for granted what they have occasionally. I've seen wife and girlfriends hit their significant other when they could simply tell the other person what they did wrong instead of harming them. If that person truly loves you then wouldn't they listen to you because they wouldn't want to hurt your feelings? You never see a man hit the girl or woman that he loves because they did something wrong. Now I'm not saying a good threatening isn't need to straighten out a guy, I know that some guys out there are a bit thick when it comes to women. Like me." He ended with an embarrassed grin and him scratching the back of his head. The men in the room looked at the boy in pity, thinking that this would be the last day of his life, what shocked them near dead was when both women bowed their heads in shame.

"Gale I think he has a point. If Rain really likes me as much as I think he does then why wouldn't he listen to me? When this meeting is over I think I'm going to go home and give him a gift he'll never forget for letting me do that and never getting mad at me. Lord Naruto I would like to thank you for what you said." Her head was still bow low. Naruto saw this and walked over to the river. He sat down at the edge and looked at her.

"There is no need to thank me. Thank yourself, you did not he to listen to what I said it was just my thoughts on the subject you don't need to think what I said true it was merely my opinion. If it works then you and your love may have a happier life together. If not you were probably happy the way you were before you heard what I said. Now what is you name?" he asked.

"Her name is Mist and my name is Gale. I too would like to thank you for what you said. When I find someone to love then I won't use them as a punching bag. I'll make sure to tell all the girls I know what you said and you can bet that Mist will as well" Gale looked at the wise boy and knew that he would do great deeds in the world. The two men looked at the boy who may have saved the future generation of men from have to worry about brain damage with awe and reverence.

"Oh, ladies, just so you know you should probably still pass down any anti-pervert techniques to future generations for the worst of men like molesters, rapists, and the like. I believe that guys like that don't deserve what makes them men, so strange perverted men are free game to anti-pervert women." He said with a devilish smile that women tried to mimic but failed when they started to get hot under the collar. "Alright the next question is to Bosh. Why is it that I can look and look at two of the most beautiful woman that I have ever seen and I am not dying in a pool of my own blood?" he asked. Both Gale and Mist blushed up a storm at the fact their new Lord thinks their attractive.

"Well the reason that hasn't happened yet oh Mr. Smooth is because you don't find them to be suitable mates for yourself." He answered.

"Mates? What are you talking about?" Naruto had a complete look of confusion on his face.

"Now I remember you were never given 'The Talk' because you didn't have any parents to tell you." Bosh said. Not realizing how bluntly he put it until Mists fist hit him over the head. It was then that he noticed Naruto looking out over the water with a dead look in his eyes.

"Bosh." He said in a hollow voice. "If you ever say something like that in that way again, then you will suffer for it. As I have said to Auntie Saruna I can only forgive so much, but there are some things that should never be forgiven such as raping another person, in any way. Even worse, raping a child; this I know first hand that that person can not and should not be forgiven, for if you do then they will take away the innocence of others as well." The elementals were shocked and infuriated that anyone would do that to anyone, let alone there king. Naruto saw their fury and spoke. "No justice will be brought down upon them, not vengeance. Down upon them and all those that do not beg forgiveness will find that only pain will awaits them when my patience runs out. I have suffered too much for them to save them anymore." This caused the spirits to feel uneasy. Mist walked up to him and wrapped her arms around him.

"I'm sorry. I am so sorry that they did that to you, but don't let them win. Don't let them dry your tears away forever. Live your life, not as a shadow of yourself, but as what you want to and not as they make you. You will win because you are stronger than anything that they can throw at you. I know this because you have gone through so much yet you have not broken." She said not knowing that with her words she had saved the lives of so many, that she had saved the soul of that young man with her faith in him, in her new Lord.

"Back on topic." Naruto said suddenly startling those around him. Those gathered could see the power rolling off of him, the power and goodness. "Now I may not know a lot about the physical difference and things that are not outwardly noticeable, but I do know about sex 'cause she kept me there for a couple of months. But I digress, what does 'mate' mean?"

"I'll tell you the specifics later when we get on the road but a mate is the equivalent of a wife. It doesn't have to be something physical that makes them unsuitable. It is up to your newly awakened instincts that lead you to a person who could be a good mate for you. But is up to you in the end if they become your mate, and I'll tell you this. In the world you live in now it doesn't matter to anyone if you have multiple mates or not. As long as the other is not forced to mate with you then it is fine. Of course you may not be interested, I don't know." He said with wiggling eyebrows.

"Maybe, I'll just go with the flow on this." He said with a wink to Mist, who giggled. "But more on this. What 'newly awakened instincts' are you talking about?"

"Well when you became the new Harbinger you also opened your previously dormant animalistic traits that most humans have locked away, for Goddess knows what reason, as time progressed." He said.

"I think I can explain. I have a lot of time on my hands when I'm hiding from the mobs, so I just think about stuff. Well I think the reason that they have locked these traits away is because they reason. They think that reason is more reliable than instincts and can help and do more. But in truth reason can complicate things more than solve them and cause confusion. Then again reason can keep you alive as much as instinct can. Whatever." Naruto explained as he looked out across the lack seeing large fins rise up out of the water and decided not to go swimming later.

"As insightful as your opinions are Naruto I think this could go a lot quicker if you shut up with the philosophy." Bosh said as he glared at the boy. He just shrugged in return.

"Well anyway. The next question is why are all of you here? I mean I'm glad you're here 'cause you all seem like nice people. Well except for Silent Sam over there. Hey do you even talk?" he asked.

"Well we're here because we are your 'liaisons', so to speak, for each of our races. We are to teach you about our races customs and traditions so that you will not insult someone in power of that race and cause strained relations. As far as the ifrit and the salamanders go, well they as ways find a way to talk to the Harbinger somehow. Other than that I personally came to tell you that you need to get as strong as you can if you're to rebalance this world when you have people like Orochimaru and Madara Uchiha to kill, how I know this will have to wait till later when you can use the information that I have to give you. Otherwise you will do something stupid and doom us all. Yes, I do talk, I just prefer to listen. The name is Doto." He said. Naruto looked at Doto with curiosity and a thoughtful expression.

"Alright Doto, I will wait until you decide that I am strong enough to gain the knowledge from you. If anyone wishes to help me in anyway then please do so, but not behind my back, because I will need all of your help to not end up dead and this world and smoking heap of rock." He said half joking and half serious.

"Lord Naruto I have something else to say. I know this much about what is happening in the world right now, each of us elemental spirits are having problems as a race with the activities of the humans we live near and in some cases are having internal disputes and troubles within our own people. While we would like our troubles to end as quickly as possible, now that you are the new Harbinger our duty is to make sure you are safe and protected so you can grow stronger and do your duty to use all." Gale said.

"Gale I vow this here in front of you all, and I want you to tell your people that I will help them. That I will not stop until all of your kind are at peace again, and you will never again worry about the future." He spoke. Those around him looked at him with respect, disregarding his age, but seeing that strength he held.

"Well kid if you going to want to back that up then we should get going or we'll never be able to start your training." Bosh got up and threw a back pack at the boy, knocking him over and causing the others to laugh as the sight of their protector squirming around while cursing Bosh.

"Fine, let's go already I want to see where we're going next. I'll see all of ya'll again soon, I hope. Don't forget to write." Said the young Harbinger as he and Bosh walked into a cave mouth and disappeared.

A.N. – Oh My God! That last part is not something that I really like but…. Anyway I hope you liked this chapter and that it answered any questions that might have lingered in your mind from the last chapter. I will make the next chapter soon and it will be better than this one (I hope). Until next time.

p.s.: A.N. - REVIEW OR I'LL SICK THE JUUBI ON YOU!