A.N.- I am starting this story and putting The Heart of Jubi on hiatus for awhile while I collect my thoughts on it. This story, however, should be much simpler. I am trying to make it less complicated, and the pairing has already been decided. I would love to have a Beta on this, if anyone cares to read it, so if you know anyone please help me out by asking them for me. Otherwise, review and let me know what you think, because I've had this idea since Naruto came out, and I'm unsure if it's really similar to anyone else's works before mine. Let me know what you guys think, I'm aiming for ten reviews before my next post. Ja ne~!
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, but I do own both the idea, and the character's I've introduced as OC's.
Prologue/Beginning
It is said that shinobi have lived in the world for many a year, created and given life by a man known as the Rikkudo Sennin, or the Sage of Six Paths. By legend he sealed a great beast away into himself, and gained abilities far greater than any mortal could have imagined. These powers became widespread, and soon many of the strongest men and women in history became followers of this singular man's ways. 'Jutsu' was born. Chakra, known only as the life force that supported the body before this time, became a weapon with a focus on ending lives and causing mass destruction. However, with the Sage still alive no one had a need to use their techniques for any other purpose other than perfecting them and specializing them to their usage. Thus, illusions, healing, fighting, and even manipulating the very elements of the world became available, as clans began to form due to similar strengths in their abilities.
For a time, these powers were only used to better the world, to bring life where destruction had once run rampant. That is, until the day the Sage died in a flood of energy that spread away into nine separate streams, a tenth shooting into the sky in a morbidly wondrous beam. Beasts began to form from where each energy landed, and it was in that moment that the idea of 'darkness' came into being. The tenth beam had formed a humongous orb within the sky, its pale light illuminating the world while its presence bathed it in blinding darkness. Cursed by the newer beasts that roamed the land, the first shinobi were those that hid within the dark curtain of the night where they could sleep in slight peace. The first shinobi, while cowardly, did not use their trained abilities in fear. They knew what would occur if they did, and attracting an 'Akuma' thanks to their impressive display of chakra was something that only brought massacre.
No, the first shinobi used little chakra, relied on stealth, and killed others of their kind only when directly opposed or threatened. It was not until the children, blessed with the blood of the Sage, grew old and combined the powers they'd been given with their shinobi lifestyle, did the shinobi change. Daylight became there's to reign in, flames and earth bent beneath their will and soon the 'Akuma' they'd run from so desperately before were given a name. Instead of fearing the newly dubbed 'Tailed Beasts', the people began to hate them and actively hunt them down. One by one, the beasts the Sennin had sealed away began to disappear, now residing in the darkness of chained existence. Clans no longer wore masks or dark clothing, they did not hide or feel the need to remain awake during the night. Sleep became a nightly routine, instead of training or hunting.
Years passed before the members of the first shinobi all but disappeared, giving way to the flashy antics of their children born not in strife, but a time of great abundance. Those still alive did not live very long, as clans formed due to affiliation with power and began to ransack the land to prove their worth. The land died away as it was coated in chakra, the clouds billowed out black as flames burnt down the small towns and villages of others. Stealth was used for awhile, but sloppy assassinations and a sense of entitlement coupled with the need to be recognized always caused factions to perform ludicrous techniques in the open rather than end a battle with few casualties. All in all, it was no surprise a being like Madara Uchiha would come into the world under the belief that they could hold the world in their palms. Great battles followed in his path towards taking over as the dominant clan, though the Senju were always there to balance them out. Soon, the Senju dominated in the land Hi no Kuni, and the first hidden village was formed, Konohagakure.
Centuries would pass as wars began to encompass the rising shinobi forces, valiant efforts on every side shaping the world into what it would be in the current present time. Madara, still alive through the cruel humor of Kami, forced the release of the most powerful of the sentient chakra beings, the Kyuubi no Kitsune. The Yondaime Hokage, the current and most relatable Hokage to the first generation of shinobi, was forced to use his remaining life to seal away the beast into his own son, watching his wife with a sad smile as they both perished from the wounds they received. Madara's goal had partially been achieved, however, as he left with a plan in mind, while the main target of our story lay in the arms of an aged warrior. A sad, wrinkled smile formed on his face as he coddled the child, shaking him lightly to quell his tears.
_6 Years Later_
A small child lay hidden among the trash and recycling, eyes wary of any of the silhouettes that held flames or sharp objects in their grasp. His skin burned all over, and his sight was blurry, but he knew what was happening around him in general. Keen senses seemed to develop on him at a similar rate of the Inuzuka children, though his were less acute or sensitive. Right now he had a grasp of what was going on around him, but what had occurred earlier in the day had left his mind a small bit rattled. Cursing softly, the blonde-haired child slid from the dented metal bin and further into the alley, scaling a rusted fence when he'd heard no movement for a long while. As he landed silently on the other side, he let out a huff of breath, his mind wandering back to merely hours before this moment.
He had been rolling a small ball the Hokage had given him for his birthday a year or so back, and he hadn't seen the other boys running around the corner. One of them had tripped over the boy, immediately halting all of them in one instance. Each turned to apologize, only to scowl at the smaller boy before them, their apologies turning into loud insults and sneers. Naruto, the blonde-haired child, had never seen the first punch coming until he was on the ground being pummeled by them. He was used to this kind of treatment from the children of the village, which were never as bad as a few bruises or a broken rib or two. Today, for some reason, the boys felt the need to go that extra step further and stop their physical beating for a more permanent pain. Taking the ball, one of the boys took out a practice kunai and began stabbing it in odd intervals in an attempt to burst it.
Naruto, who by now was recoiling in the pain and stinging sensation of his natural healing, was screaming for him to stop while he was held on the ground. Suddenly a loud 'pop' rang out, and his fruitless struggles stopped as his tear-filled eyes fell on the deflated object of his Jiji's affection. He remembered seeing red for a moment, feeling an intense rage that overcame his senses, and in the next moment he stood with bloody knuckles and three or four bodies around him battered and bruised. They were moaning in pain, obviously in loads of physical pain, but they were still alive. What followed next was quite unfortunate as Naruto was forced to flee the area due to a screaming old banshee woman with pink hair calling that 'the fox had been let loose!'
So, he had spent an entire day running from the small mob that had gathered to hunt him down. In the end he'd escaped with no injury, though he was within an area of Konoha he was rather unfamiliar with. Darkness seemed to prevail here along with the smell of rotting vegetables and meat, causing Naruto's body to convulse as he barely held in his lunch. Squinting, he caught sight of a small doorway slightly cracked open, and, with all the innocence a child could muster, entered in belief that it'd be a safe place to dwell. Naruto had a home, yes, but he was smart enough to know that whoever was looking to punish him would be there first, so he had no choice but to wait out the mob. The small alley he'd entered behind the fence was like a small neighborhood, each building closely linked together yet seemingly shaded by its own close quarters. The waning sun gave little to no light, so Naruto never noticed the two figures that stood within a nearby window, glaring at his form as he entered an empty house.
_Several Hours Later_
The feeling of cool metal sliding along his skin awoke a startled Naruto from his dreams in shock, his body shaking for a minute beneath the hold of thin ninja wire. It cut lightly into his skin, eliciting a breathless scream from his lips as he tensed for a moment. Relaxing his form abit, Naruto felt the wires hold on him lessen as the familiar hissing began to emit from his fresh wounds. Silence soon entered the room that was covered in darkness, and Naruto was only left to believe that he'd somehow been found out by the villagers in their conquest to harm him. Defeated, Naruto began to formulate a number of ideas in his head to take away the utter feeling of his oncoming death.
Those thoughts, however, were interrupted by the sound of a cough that alerted him to two separate forms within the room. They were right in front of him, one a good bit taller than the other, yet similar in that both had arrived before him with no sound clad in the darkest of uniforms he'd ever seen. The only sign that either of them were truly there was the small bit of light that glinted off of the smaller ones indigo-shaded orbs, and the light that flashed on the dark metal of the weapon the taller one held. Holding his breath, Naruto felt that familiar fear well up within him, the kind that caused the body to freeze and the muscles to tense. This fear welled up in him so strong that he felt sweat began to pool around his forehead, his heart pace quickening as he stared death in the face.
But, that wasn't the type of person he was. And in that instant he lifted his head and let a hardened (For a six-year old) stare of cerulean direct itself to the two standing before him, yelling as he did. "What do you want with me? As if a shorty, or a tall creeper like you could do anything to me! I'll get out and then I'l-Umph!"
"Urusai~!" The smaller of the two forms had finally had enough of the loud boy's yelling, and proceeded to shove a rather thick rag into his open mouth. Tearing the mask away, the indigo-eyed silhouette revealed itself to be a young girl no older than Naruto, her hair a similar shade to her eyes. "Like you should call anyone 'shorty'! I'm way taller than you!" Her voice rang out loud and clear into his ear, as a muffled yell barely passed his gag, leaving a confident smirk on the girl's face.
The taller figure sighed through its mask, before removing it as well to reveal a man with chestnut brown hair and indigo-colored orbs as well. Signaling the girl to move, he walked to the side of the bed and held the knife to Naruto's throat with no hesitation. When he spoke, a wave of killer intent sent Naruto tense once more, caused partially due to the emotionless tone the man spoke in. "Why have you stepped upon these grounds?"
"I-I…I was ru-running from a mob. They…wanted to hurt me?" He left no room for excuses, and Naruto was just unsure of where exactly he was, leading him to answer hesitantly, questioning even himself in fear.
"If that is true, why did you not leave immediately after?" Once more, the voice sent shivers down his spine. The knife drew blood, the prickling sensation now a dull sting in his thin neck, giving Naruto little room to take a breath lest his neck be stabbed further.
"I was…" He glanced around with a slight red tinting his cheeks as he shuffled nervously, only to tense as a loud 'ahem!' from the girl brought his attention back. "I was scared…only a little bit though! I was gonna rest here, and then beat up everyone who crossed me!"
Chuckling abit, the older male let the knife lift from the boy's throat, before a small bit of killer intent shook Naruto once more. "I am going to the Hokage, meanwhile she will watch you." With a nod of his head, the indigo-haired girl adorned a serious face, unsheathing a small knife of her own before taking the older man's place. "If I find even a bit of your story to be untrue, or the Hokage confirms any sort of devious nature to your character, then I shall personally give her the right to rid you of your life. Til then, ja~" Another chuckle escaped his lips before the mask was reapplied, as the man simply vanished from his spot with no indication of his departure.
"I'm going to remove the rag…Keep your mouth shut, and nothing will come to harm you…yet." To give her credit, she could mask her emotions just as well as the older man before her had, and the ending threat held a promise in it Naruto hoped would not come to fruition. As the rag was removed, and his breath returned to him, Naruto followed her orders and lay in silence.
For about an hour or so, that is. Soon, he found himself twitching, his mouth opening to form words before the sound of metal sliding from a sheath alerted him to her presence once more. The time he'd spent in the darkness allowed him further inspection of her form, seeing as it was all he could do. What she wore was something he'd only seen in story books up until that point, that being the out-dated and once uniform shinobi attire. Arm guards of pure obsidian lay just below her elbow, similar in length to the shin-guards of the same shade. The rest of her outfit was a dark blue, or purple, he couldn't tell yet, though that wasn't what attracted most of his attention. Cerulean constantly met indigo, as he watched her eyes with some unknown curiosity, just before something clicked in his mind.
"You're…a lot like me!" His loud voice caused the girl to jump, as a knife nicked his cheek slightly. Her extended arm quickly recovered, drawing another weapon before she walked up closer to him and held it to his throat.
"What did you say…?"
"What I meant was, you seem lonely! Like…you have no other friends." Naruto's eyes closed quickly in fear of feeling the cold steel slide against his neck. When nothing happened, he let his left eye open slowly to glance at her. What he found was shocking to him, as he witnessed the once confident girl looking out the window with a far-off expression adorning her facial features. Pale moonlight bathed her small form, but to the young Naruto she was the picture of beauty, an angel hidden in the dark.
"I was going to ask…if maybe you'd want to be friends, since you only seem to have one…" That snapped her attention back towards him, as an angry glare painted her face at the moment, a fist slamming down right next to Naruto's cheek.
"And 'why' would I want to be friends with a no good trespasser like yourself?" Her scream echoed throughout the nearly empty room, before a burst of smoke alerted both to the presence of another figure. The chestnut haired man entered while rubbing the back of his head, a knife flicking out of his hand and cutting the wires that held Naruto to the bed. With a relieved sigh, the boy sat up, his chest stinging for a moment for reasons he could not explain. Maybe her declaration had hurt more than he'd thought, but he slipped that into the corner of his mind as he noticed the man throw him a scroll.
"Sorry about the wires, child, but it would seem we've made a misjudgment in your character. You have to understand, we're of a dying 'clan', and any attempted attack on our sacred ground would require this type of action no matter who it may be…Anyway, I talked it over with Hokage-sama, and in that scroll is a written statement allowing you access to this place in times you feel your life endangered…" Walking forward to grasp his knife, the man bowed to Naruto only slightly, just enough to show an apology for the inconvenience. "Otherwise, I entrust you with its location, and believe you won't tell others?"
Nodding slowly, Naruto slipped his legs off the side of the bed, stretching his arms and attempting to get rid of the cramp in his back. The window beside his recent bed showed a small bit of the village Naruto loathed to walk back into for the moment. He loved Konoha to death, and wished to protect it, but his apprehension mainly lay in getting harmed for the second time that day. Despite it being the dead of night, drunks and shady figures were always a possible target audience to his undoing. An idea suddenly hit Naruto as he looked into the dark night, an idea that he was unsure of at first, but was inspired by the girl who stood a few feet away from him with that glare still active.
"Excuse me…" His voice was calm and light as he looked at the older male with closed eyes, body sliding to the floor as he took a low bow. He may be talkative and disrespectful, but he knew where he needed manners and how they needed to be used. "Can you train me to be able to hide, and be strong to protect others? Kinda like you and her? I want to be a ninja…but I'm not sure how I can do that if I have no training. Please, consider this my selfish request in return for keeping your secret.."
Staring at the boy for a moment, they both looked to each other before the older one walked closer to him. The word 'ninja' had caused both to stand still, knowing the past their ancestors had gone through to keep their own lifestyle alive. If this boy wished to be a ninja, a shinobi of Konoha, then they could not stop him. But he wanted to be able to hide and protect, not to be flashy and powerful.
"Very well…" His words brought Naruto's head up with a hopeful glint in his cerulean orbs. "However, you will have to learn our manner of fighting, our way of being a shinobi. The Path of the Unrighteous, those willing to hide in shadows and slit throats or strangle a target, and return home to hug their child with the very same hands. If you are willing, Naruto, then I will teach you…You are to call me Shakou, and her Ankoku, until we can trust you with our true names. For now, let darkness envelop you in sleep, for we begin your training when the moon appears tomorrow."
His words faded into the night as Naruto felt sleep begin to overtake him, both silhouettes disappearing as they had come. No sign of departure, just dispersal into the night. Tomorrow he'd return home and gather his things, and with a smile on his face, Naruto felt he would become strong enough to protect those he wished to protect. Two new people, the Shade and the Darkness, would lead his path. Little did he know just how ancient there powers were, and how powerful of a true shinobi he was to become.