Disclaimer: I don't owe anything. Except for a stupid dog.
Chapter 2
It had been the Shodaime who had designed the Primary Council Room of Konoha. In some ways the room reflected the conflicting times in which the village was born. The mellow unadorned walls seemed out of sync with the stern ebony tables and straight backed chairs.
It was an imposing room, one that had overseen a thousand debates, one that had watched over four generations. Its furniture was slightly worn and the table chipped around the edges, mute witnesses of many secrets.
No Hokage who followed the Shodaime had attempted to alter the council room, not after the advice the Nidaime imparted to the Sandaime.
"Saru, whatever you do, don't throw out the chairs. They are the only things that will keep you awake through the council meetings."
The Third tried not to fidget, realizing for the umpteenth time the merit in the Nidaime's words. Still, two decades had not made the chairs any more bearable for his posterior. The only consolation was that the others were just as comfortable.
"Repeat that part again." The slight command in the soft voice was almost unmistakable.
"Yes, Danzo Sama."
There was an imperceptible quiver in the ANBU's voice before he launched into his report.
Sarutobi felt the boy's voice wash over him, almost like a distant buzz in his ears, smiling eyes unobtrusively glancing over circular expanse of the table, carefully fishing in troubled waters.
Koharu was leaning slightly on her chair. Her delicate eyebrows were pulled down in slight frown as she watched the ANBU give his report.
Homura looked like he always did, irritated, his drooping eyes fixed on the ANBU from over his thick rimmed spectacles.
And Danzo …
Well, Danzo was an interesting case.
Sarutobi never quite understood how Danzo managed to pull off that peculiar expression. His singular visible eye was perpetually crinkled in a laugh and yet his thin lips were always curved in an unfeeling droop, the mere parody of a smile, mocking and superficial.
The ANBU had finished his recital and now waited patiently for further orders.
"You're excused." Sarutobi smiled at the standing ANBU.
The masked ninja bowed before melting soundlessly into the ground leaving Sarutobi and the council members alone in the giant hall.
"So…" Homura began squarely, in the slow deliberate manner which was uniquely his. "The boy went out of Konoha to play hide and seek." His eyebrows knitted into a frown. "What were the ANBU doing?"
Now that was a question that troubled Sarutobi himself, more so because he did not have an answer to it. He never did like not having answers. With deliberate care he chose to skirt around his former teammate's question.
"He was retrieved by the ANBU and brought back without a scratch."
It was a statement; Sarutobi knew it sounded more like compensation or an excuse. God knows he hated making excuses, especially in front of the Council.
"We shall have to examine Miyabi Gokuro's purpose as well." Koharu's soft voice was the first to break the silence that had descended on the room like the winter fog.
"The girl did not have a purpose." There was a slight upturn in the downward curve of Danzou's lips. "She must have been instructed to avoid the child and merely concocted an excuse to do." He turned towards Sarutobi. "Children can be unknowingly very cruel sometimes."
The temperature of the room dropped by a few degrees.
"My offer still stands" Sarutobi had yet to know a man who could make blend submissiveness and mockery so expertly. "Hokage-sama."
Sarutobi did not allow his smile to waver, yet under the flowing sleeves of his robe his fingers curled into fists.
"Your help is appreciated Danzou." His voice was pleasant. "However, it shall not be necessary."
The shadows seemed to accumulate on Danzou's square frame, highlighting the bandages that were wrapped around the greater part of his scarred face testifying the countless battles he had fought and won.
"I can help the boy."
"Help?" Sarutobi repeated, allowing the barest trace of sarcasm to seep into his voice.
"Sarutobi" Koharu's voice was slightly coaxing. "I think Danzou's idea has merit."
"Possibly." Sarutobi smiled, not his usual kind way, his tone had a kind of crushing finality. "But I stand by what I said earlier. While Danzou's help is greatly appreciated, it shall not be necessary."
"Hmm. In that case." Homura rested his chin over his interlaced fingers. "The child must be placed under strict surveillance. We must allow a situation like this to repeat itself again."
"I agree. The child must be kept under surveillance for his … special condition."
Koharu lifted a wasted hand to tuck an escapee lock behind her ears, reminiscent of one of her more charming manners. "It is for the safety of the child we must carefully regulate his movements …"
"He is only six years old." Sarutobi interrupted; never had the etiquette to be followed by every Hokage chaffed him so much. "I do not think he will appreciate your concern for his …err… safety."
"Then, listen to Danzou." Homura's drooping eyes were fixed on his face. "Given the situation, his is the best solution."
"Hmm." It was not always that he felt the weight of his age. "I wonder."
"I believe that it's for the best, Hokage-sama" Danzou's voice was a whisper. "I will give Konoha a weapon to be reckoned with."
Both Koharu and Homura nodded their heads in agreement. Sarutobi's face had become etched with grim lines. He did not like where the conversation was headed.
"Naruto is not a weapon."
"Not yet" The voice was mocking as a single thick eyebrow pulled down over the heavy lidded eyelid.
Sarutobi's nostrils flared slightly.
"I appreciate your concern for Naruto's wellbeing and I believe that I have a solution that will be acceptable to all present." His voice was pleasant enough and he carefully chose to ignore Danzou's words. "I have arranged for Naruto to join the academy next year. Meanwhile, Naruto will be assigned two Elite ANBUs to watch over him." He pushed forward the files resting in front of him. "Please, feel free to go over their profiles. I am sure that you will find them, for this purpose, most suitable."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
The streets seemed to be painted in shades of amber and orange, crumbling around the edges like burnt paper. Naruto thought that everything looked pretty much weird, almost like he was looking at a yellow world through frosted glass, all blurry and unclear.
A soft breeze ruffled his hair, moving down the empty streets. The familiar buildings lined the road, open windows staring down at him like sightless eyes, the busy stalls vacant and dead.
It was suffocating, the silence that surrounded him. He did not know when he started running, bare feet thudding on the cobbled stones.
"Hello." His voice was desperate, something pricked at the corners of his eyes. "Somebody… Anybody."
He skidded to a halt. He could finally see them, walking on the street at the very end of the alley. A slow smile started forming on his lips, as he started to run forward, stumbling in his hurry.
He grasped at a man's shirt, almost like a dying man grabs at a piece of straw to stay afloat. The half formed words died in his mouth, for the man's unseeing eyes seemed to look straight through him, not even registering the pull on his shirt or the blue cerulean eyes that so desperately scanned his face.
Naruto paled.
'What is going on?'
He let go of the man's shirt, rushing to from one person to another, pushing, yelling, screaming… pleading. He began to feel suffocated again, lonely in a crowd, trapped in some invisible bubble. They jostled past him, busy and noisy and yet, passing through his hands like water when he tried to grasp it.
He choked back the sobs, blinking away the tears.
'I will not cry. I will not ...'
The tears came unbidden, unwanted, fat droplets washing away the streets like a picture of ink in rain. The world faded to a dark void, colorless and empty.
'Are you hurting?'
The voice came from the very depths of the void, like the rumble of distant thunder, deep and forbidding. Something stirred in the darkness.
Naruto shivered, suddenly feeling cold.
There was a sound, like metal scraping on stone floor.
'Then come to me.'
Naruto stumbled back, eyes widening, before he turned on his heels and started to run. The void stretched endlessly in front of him and the thing in the darkness started to laugh.
'Run then, little one. Run.'
"No …Stop!"
Cerulean eyes shot open, as Naruto sat bolt upright. Sweat trickled down his brow, his breath came in gasping shudders. For a while the world looked unfamiliar to his distraught brain and he stared unseeingly at the faded colors and peeling plaster of his Spartan apartment.
Slowly his breathing returned to normal and he sat very still, pale hands gripping the threadbare sheets with surprising strength. Golden brows knitted in a sudden decision as the sheet went flying and he landed on the wooden floor in an ungraceful heap before rushing to the window.
Shaky hands pushed aside the curtains.
Konoha was bathed in the soft light of the morning sun, bustling with life. Carts rattled on with their wares, peddlers shouted their fares, regular bickering ensued, ninjas went about on their duties and laughter and shouts echoed from the street below…
'It was all a … dream!' He let out a soft sigh of relief. 'Just a dream.'
There was a half smile on Naruto's face as he watched a day in Konoha unfurl before him, his eyes thoughtful and guarded, suddenly appearing too aged on his youthful face.
With another soft sigh he let go of the curtains, moving in the general direction of the bathroom.
It was only when he was halfway through cleaning his teeth that realization dawned on him, hitting him with the force of an oncoming mallet.
"Mnnfk …" Blue eyes widened and he spat the water out and stared at his reflection in the cracked mirror. "I'll be late!"
He rushed around in his room akin to a blonde whirlwind of activity hardly pausing to select an overlarge white t-shirt and bright orange pants from his extremely limited wardrobe, before grabbing his backpack and making a beeline for the door.
"Gama chan." He skidded to a halt before backtracking. Reverently he picked up a thin frog wallet and added it to the miscellaneous items in his backpack. "I cannot leave you behind."
Where he was going he needed Gama chan.
He surveyed his unkept room before locking the door with a click. He inhaled deeply; lips curling into the usual sunny smile.
He walked slowly, gazing at his sandaled feet as he assumed the direction of Ichiraku's ramen shop. He probed into his large pockets and brought out his most prized possessions, two brand new Ichiraku ramen vouchers … Jiji's vouchers.
"We're here."
Naruto opened a bleary eye as the gentle voice nudged him out of his slumber.
"Ehhhh?"
His mouth parted slightly as he took in the familiar giant gates, traveling over the wooden panels before returning to rest on the white mask of the ninja who cradled him in his arms.
"When did we get here?"
The whiskered cheeks puffed a little, the last thing he could recall was being picked up from the ground by Jiji's ninja's.
There was a soft chuckle and the masked face lowered a little.
"While you were sleeping, Naruto-kun".
"Hnn."
Naruto nodded, accepting the explanation offered, his eyes wandering to the gates once more.
'Jiji!?'
Cerulean eyes brightened.
"Sarutobi-jiji" He screamed on top on his lungs and lunged at the third Hokage.
Withered hands enveloped him in a fierce hug, before resting on the unruly golden mop.
"We were very worried Naruto." The old man's voice was softly chiding.
"I'm sorry." He did not sound very sorry, blue eyes gazed into wasted grey orbs. "But guess what?"
"What?"
Naruto leaned forward conspiratorially, "I met a bad man." He whispered into the Hokage's ear.
"So how is my favorite customer?"
Naruto jerked up from his reverie, eyes crinkled into a sunny smile as he clambered on to the tall stools in front of one of his most favorite haunts.
"Hey Uncle Teuchi."
Teuchi nodded, leaning forward over the stall.
"So what do you want today?"
"Give me your biggest bowl of ramen." He spread his hands to emphasize his point. He bit his lips, for a moment deep in thought. "Two of your biggest bowls of ramen." He laid the coupons on the table. "And pack 'em up."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Kisame crouched at the edge of a lake, savoring the feel of the cold water on his face. For a while sunken eyes studied the face staring back at him from the crystal blue surface, taking in the jagged lines which defined the harsh profile.
'I like blue.'
He snorted, reaching for the hilt of his great sword, a smile hovering around the edges of his cruel mouth.
Samehada throbbed in his hands.
'All right. I'll admit that I'm mildly curious.' He shrugged, lifting the great sword off the ground in a fluid arc. 'After all it's not every day that some one dodges Samehada.' A chuckle rose from deep within his self. 'Or doesn't run off screaming like a headless chicken the moment they see my face.'
But then he had to admit that Naruto was a strange child, really strange.
"You're leaving?"
Disappointment flashed in those cerulean depths, the thin shoulders slumped, cheeks puffed outwards in a pout.
"Can't you stay a little longer?"
Kisame glanced at the little blonde boy who stood sulking a little far off. His thin face was coated with dirt and grime testifying his most recent encounter with Samehada.
"I can't stick around shrimp." The edges of his cruel lips lifted displaying rows of sharp pointed teeth. "I have places to go, people to …err … break."
"But …" The boy's expression brightened almost as if he had suddenly formulated a brilliant plan. He rushed over and grabbed one big blue hand with his much smaller ones. "You come and stay with me, in Konoha."
Kisame thought he was past the age of getting surprised. The kid was giving an open invitation to a man who had but three seconds ago attempted to kill him!
Perhaps Samehada did get the brat, right in the head.
"I mean I stay alone and stuff." Naruto added hastily, quite misinterpreting his silence. "So you'll have plenty of room."
The beady eyes seemed to widen for an infinitesimal second. "You have no idea what you're saying shrimp." His voice was low whisper. "Have you?"
"I know what I'm saying!" Naruto frowned. .
Kisame chose not to answer, lifting his face to study the pattern of the lazy clouds as they floated through the blue sky. It was a while before he spoke.
"They're coming." His sunken eyes narrowed. "Looking for you, no doubt."
"You will come back?" Golden eyebrows knitted, a delicate mouth formed a rebellious expression. "Won't you?"
"Look shrimp …" Kisame began, rubbing the bridge of his nose.. "Let me phrase it this way, why would I come back?"
Wait, was he just explaining himself to a blonde kid?
"Because, we're friends of course" Naruto said flatly, almost as if it were the most evident thing in the world.
"Friends, eh?" Thin lips curled in an unpleasant sneer. "You can't be my friend. I am only friends with those that can play the breaking game with me."
He started to walk away.
Naruto scowled, breaking into a run. He skidded to a halt in front of the giant blue figure, spreading his arms wide to stop him, golden brows knitted in a determined frown
"I played the breaking game more times than you think" His eyes formed a mutinous expression as a strange smile hovered on his lips. "And I always win!"
Now those words would have sounded just in place on a boy from the hidden mist, not a child from a peaceful, civilized settlement like Konoha.
Kisame felt a small finger curl around his.
"Promise me you'll come tomorrow."
Non existent eyebrows lifted slightly, the usual smile disappearing from his lips.
"You've pinky promised. You can't break it".
Kisame snorted. It was not always that his handy sarcasm deserted him.
Whoever was coming in search of the boy was very near now. Perhaps, it was prudent to take his leave.
He glanced at the boy again, the expression in those cerulean eyes made him uncomfortable. Without a word he hoisted Samehada over his shoulders and was gone like the passing wind.
'Well, that should have gotten me some positive karma.' Kisame grinned, straightening himself. 'That some kid saw my face and lived to tell the tale. Eh Samehada?'
Samehada was strangely silent.
'Hnn.' Kisame snorted. 'Everyone's a cynic.' He placed his farmer's hat on his head, casting his features into shadow. 'Well it would appear that a visit to my old friend is long overdue.'
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Naruto ducked behind an empty fruit stall, flattening himself to the ground and remaining absolutely still. Jiji's masked friends were still trailing him.
'But not for long.'
He smiled slyly; the three whisker marks that ran up each cheek gave him a distinct fox like look.
He was about to turn invisible. Of course, he wouldn't really turn invisible like no-one-will-be-able-to-see-me but more on the lines of no- one-will-be-able-to-sense-me. Naruto just liked to phrase it that way, it was way cooler.
He never really did understand how he did what he did. But if he concentrated hard enough he could make himself disappear.
Blue eyes watched as the masked ninja's trailing him passed by the fruit stall.
And besides, he had tons of practice.
Naruto's face spilt into a wide grin. His hands rested involuntarily on the straps of his bright back pack, inhaling the rich aroma that wafted up from it. Teuchi- san had quite outdone himself this time.
'Maybe I should have told jiji.'
The smooth forehead crinkled. But something told him that the old man probably would not approve of his present mission.
'All right then…'
He stood up, determined and made his way casually towards the exit, golden bangs fell on his eyes obscuring his features.
XXXXXXXXXXXX
Kisame stretched a single blue hand; surprisingly long slender fingers seemed to stroke the air. The chakra signatures of a thousand insignificant inhabitants of the forest touched the periphery of his senses. He probed deeper. Carefully he mapped out the sentries posted around Konoha and the few merchants who made their slow progress to and from the Hidden village of the leaf.
'Hnn.' He opened his eyes and stared balefully at his surroundings. 'Hardly worthy of my notice.'
He stood, camouflaged amongst the dark canopy, watching the light play on the dried leaves that carpeted the forest floor, watching as the strange dance of the predator and its prey unfurled before his eyes.
Samehada throbbed.
'What the …'
He recognized the intense blue energy; it belonged to that weird kid.
'He came?' His lips curled into one of his more charming smiles. 'Che.'
His interest was piqued, a minute ago he could have worn that he was only human worth notice in the entire forest. The kid seemed to have some unusual abilities.
He kicked off, his body moving gracefully as he jumped from one branch to branch, soundlessly like a flickering shadow in the natural web of light and darkness that covered the entire forest.
"It has been a while." A loud voice announced, rather cheerfully. "I thought that my village had forgotten about me."
A vein twitched at the edge of his forehead as Kisame landed softly on a branch of one of the trees that hemmed in amongst them a tiny glade.
"So masked ninjas."
The boy obviously had a flair for dramatics, as he stood in the middle of the glade, precariously balanced on a rock, legs wide apart in a ridiculous show of bravado.
"You dare challenge the great Uzumaki Naruto-sama."
He rested his free hand on his hip and threw his head back and laughed loudly.
Sunken eyes narrowed dangerously.
'Wait. Is that a stick he is waving?'
With a hoarse battle cry Naruto leaped into the air, though the entire effect was marred when he crashed in a rather undignified manner onto the green grass. He clambered up in a flash spitting out grass and dirt. There was a sheepish grin on his face as he looked around to see if anyone had witnessed this debacle.
The grin widened when he was satisfied that he was quite alone, only to melt into a frown.
"Where was I?"
The child muttered to himself. His expression brightened as he recollected his present role. He pointed the stick at a harmless shrub.
"You're very rude"
He was obviously attempting to sneer but ended up looking heavily constipated.
"Die masked villains!" He lunged, swinging his stick in a frenzied manner. "I am like… the bestest, coolest, most powerful sword's guy." He panted, clumsily murdering a harmless bush and every sword technique in the world in his quest for greatness.
Kisame was sure he heard an audible snap somewhere from within his very core. Perhaps it was time to make his presence known. He landed softly on the ground, his black cloak pooling around his body like a liquid shadow.
"Hey kid." Kisame tilted his angular face; sharp pointed teeth glistened in the filtered sunlight. "Did no one tell you that bad little boys who wander alone in the outskirts of Konoha never come back?"
The boy whirled around; his gigantic cerulean eyes seemed to glitter, a large smile spread over his face as soon as his gaze alighted on him.
"Fish-sama!"
Kisame tried not to wince.
'With a voice like that he'll need no other attack.'
"Look at what I have." Naruto held up the stick for his inspection. "I call him Stick. Isn't he great?"
Nonexistent eyebrows rose in slight hauteur. "You named a stick, Stick." He loomed over the tiny blonde. "Pure genius shrimp."
The boy giggled, hugging his new companion to his chest in delight.
'He misses the point'
He resisted the urge to roll his eyes, resting Samehada's tip on the ground.
"I think Stick makes me look a little like you." The boy said proudly, breaking into a pose, with Stick raised over his head.
"You look more like a monkey striking a pose." His tone was sharp. "Though with much less grace. You hold a sword like this." He gripped Samehada's hilt slowly and raised it, his body flowing into the basic stance with ease.
He just had to correct the monkey.
Naruto's eyes narrowed to slits as he studied the bigger man.
"Like this?" His tone was slightly hesitant as he mimicked Kisame's stance.
'Monkey see, monkey does. Eh?'
Beady black eyes glittered.
"And your feet…" His leg forked out like a serpent's tongue, colliding with Naruto's knees with a solid thud, dark eyes watching as the child crumpled onto the ground. "Should be planted firmly."
Cerulean eyes darkened with pain but not a whimper escaped the bloodless lips. To his surprise, the blonde hobbled up, dust powdering his cheeks, bits of grass sticking to his hair like tiny horns. His face was puckered with concentration as he imitated the stance again.
"The hands." Kisame had a strange sensation of déjà vu as he tapped the kid's outstretched hand sharply, leaving a red bruise on the pale skin. "They should not be so rigid. Che …" He snapped. "Watch carefully."
'Wait!' Kisame paused, freezing in the middle of one of the standard Mist drills. 'What the hell am I doing?'
"Am I doing it right?"
Something poked him in the hollow of his back. Kisame whirled around instinctively, lashing out with his fists. There was a yelp and a thud.
'The shrimp?'
His face registered the surprise he felt and that irritated him.
'Did the brat just poke me with his …err… stick?'
It had been a long time since anyone had managed to sneak up to him. As he gazed down at the scruffy little boy dusting the dirt from his clothes, he was not sure of what fermented in that forgotten place under his ribs.
It was most unpleasant.
Almost as if aware of his intense gaze Naruto looked up, the omnipresent smile on his lips brightened.
"I am hungry. Can we eat?"
XXXXXXXXXXX
"I asked Uncle Teuchi not to put fish in your ramen."
"And who told you I don't eat fish?"
"Well. That's because" Naruto gulped down his ramen, before turning to stare at the large blue man sitting next to him. "I thought you wouldn't like to eat your own kind!"
"I eat anything lower than me in the food chain" His voice was low and soft, yet it was enough to send a shudder down anybody's spine, enjoying the effect he was having on the boy, who stared at him, mouth agape, ramen forgotten. "Even my own kind."
There was a moment of silence.
"Oh, okay." Naruto shrugged, accepting the fact, delving into the food with renewed fervor. "Next time I'll ask Uncle Teuchi to add some fish."
Kisame felt a vein throb in his forehead, narrow eyes resting on the golden mop.
'Che.'
Silence descended on them, soft as the filtered sunlight that fell on them through the rustling canopy above them.
"Fish sama." Naruto began abruptly, putting down his now empty bowl on the grass. "I thought you wouldn't come."
"That was my intention." Nonexistent eyebrows rose. "But Samehada wanted to come." He waved at the gigantic sword lying in the grass next to him.
"Thank you, sword-sama." Naruto said reverently addressing the bandaged broadsword. "Next time I'll get you some ramen."
"Samehada doesn't eat ramen." Kisame snorted. "He eats chakra."
"What's Chatra?" Large blue eyes stared at him like he was a rare animal at the zoo, hanging on to his every word.
"Chakra." Kisame repeated; rubbing the bridge of is nose. "Chakra is …." He concentrated, reveling in the pricking sensation as dancing blue flames licked around his palm. "Chakra is a mixture of the energy present in every cell of the body and the spiritual energy gained from exercise and experience."
"Yeah. Yeah." Naruto waved aside such mundane explanations, eager eyes resting on the blue chakra surrounding Kisame's hand. "But that's so cool. How do you it? Can I do it? Can you change the color into something like … you know …orange?"
'Did he hear a word of what I said?'
Kisame wondered from where he was drawing all this patience. After all, he had killed men for less.
"No. The chakra's color is unique to a person. You cannot change its color."
"Oh." Naruto sounded disappointed. "But I like orange." He frowned, sliding a sideward glance at Kisame. "I also like blue." He added sagely.
'Flattery? Nice.'
Kisame put down the empty bowl, pulling himself up from the ground. He stretched himself before raising Samehada over his shoulders.
"Gotta go kid." He smirked. "Remember what I told you about bad little boys."
Naruto nodded reverently.
"When are you going to come again Fish sama?"
"Why would I want to come?"
"Because …Because…" Naruto floundered for words, suddenly desperate. "Because next time … I will beat you in the breaking game!"
Kisame almost did not recognize the unused sound which bubbled from within himself.
"You're a thousand years too early for that shrimp."
He launched himself off the ground disappearing amongst the branches.
"Fish sama." Naruto's voice followed him. "I will beat you!"
OoOoOoOoO
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