Authors note: I'm sorry it has taken exceptionally long this time to make this story, but I have been a little low on inspiration lately. But there are some things I would like to bring up. There have been suggestions of putting my story to the Naruto-section. However I think it's better I keep this in here, since there are so many stories coming in the Naruto-section this story wouldn't be discovered there. Also I would like to know, if I should concentrate on this story instead of doing several stories at once.
Anyway here comes more explanations to the story: Instead of villages, there are school systems, which use the same name as the villages of the Narutoverse. There are no ANBU's in traditional sense, but certain ninjas, like Yu Yan and Dai Li (Which are ninjas in these stories) take those roles. Also every school has a kage without exeption, but it is more of a title of leader istead of symbol of power, though it can be both. And now back to the story.
Appa flew over the Southern Sea, controlled by Aang. But the big animal was not concentrating on flying, though it wasn't dangerous, since as a Sky Bison flying came naturally to him. Nonetheless he currently concentrated on thinking about the happenings of yesterday. Appa could feel the sadness and confusion of Aang, his master and friend, of the current situation. Just yesterday Aang had found out he had slept for a century, his people being destroyed and Hacua having turned into madness. Appa was also sad, not only because of these current happenings, but for the fact he was unable to comfort his lifelong friend, because even though Appa could understand Aang's speak, Aang couldn't understand his. He could only hope, that someone else could make him feel better.
"Is something wrong, Appa?" Aang asked. "You seem to be different from normal."
"If only you could understand me" Appa thought sighing.
"Maybe he also misses his friends" Haku suggested. "It is hard to realise that all you knew are gone when you just awake. But what I believe is that even though your beloved ones are gone, you will see them again."
"What makes you think that, Haku?" Aang asked curiously.
"Avatar has reincarnated so many times nobody actually knows, when it begun" Haku reminded. "Thus I have a feeling that other people also reincarnate. And even if you don't meet them in here, you will surely meet them in heavens"
Aang smiled. It wasn't exactly the best comfort, but it worked. Appa also felt better.
Meanwhile at a ship sailing at the Southern Sea, general Iroh was also feeling blue. He knew the day would come, when Hacua would try to resurface inside Naruto, but he had never thought, that seeing the avatar would activate it. Iroh took a small drawing from his pocket. A blonde man, who looked like older Naruto smiled in it.
"Oh, Minato." Iroh sighed. "If only you knew what your son would have to go through.
Flashback
The Fire Nation suffered great losses, however not on the enemy grounds, but on her own. The nine-tailed fox had found his way to the Fire Nation, planning to kill every single member of it, as a revenge for the destruction of his own people. Several warriors, both ninjas and soldiers had arrived to oppose Hacua, the airbending fox, but the fight would be a suicide. Hundreds of great men and women would never see the next day. But everybody knew defeat was not an option.
"You are going to what!" Iroh asked from Minato after hearing his plan.
"You heard right" Minato answered. "I am going to seal Hacua into Naruto"
"If I don't remember incorrectly, you will have to give up one life to transfer souls" Iroh reminded. "I hope you knew that"
"I know, and I will give up my life to do it" Minato said without a trace of fear.
Iroh was silent for a while. Man, who had been his companion and friend for years, was going to sacrifice himself to save his home. Iroh was both shocked and impressed of Minato's devotion to his country. Iroh didn't want this to happen, but inside he knew they had no choice. "I will back you up" He said finally.
"Don't forget me" Came a voice behind them. It was Jiraya, the legendary frog ninja, followed with a unit of Yu Yan archers with him. "Shinu agreed to give some back up".
Jiraya bit his finger and made some hand seals. A large toad appeared out of nowhere.
"What is it now, Jiraya?" He asked.
"This is not the right place to talk gamabunta"Jiraya said. "We are currently under attack by Hacua and we must seal him or the Fire Nation is doomed."
Gamabunta understood the situation, letting Minato, Iroh, Jiraya and, reluctantly, Yu Yans on his back and moved hastily towards the battlefield. Meanwhile the army was trying to hold Hacua back. However they were no match to the fox, whose bending and mysticism were those of a god.
"It doesn't matter if you fight, hide or run! None will survive!" Hacua threathened. "Tonight fire people will die out!"
"Your lust for vengeance has blinded you, Hacua" Gamabunta said sadly. Hacua turned towards the toad.
"This has nothing to do with you, Gamabunta! Leave and don't come to my way!" Hacua yelled. The he saw people on Gamabunta's back. "So you help these murderers. By doing that you have singed your death-warrant. You have no right to live, and neither do those on your back! Die!"
A gigantic gust came from Hacua's tails, but Gamabunta jumped over. Yu Yans fired a large amount of arrows with exploding tags, creating a chain of explosions. Gamabunta spit some oil, which Iroh and Jiraya ignited. This made Hacua go onto defensive, which Minato wanted to. Hokage grabbed a baby, who looked like him and turned towards others.
"This is where I leave you and this world. I will open a portal to the spirit world, which I use to seal Hacua into Naruto. But in order for the jutsu to work, I must go in front of the vortex, otherwise his soul simply leaves his body and in twenty years he will return. During the process all souls in range of the portal are sucked in, Hacua goes into Naruto and my body protects Naruto, but mine will travel to the spirit world. Since I won't be able to ask it later, my last wish is that the Fire Nation to see Naruto as a hero, who keeps our greatest enemy from returning." After his speech he made some hand seals and about ten meters upwards a spiral appeared into the sky.
Iroh could see the soul of the fox being pulled inside the spiral. Minato jumped between the portal and Hacua, showing Naruto towards the fox. Fox's soul went into the baby, while Hokage's soul went into the portal. When the portal closed, the body of Hacua disappeared and Naruto and Minato's body fell down. Jiraya captured the baby. Everybody smiled and for a good reason.
End of flashback
But even though Minato succeeded, the accident had already happened. Instead of praised, Naruto was hated by most of the fire natives, who didn't see him as the host of Hacua, but Hacua himself. Luckily fire lord Azulon knew the truth, creating laws to protect Naruto. After Iroh adopted Naruto, he became a prince, getting also the love he needed. Naruto lived a pretty happy life, not knowing what others did, but now when Hacua reawakened, there was no other choice but to tell the truth.
"You seem to be worried, Uncle" Zuko said coming to the bow.
Iroh looked behind him. "Ah, prince Zuko" He answered. "You are right about my worries. Like you, Naruto doesn't know Hacua is inside him, but now when he came out, I am forced to tell that he is the host of one of the greatest enemies of Fire Nation. I'm not sure, what to say or do."
Zuko closed his eyes and sighed deeply. After a moment of silence he opened his eyes. "I think I know the solution" He said going back inside.
Haku leaned against a tree, watching Aang riding on an Elephant Koi. He knew it was extremely dangerous, but he trusted the avatar. Meanwhile Katara practised her waterbending and Sokka his mystic skills. Both had some problems, Katara getting hit herself by the water whip and Sokka managing to create only corpse-like clones of himself. "I'll just leave you in here for a while. I go get Mo-" He suddenly went silent, when he saw a girl dressed in a same kind of battle clothing Haku used, looking sternly at him.
"O-oh hi S-Suki! Long time no see!" He greeted the girl, knowing her well.
"Nice to see you too, traitor." Suki answered threateningly. "I can't believe you dare to show your face here after what you did to us. I thought we were friends. Shadow clone jutsu!"
Suki created a clone of herself, which captured the boomerang thrown towards her by Sokka. Sokka tried to crab another weapon, but got stopped by two other warriors. Both Katara and Aang were paralysed before they could do anything. Warriors dragged them to a village and tied them to a pole. Sokka was the first to speak.
"So you are not welcome here, Haku?" He asked.
"No, I'm not." Haku answered. "On the other hand I never was one of locals. I was found as a baby from the beach next to my dead mother and a mysterious scroll and adopted by the kyoshi warriors. I grew up in the ninja school hidden in the waves. Since I was originally an outlander I was shunned by others and my only friends were Momo and Suki. Later I met Zabuza, who was taking refuge in the island. He told that if I travelled with him I would get out my true potential. I left on that same night with the scroll found with me. But by doing that I became an exile. I guess you know the rest."
Aang looked upwards, seeing a statue of a woman in a same kind of outfit as kyoshi warriors. "I think I have an idea" He said smiling and turned towards villagers, who were surrounding them. "Listen to me, people of Kyoshi. I know Haku did wrong leaving your village, but the truth is I needed him. I am Aang, the avatar and the last member of the Air Nomads. I was forced to go into hiding, but I have returned. The reason why Haku left is that I need him as a member of my party, thus he was forced to leave without saying goodbye. As a request I would only like you to release us and give us a chance to buy some food and equipment. I don't request this as an avatar, but as the incarnation of Avatar Kyoshi"
Villagers went silent. Then they started talking with each other. Aang knew this was the moment they were unsure about the situation and listened to everybody's suggestions. Luckily the odds were on Aang's side and both he and his companions were freed. Suki came towards them.
"I believe you now, Avatar Aang. But I would like to ask you, why did you choose Haku over me, the Namikage?" She asked.
"I wanted a person, who would be a somewhat different from the others and I believe that as a Kage, you are more useful as a leader of these powerful ninjas" Aang explained.
Sokka interrupted them. "Also if I don't remember incorrectly the title Kage belongs to the strongest ninja of the school system and doesn't tell the true strenght of the owner of the title."
Suki looked angrily at him. "Are you saying that we are no good as ninjas?"
"Maybe a little. Though there are no female warriors in the South Pole"
"Okay, Mr. Know-it-all. The school is in there. Let us meet there and see what you can teach to us"
"Deal" Both of them shook hands and went to the building.
Aang looked around and saw that everybody else around him had disappeared. He decided to go around the town. Suddenly somebody grabbed him from the shoulder. It was Haku, who held a Winged Lemur on his arms. Aang eyes went wide open.
"A-a-a Winged Le-Lemur?" He said in amazement. "Where did you find him?"
Haku smiled. "Yes, it is a Winged Lemur, but I prefer calling him Momo."
"You didn't tell me Momo was a Winged Lemur."
"It came a little surprise for me too. Momo, this is Aang, say hello to Aang"
Momo looked at Aang and pressed his head on Haku's chest. Haku sighed.
"Don't be shy, Momo." he said. "Go on and say hello"
Momo looked again at Aangs direction, but repeated what he did before.
"Anyway Momo is both my pet and friend." Haku continued. "I found him on the same beach, where I was found."
"Do you know, what this means?" Aang asked with joy. "There might be some Air Nomads left in the world!"
Haku decided to keep his mouth shut for a while. Perhaps it would be better, if he stayed quiet for a while.
"Come!" He said. "I'll show you the island"
At the same time on a Fire Nation harbor in the southwestern Earth Kingdom, Commander Zhao had his own worries. Since his promotion there had been several setback, which threathened his title as an officer. A mysterious man came into his tent.
"What is it now, Orochimaru?" He asked from the man. "I hope it is not bad news"
"Indeed it is not, Commander" Orochimaru answered weith a voice like a serpent. "The Avatar has returned"
Zhao turned towards Orochimaru. "How is that possible"
"I travelled to the spirit world. When I arrived to the serpent area, I heard that Unagi had seen the Avatar, an airbender named Aang, in the Kyoshi Island."
"I know that you do nothing for free, what do you want in exhange"
"Just some troops to search for Zhangs and Gan Jins. Their beast control and moon illusions would surely be useful to me once i learn them."
"Is learning everything what mystism is capable of everything to you, Orochimaru?"
"As much as you to get as much power you are capable of getting, Zhao. On the other hand we are technically enemies due to our goals. But without each other of us helping the other one, we would both be unable to pursue them, so in theory we are friends"
"You are right, Orochimaru. So, what is your plan?"
"I'll take over Unagi's mind and body and soul to use it as a weapon either to kill or capture the Avatar."
"Just bring him alive. After all almost nobody knows about Avatar currently. If you succeed, you get your soldiers"
Orochimaru left the tent. Both men smiled. Soon they would both succeed in their plans and the alliance would be unnecessary. But it was unknown, which one would be the first to make the move to eliminate the other, but it was certain the move will happen.