Okay, so Naruto got me obsessed with nine-tailed foxes. I know the one Naruto is stuck with is viscous as hell but what if he's not the only nine-tailed fox? What if there are more of them: smarter, smaller, and a little less gruesome? And, what if a select few of them, a very small few, could take human form? What would become of this "nine-tailed ninja"?
My nine-tailed foxes are obviously a lot different from the one the show displayed and I'll explain them as I go. Hey, don't knock it before you try it! As always, thanks for reading and please comment below.
P.S. Yes, I realize that none of this is possible. :/
"You will never become a ninja," he growled. I lay sprawled across the ground, tears welling up behind my eyes. But they weren't tears of pain and sorrow. They were tears of anger. Who was this man to say what I could and could not do? He didn't know me. He didn't know what I was capable of. He didn't even know what I was! I pushed myself up, shaky from all the fighting. Sure, physically he was stronger than me, but my chakra was superior to his.
"I'll show you who will never be a ninja!" I put my hands close to my chest and quickly performed the hand signs for the only jutsu I knew. "Blast style: firestorm jutsu!" A harsh scream resounded around the forest. Birds flew out of their nests, desperate to escape whatever caused that horrible sound. I grunted as my jutsu faded. At least the vultures will have a cooked meal tonight, I thought before going on my merry way.
"If you keep that up, it won't just be rogue ninjas who know your name." I glanced up as Orochimaru slowly sank from his perch in a tree. I only recognized him because of the constant babble every ninja who bothered to come near me let loose about him. Honestly, I didn't see what was so magnificent about the guy. So what he's super powerful? I would be too if someone grew a pair and decided to teach me.
"You don't even know my name, Orochimaru. I doubt I have anything to fear."
"True. I don't know your true name but you're more popularly known as the Nightmare of the Village Hidden in the Leaves."
"Is that so? That's funny. I don't recall the Village Hidden in the Leaves ever claiming me." One of Orochimaru's eyebrows rose in mock surprise.
"Even so, you do haunt their land." I smirked.
"I do them a favor."
"Indeed. Tell me, is this how you plan to spend the rest of your life: jumping from one rogue to the next, trying to get one to teach you his jutsu?"
"For a time. I still have plenty of life ahead of me."
"I see that." Orochimaru studied my small form. I heard his stare gave most people the creeps. I was used to being sized up. Everybody seemed to do that whenever I gave the inclination that I carried power. "How old are you, child?"
"Four," I snapped, perhaps a little too harshly. I was tired of that question. Why were humans so quick to judge by age? Sure, I was young, even for my race's standards, but why did that matter? I mean, it had been nearly ninety years since the last nine-tailed ninja roamed the earth. I was powerful, I was strong, I was determined, and I was young. Who cared? The other three didn't seem to do anything for me.
"Quite a tongue you have, for a four-year-old."
"I learn fast."
"I'm sure." I rolled my eyes. I didn't know why this guy was wasting my time. If he wanted to recruit me, he should know all he has to do is ask. If not, then why bother me? I would have to go hunting soon. I didn't need this guy following me around, scaring off my prey and altogether slowing me down. He could take his supposed genius and get lost. "It's a dangerous world for a four-year-old."
"Not for this one!" I declared, pointing at myself with my thumb.
"So it seems," he practically hummed. I glanced over at him, showing my most adorable smile. He cocked his head to the side but said nothing.
"Anyway…," I continued, feeling hunger gnaw at my stomach. I saw myself hunting, running at full speed after a rabbit. I felt its bones crush in my mouth as I killed it. I tasted the succulent mystery of fresh blood and raw meat. Even Orochimaru was starting to seem like good prey, albeit a difficult one to catch. Ah! No, Nari. No human meat, no raw meat. Cooked meat, bone marrow. That's it! That's as far as you go to indulge that part of yourself. I knew I wasn't supposed to act like the monster I was. I was the demon on two feet. I couldn't do something so beastly. "I'd like to go hunting and you'd only slow me down so… If you have something to say to me, out with it and leave me alone."
"Oh! Impatient, aren't we, child?" I shrugged. "I was considering taking you under my wing but to prove your worth, show me what you can do. If you're satisfactory, I will show you the ways of the shinobi and feed you." Doubtful anything you scrap up will be satisfactory, but, eh, why not? That's when I remembered why not. If half the rumors were true, my simple firestorm jutsu wouldn't be enough to toast this guy. And I really didn't know anything else.
"I'd rather not…," I admitted reluctantly.
"Why ever not?"
"It wouldn't be a fair match."
"You believe you are that much stronger than me?" I let out a shallow laugh.
"I'm not that arrogant. I only know one jutsu. I'm not the best fighter. I have my animalistic instincts and speed, but that's about all I got going for me, at the moment." Well, and the massive amounts of chakra stored within my body that I can let out at a moment's notice but I'm trying to get that under control. I'm tired of accidentally toasting the forest because I get excited or something like that.
"A wise child. Still, show me what you've got." I sighed inwardly but shrugged. What do I have to lose? If I don't meet his satisfaction then I can hunt and he'll leave me be. If I do, then I have a free meal. No matter how meager.
"Fine. I'll fight you, I suppose. But, on one condition."
"Yes?"
"No permanent injuries, okay? No curses, seals, or any of that other stuff shinobi like to try on their opponents." He frowned but nodded solemnly. "Your word," I demanded stubbornly. Sure, I may only be four years old, but most animals are considered adults at three. I was part animal. Although, my species considered four young too. But I wasn't a normal four-year-old. I was different. I was a nine-tailed ninja. I couldn't be judged by normal standards. I knew my stuff and I didn't want any tricks.
"You have my word as a ninja that I won't install any permanent injuries, curses, seals, or anything of the like." I nodded, pleased, and then crossed to the opposite side of the road, turning around to face him. My first opponent that I probably won't leave for the vultures. This is sure to be interesting.
Orochimaru attacked first, launching himself at me. Thank God, he's not using any jutsus. I easily dodged the attack and tried to punch him. He caught my fist and flipped me over, throwing me on the ground harshly. I slipped out of his grip and went low. I ran between his legs, using my disadvantage in size to my advantage. I then jumped up and kicked him on the back, only I didn't make contact. Orochimaru simply laughed and practically danced out of range. I balled my fists, infuriated by my inability to touch him. Even on my other opponents I had, at the very least, been able to land a blow. This guy was too fast for that. I growled in frustration and then everything went black.
"You were right," a cool voice said as I slowly regained consciousness. "You are a horrible fighter." The ends of my lips twitched as I suppressed a smile. "But let's take a look at your jutsu just in case." I pushed my self up and turned to face him. Orochimaru was perched on a tree branch. I could feel my black eye forming, but what did he expect? I was only four. I was still mastering the art of walking in a straight line.
"I told you I only know one."
"Right. Go ahead. Perform it for me." I sighed and put my hands together. I did all the moves I knew, perfectly, and then shouted out the name of the jutsu. I never did understand why ninja did that but it seemed to work. Fire balls shot through the air and struck in the general direction of the tree next Orochimaru's. My aim was a little bad, thanks to my lack of chakra control, and he had to dodge a few balls. When they landed, they exploded. I kept the strange fire raging, fueled only by my chakra for as long as I could. Finally, I had to let it go. Orochimaru stared at me as if I was a meal that wasn't as good as he had expected. My self-esteem deflated quite a bit. I thought it was a great jutsu and he wasn't even impressed.
"Anyway, are you going to leave me alone now?" I asked, knowing that I wasn't satisfactory to him.
"Answer me one more question."
"What?"
"What is your real name?" My head jolted up. What did he care what my real name was. Hell, I barely even knew my real name. I knew my nickname but I was only a year old when I first changed.
"Nari… Ninetails." Yeah. Nine-tailed ninjas don't use normal last names. Right? I think that's what the scroll said. I did, in the last three years, have a helpful teacher. He was the one who taught me the firestorm jutsu and how to read. He took me to a destroyed village (really, I led him because the way was eerily imprinted into my head. Animalistic instincts kicking in) where I found a scroll with instructions for young nine-tailed ninjas. I also managed to find a headband with nine tails engraved in it. It was big so it sat on my waist. I missed that rogue. It was my fault he was dead. The firestorm jutsu we had been practicing happened to come out along with a random burst of chakra. Let's just say I flattened the area. That's why I needed to get my chakra under control.
"Another day, Nari Ninetails. Another day." I stared after him as he disappeared.
"I doubt it," I mumbled under my breath. That's how things were for me. No one ever stuck around long and those who left with their lives never came back. My mother, the alpha of the nine-tailed foxes was supposed to be watching over me. She was supposed to teach me how to hunt. I hadn't seen her since I left the Village Hidden in the Leaves. When the jounin there refused to accept me as a future ninja, my race abandoned me. I was officially useless to them and completely lacking of a purpose. It was hard, but I was young and hopeful. Surely, there was a village that would accept me. In fact, I was headed for a different hidden village right then.
So what did you think? Gaara X O.C. romance is going to take a while but it'll get there. And, trust me, he pops up pretty fast. ;) Thanks for reading and please review!