I do not own Naruto or God of War. Glock3bb only owns them in her delusions of grandeur.
XXX
"Get up."
Naruto lay on his back, panting for breath. Every muscle in his body screamed for a break, but he knew it would only be worse for him if he stayed down. Slowly, he rolled over onto his stomach and began rising to his feet. Gelatin legs wobbled precariously as he got into his fighting stance. The next moment found him gasping for breath, folded over the knee in his gut.
"You are letting weariness distract you. Never lose focus in battle."
Once again on the ground, Naruto looked up at his father. Had it really already been a year and a half since that day? He was still trying to wrap his head around the idea. He had a family now. Yeah, Dad had been running him into the ground for the last six months, his mom seemed to have a seventh sense whenever he was putting together a prank, and they were living in an extremely tiny apartment until they got afford to rent bigger one, but he was still far happier than he could ever remember being.
This time, standing up proved to be the final straw for his body. His legs gave out underneath him, and Naruto fell back onto the ground. His dad relaxed his stance and tossed a leather canteen over to him.
"That's enough. Take a quick rest and get ready so Athena can take you to school."
That was another weird thing about his family. They never talked about it, but he could tell his parents didn't get along very well. Mom was nice enough to Dad, but Dad seemed to dislike her a lot. He could not remember a single time the two had spent more than five minutes alone together. He never saw anyone else's parents act like the way his did.
Oh well, not much he could do about it. He knew they loved him, and that was all that mattered.
"We will continue when you get back."
Even if his Dad was a giant jerk.
XXX
Kratos walked stiffly behind the caravan his squad had been assigned to guard for their next mission. A layer of late fall frost covered the nearby grass and leaves in the road side ditches, the trees having long since shed their spring time growths.
He hated protecting these soft dignitaries such as his current clients, but apparently this one had heard of the two new comers to Konoha and requested them personally. Athena was at the head where said charges were, for she was the most well-mannered of the group. With them were his squad leader Genma and another shinobi from Athena's squad he did not know personally. Everything had been routine so far, but in his gut, he could feel something was going to happen.
About an hour later that feeling finally came to fruition. The ground beneath Kratos rumbled, and a pair of hands sprouted up from underneath him, attempting to grab his legs. Kratos leaped into the air and was able to avoid the ambush. From his vantage point, he saw the others were already engaged in combat as well, each with a single assailant. His enemy had fully emerged from the ground by now and began quickly going through a series of hand signs. Kratos drew the Blades of Athena from his back just as his opponent finished his next jutsu.
"Earth Style: Earth Dragon Bomb!"
Instead of taking attack head on, Kratos flicked his wrist, embedding one sword into a nearby wagon and used that as an anchor to pull himself out of danger. Contorting his body around in midair, he then coiled his feet against the wooden cart and sprung away. The rouge shinobi could not cancel the technique in time and caught the full brunt of Kratos' shoulder slamming directly into him. He sailed through the air, finally crashing to the ground when the back of his head smashed into one of the thick lower branches of nearby tree. The Ghost of Sparta quickly made his way over to the surprisingly still conscious, yet dazed ninja and quickly severed his head from his body, finishing the job.
Leaving the corpse behind, Kratos ran towards the front of the convoy where the sounds of battle could still be heard. Once there, he found Athena fighting off another male ninja, wielding her naginata effortlessly. Genma was nearby watching, but forced to stay back and guard the client in case there were any other attackers waiting in the tree line. Kratos took up position in between the two, able to assist either one should the need arise. The last squad member was nowhere to be found.
His attention was once again drawn towards the fight. The former goddess was in front of him for the most part, trying to prevent her adversary from simply slipping past her to his target. Athena had the advantage of reach over the kunai the missing nin was using, but the size of her weapon encumbered her whenever her foe closed the distance. To his credit, the man seemed to be very skilled, avoiding many killing blows at the very last second.
One such attack finally connected and sealed the man's fate. A downward stroke from her spear cut him deeply across the chest, and he leaped backwards, wincing in pain. Her right side dipped just slightly at the end of the strike, giving Kratos all the opening he needed. He brought his arm up, focusing his chakra. Lightning crackled around his hand, quickly growing in intensity before shooting forward as he threw the thunderbolt. The deadly missile sailed through the air, flying mere centimeters away from Athena's head, almost hitting her instead. But it continued on, colliding with the missing-nin right above the heart. He was dead before his feet touched the ground.
The deed done, Kratos began walking back to his post in the rear, only to be stopped by Genma appearing in front of him, blocking his path.
"What the hell was that Kratos?"He yelled, "You almost killed Athena with that stunt."
The demigod snorted and roughly shoved past his team leader.
"She would not be the first."
XXX
Two men stood across from each other in a clearing surrounded by trees, the grass at their feet softly swaying in the light summer breeze. Each of their bodies was relaxed yet ready to spring into action at any moment. Seconds passed like hours as they waited, neither willing to make the first move.
With a burst of speed, one man shot forward, opening the clash with a devastating spinning kick to his opponents left side. Instead of dodging, the second man braced himself and caught the attacking leg in the crux of his armpit. Using the other man's momentum against him, the second man continued to spin and pulled on the leg, intending to smash the first man into the ground. Seeing this, the initiator planted his other foot on the second's chest and used it as a spring board to shove off from and break free. The two separated and set up in almost the exact same starting positions.
Kratos breathed heavily. The sweat on his brow glistened in the bright midday sun. He had been fighting practically nonstop for nigh on three hours. His opponent was one of the most skilled hand-to-hand combatants he had ever met. He could feel the bruises on his body, new ones already forming on his side from the last exchange.
After the briefest of pauses, the two were at it again with Kratos lunging forward first. Feigning an uppercut, he instead threw a straight punch at the man's chest. It was batted to the side, but this left his opponent open to a leg sweep. The subsequent elbow drop was avoided as the other man was able to transform his fall into a cartwheel.
Undeterred, Kratos quickly shot up and charged once more, hoping to keep on the pressure. He closed fast enough that the person was forced to stop and protect himself from the coming onslaught. And so began a bout of intense in fighting. Blow for blow they traded, Kratos' durability and brutality against his opponents speed and finesse.
Hay maker, block, low kick, dodge, counter, punch to the liver, batted away, round house punch, grabbed, pull off balance, knee to the chin, spin, blow to the left kidney, backhand, feint, strike to the jaw. On and on it continued, both taking as much as they gave, always looking for that one crucial mistake.
Then Kratos found it. For one instant his foe's defense was to spread out, and he was scarcely off balance, but it was all the once God of War needed. Gray hands sprung forward, straight through the gap in the guard and grabbed the man's head. A bone-jarring crack rang out when Kratos delivered a pulverizing headbutt.
Silence reigned as the last echoes of the final attack slowly faded away. He had done it. He had finally done it. He had beaten that damn bastard.
"A most youthful spar my friend! Your flames of youth are certainly burning brightly today!" Kratos would have sighed had he not still been trying to catch his breath.
"I should have known that wouldn't keep you down for long." Indeed, Might Gai was already back on his feet and in his nice guy pose, seeming not to notice the trickles of blood running down his face.
"Yes, my most youthful haircut does a wonderful job protecting me from such blows! I believe this youthful win puts the score at thirty-eight to fifty-four in my favor!" An acknowledging grunt was the only response he received.
How in the name of Hades had he ever become friends with this strange man? He was loud, obnoxious, wore that horrible outfit, and constantly went on about youth. In short, he was the exact opposite of Kratos. Not to mention he could consistently beat him in a taijutsu spar.
But perhaps those were the reasons why. It was refreshing for him to be around someone who had seen some of the worst the world had to offer and still be able to smile all the time. Someone who could distract him, even if for only little while with their up-beat attitude. However it happened, and why, Might Gai had become his first true comrade in this strange, new world.
XXX
The Third Hokage sat calmly at his desk listening to the latest mission report, smoke slowly rising from his pipe.
"Hmm, at least the mission was a success and no one was badly injured. Now tell me you two, what do you think about our newest recruits?"
In front of him stood on Genma Shiranui and Ebisu Ito , a haggard look cemented on both their faces. Genma took a deep breath and let it out in a long, slow sigh before he began.
"First off, never put them both on the same team ever again. Kratos almost always ignores what Athena says, and as you heard in my report, he has little to no concern for her well-being. She, on the other hand, hardly ever speaks to him directly, and when she does it sounds as if she is trying to apologize for something. She also dislikes being alone for him for long periods of time, like she's afraid he would murder her on the spot." A concerned look crossed Sarutobi's face.
"I had hoped after all this time they would have been able to work this out. Are you any closer to knowing why they are like this?" Ebisu shook his head
"No, my Lord. They are both very tight-lipped about it, just like with everything else about their past. As close as I can tell, something bad happened a long time ago between the two and they both, at least partially, blame Athena for it." The Hokage leaned back in his chair, letting a stream of gray pour from his mouth.
"This will be noted for future reference. Now, what of your recommendations?"
"Athena is a brilliant shinobi to put it simply. She could take on any Nara in a game of shogi and stand a good chance of winning. Her genjutsu is superb and her skill with that naginata is terrifying. Her taijutsu is incredibly well honed as well. A bit more experience and I would definitely recommend for her to take the jounin exams." Hiruzen nodded in agreement.
"Kratos?" Genma paused for a moment to gather his thoughts.
"Kratos is quick, brutal, and efficient. He follows his gut, which is almost always right. He wields those swords of his like they are a part of him. His strength and durability are insane. Few people can stand up to him in a straight taijutsu match. His genjutsu is only passable though. Oh, and his lightning manipulation is like none I've ever seen before."
"Did you able to find out if this might be a Kekkai Genkai?"
"No, just like Ebisu said, they don't like discussing their life before they got here. Even more so when it comes to their families' histories. But no matter the reason, he is a monster on the battlefield."
"I sense there is more you wish to say." The response was something between a growl and a sigh.
"Where do I begin? He doesn't care about his teammates unless they somehow prove themselves to him in some way only he knows. Even after doing so, he only tolerates their presence. He has little to no tact, even on diplomatic missions. He can be extremely rash and is overly violent when angered. The words 'collateral damage' mean nothing to him. To top it all off, he has the shortest temper of anyone I have ever met." Genma ended, trying to regain the air lost in his rant.
"So what is your verdict?" Again, the jounin paused, this time longer than the last.
"Same as Athena, wait a little longer and then unleash him on the jounin exams."
XXX
"Gahhh!" A ten-year old Naruto raged in frustration, about ready to rip his hair out. "Stupid Iruka with his stupid homework about stupid history that happened a stupid long time ago!" He got up from his desk and flopped down on his bed a few feet away, grumbling the entire time. Rolling onto his back, Naruto looked about his new room. Most of the space was taken up by his desk, dresser and bed. Other than those, there was not much else in the tiny living space. His family had moved out of their old apartment and into a new house about seven months ago once Mom and Dad had saved up enough money.
It was a small, white house on the outskirts of Konoha, a short run away from the western main gate. His mother called it a split-level if he remembers correctly. There were few decorations inside or out. It had the bare necessities, and he liked it that way. It had a kitchen, one bathroom, a basement for storage, and two bedrooms upstairs, one for him and his mom each. Dad never slept, or at least, not that he had seen. He asked mom about that, but she seemed hesitant to answer any of his queries.
"Naruto, are you okay?" Athena called from downstairs.
"Yeah, I'm fine, just having some trouble with my homework."
"Do you wish for any help?"
"Sure."
"Very well, I'll be up in a few minutes."
His mom came in, and Naruto got up and walked over to his desk. Athena knelt down beside him to examine the problems. As he got back to work with his mom's guidance, Naruto could not help but begin to smile. He didn't know why, but learning was always easier when she was around. There was simply something about her that made him feel smarter, as if she broke down the walls in the way of him remembering the information. He liked it.
Other kids always talked about how cool or uncool their moms were, but as far as he was concerned, she was the best one ever. She was smart, funny, strong, beautiful, and a great cook. She was the best mother anyone could hope for as far as he was concerned.
XXX
"Get back here Naruto! I just want to play."
"No you don't, you want to hurt me with sharp, pointy things!"
"That's what I said!"
Naruto ran for his life around the playground of the Academy, dodging the random kunai being thrown at him. Looking back, he saw that Tenten was steadily gaining on him, a fire in her eyes. This quick look proved to be his undoing.
His head turned backwards, he did not see the tree root rising slightly out of the ground in front of him , and as such, his left foot snagged on it and sent him tumbling to the dirt. In a flash Tenten was on top of him, knife poised and Naruto appropriately sweating bullets.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Naruto continued to apologize while Tenten simply stayed in the same position, savoring the moment. Finally she lowered her kunai and put a finger to her chin.
"Hmm, OK, I'll forgive you." Naruto let out a sigh of relief. She got off of him and offered a hand up.
"Phew, I thought you were going to kill me for that. I wish I had graduated early so we could be on the same team, but you know I suck at bunshins." Tenten quirked an eyebrow at him.
"You thought I was mad about that? I mean, sure I was annoyed when you told me, but its not like it wasn't expected. I can probably count the number of kids who graduated early on one hand." Naruto gaped at her and slowly raised a finger to point at her.
"So you're telling me that I was running for my life because I didn't notice you got your hair cut?" The girl nodded like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Are you crazy?! Tenten, you were your hair up in buns all the time. You're wearing it like that now! How am I supposed to know if it looks any different?" At this Tenten blushed and looked down at the ground sheepishly.
"I don't know why it matters to you so much, anyways. It's just hair." Naruto said. "Besides, if it weren't for all the pink you wore, I'd swear you were a guy."
Silence reigned, and the air around Naruto became deathly cold.
"Naaarrrrruuuutooooooo!"
"Uh-oh."
XXX
"Naruto Uzumaki." There it was. It was finally his turn to perform the final portion of the gennin exams. His kawarmi and henge had been great, his taijutsu almost the best in the class, and he had known enough to barely squeak by on the written portion. So now, as long as he did not completely bomb this, he should pass. Of course, this being the bunshin jutsu, that was always a possibility with him.
In the exam room, his teachers, Iruka and Mizuki, sat behind a desk waiting for him. Iruka was his favorite by far. Sure he was a little harsh at first, but eventually he lightened up for the most part, most after realizing nothing could break Naruto's prankster streak. Plus he occasionally took him out for ramen. He snickered a little in his head, he could still remember Iruka's face after the first time he treated him. His parents had become perturbed when he didn't come home right after the Academy let out. Then they were furious when they found out his sensei had taken their seven year old boy out to dinner. Man, his parents were overprotective. Of course, that whole event led to another fight between them over his training, but he just liked to ignore that part.
Mizuki was okay in his book. He wasn't horrible towards Naruto, nor was he overly fond. Mizuki just treated him like he did the rest of the kids.
"Naruto, pay attention." The blond shook his head to rid him self of any other stray thoughts. He would need to put every ounce of focus he had into this task. "All right, you should know the drill by now." Naruto grinned at Iruka bashfully and rubbed the back of his neck, the memories of his last two attempts of taking this test while trying to graduate early. Taking a slow breath to center himself, Naruto began to mold his chakra. Plumes of smoke enveloped him and revealed with their dispersion four clones. Iruka stared intently at the replicas before finally a smile broke out on his face.
"They're not the best, but I think they're good enough for you to pass this part."
"Are you sure Iruka?" Mizuki questioned, "While he has shown dramatic improvement, he is still one off from the requirement, and each one has a fairly distinct flaw an experienced shinobi would pick up on in a second."
"You're right, but he did well enough on the other tests that it will help make up for those facts. Also, we both know his only issue is chakra control, which his jounin sensei can help him work on. It's not worth a whole year back in the Academy." Mizuki frowned slightly, before he to broke out in a grin.
"Then congratulations, Naruto Uzumaki, on passing the genin exams."
XXX
Naruto happily sat on the swing behind the Academy, sporting a grin and a shiny new headband. In front of him, parents or relatives were coming to pick up the others in his class, consoling or praising them. His parents were both out on missions, but he knew they would be proud of him. That meant he could just stay here swing away the time until he decided to go home.
"Hey, isn't that the kid who-?"
"Yeah, that's him. I heard they actually let him pass."
"What? He'll be a danger to everyone on his team."
"I know. how do we know he can keep that thing under control?"
"Shh, we're not supposed to talk about it."
Naruto flinched slightly. No matter how much time passed, the whispers and looks still hurt, but he was used to pushing them to the back of his mind by now. His mood brightened slightly when he saw someone exit the building.
"Hey, Mizuki-sensei!" Mizuki looked around and caught sight of the boy waving his arm and walked over to greet him.
"Hey, Naruto. No hard feelings about earlier?"
"Nah, I know you just don't want your favorite blond trouble-maker to become a pin-cushion on his first mission." Naruto responded cheekily. Mizuki put on a thinking face, before shaking his head.
"No, that definitely wasn't the reason." He teased with a smirk. Naruto chuckled but stopped when he noticed his former teacher trade the smirk for a frown.
"Something wrong sensei?" He didn't answer at first, a war seemingly raging in his mind.
"No...it's just..Argh, god damn it." The man spat, punching the nearby tree in frustration.
"What is it?"
"I can't tell you. That's the most frustrating part. But you deserve to know..." he trailed off, hands clenching again and again into fists. Naruto was now more confused than ever.
"Sensei, I don't understand." But the teacher was talking more to himself now than Naruto. Suddenly, his face froze then knelt down quickly and grabbed Naruto by the shoulders.
"I can't tell you, but I can show you where the answer is."
"Mizu-"
"Naruto," He interrupted sternly, "do you want to know why you were always alone?" Naruto was now frozen too, his mind trying to catch up.
"What?"
"Do you want to know why everyone in the village ignores you, why they shun you and refuse to acknowledge you. Do you want to know why they keep the other kids away from you?" His heart was now pounding in his chest. His whole life he had been searching for exactly that. After he had been adopted, those questions had sank to the back corner of his mind, only to resurface every now and again. And now, finally, someone was willing to show him the answers he needed. He gulped, his whole body shivering as he let out a barely audible,
"Yes."
This is The Dark Void speaking. As much as I hate doing these, an author's note is necessary. It does not help Glock3bb is blackmailing me into this as well. Hmph, the benefits of having a lifelong friend.
We have finally made it to canon, and we would like to thank you all for your patience. Secondly, I would like to apologize for the wait. There has been much going on in our lives right now, combined that with the fact I have been finishing up the outlines for my own stories, which has led to a longer interlude than we intended. I cannot say this will never happen again, only that we are sorry for any disgruntlement.
Farewell for now,
The Dark Void.