Quote of the Day: History is much like an endless waltz. The three beats of war, peace, and revolution continue on forever.- Gundam Wing Endless Waltz
Chapter 16: History Lesson Part 2
Hanabi watched her sister from a window overlooking the Hyuga gardens. Hanabi watched as her sister, who sat on a bench next to a koi pond, sniffed and sighed. Hanabi could not really understand way her sister was acting like this. She knew that her sister had been quite fond of the the blond prankster. Although she really could not for the life of her figure out why. How can someone leaving have such an impact. Their father would sometimes leave the village, so would their cousin. But she never cried for them the way she cried for Naruto Uzumaki. She frowned, she was confused and that was something that she really did like. She like to know what is going on around her.
"There has to be a reason for this." Hanabi said to herself as she start to make her way to the gardens.
She passed several servants and guards. They greeted her, but she didn't pay them any mind. She opened the door leading to the gardens and made her way to her sister. Hinata was so lost in thought that she didn't notice her younger sister until sis sat next to her.
"H-Hanabi-Chan?"
Hanabi said nothing as she noticed what her sister was holding in her hand.
"Was that his?" she asked.
Hinata looked down at her hands. A worn headband. Hinata only nodded her head. It had been months since she had last seen him. She went to bed every night praying that she would find him one day. Maybe she would be able to convince him to return. But she would need to get stronger, just like her sensei had told her. Naruto was her pillar of strength, but when he need someone she did nothing. She felt as though she had abandoned him in his most desperate time of need.
"Onee-chan why are you like this?" Hanabi asked, breaking Hinata from her thoughts.
"W-what do y-you mean?"
"The Uzumaki boy. Since he left you have been like this. We have known other people that have left, some that we have never seen again. Also the one that have died. But you are more sad out him leaving. Why?"
Hinata thought for a moment, trying to think of the best way to explain herself to her sister.
"Well, it because I really liked him." Hinata admitted, a blush spreading across her face.
Despite what most people thought, she had a good relationship with her sister. Hanabi would sometime ask her for advice on things, or for her to clarify things.
"I.. still don't understand. Why do cry over him?"
"Its because I may never see him again. I cared deeply for him." Hinata answered new tears forming in her eyes.
"I still don't really understand." Hanabi frowned.
"I think that you are a bit to young to really understand." Hinata answered.
"I'm sure when you are old enough you will understand, love is not something you can easily explain."
Hanabi thought for a moment as she leaned against her sister, resting her head on her arm.
"Can you at least try, I don't like not knowing things." Hanabi asked.
Hinata thought for a moment. She never had to explain something like love to anyone before. She felt like she should be one of the last people to be asked about love. But for her sister she would try.
"Love... Love is something you feel for another person. Not like the love you have for family or friends."
"But for you to love someone shouldn't they be your friend first?" Hanabi asked.
"Well, it can start like that for some people. But not all the time. When you love someone you think about them all the time, you want to do what you can to make them happy. and when they look at you it feels like you two are the only ones in the world, nothing else around you matters. They make you feel like you can do anything. They inspire you to do your best."
Hanabi thought for a bit. She still didn't really understand. How can a single person feel that for another. Her sister felt this way about Naruto. She wondered, would she one day feel like this for someone.
"I understand a little bit." Hanabi said as she shifted to lay her head on her sister's lap.
Hinata smiled a bit. Although it may not seem like it, this was Hanabi's way of cheering her up. With the help of Hanabi and her friends she was sure she could get stronger and find Naruto.
Naruto was standing in a white void, with Niiro standing in front of him. Naruto looked around trying to find anythingelse.
"You won't find anything. Think of this as a movie theater, and movie hasn't start yet." Niiro said.
Niiro started to walk, which made Naruto follow him.
"So what are we going to do here?" asked Naruto.
"This." Niiro responed and snapped his fingers.
Suddenly the white around then turned into a Wasteland. Looking around Naruto couldn't see anything other than sand.
"This was the Wasteland before the village was built. As you can see there was nothing." Niiro said as he started to walk again.
Then in a flash they were standing at the edge of a large black portal. Red electricity jump out every so often. Than as Niiro began to explain again the scene change. Demons of all shapes and sizes were fighting with people. The battlefield was littered with blood and bodies, human and demon alike. People being devoured. Demons being cut down or absorbed.
"Our clan was a clan of demon hunters, long before jutsus, long before any real government. We, along with other clans stood as the bulwark against the storm. But years of fighting lowered our numbers. Eventually, one by one, the other clans began to fall. Be by death or possession. We gazed long into the abyss,and it gazed back into us."
The scene changed again, the portal looked distorted and bulged a bit, like something was trying to come out.
"We were losing, and would have been completely wiped out. If not for the one we call the Great Father."
Out of the portal an arm shot out and grabbed the edge. Slowly a body rose from the black portal. When its head broke free it let out a roar that shock the land. As it rose Naruto could clearly see what it was. It was a Fox demon, its red slitted eyes scanning the land. As the rest of its body came on to land. Its nine tails swaying violently behind it.
"Is that the Kyuubi?!" Naruto yelled.
Even the Kyuubi was confused. He had been around a long time but he never knew what he was witnessing.
"No, and yes. The Kyuubi is one of the incarnations of the the Great Father. Watch now." Niiro told Naruto.
The scene shifted. He saw the Kyuubi he was in the form of a man now. His hair red, his nine tails still visible. It looked like he was talking to the humans. Rallying them. Again a shift, they were fighting again, the Great Father leading not only the humans but also some demons to the portal. It must have been some years later. The demons where being driven back into the portal. A shift, The Kyuubi stood at the edge, along with several demons, he had his eyes closed and his hands together like in a prayer. His chakra was pouring into the portal. One by one Naruto saw as his tails slowly disappeared. The demons were doing the same, for some though the amount of chakra they were adding would eventually lead to their death.
"The Great Father nearly died sealing the portal, some of his demon kin lost their lives helping him, The Great Father lost eight tails sealing it. And it would not be until time of the Sage of Six Paths came that he would once again be at full power."
The landscape changed. There was what looked like the beginnings of a village. There was a large lake that the village was being built next to. People and demon alike were building, working with one another to build a new life. For the first time during the whole scene Naruto saw children running around. Human along with demon and half demon children playing with one another. Helping with the building was the Great Father he was finishing clearing an area with some others.
This was the first time demons and humans really came together to build something, something that was not meant for war. Something that promised a better future, a sign of hope. The war showed the people something they did not know existed. A good in demons, it showed them that demons were not that much different from them. It showed them that they could live together in harmony.
"It was a few months after the war ended that they found the place where the village now stands to build a home. Our clan was one of it founders. It was our clan that first accepted The Great Father, our clan you can say was favored by the kitsune demons. Which is why we are fox like in appearance and attitude. Some more than others."
A woman walked next to the Great Father. She had dark hair, two fox ears atop her head, light colored skin, yellow eyes. Seven fox tails swayed behind her.
"Who is she? I feel like I've seen her before."
"When the war ended our clan was so grateful that we accepted the Great Father into the clan, and he became the head of our clan. That is his mate, Kikyo. She came with him when he left the demon world. She helped greatly with the development of the village. For many years the village grew, prospered even in the harsh conditions of the wasteland."
A new scene showed. they were out of the wasteland. They were in another place, the border of the wasteland. He could see a crowd of people, more like a mob. The were gathered around what looked like a family. There was a man standing in front of a woman and two small children. The man had grey shaggy hair that touched his shoulders. Grey ears atop his head. Clawed hands ready to cut down anyone who dared get close. Fangs bared in anger. The woman showed no sign of any animal traits. She was human, she was knelt down shielding her children from the mob. Two children both no older than five clung to their mother in fear.
"Demons were not as accepted as they were in the wasteland. My people still hated them. In a way their fear is not groundless. All demons, not matter how "pure" have evil in them, not like how people have good and evil in them. No they have a evil part to them, it is just how they are. Something they can not change. Demons and in turn containers are more susceptible to evil. But it also depends on the person's will. They can go their whole lives and never hurt a fly. But people fear what they don't understand. If not for the help of the demons, humanity may not have survived. But many see a demon and only see monsters."
Naruto remembered all the hate he experienced back in Konoha. They didn't see him, they saw the Kyuubi that destroyed the village.
"A great deal of demons eventually made their way to the wasteland. It may not seem like it but all demons are drawn here. You were drawn here, deep down you were looking for a way to come home."
Their surroundings changed they were surrounded by white again.
"So our clan helped found the village." Naruto stated.
"Yes and for years they, along with the Great Father, created seals that to this day are used. While they did seal the portal and untold number of evil demons still roamed the land, and the village took it upon its self to take care of that problem. But the other people of the land grew fearful of our growing power. And eventually rose up against us."
The void was once again filled with land. Naruto and Niiro were standing of a complete wall of the village. A battle was raging below. The village was under siege.
"We tried to reason with the outside world, but no one would listen. They were too afraid of us. They thought that one day we would decide that we wanted more than our village. So they tried to wipe us out. They would not succeed. At the end of the battle. Out most powerful warriors placed a jutsu over the entire wasteland. The one you manged to get through. Sandstorms and illusions, The made the wasteland almost come alive. It chooses who can safely pass through. If it didn't want you here you would have died within two days."
The white void returned and Niiro began to walk again, Naruto close behind.
"That was a bit of our village history. Now for our clan."
Images began to appear around them. Pictures of people.
"Like I said before our clan specialized in seals. We were the best, and we knew it. The seals we created had no equal. We felt that nothing could stop us."
They came to a stop in front of a picture of a man. A red bread on his face, grey eyes large stature.
"This Nasus Uzumaki, he was the clan head about three hundred years after the war. It was with him that our clan began its fall from grace. For you see he was the greatest seal master our clan had ever produced. It was he that created numerous seal and techniques. But it was never enough. He always want to be greater. He grew power hungry. He became with the one thing that no one was able to conquer, death. For years he studied and created the seal that was used to seal the Kyuubi in you, except slightly altered."
Niiro touched the picture and around the void shifted. Naruto watched as Nasus stood before them and before him stood the being that controlled death in their world. The Shinigami. Naruto's eyes widened.
"He tried to seal the Shinigami inside himself?!"
"Yes he figured that if he contained the god of death he could become immortal. As you can see he did not succeed. The Shinigami was to powerful. And killed Nasus, completely destroying his body and soul. Then he turned his sights on the clan."
The scene shifted. The where floating above the village. The Shinigami was giant floating over the Uzumaki compound. It opened its mouth a black mist flowed out and began to cover the estate. Then Niiro and Naruto where in the streets, and Naruto saw the horror the death god unleashed on his clan. Men and women screamed in pain. The black mist entering their bodies. Naruto saw men and women doubling over in pain and die. Children and adult alike. There were other people in the streets, those that did not have Uzumaki blood in their veins were fine, they desperately tried to figure out what was happening to their friends and loved ones. Naruto could only watch in horror.
"What.. What did he do to them, what did he do to us?" Naruto whispered.
"Nasus wanted to become immortal, he wanted to have all the time in the world, as punishment our time was taken from us."
When the black mist faded away. The bodies of many adults littered the streets, children crying over their parents, it made Naruto sick. Then Naruto noticed that it was only adults that were dead.
"I don't understand."
"The Shinigami placed our lives on a timer."
The scene changed once more. There was a huge funeral. By the looks of it about half of the clan if not more was dead. The families mourned the departed when suddenly the god of death appeared before the village.
"Hear my words mortals. You all exist because we allow it. Never once think that you deserve more than what we have given you. Because of the actions of one man he has doomed his kin. Let this be an example to all of you. Never tread into our domain. And never think you are our better, or even our equal. Uzumaki clan, be grateful I could have easily taken all of lives. But instead this is your punishment. Thirty years that is now your limit. Slowly you will die out, and you will have no one to blame but yourselves."
The white void returned.
Thirty years, was the only thought passed threw Naruto's mind. He only had thirty years to live, he was almost half way through. Naruto slowly slid to his knees. Their were times when he imagined he would one day have a family, have kids, see them grow up, have grandchildren. But now he could not. Naruto would not live to see his grandchildren. Then a thought crossed his mind. If he did have any children then they would live with this time limit. He would look at them and know that they could never live a full life. And whoever became his wife would have to see him die after only a few years with him. Then she would live to see her children possibly die before her.
"No. I will not let anyone feel the pain of loosing someone they love, or losing one children. The Uzumaki will end with me."
"Has anyone ever tried to get rid of the limit?" Naruto asked.
"Of course. Numerous people have tried to find ways to lift this curse from our clan. Everything from jutsus, elixirs, even trying to barter with the Shinigami has been done. But none of it worked. Only the Shinigami can remove this curse."
Naruto shakily stood back up. He had had enough of this depressing clan history.
"Can you tell me about my parents please?"
"Of course little one."
A person appeared in front of Niiro and Naruto. She stood about five six, long red hair, light skin, and grey eyes.
"Her name was Kushina Uzumaki, she was the previous container of the nine tails. She was the former clan head's daughter. The youngest of three children, and the most childish."
A second figure appeared next to her. A blond man with blue eyes.
"Minato Namikaze, through some strange twist of fate ended up chasing some enemy ninja into the wasteland when he was about fifteen. Apparently these ninja were sent out here to see if the legend of our village were true. By the time Minato found them they were already dead. And Minato would have died to, he had gotten lost in the wasteland. But Kushina found him and brought him back here. He had stayed here for about four months. That was all the time it took for Kushina to fall for him, he learned a great deal about our clan. It was here that he learned the seals that lead to him becoming known as the Yellow Flash, The Flying Thunder God Technique."
"Yellow Flash, but that is what the Fouth Hokage was called." Naruto said eyes widening.
"Yes he was your father. It would be about three years later that Kushina and Minato would meet again. She went to Konoha and became a ninja there. But she was to never mention the wasteland to anyone. She chose to stay there and live the remainder of her life with him. You were born five years later. I had been dead for about a year."
"She would have had only six years with me." Naruto said.
"And I'm sure she would have loved every second of it. Kushina never saw our curse a the way many others did. She would always say that it just meant that she ahd to have twice as much fun. She was always quite the trouble maker."
"What was she to you?" Naruto asked not taking his eyes off the images of this parents.
"She was my sister. Which makes me your uncle I guess."
Naruto remained silent, it was a lot in information to take in at one time. Learning how the village was founded, learning that his clan was curse, that he only had about sixteen to seventeen years left, and learning who his parents are. His brain was a bit fried.
"I want to learn everything." Naruto said to his uncle.
Niiro smiled, he could tell Naruto had a thirst for knowledge. Also Niiro felt it was his duty to teach him everything there was to know about his clan, and there sealing art. It was Naruto's birth right.
"Of course. But I warn you it won't be easy."
"I don't care, I want to know everything there is to learn."
"Very well."
With a snap of his fingers Naruto awoke in the same room he was before he passed out. Niiro and the blue orb were there as well.
"Down here is the entire Uzumaki clan library. You can learn everything about our techniques and the clan."
"What will you do?"
"I'll be here, I am bound to this house. I'll be here to help you. You should get going, I know this was a lot to take in return when you are ready to learn."
Naruto nodded and up the stairs, walking to the front door that was now slightly open. Before he left he turn around. Niiro and the blue orb were there to see him off.
"Thank you uncle, I'll see you soon." Naruto said as he left.
Niiro smiled as he turned to the orb.
"You know, for someone who had a life like his, he didn't turn out to bad."
The orb floated and in a flash turned in to Kushina.
"He could have had a better one if I had just returned like you had asked, before you died."
Niiro placed a hand on his sister's shoulder.
"Don't blame yourself. None of this is your fault."
"Still I feel like a horrible mother, leaving my only child alone in this cruel world."
"You would have been a great mother,and I'm sure that idiot you called a husband would have been a great father."
Kushina chuckled. She hoped that one day she would have the courage to properly meet her son. Him coming here and entering her old home allowed her chakra, which Minato had sealed in Naruto, to manifest. Niiro had shared half of the chakra he had, shortening his time here in this world, so she could one day meet her son.
It was late, Goken and Yoken sat in Yoken's home.
"He is returning." Yoken said.
Goken sipped his tea.
"Who exactly is he?"
Yoken refilled his cup.
"Before your time, before my time even, there was a moment when the portal long ago sealed was nearly opened. This demon lord managed to escape the demon world and tried to break the seal placed by the Great Father of the Uzumaki clan. He nearly succeeded if not for one of the former Shikyokage and the then head of the Uzumaki clan. Before he was sent back he swore that he would return. You know that the people of my clan have sworn to keep the history of our village. I shall find you the scroll of that time."
Goken looked worried. An enemy was returning, if his dreams where to believed. And not only that, Naruto and one of his sons where in danger.
"What happened when he came?"
Yoken drank his tea.
"He nearly destroyed the village. He was able to turn many of the villagers to his cause. Almost like a civil war."
Goken thought for a moment. If his village fell the rest of the world would fall shortly after. He would not let that happen. But he knew that hisvillage could not do it alone. They would need help, and that meant one thing.
"Yoken, I think its time the world is reminded of our existence."
4080 word. Ok first, Happy New Year. Second I feel like I have let all of you down. If you read the first chap of a new story I did you would have seen that I had promised that to release this chap before Christmas. Well that didn't happen, my reason doesn't matter. I made a promise and I didn't come through. And for that I apologize. This chapter was a bit rushed. I had scraped it again, and did this in like three days. Definitely not my best work. The next chapter will focus on Konoha. And I may even try my hand at something at more M rated, if you know what I mean. So please R&R I really need some feedback, it would help me a lot.
Well See Ya Squall Leonhart Out.