Now, at last, we've arrived at Fuu's intro into the story.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto
Takigakure. Few foreigners would ever lay eyes upon this, one of a small handful of truly hidden villages among the Elemental Continents. A pity, because it was a truly beautiful place; made up of traditional, eastern style buildings, most of which were carefully and caringly constructed as if by a master carpenter, built around the walls of a small, circular valley full of plant life, around a massive, crystal clear lake, at the heart of which lied an island where their administration building lied, resting at the base of the gargantuan, sacred tree of Taki, whose canopy covered the entire village. Beams of sunlight shined through its branches, illuminating the concealed village.
The roof of the valley was hidden under a powerful genjutsu which was constantly monitored. It was an S-class secret of the village and any outsider that stumbled upon it was quickly dealt with. Even the commonly used entrance was well, if a little obviously, hidden; an underwater cave system behind a massive waterfall.
It was thanks to the lengths they went to keep their home hidden that the village had only once been successfully invaded, and that mark on their village's pride had occurred solely due to the actions of a traitor.
Suddenly, a shadowy figure emerged from the lake's depths, which rose to the surface before bursting out of the water. It was none other than Naruto Uzumaki, our favorite Jinchuriki.
The blond had hit a minor growth spurt since his little adventure in the Land of Vegetables, growing a few inches taller, now standing at an even 5 ft. He was no longer the scrawny brat he once was, his muscles having grown from the borderline hellish conditioning his sensei was putting him through. His body had become more defined, possessing a lean musculature that granted him strength while not decreasing his speed or flexibility.
The blond had changed in the six months, and not just physically. He'd taken to heart the lessons he'd learned during the affair.
Jiraiya had since stressed to the boy that he'd need a change of wardrobe if he was ever going to be taken seriously. He'd liked his track suit, after all it was his favorite color, which was why he'd bought it in the first place, and so had initially refused. Jiraiya had actually spent two days trying to convince the blond to discard the clothing he liked so much and get something more fitting for a shinobi. Eventually, Jiraiya was forced to resort to drastic measures. He 'accidentally' lost the spare tracksuits the blond brought and destroyed his last remaining one in a particularly brutal sparring match. And so the blond was forced to retire his tracksuit.
The teen now wore a black, long sleeve shirt with fingerless, plated gloves and gray pants. Refusing to abandon his favorite color, he had an open, bright orange vest slightly reminiscent of a flak jacket, lined with two pockets both outside and inside the jacket. For some reason, the toad sage had wanted him to keep the red spiral that could be found on the back of his tracksuit and all of Konoha's shinobi clothing. Seeing no reason not to, and besides which he found he liked the spiral, he allowed him to have it added to the vests. He had also switched out his blue shinobi sandals and forehead protector for black ones that matched the dark colors of his new attire and had done away with his weapons pouch.
He craned his head as he took in the peaceful village, a smile spreading across his face as he did so. It was a little nostalgic being; it had been a long time since he'd been to this place and being here sent the young Jinchuriki on a brief stroll down memory lane.
Yes, the last time he'd been here had been well before Sasuke's defection. That time he, the aforementioned Uchiha heir and Sakura, had been escorting the, at the time, extremely nervous and timid leader of Taki: Shibuki, back home and arrived only to find it had been taken over by a missing nin from the village; Suien, who Naruto had defeated with a little help from Sasuke.
Naruto shook his head to clear his mind. The thought of how well the three of them had been getting along at that time, and how it had all turned out, was something he'd rather not think about.
He turned when he heard others emerge from the water's surface behind him. Out of the clear, blue water came a kunoichi of the village, wearing Taki's standard shinobi attire, followed by Jiraiya of the Sannin, blindfolded and by the look on his face, none to happy about having been dragged sightless through the hidden entrance of the village.
Naruto held back a snicker as he used his chakra to rise out of and stand on the water, his sensei and their escort doing the same a moment later. Due to the crisis at the time, Shibuki had been forced to show him the entrance to the village, making blindfolding him a moot point.
As he rose, Jiraiya took off the blindfold and turned his eyes to the tree. Taki was certainly a nice place, though in this Sannin's opinion it was a short on public bathhouses and hot springs, but, oh well. He was here for business, not pleasure anyway, as much as he preferred the latter.
"If you'll follow me, I'll escort you to see Lord Shibuki." The kunoichi said as she turned to the teacher and student duo. "He's been expecting you, Master Jiraiya. I'm sure he'll be surprised to see who you've brought along."
As the kunoichi began walking towards the island in the lake's center, sending rippled through the water with each step, Naruto grinned widely as he said, "Great, I want to see what he's been up to." When the Sannin had told him they were heading here, he'd instantly thought of his adventure here and wondered how Shibuki was doing. When they first met, he really didn't seem like the type of person who'd do well running a village, though Naruto could tell he cared deeply for it, but after standing up to Suien, he'd seemed to have changed. "So, you never said. What is it you want to talk to Shibuki about anyway?"
Jiraiya shook his head. "Sorry kid, it's a secret." He said, smirking at his student's obvious annoyance.
In short order, the trio had entered the entered the administrative building and walked down its halls. The kunoichi opened the door for them and allowed them to enter.
Shibuki sat behind a desk, filing away a completed form and reaching for the next one when he heard the door open. Thankful for a brief respite from the never-ending monotony of paperwork, he looked up and smiled amiably.
"Welcome, Master Jiraiya. It's been quite some time since you last visited us. You're a little later than I…" He greeted before his expression shifted to one of surprise when he saw the young teen walk in behind him. "Naruto?"
"Hey, Shibuki." Naruto said as he placed his hands behind his head in a relaxed pose. "Long time no see."
With a slight laugh, Shibuki stood, reaching over the desk and shaking his hand as he replied, "You can say that again. So, what brings you here with Master Jiraiya?"
Jiraiya chuckled as he placed his hand on the blonds' head, ruffling his hair as he said, "I've decided to take him on as an apprentice. We've been on this training trip for the past few months."
"Oh, is that so?" Shibuki questioned.
"Yeah, the Pervy Sage has been teaching me all kinds of incredible things. I'd wipe the floor with that Suien if I fought him now!" Naruto said, pumping his fist. Jiraiya made a face when he heard Naruto refer to him as 'Pervy Sage' in front of a village leader.
Shibuki chuckled, shaking his head. "'Pervy Sage'? From what I've heard, that name suits him." Naruto let out a snicker as he could almost sense his teacher's annoyance. "I hope you haven't picked up any of his bad habits."
Naruto scoffed at that. "Hah, he wishes. So, what have you been up to?"
Shibuki shrugged as he sat back down. "Oh, the usual. Fortunately, no serious problems have arisen since last time you've been here. Things have been pretty boring around here, not that I'm complaining." He said, turning to Jiraiya. "Now, what was it you wanted to see me about?"
"Yeah, I guess we should get down to business." The perverted sage nodded before turning to Naruto. "Alright, kid, run along now."
The Jinchuriki looked up at his sensei and frowned. "What?"
"Our discussion is nothing you need to worry about." Jiraiya replied, waving his hand in a dismissive gesture. "And I think you've earned yourself a break. Consider our stay here as free time. You can explore the village, take in the sights, enjoy your hero status, and maybe even find yourself a nice lady friend!" He spoke that last suggestion in an enthusiastic tone as a perverted grin spread across his face. "Now go on, have fun."
"Alright." Naruto grumbled, knowing his sensei well enough to know that there was no arguing with him on it. With a shrug, Naruto headed out. "See you later, Shibuki."
Shibuki nodded to him as he left the room, before turning to the legendary Sannin. "He acts about the same, but he seems to have matured a bit since I last saw him." The village leader commented.
"Heh. Yeah, right. He's the same brat as ever." Jiraiya replied, craning his head to look at the door his student had just departed through out of the corner of his eye.
"Well, let's get down to business." Shibuki said, sitting back and clasping his hands together on the desk. "I have to admit, I was a bit surprised when you sent a message saying you had urgent information for us. So, what's so vital to our village's security that you had wanted to discuss it with me personally?"
Jiraiya crossed his arms and closed his eyes, his expression becoming serious. "Tell me, have you ever heard of an organization called Akatsuki?"
Naruto walked across the bridge leading from the center island to the village proper, wondering what he was going to do with himself while his sensei was talking about whatever it was he was being so secretive about. It annoyed him to no end that the man kept this from him, but there was no point dwelling on it.
Stepping off the bridge and walking the streets, the blond looked around at the people that went about their daily business. When he'd help save the village, his team had left before things could return to business as usual and he hadn't gotten a chance to really explore the village.
As he looked around, Naruto noticed that he was receiving many looks. Because of how secretive and secluded the village was, even though it was fairly large, outsiders stuck out like a sore thumb, even without forehead protectors denoting them as such. He could see them staring at him and feel their gaze on his back and every once in a while, whispers concerning him would reach his ears.
It was something he was fairly used to. After all, he grew up receiving hateful glares and cruel whispers of the people of his own village as he grew up. However, this was different than what he'd experienced back home and he couldn't resist letting a proud smile spread across his face from what he was hearing and the looks he was getting.
Unlike during his earlier years, the eyes and words that were upon him all radiated approval. Many of the civilians who had been held captive recognized him, and they were glad to see him once more. A few civilians who had been hostages on that day actually came forward to thank him. He made a brief stop at the local restaurant for a, relatively, light meal of five bowls of ramen and the owner let him have it on the house! Though, he'd said it was a one time deal.
Aside from that time back at the Chunin Exams when he defeated Neji, he had never had this many people happy to see him. It was definitely nice feeling.
"Naruto!" "Naruto, you're back!" The blond turned to see the two children, whose names he realized he had never learned, who had been the first to meet his team when they'd arrived in the village. He remembered helping the two clean up the waterfall's basin before they learned that the village had been attacked.
"Oh, hey guys." Naruto greeted as they approached. "How've you been?"
"Great! It's been so long, I didn't think we'd see you again." The girl said as she and her brother looked up at the teen with stars in their eyes. The boy was a hero in the eyes of many of the village, and none more than the two children who had personally witnessed him take down the guy who betrayed their village and hurt Shibuki.
"Have you had any new amazing adventures since you left?" The boy asked eagerly.
Naruto chuckled proudly. "Yep! I can tell you all about them if you want."
"Really? That'd be awesome!" The boy cheered. "So, what are you doing here?"
Naruto craned his neck to gaze back at the island at the center of Taki, his expression taking on an annoyed look as he thought about how his sensei cut him out of their discussion, "Ah, my sensei has something he needs to talk about with Shibuki. I guess we'll be here for a few days."
"Say, Naruto." The girl began, pointing back to what must be her house. "We've got some cleaning to do in the yard. You mind helping us again?"
Naruto shrugged, seeing no reason not to. Besides, the two reminded him a little of Konohamaru and his corps and it wouldn't be any worse than those D-rank missions he had gone on when he first became a ninja. He also figured he could probably ask them about the sights and places of interest around the village so he wouldn't have to search them out himself. "Sure, why not? Not like I've got anything better to do."
Bright smiles spread across both their faces at his answer. "Thanks!" They chorused.
After taking the time to help the kids with their chore, Naruto went back to exploring the village. Finding nothing else interesting to do around the village, he decided to instead explore the area around the village. Looking around the forest surrounding Konoha had been one of his favorite past times, though distant from pranking, gardening and sampling the divine dish that was ramen.
And so, travelling through the underwater tunnels surrounding the village once more, Naruto emerged from the waterfall and stepped into the forest, taking a moment to take in the natural splendor of the falls. He spent a good half an hour walking through the forest. He was followed at first, no doubt that there were other secrets around the village they wouldn't allow any outsider, even him, to learn of, but that stopped once he got far away enough from the village.
As the sun began to set over the land, the young Uzumaki discovered a small river that fed into the larger one that began at Taki's entrance. Deciding to follow him, he casually walked just beyond the water's edge. Soon, the sound of churning water reached his ears, hinting at the presence of a waterfall, though by the sound it was much smaller than the one that hid Taki's entrance.
The foliage began to grow denser and denser as he approached the sound's source until finally, he saw through the bushes a very small waterfall that poured into a lake at the center of a grove.
Unlike the falls that hid Taki's entrance, the clearing had several sparse groupings of flowers. Their fragrance, combined with the crisp, clean air produced by the water and the earthen scent of the forest gave the area an appeal even the majestic falls outside of Taki's entrance lacked and made even the hyperactive blond feel completely at peace.
As he began to approach the tree line, he caught sight of a figure in the grove. Quietly, he stepped in for a closer look.
Sitting on a stone at the edge of the lake with her feet dipped into the water as she leant back on her arms was a girl who looked to be around the same age as the Uzumaki himself. The girl had straight, spiky hair that was a distinctive mint green in color that almost reached her shoulders and framed her face and had tan, caramel colored skin. She wore a white, sleeveless midriff shirt and a short matching skirt and white shinobi sandals, along with bandages under her shirt that went halfway down her stomach and from her skirt halfway down her thighs and a pair of long, white armlets, which all together he found similar to what Ino wore. He could see the forehead protector of Taki tied around her right arm.
While the girl hadn't seemed to develop in one area, specifically her chest, many would still consider her very attractive. She possessed well proportioned hips and a narrow waist that still left her with a curvy figure and the toned, feminine legs and perfectly flat stomach characteristic of a strong kunoichi. Her lithe form and the mildly exotic appearance her unique features gave her a rather striking appearance.
However, what drew the blonds' attention were her eyes. They were a bright, beautiful orange, and reminded Naruto of his beloved tracksuit that his sensei had burned with his damned fire jutsu. Seriously, this girl had to have the most awesome eyes he had ever seen in his life.
Ugh, he wished his eyes were orange.
But another thing about those orange pools that caught his notice was the look in them as she stared into the sun's reflection in the water with a sorrowful, troubled expression. It was a look the blond was all too familiar with, having seen it in the mirror for years when he was younger. She had the look of someone who bore the weight of the world on their shoulders, and had not a single person to help carry it. Someone who knew the deep despair of complete loneliness.
Before he could do or say anything, the girl's head snapped up, her face shifting to a mask of shock, then annoyance as she turned and glared in his direction. From his place, he couldn't notice the small beetle that had landed on her shoulder.
"All right, whoever had the bright idea to spy on me, come out right now!" The green haired girl ordered.
There was a slight rustling before the blond emerged, smiling sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his head. The girl's eyes narrowed at the sight of the newcomer, having expected him to run. "Sorry about that, but I wasn't really spying. I only just got here. I was exploring around here and I came across this place."
The girl cast a suspicious look his way, seeming to size him up, noticing his Konoha forehead protector, but after a moment seemed to buy his story. She jerked her head away from him as she said, "Well, congratulations, you stumbled upon my little home away from home. You can go now."
Now Naruto frowned, crossing his arms stubbornly.
"Why should I? I can go wherever I want. In fact, I think I'll stay right here." He said, walking to a stone across from the girl and parking himself on it.
The girl sent another glare his way before turning away again. "Suit yourself." She said, refusing to let his presence bother her. It was a bit annoying though. This was her favorite and personal spot. She came out here specifically because she wanted to be alone. She didn't like having people intrude upon her solitude.
After that, a few seconds of silence passed between them. While his presence was unwelcome, the green haired girl couldn't help but wonder who he was. Finally, she decided to sate her curiosity. "So, who are you anyway?"
Naruto tilted his head to the side. "Oh, and here I thought I was bothering you. Warming up to me already?" He asked sarcastically.
"Ha." The green haired girl scoffed. "Yeah, you're a regular ray of sunshine, clearing up my cloudy day."
"Hmph." Naruto snorted. "If you really want to know, I'm Naruto Uzumaki."
The white clad kunoichi blinked, her expression shifting into one of surprise. "Naruto? As in the boy who saved our village and took down Suien? The one who managed to get Shibuki to kick it in gear, that Naruto?"
Naruto gave another snort as a grin spread across his face. "The one and only."
"I should have recognized you the moment I saw you." The girl said, causing the blond to preen a little. Then her mouth curled into a smirk as she added, "After all, you're the only blond ninja I've ever heard of who goes around wearing 'kill me bright' orange clothing."
Naruto's eye twitched. She did not just diss his favorite color. Shooting to his feet, he clenched his fist as he shouted, "Hey, orange is an awesome color! And I wouldn't mock it if I were you, since you've got orange eyes!"
"I didn't say there was anything wrong with the color." The girl replied, closing her eyes and shrugging. "But it's not exactly practical for a ninja, is it? I wouldn't be surprised if you got spotted from a mile away wearing that."
Naruto pointed at her. "Oh yeah, well, you're one to talk! You go around wearing blinding white!"
The green haired girl's smirk instantly vanished as her head jerked forward, causing her hair to obscure her eyes in shadow. Unknown to the blond, she had a similar affinity for white as he had for orange. The white clad kunoichi performed a perfect imitation of Naruto's previous actions, shooting to her feet and glaring at the blond. "And what's wrong with that? White's an amazing color!"
"Yeah, well it's a lousy excuse for one if you ask me! It's like looking at a blank nothing!" Naruto responded, throwing his arm out dismissively.
The girl took a step on the water, getting closer to the Uzumaki as the water rippled under her foot. "It's the color of good, purity and perfection, you jerk! And it's a hell of a lot better than going around wearing something like orange; you look like you belong in a circus!"
Naruto mirrored the girl's actions and took a step forward. "Well at least it blends in some places! Where did you plan on hiding, the Land of Snow?"
"So you don't deny that you look like a clown!?"
"I was talking about leaves in autumn! And at least I don't look like a walking white flag!"
"Keep talking about my favorite color like that and I'll stomp you!" The two had continued to step closer to one each other throughout their tirade, and were now only inches apart
"Actually," Naruto quickly began correcting the girl, his stance adopting a slight lecturing pose with his right hand raised and his index finger pointing to the sky and his left hand clasped on his elbow. "White isn't a color. It's the absence of color. So technically speaking, you're favorite color can't be white."
The girl blinked once, staring at the blond with a completely dumbfounded expression from his sudden tangent.
"What?"
"Nothing, nothing," Naruto waved his left hand in the air above his head, as if to ward off a fly before folding his arms across his chest and tilting his head. "So, what were we talking about again?"
Shaking off her lingering puzzlement, the kunoichi frowned and responded, "I just told you to watch what you say about my favorite color," She said, ignoring the blonds' remark about it not being a color at all, "or I'll make you regret it."
"Oh, yeah? Well same to you!" The pair stared intensely into each other's eyes before they turned away from each other with a simultaneous 'hmph', both crossing their arms stubbornly.
Naruto wondered where the girl got off mocking his favorite color; at least he didn't wear only orange. Even he knew that was too much. This girl seemed to wear nothing but white. "I get by just fine wearing orange."
"And I've never had a problem with white."
"Oh yeah? Well I'm a natural at concealing myself." Naruto boasted, turning back to the green haired girl. "I once covered the entire Hokage Monument over my village in graffiti wearing an orange tracksuit and no one noticed until I was almost done."
The girl didn't respond, simply turning her head away from Naruto further, causing him to frown until he caught a slight shaking in her posture. After a few moments, the sounds of restrained giggles reached him.
She didn't want to laugh. She really didn't. She'd wanted to keep the walls up around anyone she didn't know, but thinking about the prized Hokage stone faces, which the village was so proud of, covered in paint, and the looks that must have been on the villager's faces when they saw it and realized a kid wearing something as visible as orange had pulled it off caused her to giggle despite herself.
Naruto smirked as he saw the girl's restraint fracture. Finally, she faced him again, giving him a slight grin. "Heh, your ninja must be either lazy or blind to have missed that."
"Nope, I'm just that good." Naruto replied, closing his eyes and crossing his arms as a prideful smirk spread across his face. "I've probably pranked at least half the people in my village by now."
"Really?" The girl replied, placing a hand on her hip as her mouth spread into an amused smile. "So our big hero's a notorious prankster? Who would have thought?"
Naruto then tilted his head to the side and looked at her curiously. "You know, it's rude to ask for someone's name without sharing yours' first."
The girl seemed to think about something for a moment before her face hardened and she turned away. "Too bad, because I'm not giving it to you."
"What?" Naruto seemed surprised by her response before he frowned and took another step towards her. "Hey, what the hell? Why'd you clam up all of a sudden, all I asked for was your name."
The girl crossed her arms and closed her eyes as she jerked her head away. "And I told you I'm not sharing it with you."
"What's your problem? What, is your name embarrassing or something? Come on and tell me, I won't laugh."
Her eye twitched. "It's not embarrassing; I just don't want to tell you! I have a great name! It's sure better than yours' fish cake!"
"My name means 'maelstrom' and 'spiral', stupid!" The two got in each other's faces, sparks flying between their gazes before both turned their heads away and returned to their respective corners of the grove.
Neither said another word and after a few minutes, Naruto left, leaping through the trees and heading back to the village. The girl's face, etched in a cold, dispassionate expression for as long as he was present fell into a somber look once she was alone once more. Truthfully, she somewhat liked him. He seemed like a fun person to be around, and his reputation made it obvious what kind of person he was. Her heart actually lifted a little during the brief moment where they'd talked amiably.
But… when he found out who she really was, what she really was, he'd turn on her just like everyone else. It wasn't worth getting close to him, letting him through the carefully constructed walls around her, just to get burned again.
The girl remained in the clearing until stars lit up the sky, and then returned to the village.
Naruto crossed his arms, his eyes scrunched up like a fox's and his mouth pressed in a thin line as he thought about the girl in the grove, sitting on his futon in the room Taki provided him and his sensei. Where'd she get off, mocking his name and favorite color? And the day had been going so well until then…
His face turned into a pensive one as he recalled the look on her face when he first saw her. What was she carrying around that made her push people away like that?
As he thought on this, his sensei slid open the shoji door and stepped inside, stretching his arms and closing his eyes as he let out a yawn. Rubbing the back of his head as he walked over to his futon on the other side of the room from the blonds' he noticed the expression on his face and grew curious.
"What's the matter, kid? I figured you'd be living up your hero status. Something bring you down?"
Naruto looked up at his sensei and shrugged. "Eh, it's nothing. Just some weird girl I met."
Jiraiya gave an eager, perverted grin as he rubbed his hands together excitedly. "Oh ho ho! So, you decided to take me up on my advice and find yourself a little girlfriend and got burned! Oh, don't worry kid, I've been there."
"W- what?" Naruto asked, completely caught off guard and taken aback by the perverted sage's assumption. "O- of course not!"
Jiraiya nodded to himself, inwardly amused by his student's reaction. "Don't bother denying it. I knew it was only a matter of time before you awakened to the joys of seeking out a beautiful woman. Maybe I'll take you along with me next time I feel like getting some research in."
"Don't even joke, I'm not like you, ya got that you old perv!?"
The green haired girl once again sat at the edge of the small lake in her little hiding spot as she stared into the setting sun's reflection in the water. With a sigh, her gaze turned to the sky, knowing any minute now a certain blond would once again intrude on her solitude.
The previous day, at almost the exact same time, he'd returned to the clearing and sat down in the same spot as the previous day, despite the fact that she'd made it clear she didn't want him there on the first day. It was so frustrating. No matter what how many times she told him to leave or what she said to get rid of him, he stayed right where he was and kept talking about whatever he felt like; their villages, ramen, his friends, ramen, orange, ramen, places he liked to go visit in his village, ramen...
It became very clear to her early on that he really liked ramen. A lot.
He also asked her about her friends, but she refused to answer that question. Especially since she had no friends.
That being said, he did manage to get her to speak up on some topics, mostly short, often biting responses in hopes that she'd get him to stop talking and leave, and she'd found they shared a few common interests. She'd been surprised to find out that the blond liked gardening and was actually well versed in plant life. That was part of the reason she liked the grove so much, not only was it away from the eyes of the people of her village… the eyes that stared down at her with such scorn… but also because she had a love of nature and plants. She also liked insects, something she'd accidentally let slip. She could name every type of insect found around the village and identify most on sight. While he didn't share that interest, he also didn't think it was creepy.
This seemed to spur the blond on, as talking about topics she liked gave brief glimpses of the side of her she kept hidden away from the world.
Why'd he have to be so persistent? Couldn't he see that she didn't want to talk to him? She didn't want to get close to him, just so he could turn away when he discovered what she really was.
Hearing the rustling of leaves nearby, she turned her head slightly, looking in the direction of the disturbance with a single orange orb to see the blond step into the clearing, just as she suspected. He gave her a fox like smile before walking to his usual spot across from her and sitting down, just as he had the day before.
"You're back again." She said dully.
"Yep!" Naruto replied as he pulled out a scroll from one of his inside vest pockets, causing her to narrow her eyes in suspicion. She tensed slightly, ready for an attack, something he noticed but said nothing about. Though she was ready to fight, something about the smile on his face told her she need not worry.
Sure enough, in a poof of smoke, a pair of large rectangular packets emerged. She raised a brow as he tossed one to her. Catching it in one hand, she noticed it was cold to the touch. "Popsicles?"
Naruto nodded. "I was thinking this was a good place to enjoy a snack and figured you'd be here, so I brought an extra one. Good call, huh?" He asked as he opened his, revealing the orange treat.
The green haired girl sighed. "It just had to be orange, didn't it?" She wasn't going to turn down the snack, so she opened it and placed the frozen treat in her mouth, enjoying the taste.
"So, do have you had any interesting adventures since you've become a ninja?" Naruto asked, pointing his Popsicle at her.
She shrugged. "A few. Nothing like saving a village though."
"Want to share them?" He asked with a curious expression.
The girl let out sigh, leaning her head forward and shaking it in exasperation. "You're just not going to give up, are you?"
Naruto grinned in response. "You can't tell me you actually like being alone out here."
The girl sent him a slightly hostile glare. "Actually, I do. Look, if you're trying to be my buddy, then stop right there. I don't need a friend." She looked away, he gaze once more becoming somber. "I don't need anyone."
Naruto's expression became surprisingly serious as he stared at her. He knew what she was probably going through, even if he didn't know why. For whatever reason, the girl was isolated, either by choice or due to the contempt of those around her. Unlike the blond himself, who never gave up on forming new bonds and treated those he met as potential friends unless they were clearly not people he wanted to be around or until proven otherwise, she didn't want to risk being hurt and closed herself off.
Something he'd learned from his adventure in the Land of Vegetables, the first time he'd ever seen someone fighting alongside him die, and from reflecting on it, on Zabuza and Haku's fates and those of the people who died during the invasion was that life was too precious to waste. You could only live once, and you shouldn't spend it miserable or bogged down by pain, not if you can help it. Not to say he wasn't willing to kill his enemies or those trying to harm his precious people, especially the likes of Akatsuki, but it strengthened his resolve to change the way things were.
And now he was faced with someone who seemed consumed by the same pain of loneliness that he himself endured in his home, and because of that, he felt compelled to help her.
After a few moments, he replied, "You know, I've met a lot of people who like being alone… but I've never met anyone who enjoyed absolute solitude." His words surprised her and she stared into his surprisingly intense eyes, in contrast to the normal, cheery and relaxed look in them. His eyes spoke volumes of what he was feeling. They showed he had absolute conviction in his words… and that he was speaking from experience. "I once met two people who were so desperate for companionship that they followed evil people who used them, just to give them a purpose." He said, thinking of Haku and what he'd been told about Gaara and Lee's opponent during the ill fated Sasuke retrieval mission: Kimimaro. "I met a guy who was completely alone, and he came to hate the world so much he decided his purpose was to kill everyone, including his family. I'm not saying you're like them, but… can you honestly tell me you like having no one to talk to?"
The green haired girl turned her head away. She could say that she liked truly liked being isolated… but it'd be a lie. It was just that it was preferable to the alternative. Besides, no one in her village wanted to be close to her. She was almost universally shunned. Only her sensei, a few store owners and Shibuki really interacted with her in any way other than trying to drive her away or pretend she didn't exist. Shibuki did show her kindness… but he also obviously pitied her, something she didn't want, and most of the former individuals did so purely due to obligation, aside from a few exceptions. Naruto though… he didn't seem to pity her. She couldn't tell what, but something else seemed to make him want to talk to her.
What, did he have some messiah complex or something? Did he want to help everyone in need? Or was it something about her specifically?
"If you really like being alone that much, then tell me. If you'd really rather I not be here, I'll leave and you'll never have to see me again. But, what have you got to lose from talking to me?"
She seemed to contemplate his words. When she thought about it, not much. Sure, she could, no, almost certainly would get burned again, but what were the chances he'd discover what she was? The people of her village wouldn't leak information about their secret weapon of last resort, beyond even the hero's water, to someone from another village, not even to their hero.
And also… no matter how much she didn't want to, she did enjoy the company after being alone for so long. With a sigh, she closed her eyes and replied, "Fine, you win…" Naruto gave another fox like grin. She looked up at him with a resigned expression. "So, you wanted to know if there were any interesting missions I'd had? Well…"
She then told him about a mission she'd been on with her 'team', if she called them that. The objective had been to clear out a bandit camp, an apparent C-rank mission, but it turned out that they had been members of a slave ring and run by rogue shinobi. Her sensei had killed their leader while she took down his second. She'd even saved one of her teammates' lives… ungrateful bastard hadn't treated her much differently afterwards, but she didn't tell him that.
Naruto then shared the story of his mission to Wave with her. She was a little surprised that Taki wasn't the first time the blond had wound up embroiled in a battle over the fate of a country. She wouldn't have believed him, had he not been a hero in their village and if not for the way he spoke of it. He didn't boast or brag about it; in fact he seemed a little ashamed. At the end she saw why, a grave error in judgment, one that she could only call completely idiotic, had nearly cost him and his teammate their lives. They only survived because their opponent happened to be extremely kindhearted and took pity on them.
The girl actually reassured him after that, reminding him that it was his first serious mission and he wasn't ready for such a job yet. Besides, with what was apparently at his disposal at the time, there really wasn't much he could have done based on what she'd been told of their opponent; Haku's abilities. When asked how they got out of it, he responded that his sensei was able to bail them out.
Currently, the white clad kunoichi was laughing along with the blond, banging a fist against the rock as she held her stomach. They'd finished their frozen treats and had talked for so long that the sun had now completely set. The moon was high in the sky, surrounded by the sea of diamonds that was the stars.
Naruto was very happy with the response he got. Once he'd gotten her to admit that she enjoyed having someone to talk to and got her to ease down the walls around her, he found that deep down underneath the cold exterior she'd developed to protect herself, she carried an energetic and seemingly carefree, happy go lucky personality, much like his own.
He'd decided to regale her with the tales of his all time favorite pranks, like the time he'd managed to sneak sneezing powder into the Akimichi's food supply, or the time he infiltrated the haughty Hyuga clan compound and dyed all their underwear pink.
Let it be known that the Hyuga clan didn't use their Byakugan unless already aware of a threat. Understandable, but none the less a fact they no doubt regretted when a certain Uzumaki decided to pay them a visit.
"That's priceless! I can't remember the last time I laughed so hard!" The green haired girl said in between peels of laughter. She'd actually played a few pranks herself… but they were typically a lot more vindictive, and occasionally a distraction so she could steal food from a store that refused to sell to her as payback. There really weren't many other ways she could get them back for mistreating her without getting herself potentially hurt or killed. Finally getting herself under control, she looked at him with a single open eye, a tear welling up in its corner before she wiped it away. "You weren't kidding when you said that you'd pranked half the village! They must really hate you back there."
Naruto clammed up at that, suddenly taken back to his own childhood. The green haired girl noticed this and stopped laughing, looking at him with slight concern.
"What's wrong? Something I said?"
"No, I'm fine." Naruto replied with a more subdued smile than usual and a shake of his head. He wasn't one to burden others with his own problems unless he really couldn't shoulder them himself. Even if he was, if he told her how he was treated in his younger years, she'd ask why and he wasn't sure how she'd react to finding out he was a Jinchuriki.
The girl looked at him suspiciously before shrugging, deciding everyone had their own problems. "So, how'd that Neji guy take that stunt you pulled on his clan?"
He shrugged, grinning as he imagined how Neji had reacted, picturing the look of shock and then fury on his face. Really though, he'd probably reacted with a twitch of his eyebrow and a look of disdain. Still, getting reactions out of stoics like him and Sasuke was always the best. "Don't know. I hadn't met him yet."
The girl chuckled and shook her head. "You know, I've been wondering how our other saviors have been doing. I bet the three of you have been in all kinds of trouble." Naruto suddenly grew somber once again, staring into the water much like she'd done earlier when alone, causing her to frown.
"What'd I say now?"
Naruto turned to her and shook his head, "Nothing, you couldn't have known. I mean…" With a sigh, he looked back to the water, "Sakura's fine but… Sasuke betrayed our village."
"What!?" The girl responded, visibly taken aback. Naruto then explained what had happened, though he left a lot out, like how Sasuke stabbed him with his Chidori. The green haired girl wasn't sure what to think. She could understand that losing everyone you care about in one day could leave you a little crazy, and seeing the person responsible suddenly appear before your eyes probably wouldn't help your mental state, but to betray your village for power? Maybe if he'd been scorned by almost the entire place like she had been, like unknown to her Naruto had been, but to abandon all those who cared so much for you just to gain power? "Well if you ask me, you're better off without him then."
Naruto's head jerked in her direction, looking surprising angry about that. "How can you say that? If it was someone you cared about, would you just leave him to die like that?"
The girl frowned. "But from the sound of it, he doesn't care about any of you. He even admitted he couldn't have cared less that you're teammates might be dead because of his selfish need to get stronger for revenge. Why care about someone like that?"
"Because…" Naruto replied, looking up the sky. "… before we ran into Orochimaru and Itachi, we'd been getting along fine. Sure, we didn't exactly see eye to eye all the time… or even most of the time… but, him, me and Sakura had been close. I was an orphan. I grew up without a family, and they were the ones who filled the void. Sasuke… was the brother I never had." His ocean blue eye shifted, looking at her now. "If someone close to you was trying to throw their life away, just for something like revenge, would you let them do it?"
The girl looked downcast as her orange orb fell to the sky's reflection on the water. It was something else they had in common, she realized. Both grew up without a family. If she had someone who was like a sibling to her, after everything she'd been through… she'd never let them go. She'd do everything in her power to protect and save them.
"No, I wouldn't. Sorry I said that." She then smiled reassuringly at him. "Don't worry. If anyone can bring your friend back, it's you."
Naruto seemed slightly surprised by her response. "You think so?"
Giving him a wide grin, she replied, "Yeah, after all, you're the hero of Taki."
Naruto smiled back and the two turned to the sky, sitting in silence as the chirping of crickets filled the air. After a few minutes, Naruto stood.
"Well, I guess I should head back. See you… Oh." He said as if suddenly remembering something important. "You know, you never told me your name."
"Oh right. Sorry about that." The girl replied, rubbing the back of her head and smiling sheepishly. She then shifted her body back and leapt to her feet, holding out her hand while closing her eyes and giving him another wide grin. "The name's Fuu! It's been nice meeting you."
Naruto smiled as he shook her hand. "Same here, Fuu."
With that, he left, waving back at her as he took off through the trees. Fuu couldn't believe how happy she felt just from having a normal conversation with someone. A pang of pain echoed from her heart as she remembered that it wouldn't last. At best, he'd leave soon. At worst, though unless she told him the chance was slim, he might find out what she was and treat her like everyone else.
But it was so nice, having someone to break her loneliness… she decided she'd enjoy it while it lasted, however short that might be.
Shibuki let out a groan as he sat at his desk, letting his face fall forward into his hands. The news the Sannin had brought nearly a week ago was far graver than the young village leader could have imagined and at the moment, he was struggling to make a decision, one that was in the best interests of those lives entrusted to him, all of them.
Akatsuki. As the leader of the village, he'd heard that name before; a band of mercenaries made up of S-rank criminals from various nations, the likes of Itachi Uchiha; the man who single handedly exterminated his own clan, Orochimaru; a monster in human form guilty of more crimes against humanity than many would care to count, and Kisame Hoshigaki, the man with so much chakra he was known as 'The Biju without a Tail'. While certainly a formidable force, combined they'd likely be capable of causing serious damage to one of the great villages, if not outright destroying it, like those who'd hired them he'd never given a thought as to what their ambitions might be.
They were after the nine Biju for some unknown, likely malicious, purpose. Taki was the only minor village in possession of one of the Biju… and that made them a target. They were apparently lying dormant for the next few years, but if they saw an opportunity, they wouldn't hesitate to take it and there was no doubt that someday, Akatsuki would attack them.
One of the five great ninja villages might have the power to ward off their attacks, but a minor village like Taki had little chance. Remembering a tale he'd heard from his youth, of the damage Kakuzu, a single S-class missing ninja from his own village, one of only two shinobi of that level their village ever produced, had done when he turned on them, he dreaded to think what would happen if a pair of them came for their Jinchuriki.
The most likely outcome… would be the annihilation of Taki. In fact, he was somewhat certain that most of the members of such an organization would be capable of wiping out a small village like theirs' single handedly.
Simply giving them the Biju would be an obvious solution… but that would cost its Jinchuriki her life. Sacrificing her was something he was loathe to do and if it weren't a near certainty that they couldn't defend her, he wouldn't consider it. But he knew that some times, ethics and personal wants had to be sacrificed for the greater good, it was just part of being a shinobi.
But there were other complications. The loss of their Biju would hurt Taki's standing among villages, and they had no idea what it was that Akatsuki planned to do with them. Power like that in the hands of people like them could spell catastrophe for all the nations, including his own, and each one lost to them would only make them more dangerous.
Relying on allies wasn't really an option. He doubted Konoha would lend him that many powerful shinobi for the duration of the crisis, and they were too far away to respond before the damage was done. But if they couldn't defend themselves against the Akatsuki…
… What was the right decision to make?
Sitting up and spinning in his chair, he looked out at his beloved village and then craned his head to look at a picture of him and his father when he was just a boy.
'What would you do if you were here now?' He asked himself as if talking to the man.
With a sigh, he continued contemplating his dilemma. He'd have to inform the council… but before that, he felt he should tell the biggest victim in this mess.
Arguments abound through the walls of Taki's meeting room, a fairly simple room with a single round, short legged table which the many members of the village council sat around on the tatami mats while Shibuki, as the village leader, had a red pillow.
For the past ten minutes, the various members of the village leadership urged their own opinions on what should be done about the looming threat of the Akatsuki. As the young village head feared, they were largely split and couldn't offer any point of view he hadn't already considered.
Even at his worst, there had been a reason he was the leader of the village, beyond the fact that his father had been his predecessor.
A fist slammed upon the table, the sound cutting through the other voices and bringing attention to its owner, an old man, who glared at the other councilors as he said, "I don't understand what the issue here is. We should just give these Akatsuki the Nanabi and be done with it!"
Shibuki couldn't help but frown as that argument was brought up once again. Much to his dismay, most of his advisors seemed to favor that option, which is precisely what he'd feared when he knew he'd have to inform them. Quite frankly, part of him was surprised that the subject of their discussion hadn't left their village long ago.
"Are you out of your mind?" Another, a young woman with brown hair, argued in response. "We have no idea what they could do with that power!"
"What are the chances that they can do anything but create another Jinchuriki? It'll be years before they become a threat, if they do at all. Need I remind you neither of the girl's predecessors made much progress?" A middle aged man, who supported the elder, refuted. "For that very reason, keeping her around is little more than an empty threat."
"And you're suggesting we waste man power trying to protect her? Do you have any idea what monsters like them could do to our village?" An auburn haired man stated. "While I agree, we shouldn't simply give power like that to such people, we really have little recourse. Perhaps it would be better to trade her to another village or send her out in exile."
"Exiling her is the same as handing her over to them!" A fiery young woman with red hair and brown eyes, shouted in response. "And what other village would take her?"
"Then what would you suggest?" The old man asked.
The young village leader had had enough. Honestly, he liked that option of giving her to another village the best. They'd benefit from it and would no longer be a target for Akatsuki, she'd be safe, and that way she might be able to find the happiness she'd never had in Taki. The problem is which village? Konoha? They were allies and it was supposedly the strongest village, but he wasn't sure how they treated their Jinchuriki. It was likely they weren't well liked there after the invasion and the Kyuubi's attack. Kumo? To his knowledge she'd be treated best there, but they were one of the most untrusting of the villages and would likely kill the Jinchuriki and place the Nanabi in someone whose loyalties they could be sure of. Iwa, as they'd experienced in the past, would probably double cross them… he'd heard of Gaara and could only imagine what had made him that way, that was all that needed to be said about Suna, not to mention that they had yet to find a suitable candidate for the Fifth Kazekage, and Kiri had no allies at the moment and was the weakest of the major villages due to their civil war and the loss of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist.
"I believe it would be best if we considered our options before arguing any further." Shibuki said, raising his hand to get everyone's attention. "I've already considered most of what's been said here. Let's reconvene tomorrow and discuss this further. While there is a threat on the horizon, we have time before they become active. Let's make sure we make the best choice for the sake of our village."
As the group prepared to leave, all considering what was in store for their village, no one noticed a fly on the wall. On the other side of the village, a pair of orange eyes, fear and hurt clear in their depths, blinked away tears as their owner severed her connection with the insect before retreating from the village.
Fuu stared lifelessly into the waters of her favorite hiding place, her face blank but a single look into the dull depths of her usually bright orange orbs would make it clear to anyone that what the girl was feeling: absolute despair.
As if her life wasn't already bad enough, she just found out an organization of S-rank missing ninja were after her and those like her. And the leadership of Taki, with the exception of Shibuki, was seriously considering just giving her to them…
Anger briefly flared into her eyes as her hand clenched. Part of her couldn't help but hate Taki and the people in it. They put her through hell, and why? Because she happened to have been chosen for the 'honor' of being the village's Jinchuriki. She could still remember the day her life changed forever. They'd dragged her from the village orphanage when she was only four years old because the previous Jinchuriki had lost control during a failed attempt to master the Nanabi's chakra. Because she had no family to suffer for it, and Shibuki was already considered too old to make a suitable Jinchuriki, she was selected to be its new host. While her mistake had cast Fuu's life into darkness, she couldn't really blame her predecessor for it. After all, she'd died horribly for her mistake, though she didn't mourn her beyond that if she'd lived, she'd have had a chance at a normal, happy life.
It was much easier to blame the person who'd condemned her to a life of suffering: Shibuki's father… but he'd spent the rest of his life trying to make up for it before he'd died for the village. Shibuki had done a lot to continue his father's efforts to help her, so she couldn't bring herself to truly hate him either.
Her eyes dulled again as her thoughts returned to the here and now, and her inevitable fate. Part of her was surprised that the village leaders hadn't all just wanted to give her to Akatsuki. They couldn't even stop Suien! While strong by Taki's standards, he wouldn't hold a candle to most of the renowned jonin of the great ninja villages. She knew it, they knew it, and so what were they going to do against monsters like Itachi Uchiha?
And how would she get strong enough to defend herself when no one in Taki wanted to teach her except Shibuki, who was too busy to help more than every once in a blue moon?
The great villages had the power to defend their Jinchuriki, provided they wanted to… but for a Jinchuriki in a minor village like her… this was a death sentence. Unless they sent her to another village, which would probably not improve her life even slightly, they'd either give her up, exile her, or try and certainly fail to defend her.
Besides, no matter how they treated her, Taki was still her home, and she still had fond memories from those first few years of life, before she'd become a Jinchuriki, that she clung to. She didn't want to see it destroyed, and that's what would likely happen if they tried to protect her.
Hearing rustling nearby, she looked up and saw the blond walk into the grove once more.
"Hey there, Fuu! How've you been?" Naruto said with a grin, which dropped as he saw the solemn expression on her face.
"Hey, Naruto." She answered dully.
The blond frowned. "What's wrong?"
The girl sighed, tilting her head forward and closing her eyes. "It's…" She considered telling him the truth in hopes that maybe, just maybe he might accept her and could offer her some advice, or at the very least comfort. But she shook her head, too afraid of rejection to take that chance. "… nothing I want to talk about. Actually, I don't feel like talking at all today. Could you just… sit here with me?"
The Uzumaki's expression showed concern but he decided to accept her wish. "Yeah, no problem." He said, taking a spot beside her. Fuu's eyes rose to the setting sun. She was truly glad that she hadn't succeeded when she tried to push Naruto away. He was the first friend she'd ever had, not counting the ones who'd turned on her after she became a Jinchuriki. His presence eased her heart, if only a little.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Fuu asked without taking her eyes off the horizon.
"You bet it is." Naruto said, turning to the green haired girl with a grin. "Look at it, the sky's orange!"
Fuu couldn't help but chuckle. "You really love that color don't you?" She asked, shaking her head.
"Well, it is my favorite color." Naruto replied. "But I've seen some amazing things in white too."
The female Jinchuriki smirked at that, looking at the blond out of the corner of her eye. "Orange isn't such a bad color either."
Once more, the two enjoyed a comfortable silence, sitting back and looking at the dusk sky in the peaceful little grove. After a few more minutes, Naruto closed his eyes before turning to her with an unreadable expression. "Fuu… me and my sensei are going to be leaving tomorrow."
Fuu stiffened at his side before relaxing, hiding her face from him. "Oh." Was all she said.
With a reassuring smile, Naruto replied. "Don't worry, I'll be sure to come visit whenever I'm in the country."
'Don't bother.' She thought as she came to a decision regarding her fate. 'I won't be here.' But instead of voicing this, she simply nodded before standing. "I think I'm going to head back early today." She said as she began walking away.
"Ok, see ya." Naruto replied, looking after her with a concerned expression, worried about her sudden shift in demeanor, but knowing she wouldn't share her troubles with him. He turned back to the water until he heard her call out to him.
"Naruto?" He turned to look at the girl, who was giving him a smile. A warm, truly thankful smile. "Thank you… for being here."
The blond Jinchuriki had a similar expression as he replied. "I'm your friend, Fuu. If you need me, just ask. I'll come running."
The green haired girl nodded and disappeared into the trees, leaving the blond alone in the clearing for the first time. Once alone, his face became a mask of worry. That change of demeanor practically screamed that something was wrong and her last words to him sounded like a good bye… an eternal one. What was it that was troubling her? Furrowing his brows, he decided that he'd have to find her again before he left.
That night, as the rest of the village slept, Fuu stood on her own at the edge Taki's lake, looking out on the village for what she was sure would be the last time, taking a deep breath as she steeled her resolve on her decision. On her back was a large, cylindrical object about three quarters her size, wrapped in red cloth which was tied over his shoulders and under her arms. Her forehead protector was absent from its usual spot on her arm.
No matter how she felt about its people, no matter how they treated her or how much she felt the village as a whole didn't deserve her loyalty, this was her birth place. She wouldn't watch it be destroyed by a group of monsters trying to get to her.
So if the village wanted to be rid of her, then fine, they'd never have to see her again. That time she'd spent with Naruto… had been the happiest time of her life since she'd become a Jinchuriki. If she left, if she went to places where it wasn't known what she was, she could enjoy meeting new people who wouldn't treat her like a monster and making new friends. And then… when Akatsuki came for her… at least they wouldn't destroy Taki.
Of course, she'd train during her journey, and she'd make them work for the demon sealed inside her, but she didn't like her chances. Then again, her chances weren't much better if she stayed in Taki anyway.
So she'd get to enjoy a few years of real freedom, and Taki wouldn't suffer once Akatsuki moved. Everyone wins… except her really. But then, she never did when it came to life.
'So much for seven being a lucky number.' She thought to herself with a bitter smile. 'But…' She thought of Naruto. 'Maybe, for once, I did have some good luck.'
Turning around, she stared up into the canopy of Taki's sacred tree, small glimpses of moonlight shining through the leaves. Before she found the grove, she used to spend her time hiding among its branches, looking down at the village. She'd spent a while in her old hiding spot one last time. Her home really was a beautiful place.
Finally, she tore her gaze away from the tree before leaping into the water, diving down and into the tunnels leading out of the village.
Unnoticed by her, an odd figure rose from the bark of Taki's sacred tree.
Anyone who happened to lay eyes on this person would likely never forget him, standing out even more than Jiraiya of the Sannin. He had short, green hair the same shade as grass and yellow eyes. Oddly, he was encased in what looked like a massive Venus flytrap and his body was split down the middle, one half perfectly white, the other purely black, even his sclera, leaving the dark half's irises its only distinguishing feature.
However, what was most troubling about this figure was his attire. A long, black cloak emblazoned with red clouds; the uniform of Akatsuki.
"Well, this in interesting." The black half of the odd being spoke alone in monotone as it looked down into the waters, still rippling in the wake of the village's Jinchuriki.
"Aren't the zombie twins nearby? She's their target, think we should tell them?" The white half asked in a tone displaying its interest.
"Of course." The black half responded with a hint of condescension. "We could only benefit from capturing one or two of them early."
And let's stop here.
Hope you liked it and please review.