Hello all, hope everyone is having a great Halloween! I'm currently holed up in my house, hiding from the voracious crib lizards roaming my neighborhood, looking for their free diabetes starter kits. Which did jumpstart my writing though, so here's a new chapter a couple days early.
*DISCLAIMER- I DON'T OWN NARUTO*- It's Kishimoto's sandbox, I'm just making crappy sandcastles.
LAND OF RICE- SANCTUARY- OFF THE SOUTHERN COAST OF FIRE COUNTRY
The early morning light broke through the trees, illuminating a rustic two story dwelling on a hill. The hill overlooked a moderately sized fishing village on the southwestern coast of Rice Country. Rice is a small country, mostly unnoticed by its intimidating neighbors Land of Fire to the north, and Land of Water to the northeast. Its small, but growing economy is overshadowed by the larger merchant country, Land of Tea, to the west. Rice is primarily an agricultural country, the interior on both of the main islands in the nation being planted with its namesake, and the coastlines were dotted with fishing villages.
Rice country began to change when a bedraggled group of refugees made landfall at the larger northern island. The people of Rice are a kind, humble people who were happy to help get the refugees back on their feet. The Uzumaki refugees were very grateful. Once they established a small settlement on the smaller southern island, the Uzumaki sent back a yearly gift of fish, pearls, and sea salt to the village that had helped them. Their ships cannibalized for raw materials, the settlement, Sanctuary, took two difficult years to get on its feet.
Ashara Uzumaki stood gazing out the bay window on the second story of his modest home. This day would normally be the day he sent his gifts to that generous village, Landfall. But after 15 years, Landfall's grateful Headman had arrived yesterday, and said that the Uzumaki's debt was paid in full. The Uzumaki's tribute had doubled the size of the then unnamed village.
The Uzumaki had chosen wisely, as there were many oyster beds with juicy oysters hiding big, fat pearls at Sanctuary. Aside from the abundant fishing, the Uzumakis had developed a way to mass produce sea salt as a luxury food item. The sea salt tasted better than mined salt, and was popular with well-known chefs. Very trendy with many daimyos at present. Not to mention the benefit of ample amounts of fresh water reclaimed from the evaporation process.
However, the escape from Uzushio had still cost the Uzumaki clan dearly. When the survivors had made it to the evacuation ships, Ashara was horrified when he realized they only needed a third of the waiting ships. He had grimly ordered that the supplies on the extra ships be off- loaded as quickly as possible, then destroyed those ships. He made sure to have any who could, use as many differing chakra natured attacks as he could find.
He had held out the thin hope that the Coalition would think that it's forces had successfully massacred all the civilians, and destroyed the ships. The idea that they had been ambushed and destroyed after completing their mission was a stretch, but the fuinjutsu traps in Uzushio had claimed many Coalition lives before then.
This day always made him contemplative, every year. He wondered if Iwa or Kumo still had any feelers out, looking for them. He didn't worry so much about Kiri, as it seemed Kiri would be descending into civil war in the next year or two. He wondered about what had happened to his youngest niece, Kushina, sacrificed to Konoha as a jinchuuriki. He hadn't heard anything from her, but the world did think the Uzumaki were dead.
He wondered about the ships lost in the sudden storm that had sprung up and surprised the small fleet, just as it had rounded the tip of the Land of Waves peninsula. The evacuation fleet had been sailing at night to throw off pursuit and gain as much distance from Uzushiogakure as they could. This made keeping the fleet together impossible as the storm raged, and they lost another third of their ships.
Ashara growled when he thought about the confirmed fate of one ship. That ship had managed to make landfall in Wave, but were immediately set upon by pirates. The exhausted crew put up a futile, meager defense, but all aboard were captured easily. The pirates then promptly sold them all into "indentured servitude", as slavery is technically illegal. The Uzumaki have been sending what ninjas they could out into the world ever since, trying to find hints of their wayward brethren.
The last 17 years had taken a toll on Ashara. His hair was now completely white and he had accumulated an impressive amount of wrinkles. Mostly around his eyes from reading reports until late into the night. His guards told him to take it easy at times, but they knew the stubborn Clan Head would still work himself into the ground regardless.
Ashara turned when he heard a respectful knock at the door. Shaking himself from his dark thoughts, Ashara sat down at his desk that was made from planks of his former flagship. "Enter" he called.
The door opened to admit a small, middle-aged man in a tasteful business suit. He had a thin mustache, and his short, dark hair was parted down the middle. With his round, wire frame glasses, he looked like the quintessential accountant, or bank manager.
"Ah, Toshi" Ashara said warmly "please, come in. Have a seat." Toshi nodded and sat in one of the chairs arranged in front of the desk. "What can I do for the Namikaze family today?" Ashara asked. "Well, there are several items I must bring to your attention, Ashara-sama." Toshi had a deep, cultured voice that was surprising for his small frame, which barely topped five feet. Ashara waved for him to continue. Toshi nodded as he opened the folder he had brought with him.
"Most importantly, these are the latest scouting reports from the search parties in the Sakuru Sea. I believe they have found a good spot for your hidden village. Inside a chain of atolls, they found a volcanic island. It is actually a very fortuitous find." Ashara was a bit surprised by the excitement in Toshi's voice. He was normally a very reserved man. Ashara simply waved his hand for Toshi to continue.
"The reefs form a natural barrier, and it took the scout team quite a while to find a way through. I'm told they needed extensive use of the rebreather seal. An excellent invention that, Ashara-sama." Toshi said. Ashara leaned back in his chair, smiling. His protégé (and fuinjutsu addict), Ryuusuke had come up with that seal after extensive study of fish gills. The ability to breath underwater was a huge boon for their fishing and pearl diving industries.
"After finding a safe path for the ship, they found that the island was dormant and safe." Toshi continued.
"Are you certain? No magma activity, what so ever?" Ashara questioned.
"None my lord, this team luckily had a ninja with a strong Doton affinity. He delved as deep as he could. He reported he felt no activity at all." Toshi said with a satisfied grin. "Furthermore this volcano is very large, with lava tubes formed both above and below sea level. The caldera is sunk deep underwater creating a natural bay inside the volcano. What's more, a rather large lava tube extends underwater and connects with that bay." Toshi's grin was getting infectious as Ashara saw were this was going.
"That is not even the best part my lord. There is a significant amount of volcanic soil above sea level, which we can expand by sealing some lava tubes and pumping out the water." Toshi finished triumphantly.
Ashara was speechless, this was perfect! Natural defenses both with the reef and the exterior of the volcano, as well as a preformed bay that connected to an underwater entrance. He would have to put Ryuusuke, and possibly his brother Kennosuke, to work on seals that would grant them passage via that route. And to top it all off, to have fields with volcanic soil! The best possible soil to work with, bar none! Ashara could see what had got Toshi so excited.
"Excellent, my friend, excellent! Recall the other search teams immediately and get all available Doton users and engineers over there as soon as possible. I want the construction of Himitsugakure started yesterday!" Ashara ordered. As always, Toshi smirked at his friend's dry humor. Only he would a name a hidden village, The Village Hidden In Secret. Of course, the Uzumaki clan and their vassal civilian families would do their best to have it remain hidden in secret for as long as possible.
Toshi was happy to see Ashara's spirits lifted, the man tended to brood too deeply when this day came around. Toshi remembered all too well what the Namikaze family owed to the Uzumakis. As the official head of the Namikaze family, Toshi did as much as he could to help them. The Namikaze family had been the first to be evacuated from Uzushio, and they had been lucky enough to be on the ships that made it to Landfall.
Once they got over the shock of Uzushio's downfall, the civilians realized just how much the Uzu shinobi had sacrificed for them. They had gathered together, and had all asked to be absorbed into the Uzumaki clan. Ashara had graciously accepted, even finding potential shinobi for the small "Academy" being built in Sanctuary. The only two families he refused were the largest, and what used to be the largest, the Namikaze and the Hiyafuda respectively.
When he refused them, Ashara had been quick to explain. To the Hiyafuda family head, Jumonji, Ashara said he felt that the Hiyafuda name needed to be honored and remembered. The Hiyafuda had volunteered to be evacuated last, taking heavy losses in the ambush. Ashara had even seen civilian Hiyafudas picking up weapons and fighting back. Plus, two ships carrying many Hiyafudas were in the fleet vanguard when the storm hit, and were lost at sea. Ashara had said that they had sacrificed enough, and that they needn't sacrifice their name. Jumonji had never looked prouder, and that magnanimous gesture had earned Ashara the undying loyalty of that clan.
Turning to the man that would become his chief advisor, Ashara then spoke to Toshi Namikaze. The Namikaze were a shrewd and prosperous merchant family with connections throughout the Elemental Nations. They had been the driving force behind Uzushiogakure's economy. Ashara was going to lean on those ties heavily to rebuild his clan's wealth, and improve the quality of life in the Land of Rice. The Namikazes had always had strong ties to the Uzumakis, even though there was a large amount of extended family in Fire country as well. They would become the backbone in building the merchant fleet that was now slowly giving Rice the ability to challenge Tea for economic supremacy in the Sakuru Sea.
The merchant fleet was even now extending its range all along the eastern coast of the Tea peninsula, reaching as far south as Sea Country and Sakura Country. They did not dare to venture north just yet. Kiri was too close for that, and there were rumblings of economic strife coming out of Wave.
Toshi shook himself out his reverie. "Honestly, I'm getting to be as bad as Ashara-sama" he thought. Reaching into his folder, Toshi pulled out the next stack.
"The second item concerns your student, Ryuusuke. He believes that the first phase of his mission is complete and wishes to visit Sanctuary. He believes that he can launch the second phase at any time" Toshi reported. "Eh, finally sick of those sea rats, is he? How long has it been, 2 years?" Ashara chuckled. "Three, my lord" Toshi corrected, then a grin came and went on his face.
"I assume Hidoki would be happy to see him…" Toshi said slyly. He was surprised when Ashara's face drew down into a worried frown.
"I'm not so sure about that. The sudden departure of Ryuusuke was his choice, not mine. He came in here begging for a long term mission. Apparently, he and Hidoki had a falling out and he couldn't stand being snubbed by her. This is not a big enough village for them to avoid each other" Ashara said solemnly. Toshi was very surprised, he had seen Hidoki upset after Ryuusuke left, but he had assumed it was because she missed her childhood friend. But before, he could ask further, Ashara clapped his hands as if to bring himself back on track. "Alright, what's next?"
Toshi let the matter drop, he wasn't going to pry into another's personal affairs. "Next, my lord, are the quarterly fishing yields…" Ashara sighed. How he loathed paperwork…
KONOHA- CLAN DISTRICT- OCTOBER 16TH
Naruto walked slowly behind his dog masked ANBU protector, Inu, as they made their way towards the Akimichi compound. He never expected this when Hokage-jiji asked him to come to the Tower this morning. Naruto didn't quite know how to feel. He felt hope rise within him when he thought about what jiji told him.
"Naruto-kun, I have some friends who wanted me to invite you to a BBQ. They wanted to introduce you to some children of theirs, and see if you would like to be friends with them. How does that sound?" How did that sound? It sounded great. Naruto ruthlessly squashed the hope back down. He had been down this road too many times. For the past two years, a heartrending rollercoaster of emotion would happen time and time again. He would sneak past the parents at the local playground, and start playing with other kids. Until the parents noticed, he would be having fun. It wasn't always easy to join this group or another, but his natural cheer and exuberance usually won out. He was very popular when it came to playing Ninja, due to his (forcibly) increased stealth abilities. He would be happy. And then, the inevitable would occur.
Even if he managed to say goodbye to whatever new friend he had made without their parent(s) noticing, eventually he was found out. The child would be yanked away from Naruto and warned to stay away from him. Usually while still within earshot of Naruto. The hope of finally making a friend was to be dashed again. The happiness that Naruto had got to taste would shrivel up and turn to ash. He couldn't help but repeat this cycle again and again, even though part of him knew what would happen.
He really wished the Kamiumis weren't busy today. He wished Midori, at least, could've come. But they still had jobs to do, even Midori had chores. They had responsibilities to the merchant caravan, and they had put them off while trying to spend as much time as possible with Naruto.
But, if they could be nice to Naruto, others could be, right? Then Naruto jerked as he realized that the Kamiumis weren't from here. He had seen villagers coming up to Mirobu and Miyuki yesterday, obviously talking about him, based on the looks they gave him… Oh no, what if they were just saying they had to work as an excuse? Was it the same rollercoaster all over again? Miyuki-oba was so kind, she wouldn't take Midori away from him, right? But the villagers had talked to her and then she said Midori couldn't come out to play today.
Now Naruto had very mixed feelings. He just knew that the same thing would happen again. But the Hokage had said that the parents were the ones who had invited him. But usually no one would let their child near him. But Hokage-jiji wouldn't set him up, would he? But maybe they lied to jiji, and this is a trick. But jiji is called "The Professor" and he's Hokage, and the Hokage's the smartest in the village. But villagers did stuff all the time to him, and jiji would only find out later. But… Inu. Inu wouldn't lead him into a trap, would he? Inu was always nice to him, right?
Naruto's thoughts wouldn't stop chasing each other around and around. This was the most exhausting walk he had ever taken. He didn't notice Inu looking at him worriedly out of the corner of his mask's eyehole. Finally, Inu couldn't take seeing the warring emotions playing out on Naruto's face. He spun in front of Naruto and kneeled down to eyelevel. He had to put out a hand to keep the preoccupied boy from walking into him as Naruto looked up in surprise.
"I'm going to be with you the whole time, Naruto. I'm not letting you out of my sight, ok? You say the word, and we'll be out of there immediately. No questions asked. You understand?" Inu reassured Naruto.
Naruto wrung his hands in a very uncharacteristic display of nervous indecision. The warring of emotions across his face suddenly stopped, and was replaced by a look of determination. "You promise?" Naruto asked with just a slight waver in his voice. Inu held out his pinkie "I promise." Inwardly, he was very amused that the tough-as-nails, kenjutsu-loving, kunoichi badass Neko had taught Naruto the "pinkie swear promise". But he was also relieved to see how seriously Naruto took it based on how firmly he wrapped his pinkie around Inu's.
Inu was glad that Naruto was back to… well closer to his usual self. Seeing Naruto wring his hands had more been disturbing than he would've anticipated. Inu was worried just how much pain Naruto was repressing, and was amazed at the cheerful demeanor he maintained despite it. Not giving Naruto, or himself, time to slide back into dark thoughts he stood up and started back towards the Akimichi's. Inspiration struck him and he grabbed Naruto. With a surprised yelp, Naruto found himself riding on Inu's shoulders. Inu's silver hair being grabbed roughly was a small price to pay for the shriek of laughter that followed.
Before Naruto knew it he was walking through a wide open double door gate. On the walls next to the gate was the Akimichi clan symbol. Naruto quieted down when he noticed the noise of a large group of people. He tensed reflexively. Crowds weren't usually good things for one Naruto Uzumaki. Inu felt his legs tighten on his neck, and could guess why. He kneeled down and helped Naruto to the ground.
"I'm right here. The whole time" he said, holding up his pinkie.
Naruto visibly calmed down and became more confident. "Kami bless you Neko" "Yosh! Let's not keep them waiting Naruto" Inu said in an upbeat manner. Naruto just nodded, his gaze fixed on the group of people milling together out on a beautiful open meadow to the left of the clan buildings. The adults were chatting amicably over by a set of large wooden banquet tables. Next to them, were a trio of impressively sized BBQ pits. They hadn't yet noticed Naruto or Inu.
As they got closer, Naruto could see the smaller forms of laughing children running around in the meadow. When they walked by a tree, Naruto immediately noticed a rather… large boy trying valiantly to climb up and hide in its branches. Without thinking, Naruto walked over and gave him a boost. The boy almost flew over the branch, catching himself just in time.
"Hey, playing Ninja?" Naruto asked. The boy just nodded, surprised at the assist. "Ok, well you should hug the trunk tighter and move to your left, you'll be hidden in the shadows better" Naruto helpfully informed him. "Oh, uh thanks" the boy replied, still somewhat confused. "No problem" Naruto cheerfully waved and continued on with an amused Inu.
But Naruto's cheer dimmed as he realized Inu was leading him towards the tables. Tables filled with adults. Two women noticed them and broke off their conversation. As they walked over, Naruto froze up until he felt Inu's hand on his shoulder. Naruto relaxed some, then relaxed even more when the women actually smiled at him. The knot in his stomach that had started to form when he first thought the Kamiumis would abandon him finally loosened. Maybe this was the beginning of the end of all those angry glares, and false hopes for friendship.
The two women greeted them warmly and directed them to a full figured woman standing by one of the BBQ pits. She was wearing tan pants, heeled sandals, a high-collared purple blouse with the kanji for food on the back, and an apron. Wielding a wooden spoon with deadly efficiency, she was fending off four large, and obviously hungry men. The men all had spiky, red hair and clan markings, making it easy to see they were related.
Naruto was a little intimidated by the woman (Inu too, though he would never admit it) as she protected her pork ribs and beef briskets from their drooling attackers. She spotted the two, and waved them over with an inviting smile. As they approached, Naruto could see the kindness in her dark eyes.
"So, our guest of honor has arrived!" She said cheerfully. Without looking she smacked an errant hand about to snatch some ribs. "I'm so glad 'thwack' to meet you Uzumaki-san 'smack'. I'm Chiyumi Akimichi 'crack' and I'm happy to welcome you to our home 'slap'" Chiyumi greeted him warmly. Suddenly, she spun and four distinct thumps were heard. The four redheads now sat on the ground nursing their aching heads.
"I told you to wait until everyone can eat" she admonished them. She then turned to smile at Naruto. "Now that you're here, we can! Are you hungry Naruto-san?" she asked. Naruto nodded quickly, afraid to say no. "Great! Find a seat, while I gather everybody up" Chiyumi said as she ushered him to a table.
"Choza dear, can you fetch everybody for lunch, please?" Chiyumi called to a large man in red plate armor. He turned and gave a hearty smile with a thumb's up. Naruto was amazed as he flashed through some hand seals and grew to the size of a giant! Naruto was now the same height as one of his toes! "Hey everybody! Come eat!" Choza boomed out. People appeared from every direction and the tables were engulfed in talking, laughing people. The Akimichi clan was a very boisterous, BBQ loving clan. Throw in the Yamanakas, who were pretty loud themselves, and it made quite a racket. Naruto had been sat next to the quiet boy from the tree, who had been introduced as Choji, with the boy's father Choza to Naruto's left. Apparently, the boy wasn't quiet when it came to food though.
Across from him were two large men also dressed in plate armor, fighting over a brisket. A couple Yamanakas down the table a bit then challenged a few Naras to a drinking game. For this game you had to sing a drinking song where you drank at the end of every verse. Your opponent then repeated the last verse and added to it each time. Needless to say, it was quite a raucous event.
Which was very difficult for Naruto. To the shunned orphan, any gathering or crowd meant jeers and insults at best, pain and suffering at worst. The result being, Naruto developed a moderate case of agoraphobia. The fact that he was surrounded by large men, who he now knew could grow even larger, and the unexpected raucousness made his breathing quicken. His heart was hammering in his chest, and he felt trapped.
Desperately, he spun in his seat, looking for Inu. When he didn't immediately see him, he started to panic. He jolted as Choza started to bang his fist on the table, spitting bits of food laughing at some jest. Hyperventilating now, Naruto clutched a hand to his chest. He jumped when the boy next to him hopped on the bench's seat, reaching across Naruto to grab a pork rib on his other side. Naruto's control broke. "INU!" he screamed. He jumped off the bench and tore off in a random direction, crying for Inu. The tables went dead quiet as the party goers watched Inu collect Naruto and shunshin away.
Shock reigned as nobody understood what had happened. They simply looked at each other, dumbstruck. The general thinking was mostly summed up when Shikaku muttered "well… shit".
LATER THAT DAY- HOKAGE'S OFFICE
"What happened?" the Hokage asked stonily, his eyes hard on the three nervous men in front of his desk. The three audibly gulped and, instinctively, Choza and Inoichi simultaneously looked to Shikaku to explain. "Troublesome" Shikaku muttered. He squared his shoulders and looked the Hokage in the eye. "It was my fault, Hokage-sama. It's clear now I should have taken the possibility of Naruto being agoraphobic into account. I apologize" he said firmly. The Hokage then sighed out in frustration. "No Shikaku-san, no one is to blame. I will simply have to find another way to ease Naruto into this. I believe it will take longer than I had anticipated" the Hokage stated remorsefully.
The truth was he had simply wanted to take his anger out on someone. Inu had returned just a short while ago, after calming Naruto down and treating him to ramen to help him get over his episode. When Inu relayed the details to Hiruzen, he had overreacted, summoning the three clan heads. But, now that they were in front of him, Hiruzen realized that the only person he could blame was himself. "How could I have let things go this far? How has it spiraled so far so quickly? How can I make this up to Naruto-kun?" Hiruzen thought in anguish.
The three men stayed quiet, sensing their leader's introspective mood. In truth, they felt guilty as well. Even though it was an accident, they had caused the traumatized boy pain. All three were just starting to realize how badly the boy had been abandoned by the clans, and by the village. All for doing the heroic duty of keeping the village safe from the largest threat it had ever faced.
Inoichi suddenly spoke up. "Hokage-sama, I know I've caught glimpses of Naruto in the park over by the southwestern corner of the village." "Yes, that park is just north of his home" the Hokage replied. Hiruzen didn't miss the quick look the three shared when he admitted that.
The only residential area south of that park was considered to be the slums. It was a residential area tucked as far from the Tower and the city center as it could be. Dive bars, brothels, pawn shops, loan sharks, and black market stalls called that area home. The area was tolerated somewhat as it condensed all the lowlifes into one heavily policed region. No place for a 5 year old on his own.
The Hokage couldn't suppress a wince when they looked back at him. When he found Naruto after he was kicked out of the orphanage, Hiruzen had foolishly sent a chuunin to secure an apartment. While the Hokage took Naruto to the hospital for an examination, the chuunin just took the first place that didn't instantly refuse him when Naruto was mentioned. Signing an ironclad lease, heavily slanted in the landlord's favor, without even reading it first. That lazy chuunin was now a permanent genin, and assigned to solo Tora-catching missions once a month for life. But Naruto still lived in a shithole, located in a cesspool.
Forcing his guilt aside for the moment, the Hokage looked at Inoichi. "Did you have an idea regarding that?" he asked. "I do Hokage-sama, I can bring my Ino-chan to that park until we "run into" Naruto and I'm sure that my little princess would make friends with him quickly!" Inoichi said, beaming. The other three men just groaned inwardly, amazed at how much he doted on Ino.
But the Hokage did have to admit that is was a simple, solid plan. One that might work with the other clan heirs his age too. "Excellent Inoichi-san, do it" the Hokage replied. "For now, I am going to put the rotating tutor plan on hold until we can get Naruto-kun a bit more socialized. He needs to learn to be around people first. That is all for tonight. Thank you, you're dismissed" the Hokage said.
"Kami its like I'm talking about an animal that has to learn how to be human…" Hiruzen thought sadly.
"Hai, Hokage-sama" the three men saluted and exited the office, each with their own plans to bring a little light into Naruto's life. Naruto's neglected existence that had been conveniently out-of-sight, out-of-mind was now placed front and center before them. They each promised themselves not to look away again.
While three introspective men were filing out of the Hokage's office, Naruto was leaning on the railing of his balcony staring out at the Hokage Monument. Naruto had calmed down and was grateful for Inu being kind enough to treat him to ramen. Inu had also went out of his way to not call Teuchi's or Ayame's attention to his fragile emotional state. Naruto was ashamed and angry at himself. What if he had just lost the one chance to make some real friends, in the village, with kids whose parents didn't hate him? He had wanted to ask Inu to take him back, but the words just wouldn't come. So, he just buried his disappointment in ramen.
Looking at the faces of whom he was determined to be his predecessors, Naruto thought over Hokage-jiji's words. "Sometimes it's good to be strong. Other times it's good to be smart and ask for help." With an option to improve in front of him, Naruto couldn't maintain his uncharacteristic depression. Shaking his head quickly, he lightly smacked his cheeks and forcibly cheered himself up. "Tomorrow's a new day! And maybe Midori-chan can come out and play!" Naruto fixated on that hope as he prepared himself for bed.
KONOHA- AN UNDERGROUND BUNKER
"The weapon has been isolated?" A gravelly voiced asked. "Yes Danzo-sama, he is still very much on his own. I believe that we may be able to bring him to your side very soon" the Yamanaka ROOT agent said emotionlessly. "I have a plan to isolate him from the clans permanently" Fu declared. "Very good. Go then, and do not disappoint me" Danzo ordered. "At once Danzo-sama" Fu said before shunshining away.
MEANWHILE- IN THE LAND OF WAVES- TO THE EAST
Whistling merrily, a young man walked down a dirt road towards the main shipping village of Nami no Kuni, the Land of Waves. Standing at 5' 10", 175 lbs., he had an athletic build, but he wasn't an overly imposing figure. He had on sturdy black boots, green cargo pants, and a grey T-shirt with mesh under armor that came to his elbows. His red hair was shaved on the sides and back, while the top was grown long and drawn tightly back into a scalp lock and pony tail that curved to the back of his neck. He was modestly armed with weapons pouches on his thighs, and a utility belt with a few scrolls hanging off it.
He smiled and waved to a passing group of farmers, who responded in kind. "I may be stuck waiting for a while, but at least its pretty here" he thought to himself. He continued down into the shipping village and stopped at the first inn he saw. After booking a room, he decided to take a stroll and get the "lay of the land". He wandered around town for a bit, heading towards the docks since he enjoyed the ocean view. He was just about to head back to the inn, when he heard a commotion off to his right. Curious, he slipped into an alley, which emptied next to a large warehouse. He stopped dead at the mouth of the alley at the sight of three thugs forcing an obviously beaten man to his knees in the loading area in front of the warehouse.
"OI, what the hell is this!?" the redhead demanded. "Leave him be!"
The thugs looked up in surprise, then started laughing uproariously. "Clear off, you dumbass! You don't want to be here right now!" a scarred gravelly- voiced thug armed with a katana spat. "This is our town, scrub!"
"Yeah! Beat it!" a weaseley looking man next to him sneered. The man on his knees then looked up at the redheaded newcomer "I don't know who you are stranger, but I think you should do as he says. These dogs bite."
All of a sudden, an anguished yell could be heard from an adjoining building as two more thugs came out, dragging out a pretty brunette girl in a white home-spun dress. "Kajumi! You BASTARDS!" the man on his knees spat venomously. "Leave my daughter alone!" He started to rise when he caught the pommel of a katana to the face. As he sprawled out in the dirt, the thugs laughed viciously. "We're gonna have us some fun tonight, boys! Eh, Kajumi?" the apparent leader leered at the terrified girl.
All of a sudden, all five would-be rapists felt a distinct malevolence. Their heads swiveled comically to the redheaded man who was looking down, and whose fists were clenched so tightly, they were shaking. "So that's the kind of men you are." The thugs flinched at the steely tone of his voice, as the ambient temperature seemed to drop to freezing. He looked up, and all five took an involuntary step back. His cobalt blue eyes promised death and pain in equal measure. The redhead snapped his hands down the holsters at his thighs and withdrew three kunai for each hand.
The three by the kneeling man responded by lifting their own weapons, one a crude club fashioned from a board with nails in the end, and one had a decent tetsubo, while the leader brandished his katana threateningly. The two scum holding Kajumi pushed her over near her father, and each drew wicked looking knives. "Well, don't just sit there, pissing yourselves in fear. Let's do this!" the redhead spat. At this the thugs all snarled and started forward.
"You stupid little shit! You know who we are? We're part of the Redwater Teeth! All the docks is ours!" the leader yelled "We're gonna learn you to step in our territry! What you think about that?"
"I think you haven't been burdened with an overabundance of schooling" came the condescending reply. The thugs looked at each other confused, as if trying to confirm whether or not they were just insulted. "Arrgh, enough talk. Get him!" the leader ordered. All five charged down the alley.
The redhead smirked as waited for them to get closer. He then brought his arms in front of him in an X, with three kunai in each hand. He snapped his hands forward and launched the kunai. The thugs crouched and prepared to dodge. But they all widely missed their mark and embedded themselves into the walls of the alley.
"HA. Haha. What's this? The hero can't even throw straight!? HAHAHA! What the hell you thinking, boy, calling us out!?" the katana wielder laughed "KILL HIM!"
The thugs all stood and charged. The redhead simply smirked as the five brutes descended upon him. "Look away, Kajumi" he said, with a handsome smile in her direction. The blushing girl looked down at her feet, her arms crossed over her torso. He brought his fingers together and flashed through a set of hand seals. "Fuuton- Wire Murder no Jutsu!" He snapped his hands out wide in front of him as he activated his jutsu. Razor sharp blades of wind traveled between the wires he had slipped onto the kunai while baiting the dumb brutes. Everything in between his hands and the kunai was neatly dissected. The tang of blood, and the sound of meaty gristle smacking the ground filled the air.
The redhead immediately dropped the rings holding the wires and shunshinned to Kajumi's side. He gently gripped her chin in his hand and deftly turned her back on the carnage in the alley. "Are you alright? Did they harm you?" he questioned gently. The brightly blushing girl in his arms took a long moment for her brain to reboot.
"Y-Y-Yes! N-No! I mean, yes I-I'm fine, no they didn't hurt me! Thank you so much!" Kajumi gushed as she leaned into her rescuer's chest. "What's your name?" Kajumi asked shyly. "It's Gokuru. Gokuru Uzumaki." Gokuru had a slight blush adorning his cheeks as well, since Kajumi was pressing her rather decent bust up against him. Gokuru then brought the pointer and middle fingers on both hands into a cross shaped seal.
"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Four perfect clones of Gokuru popped into being, causing Kajumi to somehow blush an even deeper shade of red when the other Gokurus appeared and sped past. Kajumi suddenly thought "Five of him? Wait, he must be a ninja!" Incredulous, she started to turn towards the alley. Gokuru caught her chin again before she could look.
"There's nothing there you should see" he said somberly. Just then two clones appeared carrying her father, his arms slung over their shoulders. "Otou-san!" she cried. Her father, Hosoke, looked up and smiled. "I'm so happy you're okay, my flower" he said weakly.
"So, you're a ninja, huh? Don't see many of your type around here" Hosoke remarked.
"Otou-san, let's get you inside first" Kajumi said worriedly. Gokuru and his two clones then helped the duo back into their home, while his remaining clones took care of the body parts littering the alley.
LAND OF RIVERS- SOUTHEAST BORDER WITH FIRE COUNTRY
Ryuusuke Uzumaki sighed as he gazed out on the quietly curling waves lapping at the beach before him. He then swept his eyes around to the three ships anchored in a partially hidden bay inlet to his right. He wanted to go home. He missed Sanctuary. He missed being able to properly experiment with fuinjutsu and training with Ashara-sensei. But mostly, he missed Hidoki. She might still hate him, but he had discovered that at least being near her was better than not being there. Even if she did hate him.
Ryuusuke sighed again, more heavily this time. A deep throated chuckle sounded from behind him. Glancing over his shoulder, Ryuusuke was unsurprised to see the barrel chested form of Tatsuya Sekimoto. "Ah, my young friend. A man only sighs such when a woman is involved. I used to sound so when I was young, pining for a pristine maiden. I composed poems and songs, brought flowers and gifts, before finally charming her virginal heart" Tatsuya exclaimed, gesturing like some court bard. Ryuusuke's wry bark of laughter split the air. "You grabbed some girl in a raid, and locked her in your cabin probably" he shot back.
Tatsuya laughed before clutching his chest with an incredibly exaggerated display of injury. "Your jaded mistrust wounds me so! All know the Kaizoku-ou has a heart of gold. That he treats women as the goddesses they are." Ryuusuke just gave the self-styled "King of Pirates" a flat look. He then sighed again. "Well 'Kaizoku-ou'" Ryuusuke stressed his title sarcastically "I will believe that you managed to somehow sweet talk at least one woman, since your daughters must take after their mother." Tatsuya gave a booming laugh and sat next to Ryuusuke. Slinging an arm around him companionably, Tatsuya looked out over the water with a wistful expression. "Aye. Aye they do take after their mother, how I miss her so. Strong, smart, beautiful, and able to command a ship as if born to do so."
Ryuusuke felt a pang of guilt as he was suddenly reminded of his mission. He knew that Ashara-sensei would be very upset with him becoming so friendly with his mark. His mission was to pose as a pirate, and gather as many as he could to be used as needed. That way they could be used for Sanctuary's purposes without it leading back to the village. The pirates were very much considered expendable, and Ryuusuke forming bonds with them complicated things.
Ryuusuke had had no qualms about it at first. He had killed his way to the coveted first mate position with a group called the Crimson Oars. He had made great progress bringing together differing pirate factions into what Ryuusuke had dubbed the Freebooter's Pact. It simply stated that the members wouldn't step on each other's toes and established territories for each faction. If any outside group intruded, or any Pact member was caught poaching in another's territory, the others would band together and destroy the offending party.
Ryuusuke had had to be ruthless at times, and had killed many rivals to gain enough respect to pull it off. But, it had also been remarkably straight forward. Surprisingly so for Ryuusuke. Looking back on it, he shouldn't have been so surprised. Pirates were not complex people. Prove you're strong, can find treasure, and that you're not stupid enough to get your men killed or captured. All pirates wanted was to sail out, find a fat, easy prize, and return home richer than when they set out. Simple.
But it had gotten complicated when he met Tatsuya. Tatsuya was flamboyant and charismatic. He sported a huge tri corner pirate hat with a big, red feather adorning it. He wore an embroidered vest with a harness for his cutlasses, and baggy striped pants, going barefoot most of the time. The image any young boy would imagine if asked to think of a pirate (minus the hook or peg leg, but he did have a parrot!). Tatsuya was a rarity among the pirates. He romanticized the pirate life, and was very poetic when he talked about what he did. His charm was enough that it was easy to forget this silver tongued devil attacked ships and killed for money. But what had endeared him to Ryuusuke was his code.
Tatsuya never took slaves, never killed those who couldn't fight back, and didn't allow torture or abuse of captives being held for ransom. A rare code for a pirate. He also had instilled this thinking into his two daughters. When Ryuusuke had first met him, Tatsuya had requested that Ryuusuke join his crew before Tatsuya would agree to enter the Pact. His eldest had just turned 16 and Tatsuya believed she should have her own ship. Which of course meant he was going to steal said ship from someone else. With Ryuusuke's skilled help, he ended up getting not just a fine ship for his elder daughter, Maora, but got one for his other daughter as well.
The pretty younger daughter, Kochume, gained a huge crush on Ryuusuke when he personally presented her with her new ship. She would follow him around and gaze longingly at him whenever they were docked somewhere, with Ryuusuke remaining oblivious. He never understood why so many of Kochume's male crewmen seemed so jealous and ready to fight him all the time. Which amused Tatsuya to no end.
Ryuusuke looked down in thought, arguing with himself before settling on a decision. He looked up at the smirking Tatsuya. "Tatsuya, I… I have to…" Ryuusuke floundered, unable to find the right words. He stopped when Tatsuya held up a hand. "No need to say, you're leaving us, right?" Tatsuya laughed at the surprised look on Ryuusuke's face. "You know, for a shinobi, you're rather easy to read" Tatsuya stated. Ryuusuke shot to his feet in a defensive stance. "You knew? For how long?" Ryuusuke questioned. Tatsuya simply smiled up at him and remained sitting.
"It was obvious from the first time we fought together. Sure you might not be throwing flashy jutsu around, before you don't fight like a buccaneer. You wouldn't be the first ninja to take to this life you know" Tatsuya said. "Not to mention the way you organized the Freebooter's Pact. Seemed like you were a man on a mission." At this Tatsuya stood up and dusted sand off his pants. His face turned serious as he faced Ryuusuke. "I don't know what you have planned for us, but I tell you here and now, as long as you don't plan on betraying me or my daughters, you have my support."
Ryuusuke was taken aback, he had thought that he was doing a fine job keeping his cover. He cursed himself as he realized that he had let the Sekimoto pirate family get too close, and that he had shown too much of his real self. He also realized that he had underestimated the guile and intelligence of the Pirate King. "You know, my girls and I would be happy to be employed by someone who appreciated our skills. We could even be useful if someone were to, say, need to scour the seas of a few disreputable men…" Tatsuya then said.
Ryuusuke narrowed his eyes at the canny pirate as he responded carefully. "I sure you would be helpful if someone needed that. I'll keep my ears open just in case. And yes, I am going to be leaving for a short while. I need to settle some things at home." Tatsuya just smiled and held up his hands, palms skyward. "I knew it was about a woman. Oh, but my poor Ko-chan will be so devastated. She carried such a torch…" he trailed off as he turned and started walking back to the ships. "What? What do you mean?" Ryuusuke asked, as he followed bewildered "what torch?" Tatsuya's responding laughter echoed out over the water.
SANCTUARY- ASHARA'S OFFICE
"Do you understand your mission?" Ashara asked. Standing before him was a figure dressed in monk's robes with a wicker tengai. The woven bamboo hat was shaped like a bell, concealing his face before flaring out below his jaw. There was an opening for his eyes with three vertical woven bars. In his hand he gripped a staff very much like Ashara's own Requiem Staff. This young man was Kennosuke, brother to Ryuusuke, and fellow student of Ashara. He was also a priest of the Kokuryukai, the Black Dragon Society. It was the closest thing to a religion that the Uzumaki had, though it venerated their ancestors and not any deity. "Yes, Ashara-sensei. Thank you for this opportunity" Kennosuke replied.
Kennosuke had just returned from a two year expedition to the remains of Uzushiogakure. On the 15th anniversary of The Fall (as the Uzumaki had come to call the downfall of Uzushiogakure), Ashara had sent a team to reclaim what they could from their violated homeland. The younger generation had grown up on stories of their ancestral home, and were eager to find out anything and everything they could about it. Though it was difficult at first, shifting through so much rubble… and bodies, Kennosuke had returned with many scrolls and items that had been sealed to protect them from looters. He had been pleased to find the Clan Head's Holdfast had a wall of corpses four feet high all around, from the Coalition foolishly trying to force their way in.
But Kennosuke had only been able to retrieve a few of the clan's Summoning Animal Contracts. Ashara had had the Badger Contract with him when he left Uzushio, and Ryuusuke had signed it. At Uzushio, Kennosuke found the Mantis Contract and signed it. When he attempted a summon, though, he was informed that as the previous Summoner had died without giving a recommendation as to her successor, he would need to travel to a Summoning Island and prove himself to a Mantis there.
The problem was that the Uzumaki only knew of one Summoning Island. It lay in the northern reaches of Kiri, in the southern Chigiri Sea. The only reason that Ashara was risking a mission there was because the Mizukage, Yagura, had apparently recently become unhinged. He was conducting a vicious propaganda campaign on his own people in some insane fear of bloodline limit families. That meant there was enough chaos for a small team to slip in and out.
"One more thing Kennosuke, I want you to take the twins Kuruken and Kurusen. They can back you up, and they will gain valuable mission experience. Be careful out there, my boy" Ashara said as he laid a hand on Kennosuke's shoulder. "I didn't spend all that time training you just for some Kiri fuckwit to take you down, understood?" Kennosuke bowed his head respectfully "I will honor your teachings, sensei" he replied formally. Ashara stifled a sigh. "As stiff as ever, hopefully the twins will help loosen him up. He needs to enjoy life a bit more" Ashara thought.
"Good, I wish you a safe journey then. The twins will meet you at the Eastern Gate at 0700 tomorrow. Dismissed" Ashara said as he sat down at his desk. Kennosuke bowed and left the office.
KONOHA- MERCHANT DISTRICT- MORNING
Naruto was on his way to talk to the Kamiumis, to see if Midori could come out and play. As he was turning a corner, he almost bumped into a blonde man facing away from him. He stopped and was about to apologize as he recognized that the man was a Yamanaka, like those at the failed BBQ. His voice died in his throat when he overheard what the Yamanaka was saying.
"I'm so glad that the little demon ran crying and screaming from the party. Can you imagine if we actually had to pretend to be nice to that monster? What was the Hokage thinking, ordering us to be friends with that shit? I bet from now on that we don't have to deal with the little monster anymore, and the clan heirs will be safe from him" Fu continued, glancing at Naruto discreetly. "I hope the little bastard demon just goes and kills himself. Rid the village of him for good" Fu stated firmly.
Naruto couldn't handle anymore. His small remaining hope that he could find friends within the group of people that had invited him the other day was smashed. He turned and ran for his apartment, unwilling to give anyone the satisfaction of seeing him cry.
For hours, Naruto took his grief and frustration out on his already battered furniture. He had just thrown a stool at the front door, when it opened. The stool went flying outside, missing a surprised and concerned Mirobu by inches. Mirobu took a quick look around inside, slipping a dagger surreptitiously back under his robes.
"Naruto-kun, what are you doing?! I thought you were being attacked! It sounded like there was an angry mob in here!" Mirobu walked inside and shut the door behind him. Naruto just stood there like a puppet whose strings had been cut. He looked drained. Mirobu rushed over when Naruto just dropped to his butt.
Mirobu put a hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Do you want to tell me what happened? You don't have to, but it might help to let it out" Mirobu said gently. Naruto just nodded and got up to shuffle dejectedly to his couch. As soon as they were both seated, Naruto told him all about the BBQ fiasco in a dead, defeated voice. His paused when he got to the part about Fu. Swallowing hard, he managed to force the words past the lump in his throat.
Mirobu was shocked, but he quickly buried it as pulled Naruto into a hug. "That man was wrong to say that, and I can't believe that either the Hokage or your masked friend would set you up like that. And although we have to leave soon, I know my family and I will look forward to seeing you again soon. We're not going to abandon you, ok? So, please don't think what some other people say is going to change what we know about you" Mirobu said reassuringly.
"R-Really? You mean it?" Naruto asked tearfully. "Absolutely! Now, Miyuki-chan and Midori-chan are both eager to see you again. How about you have dinner with us, then stay the night, hmm?" Mirobu asked. Naruto jumped up, pumping his fist in the air "Yatta, Miyuki-oba's cooking!" He cried gleefully. Naruto grabbed Mirobu's sleeve, trying to drag him out the door. "Come on Mirobu-oji! Let's get going!" A chuckling Mirobu allowed himself to be lead out the door, marveling at how quickly Naruto could recover his sunny disposition.
The next morning, Naruto was walking back to his apartment deep in thought. He nodded decisively and changed course for the Hokage Tower. "Sometimes, its good to be smart, and ask for help." The words of the Hokage had kept repeating themselves in Naruto's head as he lay in the wagon's bunk bed with Midori snuggled up to him. Naruto was tired of crying. He was tired of feeling weak. Miyuki had off handedly commented "don't let them get to you, Naruto-kun. We still like you" at dinner last night.
That had been an epiphany of sorts for Naruto. Even though Miyuki had simply been trying to lighten his spirits, he had found those words to be profoundly wise. As he had lain in bed, he had resolved to thicken his skin. The villagers didn't like him? Fine, he'll just find people who did. People thought bad things about him? Fine, he'll just change their minds. He didn't want to cry anymore. He had people in this village who saw who he really was, and he was going to be strong for them.
He remembered the worry present in Inu's voice, and on the Hokage's face that first morning in the merchant camp. He noticed the worried looks Mirobu and Miyuki both shot him last night, when they thought he wasn't looking. The worry the Old Man and Ayame-nee chan tried to hide while serving him the day before yesterday. No more. No more would he cause the people he held so dear any more anguish. He had made it this far, and he will take all the world had to throw at him. He wouldn't break. He will be strong.
So he made a beeline to the Tower, forcing himself to walk down one of the main avenues. It was still fairly early, so there were many merchants out setting up their stalls. Villagers getting a jump on their shopping for the day. Basically, the type of crowd Naruto would usually skulk past or avoid. Not today. He squared his shoulders and simply kept the Tower firmly in sight, tuning out his surroundings. He was amazed how well he was handling it. His breathing did increase, and he felt stirrings of anxiety, but he ruthlessly mastered himself with a remarkable degree of self-control for a five year old.
He literally marched up the steps of the Tower and to the Hokage's office. The Hokage's secretary, a no nonsense woman in her mid-thirties, gave an uncharacteristic giggle at the sight of Naruto. He had a strange look on his face, obviously intended to make him look serious and grown up. But with his five year old body, he didn't quite pull it off. The secretary put a serious look to match his, announcing him to the Hokage with an imperious voice.
Naruto walked up to the Hokage's desk and slapped his hands on its surface, which was just below his eyelevel. The Hokage's mouth twitched, but he realized that Naruto was being very serious. "Yes Naruto-kun? What can I help you with today? The Hokage replied in a somber tone. "I want training jiji. Today. I'm going to be strong, and I remember you saying you were going to help. So help. Please." Naruto stated each sentence like a general commanding his troops. Inwardly, Hiruzen was glad that the BBQ debacle had only made Naruto stronger and more resolute. Pride filled him at Naruto's maturity.
"You are quite right, Naruto-kun. I am impressed by your determination. In fact, I've been meaning to give you this" the Hokage reached into his desk and withdrew a folder, handing it to Naruto. "What's this jiji?" Naruto queried. "That is the meal plan and exercises recommended by Chohiku-san. Do you remember her? From the Academy?" The Hokage asked. Naruto's brow furrowed in a thought a moment, then recognition sparked. "Oh yeah, she's the one who measured me everywhere. She kept asking me questions and making do all these weird things with my arms and legs. She called me short!" Naruto said indignantly.
The Hokage chuckled "Well those "weird things" were to test your body's range of motion" he then broke off at Naruto's look of confusion. "It means how your body moves, where it's strong and where it's weak" the Hokage explained. Naruto "ahhh"ed in understanding, nodding with his hand cupping his chin. "Anyway, you are to start with those exercises she planned out, to get yourself up to strength while I find a taijutsu tutor for you" the Hokage stated. He had originally hoped the Akimichi's would be handling that, but he would have to change that thinking.
"If you have any problems finding the ingredients for or preparing the meals Chohiku-san recommends, just let me know and we'll figure something out, ok?" The Hokage asked. Naruto nodded eagerly "sure thing jiji, thanks!" "Your welcome, Naruto-kun. I look forward to seeing your progress. Oh, and before I forget, here. This is a pass allowing you to use training ground nine when it is not in use by any ninja" the Hokage said grabbing a scroll and tossing it to Naruto.
Naruto looked at the scroll in hands like it was made of gold. He clutched it to his chest gratefully. "Well Naruto-kun, I suggest you get started right away" the Hokage said "and I'll get started finding you that tutor." Naruto nodded and ran out of the office, shouting over his shoulder "bye jiji, thanks!" The Hokage just smiled and pushed his other paperwork aside, pulling out information files on various shinobi. "Hmm, who to choose, who to choose…"
KONOHA- MERCHANT DISTRICT- THAT NIGHT
Mirobu entered his wagon after finishing locking up his stall, and securing his goods. He regretted the fact that the caravan would be leaving within the week. He hated to leave Naruto alone so soon, but he could only hope the blonde could hang in there. He knew Naruto was a tough kid, though. When he passed the little alcove where he removed his shoes, he noticed something. The little porcelain good-luck cat charm he kept a small shelf was facing the wall. That was a signal from his contacts that he had received a message, since it normally faced outward.
He made sure he was alone as he subtly pressed the end of a board in the wall behind the charm. A piece popped open, revealing a small cubby with a small scrap of parchment, tied with a string. Quickly, removing it and restoring everything to normal, he pocketed the scroll. Later, when Miyuki and Midori had settled down for the night, Mirobu sat down at his desk. Removing the parchment from his pocket, he untied the string and unraveled the message. It was heavily encoded, but Mirobu had memorized the cipher long ago, as per his training.
After decoding the message, he was astonished by its contents. He decoded the message another three times and reread it over and over, hoping it would change. Finally, he had to come to terms with reality. For a moment Mirobu just slumped back in his chair listlessly, gaping off into space. Shaking his head, he roused himself, remembering to dispose of the message. Only one thing occupied his thoughts as his burned the message in a small ceramic bowl he kept just for that purpose. "Miyuki's going to kill me."
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A/N And scene! I am glad that people are liking this story so far. I know this chapter seemed a little slow paced, but I'm just doing a little background and world building. I promise to begin speeding things up soon. Also, just wanted to introduce a couple of Naruto's relatives, as they will obviously be important later.
So Happy Halloween and I'll try to get out another chapter soon! Thanks for reading!