A/N: Nothing to be said here unless warning of AU, OOCness, violence, and a little fluff.
Disclaimers: Naruto/Shippuden/Gaiden © Masashi Kishimoto. I only own a few OC and this story. And I do not make any profit, this is made for entertainment purpose.
Jinchuuriki, Brother, Village
Chapter III: New Friend, Right?
"Un..." Naruto groggily awoke to the sounds of chatters around him, "Hmph...!?" His eyes shot open at his inability to move and utter a question from his mouth, and then, just like any captives in a kidnapping story would, he saw ropes tied to his stomach and two feet, and from what he felt, ropes would be tied to his hands and he also felt duct tape had covered his mouth.
"Awake aren't you?" A low, baritone voice, questioned, as Naruto brought his eyes to the way the voice had sounded. "It felt like you needed a little push." The mysterious man said, as he stood up from where he was and neared the boy he held captive, "I've given the push, now, where is the result?"
"Mmmph...!?" Naruto struggled, and took a look at the man. An adult of course, with sort brown hair, with the Konoha's jounin vest, and customary outfit on him, a band with the Leaf Mark tied to his waist. 'N-Nii-chan...' It was the only thing Naruto had on his mind, especially with a horrified look on his face and the eerie smile the man had, what he wanted is his older twin, to help him in this dreaded event.
"Relax... With you gone, one less kid of omen, and more prize for me as a hero." The man said, "So just relax while I decapitate you, fox boy." He continued, then brought a butcher knife, and an axe, and also, a small pocket knife that seems to be out of place from the other two. "Well, firstly I'd like to say my thanks for being a small kid." The man grinned with pocket knife in hand, "I love little children."
The man brought the knife near to the boy's right upper hand, slowly, and surely, he grazed the poor shaky boy with the tip of his knife. It actually only opened the skin, yet, the blood flowing underneath it were pouring out, without a sense of hurt. Naruto was lucky his vein is only milimeters away from the spot left open.
"And another," Like he said, he did the same to the boy's left upper hand. The blood is still pouring, and the flow didn't stop yet, it took another while for the calcium in him to freeze the red liquid. A few seconds later and it did, yet, the man seems to only decorate the boy with bruises of punches and kicks.
"As if you couldn't hold." A badly thought up quote, or an improper use of one, only worsened the process. Like another sick pun, "A fox had whiskers, yet I thought of whiskey, I really did whisked you from the swing my boy!" Or maybe a try for the worst in literature, made Naruto muffled in pain and irony, the irony of sick puns, and the irony of a Konoha Villager he swore to prove himself that treats him way too far.
-JBV-
Either the maniacal laughs attracted or annoyed a boy from the streets surely isn't known. All Naruto saw was a boy, maybe a year or more older, standing behind the maniac, a kunai held near to his neck, stopping the works he had done for now.
"Release him." The boy ordered, red eyes shining in the dimlitted room.
"Why would I?" The man asked, a dignified tone clear in his voice, yet, the kunai pressed against him again.
"Immediately, for violation against children." His tone seems more demeaning at the second, as the man released his grip on the 'tools' he used, then pointed at the seemingly obvious ropes and duct tapes, and at the next second he was put to an unconscious state. Then, the gray vest wearing boy knelt beside the blond captive, and released the duct tape from him.
"Ouch... Owww... Thanks Onii-san..." He worded thought still a bit sticky to his mouth, he still felt the need to open his mouth. No matter the pain it brought along.
"No need to thank me, you are in need of help obviously." The mysterious one said, cutting the ropes with his kunai and checked for the boy's wounds. He frowned at the bruises and marks the lunatic left, many would need healing.
'Weird... First it's red and then it's black. Ooh! Must be a special eye!' Naruto thought, his eyes glimmered with stars and hopes, just from thinking about his saviour's mysterious eyes. "Onii-san, are you a ninja?" He asked, a different topic than what he thought.
The other paused, while in the middle of searching ointments to treat the blond's wounds, his lips finally parted then said, "Yes I am, that's why you wouldn't need to worry." He finally brought one and opened the round place. "Now, sit still." He ordered, before applying the ointments, he first took the liberty to bind the maniac that was still sprawled on the floor with ropes.
"Yes!" Naruto said happily, not looking back at what happened between the other two. Soon after, the older boy started, rubbing here and there where the damage was apparent, with a slight wince from the younger boy.
Even just by looking at the wounds, the black haired older one knew that the blonde boy is abnormal. Just look at how some of them already closed, even perfectly, only a trace of blood droplets was evident. 'Just, who is this boy?' He thought, with small glances thrown a bit randomly, as then he saw a piece of clothing that must have been thrown earlier, just a bit far away.
"Onii-san, what's your name?"
-JBV-
"Naruto! Naruto! Where are you?!"
A blonde boy ran all around from the academy, to the area near it, the park, the playground, and even to his house. "Naaruutooo!" He shouted out loud, running in circles while not caring the dark sky and the almost satisfied face of some adults.
He stopped to a halt when the feeling of turning to jelly overwhelmed his legs. 'Not now!' He protested in his mind as he fell on his bottom, legs stretched out and a series of panting followed soon after, and drips of sweats had covered his body. "Where... Are you...?" He muttered with short, shallow breaths, while he massaged his sore legs.
"Hey," Menma turned around, his face tried to look at the stranger that had stared at him with something he deduced as concern. "Boys shouldn't be sitting in the middle of the street." The person said, and she ducked face fault at the boy that was also staring at her.
"Hello Onee-san." He greeted back, then asked, "What are you doing this late?"
"Nothing..." She replied, even thought Menma knew better. "What about you?" She asked back, and Menma turned his face back.
"I am searching for my brother..." He trailed off, and kept on massaging his legs. "He is missing currently." He added, a hint of worriness, sadness, and a bit of anger mixed in.
Murasame only nodded, then she got up on her own two feet again. "Menma-kun, I'll help you search for him as thanks for today." She smiled then offered a hand to Menma who stopped. "He should be close according to my gut."
"Thank you Onee-san." Menma reached out to her hand and grabbed hold, with the girl pulling him up so he could stand. "I've deduced that there is only one other place that might seems plausible."
"And that is?" She perked in interest as Menma turned sideways, turning to face her with a hand pointed to somewhere she didn't know of.
"The Uchiha Residence."
-JBV-
"Thanks again Onii-san."
"No, you don't have to."
Two boys stood in front of the Uchiha household lead by Fugaku Uchiha, the Captain of the Konoha Military Police Force and also head of the Uchiha Clan itself. It was rather a bit crowded due to some reason that both of them knows.
"Itachi!" A voice called, and the boy called Itachi turned around, a small smile on his face.
"Sasuke, it looks like you're home already." Itachi said, with Naruto beside him, and his hands crossed. "I didn't realize that it is past night hour."
"Sasuke...?" Naruto uttered the name, curious to the raven haired boy standing in front of Itachi, a very large grin visible on him.
"That's right, Sasuke, this is Naruto." Itachi said, gesturing to the blonde boy next to him for the other Uchiha to meet. "And Naruto, this is Sasuke."
"Nice to meet you...!" Naruto said, with a little forced smile as he felt that the other boy was the cocky bastard from earlier. "I'm Naruto!" And gave a hand in a gesture to shaking hand.
"Same here, my name is Sasuke." The other returned the gesture, although a bit coldly because of his straight face.
"So...?"
"What?"
"Are we friends?"
-JBV-
"Are you sure that he's here here?"
"I'm sure Onee-san, I could sense him a miles away."
"Well then..."
Both of the ninja in training sneaked their way to the outskirts of Konoha, just miles from the Uchiha Clan settlement. Menma abruptly stopped, just as soon as he spotted a man in black, with a spiral mask that covered his face. Out of pure instincts and fear, he dragged Murasame's hand and took her to jump into the bushes to avoid the man's eyes.
"Wh-wh-"
Menma had placed his hands to the older girl's mouth, then, he whispered, "Keep quiet, he'll hear us." While they remained still and unmoving.
"It has begun." A nod, and, the man somehow disappeared into thin air, as if like magic.
'No ninjutsu I've read had that ability.' Drawing his hand back, the boy looked over at the older girl with an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, Onee-san."
Confused, the girl asked, "What for?"
"For dragging you around, even thought we barely knew each other."
She smiled, then patted at the boy's head. "That's fine, I should help a little boy in need right?"
"Is that an insult?" Menma frowned.
"No, just a matter of fact."
They laughed, and, upon notice of the sudden increase of volume around the borders, one Uchiha Clan member ran to them to make sure of what was making such a ruckus.
"You two! What are you doing here?!" Harsh, and not beating the bushes, it stopped the two's hearty laughter while they stood to get a better view of the new face. What came to view was a figure not so tall, hair slick back, face so stern that it might tires one off, and hands on the hips. Probably a teenager Menma thought. "This is a sacred ground only allowed for those who bear the name of the Uchiha Clan!"
"Sacred my dirt, like you knew better. Everyone can enter, It's just where the Uchiha Clan lives." Venomously, the youngest one said. "I'm going through and I don't care if you're some guard dog or something."
The boy walked, passing a dumbfounded teenager that could barely process how on earth someone so young could swear that much, much less insult. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, then after the boy shouted, "No you're not! Listen to me you idiot!"
"I am sorry, guard dog, I don't have time for you." Menma turned around, clearly ignoring the fuming Uchiha. "Onee-san, let's go!" He was pulling the girl with him earlier by her wrist, running past the 'guard dog' that was confused by the turn of events.
"Why you... I have a name you know! My name is Kenji!"
No one listened to him after all.
-JBV-
"-and there we go."
"Ah... Thank you."
Naruto rubbed his left hand with his right, either if it was because of the 'strange' hospitality he received, or the glaring daggers a raven haired boy sent to him, or maybe the hot ointment on his back, he didn't know. He just felt that he must get rid of his uncomfyness right now.
"Go ahead, drink."
"Y-yes thank you..." Once again he uttered his appreciation. Then, he went to grip the ceramic teacup with his right hand. He drew back as soon as his skin felt the hotness from it. "Ouch..." He blew at his hot hand right away then.
"Pffft..." Sasuke held back a laughter upon sight of the blonde mistake. "That's not the right way!"
"Then show me the right way! Oh! Smart Uchiha!" In the middle of blowing the blond threw back a sarcastic remark at the raven haired boy.
"Right! See here." Then the Uchiha went all serious again. "You hold the rim with your pointer and thumb where the water doesn't reach, and your other hand can be something like a plate, but if it's too hot, just with one hand will do." Step by step, he demonstrated.
The boy with whiskers only nodded, imitating what he did earlier, being glad that the cup hadn't burned his hand again. "Thanks." He muttered, and went to enjoy the tea. To Naruto's tongue, the tea tasted weird. Not sweet, not bitter, just plain green, maybe a bit sour. It felt relaxing to say the least. He wondered if it was made from herbs too.
"Are you liking it?"
"Hmm?" The older one of the Uchiha brothers made a halt to his relaxation; thought he was still sipping the tea. "Yeah, it tasted good, and it feels relaxing." At least he had the decency to stop and reply, while gazing at his cup of tea.
The blond only stared absentmindedly, not caring at the increasingly hostile look the raven haired boy gave to him. "Um..." He raised a hand, then all eyes were upon him. "Can... Can you help me?"
"Of course, what do you need?" Itachi smiled, so the boy won't feel any tension for telling him.
"I need to go home... My brother is looking for me."
"Hmm?" The earlier statement took Sasuke's interest. "You have a brother?"
Naruto nodded in reply while also explaining about his brother a little, "He's my twin brother! He's the best!" Just like how most boys describes their siblings.
"No! Itachi is!" When Sasuke protested, Itachi could only chuckle and ruffle his brother's hair.
"That's enough Sasuke." He smiled. "So Naruto, basically he looks the same as you are, right?"
"Yup!"
"Okay, wait here while I talk with father about your brother."
"Okay! Thanks Onii-san!"
With another ruffle to Sasuke's hair, Itachi stood up and left. And so, the two boys were left alone without any supervisor.
"Hey," Sasuke was the first to speak.
"What?"
"Wanna play?"
"Sure!"
-JBV-
With a heavy breath, two young ninjas in training strolled through the Uchiha settlement for the nth time.
"Hey, Menma-kun... Are you sure that we took the right way?"
"Of course...! It's this way Onee-san!"
The boy randomly pointed to his right, a forced smile etched on, while sweat was rolling down on his body. To tell the truth, he had no idea where should they head next.
"I hope you're right this time." The girl murmured.
"Don't worry, I know the-"
"Hey! You two!" Before Menma could finish, a voice had already cut him. "What are you doing up this late?" The voice owner had neared them, a worried look on his face.
"We're..." Menma gulped, trying to not admit his mistake. eHe's surely older than us, and taller too.'
"We're lost." Murasame completed his sentence.
"Is that so?" The other asked to confirm, which was replied by two nods. "Okay then, why don't you follow me? I was heading to the leader's house, I am sure he can do something about you two."
"Well..." Menma glanced right, Murasame only nodded. And thus, with a sigh of defeat, he continued, "Fine."
"Good, follow me and don't get lost okay?"
Two nods, and the three went on their trip as a group.
-JBV-
"Shuriken Throw!"
"Shuriken Catch!"
Both Sasuke and Naruto shouted their battlecries, as they played with a toy shuriken, throwing it back and forth just like actual ninjas.
"Take that!"
"No! Take that!"
They laughed joyfully, still throwing the toy to each other. It was a very different sight than a few minutes ago. Then, when footsteps echoed to be on the way to them, the two stopped immediately and turned to take in the view of new people.
"Naruto, is this your brother?" Itachi said while patting on the shoulder of one of the newer guests, one who had similar features to Naruto.
"Yup!" The questioned one nodded vigorously, and ran straight to the new one, "Menma Onii-chaan!" Abruplty ramming himself to the other, while hugging him tightly.
"Naruto!" Menma smiled wide, hugging his brother back with the same force he used. "I searched you everywhere!" Menma felt like he was a dam at the verge of breaking in any moment.
"Sorry to worry you Onii-chan!"
Everyone could only keep their silence while the moment lasted, with Itachi giving the one who brought Menma a thin smile.
"Good work Shisui."
"Of course, I can't let them be after all."
"So that's your brother... Menma-kun."
And the problem was solved, explanations were made, and the boys and girl were all escorted back to home. And some word of thanks are passed by each other.
-JBV-
"Although, I felt, something fishy is going on with it. Ah, well, it's better for me to search for more clues."
-JBV-
To Be Continued...
AN: Hello, thanks for keeping your attention to this even thought it's been like... Five months? Well, I hope that anyone's who's been reading finds it entertaining at least. Well, no promise on fast update(s). Well, once again, thanks for reading!