Hello everyone, it's Unknown entity328 with a new chapter of New Life in Naruto! First off I'd like to apologize for the sudden hiatus of all my fanfics, due to unknown reasons my laptop stopped working and I have to get a new one. So until I get a new laptop, my updates will probably take a while as I'll be writing them on paper and with real life problems getting in the way every once in a while and I hope you understand. Now that that's out of the way, on with the chapter!
Chapter Four: Calm Before the Storm
3rd P.O.V.
"Kojiro!" Akane called out pushing aside bushes in front of her so she can go through looking around. "Kojiro, where are you?!"
"I'm right here mama!" A young boy's voice called out as a small boy with spiky blue hair that reaches his shoulders and lime green eyes wearing a dark blue kimono with a green obi and straw sandals came out of the bushes ahead of Akane holding a bamboo basket filled with herbs with both hands. He held the basket out to his mother with a big smile on his face. "Look, look! I found so many by the river!"
"Wow, you managed to fill the whole basket." Akane complimented bending her knees resting her hands on them to inspect the basket. "And there's not a single poisonous plant in there." She lightly patted Kojiro on the top of his head giving him a warm smile. "I'm so proud of you Kojiro. Only four years old and already you can tell the herbs apart." Kojiro gave her an big grin showing his teeth as she took the basket from her son's hands and rested it against her hip with one hand and held out the other to Kojiro. "I think it's time to go home now."
"Kay!" Kojiro grabbed onto his mother's hand and began to walk back to the village. As they walk, Kojiro was deep in thought. 'Four years since I got reincarnated, hard to believe it's been that long.' He looked up to his mother as she ducked under a tree branch. 'To me, it feels like it was only yesterday that I died, by an ambulance ironically, and have Akane for a mother and Kosuke as a father.' He had a small smile on his face as he turned his eyes back forward to see where he was going through the misty forest. 'Even though it's in a different world, I'm glad I got reincarnated here. I don't know if this really is the Naruto world or a world similar to it, but I'm gonna try and make the most of this new life of mine.'
"Kojiro." Akane said getting the small boy's attention as they pass through the gates to the village looking down to him. "What do you feel like having for dinner tonight?"
"Curry!" Kojiro yelled excitedly getting various looks of amusement and confusion from those walking by. 'I love curry! I think almost as much if not more than Naruto loves ramen.'
Akane chuckled at the boy's excitement. "Curry it is then." She focused her eyes in front of her with an amused smile on her face. "I swear you're just like your father when it comes to favorite foods. His favorite food is curry too, can't get enough of the stuff." They stopped in front of their house and Akane let go of Kojiro's hand to open the door. "Let's put these herbs away then we can go shopping for what we need."
"Kay!" Kojiro shouted running inside taking off his sandals and climbing up the stairs to enter his room. Once inside and closed the door, Kojiro looked around his room before going to his closet and opening it before reaching into a chest filled with wooden toys and pulled out a red scroll. 'I'm surprised they haven't found this yet, especially mom since she cleans the house every two days.' He opened it to see it was filled with different symbols. 'Not that they can read it anyway since I'm using a code I made in middle school. I wrote down everything I could remember from the Naruto anime and manga so in case I did get reincarnated in Naruto, I'll know what should change and what should stay the same.' His eyes narrowed as he read the scroll. 'Problem is, I don't even know if this is Naruto or what timeline I'm in if it is.'
"Kojiro, it's time to go!" Akane called from the bottom of the stairs with a bag hanging on her shoulder.
"Coming!" Kojiro called back rolling up the scroll and placing it back in the chest before leaving his room and down the stairs to his waiting mother who was wearing her hair in a bun being held in place by the hair stick she got from Kosuke. They put their sandals back on and Kojiro took Akane's hand as they left the house.
Kojiro P.O.V.
We walked around the village market place as I looked around to see different food and game stalls being set up while some buildings were being decorated with blue and green streamers with the villagers happily talking to one another. After living in this village for four years, I learned that the village holds a festival every year to honor the mizukage and the ninja that died for the village.
'Hard to believe this place is called The Bloody Mist village because of the graduation requirements.' I thought as I continued to look around. I saw different stalls for takoyaki, yakisoba, Toumorokoshi, Ikayaki, Kakigori, kingyo sukui, yo-yo tsuri, masks, and other different kinds of food and game stalls. 'I always wanted to go to a japanese festival in my past life.' I looked up to my mother as she looked over the vegetables to see which ones were fresh and placed the ones she chose in her bag. 'I wonder if she'll take me this year. Dad's always away on missions and mom is busy making medicine for the sick and elderly that we couldn't go the other times the festival happened.'
"Alright, that should be enough." Akane mumbled to herself as she pulled out some ryo to pay for what she put in her bag. She looked down to me and smiled. "Do you want to walk around before going home Kojiro?"
I nodded my head as the man that sold my mother the vegetables had a look of surprise on his face. "This kid is your son?"
Akane nodded with a confused look on her face. "Yes, why do you ask?"
The man just gave a sheepish smile rubbing the back of his head. "Sorry ma'am, I thought that he was your daughter for a minute there."
'Another person that thought I was a girl?' I thought giving the man a half-lidded stare which went unnoticed as the two adults converse with each other. 'Do I really look that girly right now?' I started looking around for anything that can be used as a mirror when I found a window across from us and inwardly groaned when I saw that I had a somewhat feminine face and my hair reaching to my shoulders. 'Why did I decide to let my hair grow long? It's still 'male long' but with this face I'll always be mistaken for a girl.' I had a thoughtful look as I gathered my hair with my hands to make a spiky ponytail and look at my reflection again. 'Maybe if I do this I'll look more like a guy?' I groaned again letting go of my hair to let fall. 'No good, I just look like a tomboy doing my hair like that.'
I heard rapid footsteps getting closer from behind me before I was tackled to the ground face first with arms wrapped around my midsection. I groaned in pain trying to push myself back up only to feel something heavy on my back.
"Kojiro!" I turned my head to look what or who was on my back to see a girl my past life's age with long black hair tied in a bun and brown eyes wearing a pink kimono with a purple flower pattern along the bottom on my back smiling at me. My eyes moved down from her face to see her overly large chest that's barely covered were pressed against my back causing my face to turn beet red before turning my eyes away. "It's good to see you again, you're as cute as ever!"
"Noriko, it's been so long!" Akane greeted with a big smile as the now named Noriko got off me and I quickly got to my feet and ran to hide behind my mother. "How have you been?"
"I'm fine Akane." Noriko replied smiling as she dusted herself off. "Just finished my latest mission and I have the rest of the day off." She looked down to me as I tried to stay hidden behind my mother before turning her attention back to her. "So I thought I'd come and see how you, Kosuke, and Kojiro are doing."
'Why did the she-demon have to come back today of all days?!' I mentally complained clutching my mother's kimono like a lifeline as the two talked. 'The last time she paid us a visit I thought I was going to die! Who in their right minds would let a toddler get near those suffocating torture devices she calls a chest?!' I cringed at the thought of last year when Noriko paid us a visit.
Flashback
I was sitting in the living room playing with blocks as I let my mind wander trying to make sense of what I learned the year before during my parents' anniversary when I heard someone knocking the front door.
"I wonder who that could be." Akane said to herself leaving the kitchen to answer the door. I just kept messing with my blocks making a replica of Saiken like I did with Kurama and Isobu when dual squealing startled me which made me place a block on a little too hard causing my replica to collapse.
'Oh come on!' I mentally shouted running my hands through my hair in frustration. 'I was almost finished with that!' I got to my feet and left the living room to see my mother talking to a teenage girl. 'Who's she? I've never seen her before.' I looked to her chest and quickly looked away blushing. 'If Jason were here, he would most likely tell me a dirty joke about her breasts before trying to flirt with her only to be shot down and get a slap to the face while being called a pervert.' Since I was lost in thought, I didn't notice that the girl stopped talking to my mother and ran in wrapping her arms around me pressing my face between her breasts causing my face to turn a new shade of red as my arms flailed helplessly to get away.
"Oh my god you're so cute!" The girl squealed tightening her grip making it hard for me to breathe. She looked to my mother as I continued to struggle to get air in my lungs. "Akane, when did you and Kosuke have a daughter?! She's so adorable I could just take her home with me!"
'Can't… breathe…' I started to lose strength in my arms and I was starting to feel dizzy as I fought to stay conscious. 'Don't tell me I'm going to die again! And by a woman's chest no less! Any pervert would love to go out this way, but I don't want to die again!'
"Um, Noriko." Akane said nervously as she noticed my arm going limp and I stopped fighting. "Can you let go of Kojiro? I don't think he's breathing."
Noriko looked confused before looking down to me to see that my eyes were rolled back and gasped before pushing me away from her chest keeping her hands on my shoulders and started to panic. "Oh my god! I'm so sorry!" She started to shake me hoping to get a reaction. "Please breathe, don't die on me!" She stopped shaking me and gave my mother a confused look. "Wait, he?"
End of Flashback
A chill went down my spine as I remembered almost dying that day. Ever since then, after Noriko finishes a mission, she would pay us a visit to 'play' with me when in reality she just wants to squeeze me to death and have me try on girls clothes. It was torture and a blow to my dignity.
"So Akane, did you get a yukata for Kojiro?" Noriko asked getting my attention at the word yukata. She gestured to me and my mother looked down to me. "He's never been to a festival before right? Why not take this chance and have fun with your son?"
"I would love to take Kojiro to the festival." Akane replied gently removing my hands from her kimono to hold my hand and I knew there was going to be a 'but' soon. "But with Kosuke out on a mission and me being busy making medicine, we just couldn't find the time."
'Looks like I'll be missing another festival.' I thought with a look of disappointment look on my face as I looked around. 'I was hoping to go this year. Everything looks like it'll be fun.'
"Yeah, that is a problem if you want to go as a family." Noriko nodded crossing her arms in thought. She then snapped her fingers and smirked. "I got it! Why don't I make the medicine while you go to the festival with Kojiro?"
"You Noriko?" Akane asked in surprise which soon turned into uncertainty. "Are you sure you can do it? I know you haven't had any medical training."
Noriko gave my mother a smug smirk before giving her the peace sign. "No need to worry, while on my mission I learned a thing or two about medicine." she then got behind us and started to gently push us. "So go on, you deserve some time out of the house. And what better way than at a festival?"
"You sure you can handle it?" Akane asked as she adjusted the bag on her shoulder, uncertain that Noriko is up to the task of making medicine.
"I'll be fine!" Noriko said with a smile pounding a fist to her chest causing her cleavage to bounce around a little. "Just leave everything to me and go have fun with your son." She bent her knees slightly resting her hands on them to be at eye level with me. "Next time I see your dad, I'll talk him into taking more days off so you all can have some family time." She straightened herself to talk with my mother. "Well, have fun at the festival." She gave a wave before running to where the hospital is.
'I guess I called her a she-demon a little too early.' I thought watching the teen running before looking up to my mother with a smile on my face. 'She just gave me a chance to not only go to the festival, but also spend time with my mother.'
"That was kind of her, huh Kojiro?" Akane said smiling down to me. "Looks like we'll be able to go to the festival after all."
"Yay!" I shouted in excitement with a big smile on my face. When she looked away to double check what she bought I let out a silent sigh with a tired look on my face. 'Who knew acting like a child would be so hard?'
When we got home, Akane went to the kitchen to put the groceries away while I went to my room and locked the door which was hard since I had to go on my tippy toes and barely reached the lock.
"Okay." I muttered to myself as move to stand in the middle of my room and sat down with my legs crossed. "Let's see if this'll work." I closed my eyes and started to take slow, even breaths. I tried to picture chakra as a blue flame in my mind hoping to at least feel it circulating through my body. I was at this for an hour and haven't felt anything different so I sighed opening my eyes and stretched when my body felt stiff. "I guess it'll take more than meditation to feel my chakra." I looked over my body for a minute. "I don't think my body's ready for any intense training yet."
"Kojiro!" I heard my mother call out. "Come down for a minute!"
"Coming!" I called back getting up and went to my door to unlock it and left my room to go downstairs. When I reached the bottom of the stairs, I walked to the living room to see my mother with her hands behind her back smiling down to me. "What is it mama?"
She just continued to smile as she moved her arms to her front for me to see that she was holding a blue yukata with a yellow obi hanging on her arm. "Ta-da! Your very own yukata!" My eyes widened at the yukata and I walked closer to get a better look at it. It was amazing, I could tell that it was handmade by the barely visible stitching on the sleeve close to the left shoulder showing that she accidentally ripped it. Other than that it was perfect. "Do you like it Kojiro?"
"Yeah!" I shouted with childish enthusiasm as a smile formed on my face. I wrapped my arms around her legs in a tight hug. "I love it mama!" I turned my head to the side to look at the yukata again. 'I really do love it. Sure I wear kimonos a lot, but a yukata is more comfortable during this time of year.'
"That's good." Akane let out a relieved sigh while she gently ran her hand through my hair. "I've been working on it for days for when we get the chance to go to the festival." I let go of her legs as she knelt down to me. "Do you want to try it on Kojiro?"
"Yeah!" I nodded my head excitedly as I took the yukata obi from her hands and ran to the bathroom to change leaving my amused mother in the living room. After I closed and lock the bathroom door, I held the yukata up to my eyes. "I can't believe that she made this. If she told me she bought it I would've believed her." I took off my kimono and shrugged on the yukata and tied the obi before looking myself over with a full-body mirror the was next to the sink. I held a strand of my hair looking at it and sighed. "Again, why did I decide to grow my hair?" I reached into a drawer and pulled out a hair band and started to tie my hair into a spiky ponytail. When I finished tying my hair in a messy spiked ponytail, I looked myself in the mirror again and sighed hanging my head in defeat. "I knew it, I do look like a tomboy." My hand found it's way to my neck where I felt a small almost unnoticeable bump there. "Other than this and down below, there's no way to know I'm a guy."
Knocking caught my attention and I turned to the door before I heard Akane's voice call out from the other side. "Kojiro, is everything alright in there?"
"I'm fine mama!" I called out adjusting the yukata a little before I went to unlock the door. When I walked out, I gave my mother the most convincing childish excited smile I can muster. "How do I look mama?"
"Oh Kojiro, it looks great on you." Akane said with a smile looking me from head to toe. When she saw how I did my hair she giggled at how messy it was. "Turn around for me Kojiro." I gave her a confused look but did what she requested. She knelt down to her knees and undid my ponytail running her hands through my hair to straighten it. "Now stay still Kojiro, I don't want to accidentally tug on your hair." I made a hum of confirmation as she started to gather my hair to make a ponytail with her hands as she used the hairband to tie it in place. After a few minutes, Akane moved her hands away from my hair and nodded in satisfaction. "Done, that's much better."
I went to the bathroom to look myself over with the mirror again and saw that my hair still spikes but my ponytail was neater now. "Wow, you're amazing mama!"
"I just had a lot of practice with my own hair." Akane replied as she got to her feet. "Now you're ready for the festival."
"Will papa go with us to the festival?" I asked looking up to her.
She just gave me an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry Kojiro, but papa is still-"
"I'm home!" My father's voice called from the front door cutting her off. We look to the door to the bathroom to see Kosuke walking in.
"Kosuke!" Akane exclaimed eyes wide in surprise as she the yukata on the couch's armrest before walking over to her husband. "Why are you back already? You said your mission would a month long."
"I managed to finish early." Kosuke replied taking off his headband from his forehead and tied it around his neck giving Akane a kiss on the cheek. "It wasn't easy fending them off from the border, but we managed somehow." He knelt down to me and grinned. "Hey there kiddo, were you a good boy while papa was away?"
"Uh-huh!" I replied nodding before jumping to wrap my arms around his neck. "I missed you papa!"
Kosuke laughed returning my hug. "I missed you too kiddo." He got up holding me as he looked at my yukata. "Is that a new yukata you're wearing Kojiro?"
"Yup!" I nodded smiling. "Mama made it for me!"
"Did she?" He asked in feign surprise as he looked over to his wife. "I see you're still good with a thread and needle if you made this Akane."
Akane giggled as she lightly bonked Kosuke on the head a playful smile on her face. "Flattery will get you nowhere mister." She took me out of my pouting father's arms heading to the front door. "But your timing is perfect as always, we were about to leave for the festival." She looked back with a challenging smirk. "Your not too tired to go to the festival with your family are you?"
Kosuke returned the smirk walking to join us. "Of course not, I wouldn't miss the chance to spend time with my wife and son." When he was next to us Akane put me down and I took both their hands in my small ones as my father looked down to me with a grin. "Hey Kojiro, how about we find out who can scoop the most goldfish with one scoop?"
"You're on papa!" I shouted accepting his challenge causing both my parents to laugh as we left our house heading to the festival. 'I still don't know for sure if I am in the Naruto world or not. So until I'm one hundred percent sure, I'll stop worrying about it and enjoy my new life with my parents.' Nodding to myself at my decision, I just enjoyed the silent walk holding my parents hands tightly.
3rd P.O.V.
In a dark cave where a giant, earthen-colored humanoid entity with a decayed appearance, a body shaped into a robe, and a number of spike-like protrusions on its back with nine eyes and shackled arms and legs stood in the center, a man wearing an orange spiral mask and black robes with red cloud patterns looked up to the giant statue. Behind the man was a man whose body resembled a venus flytrap and was half white and half black with yellow eyes.
"What do you want Zetsu?" The masked man demanded not turning around to face the other. "I must make preparations."
"My, someone needs to loosen up." The white half said playfully snickering.
"We felt a strange chakra signature and thought we should inform you." The black half said seriously ignoring his white half.
"A strange chakra signature?" The man questioned turning to face Zetsu.
"Yeah Yeah!" The white half replied with a carefree grin. "Boy was it strange."
"Explain." The masked man ordered.
"It seemed unstable but stable at the same time." The black half replied. "But that wasn't what made it unusual. What's strange about it is that it doesn't feel human but at the same time it does."
"What do you mean?" The masked man questioned.
"It's how we said." White Zetsu replied. "One minute it feels human, the next it doesn't."
"We found the source and confirmed that it is human." Black Zetsu continued. "A little boy from the hidden mist village. Since things aren't going as planned with the fourth mizukage, we think you might find a use for the boy."
The masked man hummed in thought. "It is true the the fourth mizukage is struggling against my control." He turned back to the statue. "It won't be long before he breaks out of my genjutsu. He won't of use to us if he does." He looked back to Zetsu. "Very well, keep me informed about this boy. The mist village has served it's purpose, I think it's time to reduce the five shinobi nations to just four." Zetsu nodded and began to sink into the ground vanishing completely. After Zetsu left, the man's face went back to the giant statue contemplating what Zetsu has told him. "A boy with a strange chakra signature huh? Might be useful in the future."
And that's it for chapter four folks! Now onto the reviews!
CriticalFanatic: Glad to hear that it satisfied you. I hope it picks up soon too.
SilverDragon1218: Yay! *Raises hands to the sky*
KitKedd: What Kojiro meant was that he won't know if he looks like a girly boy until he gets older. When you compare babies or two year olds of opposite genders, don't you get confused too?
Tsuki: You want to make him a girly boy? Sure, sounds like it'll make a nice running gag lol.
Overlord Sombra: It will be post Yagura. glad to hear that your looking forward to the next chapter and here you go!
HinataSoup: Glad to hear that you think it's good so far. I'll try to make as many chapter as possible.
And that's it for the reviews everyone. I look forward to seeing you all again. Again, my updates might take a while until I get a new laptop so I ask that you bear with me and I thank you for your patience.