Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto
A/N: I write this for fun; my attention is on my Naruto/ Harry Potter crossover fic : Fernweh so all updates will be sporadic. You have been warned.
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Chapter 3 : Hello, My name is Ruka
The day I remember isn't overly special.
I walk wonderingly through the marketplace, taking in the sight, the colours, the smells. It is decked in the oddest combination of golden and purple and I feel like it should look hideous. It doesn't. A random thought pops up into my head; tangled, my brain whispers. Though what is tangled, I do not know. Perhaps I'm thinking about those drapes? I scrutinize said drapes. Yeah, no.
This happens to me a lot. I think odd things, I know things I'm not supposed to. It happens at the darnest of times, although thankfully, I haven't made it obvious… yet. Letting people know that I know more than I should is a death sentence in this world. I stop at the gaming stall with the masks.
My name is Ruka, for my hair, I presume as it is a dark blue color; and I am two years old. The white canine mask feels like a déjà vu. I shrug it off and continue to toddle like I should down the street, gasping and cooing at the lively stalls. Some days I feel weary and tired to my bones, I don't know why. But I don't let it get to me. My mumma, Aiko, is a proud medicinal merchant, I follow her town to town, village to village. She lets me help too! We gather herbs together every morning. She teaches me a little bit about medicines and poisons every day, before we go to bed.
In her defense, I think she figured out I'm smarter than usual, so I get this instead of bedtime stories. I don't really mind. I think she secretly hopes I will follow in her footsteps and build the family business. It's our only source of income because my da died when I was young. I'm not sure how that happened but I try to keep myself from broaching the topic because ma tears up if I ask and I don't want ma to tear up. My mumma's hair isn't blue though, I can only assume I take after my dad. I'm also pretty certain kids my age don't think about things like responsibility, but I do.
My nose picks up on the smell of freshly baked bread and I subconsciously wander to a bakery stall. I stop in front of it… I didn't think this far. I sigh and begin to move away because I don't have the money. What kind of parent lets a two year old run around with money? I turn to go back and immediately bump into a teenager.
"Yo" he says. I take a step back and look at the dark skinned, blonde teenager in white in front of me. He has a red obi and wears sunglasses. And for some reason he is prickling at my conscience. I should know him. He gives me a wide grin and I look at him with big eyes. And then he sways to a beat that I can't hear.
I can't help it. I bob my head along with him.
He stops and frowns at me.
He bobs his head once more, and I copy him. He tries to make me fall out rhythm but I am too stubborn to let this go and honestly? This is the most fun I've had in a long, long while.
"What's your name?
Mine's Killer Bee,
I rap for fame,
Are you making fun of me?"
Whoa. That certainly got my attention. I look up to gape at him. I shake my head.
"My name's Ruka" I say shyly. "And I'm not making fun of you, I think your rap's really cool."
He stares at me. I don't know how long it's been but he stops swaying and holds out his hand making a fist. I automatically give him a fist bump. One doesn't leave a bro hanging.
He proceeds to ruffle my hair.
"Ruka is an apt name,
you adorable chibi, you,
gotta buy bread, you game?
I can get some for you too!"
Yeah, that's how I become friends with Bee. He treats me to some savoury bread and I promise to meet him again the next day, so I can treat him too.
That night, I go back home to mumma and ask her for a story before bed. She gives me a look that tells me I am being a brat, after all she had a long day at work. I pout at her.
"Please, oka-san!"
"Alright, alright" she huffs. "So, which one do you want to hear this time?"
I whoop in delight. "My favorite please..! Tell me the story about the day I was born!"
"Brat" She scoffs with a smile on her face and clears her throat to begin.
"It was hot, humid day; the clouds roiled in the sky and light flashed through it. We could tell a storm was coming. I remember my belly was full, I was 9 months pregnant… due to deliver anytime, when we had to cross towns. We decided to leave in large a group of merchants for safety.. We could not afford ninja back then.."
Mumma's eyes are glazed over and they look unfocused as she thinks back to that one terrible night. "It was then that a messenger came running from the town we had a left. 'There are bandits coming for you! He told us urgently. 'Get off the road!' The leader we chose started guiding us, the merchants all walked in a brisk queue and tried to be as fast as possible. And then, it began to pour."
I have heard this story a million times. It doesn't matter, I am still engrossed.
"Thunder rumbled in the sky after lightening zipped through it. But then before we knew it, the bandits were upon us! We left all our belongings without a thought and ran. Your father was with me, he pulled me along away from the group when he spotted a house in the distance. For he had realized, in all the panic, the stress and adrenaline had induced my labor."
The story changed minutely every time, I noted passively. Ah, but that is the way with lores that were told verbatim .. when they weren't written down...
"It was painful but we pushed through it… to the house... when the unthinkable happened. A bandit realized we were not with the group and came looking for us! He sneaked up from the back and grabbed me by the hand… and held a knife to my throat." Oka-san trails an imaginary line on her neck in memory.
"'NO! Not her! I'll give you anything!'" Your father yelled. But before he could engage in a battle, Kami-sama himself intervened. A lightening struck the two of us... The Bandit and I, and we fell to a heap on the ground."
I look at her in amazement. This story never fails to intrigue me. How was she- were we- alive?
"It is a miracle, yes" She nods at me knowingly, in face of my amazement. "A miracle that we survived while the bandit did not.. The residents at the house we had approached were kind and helped me deliver a beautiful baby boy with blue hair that very night." She says and kisses my temple, there is a look of absolute adoration on her face.
"Now go to bed" She shoos me off and this time, I go willingly enough.
"Goodnight, oka-san!"
"Goodnight, my little lightening." She whispers.
That night, like every night I dream weird dreams. Only this time I dream of Bee, messing with a blonde boy. And when I wake up I know.
"Oh fuck!" I stare at the ceiling. "I'm in the Narutoverse" I whisper in horror.
I'm back to wandering aimlessly while my mother sells her goods. My mother. Fuck. So many things make so much sense. I'll be honest, I don't remember everything of my past life. My dreams are hella sporadic and random. I never know when anything will show up, if anything will show up. Heck! I only realized today that I've been reborn. I might've gotten three or four dreams since I first got here and most of my knowledge is sub-conscious memory, almost reactionary than thought out. I vaguely remember I had parents and a brother… a family. I remember emotions more that what they actually look like or any events. I purse my lips. I remember the love I had for them and the feeling of their loss. Surprisingly, the love I felt for Aiko did not diminish with this realization and I am glad. I do not want to suddenly lose love for my oka-san just because I vaguely remember a previous life.
It occurs to me that I could be hallucinating; I am not thrilled to be dumped in to a vicious anime world that I barely remember. The only thing that dispels theories of coma and/or drugs is.. The void. It is the only thing I remember with absolute certainty. That, and the white and blue zip of power right before I was born. I really don't think I could ever forget The Void. The feeling of nothingness, it's ineffable. That thing gives me the fucking creeps, I want to blur it out of my memory but of course that's the one thing I remember with clarity.. That crazy period of isolation and sensory deprivation can stay where it is, thank you very much. I shudder just thinking about it.
I shake my head, and begin to wander down the stalls. Other children my age weave between adult legs, laughing gaily. I feel old.
I know I am in the Narutoverse. I don't know much, a lot of things I know instinctively. I also know I should not be speaking them out loud. For instance, there are Shinobi around the perimeter of the market place that I can occasionally spot. They have white masks and I am almost absolutely certain they are Kumo's ANBU. I have an instinctive ability to pick apart Shinobi from Civilians. I presume this is because of my previous knowledge because no one ever taught me that in this lifetime. I wonder if my father was a nin? It's ridiculous and mindboggling how I am looking at everything I know, in new light.
I remember mere snippets, and more of my previous life than the Narutoverse. To be completely honest, I feel all of this was only triggered because I saw –
"Hello Brotha from another motha" a prominent character. I slowly turn to face Killer Bee.
That's him! In flesh! I giggle hysterically.
"Bee-san" I smile at him amicably. Don't panic, don't fucking panic. Play it cool. You are zen. You are a tree. Calma calma. I inhale deeply and don my chirpy poker face.
"Come with me, I must treat you to some dango" He begins to protest. "I insist" I say, holding his hand and pulling him along.
"So you're a ninja Bee-san?" I ask, sitting down when we've placed our orders.
"Yo! He says proudly. "I'm a genin!"
I notice the dirty looks given to him. I notice the customers around us edging away. I don't comment on it, I give him a bright smile.
"Ne.. What do Shinobi do?"
He gapes at me in horror. "Ruka-chan! Shinobi protect their village and their precious people!"
Fair enough, I think. If it wasn't for the village centric propaganda that I shouldn't know about.
"But.. Bee. I don't have no village" I say dejectedly.
"You can always join our village.." Bee sounds serious. I didn't even think that was possible. In hindsight that happy rapper persona was probably a front.
"I don't know Bee-san, I will have to think about it." He nods at me.
That night when I sleep, I dream about an Octopus-Bull.
I don't know what I should do yet, I don't know enough. I don't have the information to make informed decisions.
If all I have to do to gain information is maintain a friendship with Bee, I would do it. I am 27 years old, petty glares from the populace won't stop me. A bubble of hysteria escapes me. Oh Dear God, I'm making friends with Bee!
My days in Kumo are spent playing ninja and talking to Bee. My nights are spent recollecting.
I learn of the Gyuki, of the discrimination Bee faced and of a waterfall on a Turtle island. It's not much, just flashes of 3 sets of images in a loop, but it's enough to paint a broad picture.
"Bee-san, what are the bijuu?" I ask, and Bee stills. He almost looks.. afraid. Poor guy, I think. He's just a kid.
"Why do you ask little one, this question is serious, no fun" he ponders cautiously.
"It's just… they're people too aren't they?" I scrunch up my nose.
"People?" He echoes blankly.
"Yeah.. like… " I wriggle my fingers, trying to dumb myself down but fail miserably. "like.. they're sentient, aren't they?" Have I said too much?
Bee looks at me with his lips pursed. "Ruka-chan, it's a bad idea to talk about these things."
I make sure my expression is of guileless stupidity. "Okay Bee-san!"
That night I wonder if I fucked up. My dreams haven't changed, it's the same images in a loop, I take it to mean I have exhausted Bee as a resource. I think about it. And I think about it a little more. It isn't my duty to help save the world, I could easily survive as a merchant. Yeah, but I live in it. Yes, but people are going to save it regardless of my existence. I think. Right? It was a children's anime, right? I should have a happy ending? Unless, my presence causes ripple effects or something. You know, it's probably a bad idea to interact with any more prominent characters. It's best if I keep away and leave the saving to the heroes.
My mother tells me we are going to leave the next day.
I go to see Bee one last time; dude doesn't deserve this kind of treatment.
It's that moment I realized I did indeed, make a booboo.
A rock of pure muscle greets me.
"So, you're this Ruka I've been hearing so much about?" It's A, and he's frighteningly large. A cold drop of sweat trickles down my back. Bee stands next to him, looking sheepish.
"Hullo!" I chirp. "I'm Ruka, who are you?" I hold out my hand in a fist.
He evaluates me for a long moment and I almost let my hand drop. He bops it.
"Eh, any friend of Bee is good enough for me." Did he rhyme on purpose, I think stupefied. "You will be strong one day and we will spar"
Uhhh. Dude..he he.. Bro. "I don't know if I want to be a nin-"
"You will be strong one day and we will spar" he says once more, the lines on his face grow stern and he looks menacing. Then he smirks. "And if you don't, I'll just beat you to a bloody pulp."
I gulp. Alrighty then, looks like I'm going to be a ninja! I was thinking about it anyway, I know shit is gonna go down. I wanna be prepared. I give a mental shrug.
"Do you understand?" He says, his hands dwarf mine by a large margin and he begins to squeeze it.
"Hai!" I squeak, and take off shouting farewells to Bee.
"Don't let A-san bully you!" I yell, causing A to throw a temper tantrum.
Eh. Worth it.
That night I dream of A in a yellow hat zipping around in blue traces, barely visible.