Apologies for this taking so long. I haven't even touched this story in months (actually, just writing in general), but it will be finished! I'm on Chapter Fifty-three! We're getting close to the end, but I'm not sure exactly how many more chapters we'll have.
So, what have I been up to? Oh boy, well... I GOT MARRIED!
It was a small ceremony. We'll have a bigger one later. It was mostly to get the legal bs out of the way. I'm currently in Canada, Pippa & I are working on extending my stay, getting me a worker's permit, and for her to sponsor me to live w/ her. We hired a lawyer because my God is that shit so confusing! We've been busy gathering information, sending things in, signing things, etc. etc. It's been... wild. We're mostly on the waiting stage right now. We're taking this one step at a time.
I'm not sure when the next time I'll update will be, but hopefully, I'll have my Canadian PR when I do.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Naruto Shippuden. This is just for fun, no profit will be made from this (and I don't want to either). This is purely for my and the entertainment of Naruto fans.
Dedication: To my beautiful, amazing, intelligent, girlfriend Phillipa (Shadow Spirit Dragon-wolf) for being there for me through not only my writing (both fanfiction and my original story) but real life in general. You have been my inspiration and my support through everything.
Warnings: Violence, explicit sexual conduct (no rape!) homosexual relationship, relationship with a large age gap, struggles with belonging, self-hatred, obsession, self-harm, self-experimentation, human experimentation, mental disorders, a dark view of the "afterlife", (bonding of) pain and isolation, self-worthlessness, and male pregnancy.
Pairings: NaruOro, canon pairings (except, obviously, NaruHina).
Summary: Sometimes, the deepest scars are the ones no one can see, but in a world moving into the light even the oldest inner wounds can be seen
Enjoy! :)
Chapter Forty-nine: Portal
Madara
Hashirama and I stand on a riverbank. We take turns skipping stones.
"Who do you suppose is Hokage now?" he asks.
I stare out at the water. It's much more blue than I'm used to. Everything here is so vibrant and lively. It's shocking to know I was allowed in such a place after what I did.
I still can't believe how easily I was fooled! To think I, Madara Uchiha, would be played by someone else's will incarnate!
Humilatimg!
Not to mention… the pain I put my great grandson through.
I never expected to ever meet him. I'm not sure if I'd call it fate we met since Black Zetsu controlled everything, but it couldn't have controlled what child I'd father, and certainly not my great grandson.
Right?
Obito Uchiha. In the way of early talent and abilities, he was nothing like me. But, I saw potential in him. I knew he just needed to be pushed and guided.
Although, not to the point I did.
"Madara?" Hashirama asks, placing a hand on my shoulder.
I look at him. I didn't even notice he walked across the water.
I stare at him for a bit then scowl, pushing his hand off of me. I don't deserve his touch after all.
"How should I know?"
"Aww! You're not going to guess!" My former friend pouts.
"Now, I know that is fake," I say, crossing my arms.
"Hmm does that mean your scowling face is too?'
"What?"
He just laughs, bright and cheerful. No matter what, he saw the good in others even for someone like me…
And that's why it was so easy to…
I shake the thoughts away. Such things are beyond what I deserve.
I sit down and stare out. This place is beyond beautiful. I never truly appreciated the afterlife until now. Third time's the charm, no?
Hashirama joins me, slipping off his shoes, and putting his feet in the water. He leans back on his hands, staring up at the sky. It swirls in vibrant hues of warmth.
"Well, I'd say that Hakate child."
"Kakashi? Hmm. Didn't he stop that alien bitch I summoned?"
Hashirama gives me a look. "Madara, you know you shouldn't blame yourself. You didn't know."
I scoff. "Tell that to all the people I-"
I gasp as something hits my head, and from the position of where the pain would have been, and Hashirama's shocked expression, it wasn't him.
Boruto
I groan, slowly sitting up.
"Kid."
I blink a few times. My vision is blurry as hell. Once it clears, I notice two men standing in front of me. They both have dark long hair. One with spiky, the other straight.
If I remember correctly, the man with the straight hair is the First Hokage, so the other one is…
"Answer me," the spiky haired one demands
"Madara, be nice. He's only a child."
"I don't care what he is! He landed on my head!" Madara growls.
Lord First laughs, shoulders shaking in mirth.
"Hashirama," Madara growls.
"S-sorry, Madara!"
He scowls.
I rub my head. "Could you two be a bit quieter? My head is pounding."
They look at me then each other then back to me again.
"You shouldn't feel any pain at all."
"Well, I do."
Hashirama looks at me, bending down and getting in my face. "Hmm. You've shrunk since the last time I saw you."
"What?"
"Your clothes are different too."
"We've never met."
"Yes, we have. In the Fourth Shinobi World War."
"I-"
"Hashirama, this child isn't Naruto."
Hashirama inspects me again. "Ah! So you're not! Then who are you? You look just like him!"
'Naruto is my dad."
"Ah! So is your mother that Hyuugs child? Hinata was it?"
"No. My mother is Orochimaru."
The legendary ninja look at each other then at me.
"Why would Orochimaru adopt you? Hinata hasn't come here…"
I sigh. "Orochimaru was pregnant with me and my twin. And older brother."
"So what you're saying is you're the biological child of Naruto Uzumaki and Orochimaru?"
"That's what I've been trying to say, ya know!"
"Huh. Well, this is certainly odd."
"I think it's more concerning that the child is here and feels pain."
"You're right, Madara. While the child's parentage is shocking, it's not what we ought to focus on." Hashirama looks at me. "How did you get here? It's clear you are still alive."
"Only Obito has the power to enter and exit the afterlife at will."
"Kaguya probably could too."
"That bitch doesn't count."
"I'm not sure. Mama was attacking Maruta, and then-"
"You're going to have to back up a bit."
I explain about Mama's weird behaviour and Maruta's body.
"I see. That's just…!"
"It's like he's under a genjutsu."
"Uncle Sasuke thought so too, so he checked Mama out. Dad couldn't sense anything either. Nagi said he's not being controlled either."
"Odd. I wonder what it is…"
"You were going to tell us how you got here?" Madara says.
"Right. Well, my right eye started hurting. I've had pain in it here and there since I was a baby. No one can figure out why though. Amyway, the pain was really bad. I started seeing things. Like, "waves" and "lines". I vaguely remember being pulled towards one of the lines, but that's all I remember."
"Madara, you're an eye expert. What is this the child is experiencing?,
"My name is Boruto," I scowl.
"How should I know? I've only had all variations of the sharingan and the rinnegan. This isn't an Uchiha power."
"Well, Boruto, it looks like Madara Uchiha cant help you get back home."
"I already said who could help. You're the one who wasted the boy's time by asking if I knew about his right eye."
"Aww! But surely the great Madara Uchiha would know about eyeballs!" Hashirama grins.
The Uchiha rolls his eyes. "I would talk to Obito. He's probably in the largest tree with his lover. You can't miss it. It's several miles from here deep in the forest."
"Alright." I stand up and start to leave then stop, turning around. "Hey, Lord First?"
"Hashirama is fine, but what is it?"
"If I'm able to safely travel between this world and the living world, do you mind if I bring Maruta to meet you?"
"Sure, but why?"
"He's always been a big fan of yours."
Kushina
"I'm telling you, Minato, one of Naruto's sons is here!" I exclaim, putting my hand to my forehead and looking out across the mountain ranges.
"That's a bit too early," my husband frowns, walking up next to me.
"Well, he's not dead!"
"Then he's like Obito?"
"We need more Obito in the world!"
Minato chuckles. "I assume you want to meet this boy?"
"Hell yeah! He's our grandson after all, you know?! Oo! I wonder if he says you know and acts like a fool? Hmm I'll have to snack some sense into him. Though, Hinata is his mother, so maybe she has it covered…"
"I'm sure everything is fine. Let's go meet our grandson."
Obito
Rin and I sit in the largest tree in the afterlife several hundred feet up. Heights don't bother me like being underground does, but even so, we're both dead and feel no pain.
It's like what the Infinite Tsukuyomi was supposed to be, but wasn't. Death was fitting for me, but how I ended up in such a peaceful place after what I did, I'll never know
Perhaps helping all those old people, and saving Naruto, Sasuke, and Kakashi balanced the scale in the positive side?
Rin takes my hand, rubbing her thumb across the top. It feels right, yet wrong somehow. We're technically the same age, but she hasn't aged since she died. Sometimes, I'll make myself her "age" just to make myself feel like I'm not as much as a worthless piece of shit I know I am.
Yet, she doesn't mind. She's always watched me. She's always cared. I don't deserve her kindness or her love.
"You're thinking too much again," she says softly.
"Pretending to be Madara, and having that ridiculous plan caused me to push my thoughts aside."
"As I said before, you did your best. Sure, you didn't get to be Hokage, but you did save the world."
I look at the girl I fell so hard for as a child. The one I lost myself to misery once she was taken from me so cruelly.
"Now you're just talking nonsense, Rin."
She frowns, glaring up at me. "You're too negative, Obito. You know that you protected your friends."
"I didn't want Kakashi to ruin our alone time together."
She giggles. "I'm glad to know you two are still close."
I scoff, and look out at the vast forest. This place is strange. It's so big with various areas, yet it's impossible to get lost and everyone can be wherever they want to be at anytime.
"I should haunt him for trying to come with me."
Rin laughs. It's pure and wonderful. It was never innocent. She was a ninja at one time, and even though she was a medical ninja, I know she would have killed to protect those she loved and cared about.
"You said you told him to be Hokage?"
"Something like that. Naruto wasn't quite ready at the time."
"Naruto sounds like an amazing man. I'm glad he helped you, Obito."
"Yeah."
We sit in silence, just enjoying each other's company. It's difficult to talk to her sometimes, and yet, other times, it's easier than breathing.
"Hey! Are you Obito Uchiha?" a kid calls from the ground below.
I look at him. He's probably about six or seven, blond hair and blue eyes. He could easily pass off as Naruto's twin. I wonder if he gets called Naruto often like Kakashi got called Sakumo?
"Yes, who are you?"
"My name is Boruto Uzumaki. I was told to come to talk to you by Hashirama and Madara."
"I wonder why," Rin muses.
"Well, let me get down and you can tell me-"
"I'll climb up there."
"Can you?" I ask.
Boruto easily climbs the tree with just his chakra alone, a feat that neither Naruto nor I could accomplish at this kid's age. He sits next to Rin.
"Hello, it's nice to meet you, I'm Rin Nohara," she smiles.
"Yeah, you too. So, how do I explain this…"
"You're Naruto's son, yes?" I ask.
"Yeah. Naruto's and Orochimaru's."
"Orochimaru's? Wasn't he Anko's sensei?" Rin asks.
"He was a lot more than that, but that's for another time. How did that happen?"
"I don't know. All I know is that Orochimaru is my and my brothers' mom and Naruto is our father."
"Well, Naruto and Orochimaru have always been weird," I muse.
"That's a bit mean, Obito, you shouldn't say such things about the boy's parents."
"It's okay. I mean Mom has lost it after all."
"Did he kill you?"
"No, I'm alive. He attacks things and thinks these umm "reapers" are attacking us, and well, he attacked my older brother, Maruta, and I felt pain in my right eye then I landed on Madara's head-"
I burst into a fit of laughter.
"He didn't hurt you, did he?" Rin asks.
"Nah. Just got grouchy about it."
"You haven't seen grouchy until you're around him as he's an old man," I say once I've calmed down.
"I can't even imagine," Boruto deadpans.
"Still, so what you're saying is you came here by some unknown power, and you want to get back?"
"Yeah, as soon as possible. I want to make sure Maruta and Mitsuki are okay."
"Knowing Naruto, they are."
"Probably… But Mama is probably flipping out that I'm missing.""
"Well, I can't blame him there. I would be too if my child vanished," Rin says, looking at me.
I blush a bit then clear my throat. "It'll take some time for me to infuse chakra to take you back, but I can."
"Alright, thanks. I'm sure Dad and Old Man Kakashi want to see you anyway."
I chuckle. "Yeah, I was planning on bothering them."
"Alright, but could you keep where I've been a secret from Mom?"
"Sure, but why?"
"He thinks that all of you guys are suffering."
"That's really sad. I wonder why."
Has he always thought that? I'll have to talk to Naruto about it. I won't be able to stay in the living world for long. I have so many questions to ask him.
"There you are!" Kushina shouts.
Minato-sensei is right behind her. What are they doing here?
"Get down here, and meet your grandparents, Boruto!"
"Now, Kushina, that's not the way to get the boy to come down."
"Don't make me climb up there! We have to go find your maternal grandmother too since your grandfather is still alive-"
"No, I'm not. I died years before any of you."
Boruto
Things have gotten a bit weird. First Grandma Kushina and Grandpa Minato (aka Lord Fourth) show up just after I find Obito, and now two other people show up. From the way they look, they're Mom's parents.
"Huh? Aren't you-"
"Ryoku Yashagoro, and this is my wife, Ayane."
Ayane looks at me. She looks identical to Mom except she doesn't have his elliptical pupils.
"Oh, well, did you need something?" Minato asks. "It's not everyday we get to meet our grandson before he dies."
"I was just thinking the same."
"Huh?"
I gasp as I feel a tongue wrap around my torso, and pull me down. I'm set on the ground.
"He's our grandson too," Ayane says, swallowing her tongue.
"What? But-"
"He's Naruto's and Orochimaru's child. They have two others together too. Boruto came here by accident, and asked for my help to get him back home," Obito says.
"You five should spend some time together while Obito prepares," Rin says.
"Alright, to the waterfall! I want to hear everything," Kushina says, grabbing my hand. "Oh, and you better give me a proper, but cool grandma name!"
"Well, alright."
A few moments later, we're at the waterfall. It seems to be in the center of all the other areas. I can't believe Mom thinks this place is torturous. I hope Dad is actually doing something to help. If something happens to my brothers, I won't forgive him!
I explain everything I can to my grandparents, and answer any questions I can. I know they have more, but they quickly realize only my parents have the answers to more complex questions.
"It's just as I feared," Grandpa Ryoku sighs, leaning against the rock wall behind him.
"Seems your death casted a long shadow over your son, Ryoku, Ayane."
"Yes, so it would seem."
"Do you know anything about these reapers he keeps talking about? He's convinced they're real and here, but clearly, there's nothing of the sort."
"He never mentioned them before."
"This is strange. And you said Sasuke talked to Lord Hebimaru?" Grandpa Minato asks.
"Yeah. Dad went to talk to Old Man Kakashi about it, but I don't get it."
"It's because our clans were once connected."
We look up at the top of the waterfall to see Old Man Kakashi's twin standing there with a white wolf by his side.
"Sakumo," Grandpa Ryoku smiles.
"About time you showed up, Mongrel. Get down here, and explain about the Hakate and Yashagoro clans," Grandma Ayane snaps.
"She may be worse than you, Kushina," Grandpa Minato whispers.
"She's awesome!"
"Feisty and impatient as ever even though we have all the time in the world," Sakumo says as he and the wolf jump down. He turns to me. "My name is Sakumo Hakate, Kakashi's father. This is Byakuya, my bond wolf."
"My name is Boruto Uzumaki. It's nice to meet you both."
Sakumo
"Well, I never thought our clans' bond would come up again even after what transpired," I say, sitting down. Byakuya lies down, putting her head in my lap. I scratch behind her ears. "Still, it seems that it may help your mother, so I'll tell you."
"Thanks, Old Man Sakumo."
I smile. I can tell he's really smart based on how he was talking to Lord Fourth, Kushina, Ryoku, and Ayane while Byakuya and I were playing nearby, but he has a childish charm to him that my own son lacked at his age. A genius Obito, perhaps?
"Before the villages were created, the Hakates were farmers. We used our ninjutsu for farming. We had no interest in fighting, but with constant fighting around us, we were forced to fight. My clan wasn't very large to begin with. We don't have expectal chakra amounts like the Uzumaki. Rather, we have a unique chakra called White Chakra."
"Is that where you got your nickname?" Boruto asks.
"Yes. Although, I lost Byakuya in my last mission. I didn't like to use her unless necessary."
"So is she like a summons or familiar?" Kushina asks.
"No. I suppose she's a mix of both. As I said before, the White Chakra is a special chakra that only appears in a few members of my clan. It allows us to call on a certain animal and have a special bond with it. The first activation usually causes various different animals to help, but after training, we learn to call on the animal we feel most attached to. Usually, it's some sort of canine, but it can be any animal."
"So will Old Man Kakashi get dogs?"
"Doubtful since he summons them. He never wanted to hear about our clan's history, especially after what I did…"
I don't regret it. Kakashi forgave me, and realized I was right to care about my friends. That's what's important.
"Makes sense. So how is the farming wolf clan connected to the snake clan?" Boruto asks.
"Well, for a few different reasons. Even before the villages' creations, the Yashagoro and Hatake clans were allies. Their snakes would help get rid of pests, and we'd provide food for them. After we were forced to become ninja to survive, we made a pact that the head of the Hakate clan was to give the head of the Yashagoro clan Kusanagi since we were the ones who found it and kept it hidden in the first place."
"So you gave Ryoku Kusanagi?"" Kushina asks.
I shake my head. "No. My father did. As for why I never gave Orochimaru Kusamagi, other things were happening, and I was never able to find where it was hidden."
"Wait; why would it be hidden? I thought it was passed down."
"It's to ensure that no one would use it that wasn't a Yashagoro. Kusanagi has to be wielded by a Yashagoro that has a bond snake that can wield and control Kusanagi's power as well. Father was given Kusanagi, but was unable to wield it to its full power. Nor was I," Ryoku explains.
"But Mama wields it just fine, so that does mean he's worthy?"
"The sword seems to think so," I say.
"Huh? Swords are living?"
"Everything has a soul within. Weapons and animals choose their masters."
"And Kusanagi chose Mr. Orochimaru?" Minato says.
I look at him and nod. "The bond wasn't just one sided. We shared chakra, and I was given resistances to poisons and the like. Unfortunately, the bond ended with me because I never was able to teach Kakashi about his bond with Orochimaru, and the Yashagoros were wiped out before I even had Kakashi anyway."
"I'm confused about something," Kushina says.
"What is it?"
"Well, I get the whole protecting each other thing, but Kakashi is a lot younger than Orochimaru, so how was that going to work? I mean Orochimaru was already a Sannin when Kakashi was still training under Minato."
"Yes, such predicaments can happen. Ryoku is quite a bit younger than I am. The bond we share is more complex than what it seems. Besides, they can overlap. I was to protect Ryoku and Orochimaru."
"I see.'
"It's a cover, essentially."
"A cover?"
I look at the ones outside the secret. "The Hakate's true task is to protect the dragon summoner."
I want to bring a reminder that I've barely watched the Boruto anime & definitely not read the manga (I haven't even read the Naruto manga. I have all three box sets, but I don't have box three with me, and I never start reading anything unless I have the entire series because I read very fast.) That being said, this Boruto is not the Boruto from canon. Actually, these characters are just different in general due to the plot. So Boruto's Jogan doesn't work exactly how it does in canon, but similarly. (I think.)
Things are about to really heat up, and I'm excited to be on this journey with all of you! :)
Preview
Ino
The door turns into a sinister face with fangs. Bloody saliva drips from the grinning mouth. What the?
"You're the only one."
"Don't let them die."
"We'll take them all!"
"You're the chosen one."
"Fall at my desire!"
I blink, and look around.
"Who's there?" I demand.