Staring at the open sea, a nine-year-old Naruto couldn't help but grin and breathe in the fresh air. He loved days like this; a bright sun shining down through a clear sky and enough wind to keep you cool without being too much. There was no way to describe a day like this other than perfect. There was absolutely nothing that could ruin it.

"NARUTO UZUMAKI! YOU GET YOUR ASS DOWN HERE RIGHT THIS INSTANT!"

Well, almost anything. Sighing, Naruto looked down from the top of the ship he was on to see his mother glaring up at him from the ship's main deck. Without uttering a word, he began to climb down from the side of the ship. Passing the bridge window, Naruto gave a loud laugh as the ship captain and his sailors all gawked at him, staring with wide eyes and slack jaws from seeing a small child climbing the side of a Fire Nation ship.

He had always loved climbing. It could be trees or buildings, or ships like this, he would climb it and have fun doing it. He didn't know if it was the sense of adrenaline or just the challenge of it, either way, he loved it and climbed anything tall every chance he got. However, this was also the reason his mother was shouting at him.

"How many times have I asked you not to climb things?!" his mother, Kushina, demanded to know as soon as his foot touched the main deck. She was a beautiful woman with long red hair and dark blue eyes. She wore a pale red dress with a black top, which ended at her ankles to show her black shoes.

"Don't remember," he answered honestly, raising his hands to rest on the back of his head. "I lost count a while ago." The wind picked up a little, ruffling his spiky blond hair but he made no move to stop it. His bright blue eyes looked at his mothers with a mischief clearly showing in them. He wore a pair of dark red shorts and a black sleeveless shirt.

"Too many!" Kushina shouted, grabbing her son by the ear and pulled hard. She didn't care that the other passengers were staring and watching. "And I asked you not to climb this ship specifically!"

Thanks to how she was pulling on his ear, Naruto's feet were not even on the ground anymore as he struggled against her mothers grip. "Ow! Let go of me, you crazy woman!" he shouted, his little legs kicking in the air.

"I AM NOT CRAZY!" his mother shouted in a slightly deranged way. Knowing he had had enough, she let go and dropped her son, who was now rubbing his sore ear and glaring at her. "... Where are your shoes?" she then asked, noticing the lack of footwear on Naruto's feet.

Looking down, Naruto stared at his feet for a few seconds before having the audacity to look her in the eyes and pointing to the top of the ship. "Must have left them up there," he answered, with a cheeky grin. "I can go get them if you wan-"

"No! Just leave them," Kushina interrupted with a sigh. 'They were expensive as well!' she thought, tears in her eyes. Usually she wouldn't purchase anything too expensive but she just loved those shoes the second she saw them and wanted her son to wear them. That was only three hours ago and it cost her several silver pieces.

Walking over to the side of the ship, Naruto managed to tiptoe himself up to peer over the railing and look out towards the water again. "Where are we going again?" he asked, not seeing anything but water.

Going over to the railing as well, Kushina took a moment to pick up Naruto and have him sit on the railing before she too leaned on it. "I told you already, it's called Ember Island," she answered with a sigh, having told him three times now. "It's a resort island where the citizens of the Fire Nation go to relax. Everyone here is probably on vacation." Looking back to everyone else on the ship, Naruto noticed that almost everyone looked excited and they all had bags and cases with them. He also noticed that, besides the sailors that worked on the ship, nearly everyone was dressed in fancy clothing. Suddenly, Kushina spotted something in the distance and grinned, "There it is!"

Turning back around, Naruto strained his eyes and just managed to see something in the distance that was slowly growing in size as the ship sailed closer. The closer they got to the island, Naruto couldn't help but agree with the island's name. The sun was starting to set so it bathed the whole island in shades of red and orange, making it look as if the beaches and the mountain were on fire.

There were many ways to describe the Fire Nation. Evil, bigoted, and vile were just some of those words. But, right now at this very moment, Naruto couldn't think of any other word than beautiful. "Wow," he muttered with wide eyes, having not expected this.

"Yeah, I had that same look when I first saw this place as well," Kushina laughed, seeing her sons reaction.

"Did Dad bring you here?" Naruto asked but when he didn't hear a reply, he looked at his mother and stopped when he saw her with a sad look. He should have expected that, it always happens whenever he mentioned his father. "Sorry," Naruto muttered, knowing he ruined his mothers happy mood.

Shaking her head, Kushina gave Naruto a smile. It was a strained smile, only just managed to hide how she felt, but she held strong. "It's alright. Yes, your father brought me here for the first time around twenty years ago. Every year, we came back and spent a wonderful week together... until..."

'Until he died,' Naruto thought with a frown as his mother trailed off with a distant look in her eyes. He barely remembered his father, hell he didn't even know his name as the man died when he was four. He didn't even know how he died either and could never bring himself to ask. His mother refused to tell him anything and, because of what happened, he and his mother have been travelling around from place to place, never staying for more than a week or two.

That brought him to their current situation. A week ago, they were in a small village of Gaipan, which was in the Western Earth Kingdom, and had barely been there for a single day before Kushina received a message from a messenger hawk. How it found them, Naruto would never know. After reading the message, Kushina was shocked and she then forced Naruto to drop whatever it was he was doing before the two packed up and left for the Fire Nation. The entire trip, his mother refused to tell him why they up and left Gaipan so suddenly, she just kept saying she had some unfinished business and to stop asking.

Now here they were, on the docks of Ember Island. Kushina led Naruto by the hand, weaving through the crowd to avoid the officials checking documents and tickets. They weren't exactly here legally, as they had neither documents or tickets. They both wore a dark cloak, mostly to hide their hair as it made them stand out. Both also had on back packs and Kushina was also holding a long item wrapped in a black cloth.

Getting past the guards and officials were easy and it didn't take long before Naruto was standing on the sandy beach of Ember Island. Due to the constant sunshine, the sand was almost hot to the touch but Naruto found it pleasant as the warm sand covered his feet and toes.

'Yep! I am SO living here when I'm old enough!' Naruto decided, loving the idea of living by the beach. Of course he was only nine-years-old, so he had no idea how much houses on the beach would cost, especially on an incredibly popular place such as Ember Island.

"The house we're going to isn't far, Kushina said, taking hold of Naruto's hand to lead him. "Once we're settled, I might consider letting you explore as long as I can see you."

Hearing this, Naruto grinned and began pulling his mother in the direction she was originally leading them to, wanting to speed things along. Somehow, along the way, Kushina began to lead again and took them to a secluded part of the beach that was almost hidden. "Are we there yet?" Naruto began to ask, excited to see where they would be staying.

"If you ask me that one more time, I'll lock you in a chest and make sure you can't get out while I'm gone," Kushina threatened, which made Naruto stop his next repeating question. "And yes, we are here," she then answered, as the house she and her husband used to come to when they visited. Looking, Naruto could only admire it as, just like everything else here on the island, the house was incredible. While it wasn't as big as the others, it was still intricate in its design with the wooden walls having many carvings.

As soon as he was inside, the first thing that Naruto did was dive for the couch. "This is so comfy!" he laughed, bouncing a little on it.

Kushina laughed with him, putting down their packs and belongings as she took a seat, taking a moment to relax. "Nothings really changed," she said, mostly to herself. The softness was the exact same. Even the wooden grain of the floorboard felt the exact same against her feet, having taken her shoes off at the door. While she had important business that she wanted to take care of, it wouldn't hurt to relax for one night.

Funnily enough, Naruto completely forgot about the beaches outside as he enjoyed himself indoors. The night was filled with laughter and fun as Kushina made them both a lovely dinner and then they played some games before going to bed. Now, usually they would go to some hotel or sleep in a tent, so the beds they usually sleep in were rough. But the beds in this house were so soft that Naruto fell asleep the second he laid down.

Standing in the doorway, Kushina smiled warmly at her softly snoring son, who was sprawled out on his bed in an awkward position. It hurt her just being in this house, too many memories, but Naruto always helped her forget her pain. Quietly closing the door, she made her way to her room and stopped at a small picture frame next to the bed. Sitting down, she carefully took hold of it. "If only you were here," Kushina whispered, her hand resting over her heart with closed eyes, "Minato. You would be proud of our Naruto. He is such strong little boy and it's like he isn't afraid of anything, just like you were." Some tears fell but she ignored them as she kept talking, "He does have his moments though, always getting into trouble. I think he gets that from me." Bringing the picture up, she gave it a small kiss and whispered, "I miss you."


Waking up the next morning, Naruto gave a big yawn and rubbed his eyes. He couldn't remember the last time he had slept so well. The window was open, letting the morning air and light into the room. Getting out of bed, Naruto went through his morning routine of getting washed and dressed for the day before leaving his bedroom. "Mum?" he called out, wondering where she was.

"I'm in the kitchen!" he heard her voice from deeper in the house. Remembering where the kitchen was, Naruto walked there and found his mother just finished making breakfast for the two of them. "Just rice for breakfast. Need to pick up some food when we go out today."

"Sounds good," Naruto said. "I'm okay with rice, still tastes better than all that green stuff you make me eat."

Rolling her eyes, Kushina sat down with Naruto at the table and pointed her chopsticks at him, "Those 'green things' are vegetables and they're good for you. Now eat. Once we're finished, I'll show you around the island." As always, whenever the two ate together, they would always end up arguing playfully. It started when Kushina told Naruto to eat his food more slowly unless he wanted to choke, Naruto's reply was for his mother to mind her own business. That earned him a swift slap to the back of his head for being rude.

Once they had cleaned up, they left the house. Kushina was happy to show an excited Naruto around the island. They stopped by several shops, took a look at the Ember Island Theatre, and then played at one of many the beaches for the rest of the day. "Do you have to leave tonight?" Naruto asked as they walked home, a small frown on his face. They had a lot of fun for once and he was hoping to have more tomorrow.

"I'm sorry," Kushina apologised to her son. "But I have to."

"But why?" he asked, not understanding.

"Because..." Kushina trailed off, unsure what to tell Naruto. "The message I got is from an old friend, someone I thought was dead and he was a good friend to your father and I. His name is ShÅ­," she answered after a minute. "And you're staying here because where I'm going is no place for a child."

Most people would find it odd why a mother would leave her nine-year-old son alone in a place he's barely been in for a day, but Kushina trusted Naruto. She would only be gone for a few days, a week at most, and Naruto knew how to take care of himself. She made sure to teach him how to look after himself, which includes cooking and some self defence. Besides, she'll only be gone for a few day's, a week at most, what was the worst that could happen while she was gone?

"I don't like it," Naruto muttered, crossing his arms with a pout. "I want to go with you."

"Maybe when you're older... or at least when you've actually grown an inch," Kushina said with a laugh. Naruto's height had always been a sore subject for him. He was always the shortest child. He never believed anyone when they told him he's due a growth spurt soon. "Now let's head home. We've spent the whole day having fun and I was planning on making ramen for dinner."

"YAY!" Naruto cheered, his hands raised in the air as he ran around in joy. Ramen was the best food in the world to the boy and when his mother made it, they were even better! "Ramen! Ramen!" Because he knew what was for dinner, Naruto rushed home in excitement. By the time Kushina caught up, she was laughing as she found him at the kitchen table with a knife and fork in hand.


A whole pot of ramen was made, enough to feed a large family. But, between Kushina and Naruto, they ate it all with ease. Actually it was more like two ravenous animals feasting on scraps of food, after not being fed for more than a week. It was terrifying and disgusting while also somehow being an incredible sight to see. Now Naruto was sat on the couch, patting his bloated stomach with a content sigh. There was nothing better than finishing an already incredible day with ramen.

"Mum?" he called out, realising she wasn't in the room. But then he realised where she might be at this time of night. Quickly, he stood from the couch and made his way to the door and stepped outside.

There, standing with water up to her ankles, stood his mother. She looked beautiful, standing in the perfect spot as the moon shined down onto her. Her back was to Naruto but he knew her eyes were closed and that she was taking deep breathes. Knowing what was going to happen, Naruto sat down and watched carefully.

Taking a stance, Kushina raised her hands and let them rest on the katana that was tied to her waist. It was the object she had brought on the ship, now unwrapped from it's black cloth to show a dark red sheath and a handle wrapped in a black cord. The guard itself was golden and circular, a spiral etched perfectly in the metal.

With practiced ease, Kushina unsheathed the sword, letting the sharp blade glint in the moonlight before holding it above her head. Slowly, she went through a series of movements, slashing and slicing the air, attacking the invisible enemies she imagined. That was also when Naruto noticed something else. The water that she was stood in, it began to move with her, following her movements.

With every slice, the water shot forward. With every spin, the water circled around her. It looked like a dance to Naruto, one that he wished he could do but knew he could not. His mother was a Water Bender, a person that could command and control water, but he was not one and could only watch in fascination. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't jealous. Kushina finished her practicing with a final slash, making the water fly forward towards a boulder nearby. It sliced into it, splitting it into two with a crash.

A final flourish and Kushina sheathed her sword with a slight 'click' and released a small breath she had been holding. "Good," she muttered to herself, happy to see her abilities haven't rusted during her time on the run. Seeing her son nearby, she smiled, "Enjoy the show?"

"It was incredible!" Naruto exclaimed happily. "You looked so cool!"

"Haha! Damn right I did!" Kushina laughed. "There's no way anyone's gonna take me on in a fight!" She walked back into the house and into her bedroom, placing her sword on the bed before rewrapping it back in cloth. She then grabbed several things and packed them in a bag. Naruto helped her with her bag to the door and he did so with a frown. "Don't be sad," Kushina said, noticing his look.

"I still don't want you to go," Naruto pouted.

Crouching, Kushina brought him into a hug and held him right. "I know you don't and I wish I didn't have to either. But this is something I have to do," she said, "I promise to get back here as fast as I can so don't worry, okay?"

Letting go of his mother, Naruto nodded, "Okay."

"And don't get into any trouble, do you understand?" Kushina said sternly, "I know you like to pull pranks and climb buildings but please don't. I won't be here to get you out of trouble like last time."

"That was a year ago! And nothing really happened!"

"It was six months ago and you glued a small platoon of Fire Nation soldiers helmets to their heads," Kushina said dryly, "They knew it was you immediately cause you couldn't stop laughing and they chased you around the village we were staying in!"

Crossing his arms, Naruto gave another pout, "It won't happen again."

It was cute to see your son pout like that. "I know it won't. Just stay safe, okay? I love you," she said, giving Naruto another hug.

Returning the hug, Naruto said, "I love you too, Mum. And you stay safe too, please." Finished with their goodbyes, Naruto stayed at the door and watched his mother walk down the beach towards the pier. He gave her one last wave before heading inside.


"Where are you?" Kushina muttered to herself. She was at the pier, looking for someone she had never met before. While looking around the stores with Naruto earlier, she had talked to random people. One of them mentioned that there was a certain ship at the docks and that, for the right amount of money, they would deliver whatever cargo to wherever. There were only a few ships docked but one of them stood out.

While two of the ships were Fire Nation and made of metal, the third was a smaller wooden ship with red sails. "Excuse me," Kushina said, walking up to a man who was telling others what to do. "Are you the Captain?"

"What if I am?" the man replied rudely, eyeing the woman up and down.

"I was told that you deliver special cargo for a price?" Kushina continued, easily ignoring who the men looked at her. She had dealt with MUCH worse before. And if they tried to lay a finger on her, then they'd lose that finger and probably other appendages.

Always happy to make extra coin, the Captain gave Kushina his full attention. "That depends on what the cargo is and where it's goin. Depending on where you want it to go, it can be... expensive."

"I am the cargo," Kushina said, looking the man in the eyes to show her seriousness, "And I need you to take me to the Boiling Rock."


-Author's Note-

Hello. This is a story that I have been working on for a long time now. I struggled for a while to make the first chapter and I feel that I did this okay. I understand that it may feel slow and rushed to start but, if I keep working on the story (Which I am hoping to do) then I hope this will work out. I also understand if I did the characters a little odd but, again, I feel that I did this okay. The next chapters will be at least 5000 words, as I always try to aim for that target if I can.

Yes, this is a Naruto/Avatar/Assassins Creed Xover fic. Before anyone asks, there will be NO Pieces of Eden. This is simply because it would have made everything too complicated.

This is a small harem fic. Naruto/Azula/Katara/Toph/? I don't think there will be anyone else but that might change. Slow romance and there will be lemons.

'Brotherhood' and 'Broken' are my main stories that I will be focusing on. 'Dragon of Lightning' and 'Two Lost Witches and their Ninja' are side projects that I will work on when I can but do not expect many updates.

Thank you for reading, please leave a review if you can. If you see any mistakes then please let me know and I will fix them. Any questions then please feel free to ask and I will do my best to answer. I hope to have the second chapter done soon.

Word Count (without Author's Note) - 3636