Black Sun
Kept you waiting, huh? Wait no more, for it's here. Rarely do I have a chapter title ready before it's completed, but without further ado…
Chapter 4: Orange and Blue
He was captivated by the sight before him. The sinking sun painted the sky a breathtaking blend of deep blue and violet. Yet, everything he laid his eyes on made Konoha seem dull and lifeless. The colossal tree, a rival to the Hokage Monument in height, was a maze of branches that enveloped the entire city. Pristine, azure waters surrounded the tree. Naruto was about to dash towards the lake's edge, his eyes shining with curiosity, drawn by a mystery that only he could perceive when his uncle's firm grip on his arm halted him.
"Where in the world do you think you're off to," Uncle Kaz barked, his rough voice cutting through the air. He was ruffling Naruto's unruly hair, eyes scanning his nephew's stained clothes. "Thankfully, you're not drenched in blood, and your clothes are still in one piece. But before you meet your friend, I've got something to say to you."
"I'm all ears," Naruto said with a foxy grin, his curiosity piqued.
Kaz pointed to a lonesome girl huddling her arms around her lap. She was on the island at the center of Taki, right where that great tree was. She was the girl with mint green hair and exotic dark skin. "That girl over there has the Nanabi (seven-tails) sealed inside her. She is the jinchuriki of Taki, and you are going to meet her."
"She looks lonely," Naruto said while clenching his fists. He knew what it was like to be alone. Until now, he had been alone his whole life. There was no worse feeling in the world than being isolated and hated for something you can't control. "Why do people hate us? We didn't ask to be jinchuriki! Are we going to save her like how you saved me?"
"Yes," Kaz agreed while nodding. "You and Fuu have a lot in common. You're both orphans. Her mother became pregnant during the Third Great Shinobi War, and she died in labor. Even before Fuu was born, her village saw her mother as a disgrace. Fuu was just another disposable orphaned baby to be used as the Nanabi jinchuriki. Shinobi villages often use orphans to create their jinchuriki because families often protest the ritual while an orphan can not. Minato was different. Knowing Konoha would betray his final wish, he gave up his life, believing you would be taken care of and treated as a hero. The word jinchuriki comes from the belief a shinobi village's Kage must sacrifice their children to become jinchuriki."
Kaz placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder, causing his nephew to frown.
"So, should I just forget my dad made me into a weapon? He made me a target with no escape. I couldn't leave the village unless I became a shinobi. What kind of father does that to their only son? I didn't ask to be a sacrifice," Naruto said with a frown.
"Life is hard enough as it is, but some people would view your life differently," Kaz replied with a smirk.
"What makes you say that?" Naruto asked while looking up deep in thought.
"Jinchuriki sacrifice love, happiness, and friendship because of who they are. In exchange for a life of pain and suffering, jinchuriki gain power and in some circles, prestige even an emperor would wish for," Kaz explained, much to Naruto's confusion.
"People respect us?" Naruto's question rolled off the tongue like a foreign imaginary concept. He had only learned what a jinchuriki was just a few days ago. Looking at Fuu across the lake made him doubt his uncle's words. "I know you like me, but I'm scared if others discover who I am."
"There are tribes out in the vast desert who'll bow before you because you are a jinchuriki. Eventually, you will meet them along with Fuu. You both are already honorable members of their tribe because of what you have inside you. People can be cruel. However, some people still practice the old ways that were passed down since before words were first written in clay. Jinchuriki used to be worshipped for the sacrifice and pain they endure for our survival," Kaz explained, hoping his nephew understood what would happen.
"When will I meet these tribes," he pondered, his sapphire eyes piquing for an answer.
"Soon, I can't verify when, but that is where you will be until you become a genin. You haven't had the worst life and must understand that the world is beautiful. Even though there are cruel people, many more would love to be your friend. Understand that what you have inside of you is a gift. Minato chose you because he knew you would use the Kyuubi's power for good."
Naruto nodded.
"I get that my dad sealed the Kyuubi inside me to save thousands of lives. But all this talk about the Fourth Hokage is making me hungry," Naruto said.
"Ah, thanks for reminding me. From here on out, you will only discuss your Namikaze heritage with me. Never with anyone else. Your name will still be Naruto Uzumaki. But until the time is right, any talk about you being Naruto Namikaze is forbidden! Your father has a lot of enemies, particularly Iwa and the Land of Earth. Keep this in mind when we get to The Land of Wind. Naruto, as of now, you have even more enemies. When he finds out you've deserted Konoha, the Third Hokage will do whatever it takes to separate you from me. He will try to take you back to Konoha to become a weapon. The same can be said for anyone who finds out you are not just a Namikaze but also the Kyuubi jinchuriki—no more talking about Minato or your Namikaze heritage! Consider it a mission," Kaz said enthusiastically.
"A mission?"
"Yes, you're my nephew, but protecting you and eventually your friends will be my ultimate mission. Bringing attention to yourself is against the shinobi code. You won't live long unless you have the balls and skill to back up your name. If anyone finds out you are a Namikaze or that you have the Kyuubi. You will have more than just Iwa and Konoha to contend with. Every shinobi village will be after you. So, from here on out, call me Dan or Sensei!"
Naruto nodded at his Uncle. He understood that he was now in danger, but with his badass uncle, he never felt more safe and loved than now. Sadly, he was emotionally overwhelmed, tired, and hungry. The last thing he ate was Hinata's cinnamon buns, and then he had to fight Kiba and Sasuke. He was still exhausted from all of that. "Uncle, can we get some food?" He clutched his bloody hands together in desperation. "Please!"
"Not now. I promise you and Fuu will have a feast tonight. We'll sleep indoors in an air-conditioned room with a nice bed. Naruto, if you can bear with me for half an hour, I promise you will have the best week of your life," Kaz said before grabbing Naruto's shoulders. He peered into his nephew's eyes, and in the diminishing light, Naruto saw the seriousness in his Uncle's eye. "I have some unfinished business to attend to. Like you, Fuu has been isolated, neglected, spat on, and hated for something she had no say in. She's beautiful and sweet. I bet she will grow up to be breathtaking. From this day forward, that girl will be your best friend."
"But she's a girl," Naruto said, crossing his arms. "Why would a girl want to be friends with me?"
"What do you mean?"
Naruto clenched his fists and closed his eyes. He shook his head and admitted, "Because I got kicked out of the orphanage for playing with a girl. I don't think I can have friends. Are you sure she will be my friend?"
"Naruto, you are a very personable young boy. Why judge someone before meeting them? You'd be surprised how many people would love to know you. The world is big, too big for you not to make friends. Fuu is lonely. I think you two would get along like milk and cookies. Before the night ends, you two will be best friends. Be there for her, protect her, and most of all, love her. You will be her comrade in arms. Whether you like it or not, you will fight alongside her," Uncle Kaz said before ruffling Naruto's spiky blonde hair. Naruto grumbled but blushed at his uncle's description of this girl. "If all else fails, just relate to her. Now go! Meet Fuu and stay safe."
OoOoOoOoO
Naruto watched his uncle disappear in a swirl of spores. Naruto marched over to the lake and washed his bloody hands in the crystal-clear waters. He even washed his face before walking along the well-lit wooden bridge barely a meter off the water, which led up to the island at the center of Taki. His footsteps clattered against the wood, cicadas buzzed, and water churned around him. The air smelled like a lovely blend of honey and pine. In his opinion, Taki was a city that was taken straight from a fairy tale. Glowing mushrooms by the shoreline, a massive tree the size of the Hokage Monument on an island at the center of the city. Every home in Taki was built vertically in the style of Shinto temples or wooden castles.
Naruto slid his hands across the wooden railing of the bridge, observing Taki with a wide smile. When he reached the bridge's end, he swung his arms off the railing and landed a few meters before the girl. She yipped in surprise and looked Naruto up and down. Her eyes were bloated and pink, like she had been crying for a long time. He smiled and waved to his fellow jinchuriki.
Fuu fully opened her eyes, inspecting him… even though her scowl was terrifying enough. Her eyes made him gasp.
She had the most beautiful eyes in the whole wide world! Her eyes were orange like the setting sun. Like two shining bursts of sunshine, Fuu gave him her full attention.
"Who are you," Fuu asked, her orange eyes traveling up and settling on the hilt of his sword. "What's with the sword? That looks outside your weight class."
Naruto walked closer to her between two puddles. Ripples in small puddles jostled him alert. There was neither blowing wind nor a pebble tossed, yet the water around them began rippling oddly. She had a satisfying fragrance of honey and pine that intoxicated him. An odd aura surrounded her, which felt otherworldly. Her orange eyes glowed brighter at his mere presence.
"Sorry for startling you. My name is Naruto Uzumaki, former future Hokage, current future Kazekage! This sword is a family heirloom. It belonged to my mother, and I won't tarnish her memory with your blood. I don't want to fight you. I've had enough fights today and enough surprises," he said. Fuu's dark aura grew more unbearable. The air felt heavy and humid. "This is my first time in Taki. You're the first person I've met here, and…"
"Go away!"
"No!"
Fuu looked back at Naruto curiously. Her aura grew more toxic. It wasn't anywhere as horrible and otherworldly as his uncle's chakra. Yet it still made the hairs on his neck rise.
"Tsk, are you seriously this dense? Why are you still here? You shouldn't be near me!" Her orange eyes glowed brighter before she closed her eyelids.
"I don't see anything wrong with you! I just thought maybe we could be friends or something… I don't have any friends," he said, only to smile wide.
Fuu looked confused for a split second, so he smiled even wider as the girl sprawled out, revealing herself to him. Fuu made a "hmm" sound and opened her eyes again. Her cheeks looked a little darker, and she smiled the faintest of smiles. Her dark aura of dread diminished instantly.
Naruto felt his cheeks warming up as he inspected Fuu. Her ninja outfit consisted of a short sleeveless white midriff shirt with fishnet armor underneath, long white armlets, and fishnet shorts with a white apron skirt over it. She had an orange clip in her mint-green hair that was straight and cascaded down to her shoulders. Fuu shifted her legs on top of each other, revealing white shinobi sandals that complimented her skin tone.
She wiped her eyes and glared at him. He looked down at his feet and said, "Is something wrong?"
"Can't you see I want to be left alone," Fuu snapped viciously. Naruto stubbornly didn't budge and crossed his arms to make a point. She frustratingly asked, "Why would a cute boy like you want to be near something like me?"
"C-cute? You are the first person… ever to say that about me," Naruto repeated, his cheeks turning dark crimson, making Fuu giggle. "H-how am I cute?"
She eyed him differently now. He wasn't sure why the word cute made his heart race, his cheeks burn, and his soul yearn, but it was out of his control. He needed to get out of here!
"Aww, your whiskers are turning invisible," Fuu responded while getting up. She looked Naruto up and down and smirked as Naruto shifted uncomfortably at how close she was getting to him. "Names Fuu, and yes! Of course, you are a cutie. Blonde hair, blue eyes, and adorable whisker marks. Plus, you have the world's best smile. No one in Taki has a smile like yours. Naruto, where are your parents?"
Naruto shook his head and tried not to look at her incredible orange eyes, but he couldn't. Her eyes were the most beautiful site in all of Taki. She walked up to him in worry. She was taller than him and much faster, too. She seemed to sense something wrong. She then touched his cheek. He flinched and tried to back away at the sudden touch, but Fuu squeezed his cheek harder. This was the first time a woman touched his face, and he froze. He gazed into her warm orange eyes and admitted, "They're dead. I'm an orphan. I, uh, never experienced this."
He tried looking away from her mystifying eyes, but Fuu placed her right hand on his left cheek, holding him in place. She peered deeply into his eyes and frowned. "You're like me. You've experienced pain and hardship."
"You're the first woman to touch me like this…" Naruto felt his cheeks burning even hotter than before. Her hand felt nice and warm. His heart started pounding harder as Fuu's delicate fingers tickled his skin. The feeling was so foreign and odd, yet pleasant. Despite his baser instincts screaming for him to run away and not trust her, he didn't want her to stop. "I don't know why it feels so weird, but I don't want you to let go."
"You're the first boy I've touched like this. All the boys either run away from me or they call me ugly. But not you, why?"
"Those boys are stupid! I think you are pretty. You also have the world's prettiest eyes," He remarked. He felt her thumbs caressing his whisker marks, making him purr involuntarily. He sank his cheeks deeper into her warm grasp and said, "Such beautiful eyes…"
"Oh, really? You, as in me! I have nice eyes. What makes my eyes stand out compared to others?" Fuu removed her right index finger from Naruto's cheek and began tapping her chin. She smiled playfully, which only made Naruto tense up uncomfortably.
"Your eyes are orange."
"Well, yours are blue."
"I like your eyes because orange is my favorite color. The Hokage Monument turns a wonderful shade of orange during sunset. Every time I look at it, I feel determined to succeed. When I think of orange, it's that fire you make when it's cold and you are alone. It's the color I see right before I wake up, and I am relieved to be alive. Autumn is my favorite season because everything turns orange," Naruto admitted. He saw a glint of pain, torment, suffering, and, worst of all, loneliness reflecting from her eyes when she held both his cheeks again. It was like looking at a mirror and seeing himself for the first time. "How about you?"
"Naruto, is it?" Naruto nodded his head slowly at Fuu. She smiled and said, "My favorite color is blue. Because of the Great Tree, the water around here looks like one giant sapphire gem during sunset. One thing people don't know about Taki is that we have the world's best blueberries. Summer is when the sky is blue, the blueberries are sweet, and the blue beetles come out."
Naruto leaned into her hands and closed his eyes. He tried imagining his mother holding him like this. He never wanted her to let go! He placed his tanned hands over her darker ones, which made her raise a minty eyebrow.
"You brought up Konoha. It's my dream to move there one day."
"Uh, why would you wanna go to that place," Naruto grimaced. He crossed his arms and frowned.
Fuu let go of Naruto's cheeks and frowned. Her orange eyes burned like an uncontrollable fire as she said, "Because Konoha is the best shinobi village in the world. Naruto, you are from there. Maybe I could run away with you. We could become Konoha shinobi together. Maybe they'll treat me better there than here."
"That's not true!" He grabbed Fuu's shoulders. His fingers trembled along her skin. He wouldn't let her experience that hell! His sapphire eyes widened in fear as he said, "I'm a jinchuriki…"
Fuu froze in his grasp.
"Don't go, please! Trust me, you have to! I have the Kyuubi inside me. I used to think my parents were monsters. I was told so many lies that I just became numb to everything. I ran away four times in my life. Three of those times, I got caught, but the fourth time, I got to meet you," he admitted.
He didn't care if she believed him or not. In Konoha, the only person he could relate to was Sasuke. The damned Uchiha only liked him because he had the best stamina at the Academy. Often, Mizuki allowed them to spar for hours once they fought for four hours straight. Sasuke was the only one his age he trusted to know about his welfare.
"I'm not afraid of fighting to my last breath for my sensei…" Fuu's eyes widened. She stepped closer to him, but Naruto edged away and said in fear, "I'm never going back to Konoha. I had to live there my whole life. It's awful. You don't deserve to go through what I went through. You deserve better!"
"How did you end up here? I'm curious," Fuu asked, her frown turning into a smile. Her smile left him puzzled. "I promise not to tell anyone if I can hold your hands."
Fuu grabbed Naruto's hands. He looked into her orange eyes and saw nothing but understanding. "I'm a jinchuriki too. I have the Nanabi (seven-tails) sealed inside me. I'm not alone… You are like me. You must already be a great shinobi if you have the Kyuubi. I graduate from the academy next year, but I bet you are already a Genin."
Naruto shook his head. His throat became heavy as he admitted, "I'm the dead last. I tried to take the Genin Exam, but I failed. I got the lowest score on the damned exam." Naruto looked at Fuu's eyes and sighed. She placed her hands once again around his. He looked into her incredible orange eyes and admitted, "I may have failed at becoming a shinobi, but I haven't given up. I'm more determined now than ever. For the first time in my life, I have a purpose. I'm going to become a shinobi of Suna, and I will make Dan-sensei proud. I will be Kazekage one day, so you better believe it!"
Fuu started giggling, which confused him. Tilting his head, he mumbled, "What?"
"You are so adorable and perfect." She removed her hands from his and wrapped her arms around him, giving him a quick hug. "I know a good spot for us to talk." Before he could say a word in protest, she took Naruto by the hand and marched along the shoreline of the island. Fuu brought them to a mossy dark quartz boulder. They both hopped on, and Fuu quickly sat down and patted for him to sit down.
Naruto removed his mother's sword from his back and placed it beside him. Fuu quickly grabbed his hand and brought him down beside her. Bright yellow-green flashes of light shined around them from a sea of floating lightning bugs. Her orange eyes glimmered from each flash, revealing happiness, curiosity, and understanding.
"It's so beautiful here," Naruto said, amazed by Taki. "Thank you, Fuu. Do you want to be friends?"
"You nuts? Of course, we can be friends. It's not every day you run into a jinchuriki… I thought I was alone, but I'm happy I'm not," she said while repeatedly nodding. She held Naruto's right hand with her left hand. She smiled faintly and said, "I don't want you to go. I'll be honest with you. These days, I live by the Great Tree of Taki because everyone at the orphanage runs away from me. The last time I slept in the orphanage was three weeks ago. The girls there cut my hair and set my bed on fire…"
"That's horrible!"
"Since then, I asked our village leader, Shubuki, if I could camp out here until the end of the year. Fuck the orphanage! Last week, all the girls at the Academy assaulted me after school. They kidnapped me, beat me, and stripped me naked before leaving me outside the village. I had to return to Taki alone…" Her eyes started tearing up.
That burning anger in his gut flooded his body again, turning his eyes momentarily purple.
Fuu's hand began shaking in his grasp, making him even more furious. He sat up and faced her, making her mutter, "Naruto, please don't leave me!" She then hugged him tightly. Her head rested at the crook of his neck as her tears dripped onto his bloody orange hoody. Fuu's anguish cries made his heart flutter as he wrapped his arms around her. Her back felt smooth and warm against his fingers. She kept muttering words into his ear incomprehensibly as if he understood what she was saying.
"It's okay. I will always be there for you," Naruto promised. She cried harder into his neck and shoulder. All he could do was pat her back and hug her tighter. "It's a promise of a lifetime. I never go back on my word because it's my ninja way!"
Fuu calmed down momentarily, but her ironclad grip around his neck and shoulders kept him in place. She rubbed her smooth left cheek against his neck and whispered, "You promise."
"Yes, we are in this together."
"Then keep hugging me," Fuu commanded. She smiled weakly and said, "You are so warm and kind. I don't want you ever to leave me because you are my only friend."
Naruto closed his eyes and smiled. He finally made a friend!
OoOoOoOoO
Kaz had spent the last half hour discussing the terms of acquiring Fuu. A process that most major shinobi villages would instantly close their doors to. However, Taki had been placed in a bad position for nearly one hundred years. The First Hokage allowed Taki to have the Nanabi if they became a long-standing ally of Konoha in exchange for being a buffer state with The Land of Earth. However, that didn't keep Taki from sending an assassin to kill the naive First Hokage. There were several issues with a small hidden village like Taki possessing a jinchuriki, one of which was the declining manpower required to defend such a powerful jinchuriki.
Shibuki was Taki's leader and a very pragmatic, strategic, and kind man. He was a Jonin-level shinobi with long brown hair, black eyes, and tanned skin. He wore a green kimono with a red collar. He had a blue steel shoulder guard on his left shoulder and a tanto blade strapped on his back.
Kaz knew the damned fool wouldn't give Fuu away willy-nilly without a large payment and a guarantee that Fuu would be treated with respect. However, there was one elephant in the room that the village elder didn't know about. Kaz smirked as he saw Taki's leader staring out his office window. Shibuki's eyes focused on Fuu and Naruto on a boulder. They were hugging so intimately that it made Kaz chuckle nervously.
"Whose that boy she's with?" Shibuki asked.
"Someone she can relate to," Kaz said while tapping his chin. Luckily, it was dark enough outside that Shibuki couldn't make Naruto out, but they needed to get back on topic. "You received the Kazekage's payment?"
"We received the Kazekage's first payment last night," Shibuki said to his honored guest. "That payment is half of Fuu's weight in gold. It's a good start to our future alliance. I pray that word doesn't get out about our meetings because Konoha will be after both of us."
"Let me make this clear. We are the only ones who know about this arrangement. Your village wants to get rid of Fuu. You have neither the manpower nor the money to sustain having a jinchuriki. After tonight, Konoha will be severely weakened."
"The Nanabi is the third most powerful Biju. Its power is far more impactful than Suna's Ichibi. Must I make myself clear again? I've heard intelligence that your village doesn't treat your jinchuriki well. Each tale I hear about the Ichibi jinchuriki is worse than the last. Fuu has had a terrible life, and she doesn't deserve any more hate. The last thing she deserves is to be made into a weapon," Shibuki asserted with a tinge of malice at the edge of his tongue. "I want the best for her. Fuu deserves the best. I've only continued these talks because, unlike Rasa, you have iron with your words. Unlike most shinobi, you have kept your word, but how am I to be assured that Fuu won't be mistreated under the Kazekage."
"Don't get all sentimental about the girl nor vilify Lord Kazekage for his past actions. Your village elders unanimously voted to make Fuu into a jinchuriki when she was barely out of her mother's womb. If I remember, you were the final vote in ruining Fuu's childhood," Kaz retorted with a stoic face. "That boy she is with now is a jinchuriki. He's just like her. They are both sweet children, just like the Kazekage's son. Imagine her finally meeting a boy who is willing to hug her. Would you be so cruel as to deprive her of a friend?"
"That boy she is hugging is a jinchuriki too? Why are you telling me this?"
"Because I can easily destroy this village and leave you dead before you pull out that knife," Kaz said forebodingly. Shibuki removed his hand from his tanto's handle strapped to his back. "I can take Fuu without giving you anything. Legally, she belongs to Suna. I know you read the document outlining her acceptance into the Yakitsuku clan. That is the main reason you agreed to settle this diplomatically. By birthright, Fuu is a citizen of Suna."
"No international court would accept the circumstances surrounding her conception. She was born here in Taki, making her a citizen of this village. I care about Fuu's safety and happiness. I need you to guarantee that assassins won't target her," Shibuki begged. His black eyes dug into Kaz's soul, making him realize how much Fuu meant to him. "What happens if I decline your offer?"
"I will kill you! Then I'll take Fuu and the money. After that, I'll notify Iwa, Ame, and Kumo about how to enter your village. Taki will burn down without Suna wasting a single life. Shibuki, don't be a fool. You're getting twenty S-rank missions worth of gold. Taki does not have the infrastructure or manpower to protect Fuu from Akatsuki. The rumors are true. Akatsuki is real!" Kaz was inches from Subuki. He was two heads towering over the Taki leader, who raised his hands in subservience.
"Th-they're real? But I thought Hanzo destroyed them. Even Konoha has admitted this to us at our annual intelligence-sharing conference in Konoha. Why would Konoha and Ame lie about Akatsuki's demise? Hell, for a quick minute, every Daimyo was advocating for a coalition force to invade Ame if they rose to power," Shibuki reminisced.
"Akatsuki has been around for a fair minute. I've heard rumors that Konoha helped create Akatsuki and that they're hunting every jinchuriki on the planet. This is why I want us to be allies. As a village, you will appear weak without a jinchuriki, but with lots of funding from the Sabaku clan's gold and iron mines, you could grow as powerful as Ame. In exchange, you offer us missions, intelligence, and military access. Akatsuki members are like cockroaches. One pops up, and there's thirty more hiding. Their power is growing, even though Suna has the smallest shinobi force and the smallest army among the Five Nations. Every nation that marches through our lands has turned around and been defeated. Even the greatest shinobi have gotten lost in our desert. Fuu will be safer in Suna than in any other shinobi village. She will have two amazing friends and will finally live a normal childhood. I'm not leaving Taki without her! Accept the truth so we can settle this diplomatically, or we will settle with iron! So what will it be," Kaz reasoned. "Blood or silver!"
His patience was running thin. They had been talking for close to an hour.
"They have been hugging each other for fifteen minutes," Shibuki said with a smile. He turned around and met the one-eyed head of Suna intelligence. "She looks happy and content with that boy. Fine, if you guarantee Fuu won't meet a fate similar to her mother's, then we have reached an agreement. Taki will forfeit Fuu to Suna! Suna will have a special relationship with Taki from this day forth in exchange for your nation coming to our aid!"
Both men shook hands. Kaz smiled as he watched his nephew caressing Fuu's back. Everything was going according to plan. Rasa might not be happy with how much money Suna would forfeit for Fuu, but his clan was the wealthiest in the Elemental Nations. However, Rasa wasn't a fool. In one night, he made Suna the most potent shinobi village amongst the great five powers.
The meeting ended on a mutual note. Kaz left Taki's central administration building a few hundred meters from Naruto and Fuu's current location. It was a silent walk over to the hugging pair, his mind racing over Rasa's plan. Gaara would meet the pair in one month in the Gara-Gum Desert to meet their new handlers.
When he arrived, Naruto and Fuu were still hugging each other. He remained silent as he heard Fuu mutter softly, "Naruto-kun, from here on out, we won't ever be alone. We'll have each other."
His nephew rubbed his whisker-marked cheek against hers and nodded. Kaz watched them for a minute, soaking in the sight of two jinchuriki united. They were both smiling, content, and happy. This was likely the first hug and touch both kids had shared with the opposite sex. Neither was fortunate enough to experience their parent's love or their homeland's acceptance of their burdens. In one month, Fuu, Naruto, and Gaara would finally experience a normal childhood among the desert peoples of the Land of Wind. They would finally be raised in a place of acceptance—no more harassment, hate, abuse, persecution, and especially no more assassination attempts.
"If only I could raise Naruto myself," Kaz thought as he watched his nephew hugging his friend.
Rasa Sabaku originally planned on using Gaara as the ultimate weapon, but when he discovered Naruto's existence five years ago, there was a change in plans. Naruto was his blood and responsibility to care for. However, out of Konoha, he and Fuu would have to disappear long enough for them to be powerful enough to set out on C-ranked missions, luckily with Gaara's new seals preventing Shikaku from tormenting the boy at all times of the day. Maybe there was a way for three jinchuriki to get along. Then again, this was Gaara. Despite the new seals and the extra care, Eva spent half her time getting Gaara to talk. That boy could scare god! There were already five close calls in the past month, with the red-headed boy almost crushing three handlers bringing him food. Rasa did a number on the boy, but like Naruto, he was to be the one to fix another broken weapon.
"Three weapons together having each other's back. They may be from different cultures, homelands, and circumstances, yet they all have experienced pain that only another jinchuriki could relate to. The Akhani Tribe will train and care for them."
Kaz smiled. There is no point worrying about the future when the present needs to be taken care of. He coughed and said, "Do I need to get you two love birds a room!"
"Hey! It's not what it looks like!" Naruto and Fuu shouted in unison, both reluctantly disengaging in embarrassment at getting caught.
"Who the hell are you?" Fuu asked.
"He's Dan-sensei. There's no one cooler than him," Naruto said while looking up happily. "Plus, he's good-hearted. He's the only man I trust." To show his very loyalty, he saluted Kaz.
"So you are going away? I don't want you to go so soon," she clutched Naruto's waist, bringing him closer to her. She raised a hand between them and the one-eyed Namikaze. "What is going on? I won't let you take Naruto-kun away!"
"I'm your new guardian. I'm taking you both home! As of now, you are both citizens of The Land of Wind. I'm Naruto's sensei. My name is Dan Kaze, head of Suna's Intelligence Service, or the SIS for short. Fuu, Taki has relinquished guardianship over you, and you will accompany us to your new home. You and Naruto will be living together for the foreseeable future," Kaz explained while edging closer to them. He spotted Moarri on the ground and grabbed it.
"What does that mean?" Fuu asked vindictively.
Kaz groaned and mumbled, "Troublesome kid."
"What did you say?" She raised a green eyebrow.
"You both will live, train, and eventually be on the same shinobi team. In the meantime, I want you two to get better acclimated together. There's a third teammate who will soon be living with you. Don't worry! Everything is set up so you three will always have a roof, be cared for, and most of all, have a normal childhood for what little of that remains." Kaz answered.
OoOoOoOoOoO
Naruto and Fuu had no time to react before they were pulled into Kazuhiro's embrace and teleported away. The only trace of their existence in Taki was a cloud of dissipating spores. Both kids fell to dusty limestone ground. Fuu clutched Naruto closer to her torso in fear. Her orange eyes shifted around their surroundings, and for once, the whisker-marked jinchuriki felt relieved he wasn't experiencing this alone. It was freezing where they were. Mighty, salty, dry, and surprisingly sweet winds tore around them, carrying silver streams of sand in the air. They were in a well-lit city on top of a mountain. Yellow and white street lights cascaded light along hundreds of street corners that fed to the bottom of the hill.
Kaz pulled the kids up. He frowned while handing Kushina's sword to Naruto before sternly saying, "Don't forget this!"
Naruto nodded and reattached the sword to the leather strap on his back. Fuu grabbed his hand and worriedly said, "What is this place?"
"Safad, city of wind, art, and gambling. We are one hundred kilometers north of Suna by the Iron Mountains. This is the second-largest settlement in the Gara-Gum Desert. Because we're at a higher elevation, the biome is slightly different. Those sweet scents you both are smelling are the fig palms and orange trees growing in the squares," Kaz explained to them happily. "Come follow me."
Naruto brought his new friend to a limestone wall overlooking the city of Safad. The architecture of the homes was adobe and made of dried clay bricks. Many of the rooftops were flat or dome-shaped, with palm trees in courtyards of what he assumed to be small manors. There were tall clay brick Minaret towers with spiraling stone ramps leading to the top of the towers. Fuu's left hand started shaking in his grasp.
"This place is so foreign from Taki! Shibuki wouldn't get rid of me like this," Fuu said, her orange eyes burning with doubt. "He wouldn't sell me to Suna like I'm a slave!"
"Fuu, you aren't a slave. You and Naruto will live like royalty here in the Land of Wind. You are much safer here than you would be in Takigakure. Rest assured, from here on out, I guarantee you will have a bright future," Kaz said.
The one-eyed man ushered both kids to follow him.
"Fuu-chan, don't worry. Dan-sensei will take care of us, and I'm here," Naruto whispered in her ear. He rubbed his right thumb over Fuu's grasping hand. The gesture made her calm down just a bit. "I'm never going to leave you. That's what friends are for. Right?"
She nodded silently. But he could tell this was all so sudden and upsetting to her. Like him, her village also abandoned her.
They followed behind Dan-sensei, who guided them through clay archways and limestone courtyards that were laid out amongst tall, towering buildings. They walked for ten minutes, and turning down an ancient cobblestone archway made Fuu grasp his hand harder. She placed her left hand on Naruto's shoulder tenderly at first. However, her grip tightened between each turn around a narrow cobblestoned alleyway. Her body leaned closer to his in a comforting way, but he still felt her trembling fear.
As they walked higher up the city of Safad, the wind strengthened. When they reached the city's summit, they had come before a massive brownstone building with numerous water fountains in the courtyard. It was a three-story tall ancient fortress with stone spires, large square towers with parapets, and power cables coiling around each tower. Shinobi observed them between each parapet stone slab as they entered the fortress courtyard. A giant statue of a sphynx woman was in front of the castle's main gate.
When they entered the castle, guards operating the gatehouse lowered a large iron gate covered in fuinjutsu seals behind them. Kaz turned around and faced them. He lit a large Churchill cigar before saying, "This is Reto's Fortress. His tribe ruled Safad before they set out to reconquer Suna. This castle is one of the safest locations in the entire Elemental Nations. There is a hammad (steam bath house) for you two to get clean. There's an indoor pool, comfortable beds, air conditioning, and everything here is yours to explore, but you both aren't allowed to leave this castle."
"W-we can't leave!" Fuu's outburst made Kaz sigh. The tall blond man put his cigar in his mouth and smirked.
"You two will be under my care for the duration of your stay in Safad. My name is Eva Chinoike. I'll be your handler when the Boss is gone. It is a pleasure to care for you two. Within the walls of Reto's Fortress, you two will be loved and cared for like you are my children!" Eva said with a mischievous but caring smirk.
She was tall with long, flowing brown hair and bright red eyes. Her face was angelic, with defined cheekbones and fair skin. Eva crouched close to the two jinchuriki so that they could see her in the moonlight. She wore blue shinobi sandals and wrapped her legs and fingers in white gauze. She wore a long white dress with a loose red jilbab that didn't cover her head. She wore a Suna forehead protector tied on her forehead.
Kaz stayed in the courtyard and continued smoking his cigar. Naruto followed his new handler with a raised eyebrow. Today, he had defeated Sasuke and Kiba. He found out about his parents, traveled to Taki, and now he would spend the night in a castle. Fuu held his hand tighter, but he didn't mind. She was his friend, and they'd learn to enjoy their new lives together.
OoOoOoOoOoO
Cats meowed to desolate streets, shinobi at post snored, and the only people awake were night crawling to the bars or up to no good, especially in light of this year's unprecedented Taijutsu Exams. There was a lack of a fellow blonde-haired youth whom Iruka Umino had been searching for right after he stumbled upon Hibachi and four other bullies speaking incoherently by the Oak Tree with a swing. They were currently at the Psych Ward in Anbu Headquarters, trying to decipher what had happened, but even Inoichi Yamanaka couldn't seep into their minds. Five students were poisoned with large chunks of their memory missing. All the boys were found illegally clutching kunai in a schoolyard without the instructor's command. Among the boys, the only one who did not get in trouble was Kaiji Izumo, primarily because of his clan's interference.
However, they talked about how Naruto had a purple mohawk riding on top of a flying lizard pterodactyl called a Nazgul. Kaiji said Naruto summoned the Kyuubi. That was when the boy went mad and started talking a load of gibberish. It was apparent the five boys either threatened Naruto or Naruto caught them doing drugs. The Anbu investigators believed the latter option.
Doing drugs on Academy grounds was as high an offense as treason. For once, Naruto impressed the entire Shinobi Corp with his performance and was the talk of the town amongst Konohans. The boy had every right to be looked after. He was his student, after all. The student he hated, doubted, tolerated, and now finally accepted. Good or bad, almost everyone was talking about his fight with Sasuke Uchiha. And this begged the question, where was he?
"Naruto, it's your old friend Teuchi! Open up!" Yelled Mr. Ichiraku himself. Teuchi Ichiraku never made it past Chunin, yet the old man held respect amongst the entire village. Plus, he cooked a damned good bowl of ramen. "I haven't seen or heard from you in weeks." Teuchi banged against Naruto's apartment door once again.
Iruka landed close enough to Teuchi that he could make out that Ayame Ichiraku, his daughter, was holding a cardboard takeout box. The Academy instructor gasped just a bit at how far the Ichiraku family went for the boy. They even brought a small homemade care package that read. You make us proud! However, if anyone would have a lead on Naruto's whereabouts, it would be the proud owner of Ichiraku Ramen himself.
"Won't do you any good. I tried knocking yesterday and gave up after half an hour," Iruka admitted.
"Damn it. That boy was studying his ass off and… I know he wasn't going to make it. I hoped he would swing by our stand a few days ago. I've always gone out of my way to feed that boy. I hoped he'd show up because I planned on him staying with us until he could get back on his feet. With the Hokage gone, people who want to hurt the boy are emboldened," Teuchi said while whispering into Iruka's ear.
"You really like him," Iruka said in disbelief.
"The Fourth Hokage declared him a hero. This village doesn't care for its heroes. I remember being part of the corp during the days of Sakumo Hatake. His shinobi team singlehandedly won half of our battles during the Second Great Shinobi War, but one bad operation and the whole village turned against him. Naruto is no different. The boy sacrificed his well-being for Konoha, but people only see him as a demon. About five years ago, I found Naruto going through our dumpster. I've been feeding him whenever I can ever since. He might be a jinchuriki, but that boy has a heart of gold. If the Hokage allowed me, I would have adopted that boy years ago…" Teuchi explained, much to Ayame's chagrin.
"Father, I don't think Naruto is home," Ayame pondered, settling the food box by Naruto's door.
Iruka gazed at Naruto's apartment door for several seconds. Something wasn't right. He pushed Teuchi and his daughter aside and kicked open the door to his student's apartment. All three gasped as the door slammed against its hinge. There was nothing inside. Ayame rushed inside the apartment and fell to her knees.
Iruka's heart sank as he realized that Naruto was right. He didn't have his apartment anymore. Ayame cried and screamed, "No! Where is he?" Her father tried comforting her, but it did little to qualm her lament.
Iruka rushed out of the apartment only to hear a massive explosion. Orange and yellow flames rose high from Anbu headquarters. Iruka ignored the pandemonium of the explosion. Naruto Uzumaki was missing, and the Hokage needed to be notified immediately.
OoOoOoOoOoOoO
Anbu Headquarters
Mashiro gathered the dead but still alive Anbu agents who were supposed to guard Naruto. The Ophiocordyceps had taken over their muscles and organs. It had replaced everything inside their bodies with ominous orange fungi sprouting long antennas out of their skulls. Dan had given the order to dispose of their bodies along with killing his deep-cover persona. Kabuto provided him with the dud body after the Taijutsu Exam. Tonight was the last night he would spend inside Konoha for a while. Posing as an undercover recon agent had taken its toll.
He had gotten back on the sauce after the Kazekage went through the trouble of putting him into rehab two times. That was another battle he would need to face when he returned to Suna. Right now, he had to eliminate any evidence that Kazuhiro Namikaze was alive. The infected Anbu ordered to guard Naruto was the only trace of the Boss' existence, not that anyone knew about Fungus Release. But he wasn't going to take any chances. Over a decade of hard work to bring about the Black Sun couldn't go down the drain before the plan officially went into action.
Walking out of Anbu headquarters, no one was the wiser that he had set the room with enough incendiary explosive tags to burn the bodies into ash. His decoy body was a Konohan civilian, a renowned criminal in the red-light district, and somebody no one would miss. Kabuto had done the dental records beforehand to get rid of any suspicions. The blast and shockwave of the explosion didn't deter the spy. He jumped into the trees and was already out of Konoha, only to sense a familiar chakra signature from a tree ahead.
His Oto counterpart nudged their glasses up the bridge of their nose. Kabuto Yakushi appeared in the flesh.
"Looks like Naruto Uzumaki has disappeared from Konoha," Kabuto said bluntly.
"Thanks for the help back there."
"Well, it's the least I can do for a friend. I hate to admit this, but I'll miss having you around. Orochimaru-sama wants our nations to prosper together. Our correspondence has been beneficial in forming the foundation for our plan. In two and a half years, Konoha will be hosting the Chunin Exams," Kabuto said with glee.
"It was supposed to be our village hosting that exam, but the current Hokage is a tough negotiator. From what I heard, it took a month of diplomacy to convince Rasa to give up the opportunity to host the event. Konoha is also increasing its tariffs on the Land of Winds exports to Konoha. This means our already poor nation has to flip the bill for everything Konohans buy from us. Iron, gold, figs, oranges, spiced wine, and the list goes on, and it'll all be more expensive to buy it here. Luckily, Rasa agrees that Oto will make a fine ally when we destroy Konoha."
"We'll destroy it together! I wish you luck on your return to Suna. I hope your replacement is even half as good as you," Kabuto admitted. "There are few people in the Elemental Nations I respect. Orochimaru-sama and you."
"Working alongside the greatest medical ninja in the Elemental Nations has been a pleasure. Farewell, my fellow spy," Mashiro said before disappearing in a swirl of leaves.
OoOoOoOoOoOoO
Naruto and Fuu were sleeping together in the same bed. Fuu's face was nestled against Naruto's chest. Her bob of messy mint-green hair shifted from Naruto's breathing. The poor eleven-year-old girl had cried herself to sleep when Eva told them it was bedtime. She should have separated the youngsters, but it wasn't like they were uncontrollable hormonal teenagers. Watching the young jinchuriki sleeping together made her smile.
They were just too adorable. They were sleeping face to face under a giant white comforter. Naruto had his hands and legs wrapped around Fuu like a koala. He was adamant when he said he wouldn't let go of her. Even though Fuu was older than him, she clutched the younger blonde with even more intensity, as if her life depended on it. She hadn't taken the news of Taki selling her off to Suna well. It saddened Eva to no end that these young children had been hurt so much, just like Gaara. Hopefully, all three jinchuriki will be happy together soon.
The door to their room opened, and Kazuhiro smiled over her shoulder. He gruffly said, "My little nephew is already a lady's man."
"Aren't they so cute together," Eva said while blushing at the sleeping pair. "Your nephew held Fuu's hand the entire night, and she wouldn't let him out of her sight for even a second. I hope Gaara will warm up to them better than I have. Fuu wouldn't be so social without your adorable little nephew around."
"I have no doubts. Naruto is a very personable boy. I hope Rasa isn't serious about arranging a marriage between my nephew and his daughter," Kaz lamented. "The only reason this operation was greenlit was because Naruto is Minato's son. There's also the rumor that the Namikaze clan possesses the Raton (Storm Release). Rasa steals the Kyuubi and heir to the Namikaze clan right from Hiruzen's fingers. Our power-hungry Kage wants the Namikaze and Uzumaki clans integrated into Suna. I don't want Rasa manipulating the situation."
"That's bad?" Eva countered, her Ketsuryugan emblazoned. "Naruto being loyal to Suna and the Land of Wind is part of the plan."
The Ketsuryugan was a doujutsu that rivaled the Sharingan when it came to genjutsu, but most of the Chinoike Clan was massacred by the Uchiha one hundred years ago. Eva and her daughter were the last surviving members of their once-powerful clan who ruled The Land of Hotsprings.
"The Raton is able to rival the Mokuton in power. A Shinobi who can create storms is useful in the desert, and there's a way we can unlock it. However, when that happens, Rasa will immediately make his move. He believes Temari will pass on the Jiton (Magnet Release) to her future offspring. Rasa is already preparing Temari on the protocol for an arranged marriage. Having a child with the Jiton and the Raton would be unstoppable if trained right. Our Kazekage isn't merciful. There's a reason why I'm in charge of their well-being and not him."
"Is the arranged marriage final?"
"Not yet. I will have to report to Rasa soon, likely when the Hokage leaves Suna, which should happen soon. I'm happy that you are enjoying babysitting my nephew and Fuu. They are good kids, and I hate that I must give them up."
"You aren't giving up on Naruto. You are keeping him safe from Konoha and Akatsuki. Our plan is still years away from coming to fruition. They'll need time to grow closer together and to train under a loving people."
"I hope you are right," Kaz said while watching the sleeping pair.