"Speech"

'Thoughts'

"Magic"

Chapter 1: Starblessed

(Elemental Nations)

Minato Namikaze was in the thick of battle, his breath coming in short, sharp bursts as he darted through the chaos. At just fourteen, he was already a prodigy. A shinobi unlike any other, but this was no ordinary battle. His senses were heightened, his every nerve on edge as he faced enemies with more experience than he could compete with. The world around him was a blur of kunai, jutsu, and blood. This was the world of shinobi in its darkest and he was just a boy fighting to live.

In the midst of it all, he saw the flash of a powerful technique. Something dark, sinister, and unfamiliar. He had no time to react, only to activate his new jutsu. The Flying Thunder God Technique in a desperate bid to escape.

But something went wrong.

The world twisted around him, and instead of reappearing on the battlefield, Minato felt himself being pulled through a vortex of energy, tumbling through time and space. His mind raced wondering what had gone wrong? Where was he going? Was he going to die?

Then, suddenly, the whirlwind ceased and Minato, feeling the weight of the world crashing into his body slipped into unconsciousness.

(Fiore, Heartfilia Estate. Year X762)

Layla Heartfilia stood on the balcony of her mansion, gazing up at the stars. The night was calm, the air cool and still. She had always felt a deep connection to the celestial bodies, their light guiding her through life's trials. Tonight, however, something felt different. Something was coming. She could feel it in the pit of her stomach, a sensation of change that demanded her attention.

Without warning, a bright flash of light appeared in the sky, followed by the unmistakable sound of something or someone crashing into the nearby woods.

Layla gasped, clutching the railing as the light faded, leaving only the dark silhouette of the forest. Her heart pounded in her chest, a mixture of fear and curiosity driving her forward.

She didn't hesitate. Grabbing her cloak, she dashed down the stairs and out into the night, her feet carrying her swiftly to the source of the disturbance.

As she reached the clearing, Layla's breath caught in her throat. There, lying on the forest floor, was a boy no older than herself. His blond hair was matted with dirt, his clothes torn and bloodied. Yet, despite the injuries and the strangeness of his arrival, there was something undeniably powerful about him.

Layla knelt beside him, her hand gently brushing against his cheek. "Are you alright?" she whispered, though she knew he was unconscious. There was no response, only the faint rise and fall of his chest.

She couldn't leave him here. This boy, whoever he was, needed help.

Summoning what strength she had, Layla carefully lifted the boy into her arms. He was lighter than she expected, though the weight of his mysterious arrival pressed heavily on her mind. She made her way back to the estate, every step filled with questions she couldn't yet answer.

Who was he? Where had he come from? And why did she feel such a strange connection to him, as if their fates were somehow intertwined?

(Heartfilia Estate, Later That Night)

Minato awoke in a warm bed, his body aching but alive. The first thing he noticed was the softness of the sheets, the second was the unfamiliar room around him. His senses immediately went on high alert. Where was he? This wasn't Konoha. The architecture was different and foreign to anything he knew.

Had he been captured by the enemy? No he would be dead if that were the case, but where was he?

Panic began to rise in his chest, but before he could act, the door to the room creaked open. A woman stepped inside, her presence calm and reassuring with a beauty unlike anything Minato had seen before.

"You're awake." she said softly, her voice like a soothing balm to his frayed nerves. "You're safe now."

Minato tried to sit up, wincing at the pain that shot through his body. "Where am I?" he asked, his voice hoarse. "Who are you?"

The woman approached the bed, sitting on the edge and offering him a gentle smile. "My name is Layla Heartfilia. You're in Fiore, in my home. I found you in the woods after you… fell from the sky."

"Fiore?" Minato repeated, confusion marring his young features. "I've never heard of it. How did I get here?"

"I don't know. Like I said. You kinda fell from the sky." Layla admitted, her expression tinged with concern. "But I'll do everything I can to help you. For now, you need to rest."

"Did you find anyone else? Maybe a tall man with spiky white hair?" Minato asked, fearing the fate of his master.

Layla merely shook her head in response. "I'm sorry. It was just you I'm afraid. Still I can have some servants look around for anyone else."

Sighing to himself Minato gripped tightly onto the bed sheets. His eyes glanced at the bloodied and damaged headband resting on a nightstand. "Just let anyone know if they see someone with a headband and a symbol different than mine they would be dangerous."

Layla nodded. "Are you a wizard? I don't recognize that guild mark? Don't tell me." The woman paused and swallowed a lump in her throat. "You're a dark wizard?"

Minato blinked at the questions. He truly was farther from home than he imagined. "No, I'm a shinobi from Konoha. I'm officially a Genin of team Jiraiya."

Layla gave Minato an honest smile and angelic laugh.

"Well that's reassuring. Despite having no idea what any of that means."

"I'm going to need you to explain as much as you can about where I am." Minato began desperately, while Layal nodded.

"Of course, but for now please rest. Questions can come after you've properly recovered." Layla explained as she softly placed a hand onto Minato's chest. Pushing her fellow blond down into the bed with a careful touch.

Yet as her touch lingered. Both Minato and Layla blushed deeply as their eyes met and their hearts both began to race.

Minato on his back had his mind whirling. He had no idea how he had ended up in this strange new world, but one thing was clear he was far from home. The thought sent a pang of loneliness through him, but when he looked into Layla's kind eyes, he felt a spark of hope accompanied by something more.

That was reassuring. Since he was also aware of one sickening truth. His chakra, the catalyst that powered all of his strength, was gone. Leaving him nothing more than a man within an unfamiliar land.

(22 years later. Year X784)

Naruto Heartfilia stood silent in the back courtyard of his family estate. The now sixteen year old wore a dark orange short shirt kimono and matching pants, under which he wore mesh armor that was visible at his wrists and ankles. He also wore hand guards and a deep red belt that was tied around the open black haori over his kimono.

Around his neck was a tiny leather string with the last memento of his mother. A golden gate key that belonged to the Celestial Spirit Aquarius.

"Mom." Naruto whispered softly as he clutched the key at his neck. His eyes transfixed on the headstone that belonged to his mother Layla Heartfilia.

It had been years since the woman succumbed to a sudden illness that took her life. Yet Naruto struggled to remember the woman. Her voice and smile were a distant memory just out of his reach. Yet these days he found most of his memories nothing more than a jumbled mess of confusion and gaps.

Truly if it wasn't for Aquarius Naruto didn't know where he would be.

"I'm sorry I've been gone for so long. I've been busy." Naruto mumbled softly as a golden ball of light flashed by his head.

The ball then taking shape into a small ethereal mermaid, Naruto glanced at his shoulder. Finding Aquarius summoned not in her full form, but one she would take in order to speak with Naruto freely.

"Busy is his word for reckless." Aquarius corrected in her usual tone that seemed to talk down at Naruto while also displaying some odd form of fondness.

"Aquarius now really isn't the time for another lecture." Naruto mumbled softly.

Aquarius folded her tiny arms and her brow slightly arched. "Forgive me for wishing my wizard wouldn't get himself killed. Now tell me. Have any of your memories returned?"

Naruto sighed at the spirit's words. "I'm sorry Aquarius and no. I still can't remember anything."

Aquarius huffed in response and jerked her head to the side. "You're forgiven, but we should hire someone to upkeep this estate. It might be empty, but Layla deserves a better resting place."

Naruto nodded at the wild vines and high weeds around the estate. He couldn't picture the place from his childhood memories, but he figured the estate had probably seen better days.

"Before we leave I'll clean up around here."

"And after we leave?"

"I'll hire someone to upkeep the place."

"With what money?"

"I'll take a job?"

"Ah yes. Because freelancing around Fiore is a wonderful profession."

Naruto's eyes twitched. "You're not exactly helping me here Aquarius."

"Stupid boy. Of course I am. Without me you'd be dead ten times over."

Naruto paused at the spirit's words. She wasn't wrong. Aquarius had come to him at his lowest point. At a time when his entire family and his memories were all robbed from him. Back then he was a shell of who he was today and he owed everything to Aquarius for helping him all these years.

"You're right Aquarius. I'm sorry."

Aquarius glanced at Naruto and lowered her shoulders in slight defeat. She was hard on the boy, but only because she cared. Yet at times she went too far and this was a time she could recognize that.

"Come on. Let's clean up around here and then decide our next move together."

Naruto smiled at his spirit. "Sounds like a plan to me!"

Aquarius floating over to a pile of weeds began to slowly extract the roots from the earth. Taking care to clean the small area around Layla's grave. Naruto himself pulled on some vines that were growing in large clusters over his mother's headstone.

However, as Naruto worked. His eyes drifted over to his childhood home. An echo of a memory flashing inside his mind. Giggles of a younger version of himself accompanied by a girl only a year older than himself. The memory was brief and hazy, but Naruto smiled wide. For the first time in years he finally remembered the voice of his older sister.

Then as Naruto zoned out he could practically see a blurry child size silhouette. Their laughter grew as Naruto tried his hardest to recall the features of the person in his memory.

"Let's see if mom and dad will take us to Hargeon to shop." Was what Naruto suddenly remembered as he suddenly stayed to glow with excitement.

"Aquarius I remember something!" Naruto screamed in excitement.

The spirit flying to Naruto's head actually appeared excited to hear the revelation. "Wait, are you serious? What did you remember?"

"I think it was my older sister. She wanted our parents to take us shopping in Hargeon!"

Aquarius hummed at this memory. "It's not much, but maybe going to Hargeon could pull out some more memories?"

Naruto nodded with a toothy grin. "I was thinking the same thing! We should head there next!"

"Then it's decided. Hargeon is our next destination."

"Well let's clean this place up quickly then!" Naruto boomed loudly as he extended his right hand outward.

Aquarius zipping around the sky in a golden streak flashed into Naruto's hand. Where her golden form took shape to that of a long golden and black trident. Naruto spinning the weapon within his hand grinned as swung Aquarius with fast rotations into a cluster of weeds. Cleaving the unwanted shrubbery with the same ease he used on the many dark wizards he had encountered through his travels.

Travels that had earned him slight popularity as Naruto Starblessed; the wizard who was chosen by the stars.

(Chapter End)

Yes I posted a new story without updating others. I have a problem. Anyways I wanted to get this idea out of my head. It's short, but I don't know how much I want to commit to it. It's essentially a story about Naruto regaining the memories of what happened to his family to find them. So those 22 years would be shown through flashbacks.

Pairing wise I wasn't sure what I wanted. I had a few ideas. Maybe I'll take suggestions if people want me to actually commit to writing this story. The idea would either be one of the following.

Brandish: she would be fun to write with Naruto being Layla's kid.

Or suggestion