It was a quiet morning, the sun broke the night, its red hues kissing the blue in a purple hue. The morning doves cooed to each other in greeting as they flew high above the treetops.
Down below the forest lay a cabin, and in the cabin our sun kissed hero lay mouth agape and limps strewn about the bed. The door creaked open as a shadow darted into the room, carrying what looked like a bucket.
Stifling her giggles Jiyuna reared the bucket back before screaming, "RISE AND SHINE SUNNY BOY!!" before throwing a bucket of cold ice water over the boy. She fell to the ground in a heap of laughter when Naruto floated in the air screaming in surprise, and at the cold water.
"JIYU!!" He screamed pouncing at the girl who squealed before scrambling away from the livid boy. Through the cabin there was sounds of crashing and laughter as Naruto chased the girl, though he couldn't help the laughter that left him as well.
He jumped on the girl as she stopped at the kitchen doorway, a triumphant 'Gotcha!!' Leaving his lips. She wheezed as his weight settled on the girl. "N-Naruto, your squishing meeh! Get off!!" She said nasally.
"hmm I dunno~ I think I'm quite comfortable." He joked as he relaxed on top of her, chuckling as wheezed. After a few minutes he hoisted himself off and pulled her gasping figure up.
"why'd you do that Jiyu?" He asked inquisitively, his bottom lip jutting out in a pout. He felt his heart flutter as her lips pulled up, dimples forming, and her eyes sparkling with an emotion he didn't know.
"Happy birthday Naruto." She said, before stepping closer touching her forehead to his. Green eyes stared into cerulean blue as her heart skipped, and her stomach flopped a couple times.
"also, happy one year best friend anniversary." She grinned, chalking how she was feeling to being hungry, unaware of Naruto doing the same.
With a grin she shoved him into the kitchen where a feast lay before him. All kinds of various food lay on the table, some he knew and most he didn't know.
In the center lay a cake with lit candles, and happy birthday messily written on.
" I uhm, still getting used to writing in new language. Yes." She fidgeted sheepishly.
"You. You did all this. For.. for me?" He said turning to the girl who found the floor freshly interesting. She shyly met his gaze with a nod, and squealed when he barreled into her squeezing her tight. Her face grew hot at his hug his face nestled in her neck.
He mumbled a watery thank you, as she gently hugged him back. A warm smile gracing her lips.
"Come on! You slow poke." She giggled as she jumped through the trees, looking back at the panting boy.
"come on Jiyu. I can't go as fast as you, fox girl." He gasped stumbling slightly on a branch. He landed beside her as she came to a stop.
"why-wheeze- Why did you stop?" He panted. Smiling she pointed below them, and he looked gasping in shock at the beauty that greeted his eyes.
Below them a deer he'd never seen before stood munching on the grass. She leaned closer to the unaware Naruto, who slowly took his eyes away turning a bursting in a hue of red. Her face mere inches from his, he studied her face peaking at her plump lips. A white strip vertical on her bottom lip, he licked his suddenly dry lips before his eyes met hers again.
"You are going to put my lessons to use." She whispered, pulling a bow and arrow from her cloak and handing it to the boy.
With a shaky breath he knocked the arrow in place silently pulling it back. He looked at Jiyuna, who nodded before he looked back letting it fly. They jumped down as he pulled a handmade dagger, "I see you, and I thank you. May your soul return to our creator, and rest peacefully," said before thrusting the knife into the dying animals heart.
He looked over to see a proud smile spread across her face. He felt his heart halt as the afternoon sun shone basking her in a beautiful glow. Her eyes seeming to glow, and her marking burning brightly against her skin.
As for her, well she felt her breath hitch as the sun touched his face. His hair rustled in the breeze, eyes seeming to glow a brilliantly blue, his sun kissed skin seeming darker in the light, and his lips a firm pink.
Something moved behind Naruto, and in a split second her heart raced and adrenaline pumped through her veins. Ripping her fang dagger from her side she shoved Naruto down with a yell.
A large snake like being burst from the trees fangs bared, a promise of death. Jumping forward she slammed the dagger harshly into the eye of the snake, its guttural shriek freezing the area around it.
Jiyuna screamed as her back slammed harshly into a tree, sliding down limp on the forest floor. Naruto felt his world freeze as the snake slithered closer to the frozen girl. His body moved before he his mind his dagger raised, and he jumped rage pushing through his being.
Once more a shriek resounded through the air as he slammed his dagger into the back of the neck. With a sickening crunch the snake slammed to the forest floor, and he jumped off stumbling as he ran to the girl.
"Jiyuna!!" He yelled sliding down to the girl, shakily pulling her up in his arms. She wheezed painfully as her eyes cracked open blearily.
"Naruto, it. It got me," she cried her hand pressing down on a large tear in her side. He gasped as he looked at the wound, his lip trembling as the gravity of the situation settled in.
"Jiyuna, I have to take you to Jiji. He can, he can heal you." He pleaded as tears rolled down his cheeks. She looked up at him and for the first time, he saw fear settle in her face.
"No! Please don't take me to them. Please Naruto, they'll... they'll kill me." She croaked sobbing lightly. He pulled her closer sobbing into her hair.
"Please! please Jiyu, I- I'll protect you. I can't lose you Jiyu!" He cried, hiccuping as his heart squeezed painfully.
He shakily held her face in his hand as he cried, a war going on behind her eyes. With quivering sigh she clenched them shut, "ok." She whispered shakily.
And that was all he needed to bolt through the trees, a silent prayer on his lips. He tried to keep his tears down as he felt her warm blood begin to soak his jacket.
The day started out like any other for Hiruzen, well minus the oddly silent boy who pulled pranks the most on his birthday. Though when he thought of it, he'd been rather quiet and out of site for a while and he began to worry. Of course Danzo was breathing down his neck saying Naruto was going to turn on the village. Hiruzen was getting so tired of Danzo squawking at Naruto's every unusual action.
He couldn't say the same for his evening, because his anbu jumped in front of him kunai at the ready. "What is the meaning-" his words died on his throat as his office doors burst open, and a bloody Naruto stood before him.
Hiruzen was on his feet in a heart beat, waving the Anbu away as he went over to the boy.
"Please Jiji!! You. Ha-ave to save her. Please! Please.." He sobbed his body shaking from the tears, as he pulled the cloak away to reveal a brown skinned girl, a large wound in her side.
The air in the office stilled save for the sobbing of the boy, and as Hiruzens pipe clattered to the floor. The girl that lay in the boys arm, she was a living being of an ancient tribe thought to have been wiped out.
Shaking from his stupor he burst into action grabbing the girl and teleporting to the hospital. He burst through the hospital doors yelling for attention for the girl in his arms, and the nurses jumped into action pulling the girl from his arms rushing her to the ICU.
.
.
.
Naruto sat in a chair uncaring of the nasty, hate filled looks. He only wanted her to be ok. Hiruzen sat beside him as he contemplated, was that why Naruto was quiet for the last year?
Is that why he seemed..Happier? Hiruzen grimaced at the realization. Naruto had never been happy with what he could give him, this girl. It would seem had given him what she had, just to make him happy. He failed Minato and Kushina.
They both jolted up as the doctor came from the ICU, exhaustion clear on his face.
"She will be fine. Give her about two weeks to heal, that was some powerful poison in her system." The doctor said his eyes narrowing.
"How strong?" Hiruzen said suspiciously, not wanting to know his answer. Hoping it wasn't from who he thought it was.
"Stronger than Orochimaru, much stronger. Hokage-sama, this girl is something we've never seen before! Her DNA is, it's different." The doctor said a crazed gleam in his eyes.
Hiruzen felt his heart drop as what the doctor said was worse than he had ever imagined, "Whatever you're thinking Takahashi, stop thinking it. I am not experimenting on a child, and if I have to strip you of your title. I will." He said letting his KI sweep the floor.
With a fearful scoff the doctor jerkily nodded before walking off. Knowing something would happen later, Hiruzen had his Anbu relocate the girl.
"Jiji... Will Jiyu be ok?" Naruto croaked, throat scratchy from crying. With a soft smile he ruffled the blondes hair and nodded as Naruto sagged in relief.
End of Chapter 2
let me know what you think :)