Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Clearly You Don't Understand ❯ Anything ( Chapter 3 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.


Clearly You Don't Understand


Key

S.S = Sick Shit (is more than likely NC-17 and etc.)

*thinking*

"talking"

*thoughts progressing into speech"

'substitute for italics' (Kyuubi or Soriyu at times)

//telepathy//

::scene change:: (more for my reference than anything else)

~POV~
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Summary: Thirteen years ago, Sarutobi was assassinated and his ward was thrown into prison by the biased council who believed it to be him. Now a bigger threat arises with an untimed resurrection and the tears of a forgotten man. (Sequel to The Fox and The Phoenix)


A/n: Okay, I know all you readers are like, 'WTF, where's the action? What's all this crap drama, this isn't your writing style!!! Blargh!' Lol, I tell you now, there will be action, lots of it. This drama is key in the story, it's explaining some things, and building to the eventual conflicts that will happen. And yes, I am trying out a different style, trying to be a little more subtle, but that's it.


Chapter Three: Anything


::Unknown::


~Author~


"Do you think they'll be all self-righteous and release it?" a figure asks, cloaked in darkness. The rythmic chink of weapons knocking against each other fills the air.


A woman with long blue hair spilling over her shoulders smiles, the translucent flower in her hair turning a deep red as her white eyes alight on the figure.


"Of 'course' they will Shigure, these are 'Konoha' shinobi we're talking about, not Kiri or Iwa. They will take to the bait like flies to honey, and we will soon have the last two jinchurikki in our hands. All we have to do is wait a little while, Magiro has told me that he was released a while ago."


::Training Ground Seven::


~Naruto~


I didn't see what the big deal was really. We had just entered my team's old training grounds, where my old teammates happened to be training. Sakura was the first one to speak.


"N-N-Naruto?" she asks, coming up to me, a look of awe on her face as she reaches towards me. "Is that you?"


She hugs me before I have a chance to react, but I return the gesture stiffly. She was a little shorter than myself, a welcome change from our younger years, and her hair was still that same shade of pink, still unchanged in length since it was cut in the Chuunin Exams. Her features had grown sharper over the many years we had been apart, emerald eyes stared at me with a more calculating gaze, something I had only seen on Kaa-san's features when she was worried. She wore a simple red shirt and black pants that were baggy to allow movement.


"Hello, Sakura. I suppose I am forgiven then?"


"There's nothing I should be forgiving you for. I was always the one at fault. I shouldn't have accused you of anything when you were the victim the entire time, once I finally figured out what they were doing..." she gasps, putting a hand to her mouth, eyes laced with pity. I hated that look, I didn't 'need' any pity. "I'm sorry Naruto."


I nod, hiding anger from my features and pulling away from her so that I can take a look at Sasuke.


He had grown his hair long, it was better than his style from when we were children, and it was currently in a ponytail. His face was set in an even more permanent scowl than the one I was used to. He was in his trademark clan shirt and white shorts. They apparently had been training for a while, because the heavy scent of sweat clung to them both.


~Author~


A scathing glance towards the raven.


"Your letters were too short." the blonde says, socking the man in
the shoulder.


Sasuke nods silently, suddenly pulling the blonde into an
uncharacteristic embrace. Naruto returns the embrace just as stiffly
as he had with Sakura. Human contact was almost completely lost to him in
that prison except for the occassional reassuring pat on the
shoulder from Haku.


"You're the only family I have left now Naruto."


"So you've killed him?"


"Yes, and I learned the actual truth shortly after. He was being
blackmailed, Naruto. Akatsuki's leader had killed our clan, not him.
He was in the catacombs when it happened, visiting Shisui, who had
indeed been killed by his hand, if not indirectly. Shisui had told
him he loved him more than he should, Itachi did not feel more love
for Shisui than that of a brother, and told him so."


Sasuke pauses, taking in the look Naruto is giving him and
continuing.


"Shisui wrote his suicide note, then slit his own throat, throwing
himself into the river directly afterwards. Itachi was extremely
surprised to hear that his best friend had killed himself, and,
after reading the note, he felt guilt that he was responsible
without ever holding the kunai. He was filled with a blinding rage
shortly afterwards, and because of his guilt, he activated the
Mangekyou when he attacked the police force. After he realized
everyone was going to be out for his blood when the Massacre was
revealed the next day, he was forced by the Leader to chase me down,
using the Mangekyou to show me exactly what 'he' did. He didn't want
to go through with any of it, so he drove me to the point of madness
so that I would eventually kill him. Then he joined the Akatsuki."


Naruto sighs, patting the raven haired man on the back lightly.


"Aa. Well, at least you're at peace now Sasuke." Naruto lets his face pull into a small smile and Sasuke knew those words carried alot more than what was simply said.
"Did the Akatsuki disband? I remember reading in your letters that they lost a member to Suna, then two more to the new team and sensei you were assigned.
Now with Itachi gone they should be down to five members, yes?"


Sasuke shakes his head, Jiraiya interjecting with a comment.


"They recently recruited three more members just two years ago, and promoted one of their field agents but we don't have much information on them yet. There are also rumors of a possible fifth member circulating through my spy network, but nothing is for certain yet."


Naruto simply nods, Sakura and Sasuke finally noticing something different about their old teammate.



He seemed a bit more uncaring than thirteen years ago, but prison would do that to a man. Especially in solitary confinement.

"Those are chakra binding seals aren't they Naruto?" Sakura asks, breaking the silence,
getting a bit closer to have a better look; having the same reaction as Tsunade. "Why would they put 'those' kind of chakra seals on you?! You'll never be able to use your chakra again!"


"Actually that's why we're here." Haku states before Naruto can answer, convincing himself that the girl isn't 'all' that stupid, she just wasn't a sealing master like Jiraiya or a Sannin who knows seals like Tsunade and the late Orochimaru. He looks back at Naruto, awaiting any sign that he may or may not want this information publicized. The younger blonde man is impassive, taking a drag on a newly lit cigarette, and the kimono clad man chooses his words carefully. "It turns out that the person who did the seals scribed them wrong, Naruto's chakra was only bound, not extinguished as per the Council's orders. Jiraiya-sama is going to do a ceremony to release it."


Jiraiya nods in confirmation.


"Yeah, so if you don't mind us borrowing the training grounds for a while, then leave." he mutters gruffly, looking Sakura up and down before beginning to cough violently. He takes out a water bottle in shaking hands, a pill bottle in the other, downing the yellowish white capsules in one practiced fluid motion, his coughing subsides. Haku and Naruto eye him worriedly before turning back around to the two as they nod, disappearing with a 'poof'. "Well? What're you staring at? Put out that damn cigarette, take off your shirt, and lay down Naruto. We've got work to do."


~Naruto~


I put out my cigarette, pocketing it as I lie down silently, watching as my old sensei cuts his thumb, making the standard circle around me that begins all sealing or unsealing ceremonies. I can't help but think that it's not good for him to waste his blood like this, especially as old as he is, but I push it aside. He was either ordered to do it or was doing it of his own free will, my request meant nothing without any one of those options. As he lets a few drops of blood drip into an ink bottle and begins to mix them in, I find myself drifting off. Somewhere between sleep and waking.


Meditation.


::Naruto's Mindscape::


I find myself in front of Kyuubi's cage, the doors still welded shut, and the kanji for 'seal' burned permanently into every inch of visible steel. I crack my neck from side to side, stretching, then slipping through the oversized bars.


Kyuubi was asleep, laying on her couch, a picture of Soriyu clutched tightly in her hand. I reach over to pry it from her fingers, but she moans and turns onto her side.


"Brother..."


A few tears slip down her cheeks.


Now, it stands, if I was feeling any amount of sympathy in those few moments, I may not have done what I am about to do. However, just hearing her call out to him, knowing that she'd never see him again made me feel the same. I'd never see Kaa-san ever again, Sarutobi-jijii was dead too. All gone, without me ever getting the chance to say goodbye, or save either one from death.


I hated it.


So I slapped her.


Hard.


It leaves a blood red handprint on her cheek, but otherwise she doesn't stir.


"Kyuubi, wake the fuc-."


Her eyes snap open as the pain of the blow registers, her body responding in turn by lashing out, claws embedding themselves into the soft skin of my cheek, centimeters below my left eye. I refuse to allow my body to flinch, that was a sign of cowardice.


A sign of fear.


I had seen it all.


I had nothing to fear anymore.


"What was that for?!" she asks, growling as she withdraws her hand, looking over the inflicted wound which is quickly scabbing over. The flaking blood falling to the floor.


I frown, tilting my head to the side.


"No crying, or did you forget that?"


She frowns as well, wiping at her face.


"No. I don't forget things. I just choose not to remember."


"Whatever. Just get ready for the end of the ceremony. It'll finally destroy 'that'." I say, pointing to the sky above the lake where a giant reddish violet orb of light floats silently, casting a heavy glare over the current calm of The Lake.


A slight smile flutters over her facial features as I hear Jiraiya's voice in my ears.


::Real World::


~Author~


"Are you alright Naruto?" the old man asks, quickly tearing his eyes away from staring at the scarred white kanji carved into the area around the Kyuubi's seal, hoping that his former student didn't notice.


"Yes, are you finished scribing?"


Jiraiya nods, motioning for the younger man to stay still and for Haku to stand at the ready. He had used alot of blood, so the old Sannin would probably collapse any time now, but he wanted to finish the ritual first.


There are many different rune symbols drawn onto Naruto's pale skin, close to, but not touching or overlapping the seals that already reside there. That was for sealing, for an unsealing, everywhere but the places where the original seal(s) resides had to be covered. It was some straight bullshit about balance, but it was annoying as hell.


The white haired Sannin takes a deep breath, placing one hand above Naruto's head, and the other over his stomach.


"Shirizoku." (Recede)


Now the unbreakable adamantine chains that would normally appear (had the spell been correctly scribed in the beginning) were replaced by brittle rusted ones of iron with bits of torn fudas littering the links. Sequenced high bursts of chakra from Jiraiya's hands weaken the chains more, the fuda lighting up in white flames as they burn, taking the rusted chains away with them. Soon nothing is left and the seals slowly begin to disappate.


Minute amounts of pain shoot through the old man's hands as he falls back, Haku catching him as an intense wave of killer intent somewhat masked under a massive chakra signature sweeps over them, disentegrating some of the trees in the immediate area. Tsunade stays the ANBU's charge to the grounds, telling them that this chakra release was under her jurisdiction. The villagers quake in fear, it was too similar to
'that' day. It carries out, unyielding, going far beyond the barriers of the
Five Great Shinobi Countries, catching the attention of many in its wake.

::Unknown Country::

A middle aged woman wrapped in heavy furs turns towards the source, ignoring the stinging cold that whips at her face as she stares, trying to see past the blizzard.


"Who?"


::Unknown Country::

A frail looking old man meditates, wrapped in a single orange robe as colored leaves paint the ground before him, and he slowly opens one eye to glance out over the ocean.


"I wonder..."


::Border between Ninja Countries::


A young child that looks to be about thirteen, dressed in nothing but rags, wanders across the Rock/Water Country border. Dirty uneven brown hair falls in disarray among frail shoulders, uncut for who knows how long as they look back in Fire Country's direction, shrugging with a sigh.


"I guess I'm headed there instead then."


::Konohagakure, Training Ground Seven::


Naruto groans, rolling over to vomit violently off to the side, wiping his mouth after dry heaving for a bit. He eyes the remains of a rat disgustedly, forgetting that it looked more unpleasant coming up than it did going down.


Haku quickly sets the Sannin on the ground, checking him over. Once satified with his condition he goes over to Naruto, patting him on the back.


"Are you alright Naruto?"


Naruto simply grunts, getting to his feet and pulling back on his shirt. He soon takes out his unfinished cigarette, lighting it and inhaling the cancer inducing smoke.


Haku smiles as Jiraiya begins coughing again, downing more pills.


"Do you need to go to Tsunade-sama, Jiraiya-san?"


Jiraiya grudgingly nods as Haku comes over and takes his arm, glancing over to Naruto, who shrugs.


"I'll be at the house I suppose."


Haku quickly nods, disappearing in a swirl of leaves as Naruto begins making his way down the road.


::Konoha Streets::


"Well, well, I never thought I'd see you again Naruto-kun." a white-eyed woman with long purple hair states as she comes down the street, following close behind her is a small white eyed girl with blue triangles on her cheeks; a small gray puppy lay slumbering in her arms as she hides behind her mother's blue robes shyly.


Naruto stares at her, running memories through his mind, trying to remember who this woman might be. Meanwhile, the woman stands with an easy smile, using her fan to divert the path of the cigarette smoke. She mentally frowns, Naruto was exuding an aura laced with killer intent. She doubt he even knew he was doing it.


"Oh well, you still haven't gotten it? I'm Hyuuga Hinata, remember now?"


Naruto smiles slighty in recognition, the aura not disappating in the slightest, seeing how much she has changed.


"You've gotten rid of your stutter I see." he murmurs, glancing down towards the little girl who hides her face in the fabric. "And who's the little one? Your daughter? Oh Kami-sama, you married Kiba didn't you?"


He asks, stating the last in an mock-accusing whisper as Hinata laughs, nodding. She sighs internally, she wouldn't have to kill her old crush, thank Kami. Naruto frowns, shrugging, as he crouches down to be eye-level with the little girl.


"And what's your name little one?"


The girl mumbles something into Hinata's robe.


"Come now, please tell me properly hime-chan." Naruto says, a small smile reserving itself for the child.


"Hibara." the little girl replies, a blush coating her cheeks as she looks at him. "I'm 'this many' years old."


She proudly holds up five fingers.


"How cute, you have a very pretty name Hibara-chan, and what's his name?" Naruto asks, gesturing to the puppy.


She holds out the puppy, who wakes up with a wide mouthed yawn, blinking sleepily at Naruto.


"This is Tomi-kun! Say hi Tomi-kun!"


Tomi barks, wiggling in her arms, trying to get at Naruto. The blonde puts his cigarette between his teeth, picking up Tomi, who immediately begins licking his face furiously between small yips.


"Tomi-kun likes you!"


Naruto smiles, patting the pup on his head and handing it back to the little girl. The malevolent aura doesn't seem to affect the child, or could he simply be directing it towards her unconsciously?


"And I like Tomi-kun, and you too Hibara-hime." he replies easily, unaware of Hinata's thoughts, and ruffles her hair before righting himself. "It was a pleasure to see you again Hinata, but I am afraid I must be on my way. I fear I have kept Haku waiting. I hope to see you again."


Hinata nods in agreement, hiding her guarded attitude from an equally wary Naruto as he walks away.


"Byakugan." she whispers, seeing what she fears. Naruto grins wide, his large canines visible, though he's facing away from her, and he spreads his arms as though being crucified.


"Like what you see Hinata?" he murmurs, just loud enough for her to hear. "There was no going back, I'm now truly what they called me all those years ago."


He walks away as she deactivates her Byakugan, unable to handle the sheer power of the chakra flowing through his coils, and Naruto rubs a hand across a certain kanji on his stomach.


'??'


"I am truly a..."



'Demon.'

_________________________________________________________________


Anaki: Wow, I'm totally sad now.


RC16: Why?

Anaki: You know the ending to Cowboy Bebop?

RC16: Yeah?

Anaki: Well I was listening to that the entire time I wrote this chapter, it's inspiring, but sad.

RC16: Whatever, philosophical bitch.

Anaki: What?!

RC17: Haha, bye bye bro, review!