Heyo! Alright, let's get straight to the point. I finally motivated myself to continue this story after many months. I won't make excuses, because honestly it's just called life. The good thing is that you guys finally get a chapter. Yaya! I believe that I'll be able to stay motivated to continue this story, so let's hope for the best.
Pairings…. Kurama and Kakashi. I know some won't like a gay pairing but deal with it, or don't. Just don't flame me. With Naruto, it's a tie between Itachi and Shisui. Which is interesting, but yeah.
Hope you guys like it and tell me what you think. (:
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What seemed to be minutes past as Naruto and the Kumo nin in stared at each other. Kurama was silent, remembering what had happened to Kushina. That thought seemed to eventually catch up to him as he told Naruto that she needed to leave before the nin in got any ideas. Naruto still had a tear-stricken face from running the Uchiha dinner.
The young girl didn't seem to hear him at first but she eventually shuffled back a bit, preparing to run before her attention turned to the frightened struggling from the bag. Naruto swallowed, for the first time ignoring her pseudo-brothers advice to run away.
She knew that she had no hope of running or killing the nin. But she couldn't just leave whoever was in the process of being kidnapped. Her eyes flickered between the two, previous thoughts about the dinner forgone as she realized that she didn't have a choice in her actions as the nin ran for her.
She froze for a second before Kurama yelled at her to move. She bolted to the side, Kumo sliding where she previously was before he turned and snarled at her but froze, eyes lighting up when she was directly under a lamppost.
"My, my what do we have here, Uzumaki?"
Narutos eyes were wide and scared. Her thoughts processing through that she might get kidnapped just like her mom but she wouldn't have anybody to save her. She heard Kurama buzzing but she couldn't move past what was happening.
"W-what?"
The Kumo nin laughed, "Oh, I didn't know that Uzumakis were still alive. The Raikage will be surely surprised when I come back with you."
He lunged forward once again, Naruto ducked out of instinct and the nin punched the wall behind her. Her eyes glanced at the bag that he threw on the floor, upset that she was fighting against him. She wasn't surprised by the annoyance in his eyes as she came to a decision.
Scrambling forward, she ran further away from the guard and, as she had hoped, he had left the bag behind. She swallowed, Kurama had grown quiet when he realized that she wasn't going to listen and leave but fight. He bit his lip before telling her to summon him and have him take care of it. Her hands were in the process of the few handseals required to summon the biju but the other threw a kunai, leaving her to throw herself to the side to not get hit.
Her breathing accelerated, eyes still on the man who looked more and more annoyed the more she fought. She stood up shakily, the nin staring her down and pointing, "Don't fight it girlie. Come quietly."
Naruto barely shook her head before she yelped, another kunai being thrown at her. Tears once again built up in her eyes as she scooted further back on her hands. The next kunai hit her, getting stuck on her right side. She swallowed a yelp, which surprised the nin for a split second. She didn't bring any weapons to the dinner, believing that it would give her a better chance of not getting attacked but she regretted it now.
She ripped the kunai out, much to Kuramas worry and held it in a reverse grip and took a deep breath. This was, more or less, along the lines of what she was saying wouldn't happen to her. And she wouldn't back down, even if it wasn't against her village. The thought startled her somewhat, being able to think more clearly when she remembered that this situation wasn't anything new.
That it didn't matter where she was because someone would always try and hurt people. Weather it be her, or another, such as the kidnapped victim.
She blinked and straightened. Her eyes narrowed at the nin who had moved past his surprise, rushing at her. Her eyes went to the small 'oof,' from the background and felt anger swell up when she caught sight of the girl who was more or less her age.
She once again surprised the Kumo nin in by running toward him, but he was alert much quicker than before. However, he didn't bet on her dashing to the right, taking two leaps at the wall before she bounced towards him, lugs curling around an armpit and shoulder. The nin swayed before freezing and gurgled, hand going to his neck before falling with a thud.
Naruto winced as her leg was crushed. She whimpered, pushing against the nin to free her trapped leg but couldn't. Looking at him she froze, eyes dilating on his neck where a kunai was lodged. Kurama talking in a worried buzz but she couldn't hear because she couldn't even take in the sight that her eyes met.
Her breathing escalated, eyes straying to her hands where the knuckles and few blotches were covered with something she was intimately familiar with. She watched as a small trail of blood curved to the nest of her thumb before she closed her eyes and cried harder.
"Kit, shh. Shit, kit, it's okay. You're alright, it's gonna be alright. Just listen to me, it's okay. You're gonna be fine."
Naruto nodded, mind clearing enough to hear both Kurama and the rushed footsteps. Her eyes strayed to the girl who was watching her from the middle of the road, as she was in an alley, with mouth agape and tears flowing from pale eyes that were lit by emotions that the coppery head had no idea what were.
Naruto blanked her mind with her brothers help, willing her arms to push the body off before somebody saw what she did. She gasped, shaking her numbed leg before standing and wiped her tears. Before she could do anything further somebody stopped right between herself and the other girl.
Naruto swallowed, meeting the wide and emotional gaze of Fugaku, holding her breath as he glanced on the ground next to her. His eyes went wide before turning back to Naruto who was scared. The man seemed to take a deep breath before he turned to look down the street right before his name was called.
"Fugaku!"
"Hiashi, down here!"
Another man, this time in night robes, jumped off the buildings roof before seeing the other girl and wrapping it in a large hug which she returned with soft sobs. Naruto used that second where Fugaku spoke with a few others that dropped down not long after (who she believed to be,) Hiashi, to leave the scene.
Naruto walked deeper into the alley way, savoring the dark for once, to hide her presence as she scaled the wall before jumping the roofs back home. It was only a couple breaths that Kurama spoke again, voice clouded with worry and concern that made her want to smile but couldn't.
"You ok?"
Naruto nodded minuscule. She wasn't sure who she was convincing but she didn't have to worry about it as somebody grabbed her from behind. She fought against the hold, all the while muttering, 'Lemme' go!'
"Naruto, calm down! You're going to be ok. Are you hurt?"
The concerned voice of Fugaku only made her fight harder. Her eyes, just having dried, welled up. Despite her mental and physical exhaustion, her legs kicked hard enough to draw a visible wince from the man behind her. Her arms gripped the arms that were holding her, she heard both the Uchiha and Kurama try and calm her down.
It wasn't long before she sagged, too tired to fight both the man and the tears that were streaming down her face. She panted heavily choking down oxygen. Fugaku slid down with her, arms still wound around so she couldn't move. Naruto gave up on fighting the black that swam her vision and lost consciousness.
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The next time Naruto awoke it was to blinding white and the horrible scent of cleaning speratic and death. She bolted upright, deciding already that she didn't like this place. She blinked in confusion, meeting the concerned yet relieved eyes of the Hokage. Before she could speak up he handed her a glass of water.
She took it, taking a sniff before drinking it greedily, just now realizing how thirsty she had been. She handed it back to the Hokage who set it down on the table next to her bed. They looked at each other for a moment before Naruto looked out the window, taking in what had previously happened and sighed.
"Where am I?"
Hiruzen blinked before his eyes reached a new level of sadness, "This is a hospital. Fugaku brought you here two nights ago after you saved young Hinata from being kidnapped."
Naruto nodded and stayed quiet, trying to contact Kurama who wasn't talking but she could sense him. She frowned when he just told her to wait. She at first thought that he was upset by her actions but dismissed them. She didn't know what else would be upsetting him though.
Lost in her thoughts, she turned back to the Hokage who was talking. "-but, yes. Hiashi would like to thank you for saving his daughter and to a further extent, his family. I-"
Naruto shook herself, "What?"
Sarutobi watched her for a moment before letting out a small smile. "Hiashi, he's the head of the Hyuuga clan. He's also the father of the girl you had saved. Kumo had attempted to kidnap her or her sister for either their bloodline or for ransom. You prevented it, luckily enough. And if you had not we are led to believe that his brother, Hizashi, would have died in his place. Either way, it was a spider web that you had prevented us from getting stuck in. You have my thanks, once again. In addition the Hyuuga clans, they would like to meet you."
Naruto shook her head tiredly, "I don't want to meet anybody else. I just killed somebody, I don't think that deserves anybodies thanks."
Hiruzen sighed, grabbing her much small her hand in his own. He prodded her until she looked at him tiredly. He withheld a frown, while she already looked older then she was this situation certainly hadn't helped at all.
"In our world, it is hard to say what is good and wrong. There is hardly black or white, nor is there grey. As a ninja, especially in one that had been in your position, you need to make difficult choices that will hardly please everyone. What you need to know is that if you had not killed the nin, he would had perhaps successfully kidnapped young Hinata. Or, like we said, the clan heads brother would have died in their place. Or even possibly, started a war."
Naruto blinked away wetness, shaking her head. "I-I don't get it."
Hiruzen nodded in thought. "It is hard to explain, Naru. I do not believe that you had done wrong-"
"I killed him! How-"
Hiruzen patted her hand, "I know, but if you had not… he would have either killed or kidnapped you. As well as Hinata. As I had said earlier, as a ninja you will be forced to make decisions that you will not always like or accept. You did the right thing Naruto. While there is not black and white, there is death and survival, very grainy lines in between. Often called morals or beliefs."
Naruto swallowed, wrapping her fingers against the older, more wrinkly one. Her eyes studied their hands differences. She was starting to understand what he was saying but…
"Wouldn't that make me a monster though? I killed him and I…"
Naruto couldn't find the words but Hiruzen seemed to understand, which Naruto was grateful for. "My dear, do you regret it?"
Naruto flinched as if slapped, "Of course I…"
Naruto stopped, eyes glazing over in thought before she turned to the Hokage who was watching her patiently for her to gather her thoughts. Naruto removed her hand from the others grasp, hands tightening in the pale blue sheets. She bit her lip, glancing at the elder before speaking.
"I-I don't know. I don't think I do. If I hadn't, then something would have happened to the other girl. Or worse. But, I-I killed him. That's bad and I-"
Hiruzen spoke up, "While you don't regret it, you didn't enjoy it. And you would do it again, if it meant that Hinata and who know how many other people, were safe."
Naruto nodded, not happy admitting it but he was right. She would do it again if it meant that people were safe.
"Naruto, I know it's hard to understand right now. But what you're feeling is being human. It's hard, I know. But as long as you take no joy in killing or bringing harm to others, then I assure you; you are not a monster. It's what makes us human."
Naruto choked out a gasp and leaned forward. The Hokage wrapping her in a hug, he kissed her temple as she cried. Naruto didn't know what to think but she felt she understood something, a bit better. But she had no idea what to call it.
After a few minutes Naruto pulled away, wiping her nose as she closed her eyes for a moment. Hiruzen sat back down, pouring her another drink as she took sips of it. Hiruzen waited another minute and hesitated about what to say.
"While you may not understand why or how, I want you to know that I'm proud of you and I am glad that you're ok."
Naruto studied him before nodding, he continued; deciding to move onto a happier note. "You certainly gave Kakashi a fright. I had to force him home earlier today, he hadn't left since two nights ago. Fugaku was worried as well, he and his family had stopped by. As well as young Hinata, her father, uncle and cousin."
Narutos indigo eyes swam with confusion, "But why?"
Hiruzen tilted his head sadly as he wondered how to explain it. "The Hyuugas, I believe, wanted to give you their thanks. The Uchiha, I would say, wanted to make sure you were ok. Sasuke, most certainly had been worried when he heard his new friend was in the hospital after getting into a fight."
Naruto blushed, "Uh…"
Despite the situation the elder chuckled as he shook his head. He heaved sigh, as much as he wanted to stay he really had to get back to work. "I can only imagine how hard it is for you, but as much or as little as you trust me, I believe that you should trust the Uchihas. I can assure you, for how much that counts, that they will never intentionally hurt you."
Naruto swallowed, watching as the old man stood to leave and thought over his words. They parted with a wave and a nod and she was left alone with the ticking of a clock and her own thoughts. She let out a sigh, leaning back on the bed and closed her eyes.
"Kurama?"
Naruto wondered through her mindscape before she was at Kyuubis cottage. She swallowed any doubt she had and opened the door. The house was quiet, which made her frown as she resolutely moved forward before coming to a halt in front of Kyuubis bedroom door.
She stared at it, willing it to burn away as she started to get mad. Why would Kurama be ignoring her. For whatever reason, she decided that it wasn't good enough. She had been ignored her whole life and she sure as hell wasn't going to be ignored by him.
Kurama jumped despite himself when the door slammed open. He winced, glancing at the furious young girl as he sat on his bed. He gave a small smile, knowing he shouldn't have ignored her but didn't know what else to do. Instead, he glanced away in guilt at the wet glare he received. Before he could open his mouth, Naruto beat him to it.
"What did I do to make you so mad?!"
Kurama blinked because this really wasn't the direction he thought this was going in. He tilted his head, "I'm not mad. I-"
"I'm sorry! Ok, I'm sorry that I did… Whatever it is I did to make you mad."
Kurama shook his head, "Naruto, I'm not mad at you. I'm mad at myself."
Naruto opened her mouth to apologize more but stopped and blinked. Kurama could have sworn his life flashed behind his eyes as the young girl marched right up to him. He resisted the urge to shield his face because, god, as much as he loved Naruto he was still the great and powerful Kyuubi-no-Kitsune and he would not cower!
"Ow!"
Naruto lips tilted into a triumphant smirk as the red headed man held his shoulder. He looked at her incredulously, her face adopted a more serious look. "It wasn't your fault. You know I've survived worse. There wasn't anything you could do anyway, don't blame yourself for what happened."
Kurama opened his mouth to object but Naruto continued. Her eye glinting in what he recognized as determination. "But there is something you can do."
Kurama closed him mouth with a click, continuing to watch her as he felt like an idiot because he had no idea what she was talking about. Naruto looked at him for a moment before sitting down next to him. "I-. I don't want to go through that. I can't go through that again. That's been my whole life and I'm tired of it. I want you to train me."
Kurama considered her words, he understood them but was still confused. Don't ask him how he can do both, he's a biju and he can do whatever he wants.
"I know you've been training me but, I'm going to start the academy soon. And you're the Kyuubi-no-Kitsune, you're the most powerful, and most awesome, person I know. I want you to train me like my life depends on it because I'm half certain it does. If I'm going to protect my precious people, then I need to be a ninja and I need to know how to be one."
Kurama looked away with half a grin because if this girl had one thing for her, it was her way with words. He heaved himself over her, laughing as she groaned about him to get off her. He slid off the bed, standing with a jump and held a hand out.
"Well, if your going to be a ninja and do what you've been saying, then we need to train you. For real."
Naruto grinned and clasped his hand, letting him pull her up but before she could pull her out of his room, he pulled her back. Face serious as he spoke, "And not just physically. I'm honored that you have me as your brother, I am. But you have other people who want to be apart of your life and help you as well. I'll always be here for you, you know that. Just let other people in as well."
Naruto's face didn't show any emotion as she thought. Between what the Sandaime, Kakashi and Kurama have been telling her she was starting to understand. Not only that, but Hinatas frightened face flashed in her mind. Regardless of the results, she did save her. And she wouldn't have to go through any ifs or possibilities. She was safe.
If this is what it takes to prevent what had happened to her, to other people; to protect what was important to her, then she would let other people in. However small. She sighed, glancing back at Kurama who was watching her intently.
"Uchihas?"
Kuramas lips tilted into a smirk/ smile, "Uchihas."
Naruto huffed, however hesitant and regripped the fox-mans hand, shaking it once in an unspoken agreement as she walked out of the room. Kurama watched her for a moment before smiling and sat back down. Naruto would summon him when she was ready.
Deep down, he had no idea how the young girl changed his views (for the most part) on the world. He was supposed to be hatred in physical form. He was supposed to be wreaking havoc on the world. But, he found that he didn't feel the need to anymore.
And he was fine with that.
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Welp. You guys finally have a chapter, even if it's confusing as hell. Sorry about that, but yay! I finally wrote it and I hope you guys enjoyed it. Also, I remember to vote between Itachi and Shisui? Hopefully the chapters will pick back up but until then…
Thanks for reading-
TroublesomeFox
