Naruto: Ah! My Naruto
By ghettomusick23
Act I: Chapter 01 – The Wish
Disclaimer: Don't own a single piece of property, if I did I wouldn't be writing this.
"I told you not to come near my kid but you didn't listen and now you're going to pay for it," the man growled, making sure to put as much hate and loathing into his voice as possible.
Naruto grunted from his spot on the ground, his face in the dirt and his mind trying to focus on something other than the incredible pain. But it was hard, so very hard to even get back up. Whatever the man had hit him with had managed to put him in enough pain to stop even his miraculous powers of healing to help.
"All I asked her was did she want to go play," Naruto managed to get out with a gasp of pain. What the hell did he hit me with?
With a snarl of rage the man reared back and sent a brutal kick into Naruto's unprotected ribs that sent the blonde ninja in training into a nearby wall.
Naruto could hear the people milling about and not a single one of them doing something about the violence taking place in front of them. With a valiant effort he managed to push himself up on shaky arms staring up at his attacker, determination shining the whole time.
"One day, one day you'll see that you can't keep me down then you won't have a choice but to respect me."
Any retort by the other man was cut off with the sight of several shinobi coming near the closed off alley, and without a look back or another word, Naruto was left to his own thoughts and struggling to make his way home.
"He lives such a harsh life," said a female voice, her words easily filling the wide work space. The speaker was a beautiful woman, bronze skinned andplatinum haired. Her clothing an immaculate robe made of the finest materials in any realm.
Her companion, a brown haired, blue eyed woman that radiated an aura of peace and stability that could calm the angriest of beast, could only nod in answer. No words could really justify what they were watching.
"Sadly, that is to be expected of those that carry the burden of housing the Bijuu."
With her fist wrapped tight in anger, the older two of the women focused on not speaking the words that were on the edge of her tongue. Instead, deciding to go the diplomatic route for once. "I know the reasons, and why we never stop this from happening but that doesn't mean I got to like it."
Neither did she. The Bijuu, as the demons were called in thisworld, were viewed as unstoppable beast that roamed the land and caused utter destruction wherever they went. What neither the ignorant nor observant knew, was that they were former super high class demons created by the army's of Nifleheim by combining staggering amounts of negative energy and ki in order to aid in the destruction of Asgard.
Unstoppable would not begin to describe the power they held. During the millennia long war they wrought destruction on a scale few beings in either rank could compare, and for a long time there was no visible way to stop them. Asgard was losing badly, and if nothing was done the war would be over and all hope would be lost. The answer or solution presented itself in startling fashion.
The overall appearance the Bijuu held was that of beast, but their minds were all too human and as such were fallible to the same whims of all human minds. Rumors were purposely spread among the land about who was the more powerful, who was viewed as the favored in Hild's eyes, and who struck the most fear in the warriors of Asgard. It wasn't long before contempt and deceit settled into their ranks, and the beast began to turn on each other, and after several battles it was becoming quickly apparent that Nifleheim and its forces were suffering the same incalculable losses.
In lue of the losses being suffered on both sides a truce was called, and cautiously the two sides sought out a way to destroy the Bijuu. Battles were fought and lost, plans were made and discarded, but through all of that there was no end in sight. The Bijuu were just as strong, growing more powerful by the day and neither side could stop the wanton killing of their people.
Miraculously a plan was finally found. The beast, no longer able to be beat in any way physically manner would have to be sent into another plane. Someplace where in due time, however many years or generations it took, the forces of Asgard and Nifleheim would be able to come up with a way to destroy the beast. That was how this world came into existence. Their own veritable OZ.
"You think this world will ever get a clue," the bronze skinned woman asked curious.
"I don't know Urd," the younger stated. "They have a purpose and Kami-sama wills that we not interfere unless needed."
With a reluctant sigh Urd tried to let go and ease the knot of frustration curling in her gut. Her sister was right. The people in this world were keeping one of her mother's worst creations at bay, and until they were able to think up some way to completely destroy them this nonsense of sealing the beast inside children would continue for many years to come.
"How long have you been watching him," Belldandy asked.
A shrug before Urd bothered to say, "A couple of years. He's been a sort of side project for me a little bit."
"You haven't …"
Belldandy's question was cut off before she could finish. "Haven't had to. He has more spunk and determination than anyone I can remember in recent memory. He's managed to hold up well considering the circumstances."
"I can agree with that," Belldandy agreed, admiration shining in her voice.
Turning from the terminal Urd raised an eyebrow before asking her younger sister, "So what brings my dear sister up to the capital of boring?" The Relief Line was anything but exciting during certain down periods of down-time.
The smile on Belldandy's face faltered for just a second before it left like it never happened, but Urd knew her sister too well to not notice. Looking at her Urd thought she looked almost apprehensive. If her sister, the only person she knew that could find a silver lining in almost any situation was worried…
"Kami-sama thinks a situation is building concerning the Bijuu. One that we may need to directly influence the swing of things in order to keep the balance."
Urd's startled reaction didn't begin to do justice to the almost vice like dread in her gut.
Opening the door to his small apartment, Naruto wearily made his way toward the inviting picture of this small bed. Normally, the proper thing to do would have been to go to the hospital and see if anything was broken. Of course like everything else in his life, such an action would have probably ended up painful and life threatening. The fact that he was allowed to be beaten so thoroughly in the first place was testament that there was some unspoken rule in this village that everyone strove toward making his life hell.
Almost throwing himself in the bed he reached out toward the telephone that sat at the head of his bed, his ails and worries dying into barely recognized background filter. The whole purpose of this evening's expedition had been to get the information on this one little slip of paper. Trying to befriend the girl was sort of a last minute try at gaining a friend. I didn't work out like he planned, but looking at the number Naruto figured the ass whoopin was worth it.
Now giddy in excitement, he punched the number into the telephone and waited for the voice on the other end.
'Hello, this is the Goddess Relief Hotline, give me just a moment and I'll be there to process your request.'
'What the hell?' Naruto looked at the phone and then the number he'd hastily sketched on the paper. His hand writing was ugly, borderline offensive in a way, and he could barely make out his own writing, but he knew he wrote the number down right. His eavesdropping skills were top notch.
His hand began to dial in the number again when he heard the sound of footsteps in his room. Dropping the phone, he hopped off the bed, whirling into an awkward looking defensive crouch.
"Take it easy short stuff. I'm not here to hurt you."
Naruto didn't move, eyeing what was clearly a woman in undisguised wariness. Bronze colored skin,platinum coloredhair that almost seemed to cascade down her back; she was dressed in robes that tantalized his eyes artfully. Any other moment he would found her beautiful, but she was in his home and he wanted to know why.
'Maybe she's another one of those thief's that come by so often. Or can she be the girls mother or something.'
Something seemed to flash in her eyes and Naruto prepared himself in case the woman attacked.
"I'm not a robber, nor a thief. I'm not here to poke, prod, or hit you. I came her to grant you a wish and that's what I'm going to do," she said.
'She's a shinobi too. What the hell kinda jutsu is that?'
"No I'm not a ninja or using any kinda base level magic you people use."
That she read his thoughts was scary enough to make him look at her in no amount of small wonder. "Who are you?
Striking a pose before gracing him with a smile and small bow she said," I'm Urd, Goddess of the Past, Second Class, First Category, Limited."
By now Naruto was easing out his crouch and looking around his room to see if this was some form of practical joke. He'd pulled a lot of them in his short time, and the thought of someone trying to pay him back didn't sound as ridiculous as it seemed. Crawling over the bed he searched in every corner, looking both under and over the cluttered junk in his room.
"Okay lady you can stop playing now." Naruto rubbed the back of his head. "You almost got me to believing you. How did you read my mind? Is that some kind of jutsu?"
His reply must have been the wrong thing to say, because the woman's face lost the easy look she'd been wearing since she'd popped up in his room.
"I told you once that it's not like that. Look just make your wish and I'll be out your hair," Urd managed to say without sparking him for irritating her so much.
As with everything in his life, Naruto didn't follow any type of command or order. Glaring defiantly at the woman, he crossed his arms and asked, "Why should I believe you? You just popped up in her and I know I locked the doors."
Urd wanted to rant at him but stopped herself from making a mistake. She hadn't lied when she told Belldandy he was a project of hers. She'd been keeping an eye on Naruto for years. Drawn to him after witnessing the sacrifice his father made in order to save his people. Watching him grow up hadn't been pleasant. In the twelve years she watched him from infant to child she'd been reminded that people, no matter how human they were could stoop todispicable levels of indecency when life placed them in uncomfortable situations. The loss of life had been great but to take it out on a child no less…
Taking a deep breath, popping her neck from side to side, Urd regarded the youth in front of her, a smile gracing herangelic features. As if coming to a silent decision, she asked him a question he never would have guessed in a million years, not counting the one she just asked.
"Why don't we sit down and you can tell me about your life. Anything you want, I'll listen and try to help you out as best as I can."
He looked at her, really looked at her and could see the sincerity in the request. Her green eyes were an open book and before he could help himself and question the sensibility of unloading himself on a complete stranger, someone that not five minutes ago he thought was trying to kill him, he started talking. With his head down and shoulders slumped, he didn't see the small affectionate smile on her face or that she somehow directed him to take a seat and was sitting right next to him listening to his every word.
If anyone saw the woman in person, a load of presumptions would be made. One was that her very being screamed danger. Not in the physical sense of the word, but she carried an air of restrained power and sophistication. In earlier times, she would have seemed to to be nobility. The sight of her talking to the young blonde would have drawn startled eyes, but nothing could and would have startled more people than her uninhibited laughter. A sound that almost rivaled that of the Uzumaki. .
"BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. What a moron. I can't believe he fell for that."
Naruto clutched his stomach, laughing along with his new friend. "You should have seen his face. He was so angry he almost scorched a hole through his hat."
The mental imagery was good enough to make her break out in another fit of laughter. If Naruto was good for one thing, it was for telling jokes. She couldn't remember a time when she'd laughed so hard in her life. Just the thought of sabotaging someone's food with a crap load of wasabi almost sent her into another fit of giggles.
Urd complimented the blond ninja. "I give you one thing, you give as good as you get."
Naruto beamed at the compliment. Sheepishly running a hand through the back of his hair he said, "Yea. I play pranks cause I'm not too good at fighting right now." The fact that he even admitted it brought a smile to Urd's face, but in the very next breath he showed the other side of him that drew her to his plight. "But that wont last long. I'm going to be the best Hokage ever, better than even the old man."
Coming down from another fit of giggles Urd said, "That's a pretty big goal you got there. These Hokage's of yours are pretty good. The best of them could even make a good showing in my world."
"Really," Naruto asked.
"Oh yea." Urd answered. "The Yondaime was an extremely powerful person. Powerful enough to draw the attention of several high ranking officers in my world."
Naruto never bothered thinking how outlandish the whole comment sounded. His curiosity was peaked and an angry mob of villagers wouldn't be able to pull him away from now.
"Are there a lot of powerful people where you live? Are they stronger than the Hokage? Are you really strong? Can you teach me anything?" The questions were coming in a rapid fire volley and Urd struggled to even understand what he was saying.
Holding up a hand she managed to stop his questions, sighing at the baby blue puppy dog eyes that were having an unconscious effect on her. "Sheesh, when you look like that who can argue."
"As for your first question, yes there are a lot of strong people where I live. Are they stronger than the Hokage? Yes. Am I strong? I believe I'm stronger than anyone on this planet right now. Can I teach you anything? Not without overstepping and bulldozing my way through lots and lots of red tape at the moment. Heaven frowns upon us coming down and meddling with the affairs of the grounded."
In a spark in forewarning Urd could see the words forming on the lips of Naruto. Moving faster than anyone he'd seen she clapped her hand over his mouth, stopping him from making a mistake.
"I know what you're going to say and if that's what you really want I can't stop you. But think hard about what you really want in this life, what's the one thing you want beyond all else."
Naruto dropped his head and did as she asked because it was a good question. His dream, the one wish he always thought would mean more than anything was to become Hokage. By now everyone in the village and beyond knew that, but if he used his wish on it would it even be worth it? With a snort of derision, he knew he didn't need to rectify that question with an answer. He might not have the most talent or the best skills like that Sasuke bastard in his class, but he had the drive to work toward his goal himself and that was going to help him make it. So that left him to wonder what did he really want and like a light turning on in a room full of darkness he knew.
When he looked up the two of them locked eyes and Urd knew on some instinctual level what he was going to say. Briefly she considered asking her sister how she felt when Keichii made a similar sounding wish whenever she had the free time. The words left his mouth and there was a montage of images that flashed through her eyes as the wish processed, some of them from her earlier travels as a Goddess in training and subsequent adventures, but most of them were of her time living in the Morisato residence and she wondered if she would have as much fun in her new life.
If Belldandy was one thing, it was faithful. In times of strife and need she never ever doubted that good would triumph over any problem in the end. But this, but this time there was a seed of doubt her prayers could not seem to vanquish. What started as an inquiry into her sister's safety was now blossoming into full blown doubt. The world below them was harsh, ruled by constant warfare and criminals that could make a home in the lowest bowels of hell.
"You worry for her," a male voice asked.
Belldandy reluctantly nodded. Not wanting to seem as if she was losing faith in front of the Almighty.
"That is to be expected. I'm sure you've read the reports our operatives have sent."
"Yes I have." Belldandy answered.
"Then you know that this is a needed precaution."
In her mind she knew that but knowing and believing were the two things she just couldn't do at the moment. Despite the sense of peace that surrounded her by being in his very presence it did nothing to quell her uneasiness.
The Almighty walked toward her, a soft smile gracing his graying, fatherly visage. The image in front of her wasn't his real form. The Almighty regularly took the image that would provide his children the most comforting presence.
"Do you believe in her," he asked softly. At her nod, he continued in the same fatherly tone he always used with her. "You have done great things Belldandy and will continue to do so. Through the help and support of your sisters and the young mortal you have grown leaps and bounds emotionally and spiritually. Now it is your sister's turn to make the same journey to help find herself. Nothing happens by chance my dear. Have faith and she'll pull through with flying colors."
When Belldandy didn't answer the Almighty fixed her with a smirk and raised eyebrow that seemed so alien it snapped Belldandy out of her funk. "Think about it like this. You're sister made several visits to you and I remember the trouble she brought. It wouldn't be impossible for you to visit her as well."
Belldandy's eyes rose to almost comical heights and her laughter was genuine. Sounding across the room like a summer's breeze and brining a smile to God's face.
Naruto looked up at the sizable hole in his roof and just knew there was going to be trouble. The landlord was already on his tale for any little thing he could find wrong, and this was probably going to be the straw that broke the camels back. Turning around he looked at the woman/goddess lounging across his bed, dying to ask her what was going on but scared she would blast him into oblivion.
As if a prelude of things to come she took the question right out his mouth.
"Looks like your wish has processed." Rolling over to face his weary expression, "You taking the bed or are we sharing stud," Urd asked, putting the maximum amount of sex appeal into her voice and actions.
Naruto didn't answer her question given he fainted from the blood loss of his severe nosebleed.
"This is going to be so much fun."
AN: Hardest thing to overcome in this was thinking of a way to merge the two storylines. If it was any other modern day anime then maybe something could have come as a bit easier but since Naruto takes place in seemingly nowhere land I had to think up a more elaborate explanation. My first try was dealing with alternate dimensions, timestreams and all that babble. Not a good idea when practicality asked me, 'How would the great and almighty keep watch over every dimension?' My answer he was that he can't in any good way otherwise our heroes would never make it to the end. No way he could keep Naruto, Shinji, Ranma, Goku, Makoto, Eureka, Vash, Ichigo, Shana… you get the picture; all safe and sound. Also I've been getting into Gold Diggers a lot. That's were the idea of an alternate world really came in.
Why start from the beginning? Simple question really. It was the only time that Naruto had nobody to rely on. Almost as soon as the manga and anime pick up he gets Iruka as a friend/father figure so that would defeat the whole purpose of the wish. Plus it gives Urd some time so she can iron out some of his more abrasive traits before the real shit hits; the Akatsuki, demons, kidnappings, special training, going to the real Earth.
Why Urd? I like her. Plus I can't take Belldandy and use her in good conscience. Her and Keichii are too perfect for me to blow up and she's just so…. nice. That won't do in this fic. Skuld was another choice but I didn't have enough positives to pick her. I loved her growth and maturity in the manga, but even though she maybe older now, putting her into the war torn world of Naruto didn't sit right with me. Urd's a brawler, is half demon, and has a crap lad of other issues to work through so she makes a perfect barometer to scale Naruto's own growth against. And if it gets rough, I don't think she'd hesitate to unleash the pain a little sooner than her sisters.
Relationships will be kept on the backburner for a while, a couple of chapters, but when the women problems start popping up you'll be able to tell who's in the mix. Our boy Naruto will run into some of the same problems other super powerful men of mystery have (Ranma, Tenchi, and the greatest of all time GoldenBoy to name a few).
Any questions just post in the reviews and I'll try to answer what I can next AN session. Peace.
Next chapter: Naruto now has to deal with consequences of his wish including finding a place to stay. On the day of the exam he makes a BIG splash when Urd walks with him to class. And not even 24 hours since the wish and Naruto has to fend off males interested in taking Urd off his hands and females finally noticing him. Troublesome indeed.