Disclaimer: I own nothing within, look to those who created whatever you see to worship, I'm just using them in this twisted, dark little tale…
NU: The Darkness…
Chapter 1: Happy Birthday…
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Normal Speech: "Darkness…"
Normal Thoughts: 'Is within…'
Radio in Use: [All things…]
Demon Speech: "You just…"
Demon Thoughts: 'Have to know…'
Other Speech: "Where to look…"
Jutsu in Use: "Kage no Jutsu…"
Darkness Speech: "WeAK, PaTHEtic, USElesS, MaGGots!"
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Voice: Hello. My name is Uzumaki Naruto, and I'm sure someone out there has heard of my life or just of me. Probably revolving around my fight against The Akatsuki and my life as a Ninja of Konoha. But what you haven't heard of is what happens after that story… or even… before it.
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(Konohagakure no Sato, Fourteen years ago…)
A little boy of about seven is walking around an old Orphanage; his hair is a bright spiky blond, with tanned skin with three whisker marks on each cheek and bright, azure blue eyes. The boy wears a white shirt with a red spiral on the front, a pair of blue pants, and dark blue Shinobi type sandals. Looking around, the little blond boy sighs softly while placing a hand onto an old wall of the orphanage.
"You know, you shouldn't look so sad to be leaving…" A voice quips and the blond turns around to see his only friend. It is a girl, with long brown hair over her shoulders, a pair of chocolate brown eyes, and fair skin. She wears a simply pink shirt with a pair of black pants and dark blue Shinobi-sandals.
"Not everyone wants to leave their friends behind…" Naruto retorts before walking over to a stump and sitting down, the girl sitting next to him. Both being silent as they simply enjoy one another's company for a while…
"This is the same spot where we first met…" She suddenly muses and Naruto blinks before smiling to her.
"Yeah… I remember that. You were out here all alone during winter without any snowshoes to cover your feet and got cold…" Naruto recollects with a found expression crossing his features and the girl snickers slightly.
"Yeah, and I remember you getting chewed out by Old Lady Miho for stealing a pair of Snow-shoes from someone." She reminds the blond playfully and Naruto merely snickered as well.
"The old lady is always harsh, but she's the nicest caretaker I've ever had…" Naruto says fondly and the girl nods her head in agreement before both look to the setting sun in the distance silently.
"The Hokage will be here soon…" She says suddenly and Naruto nods his head slowly. "Promise me one thing, Naruto." The girl then pleads with the boy while the blond youth turns to her with a raised brow.
"What?" He asks and she smiles slightly before suddenly hugging the blond.
"Promise me… that you won't forget me." She whispers and Naruto blinks before wrapping his arms around her and smiling.
"I promise… Tenten…"
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Voice: Now, many probably weren't expecting that. You were more than likely expecting a ton of abuse or something because of the Fox, Right? Well, sorry to say but I'm mentally stable thanks to that not happening every day. But I did have a slight problem; it wasn't people I was afraid of however…
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(Konohagakure no Sato, Nine years ago…)
A familiar young blond is sitting beside a Chunin at Ichiraku Ramen. He is wearing a garish orange and blue Jumpsuit with a white collar, a Kunai case at his right thigh, a Hittai-ate around his forehead, and a pair of dark blue Shinobi sandals. The man beside him is older than him, with a basic Chunin uniform and a scar across the bridge of his nose, his brown hair is pulled upwards into a spiky, pineapple shaped ponytail. Naruto sits next to his sensei Iruka, a strange look on his face.
"What's the matter Naruto?" Iruka questions while finishing with his ramen and the blond looks over to him before sighing.
"Sometimes, I feel like something is always watching me… something dark…" Naruto says and Iruka blinks once before raising a brow.
"What exactly?" He asks and Naruto shakes his head.
"I don't know… but I can feel it everywhere I go, in every alley, in every dark corner… it's there. I even feel it inside of me, an unforgiving Darknes…" Naruto says softly and causes Iruka to give an involuntary shudder of fear before the blond turns to him with worried eyes. "And it's getting stronger…" He then says causing the man to wonder what it was that Naruto was imagining… neither of them saw a pair of glowing eyes within the nearby shadows, nor did they hear the distorted, hissing laugh echo as the eyes vanished…
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Voice: Now that might have seemed a bit more familiar to some of you. But that's still not where my story begins. I just think you all need to understand, not whom you think I am… But who I really was, and who I truly am…
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(Konohagakure no Sato, Six years ago…)
A familiar blond is walking into Konoha, his Jumpsuit now a more practical mix or Red-Orange and Black, with calf length black Shinobi-Sandals, and a backpack, his Hittai-ate now having a long black cloth that blows in the wind behind him… "Welcome home…" He says to himself before running into the village, having finally completed his Training trip with Jiraiya he jumps up onto a light post and smiles as the suns rays instantly warm his features.
'This place hasn't changed all that much… well… accept Tsunade Baa-chan is now on the Hokage-Monument…' Naruto thinks to himself while looking at the monument, crossing his arms over his chest a few seconds afterwards with a faint smile on his lips. Sighing to himself the blond stretches out his arms before stopping when he sees a familiar face down below.
"Hey! Ten-Chan!" He calls out, the girl in question stopping and turning, only to smile when she sees Naruto running over to her. She is now older as well, with her long brown hair up in two cute buns, a Hittai-ate around her forward, and wears a white long sleeved shirt with red trim, black pants with slits at her hips revealing bandages underneath, a pair of fingerless black gloves and black Sandals.
"Naruto! It's really, nice to see you again. It's only been what? Two years?" Tenten says playfully as the blond haired boy slides to a stop in front of her and grins once more, having finally reached a height where he can meet her eye to eye.
"Yeah. Sorry Ten-Chan, I was on a training trip with Ero-Sennin… So how have things been with you?" The blond asks of his oldest friend and Tenten merely shrugs her shoulders as they make their way with no real destination in sight.
"Thing's aren't much different with me Naruto. Neji is a Jounin now, and me and Lee both made Chunin but…" Tenten offers then leaves off and Naruto blinks before slapping his face with a groan.
"So everyone is getting up in rank but me?" Naruto asks and Tenten gives him a sheepish look in response. "Wonderful… oh well, I'll just have to make up for my rank at the next exams or something." Naruto muses and Tenten smiles towards her old friend fondly before grabbing his hand.
"C'mon Naruto, I'm buying you Ramen to celebrate your return! Just try not to bankrupt me okay?" Tenten pleads with her oldest friend and Naruto chuckles slightly in response before running off to Ichiraku Ramen with the bun haired girl. A smile is on the young blonds face as he follows his friend towards their destination… and for once it isn't because he's getting a free meal…
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Voice: Quite the change huh? Three years can do a lot of good for a person, but that's still not where we begin. This is just another scene from the past, a past that I no longer believe in, a past that I no longer deserve to be a part of…
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(Konohagakure no Sato, Two Years ago…)
The Konoha twelve stood at the gates of Konoha, all awaited their friend Naruto, and wondered what not only his, but his Sensei Kakashi's fates were… soon however, they saw two shadowed figures on the distant horizon. Three girls in particular looked on with worry when they saw a speck of orange leaning heavily into a much taller figure. Some of them finally notice that a third figure was thrown over the shoulder of the larger of the two.
The reason they were waiting was because Naruto had gone off on his own to face the last of the Akatsuki so that his friends would be safe. He had battled with Madara Uchiha himself, the oldest and supposedly strongest Shinobi of all times. No one had known of this insane scheme until it was too late. A coup de tat to overthrow the power mad Danzo had given Naruto the perfect chance to sneak out of the village, while the ROOT AnBu were scattered and disorganized by the loss of their leader. Once Tsunade finally awoke and took back control of the village, she had immediately sent someone to find what the blond was up too.
It was his Teammate Sakura Haruno having found the note that explained the blond's plan. Tsunade had sent Hatake Kakashi to find the blond haired boy and help him to defeat Madara. They had been waiting for days on end for the return of the two, Tsunade debating the idea to send someone else out to find them. But, the village was still in disarray from the attack by Pein, sending out more Shinobi would only leave them vulnerable to an attack from another force. However now, Senju Tsunade herself took a step forward only to gasp when she finally saw the state of the two Shinobi…
One Hatake Kakashi half carried a half conscious Naruto passed the Gates of Konoha, the blond covered from head to toe in blood, cuts, bruises, and numerous other wounds, Uchiha Sasuke slung over the silver haired man's right shoulder and bound, his own form littered with wounds like the blond haired boy. Out of the three, Kakashi was the one with the least amount of wounds, sporting only a few burns and gashes compared to the blond and black haired teens. Panting as they approach the village, Naruto grits his teeth before he pushed himself off of Kakashi, now wearing a red coat with black flames licking the bottom of it, an orange spiral mask and ten rings on a string held in one hand.
Panting, and breathing labouredly, the blond haired teen walks forward, passed the gates of the village to see all his friends waiting for them. Stumbling for a moment, Naruto stops and then pushes himself back onto his feet, slowly walking forward with blood dripping down from his wounded left arm. Seeing the wide-eyed look of the current Hokage, Senju Tsunade, the young Uzumaki smiled while saluting the woman.
"U-Uzumaki… Nami… Namikaze Naruto… reporting back." The blond offered while struggling to control his breathing, Tsunade gaping at the blond in stunned silence for a moment. Grinning the blond haired youth, chuckled lightly while looking at the woman with his one good eye. "Here… I brought proof… that Madara, and all of The Akatsuki… are finally gone for good." The blond offered while holding Madara's cracked and bloodied mask towards the woman with the ten rings. However, Tsunade ignored those and instead wrapped her arms around the blond haired teen in a backbreaking hug, causing him to grunt in pain.
Stopping her hug of death and then pushing him to arms length the woman grinned at the blond with tears present in her eyes. "Welcome home Gaki." She offered and Naruto's friends suddenly rushed the blond, patting him on the back and congratulating him as Kakashi carried Sasuke over to Tsunade, both watching as someone suddenly tackled Naruto, knocking him over.
"You stupid Baka!" Tenten shouted at the blond boy with tears in her eyes and Naruto grinned towards the girl happily. "Would you wipe that stupid smile off your face already, do you have any idea how fucking worried I was about you?!" Tenten demanded and Naruto merely continued to smile towards the girl. "Hey! I said stop smiling like…" She started to say only for Naruto to roll his eyes and pull her into a kiss, soon releasing her and tilting his head to one side.
"I'm sorry to worry you Ten-Chan." The blond offered serenely and Tenten blinked before placing her forehead against his.
"You're a crazy, reckless, Baka you know that right?" Tenten asked him and the teen shrugged his shoulders, both ignoring the odd looks they were getting from their friends. "But I'm still glad your safe Naru-kun…" Tenten whispered while hugging the blond softly, the said blond wrapping his good arm around her. "But if you ever worry me like that again, I swear you'll find out why I'm the weapons mistress of Konoha you stupid Baka…" Tenten stated while gripping the front of his red jacket and the blond haired teen chuckled once more.
"Even if I found myself lost in the deepest, darkest pits of hell… I'd still come back to you." The blond said and then leaned towards the brown haired girls ear and whispered to her softly. "You're my one guiding light, you'll always bring me home." The blond told Tenten quietly, the said girl blinking and then closing her eyes as she leaned her head into his shoulder.
"Just shut up…" She mumbled softly while Kakashi looked to see a slight smile on Tsunade's face.
"Just like his father huh?" Kakashi questioned and Tsunade smirked towards the silver haired Jounin.
"Yeah, only Kushina would've kicked Minato's ass for pulling a stunt like this." The blond woman replied and Kakashi laughed as he agreed with the woman, then turned and walked off with Sasuke still unconscious over his shoulder. "Alright, stop looking at them like that, lets give them a few moments of peace. Naruto's more than earned it today." Tsunade ordered while ushering the rest of the Konoha twelve off as two girls looked towards Tenten with jealousy…
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Voice: Yeah… I actually got a girl. Not the one anyone expected, and she was my only childhood friend no less. There's probably even some kind of joke or moral in that somewhere. But, it didn't matter to me… and yet that's still not where our story begins… it all started on the day of my Twenty-first birthday. And on that day… the first time I died… A Darkness was born inside of me… and with that Darkness, a new burden was put on my shoulders.
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(Konohagakure no Sato, two weeks ago…)
A blond haired man walked down one of the many streets of Konoha, his shadow seeming to shift into a deformed beast as he passed by a dark alley. Turning his eyes to the alley he sees a stray dog eating some scraps before turning his eyes forward once more. The blond haired boy's leather boots crunched the rocks below him as he made his way across the village. Stopping suddenly, the boy looked to the newly rebuilt Hokage Tower and then tilted his head to one side.
The man was at least in his twenties, his eyes were a familiar bright azure blue, though darkened by some unknown force, his bright blond locks were swept back out of his eyes and allowed to form into spikes poking behind him, his build was athletic and lean with oddly pale skin, like he hadn't been getting enough sun recently, and upon each of his cheeks was three faded whisker shaped marks.
The man was dressed in a pair of knee length leather boots with black straps to hold them on tightly, silver armor placed over his toes and ankles, leather armor formed into the knees of the boots, a pair of fingerless black forearm length gloves covered his hands with a metal plate at the back of each and a strap around each wrist, a pair of Dark-Gray Shinobi pants with a black Utility belt synched around his waist, two Kunai Cases placed at the front of the belt, a sleeveless black AnBu issue shirt with the mask rolled down over his neck, last is a short sleeved black trench coat, a hood falling off the back with red flames lining the bottom edge, a leather strap holding it together over his chest.
Held tightly in the blond haired man's hand however is a familiar black Hittai-Ate, though it seems more worn than ever as the man looks to the Hokage Tower silently. Walking forward and pushing his way passed the doors of the tower; Naruto makes his way up a flight of stairs silently. Passing and ignoring Shizune at her desk Naruto enters into the room to see Tsunade is passed out. Shaking his head at this the blond haired man walks forward and then kicks the desk, Tsunade jumping up and looking around before her eyes fell on the black and red clad blond man.
"Oh, its you Naruto…" She mumbled before shaking her head and rubbing her eyes. "I thought I told Shizune I was busy…" She mumbled and Naruto sighed softly while looking at the busty blond.
"I didn't talk to Shizune… I just came in." Naruto stated and Tsunade looked at him for a moment and then sighed.
"Why am I not surprise?" She wondered and then blinked when she heard a clink of steel as Naruto placed his Hittai-Ate on her desk. "What's this all about?" She asked the blond haired man with a raised brow and Naruto sighed softly while looking at the old steel plate, and then gasped as he saw a dark sinister being reflected in its depths.
"I… I've decided to give up being a Shinobi." Naruto replied while turning his head to look to the side.
"WHAT!?" Tsunade demanded and then Naruto slowly lifted a hand to clear an ear out.
"I said I'm giving up being a Shinobi." Naruto restated and Tsunade gapped towards the man incredulously.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" She asked bluntly and Naruto grunted before looking to his hands.
"I've, been thinking a lot lately." Naruto admitted and Tsunade snorted while leaning back in her seat.
"Well that's new." She said playfully, though frowned when Naruto didn't respond to the barb.
"It's time I grow up, me and Tenten are getting serious… and I don't want to make the same choice my own father made. My family, or the village." Naruto mumbled and Tsunade looked at the blond haired youth sympathetically. "I don't want to have to make that choice Tsunade. All I've ever wanted was recognition… I have that… All I've ever dreamed of is having a family to call my own. And… I'm hoping to have that soon as well." Naruto explained while looking up at the woman and tilted his head, a small smile gracing his unusually pale features.
"All these years I've been a Shinobi, I've had to learn harsh lessons, one of which was a Shinobi is a tool for their village." Naruto said and then sighed when Tsunade was about to object to his words. "We both know it's the truth, Shinobi don't have a choice, there is no if as a Shinobi. You do as your told, and protect the village at any cost… I don't want that for my family. Tenten can continue as a Kunoichi if she wants, but I'll be there for my family, not matter what you, the village, or anyone else thinks of me." Naruto explained and then looked to the pictures of the five Kage…
"I don't care about honor, I don't care about duty, and I could give less than a fuck about virtue. To me, to have a family of my own, and a chance to live in peace, is worth more than gold, and all the recognition in the world. That's why I no longer wish to be a Shinobi…" Naruto explained and Tsunade looked at him silently before sighing and leaning back in her seat.
"You really have been thinking a lot haven't you Naruto…" She mumbled and the blond haired man smiled towards her. "And I bet there's no way I can convince you to take this Hokage gig either, is there?" She then asked flatly and Naruto looked at the paperwork on her desk, then gave her a "What do you think" look as his response. "Right, alright, go… I'll take you off the active duty roster…" Smiling with a nod, Naruto turned away from Tsunade, his coat swishing behind him as he walked away, passed a stunned Uchiha Sasuke and then out of the Hokage tower entirely.
As Naruto walks out of the tower and then down the streets of Konoha, he suddenly stopped when he felt someone coming towards him. "DOBE!" A scream suddenly comes and one Uchiha Sasuke suddenly grabs the blond man by his coat before slamming him into a wall. "What the FUCK do you think your doing?!" Uchiha Sasuke demands angrily and the blond boy merely chuckles to himself.
"What's it look like, Teme… I'm finally quitting being a Shinobi. Thought you'd like that, now you're the strongest in the corps." Naruto says simply while closing his eyes and Sasuke snarls towards the blond once more.
"WHY?! Why the FUCK are you quitting?! I thought you NEVER gave up on anything?! What happened to your dream of being Hokage!?!" Sasuke demands angrily and the blond haired boy chuckles heartlessly in response.
"Hokage? That's nothing more than a title to me now… I have no need for titles; I have no more need for battle… I have something else I want more than death. I want to live for the first time in my life Sasuke, why don't you?" Naruto offers the questions softly, a tired sound ringing behind his voice. Hearing this, Sasuke narrows his eyes onto the blond before releasing Naruto and backing away from the man.
"You've changed Dobe…" Sasuke says simply and the blond looks at him with a weary expression on his face.
"Times change, people change, things change… Sasuke… that's how the world works. Why should I be any different?" Naruto offers in reply before pushing himself up to his feet, only to stop when Sasuke puts a hand onto his shoulder. Looking to the Dark-haired boy silently he sees him struggle to reign in his emotions.
"Things Change huh? Well I got news for you, Dobe. We still have a score to settle you and I. And until we do, I'm going to make your life a living hell…" Sasuke states before stalking off, Naruto turning his head to watch the other man leave before shaking his head and then walking towards his and Tenten's apartment for some rest. Walking passed civilians and admirers of "Konoha's Hero" Naruto scowled slightly before shaking his head.
'They probably won't admire me when they hear I quit, probably think I'm a coward… whatever, it doesn't matter what anyone thinks of me. So long as I have Tenten, I'll be happy.' The blond man thinks to himself while turning down an Alley then stopped when he heard a voice. Looking up he smiled upon seeing Tenten leaning out a window to look at him.
"Hey you found me." She noted playfully and Naruto smirked while shaking his head from side to side, hands in his coat pockets.
"It wasn't too hard, so I guess you wanted to be found." Naruto mused aloud and Tenten rolled her eyes before waving for him to come up. Smirking, the blond jumped up, then vanished in a plume of smoke before appearing in the window before her with a sly smile across his face. "Yo Ten-Chan." He offered while holding a hand up and Tenten shook her head while crossing her arms.
"Can't you use the door like normal people?" She questioned seriously and Naruto hummed in thought before shaking his head.
"Nah, not my style, I like keeping you on your toes." The blond stated and Tenten sighed mock seriously. "Besides, its my apartment." Naruto reminded and Tenten gave him a look before placing her hands on her hips.
"You mean OUR apartment." She retorted and Naruto chuckled while crawling into the apartment, Tenten hugging him once he had. "Welcome home you stupid Baka." She said softly before kissing the blond, Naruto wrapping his arms around her waist and then smiling as she did. "Oh yeah, look I got a surprise for you." Tenten then said as she walked into the kitchen, then came out with a cake. "Happy Birthday foxy." She offered playfully and Naruto rolled his eyes.
"I think that nickname is better suited for you Ten-Chan." Naruto retorted and Tenten gave him an amused look.
"Not with those whiskers Foxy." She retorted and Naruto sighed before looking at her with a shake of his head. "Hey c'mon, I know you always piss and moan about you birthday. But you're only twenty one once." Tenten reminded and Naruto chuckled lightly before looking to the cake and smiling.
"Thank's Tenten…" He said softly and the girl shrugged her shoulders before snapping her fingers. However for a moment Naruto felt his head surge in pain as something echoed in his mind endlessly.
"UGH… ShE ReEKs of INnOSense!" The voice exclaimed in his mind as Naruto put a hand to his head while looking to Tenten.
"Oh yeah, Kiba and the others guys came over earlier, said they wanted to borrow you for a party tonight. Said to meet them at Ichiraku's tonight at eight." Tenten then offered and Naruto nodded his head slowly while still looking to his cake. "Hey, are you going to blow out the candles or what?" Tenten then asked and Naruto blinked before looking to the candles on his cake.
"Sorry, I guess I've never really had a birthday cake before." Naruto admitted and Tenten placed the cake down and placed an arm over one of his shoulders.
"Make a wish, maybe it'll come true." She offers and Naruto closes his eyes before leaning down and blowing out the candles… 'I wish that I could be happy with you forever Tenten…' The blond whispered as smoke rose off of the candles, though his shadow suddenly twisted, a pair of red eyes glaring towards Tenten dangerously…
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Voice: UnforTuNatTEly fOR ThE BoTH of YOU, ThAT, Is soMEthInG I caNNot AllOW… The DarkNESs wILl ConSUMe All ThingS! EvEN You!
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TBC…
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AN: Alright, got bored, started looking around my computer and found this chapter to this story. I modified it slightly and then decided, what the hell, might as well post it for kicks at the very least. Naruto is not a rip of Jackie, unlike Jackie, Naruto is genuinely trying to escape The Darkness in his life when he quits being a Shinobi. I thought it might be more interesting to see him grow darker when he's tried so hard to keep his light intact… but life is often very cruel. AnD tHE DaRKNess iS UNFOrgiVINg!