-Seven-
Anko-nee was really scary last night,' Naruto thought, shuddering slightly. 'Coupled with Shiya-nee too,'
'I'd like to say that you're around high ANBU with my help, but a solid ANBU at worst cases. You've progressed much quickly in using your sand, the 'Perfect Defense' as it was called. We'll continue with that and start off with flexibility and taijutsu later,' the Jūbi ignored his remark and elaborated the results of his training.
'Okay, sensei. . .'
'Now, have fun!' Kurama chirped happily.
'. . .'
'. . .why do I have a feeling that you're up to something, nii-san?'
'Ugh, just get your ass up for training already, brat!'
'I was just kidding!'
...-...
"Doton: Yomi Numa (Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld)!"
"Suiton: Daibakufu no Jutsu (Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique)!"
"Fuuton: Daitoppa (Wind Release: Great Breakthrough)!"
"Hyoton: Haryu Moko (Ice Release: Piercing Dragon Fierce Tiger)!"
Four clones yelled from one side of the training grounds. A blizzard was literally originated from the mud swamp, courtesy of his first jutsu. Naruto idly wondered if he could turn the season into winter in Konoha. It'd be nice to have a break from the heat every time he trained.
"Katon: Karyu Endan (Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet)!"
"Fuuton: Renkūdan (Widn Release: Drilling Wind Bullet)!"
"Raiton: Jibashi (Lightning Release: Electromagnetic Murder)!"
"Lava Release: Gunshot!"
A tornado of fire was formed, making the blond sweat slightly. More reasons to try and turn Konoha's season into winter, he thought, jumping back from the source of the blazing heat.
"Time to meditate!"
...-...
-Lunch; Two Hours Later-
"What're you doing?" Anko wondered as she finally found the brat she had been looking for. . .for about two hours. Damn, Naruto's skill in hiding was quite impressive.
"I'm trying to find a way to turn the season here into winter," he deadpanned, earning a sweatdrop from her older sister.
"Really?" she asked, an incredulous look adorning her face. "And why do you want to do that?"
"It's searing hot, nee-chan," the blond pouted. "I want to experience the cold for even once,"
"'Kay. . .and—oh, shit!" she cursed, then suddenly placed her hands on her mouth. Did I just—oh, I'm as good as fucked, she grumbled to herself as Naruto tilted his head slightly to the right.
"What's 'shit'?" Naruto asked innocently. "And what's wrong?"
"I, um, forgot the mission that my team I were supposed to take today! Be back at seven, and don't forget to eat and—I'll just go now!" A purple blur, and the woman was gone as quickly as she came.
"O. . .kay?" he mumbled.
'Oi, brat, go eat something,' Kurama said suddenly. With that unexpected statement, Naruto almost yelled in fright but calmed down afterwards.
"What's up with the random question, nii-san?" he asked once appearing in his mindscape. Both bijūs were resting on the field, Kurama on one cave while Shiya on the plain grassy field.
"He's right, you know," the Jūbi added, yawning slightly.
". . .did you just—?"
"I think she did,"
"WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?!" Naruto yelled in his mindscape, making the two bijūs wince at the loudness of his voice. "Shiya-nee, you just said that trait of an Uzumaki, 'you know'!"
"IT WAS AN ACCIDENT!" the Jūbi roared in embarrassment, her cheeks dusted with a light shade of pink. Her ten tails were swinging around, trying to shut the boy up.
"IT IS NOT!" Naruto retorted, panicking as he jumped away from the tails.
"WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO YOU, NEE-CHAN?!" Kurama yelled, earning a bottle aimed for his head. He blinked and rubbed his forehead which now had a bump.
"WHAT THE FU—"
"NO CURSING!" Shiya roared, throwing another bottle at him. "ANYTHING YOU WANT TO—" she stopped short, abruptly narrowing her eyes in the boy's mindscape.
"Naruto-kun. . .something's wrong here. I sense your father's and godfather's presence. And by the looks of it, they're trying to hide something," the Jūbi frowned in thought.
"I feel them too," Kurama grunted at the fresh bumps on his furry head. Naruto sweatdropped at the mercurial argument, shaking his head ever so slowly.
"Spy on them. It'd be a good practice for stealth," Shiya's eyes sparkled with mischief, very akin to her younger brother.
"Follow them kit. I also want to know what they're discussing," Kurama vouched, urging him out of his mindscape.
"O. . .kay?" The large drop of sweat on his forehead got bigger, if that was even possible.
Exiting his mindscape, he directed his chakra to find his father and his godfather. As if they actually are, he thought with slight disgust and hatred.
He felt their chakra disappear from the training ground he was in. Could it be a Shunshin or the Hiraishin? Carefully searching, he finally found them inside his biological father's compound. Without wasting a second, he shot like a beacon towards his destination and used a Shunshin to go there in less than a minute.
-Namikaze Compound-
"It's the only way,"
The blond knew that spying was wrong, but he just couldn't help it, not with both of his bijūs vouching for him. Curiosity always won, no matter the situation. It was one of the things that he should improve.
He carefully masked his chakra that even the most trained sensor couldn't detect him, and sneakily hid from their sight. Choosing to use a Limbo Technique, he sat on a chair with no one noticing him.
"I can't give up Kushina or Kato or Mishi to the Cloud, sensei!" Naruto rose an eyebrow at the statement. Just what exactly is going on?!
"So you're implying that you'd let them get the Hyūga Clan Head and experiment on him?!" Jiraiya lost control over his temper and practically yelled at his student.
"There has to be another way!" Minato yelled desperately.
"Give Kushina or Kato. That's the most logical opinion,"
"I can't lose either of them!"
"Then give Naruto instead," Jiraiya snapped back. The said boy's eyes widened. Would his biological father treat him like some trash and shove him away again?
"I-I. . ."
"Choose between four of these choices. One, proclaim war against the Cloud and risk the village, your family, your shinobi, your villagers' lives, everything. Two, do absolutely nothing and let the Cloud get their way on the Byakugan. Three, hand Kushina, Kato and Mishi over them. Or four, give Naruto to them and problem solved. He's a jinchūriki, and you know how jinchūrikis are treated at that place,"
"I. . ." Minato swallowed the lump in his throat.
Naruto felt betrayal and agony wash over his entire being at the next few words. Deep inside, his heart break into two fragile pieces, causing his entire world to crumble into nothing but dust.
Emotions. Sure, he had them at first but now. . .he didn't know what he felt. Everything was blank, he didn't feel anything, nor did he remember anything. He only knew that the sentence caused his whole world to break down.
"I choose option four,"
...-...
-Waterfall-
Tears cascaded over his cheeks as he sobbed uncontrollably, hiding behind a waterfall. The cave itself had multiple dents, holes, and debris all over it. The source? The blond who was currently inhabiting the place.
He knew he shouldn't have given them another chance. All they did was break his trust, mentally kill him again and again, and turn him into an emotional wreck. His eyes were bloodshot from crying, what time it was, he didn't know.
He shunshined towards his sister's house, whose owner was yelling and scolding him for being out so late. He couldn't process what he said and abruptly fell unconscious in his sister's arms.
Back at his mind, his two senseis, siblings and friends at the same time couldn't help but to feel pity at the blond, and resentment at the cause of his suffering. Deep inside, they knew that all they need to do was to stop the blond's pain before it escalated and soon, turn him into what they feared the most; a monster derived from his anguish.
...-...
July 23, x777
They lost their 'second' chance. I trusted them again, and now they throw it aside. I'm done with this village, this hate, this pain. I'm leaving tomorrow, and I hope no one will ever find me again until I return.
Shiya-nee-chan told me to travel the the villages. She said that it'd be helpful experience to me, as I'd see the Hidden Villages. I could also learn a lot about the shinobi world, its history, new techniques, and such. I may also stumble upon the other jinchūriki and hopefully, form new bonds.
She also told me about the opposing villages hidden to all eyes. Where the light also shines, darkness also comes to take its rightful place. The place where adults and children alike live in war. Fortunately, all wars had stopped as it threatened the villagers' wellbeing and sanity.
Two clans exists in one village, Taiyō and Tsuki, the Sun and Moon Clans. The village had been separated into two parts, one being the Yami and the other Hikari. The village itself is called Gekkōkagure no Sato, or the Village Hidden in the Moonlight.
I'm going there after I train and successfully travel the world.
Goodbye,
- Naruto
The ten-year-old blond dipped his quill on the ink bottle, keeping his eyes on the clock, which had shown '12:03 a.m.' in bold, dark blue letters. He sighed as his cerulean blue orbs swept to his backpack, full of scrolls, weaponry, clothes, food, and other survival necessities. He placed his black leather journal, ink bottle, and quill in one of the pockets, careful not to make a sound that would wake his sister up.
Guilt flooded over his senses but he shoved it away. He sneaked towards his sister's room and carefully placed the folded letter on the dresser. He smiled sadly at Anko one last time before disappearing in a swirl of ice.
...-...
-Morning-
Tears fell down from her eyes as her sobs ricocheted throughout the entire room. She let out an anguished cry and fell on her knees, her hands desperately clutching the piece of paper that only sent desperation and pain through her veins.
Anko-nee,
I'm sorry, I really am. But I can't stand this place much longer. . . I need to take a break from this hellhole. I can't tell you where I went as it is a secret and will forever remain to be. I will travel from place to place, so that the ANBU won't find me.
I owe you an explanation due to my behavior on the last few weeks. I'm not only the Kyūbi's jinchūriki, but I'm the Jūbi's, too. It all happened when I was two. I can't tell you any more details, because I'm a secretive bastard (what does this word even mean?).
Once again, I apologize. I'm sorry, nee-chan.
Anko-nee, go to my room and you'll find a present that I bought you yesterday, along with a letter. Please read it, don't get upset, and continue living your life as the strong woman you are.
- Naruto
'N-Naruto. . .n-no. . . This has to be some prank isn't it?! Come b-back here, tell me it's all a p-prank and y-you're at h-home. . .please. . .'
But there was nothing, neither knocks at the door nor the cheerful voice of her younger brother. Days and weeks passed by, and soon months followed. The depressed mood of the purple-haired increased that she didn't manage to go out anymore.
She found the neatly wrapped package in his brother's room, a gift containing an amethyst locket. Inside was a picture of her and Naruto, reminding her of the days when he was still present.
Anko-nee,
There's a reason behind my. . .absence. Even if I didn't go away from the village, the oh-so precious Hokage will send me to the Cloud. Obviously, I mean nothing to him and he's planning to use me as some tool against the Cloud.
I'm pretty sure that he'd alert you about this, anyways.
- Naruto
"Naruto. . ."