Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Caught part one The Goddess ❯ Chapter 9

Pain, the man responsible for the devastation that surrounded the angry blond, stared with emotionless eye. The village, though not it the worse state it had ever seen, was on the verge of crumbling to the ground. Screams of pain and fear echoed through out. He could hear Sakura a few blocks away screaming instructions to other med nins.

 

The smell of blood was fresh.

 

Kakashi's unmoving body lay not too far off.

 

It had taken a good amount of fighting to actually bring the real Pain into the fight.

 

“Why are you doing this?” Naruto growled. He remanded in his crouch positions, ready for anything that could come his way. The bodies of the once great Pain dummy's scattered across the ground. Not recognizable or able to be put back together.

 

“I will bring pain upon the world. Strength comes from pain, so the world will feel it. They will die, or be left alone in this world”

 

He did his best to keep the demon under control but this idiot was seriously pushing it. “You want to bring pain to people, to make them stronger?” The `red' chakra was starting to burn his insides. He needed to get control of this.

 

“As a god-”

 

“WHAT THE FUCK IS YOUR PROBLEM?!?!” The scream came out before he realized it. “DO YOU HONESLTY THINK THAT YOU ARE THE ONLY PERSON THAT KNOWS PAIN? PEOPLE LOOSE THEIR FAMILIES EVERY DAY! THE PAIN IS ALL AROUND US. YOU ARE JUST SOME JACK ASS FEELING SORRY FOR HIMSELF AND USING THE EXCUSE THAT YOU ARE A GOD TO MAKE YOU FEEL IMPORTANT IN A WORLD THAT DIDN'T WANT YOU. WELL I HAVE NEWS FOR YOU, FROM ONE PERSON WHO WAS ABANDONED AND SHIT ON TO ANOTHER. THE ONLY WAY YOU WILL EVER BE WANTED IN THE WORLD IS TO BE SOMEBODY WORTH WANTING. KILLING THOSE WHO WRONGED YOUR ISN'T THE ANSWER”

 

Pain smiled. It was an ironic kind of smile, but one non-the less. “You do not understand. Your ignorance on the subject will be your downfall”

 

“You don't think I know pain” the burn started to rise in this throat.

 

“I was not talking about that. I was referring my being a god and-”

 

“If you are a god, then why do you need the help of demons to build this weapon of yours. If you are a god, then why must you need lackeys to do the job for you? If you are so mighty and powerful then why did your lackey's fail?”

 

“Na-gat-o” a raspy voice called a few feet away.

 

Turning to see the woman that belonged to the familiar voice, Pain's body tensed. There, laying in her own blood, was Konan.

 

“If you save her, you will be a hypocrite. She is `human' too. She must feel the suffering of your `subjects'.” The blond shot out.

 

More screams from Sakura could be heard after a rather large explosion.

 

“Maybe” Pain/Nagato turned slowly, a glared that would top the Uchiha's best focused on Naruto “Sakura could use some help”

 

The threat was loud and clear.

 

His anger peaked. The Chakra started to surround his body.

 

The pain.

 

Nagato started to turn toward Sakura's voice, as if he were going to fulfill his threat, leaving Konan to cough up more blood and slip into unconsciousness.

 

The world around him turned red. His entire body felt like it was on fire.

 

NO! he screamed in his head. NO! I WON'T LET YOU!

 

Nagato took a step.

 

“NO!!” Naruto fell to the ground. The pain consuming him. “NOO!”

 

Suddenly, a piece of chakra, a new green colored chakra, appeared. A chakra in the shape of a crow.

 

The pain ceased.

 

A new kind of power filling his body.

 

It took a minute before he realized what exactly happened. He could control it. The foxes chakra. Their chakra's molded together creating something new.

 

That was when it hit him.

 

Itachi Uchiha.

 

The Uchiha's were the only beings in existence that could control the demon.

 

Itachi gave him the power over the eight-tailed beast.

 

The power to stop Sasuke.

 

With the demon on his side. Sasuke didn't stand a chance.

 

Pain took another step.

 

He followed.

 

Konan and Sakura forgotten.

 

Stopping Pain, and protecting the village became his top priority.

 

#$%^&*&^%$^

 

Naruto sat up in bed breathing heavy. Sweat dripped down his forehead.

 

Why the hell was he having that dream now? That was odd. Laying back down he was annoyed to find his pillow soaked. Damn his sweating.

 

Closing his eyes, he placed his arm over them. That day was one that changed his life, along everybody else's as well. The memories haunted him. The dead bodies that littered the village once the fight ended was horrifying. Thanks to Sakura's and Tsunade, the death toll was nowhere near what it could have been, but having a death toll was still horrible.

 

However, there was something to be concerned about. Konan disappeared. Pain was dead. He had made sure to that, but his partner was gone. He remembered seeing her turn gray from lack of blood. There was no way she could have survived her injured. Ones in which no one admitted to inflict upon the last remaining Akasuki member.

 

So who wounded her and where could she have gone?

 

Turning to his side he yawned.

 

The real question was where the hell was Sasuke?

 

He never showed. He never attacked and he never helped. The battle lasted nine days. Long enough for Nagato to get annoyed and make his way to finish the fight himself. There was no way Sasuke didn't know about it. There was also no way he could have been in a place that would have prevented him getting their before it ended.

 

The idea that Sasuke just didn't care hurt more than he cared to admit to. Instead of dwelling on the bad Naruto was just going to assume that Sasuke cared and believed that they were strong enough to fight off whatever Akasuki threw their way…

 

…yes, what a pleasant thought.

 

Yawning once again, he went over his `to do list' for the next day before his eyes closed, and he slept like the dead.

 

$%^&*(&^%

 

“Hinata” Hiashi called from across the breakfast table. His eyes glued to the scroll of official clan reports in his hand.

 

“Yes father” Her soft voice barely made it to his ears. The doors had been open, letting a cool breeze drift into the dinning hall. The smell of flowers from the garden surrounded her, putting her in a peace like daze until her father had interrupted it.

 

“Now that you are the only heir, you have responsibilities to the clan.”

 

“Yes father.” How many times was she supposed to be told about that? She knew it. She tried to be strong.

 

“There is one other duty that we have never discuss that is vital to the clans success.” Putting down his scroll he closed his eyes before continuing. This was never a good sign for her. “You are to find a strong ninja who could help give the clan strong heirs.”

 

Her breath caught in her throat. What he arranging a marriage between her and some unknown man?

 

Seeing her discomfort and fear he sighed. “It is not customary, at least not anymore, to arrange marriages, but you will be required to marry and have children. If you reach an age of concern then you will be required to marry the head of the branch family.”

 

Her chest felt as if something was trying to pierce it will a dull object. “Neji?”

 

He nodded. “Do not worry Hinata. You still have many years left.”

 

She felt like crying. This clan had taken just about everything from her, now the one chance at happiness will be taken too. She had nothing left of her own. She had to find a strong ninja, by THEIR standards no less, within the next couple of years or she will be forced to marry her cousin, who she considers her brother.

 

She would have to have sex with her cousin.

 

Oh god.

 

They would never agree to let her marry Naruto.

 

Tears filled her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. What if Naruto didn't want her? She couldn't imagine being with anybody else.

 

At that moment she wished that she had been born in the branch family. At least that way she could be free.

 

“Hinata” Her fathers voice scared her. It had turned soft; a softness she had never heard come from him before. “I know that you fancy that Naruto kid. I will not disagree with the match, but you will not be able to take his name. He must take yours. He must also forget any dreams he has in being the Hokage. You two will have too many responsibilities for him to be away all the time.”

 

A spark of anger started to fill her. Something unfamiliar to her.

 

How dare he. How dare they. Allowing her to be with the one she loved only if he gave up all of his dreams.

 

This was unfair.

 

This was cruel.

 

This was the curse of the members of the head family.

!@#$%^&*()(*&^%$#@!

 

Taking in a breath of fresh air Naruto smiled. He was currently sitting in the park on the same bench he sat with Sakura when she told him about Sasuke. He had yet to accomplish a single thing he set out to, but for some reason nothing could dampen his mood.

 

The first of the short list of errands was to find Sakura and give her a good portion of the money Jiraiya left him. From what Shikamaru said, which the blond couldn't figure out why that lazy ass knew and not him, Sakura was on a high-ranking mission that was deemed classified until further notice. She was not expected back for at least two weeks.

 

The second thing he was to do, was find Hinata and check up on the girl. He didn't like how she acted when her sister died, and couldn't help but worry. It had been long enough, he thought, so see any kind of progress, but she was gone too. For some reason Hiashi stared at him the whole time he was there asking about her. His eyes seemed calculating. Luckily she wasn't on a mission, just out and about around the village. The day was still young maybe he'd still run into her.

 

The third thing, was talk to Lady Tsunade about building an orphanage. Even that woman, who was normally doing some kind of paper work, was out of the office. He couldn't even find somebody to tell him where she was.

 

The last thing, which he still hadn't done yet, but had every intention of doing after he left the bench, was open an account with the money he wanted to give Sasuke. He knew that sasuke lost his home and clan's wealth when he left, but when he came back he would need something to come back to.

 

No he wasn't living in a dream world. Sasuke WILL come back.

 

Looking around him the scene was enough to lift his mood to an even higher point. The park, in which held the ending fight between him and Nagato a few years before, was now serine. The glory of the park pre-apocalyptic battle was nothing compared to it now. Flowers and tree everywhere. The greenest grass he had ever seen. Jungle gyms for the kids to play on. A small pond with a fountain in the middle. The children ran around, laughing and playing. Every now and again some would smile and wave at him.

 

The village accepted him now.

 

They saw him fighting for them. He sacrificed himself for them, and they recognized him for it.

 

“Naruto”

 

Glancing up he smiled at the groups of boys that stood not too far off smiling at him.

 

“Yeah” he called back, sitting back against the bench.

 

“You wanna play ball with us?” Various yells of agreement followed.

 

Watching the faces of the waiting boys he had to fight back the tears. Over the last few years he had played games with the children of the village. He was their new favorite person, and for once the parents didn't mind. But still, after all this time, it was such a wonderful feeling to have the kind of trust placed in him. To have people want to be around him. To not fear or hate him.

 

This was truly peaceful.

 

Now if he could only find the `goddess' everything would be perfect.

 

$%^&*(*&^%$%^&*

 

She watched him from a building not too far off.

 

Hinata smiled.

 

Naruto was being chased by the children, who were trying to get the ball that he had back. It was a normal game he played with them. One where it made the children of the village use their ninja techniques they learned from the academy and their families, in a situation similar to a real battle.

 

Naruto would use his techniques on the kids, but never really hurting them. Besides, the kids loved it. They thought it was fun.

 

The game always lasted at least an hour, and they couldn't get the ball back until they worked together and cornered the blond.

 

Teaching teamwork.

 

The most important thing a person has to master before he is considered a true ninja.

 

Naruto was training the next generation of Ninja's and he didn't even realize it.

 

He would make a great Hokage.

 

And an even better father.

 

“Your feelings remain after all this time”

 

Hinata jumped. She shouldn't have, she knew, but she was so engrossed in the game below her she didn't sense the presence of her brother/cousin.

 

“Hello, Neji, what brings you out here?” She turned her head and smiled at him. She surprised herself with her quiet, but clear voice. There was no stutter.

 

Neji was her closest friends. After he had gotten over his bitterness toward the head family he took on the role he had been chosen for from birth. He was to protect Hinata, and he did so without thinking.

 

He took a few steps and sat beside her on the edge of the building. Their legs danged over the side.

 

“You never answered my question”

 

They both looked out over the park, watching small explosions go off, and playful yells as a few boys launched themselves at Naruto, only to fall into a puddle of mud made by another child's failed water attack.

 

“That was close” Naruto's voice echoed up toward them.

 

Hinata giggled while Neji just smirked.

 

“He's changed” Neji stated as if there were no other truths.

 

Hinata's smiled widened. “No Neji, he may have gotten stronger physically, but he is still the exact same Naruto he was before.”

 

“Without the immaturity”

 

She nodded. “Most of the time. No one made the effort to get to know him, so when people say that he has changed it isn't true. He's always been caring and playful. Always been strong and wanted to help others.”

 

Silence took over while they watched the scene together. While keeping the ball from the other children, Naruto defended himself against the mob of younglings. He was so engrossed in the current battle he didn't notice the small five year old girl, sneak up to him. Before he knew it, she kicked him in the shin as hard as she could.

 

Not only did it take him by surprise, but she put just enough force behind it to make him trip and fall backwards, his eye open in shock. As soon as his back hit the ground he was covered in screaming children.

 

The ball forgotten somewhere.

 

Hinata giggled.

 

“He would make a good father”

 

“Yes he would” Hinata agreed.

 

“He'd have strong heirs”

 

She giggled again as she watched Naruto attempt to crawl away from the children who held onto his arms and legs, and the ones sitting on his back.

 

“Yes he will”

 

“Any woman would want to wed him”

 

Hinata had to pause before she answered that question. The thought of another woman having him froze her blood. “You're right”

 

Neji nodded. “Including you”

 

She sighed. There was no point in hiding it. Neji knew more than she cared to know herself.

 

“Yes, including me”

 

She couldn't believe she said it. She felt as if a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

 

First the lack of a stutter, then the courage to admit to her crush; what was happening to he?

 

“What are you going to do about it?”

 

She didn't want to have this conversation. “There isn't anything I can do. Naruto wants to be Hokage. He would have to give it up to be with me.” Her voices sounded so quiet and small, it could have belonged to a mouse.

 

Making something that sounded like a grunt he stood. Turned to leave he stopped. Not bothering to look at his cousin. “It would be hard for any member of the clan to tell the leader what the conditions of her marriage should be.”

 

With that he was gone, leaving Hinata to watch the blond buy the crowd of thirty something kids ice cream.

 

The leader DID rule over the other clan members.

 

She smiled.