Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Mended Hearts ❯ Reminiscence ( Chapter 3 )

 

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. I wish I did, but I don't.

 

Summary: AU Naruto hides many secrets from Konohagakure no Sato. As time continues, Naruto's precious people learn the hard way that many secrets are best left untouched, and that Naruto is not at all what they believed.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Chapter 3: Reminiscence~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

“I'm well aware that you wanted to lead the mission, but we need you for a different purpose right now,” Tsunade said.

 

Naruto raised an unseen eyebrow behind his mask. “And that would be?”

 

“Firstly, you and the other Oinin will select a new Kou no Tori, Secondly, A-class mission: Teams 7, 8, and the remainder of Team 10 and Team Gai will take the Chunin Selection Examinations. It is being held in two weeks here in Konoha. You will pass, failure is not acceptable. Ensure that at least one genin from all four teams pass.” Naruto nodded and Tsunade continued, “Thirdly, S-class mission: Iwa and Konoha have recently signed a treaty. We will be swapping Hunter-nin. You will be there for a year. This is to maintain goodwill between our two villages. The contract expires one year and a month from today, at which time, you may return. Any questions?”

 

“Yeah, why me?”

 

“You should already know. It is a sign and test of goodwill and trust that Konoha is sending the son of our late Yondaime to the village that suffered most during the conflict between Iwa and Konoha.”

 

“The shinobe will uphold the prestige of their village by no breaking contract, but I highly doubt the villagers will care with an opportunity to gain revenge against the son of Konoha's Yellow Flash right in front of them.”

 

“Zeiguwa…”

 

Naruto sighed. “Yoroshii… Ninmu ryoukai.” With that, he vanished in a puff of smoke.

 

Kakashi, standing guard outside the door, frowned behind his wolf ANBU mask. Which of the Rookie 9 was the Hunter, and if Zeiguwa was indeed the Yondaime's legacy, and not like Naruto, who was left behind as the Yondaime's protection to Konoha against the Kyuubi, then why was his face and heritage never revealed?

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

---“Sandaime-jiji!” A young Naruto, leapt through the window of the tower, only noticing the three Hunter-nin inside the office after he landed. The child turned red in embarrassment. “G-gomen… I'll come back later…”

 

One of the nin, with his mask painted to match the face of a wolf, cocked his head as the child slipped past him toward the door. His gloved hand shot out, catching the child by the shoulder. To the surprise of the nin inside the room, the golden haired child twisted in his grasp, his hands moving up to grip his wrist in a firm grip as he pushed his body off the floor and kicked out with his right foot, aiming for Ookami's chest.

 

Ookami's lips curved in a satisfied smile behind his mask as he caught the child's leg and tossed him into the air. He nodded to the nin beside him, and Tora leapt forward, catching the child as he fell, lightly setting the four year old on his feet in front of the Hokage's desk.

 

Ookami knelt to look into Naruto's eyes, and to the surprise of everyone present, he removed his mask, revealing a well defined face, delicate nose, and deep almond shaped violet eyes which seemed to penetrate into one's very soul. Naruto twitched nervously.

 

“Who taught you taijutsu, Uzumaki-kun?” Ookami asked gently.

 

The child seemed to shrink into himself and he stared at the floor. “N-no one…” he whispered.

 

Kou no Tori stared at the child. “Are you saying that you watched the academy students or the elder ninja training, and simply mimicked what you saw?” she asked, a hint of hostility in her inflectionless voice.

 

Naruto didn't look up and gave a slight nod, his shoulders slumping.

 

Tora knelt beside the child and placed her hand on his shoulder. “That's very impressive, Uzumaki-kun,” she murmured. “For someone your age, your speed and precision is very advanced.”

 

Naruto looked up in surprise. Ookami smiled and rose to his feet, replacing his mask on his face. “I have decided, Hokage-sama. With your permission, I would like to have Uzumaki Naruto for an apprentice.”

 

Kou no Tori snapped, “Absolutely not.”

 

Ookami frowned. “He has the potential,” he said.

 

“I agree with Kou no Tori, Ookami-san,” Tora said softly. “While it is impressive that Uzumaki-kun has such speed and precision for someone who is self trained, it would not be in his best interest for him to be apprenticed to a Hunter.”

 

Kou no Tori nodded, “I may not like the boy, but he is only a child. Potential like his may not appear often, but he is far to young to be initiated into the rigors of the world of Hunter-nin. Tutor him if you like, but he is too young to become a Hunter-nin.”

 

“I was his age when I was apprenticed to a Hunter-nin,” Ookami countered.

 

“You all make good arguments,” the Sandaime said, “But Naruto is the Yondaime's legacy. A Hunter-nin is a dangerous occupation, and with Arashi's death, Naruto is the last of his Clan.”

 

Kou no Tori said finally, “In which case, I retract my argument.”

 

“Kou no Tori-san?” Tora asked.

 

“If Uzumaki-kun is indeed the Yondaime's legacy, then what safer position would he be in than in the midst of Konoha's best fighters? He will not only hone his natural abilities, but he will also be protected. After all, very few can meet a Hunter's high standards for what is required in an apprentice,” Kou no Tori said.

 

“Kou no Tori-san!” Tora said, “Please reconsider! If Uzumaki-kun is the Yondaime's son, then he should not be put into the type of situations that a Hunter must face!”

 

“He faces assassins for being the Kyuubi's vessel,” Ookami said, “Imagine how many more assassins he will face once it gets out that Uzumaki Naruto is Kazama Arashi's son. He will be better off as a Hunter. We can give him training that the Ninja Academy cannot. We can give him protection that the ANBU cannot.”

 

“It is Naruto's life we are now discussing,” Sandaime said, turning toward the child. “Well, Naruto, what do you think? Will you wait for another year to go to the academy and become a shinobe, or will you become the apprentice of Hunters?”

 

“I will be a Hunter,” Naruto said, his blue eyes sparkling with determination.

 

“I will hone you into the weapon, known as the Hunter. I will teach you the art of stealth, tracking, silent killing, and the history of the Hunter,” Kou no Tori said.

 

Tora sighed. “I will teach you the art of genjutsu and ninjutsu.”

 

“And I will teach you the art of taijutsu and kenjutsu,” Ookami said.

 

“So it is decided,” Sandaime said, rising. “Kazama Kazuki, for your protection you were renamed Uzumaki Naruto. Yet from this day forward, you are the Apprentice Hunter, Zeiguwa. Anything that the Hunters do not teach you, you will learn in the Ninja Academy, which you will still attend.”---

 

­Naruto's eyes opened and he sat up, his gloved hand rising to his forehead. His hand dropped to his lap as he raised his eyes to the sky, the dappled sunlight falling lightly over his porcelain mask.

 

“A ryo for your thoughts, Zeiguwa-kun?”

 

“The past,” Naruto answered, leaning back against the tree trunk.

 

“You were such an earnest child,” Mizuhebi murmured. “Now we only see a shadow of the child you once were when you are with Cell 7 or your year mates and even then, it a false. That orange jumpsuit and bright boisterous face you show to your peers is little more than a mask behind which you hide the Hunter.”

 

“I made my first kill when I was six, nearly a year and three months after I was first apprenticed to Kou no Tori-san,” Naruto answered, “and I have been killing ever since. It was an inevitable change.”

 

“But one cannot help but wish you did not change. You were the one who reminded the Hunters of what we were killing for, the children of the next generation. You were and still are the unspoken symbol of the innocence and purity that exists inside of Konoha. It was your presence among the Hunters that reminded us that we were still human.”

 

“Unwittingly, the student became the teacher, and the teacher the student,” Naruto murmured, his eyes distant.

 

Mizuhebi smiled behind his mask. “It was an interesting time, having a child run around in the Oinin district…”

 

---Mizuhebi blinked at the sight of the masked child dressed in black and navy who stood behind Ookami. “Who is this?” his voice was slightly incredulous behind his mask.

 

“Zeiguwa,” Kou no Tori said firmly, “He is to be our apprentice.”

 

“Our apprentice?” Hagetake said, looking up from the kunai he was sharpening. “I thought an apprentice Oinin could only be apprenticed to one Hunter at a time?”

 

“Zeiguwa is a special case,” Ookami said. “He is here to learn what the Academy cannot teach him.”

 

Kurohyou blinked. “You have to be joking. You expect the six Primary Oinin to train one boy, as well as our own apprentices?”

 

“If you choose not to,” Tora said, “Ookami-san, Kou no Tori-san, and I will train the boy alone. We have already decided what the boy shall learn from the three of us, and he will grow to be a great Hunter.”

 

“I refuse to train a child to become a murderer,” Hagetake said, turning away.

 

“I am young,” Zeiguwa said softly, “But I am not naïve enough to think that I can be a shinobe without killing. A genin must kill to defend their life if the situation calls for it.”

 

Kurohyou chuckled. “The boy is smart. I will help train him. He has unlimited potential which I shall help him unleash.”---

 

---“Kurohyou-sama!!!”

 

Kurohyou turned and smiled behind his mask. “Okaeri, chibi. How was survival training with Kou no Tori?”

 

“Chibi janai yo! Kou no Tori-sama is a harsh taskmistress,” Zeiguwa yelled.

 

“He was horribly loud,” Kou no Tori's inflectionless voice said.

 

Kurohyou did not so much as twitch. “Well, he is a child, but he will learn.”---

 

---“Oi! Zeiguwa-kun! Watch out!”

 

“Left, Karasu-chan! Turn left!”

 

“Right!”

 

“No! LEFT!!!”

 

“Right!”

 

“NO!!! LEFT!!!! TURN LEFT!!!!”

 

“Roger!”

 

“Watch out!”

 

Crash! Bang!

 

“EEEKKK!!!!”

 

“Gomen nasai!”

 

“Duck!”

 

Crash! Bang! Shatter!

 

“Zeiguwa!!! Karasu!!! You are so dead!!!”

 

“Yikes! We gotta split up, Zeiguwa-kun!”

 

“Yah!! See ya later, Karasu-chan!”

 

“Gotcha! You little troublemakers….”---

 

“Those were the good days,” Mizuhebi chuckled.

 

“Aa…”

 

Silence….

 

“Hokage-sama wishes for us to select a replacement for Kou no Tori-san…” Naruto murmured.

 

“Sou ka? It was only a matter of time.”

 

Silence…

 

“I heard you will be swapped with a nin from Iwa.”

 

“Aa.”

 

“To be the one selected to maintain a treaty, it is a high honor.”

 

“Aa.”

 

Silence…

 

“Hey, aren't you late for your meeting with Cell 7?”

 

“Hmm? Sou ka… Domo arigato…” Naruto vanished in a swirl of leaves.

 

Mizuhebi stayed in the tree and looked upward, toward the top of the trees as the dappled light danced around him. “Where have you gone, Naruto-kun? Why is that bright child little more than a mask? Have you ever regretted your choice? Because I know that more than one of our comrades does, now that they see what you have become…”

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

“Yo!”

 

“YOU'RE LATE!!!”

 

“Maaa… Gomen, demo I got lost on the road of life…”

 

“USO!!!”

 

Ah… It was better than coffee… Hey, wait a minute… Where is the boisterous loudmouth?

 

“Eh? Where's Naruto?”

 

A bright orange blur dropped to the ground. “Sorry I'm Late!”

 

“NARUTO!!!! WHY ARE YOU LATE!?”

 

“I was training and lost track of time!”

 

“You BAKA!!!”

 

“Hn. Dobe.”

 

“Sasuke… Teme…”

 

“Don't call Sasuke-kun that!”

 

Smack!

 

“Itai…”

 

Kakashi's eye curved in an affectionate smile. Yep, definitely better than coffee…

 

“You'll be glad to hear this,” he said, pulling out three sheets of paper, “I have nominated you for the chunin exams.”

 

“Honto?!”

 

“Yatta!!!!”

 

Smirk. “Hnn.”

 

“Well, you're dismissed.”

 

Kakashi vanished in a puff of smoke. Sakura laughed and latched herself to Sasuke.

 

“Let's celebrate by going out on a date, Sasuke-kun!”

 

“No.” Sasuke shook her off and left.

 

Sakura pouted and ran off the bridge. “Sasuke-kun, wait for me!!!”

 

Naruto leaned against the railing, the registration sheet held lightly in his hand, a faraway look in his eyes.

 

---“Firstly, you and the other Oinin will select a new Kou no Tori, Secondly, A-class mission: Teams 7, 8, and the remainder of Team 10 and Team Gai will take the Chunin Selection Examinations. It is being held in two weeks here in Konoha. You will pass, failure is not acceptable. Ensure that at least one genin from all four teams pass.” Naruto nodded and Tsunade continued, “Thirdly, S-class mission: Iwa and Konoha have recently signed a treaty. We will be swapping Hunter-nin. You will be there for a year. This is to maintain goodwill between our two villages. The contract expires one year and a month from today, at which time, you may return. Any questions?”---

 

“Questions I have in plenty, but how many have true answers, and how many answers are merely speculation?” he whispered.

 

---“Where have you gone, Naruto-kun? Why is that bright child little more than a mask? Have you ever regretted your choice? Because I know that more than one of our comrades does, now that they see what you have become…”---

 

“I am here, where I have always been… Am I truly little more than a mask? I don't know anymore… I have changed, I know it. But am I still myself? I have killed so many for so long… But I know I have never regretted my choice, though I regret the lie that I live for the sake of those I love… But why regret for my sake? I am nothing more than a shinobe, a tool, one that will be used and discarded when that use is expired…”

 

Naruto closed his eyes and turned his face upward and opened them, cerulean orbs reflecting the clear azure sky.

 

“Who am I? Am I Uzumaki Naruto, a loud and boisterous ninja with great potential, Kazama Kazuki, the son of the Yondaime, or am I Zeiguwa, the murderer, the Hunter? What am I? A demon, a human, or a shinobe? I don't know anymore…”

 

Naruto sighed and slipped the paper into his pouch and pushed off the railing. He walked away, and once he was off the bridge, he vanished in a swirl of leaves.

 

His mission awaited…

CSA Version 7 Mended Hearts What Are You Hiding?