Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Secrets of the Leaf: A Fox's Tale ❯ Haunted Memories ( Chapter 1 )

Summary: Kazama Chudoku became an ANBU at thirteen. He was partnered with a sixteen year old ANBU for three years. Now he's sent solo for a long time and doesn't see his partner until seven years later—as his sensei.

 

Secrets of the Leaf: A Fox's Tale

Haunted Memories

 

“Kyuubi's attacking! Kyuubi's attacking!” yelled someone from outside the Hokage's tower. Yondaime Hokage looked out he window to see the giant nine tailed fox. He watched as villagers flew by in an attempt attack to bring the demon down. Nothing was working. Yondaime tried to think of what to do. They needed Kyuubi dead, and fast.

 

Yondaime's eyes fell onto a scroll on his desk and the idea came to him. It was risky, and deadly, but it would work. Without another thought Yondaime addressed the boy who looked no older than ten.

 

“Chudoku,” Yondaime spoke, “I need you to get Sarutobi.”

 

Chudoku nodded and raced off. He ran through the streets quickly, feeling out the chakra that belonged to Sarutobi. He stopped before the old man who was coming towards him, towards the direction of the Hokage's tower.

 

“Sarutobi-sama!” Sarutobi's head turned towards Chuudoku's as quick as lightning.

 

“You shouldn't be out! Kyuubi's attacking!” Sarutobi cried.

 

“Onii-sama (big brother) sent me to get you,” Chudoku told him. “He has a plan, I know it! He knows how to defeat Kyuubi! But—But the look in his eyes…Sarutobi-sama you have to hurry!”

 

Sarutobi gave the barest of nods and followed after the ten year old. Together they raced towards the Hokage's tower.

 

Yondaime was ready to greet them.

 

“Sarutobi,” Yondaime spoke.

 

“Arashi,” Sarutobi replied. “Chudoku says you know how to defeat Kyuubi.” Chudoku looked at Arashi—Yondaime—square in the eye.

 

“I do indeed know how to defeat the demon,” Arashi spoke calmly, “but it is risky and dangerous. I will need both of your help to do this properly. Chudoku, I need you to create a Kage Bunshin and make it appear as a child. It must grow normally for at least thirteen years.” Chudoku's eyes widened.

 

“But I can't! I don't have that much chakra! No one does!”

 

“Which is where my second part of the plan comes in,” Arashi replied. “I am going to seal Kyuubi, but the vessel must do this willingly or it will not work.” Arashi stared into Chudoku's eyes.

 

“You want me to be the vessel,” Chudoku whispered softly.

 

“Arashi!” Sarutobi cut in. “You can not do this! There must be—”

 

“There is no other way, Sarutobi,” Arashi stared at Sarutobi now before he turned back to Chudoku. “Chudoku? Kyodai? (brother)”

 

“H-Hai (yes),” Chudoku said after a moment's hesitation. “Hai, I'll do it, onii-sama. I'll be the vessel.” Arashi gave a small smile.

 

“Arigato. (thank you) Kyodai, I—”

 

“I know,” Chudoku replied. “I'll miss you onii-sama.”

 

“You sure about this?” Sarutobi questioned. He had been analyzing he entire plan. “If anything goes wrong—”

 

“It won't,” Arashi turned and said. “I know it won't.” he turned back towards his brother. “I'll miss you.”

 

“Are you totally—”

 

“Hai.”

 

“Sho ga nai. (no choice) Wakarimasu. (I understand)”

 

A loud bang sounded and the ground shook.

 

“Anata no seiko o inorimasu (I wish you success),” Sarutobi spoke as Arashi raced out of the tower. “Anata no seiko o inorimasu.”

 

Chudoku watched as his brother left. He reached out a hand to his retreating form and whispered, “Sayonara (goodbye), forever.”

 

A few hand seals later a Kage Bunshin was created and disguised to look like a child. By the time this was finished Arashi had reached Kyuubi, summoned Gamabunta, and performed the jutsu. He died with Chudoku's name on his lips, and at the Hokage's tower Chudoku screamed.

 

“ONII-SAMA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

 

…

 

A young thirteen year old blonde haired blue eyed man shot up gasping. His throat was hoarse meaning he had screamed again. He closed his eyes, thankful that Sarutobi, the Sandaime Hokage, had been able to silence the room so that no one heard…well no one besides Sarutobi that is. That might've been why the old man was staring at Chudoku from the doorway.

 

“Another one?” Sarutobi questioned.

 

“Hai,” Chudoku mumbled, getting out of bed. He walked towards he kitchen to pull out some instant ramen (Sarutobi chuckled, muttering something that sounded like “must run in the family”) and began to make breakfast.

 

“I've heard I'm supposed to get a new mission today, and possibly a partner…?” Chudoku began as a way of conversation.

 

“That's correct,” Sarutobi replied. Chudoku passed some ramen to him.

 

“Humph, I don't need a partner.”

 

“It'll do you some good.”

 

“They'll just end up dying.”

 

“I swear to you he won'.”

 

“I fail to see that.”

 

“He's a lot like you, you know. Arashi was his teacher.”

 

That froze Chudoku in midway through spooning up some ramen. In a manner of seconds the bowl was gone and Chudoku walking out the door, wearing a near exact replica of what Arashi wore, only with a blue coat instead of red.

 

“Lock the door when you leave.”

 

Chudoku was gone, leaving Sarutobi to his thoughts.

 

“Maybe I shouldn't have mentioned Arashi,” the old man mumbled as he stood. He cleaned the bowl and left; he made sure he locked the door behind him before he walked away.

 

As the old man left Chudoku disappeared from Konohagakure, intent on relaxing in a clearing to think.

 

Their clearing.

 

The thought brought tears to his eyes. He and Arashi had discovered the clearing three days after his graduation. Arashi would spend his free time with Chudoku in this place.

 

Chudoku fell to his knees beside a tree and let the tears fall. He missed his brother dearly, and would do anything to get him back, but knew he couldn't. His brother gave up his life so that the villagers could live, so that everyone would remain safe, and Chudoku was going to make sure that dream would come true.

 

But right now…right now he just wanted to cry. He just wanted to hope that this life was all a dream, that everything was a joke, and that Arashi would jump out of the trees to surprise him like he did so many times before. He wanted him to comfort him, to help chase away his loneliness. He wanted his brother to spar with, to laugh with. He wanted his brother back. He knew the truth, though, and it hurt like hell.

 

Arashi was never going to jump out of the trees to surprise him. He was never going to comfort him and chase away the loneliness. He was never going to spar with him, or make him laugh. He was not coming back. Chudoku knew, he knew, that Arashi was never going to be able to do anything anymore, and it was all Kyuubi's fault. It was all the demon fox's fault. The demon fox that resided within him. It was all his fault, and it was all Chudoku's fault as well, for bearing the demon fox.

 

With those melancholic thoughts in mind he turned towards the shadows and pulled out a blade.

 

`I'll join you soon, onii-sama. I'll come to you, I'll kill the demon inside of me with me, and I'll see you again.'

 

He slid he blade along his arm, watching as the crimson liquid flowed down his arm. The pain was mere numb to him. He didn't feel it, couldn't. Then the poison began to take place, and Chudoku collapsed into unconsciousness.

 

…

 

Chudoku awoke to the white walls of the hospital, and Sarutobi's face.

 

“That is the third time in two weeks, Chudoku,” Sarutobi spoke. “You must stop trying to do this. What would Arashi say?”

 

Chudoku turned his head away. He knew what Arashi would say. It was dishonorable to kill oneself. If anyone knew who he was, they would know of his death and thus claim his family as outcasts. Unfortunately he was what was left of the Kazama's.

 

“Will you stop?” Sarutobi questioned after a prolonged silence.

 

“I will try,” Chudoku replied.

 

“Good. Now, slide that mask on, you're going to meet your partner, and before you ask, you are both of equal status, even if he has been an ANBU for three years.”

 

Chudoku nodded his head silently and slid the mask on his face. Another masked ANBU walked into the room. Chudoku studied him as he studied Chudoku.

 

“So,” Chudoku spoke after a moment, “I am guessing you are sixteen?”

 

“And you are thirteen,” the masked ANBU said. “This is insulting, pairing me with a child.”

 

Chudoku smirked beneath the mask. “Possibly, when I am fully healed, we could have a battle of strengths?”

 

“Pfft, I'd win against you any day.”

 

“I'd like to see you try.”

 

“Why did you try to kill yourself?”

 

The question was unexpected.

 

“You wouldn't understand,” Chudoku snarled.

 

“Only weaklings try for death. You shame your family.”

 

Chudoku remained silent. Then he spoke:

 

“I have no family.”

 

He felt the others chakra change slightly, one to that of…pity? Empathy? He couldn't tell which.

 

“Why have you tried to kill yourself?” Chudoku spoke. He was taking a wild guess by saying this, not knowing if it was true or not, but he received his answer in the silence that followed. His guess was correct. “You say I shame my family? What about you? Do you shame your family or are you different from the rest? Above the laws?”

 

The masked ANBU was silent before standing.

 

“You will never understand my pain.”

 

With those final words the young ANBU left.

 

Chudoku lay in silence, contemplating his new partner.

 

`You'll never understand my pain either, Wolf, and you will never know the truth.'

 

With that Chudoku fell back into blissful unconsciousness.