Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ The Reflection of Oneself ❯ Reckless ( Chapter 6 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

The Reflection of Oneself

Chapter 6: Reckless

Pride.

It has been the reason we have achieved our greatest victories and suffered our greatest defeats.

On once side, Pride allows us to be strong and to believe in ourselves for a unified cause. On the other, Pride affects our state of logic and drives us to believe that we are better then others. It can make us valiant or bigoted - cruel or kind.

You never know when it will change from being you comrade to your enemy. When you least exact it happen, it will turn its back on you faster then you can blink. Fickle it is, in its choice of whom it helps and for how long it helps them. Pride is a dangerous predator that lies in wait for it's unsuspecting pray to come along.

So when you look at yourself in the mirror, what do you see? An arrogant face or a dignified face?

You tell me.

Ten minutes later Nanikato found himself standing before the long charred ruins of what had a beautiful shop only an hour ago. He could hear Sasuke shifting uncomfortably behind him as he moved closer. A chill wind blew in ruffling his shoulder length hair as he finally stepped into the burnt out building. It was like a forlorn ghost, whispering into his ear as ventured within, charcoaled wood and ash crushing under his feet.

“Now do you believe me?”

The blonde turned back to looked at his sensei.

“I just don't see how it could be possible” the boy shivered. “I was hear and everything was new. I remember every little detail of what I say as though someone burned the image on the backs of my eyes. And I…”

Sasuke cocked his head. “You what?”

Nanikato frowned.

“I sense a presence. You say that Tanabata-hime is dead - I believe you now. But I did see her. She was here… I think she still is here…”

He stood there and shivered.

“Do you think she's an Ikiryou?”

The question hadn't really been spoken to anyone in particular, but sit right with Sasuke.

“Lets go”

He turned back to his sensei, seeing that the older man had grown rather uncomfortable standing within these ruins. Sighing softly, he nodded. Following the quickly retreating Uchiha, Nanikato gaze around the burnt shop once more.

He didn't know why he had seen what he had, but it left him disturbed and wondering just what kind of things he could do other then being able to see ghosts.

The slow trek back to their training ground was uneventful, save for the civilians that whispered annoying at their passing. Thinking about other things, like what he was going to be taught next, Nanikato was able to ignore them all.

“Okay now,”

It had taken Sasuke at least ten minutes once that had gotten back to the training grounds to regain he bearings. The blonde watched as the older man shoved his unwanted thoughts aside and decided to focus on the task at hand.

He then held up what looked to be a normal slip of paper and smirked at the blonde seated before him.

“Take this piece paper and channel your chakra into it. The result will show you which elemental affinity your chakra possesses. If you have Fire affinity, the paper will burst into flames. If you have Water affinity, the paper will get soggy. If you have Earth affinity, the paper will turn to dust. If you have Lightning affinity, the paper will crumple. And if you have Air affinity, the paper with split in two. Now while it possible to have multiple affinities, the cases are rare”

He held up another piece of paper and channeled his chakra into it. It burst into flames.

“My affinity is Fire. I also have an aptitude for another element, but it is not an affinity. That talent is Lightning. Now you give it a try”

To say that Nanikato was confused would have been an understatement. It had been just over a month since the start of his `new' life here in Otogakure. A little over two week ago, his sensei, Uchiha Sasuke, had hated him.

He had even gone so far as to attack him.

But strangely enough, the man had changed and kept changing. He was calmer now and wouldn't go apocalyptic the blonde said or did something wrong, but rather grit his teeth. It was something that bothered the boy more and more each day.

“Very well sensei”

He reached out and took the proffered piece of paper. Focusing his charka like the raven haired man had taught him, Nanikato channeled chakra into his fingertips and into the paper. For a second, nothing happened.

Then to his surprise, the piece of paper split in two.

“Umm…”

Sasuke took one the halves and nodded. “Okay, so you have an affinity for Wind. It could be interpreted in many different ways, but I'd say right now you are a gentle breeze. In given time and with more training, you could become a ferocious storm”

He gazed with interest as Sasuke reached into small bag slug over his shoulder and began to sort through it. After a few minutes, he pulled out three scrolls.

“These scrolls contain the intrusions for four different Fuuton jutsus. The first is Kamikaze no Kodate - C-rank; the second is Fuuton: Mansakebigoe - B-rank; the third isFuuton: Kujiku - A-rank. Once you have learned to manipulate your element, I will let you learn these in the order of their rank. Right now, you are going to be trying to split this piece of leather”

Nanikato nearly fell over when he caught sight of the `piece' of leather Sasuke was talking about. It wasn't a piece - it was chunk! At least five inches wide and one inch thick! Muttering, the blonde took it from his sensei, glaring at the older man whilst he did so. The Uchiha merely smirked back.

“You'd better get started. I won't let you go until a see a decent sized cut”

This was going to be hell.

Five Hours Later:

The sun had begun to set and Nanikato barely made progress on his `piece' of leather. He was hot and sweaty, like had had just exerted himself by practicing the movements of his taijutsu style the Hissori no Ryuuchouken. He hurt all over and was more then a little pissed.

He had been working on manipulating his wind affinity for the past five and all he had to show for it was a tiny rip of about two centimeters. Inwardly cursing, he was cursing and plotting his revenge against Sasukefor having decided he wanted to revel in `slave driver mode'.

The bastard had even left him to go have dinner - yakisoba and sushi, as he so `nicely' pointed out afterwards.

`That damn teme! I'll get him back for this!' he growled silently, seething at the self-satisfied smirk on his sensei's pale face. `Try to make a fool out me why don't you. I prove you wrong!'

Focusing on the leather in his hands, he closed his eyes and focused to the point that his temples were throbbing with pain. He was about to stop when the pain suddenly faded. Opening his eyes, he gasped in shock at what he could see.

He was hovering above his own body!

Raising a hand to his face, he looked directly through it. In astonishment, he realized that he had removed himself from his body - became detached. From what Kabuto had told him about such things, it had to be some form of astral projection. It wouldn't have made any sense a few days ago, but after having met a ghost, he would believe almost anything now.

Looking down upon himself, he hovered before his body. Reaching out his senses, he felt the wind begin to whirl around him, moving to his unspoken call. He placing his ghostly hands over his flesh and blood ones, calling on the winds in the direction he wanted. To his pleasure, the leather slowly but surely began to tare apart.

“Nanikato! Stop!”

He cast a short glance over his shoulder. Sasuke was running towards him, his pale face even paler with fear. He shrugged it off. He wasn't going to stop now - not when he was so close to completing the exercise. Ignoring the dark haired man's frantic shouting, he continued to focus of splitting the leather.

“Nanikato! NANIKATO!”

Suddenly white-hot pain tore throw him.

Gasping, the blonde was thrown backwards. Landing on the ground, he looked up to see the Sasuke was shacking his unresponsive body. When the man received to answer, he began CPR as well as charging the body his own chakra.

Dazed and in pain, Nanikato tried to process what was happening.

`Chakra exhaustion…' he though weakly. `Kami, I am such an idiot…'

On his hands and knees, he began to crawl towards Sasuke and his own body. But the corners of his vision had already begun to growdark, fading. He knew that had to make it back to his body or else he would die.

Struggling, he fought to pull himself upright.

When he finally achieved that, he leaned over himself, reaching out with both hands as he allowed himself to fall forward into his body, everything going black.

-.ooOoo.-

“Nanikato…”

The rustling of leaves was calling to him.

“Nanikato…”

He stirred, but did not wake.

“Nanikato…”

The urgency in the mysterious whispery voice pushed at his conscious, pulling his mind towards wakefulness. He groaned, struggling through what felt like the deepest part of the ocean - all its weight bearing down upon him. His head throbbing painfully and throat felt raw while his eyelids acted like sandpaper upon the tender orbs below as he began forcing them open.

“Nanikato…”

When his eyes finally flickered open, he found himself surrounded by darkness. Sitting up, he gazed at his surroundings, finding himself in a darkened corridor. He had only experienced the likes of this once before.

Yesterday night as a matter of fact.

He was alone; starting out where had began the night before. The light wasn't here; then again it had led him to a pair of doors and had vanished beyond them. It had been trying to tell him something - show him something.

Struggling to his feet, Nanikato kept a hand on the wall for a guide and then staggering forward, he began to move down the corridor. Following his memories, he walked for what felt like hours, reenacting the journey from the previous dream.

So it wasn't long before he finally found the doors.

They were tall, almost menacing without the glow that had been with him before. Steeling his resolve, needing to know what was on the other side, the blonde reached out and pushed the doors open. Or at least tried to push them open. They were stubborn and heavy, making him put all his strength into getting them to budge.

It was only when they finally separated that the doors seemed as though they had been freshly oiled, swinging open silently without hesitation.

The chamber beyond was dimly lit by torchlight, casting much of it in shadows.

“So, you've finally come”

Nanikato gasped, whirling around to stare behind him.

What he saw nearly took his breath away. He blinked, started by the sight of his own reflection.

Before him stood a young boy his age, glowing softly. He was dressed in a simple white yukata with the kanji for Courage emblazoned over his heart, a strange green jewel adorning a chain around his neck. His hair was an unruly sunshine blonde that was cropped short, falling into his eyes and those eyes were the brilliant blue of a cloudless sky that is rarely ever seen. His skin was a light tan, like toasted honey and upon each cheek was a trio of whisker-like birthmarks, giving him an almost vulpine appearance.

For all he knew, they could have been twins.

His near mirror image gave him a foxy grin. “I'm glad to see you've decided to join me. I was rather disappointed when you went away yesterday”

Nanikato winced, backing away the boy.

The other blonde sighed, deflating with a pout. “I know - I'm loud. Many before you have complained about its volume. But it can't be helped - it's just the way I speak”

Then he stepped around Nanikato and walked into the room, beckoning as he past for the other boy to follow. Entering the chamber, the torchlight flared and bathed the room in a healthy glow. He blinked, his eyes readjusting to the change of light. Now, without the shadows, the longhaired blonde was now able to make out every detail.

Thick mosses and ivies covered the dampened wall, crawling and wrapping themselves around anything and everything they could reach. At the far end of the chamber a tall broken gate and beyond that was a pillar of the most dazzling light ever beheld by the eyes of man.

Drawn to it, Nanikato began walking forward, the boy at his side.

As they walked, he looked at the stranger.

“Who are you?”

The blonde grinned slyly. “Aren't you the inquisitive one” he laughed. “But don't you know it's polite to give you name first?”

“Umm…” Nanikato frowned. “I'm Kyuuzano Nanikato”

“I know”

“Then why'd you make me tell you if you already knew?”

The white clad boy shrugged. “Habit, I guess”

Finally they came to stop before the pillar of light.

“This is your inheritance,” the still unnamed stranger said. “My gift to you”

“Inheritance? Gift?”

He nodded.

“Yes. When I died, it was still evil. My soul followed it, keeping it contained when it was then bestowed upon you and your brothers. I stayed, fighting against it and for all your lives. When it was completely reborn within you, your soul purified it. The evil was vanquished and it returned to proper celestial form”

“Wait!” Nanikato gasped, stepping back. “Your dead? And what do you mean brothers? I don't have any brothers”

The other blonde sweatdropped.

“I thought it was pretty obvious that I was dead - I guess you take after me more then I thought. As for your brothers, they all died before you were born,” he gestured to the light. “This energy here was volatile once. Your brothers… I was unable to help you all at once. I did my best where and when, giving strength to their infant souls and keeping the flames alive. Unfortunately, I couldn't do enough. They died and you were the only one to survive. My precious number nine…”

“Nine…”

Nanikato murmured, instinctively reaching out and rubbing a spot on his lower back.

He had found it a week and half ago and would never have known of its existence if it hadn't been for chance. And with that brief glance - once he knew something was there - he had to know what it was. So he had fought with his mirror for a whole three hours, trying to see what was positioned odd angle. Having to get another mirror to aid him, he finally looked upon it without any more hustle.

It was a small brown birthmark, shapped like the kanji for the number nine. It was no bigger then his thumb.

The stranger nodded, taking his other hand in his own.

He looked at him questioningly.

“Put you hand into the light,” his` twin' replied. “And accept this spectacular gift into yourself. Use it for the good of the world and let it guide you when you are lost, for I can be with you no longer. It is my time to move on - I have denied myself the chance to rest by making sure that you survived. Not that I didn't like protecting you. But now that you can protect yourself, there is no my legacy to the world will not be forgotten”

Nanikato's hand hovered in front of the light, hesitating.

“Go on - you have nothing to be afraid of. You have someone that cares about you back there”

Someone that cared about him?

He shook his head. “I'll go, but please before I go, tell me your name”

The stranger smiled, and it was the most dazzling smile he had ever seen.

“Its Naruto”

“Arigatou Naruto-oniisan”

And then he plunged his hand into the light.

-.ooOoo.-

When Nanikato came to, he found that he was in a hospital bed. The blindingly white walls seemed to glow, giving the impression that he was inside the pillar of white light. He coughed painfully, his mouth feeling like a barren desert.

“Hello… anyone there?”

His voice was brittle and hoarse, but had been loud enough to alert the room's other occupant to the knowledge of his wakefulness.

“You're awake”

It was Kabuto.

The gray haired medic smiled softly, walking over to his bedside. He reached for a pitcher of water and cup, pouring a healthy doze into the glass before handing it to him. Nanikato accepted it graciously, gulping the cool soothing liquid down greedily as the medic seating himself a nearby chair. Kabuto sat there for a few moments, not speaking to him, but rather looked at him instead.

“You almost died, you know” he finally said, solemn.

“I know”

“Chakra exhaustion is a serious thing. I thought I explained that clearly to you?”

Nanikato looked away, thoroughly ashamed.

“You did, I just got excited and forgot to use my common sense”

“That you did” the gray haired man nodded gravely. “Sasuke-kun was terrified that you'd die”

The blonde's head snapped back, looking up at Kabuto with shock evident in his wide blue eyes.

“He was scared?” he gapped. “For me?”

“Yes. I only just managed to convince him to leave your bedside. You've been unconscious for three days after that little act of stupidity you pulled. I guess he doesn't hate you as much as you imaged he did. When you went in shock, he fought to keep you alive until medics arrived to takeover. We weren't sure if you were going to live or die for a while. Believe me, he cares. Although he hid it well, this has to be the closest I've seen him to tears in over ten years”

Tears…

Sasuke-sensei cared about him? Was that what Naruto-oniisan was talking? He would never know for sure, but for the moment, he was content to believe that it was.

-.ooOoo.-

Translations/Original Jutsu

Ikiryou - Living Ghost

Kamikaze no Kodate/Devine Wind Shield - upper D to lower C-rank ninjutsu. This technique allows the user to create a shield of moving winds around themselves. It has the ability to cut weapons in half and impend the movements of anyone on the other side.

Fuuton: Mansakebigoe/Air Release: Ten Thousand Screams - mid B-rank ninjutsu. This technique allows the supersonic sound waves in air to be channeled into what resembles the sound of a ten thousand screaming people. This paralyzes the target for up to five-ten minutes, thus rendering them incapable of defense and ready for the finishing blow.

Fuuton: Kujiku/Air Release: Crush - lower A-rank ninjutsu. This technique focuses on air pressure, condensing the air around a target until it is literately crushed by the massive amounts of force weighing down upon it.

Hissori no Ryuuchouken/Silent Flowing Fist - upper C to mid B-rank taijutsu. This fighting style focuses on flowing with the moment of one's opponent, moving one step ahead of the oncoming assault. That means speed is a key issue, allowing its user to move at a speed so fast it gives them the illusion as though they are moving through water.