#non-tailed beast jinchuuriki

[jesseevelann]

Obito is possibly one of the strongest characters in the Naruto universe, just with his mental strength he has most if not all of them beat. Obito went through absolute hell from day one. Orphan, grown up in a widely hated family, was outcasted by that family for being a late bloomer - which was their fault because they never taught him. Obito taught himself everything he knew about his powers, because there was no way that the Uchiha did anything. The academy and Minato might have helped him a little, but he did most of it himself. He spent his teenage years in a cave with an expiring old man that manipulated and tortured him into completing his plans, after getting crushed by boulders, and giving one of the most important things to the Uchiha to possibly his only true friend that be just connected with, sure as hell thinking he was going to die. He then had to rebuild himself. He had to teach himself how to walk again, relearning how to use his arm, with no help from Madara and probably not the Zetsu either. He also trained himself ridiculously hard to be a match for Minato in about a year. He killed his teacher, his teacher's wife, and almost their newborn son, not directly but he caused it. He caused an event that killed many, many people. At the age of 15. Later, he watched the girl whom he loved commit suicide, and be killed by the boy who she herself loved. After which, he literally lost his mind and killed even more people. Obito went on to complete Madara's dirty work, stuck in a whirlwind of pain because of the curse seal on his heart that prevented him from escaping it. Manipulating, murdering and taking control over so many people, killing Jinchuuriki and stealing the tailed beasts - all of which he'd have to constantly rethink and reflect on everything. He can't get it out. He can't speak. But he doesn't let it control him at the same time. He's healing enough from it to keep moving, going through unthinkable trauma to his mind and body and he still presses forward. Maybe because he has no choice, but he's carrying stress, depression, ptsd, anxiety, ect. every single day until he releases himself from Madara's grasp by destroying the heart seal, when he can finally think for his damn self. Obito is truly his own hero, piecing himself back together again and again through all the trauma he has been through, and in the end gave his life to save people. After decades of killing, controlling and hurting people, he finally saved someone. Many someone's. Including himself. Obito is such a complex character, with so many interesting factors and one of the best character developments. And people have the audacity to pin him as a big goofy idiot who blushes all the time and embarrasses himself, and only started the war for Rin and that he's just a simp. That's not at all his character. Obito is a broken man who had no one but himself to fix that damage, who lost every person that could possibly help him. He suffered for 32 years, non stop. You can't just erase what he's been through and overly mischaracterise him.

[softdaemons]

Naruto and sasuke becoming super close as genin in a communicative and bonding way compared to canon. Taking care of eachother training being leisure. It throws sasuke massively off course as itachi becomes more a lingering thought. Naruto being introduced to more uchiha customs which makes him sad about family and stuff and they sneak off to the library where it’s bare scares on uzumaki - mostly konoha propoganda which neither can understand cause kids. Naruto meeting nekoba and her apprentice.

It makes things 100x worse when orochimaru digs his claws into sasuke and itachi torturing him. When sasuke leaves naruto is more terrified than challenging towards konoha striking sasukes name from their favor and brands him as a criminal. They crack down on narutos freedom and he isn’t allowed to go with jiraiya - tsunade being put under the thumbs of the elders and Danzo throwing weight around. Etc etc lots of plot to fuel naruto leaving the village and running away to nekoba where he trains to be stealthy, seals, and jinchuuriki shenanagins. He basically becomes a book and lore nerd under her care more stuff happens narutos been missing for years and the other tailed beasts are treated worse for par ever since naruto left bc of his actions.

Id like to twist the usual to be if sasuke remains on canon path of post killing itachi and learning the truth and wanting revolution he steers taka into hunting the other beast hosts in order to recruit them to taka and help assist him in those efforts. A much more humane lens empathizing with the hosts and beasts vs using them as tools. Insert lots of naruto regret and pining

Naruto on the other hand flits around. Does not engage in any sort of social or political activity ignoring his moral compass. Living in isolation and sticking to non ninja villages or collecting uzumaki history. I think after everything he would be very self preserving for once his morals only extending to support the completely defenseless and poor.

This au is very much in shambles and is such a different take than I’m used to ontop of being rough on naruto worldbuilding the only thing I know is I want naruto to have the habit of disguising as all sorts of different identities whenever flitting about in public spaces and sasuke immediately recognizes him when they cross paths and it’s a lot of drama and chasing and tldr naruto joins the taka crew which is made up of junchuriki survivors too their enemy being the village systems and whoever follow be they kages elders other powerful political figure etc

[nozocentric]

Nozomi is a retelling of the Naruto storyline, from the perspective of Nozomi, a jinchuuriki who's one purpose is to protect her best friend, Naruto from the Akatsuki...all while struggling with budding feelings for the boy along the way.

I will be posting chapters as they are edited, and, once I exhaust my current fodder, as I find time to write. I will be posting related art as well.

So whether you are already a fan of my OCs, Nozomi and Kumoraku, or this is your first time stumbling onto them, feel free to follow, and keep an open mind as you do so. Thanks~!

[phoenixyfriend]

ok. karin vs anakin's genome being 50% the Force. go

Jesus fuck, okay. Uh, fair warning, I know very little about this subject, so it’s 90% bullshit. I am in no way qualified to talk about biology past the high school level.

Anakin's sixteen. He's part of a set of Jedi assigned to a weird mission regarding making contact with an isolated planet of near-humans with superpowers but no space travel. He doesn’t really have a Job here and now, he’s just there as Obi-Wan’s plus-one. There's an underlying plot about Sidious trying to acquire people from Ninja Land, but none of the Jedi are fully aware of it. Mostly they're distracted by all the ninjas and their bitching.

They call it the Shinobi Planet, because nobody can agree on a name for the planet when they ask and the last major international alliance was named after the shinobi profession, right? Good enough, you can change it later when you idiots can agree on literally anything, oh my god. The Samurai are very offended and it's a whole thing.

Anakin wanders a lot. He runs into various strange people and is mostly polite because, listen, half his friends are distinctly not human. When your immediate circle includes nautolans and besalisks and twi’leks and whatever the fuck Yoda is, you’re not gonna blink at a Hoshigaki or... uh... okay that kid just turned into a giant fox, is anybody gonna--no? That’s normal? Just him? Cool, cool, cool.

There’s a kage summit involved in the negotiations going on. IDK what’s being negotiated, probably something to get the ninjas to set up a singular spaceport so there’s somewhere to land WITHOUT ships being regularly shot down by village defense systems powered by that massive flaming purple skeleton warrior or the girl who punched down a mountain or the.. the literal desert? There’s a guy that can control the desert? Is there any way of keeping him away from Anakin?

(Gaara’s tickled pink that the reason someone wants to stay away from him has nothing to do with fear or respect for authority, and everything to do with ‘he is also from the desert and fucking hates it, so he’s staying away from the sand powers,’ because it’s very novel and kind of funny.)

ANYWAY where was I. Uh. Right, kage summit, lots of villages, they invite smaller villages to pitch in, but nobody ever ever ever wants Orochimaru anywhere near this situation, for hopefully obvious reasons, so Otogakure sends Karin.

Really, who else was it gonna be? Suigetsu? You want Suigetsu representing you on an interstellar political field? You want Juugo before he’s stabilized? You want Sasuke, master of ruining kage summits? You want these idiots representing you at the big kids’ table?

They send Karin. She’s a bitch with a temper, but at least she’s not as big of a political risk as... literally anyone else from the snakepit.

Anyway, Anakin wanders around, meeting people, trying foods, showing off when asked for demonstrations. He doesn’t have an Entire Protocol Droid, but he did cobble together a little floating helper that can do translations for him. Assume all translations are accurate and being done by the little helper bot. Bot’s name is G1-0T. Anakin calls it Glot.

He runs into Karin at one point, who’s not super into the whole situation, but at least Anakin’s interesting. She’s not interested in him, because he’s sixteen and she’s like... mid-twenties. And his hair is stupid. But! All these force-sensitive people feel weird to her, because sensor stuff, and it’s not chakra but it’s... something. Anakin is, of course, the weirdest.

(There are non-sensitives in the envoy, so she knows it’s not just a space thing.)

She strikes up a conversation about it, because hey, she hasn’t made it this far to not lean into... you know, being the kind of person who barges ahead with Weird Questions that might lead into fun science stuff.

Anakin is like. Well. This woman’s very strange, but it’s not like there’s anything against talking about midichlorians to random people. It’s easy enough to look up in the core. Not everyone knows about them, but it’s not a secret or anything.

“Wow,” Karin says, though not in so many words, “that sounds incredibly strange, and actually a lot like it functions completely differently from chakra, though maybe it intersects with nature chakra somehow. Can I take a blood sample?”

Anakin doesn’t want to give a blood sample to a stranger. Karin isn’t stupid enough to try to steal one. She’s seen what this Force Stuff can do, and this kid’s got a lot of it. She hasn’t got enough information on hand about it to know if he’d notice.

“How about I let you look at the blood of a guy that can turn into water?” Karin asks, because she’s not going to let him look at her blood. “I’ve got it with me.”

“...why?” Anakin asks, reasonably disturbed.

“He owes me,” she says, and does not elaborate.

“What, there’s nothing weird about your blood to share?” Anakin demands, like the ornery little bastard he is.

“People took my blood against my will for over a decade,” Karin says, with the kind of smile that threatens a stabbing. This is not secret information. Her healing factor is in the bingo book. Plenty of people still want her dead. “Nobody gets my blood except me.”

Anakin has no idea what to do with that answer. Most people wouldn’t know what to do with that answer. It’s not exactly a standard answer.

“So there is something weird about your--e chu ta what the fuck are those scars?”

Karin looks at her arm. She looks back at him. She raises an eyebrow.

“What do you think they are?”

He stares a little longer, and then very carefully does not say anything as she pushes her sleeve back down.

“So can I look at your blood?” she asks again.

“Uh--”

“You can look at mine under a microscope,” she wheedles. “You can’t take any, though.”

Anakin... does eventually agree. Eventually.

-----------

There is a very angry redhead yelling at a machine, and Anakin does not know what to do.

“Is something wr--”

“What the fuck is your blood?” she demands. “It’s glowing in ultraviolet. It burned the dye up. I tried to sequence your genome--”

“Woah, I did not agree to that.”

“--and look at this. Look at this!”

“I don’t know how to read your graphs. None of this is a language I know.”

“It’s garbage,” she hisses at him. Glot takes a few moments to process it. “Look at this. This is supposed to--fuck, where’s the Jiraiya file, he’s standard--this is what it’s supposed to look like for most humans with chakra. And this is a civilian, and a few bloodline users--”

“Do you just carry these around with you?”

“Shut up, you don’t exist. You have--you have more in common with summons than people. I ran a blood test on one of your human diplomats, the ones that aren’t monks--”

“When did they agree to that?”

“They didn’t, I’m just sneaky.”

“I should tell Obi-W--”

“STAY THERE, I’M NOT DONE YELLING YET. Do you see this? Do you see this shit? This is the one and only time I’ve managed to perform any kind of analysis on a bijuu. They don’t usually have blood. Shukaku is sand. Matatabi is literally just fire. This was almost impossible to make happen, but I did it because I’m a dedicated biomedical resea--”

“Because you’re unhinged.”

“--rcher, and you know what? You know what I’ve found?”

“What?”

“Your blood looks like you’re half demon,” she says, grabbing him by the shoulders and shaking, a little wild-eyed and clearly pissed at him. “Half of it’s human! Half of it looks like the non-physical chakra manifestations that were torn-apart remnants of a godlike demon. The fuckers can’t die. They also can’t breed. They don’t have reproductive organs! This isn’t just demon-tainted like a jinchuuriki, I’ve got that analyzed--”

“Why?”

“Because my cousin’s a moron, don��t change the subject. You--you shouldn’t exist. Your blood is stupid. Fuck, is this what I’d find if I analyzed the Sage of the Six Paths?”

“The what?”

She ignores him, frowning at papers. “Is--I need to call Haruno, she might still have some of Kaguya’s blood dried on her old gloves from the war, I know she kept those as a souvenir from the whole ‘punched a god’ thing.”

“I’m sorry, the what?”

“There was a thing a few years back, godlike alien demon princess who got sealed into a moon by her sons a thousand years ago, but her immortal sentient goo child brought her back with a giant tree that consumed all the tailed beasts-the flaming fox you saw earlier is one of them--and then used a giant eyeball to reflect off the moon to put everyone in a hallucination at the same time so she could eat our life-forces,” Karin dismisses. “It’s not important.”

“There is--what?”

Jedi see many things. Many of those things are very strange.

This is a little much even for Anakin.

“It’s over, if you want the actual details, talk to my idiot cousin,” she huffs. “But now I need to run comparisons between the actual nonsense that is your entire existence and the actual nonsense that is my cousin’s existence, and maybe Sasuke’s... fuck this is going to be a mess, I’m going to have to cross-reference all the clans with bloodlines we know are derived from Kaguya, she’s the only angle we have on gods like that, unless... maybe there’s still some black Zetsu goo somewhere... Orochimaru must have kept a sample...”

“Uh, can I--can I go? I’m not comfortable here.”

“I need to find Naruto so he can call the Sage of the Six Paths out of the afterlife so I can see if I can get blood from a ghost to compare to yours.”

[asotin]

bloodline limits were cool in part one where kishi was like "byakugan can see ur chakra points!!" or "sharingan is the best @ genjutsu!!" or "kimmimaro can use his bones as weapons!!" but then it turned into "sharingan is the most powerful!!!11!" & "i can summon god with my eyes!!!!" or "i can set the world on fire with my eyes!!!!" shut up shut up shut uuuuupppp!!!!!!!! kishi you suck bro

i really, really feel you on that. so much so that i accidentally wrote an essay on why horror is a vital component of the storytelling in naruto and why its absence in shippuden contributes to how empty it feels (that’s why it took me so long to reply- sorry!)

content warning: i’m going to talk basically exclusively about horror, especially body horror, under the cut

conceptually, the arc with haku and zabuza is brutal: a kid stabs himself in the hand as a display of courage; a man gets crucified; a child gets killed in close range by a man slamming his hand through the kid’s body; a man gets stabbed to death by a mob- but not before that man tears through them with a knife in his mouth, slitting at least one man’s throat; naruto and sasuke fight haku, getting hit with barrages of needles in the process; haku tells naruto to kill him because of his devotion to zabuza and fully intends to die for him

blood is everywhere in part one, and a lot of it is from children. they get hurt and hurt themselves to draw blood so they can hurt other children. temari bites her finger and smears the blood over her fan to summon that weasel. naruto swears to defeat neji by dipping his fingers in the pool of hinata's blood on the floor. haku's death was gruesome, and that’s how it looked

even if seeing children get hurt isn’t particularly disturbing to you (and since it's a common feature of shounen, i wouldn't blame anyone who is), i think there’s still a general awareness that children beating each other bloody is bad

jinchuuriki losing control of their tailed beasts is less realistic; it's symbolic horror. the first time we see kurama’s chakra and when shukaku takes over gaara’s body, both kids still look and sound fundamentally human. gaara’s body doesn’t disappear; it gets partly taken over. naruto’s body is still intact, but he gets distinctly non-human extra features and a glow that audibly bubbles. what happens isn’t realistic, but the loss of control is. their pain and anger, which we later find out is the mirror to their tailed beasts', are. the physical changes reflect naruto and gaara’s emotional states, and i’m pretty sure people can relate to some degree to getting so angry you feel like you aren’t in control

they’re also, unlike naruto’s special modes in shippuden (except the mini fox after the battle with pain that's just fighting on instinct, which is a solid next step), relatively simple changes. the chakra and teeth and claws feel like a lot, but they work because it’s the first time he loses control and he’s overwhelmed. he isn’t overwhelmed later; he’s excited. he gets to glow and have cool pupils (more on why i don’t care about that below)

lee unlocking the gates visibly transforms him. veins pop out, his body drastically changes color and glows with green chakra, his irises disappear- it's all grounded in comparison to naruto and gaara, but lee isn’t supposed to be inhuman. he’s pushing his literal, physical human body up to and past its breaking point, and every visual tells you that. because it looks so human, it's more relatable

part 1's horror is unrealistic, but what it nails that shippuden repeatedly fails is that the damage feels real. the way it’s inflicted and experienced feels real

and that brings me to kekkei genkai, i.e. the place where it all went wrong

the kekkei genkai as we’re introduced to them in part 1 range from unsettling (the byakugan) to grotesque (kimimaro's shikotsumyaku), but they’re all fresh conceptually and complete as they are. the eye horror of the sharingan is so gd cool when it’s introduced. it’s the wrong color. the iris isn’t normal. it spins (which is evocative of hypnosis and i love that, especially when you learn about its ties to genjutsu). it’s got its own sound effect. it lets the user anticipate how things move, and you can see that in sasuke's eyes rapidly moving around

the byakugan lets you see someone's chakra. that's their literal life force. and the hyuga mastered and passed down a way of fighting that severs it. that's good worldbuilding where a power could be amazing- if you have the knack for it. a bunch of hyugas have it. isn't unique to any one person. hinata gets better because she practices. the byakugan itself is stagnant, which is should be

the rinnegan doesn’t make any sounds or change the user's features when they use it. i’m already familiar with weird eyes. what impact is this supposed to have on me? (11/10 color choice tho)

in shippuden, rather than finding inventive ways of using what already exists, kishimoto just gave the sharingan new powers. the pattern changes, but that’s... kinda... nothing? the horror is in transplanting eyeballs, but everybody’s weirdly blasé about that. they don't react that strongly to the one actual downside, blindness. there's no horror because there are no stakes. someone always has someone else's sharingan to take

madara rips kakashi’s eye out of his face, and kakashi’s just like “oh ow. i guess i’ll squint”

even people not in the clan don't react strongly to it. if you pulled my eye (or anyone's eye) out, i'd make a lot of fuss!!! don’t do it!!! and don’t put it in your face!!!

(the uniqueness of each evolved sharingan is cool, but the powers themselves are just power ups. and the susano'o aren't visually distinct enough to make them interesting enough to counter the fact that multiple uchihas have one)

madara is the only person whose eye transplant has a lasting impact on him. he thinks of his mangekyo as his brother’s legacy. where’s sasuke’s lasting reflection on itachi? the two of them had a messy relationship, but once those eyeballs get popped in, it’s time to fuck around?

the yelling in part 1 was grating, but it made sense. the longer shippuden went on, the less people reacted to the pain they were enduring. it was just noise

if you shove a metal rod through my flesh, i'll make a lot fucking noise!!! again: don’t do it!!! and if you do, it'll hurt when you pull them out!!!

hashirama’s cells is another point where things go off the rails, but i’ve written way too much already, so i’m going to keep this simple: too many people had them. too many people had his face on their bodies. it made no impact when it should have (madara, because he and hashirama had a personal connection)

i don’t know if there was a change in censorship guidelines, but it’s odd that shippuden, which features older kids, isn’t as graphic (in the anime, i didn’t read enough of the manga to comment on that)

tl;dr physical kekkei genkai are upsetting, and by relying on them as they are without increasing the horror associated with them, shippuden was just a mess of noise and no consequences

[yzy-sunagakure]

The Boruto-era relationship between Gaara and Shukaku is amazing. It’s on par with, if not exceeding, the Naruto-Kurama relationship. Because Shukaku isn’t actually sealed inside Gaara anymore, both of them have their freedom, but they’re still able to communicate to each other from afar through a connected mental plane, like that time Shukaku warned Gaara about the Eight-Tails.

Gaara cares about Shukaku so much that he’s willing to die for him. Shukaku, on the other hand, is a total tsundere and doesn’t admit it, but Gaara is his best friend and there’s no way he’s letting his former host die for his sake, either.

But the most precious thing is how much Shukaku cares about Gaara’s kid. Boruto and Kurama haven’t even met, yet here is Shukaku taking Shinki under his wing like a surrogate grandpa. I can’t remember the last time a Tailed Beast has had a close relationship like this with a non-Jinchuuriki. Shukaku knows Shinki inside and out and is the one constantly explaining Shinki’s behavior to Boruto. It probably tickles Shukaku pink that Shinki respectfully calls him “Master”, and Shukaku simultaneously tries to push all of Shinki’s buttons just to annoy him while teaching him valuable life lessons.

If this ain’t love I don’t know what is!

[musaics]

      THE FIVE LEGENDARY SWORDS. Based loosely of off the Tenka-Goken,                     “The Five Greatest Swords Under Heaven.” in Japanese history! Like any great nation, Tetsu no Kuni (Land of Iron; May call it Tetsu for short here on out) has its own set of unique and powerful weapons.  These weapons are five blades uniquely crafted for specific purposes by legendary smiths in Tetsu.  These blades are as follows:

1.  Onimaru- “Demon Sword.” This blade was created long ago by a smith named Kunitsuna and was designed to fight what dwelled in the beyond; Spirits, demons, beasts, and the like. It was originally created to fight Bijuu prior to the Sage sealing them inside of himself.  It is capable of cutting through a jinchuuriki’s chakra cloak or beast forms.   Because a tailed beast has never come onto Tetsu soil following the Sage stepping in, it has rarely been used.  It was brought along in the last War and wielded by Mifune. 

2. Mikazuki- “Crescent Moon Blade.” Like all of the Legendary Swords of Tetsu, Mizasuki was created long ago by a swordsmith named Munechika.  It gets it’s name from its crescent moon patterns that appeared on the hamon as a result of the tempering. Legend has it that this blade was blessed by Inari Ōkami, a kami of Shintoism (which is the most prominent religion in Tetsu) that also served as the patron of swordsmiths. Therefore, it is said that the blade is incredibly sharp and can cut through almost anything.  However; One must truly worship Inari in order to wield it.  Otherwise, it will remain a dull, average blade.  

3. Odenta. This sword is not used for fighting at all but for healing. The blade was created by a smith named Mitsuyo who infused the blade with chakra and natural energies in hopes of healing the sickly daughter of a well-known Hanshi Samurai.  The blade was laid next to her, to “fight off” whatever illness plagued her.  It worked.  Today, Odenta is reserved to heal serious illnesses and wounds.  In wartime, Odenta was brought out and placed in a medical tent, where its power could be used to heal multiple injured samurai.  

4. Dōjigiri.  A blade created by smith Yasutsuna and used by a legendary samurai to slay an evil yokai (an non-contracted creature) that was terrorizing/killing many people in villages of Tetsu. Currently, this blade serves as a way to fight creatures summoned through a contract because, again, it is particularly effective towards Yōkai- Supernatural beasts/creatures and spirits. (If u don’t think that summons are Yōkai then.. think about it. They talk n’ do magic n’ stuff yall). This blade cannot cut through jinchuuriki chakra cloaks. 

5. Juzumaru. This sword holds no special properties but holds a lot of meaning to the people of Tetsu.  It was presented to an important Buddhist monk many hundred years ago.  While the monk never used the blade, he saw it as a symbolism for destroying unfairness and upholding righteousness.  This blade is on display in a temple in Tetsu and serves as a symbol of strength to Samurai.  

Other things to note:

Unlike Kiri’s Swordsman, no one “trains” to wield one of these legendary blades.  These blades are presented to Hanshi samurai who have done a great deed 

Oro.chimaru’s Kusanagi originated in Tetsu but it was lost hundreds of years ago.  It is unknown how it came into the Sannin’s possession or what happened to it after Ita.chi sealed it away.

All of the above mentioned smiths have a village named after them in the land of Iron. 

[ghoste-catte]

N R T

N: Is there a fic you wish someone else would write (or finish) for you?

Gosh, yeah. I have a couple of fic ideas floating around in the proverbial hopper that I just don’t think I have the plot/action/adventure writing skills to handle. I’m much better with feelsy, character-driven stuff, so anything that has too much plot in it feels very intimidating to me. There’s one fic idea in particular that I wanted to write for GaaLee Fest last year that’s a “Lee Wins” AU where Gaara loses their chuunin exams match and is badly injured instead. The concept was sort of that jinchuuriki healing is imperfect at best, and so while whatever injuries Gaara sustained during the match would, like, not bleed out or kill him ... I’m not convinced that damaged internal organs would be restored to full function, especially with Gaara’s seal being fucked up and Shukaku being such a blunt instrument. So the idea is that Gaara is left permanently debilitated by the match. And the spin-out from that would be that Gaara isn’t able to participate in the match with Sasuke, and the Konoha Crush can’t move forward because their ultimate weapon is incapacitated. So Orochimaru-as-Rasa would ... probably try to kill him, and to take Shukaku and implant the tailed beast in someone else. Not to mention Gaara would have to grapple with losing for the first time in his life, and Lee also would have to contend with ending someone else’s dream (even though Gaara’s dream isn’t really to be a shinobi). Anyway, there’s a lot that changes if you change something that early in the plot, and I’d need to really comb back through canon and probably re-read a lot of the exams and the Konoha Crush Arc and I’m just ... not up for that at the moment, and I’m not convinced I would be able to make the logical A-to-B-to-C connections from a plot standpoint, even if I could make them from a character standpoint. So I’d love to just ... wave a magic wand and have written it (or have someone else who has the bona fide plot chops to have written it). 

R: Are there any writers (fanfic or otherwise) you consider an influence?

Hmm, this is hard. I often go back and re-read favorite stories or favorite handlings of similar tropes before I launch into writing my own take on a trope. I went back and read ‘you can get what you want or you can just get old’ by hyperlight (that’s a BNHA fic btw) before I wrote my own superhero AU, because I loved how they handled the ethics of superheroism. And especially if I’m writing a gift for someone who is also a writer, I’ll go back and read their stuff first to get a feel for their narrative voice and try to incorporate bits of that. So for example, when I was writing ‘A Snowball’s Chance in Hell’ last year for the GaaLee Holiday Exchange, I went back and re-read ‘The Bright Side’ by @gidget-goes to get a sense for their voice and style (because their style is so fun and so off-the-cuff snarky but still has such beautiful imagery). I guess my thought process is people write similar to the stuff they want to read, y’know? And there’s always someone who has done-the-thing better than I can hope to, so I might as well try to catch some of that shine. 

If I’m trying to write an AU of a certain canon, too, I’ll go back and read some of that. So, like, I re-read parts of The Goblet of Fire when I was writing ‘Homespun, Heartfelt, and Handmade’ to try to get that feel. Before launching into writing ‘i think we’re haunted’, I re-read a bunch of favorite horror stories, so a couple vignettes from ‘Lullaby’ by Chuck Palahniuk, ‘Modern Coyote’ by Shane Jones, ‘Raphael’ by Stephen Graham Jones, parts of ‘House of Leaves’ by Mark Z. Danielewski, and ‘The Dionaea House’ by Eric Heisserer (which is not a book at all but a web-based text horror of sorts, like an interactive precursor to the modern creepypasta). The stories that are quoted at the header of each chapter actually made up a big part of the inspiration for that fic. Plus I’d never written horror before, so I wanted to get a sense of the pacing.

There are a lot of non-fanfic authors I like, but that I can’t say I’ve tried to crib styles off of them, necessarily. I do tend to read things that are similar in feel to what I like to write, so more character-driven than plot-driven. I love Maggie Stiefvater’s The Raven Cycle, but I could never properly emulate anything she does. I really like anything that has that magical realism feel, so Helen Oyeyemi, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Jorge Luis Borges are some favorites. And I prefer short stories over novels. My favorite short story ever is ‘Story of your Life’ by Ted Chiang, but I could never, ever, ever hope to replicate the genius of that concept, and it’s a plot reveal that’s only really effective once. 

T: Any fandom tropes you can’t stand?

(answered here)

fanfic ask game!

[chu-chulainn]

fair EMIYA gets kinda screwed over by his shit luck stat. Also he doesn't get a boost from being in Japan, that's dependent on fame. As a counter Guardian he has no myth and therefore no stat boost. (Oh, and the only servants that really screw him over are Cu Sasaki, Hassan and maybe Hercules. it's hard to tell because his fight against Herc had weird circumstances)

(Thanks for explaining the location boost thing!!! Makes sense why it works with Vlad and Cú then :D)

Yeah, it’s shitty luck, non-heroic origins, and no special lineage unlike the Toesuckers and such.

Though anon, I don’t want you to think that I’m shitting on Emiya here or sth!!! I actually really appreciate the idea that he was a so-so mage that literally forced his way into being strong enough to be able to survive against all those absolute beasts through pain, tears and literal necrosis; even more than that I appreciate a main hero that isn’t a shinigami, a quincy, a descendant or a special clan, a son of a genius ninja, the jinchuuriki of the most powerful tailed beast etc etc etc all at the same time. He is struggling, a lot as Shirou and a bit less as Emiya; he is nothing special and I love that.

[theclosetpoet7]

Revolution

One Two Three Four

Rating: M

Chapter Five

Ring

Cerulean eyes turn to the door when Haruno Sakura enters. Immediately, his whole person brightens up because she has been away for two weeks. And fourteen days is far too long in his opinion, considering that he never manages to get her out of his thoughts.

Not after he finally confessed.

Though she decided on not replying to it.

She didn't say yes, but she didn't turn him down either.

Uzumaki Naruto wonders if he should keep his hopes up.

She's on his side right?

She chose him right?

She's with him right?

And not with...

He supposes that he should resent her in a way, for not acknowledging his confession except with a firm;

"I care about you Naruto."

"And I love you too... but..."

But they are at war.

A war he started himself.

And when Hyuuga Hinata had confessed to him during Pein's attack, he realizes that he also didn't have the time to return her affections. Because he was too focused on saving lives, too focused on becoming stronger, too focused on becoming hokage.

Or he simply didn't return her feelings when it came down to it.

Because he's in love with Haruno Sakura.

He always will be.

And Sakura?

Perhaps she will never return his affections as well.

"Naruto?"

He had been staring for too long.

The young hokage hides his thoughts by grinning brightly at her, eyes chinked shut and whole face lighting up for the love of his life.

"Gomen, Sakura-chan, I just haven't seen you in so long, I forgot how cute you are."

She smiles sheepishly in return.

"Dummy."

The pinkette steps forward to hand over her mission report scroll. Not that she needed to. Her trips to Sunagakure were after all her choice. And considering how little he knows of medical jargon, Naruto is at least sure that when it comes to poisons and antidotes, Gaara's village does have a good medical research lab at his disposal. Sakura's been taking in students as well, which is something he is extremely proud of.

He puts the scroll in one of his drawers because he knows he really won't be able to decipher them anyway.

A vein pops on her forehead upon his dismissal.

"If you won't read it, then I guess I'll have to give you a brief overview."

He flinches upon realizing his in-sensitiveness.

She really does hate it when it seems like he is underestimating her.

Though that wasn't his intention.

"There's a lot of progress with my medical subordinates. If a full on battle breaks out, they will at least be able to tend to physical injuries to the best of their abilities. And in case they run out of chakra, I've taught them cardiopulmonary resuscitation."

Naruto stares dumbly at what she just said.

The medic clears her throat.

"I mean, they can manually pump a person's heart once it stops. It's a technique I used during the war with you, when I literally held your heart in my hands and moved it for you. Tsunade-shishou and I have always thought that you can do that without opening the body. There's a drug that we've developed too, one that can enable the body to increase its capabilities of circulating blood."

He blanches slightly at what she had just said. Partly due to the mention of drugs that are completely foreign to him because of the prominence of chakra healing, and also partly due to his memories of Sakura's hand inside his chest.

As expected of the neo-sannin, of course she'd find new ways to save others.

"Although, I haven't figured out how to remedy it with drugs if a shinobi's collapse is caused by total chakra depletion."

He doesn't completely understand, so he settles with saying.

"You're amazing Sakura-chan! Of course, you can go about what you think is right."

There is a flinch in her form at his words.

And because Naruto has always been quite adept at reading into her, especially the way her eyes always seemed to be hiding something from him, he asks her;

"What's wrong?"

She hesitates but speaks out anyway.

"Naruto, this war, when is it going to end?"

The question is quite broad, and impossible to answer at the same time. Five years have gone by since he started the war with his former best friend. There really was only one way for it to end.

"When I kill Sasuke."

The name sounds foreign on his lips, granted that he hasn't said it in so long. Because it always felt taboo. And it always made him sink into some unknown pit of self-loathing. They had spoken to each other through their fists, but he still wasn't able to get through to him.

It makes him angry with himself because before the Alliance was split, he always held the hope that his final fight with Sasuke would end with them just going back to being friends. But apparently, it was hard being friends with someone who held different ideals.

Someone who held on to it so hard that's he'd start a war for it.

It is in times like this when he takes a moment to think it over.

Is he doing the right thing?

Should he be protecting the bijuus?

Would they pose such a great danger?

"Sakura-chan."

The young woman rests her eyes on his troubled form.

"Is it wrong to believe in the goodness of people?"

"It's not."

That reply was swift.

"How about the goodness of the bijuus?"

Sakura pauses.

"I don't think so."

He lets out a sigh of relief. Blue orbs widen when she takes a few more steps to his table.

"It's a trait of yours that I've always admired Naruto."

A fair hand goes up to rest on his trembling shoulders.

"You see the good in everyone. You believe that they can be better than they think they are. You're always looking for their humanity, their kindness, their hopes for peace. It's stupid really."

He laughs through his doubts.

"But amazing at the same time. It's why so many people are following you. I would like to believe in the goodness of everyone as well, the same way you have. Isn't that why I'm here?"

He realizes that his eyes have been tearing up a bit at her sincere words. He wipes them away and looks up to see her kind eyes.

.

.

.

Ah, he really is in love with her.

______________

It had been a never-ending thought in her head since that last conversation with Sasuke, though she had managed to push it to the back of her mind for some time.

"We can't always be sure that it will be the same with the next Jinchuurikis. When Naruto and Killer Bee die, who is to say that the next vessel is capable of controlling their tailed beasts?"

He was right. Before Naruto had become friends with Kurama, the village had feared him, had wanted nothing to do with him, had even resented him.

Until he proved them wrong.

"-assuming this person does gain control of the tailed beast, how can you be sure that they won't use the power to kill others?"

Sakura's brows furrow.

"Is it wrong to believe in the goodness of people?"

Her brain suddenly hurts.

Of course it isn't wrong.

How could believing in goodness be wrong?

How could fighting with love be wrong?

How...

History tells her otherwise.

Because wasn't Sasuke's defection caused by the love he felt for his family? And the hate he felt for his brother...

"Did they care when they ordered my brother to slaughter innocent children? When they took away my family?"

Her heart pumps strongly against her chest. The truth was earth-shattering, and hard to wrap her mind around.

When Sakura finally closes the door to her one bedroom apartment, she grasps the front of her shirt and starts to level her breathing, otherwise she'd be unable to stop hyperventilating. Her whole body shakes, and she plants her feet firmly on the ground as she pushes herself to a wall for support.

Emerald eyes quiver.

Konoha.

Her village.

Her home.

Committed genocide.

It isn't hard to figure out why any of the village's leaders would allow it. The Uchiha clan must have been planning something, if what she's assuming is spot on.

Still though,

It's not right.

It's

not

right.

There were innocent children there.

Not just children.

It's not right.

And Itachi... Sasuke's brother, whom she'd always seen as a powerful evil in all this.

Didn't he make the ultimate sacrifice?

Didn't he take all of Sasuke's hate onto himself?

She wishes that she could talk to him.

She wishes that she could ask him.

To ask the very question that is killing her from the inside.

In the end, did he think it was right?

Choosing his village over his loved ones.

.

.

.

It hurts.

.

.

.

Her brain hurts.

______________

Two months later, Sakura finds herself in Suna again. She knows what she has to do, has known from the start that she'd have to revisit that technique, to see if she can do something about the future of her team. Since the eight-tailed beast was taken, there was only one thing Sasuke would go after.

Naruto.

He had said that he doesn't know where the other seven are.

Save for in their blonde teammate.

Even if he claims that he has found a way to take a bijuu without killing its vessel, Sakura thinks that it might have been just a lucky break, because Naruto had been there. With his godly powers.

Sakura still doesn't understand how.

But if he was able to restore Kakashi's eye, then there is a way for him to somehow save Bee's life.

With her help of course.

That's why the rapper is still alive.

What would happen though? Once Naruto can't save himself?

.

.

.

Useless.

She no longer wanted to be useless like before.

Always crying, always pleading.

This time she has to do something.

There is a bit of uncertainty in her new resolve, granted that she's always been resentful of that part of herself who can't help but cry and plead. And she always despised it that just when she thinks she's finally caught up to them, they take another step forward.

Away from her.

Always away from her.

The pinkette does know that she's far from where she was from the start.

But it's not enough.

It's never enough.

She checks the clock again to determine if it's about time she left. Sasuke had once again sent her a letter with a meeting time and place. It's a day of non-stop travel to Otogakure from the Sand Village, most ninjas would pace it. But not her, taking her time would draw suspicion.

So when she finishes the write up in her scroll and casts a seal that only she could open to protect its confidentiality, Sakura packs up and bids her farewell to her lab assistants.

She does a courtesy call to Gaara and his siblings to notify them of her departure. She should feel guilty actually, but it's something she needs; this meeting with Sasuke. It's the only thing she keeps for herself when everything else is being given to her efforts for the war.

For Naruto.

As her feet pick up the pace to head to their little haven again, Sakura couldn't help the excitement in her pores.

Sakura reaches Oto in less than a day.

But when she opens the door to their usual room, Sakura could only gasp in surprise when she is greeted by an unexpected guest.

"Sasuke-kun's been poisoned."

Karin stands from the bed.

.

.

.

"And I know you're the only one who can save him."

______________

They walk through Sasuke's fortress, Sakura questions why she is able to step in so easily.

She questions herself if she should even trust Uzumaki Karin at this point.

The ring on the red head's finger allows Sakura to rethink her distrusting nature though.

The chakra detector had looked panicked.

No one could fake the fear that was in the other woman's eyes.

"I'm surprised that this place seems uninhabited, I would expect to see guards."

Might as well start a conversation.

"The east wing is Sasuke's only."

Sakura follows her enemy as she climbs up two flights of stairs to reach a dark corridor lighted by lamps. The endless hall reminds her vaguely of Orochimaru's lair, which they had invaded when she was fifteen, though this place looked more like a Japanese mansion, with its wooden floors and sliding doors. But the size though, and the darkness, it still reminds her of their failed mission.

That seemed like a lifetime ago.

Karin continues leading her down the hall until they reach the second to the last door. She hastily opens it to show Sakura her friend's state.

Sasuke was unconscious, breathing erratically, with a towel on his forehead, and a blanket over his form. The medic could immediately tell that he was shivering.

She examines the room first, there's a tub of water, some vials of an unknown liquid, but it smelled mostly of herbs.

Again, she takes note of the fact that the place is empty, except for the otokage's presence, so she turns to Karin again in silent question.

"No one dares to come here."

The revelation is hard to believe, because, wasn't Sasuke the leader?

She asks that very question.

"If they had any news of someone harming their leader, they'd rather protect themselves. Because if that person can handle Uchiha Sasuke, then they wouldn't be able to either."

The truth sinks her heart a bit.

It's a lonely existence.

Sasuke's.

"Except for me though."

The admission has the pinkette's heart clenching. Karin probably had a special place in his heart.

"It has everything to do with you."

Probably.

Still.

Sakura couldn't help but feel jealous.

"Why are you leading your enemy into your master's bedroom?"

She voices her concerns while Sasuke's fiancee' leads her to his sleeping form.

"And why are you hiding me like I'm your comrade?"

Her actions were suspicious, of course Sakura wasn't so dumb as to follow blindly...

"Because, I don't trust them either."

...even if she already knew the answer.

"If they knew that Sasuke-kun was this badly injured, they'd try to assassinate him while they can."

Of course they would.

"I can't risk that."

Sakura nods her head in reply and goes down on her knees beside his bed as she rests a hand over him to examine his physical state.

"You're a medic though, why can't you save him yourself?"

"How I wish I can plunge my hand into that head of yours and squeeze the hell out of your brain just so you know that I don't like being called out for my skills."

Well, that was rather harsh, and brutal. This woman was somewhat rude.

"As if you can. You know well enough our skills are far from each other Karin-san."

She can talk back too.

It's surprising when the enemy doesn't even form a reply to her conceited claim.

It gave her the impression that Karin most probably sees the truth in it.

"I can only heal people when they bite into me."

There's a defeated tone to her voice. When Sakura is done with her initial physical examination, she looks over her shoulder to regard the other kunoichi.

"So the bite marks."

"Aren't just from Sasuke-kun."

"Still, how about the basic medical ninja know-how?"

"I know the basics but this..."

"Is a powerful toxin, grab me another basin and some warm water, I'll manually extract the poison and come up with an antidote."

Karin does what she orders and comes back in mere seconds.

Sakura goes about the same process she has done several times already.

"You've done this before."

"I'm concentrating."

There is an air of animosity between the two women. But their love for this one man allows them to cooperate.

Sakura briefly wonders if they are the only women who have loved him like this.

Most likely not.

So they continue to do it.

Helping each other to save Uchiha Sasuke.

.

.

.

Because they both loved him.

______________

"I have a ring you know."

They sit on the tatami mat hours later, both exhausted from their efforts. Sakura had gotten rid of the majority of the toxicant and has just administered the antidote. They're just playing the waiting game now.

Sakura says nothing in return.

But Karin continues on nevertheless.

"It symbolizes our promise to marry each other in the future."

"..."

"I love Sasuke-kun. I love him so much. Before this war and way before he sought me out. Did you know that? That he came to my rescue when we were genin? During the Chuunin exam?"

She assumes that Sakura probably doesn't know.

"Of course he wouldn't tell you about it."

The pinkette adjusts her position to allow the other girl to continue.

"I thought I met prince charming then."

"..."

"After that, my life unraveled. And Orochimaru happened."

Karin thinks that in this moment, with the way Sakura's eyes widened, and the way they had a bit of understanding by just that small bit of information, that the Konoha nin probably feels pity for her.

It isn't something she wants.

But she's doing it anyway.

Saying what she feels.

"It came as a surprise to me when Sasuke-kun turned out to be the villain too. And I still loved him. Then, he came to Orochimaru's hideout, to where I was a prison guard. Where I was left on an island in the middle of the ocean so I can watch over evil, lowly people. Where I had to carry out my duties even if it meant that I would never be able to sleep for a really long time because I was scared."

She breathes deeply.

"I was fucking scared that one day, I'll wake up to one of those criminals, wrapping their dirty fingers around my neck, strangling the life out of me."

Yes, her past was dark, so dark. That's why she belongs with him.

She belongs with Sasuke.

Her resentment for this woman fuels her desperate words.

"My life wasn't all pretty pink flowers or village head bands. Nor was it full of laughs or steady dates. It wasn't fucking perfect like yours was."

Who was she to say that Haruno Sakura had a perfect life? No one that is. But she just knew this person had it easy compared to her.

"Until Sasuke-kun came. Until he came to my rescue again."

Karin's heart fills with warmth from thoughts of her hero.

"Uchiha Sasuke didn't just offer me a future, or a place where I finally belonged. He didn't just give me the opportunity to do something good. No. He offered me more than that."

It is at this exact second that Sakura finally utters a query.

"And what is that?"

Their eyes meet then.

"He offered me salvation."

The neo-sannin turns away.

"In return, I gave him my heart, I gave him my body. I gave him my loyalty."

She wonders if what she's saying is hurting Sasuke's mistress. The same way it hurt when she first felt that sweet chakra of hers.

Intermixed with the love of her life's.

So she continues with her attacks.

"So, When he asked me to track down his brother, I did it. When he reformed our team and joined Akatsuki, I followed him. When he tried to kill me and left me to become a prisoner in your sick village, I ran back to his side the moment he decided to change his mind and join the war. And, when he started his deranged revolution, I chose him. I chose him without a second thought. I chose HIM."

That's right, she fucking chose him.

No one else.

"When I was finally able to have his body, when I finally had him thrusting hard and deep above me."

She senses the other nin's chakra coil with sadness.

"I saw his pain. I saw how he needed to sink himself into something. How he needed to sink himself into me. I saw how he wanted to destroy his soul and drown himself in more hatred."

Unlike her.

"You see Sakura, I actually took all of his pain and carried it with him. I took it. I accepted it. In his darkness, I held him. In his darkness, I never left. In his darkness, I loved him even if it consumed me as well. As he was drowing, I drowned with him."

And drown with him she will.

"I love him. I love Uchiha Sasuke. I'm the one who has the privilege of being his right hand. I'm the one who he promised to marry. I'm the one who will restore his clan and give him back the famiy he lost, the same way he'll give me back the one I lost as well."

She spits out those hurtful truths to send poisoned needles into the other kunoichi's heart.

"I know his pain. I understand. I was born to love him."

She comes up with the most heart-breaking and hope-crushing words to bury her foe deeper into her forced rejection.

"He gave me a ring. He got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. I know he cares for me. Because he gave me a ring."

She twists some facts but weaves them up with her honest confessions to get the message across.

"Uchiha Sasuke gave me a ring."

If this was a battlefield, with her opponent keeping silent and not doing anything in retaliation, Karin could say that she is landing multiple chakra scalpels onto Sakura's tiny physique and she is doing it with the kind of finesse and precision that the young Sannin might as well be decapitated at this point.

She lands the finishing blow with all the strength and pride she could muster.

"I'm wearing a fucking ring. What do you have?"

Yes, Uzumaki Karin finishes the battle with a triumphant grin and eyes full of deep loathing for the other woman in the room.

Because she has earned it.

She has fucking earned her place at Uchiha Sasuke's side.

But when her seemingly defeated enemy finally lifts her head.

When she finally allows determined emerald green to meet hesitant red irises.

When she finally opens her mouth to deliver her counter attack.

Karin realizes the one thing she had overlooked when she entered this battle. She realizes the one piece of information she should've remembered when she started the match. It was all so obvious how unprepared she was to take down this girl. And she inwardly scolds herself for forgetting about it.

Because, it was stupid of her to forget.

The fact that when faced with the legendary Haruno Sakura,

Respected medic.

Feared Sannin.

Disciple of Senju Tsunade, the fifth hokage.

Prized warrior of the Konoha Leaf Village.

Precious member of Team Seven, the team that defeated a freaking goddess.

When faced with Sakura fucking Haruno.

What do you have?

Karin tries her best to come up with a teleportation technique to get out as she realizes the chakra infused punch she is about to receive. As she tries her best to evade. And even when this woman is not counterattacking physically, she knows she needs to do it.

To get out.

"What do I have Karin?"

.

.

.

Because.

When you find yourself in a one-on-one fight with Haruno Sakura.

.

.

.

"His heart."

.

.

.

All it really took was one punch to end it all.

______________

Author's Note: Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to my darling readers. Thank you so much for your reviews you guys! You keep me inspired to write this. And thank you to those who said that they trust me to go on with my original plans. And special thank you as well to those who defended me when there are some spiteful reviews here and there. Everyone has their own opinion I guess. I wish I could personally send a message to all you guys in reply to your questions and what-not.

If anyone is wondering, this story will probably not be as long as Sore ga ai deshou. :D

Also details on how to read Ombreecha’s prompt based on this is in the other author’s note.

Special thank you to @ombreecha, @saeuniverse , @beatoneheart, who are just the best friends out there, always making me smile with their kind words.

A special thank to @madara-fate as well, my cool senpai who answers my questions about possible scenarios for this alternate world.

R & R!

[nozocentric]

Nozomi: Chapter 6

Crack!

The kunai wedged into the right side of the target, and Nozomi grinned triumphantly.  She had been working hard the last three days, staying after class to utilize the practice area.  She hadn’t managed to hit the center of the target yet, but she was improving.

“A little more to the left.” She murmured.  Her brows knit together in concentration as she clutched the blade and drew her arm back.    ‘Okay, relax.  I can do this, I just need to stay focused!’

“Hi, Nozomi-chan!”

The unexpected voice made Nozomi jump, and she hurled the kunai with too much force.  Her ears drooped as it sailed past the target, clattering to the ground several feet away, and she went to pick it up with a groan.  As she turned around, her eyes landed on a guilty looking Naruto peeking over the fence.

“Naruto-kun, you scared me!” She grumbled, crossing her arms.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to!” The blond apologized, sweat dropping as he jumped the fence.

“It’s fine...but if you startle me again I might throw it at you on accident..”  Nozomi smirked teasingly, and the boy laughed nervously.

“On accident...r-right.  It won’t happen again, hehe..”  

The brunette snickered and rolled her eyes in amusement.  “So, what brings you to the Academy?” She asked, shifting her attention back to the target.  

Naruto stayed behind her, watching and smiling when the kunai hit the target.  “Well, it’s been a few days since I saw you, so I thought I’d see if you were here.”

“...Oh.” Nozomi whipped around to face the boy, an apologetic look on her face.  “Sorry about that.  I went to see you, but the nurse said you’d been discharged.  I don’t know where you live, so all I could do was hope we’d eventually run into each other.”

“Mhm.”  The look in Naruto’s eyes said he didn’t quite believe her, and she glanced to the side uncomfortably.  She had kind of been avoiding him.   Even though he’d gotten out of the hospital before she came by, she could’ve asked around and gotten his home address.  She’d just been relieved for an excuse to put off their meeting.

When she looked back up, the boy’s eyes were searching her and she gulped, gathering all her courage.   “Listen, Naruto-kun.  About what happened before.” She averted her gaze as embarrassment flooded her all over again. ”Umm....I’m really sorry.”

“Heheh..”  Naruto’s mouth turned up at the corners as he laughed softly, prompting the brunette to look up again as he spoke.  “It’s okay, don’t worry about it.”  He lowered his voice.  “I actually kinda liked it.”

His words were rushed and jumbled together, but Nozomi’s ears still picked them up, and she frowned, confused.  “Oh...okay...?”   The brunette gave him a big grin that exposed her fangs.  She’d just ignore that last bit of what he’d said for now.  

Naruto opened his mouth to make a teasing remark, but his words were drowned out by a sudden chorus of shrieking and laughter.  Class was about to get underway.

“Looks like that’s my cue to head inside.” Nozomi remarked, turning away.

Remembering that he’d come to ask her something, the blond grabbed her arm, forcing her to turn back around..  “W-wait!”

“What is it?”  She looked at him expectantly and he paused, sweat dropping. “Umm...What was I gonna say..?” He paused, groaning as he racked his brain for the real reason he’d come by.  How could he just forget at a time like this?!  

Just as Nozomi was about to say she had to go, it hit him.  “Oh!  That’s right!” He sighed with relief and grinned.  “You haven’t forgotten, have you?  About the celebration we planned?”

“Of course not.” Nozomi shook her head, looking at him curiously.  

“Just making sure.” Naruto replied, stepping back toward the fence.  “Meet me at Ichiraku after class, okay?”

“Okay, I’ll be there.” A look of understanding was on the brunette’s face as she nodded, and he cheered, pumping his fist in the air.

“Alright.  See you then!”  

Nozomi waved as he left before putting her kunai away and running to join up with Iruka and her classmates.

……..

The doors burst open and children poured out of the building, cheering.  Class was over, and they were free for another day.

Nozomi carefully picked her way through the crowd of students, doing her best not to run into anyone.  She was almost through when a jolt of pain shot through her tail, and she bit back a shriek, yanking it out from under an unsuspecting boy’s shoe.  

Finally she got through the stampede of children and took off running.  She wasn’t exactly positive where Ichiraku was from here, but she figured she’d find it sooner or later if she kept going.

Luck was on her side today as she turned down another street and spotted the ramen stand up ahead.  As she slowed down to catch her breath, she caught a glimpse of herself in a window and stopped to pat down a few stray hairs.  When she felt satisfied with her appearance, she continued on.

Upon reaching Ichiraku she noticed the orange clad boy was already there, and she smirked, taking a seat beside him.  “Hey, Naruto-kun.”

Naruto turned to face her and smiled.  “Hey!  I hope you’re hungry cause I already ordered!”

“Really?”  Nozomi quirked an eyebrow.  “How did you know what to get me?”

Naruto laughed at her bemused expression.  “I just got you what you had last time.”

“Oh….I can’t believe you actually remembered that.” The brunette chuckled under her breath, and Naruto flashed her a thumbs up, grinning toothily.

“Hehe, of course!  When it comes to my friends I don’t forget anything -ttebayo!”

Nozomi’s lips curved into a small smile, and she nodded, looking away somewhat bashfully.  “I see.”  After a brief pause, she looked at him curiously.  “So...How have you been?  Are you getting enough rest?  It’s important to take it easy for the first few days after you leave the hospital.”

“Are you kidding me?!” Naruto exploded, looking at her incredulously, and she shrank back slightly, not expecting his outburst.  “There’s no way I’m taking it easy!  I’ve gotta get stronger and bring Sasuke back!”

As he went into a rant about the importance of not losing sight of one’s goal, Nozomi smiled softly, remembering her own goal.  Sure, the ninja career may have been forced on her, but the more time passed, the less it bothered her.  Perhaps it was because helping Naruto was her personal goal, and she had to be a ninja to be of any use.

‘Just wait a little longer, Naruto-kun.  I’m going to graduate and get stronger so I can help without holding you back!’

“Nozomi-chan?”

The brunette flinched, jerking back to attention as Naruto’s fingers snapped in her face.  “Sorry, what?  I was lost in thought.” She confessed, smiling sheepishly.

“Huh.  That happens a lot, doesn’t it?” The spiky haired boy raised an eyebrow and gave a long, exaggerated sigh.  “I said how are your classes going?”

“Oh.” Nozomi recalled her recent issues with building and releasing chakra and scratched the back of her head, chuckling awkwardly.  “They’re okay.  Chakra’s probably my least favorite thing to work on..”

Naruto simply nodded, giving her a sympathetic look as he remembered his own struggle in that area.  “You’ll get it though, and when you do you’ll be able to learn all kinds of cool ninjutsu -ttebayo!”

“We’ll see.” The brunette murmured, glancing off to the side.  She had known that chakra was a big part of being a ninja; what she hadn’t known was that it was required for jutsu!  She must have missed that lesson.  ‘Or maybe that was the one I slept through.’ She thought, frowning.  There was much more to being a ninja than she thought!

Sensing her discouragement, Naruto hurried to change the subject.  “So, I would’ve said this earlier but I didn’t wanna distract you again.  You’re pretty good with those kunai!” He grinned, noticing the way the girl’s face lit up.  “What does Iruka-sensei think?”

“Thanks, but I’m not usually so good.  Today was one of my better days.” The brunette smiled back at him before looking away, a thoughtful look on her face.  “He wants me to practice more.”

“So practice!” Naruto replied.  “Iruka-sensei is a great teacher -ttebayo!   Just do what he says and you’ll do great!” He broke off, grinning sheepishly.  “...Sometimes I wish I’d paid a little more attention to what he said, hehe..”

“I can tell he’s a great teacher just watching him.  I would practice more, but...” Nozomi’s brows drew together as she began to pout.  “Saera-sensei won’t let me borrow any kunai!  How the heck am I supposed to practice without one?”

Naruto had been trying his hardest to listen without interrupting, but at the unfamiliar name he lost that battle.  “Who’s Saera-sensei?” He leaned in curiously, his chin resting on the girl’s shoulder.

“Eh?” The brunette froze as she noticed how close his face was, and coughed awkwardly, gently pushing him back onto his stool.  “I never told you about her?”

The boy shook his head, giving her an impatient look as he pressed for answers.  “No, you didn’t.  So who is she?”

Nozomi laughed and shook her head.  “Okay, I’ll tell you.  Relax, would ya!”

“Fine…” Naruto leaned back in his seat, folding his arms across his chest expectantly.  “So..”

“When I went to find out my living arrangements, Saera-sensei was there waiting with the Hokage.” The brunette explained.  “Er..that is, she’s not my sensei yet, more like going to be.  After I graduate the Academy,” She amended quickly.  “For now, she’s just my roommate.”

“You’re living with your future sensei?  That must be exciting!” Naruto broke off as the girl’s smile faded, and she turned away, staring down at the counter top.  “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t think she likes me very much.” Nozomi said after a long pause, still staring at the counter.  “She barely comes home and when she does it’s so tense.”   The memory of the first time she’d met Saera flashed before her eyes, and she shuddered..  “When she learned that we were rooming together she was so mad.  I think...If looks could kill, I’d have been dead and buried.”

Naruto had felt slightly envious that she had someone to live with, but the more information the brunette divulged, the more he realized that her set up wasn’t a great one.   Obviously this was not a happy subject for her, and he racked his brain for something to say to change the subject.  

As he thought back to earlier parts of their conversation, he recalled her frustration with the kunai training and grinned.  Maybe he couldn’t do anything about the strain between her and her roommate, but he could help with that!

“Nozomi-chan.” He began, shifting in his seat so his body faced her.  “Do you want to go work on your throws after we eat?”

The brunette’s eyes slowly lifted to meet his, and she gave him a rueful grin.  “I’d love to, but I don’t have anything to use, remember?”

“Yeah, I know.”  A cheeky grin was on Naruto’s face as he nodded.  “I’ll let you borrow one of mine!”

“Really?” Nozomi’s eyes were hopeful as she looked at him, surprised, and when he nodded it took all her self control not to hug him.   “In that case, I’d love to!”

“Okay!” The spiky haired boy beamed, secretly happy that she’d accepted because that gave him an excuse to spend more time with her after.  

Two steaming bowls of ramen were placed before them, then, and Nozomi’s heart did a slight flip as she looked at hers.  It was the barbeque pork that she’d ordered her first night in Konoha.  Naruto really had remembered, and that meant more to her than he could know.

She turned to the boy and grinned.  “To you getting out of the hospital.” She toasted.

“And to you staying here in Konoha!” Naruto added on.

“To a long lasting friendship.” Nozomi beamed at the boy as they broke their chopsticks, and all conversation ceased as they slurped their noodles contently.

……..

Naruto stood to the side, watching as Nozomi threw the kunai at the target he’d carved into the tree.  She definitely had the concentration end of things down, but her aim was still off.

The girl stepped back and gave a frustrated sigh, turning suddenly and pointing in his direction.  “Naruto-kun!” She called out, causing said boy to jump and nod to show he was listening.  “You’re a ninja!  What do you do when you want to improve?”

“Me?  Well..” Naruto squinted his eyes as he thought, picturing a crowd of resentful villagers with Sasuke at the center, staring disdainfully at him down.  ‘I’ve always worked hard because I wanted everyone to stop looking down on me.  Especially Sasuke!  It always made me so mad when he’d act all superior..’

“I guess for me it’s about the way people look at me like I’m a no good troublemaker who’ll never do anything with my life.  I hate it when others just assume things about me so I go all out cause I want to prove them wrong!” He paused, looking at the girl thoughtfully.  “What about you?”

Nozomi sweat dropped and glanced around the area before pointing at herself, confused.

“Yeah, you.” Naruto’s face was serious as he stepped closer.  “Has someone or something ever made you really angry?  Try using that to motivate yourself!”

She tilted her head, ears perking in confusion as she looked at him unsurely.  “Uh...sure, but how will getting angry help me?”

Now it was Naruto’s turn to sweat drop as he answered, scratching the back of his head.  “Don’t get angry.  Think of someone who frustrates you and picture them on the target!”

“Ohhh!  Okay, I get it!” Nozomi grinned, nodding.  “I’ll give it a try.”  She closed her eyes, thinking hard.  Who did she know that made her really angry?   Kumoraku came to mind, and she smirked.  ‘She did make my life hell...’ The brunette envisioned the demon’s face at the center of the tree and threw the kunai.  When it only managed to land on the outside of the target, she decided to go back to thinking.

A head of dirty blond hair with grey eyes materialized in her mind, and she narrowed her eyes in disgust. Suoh.  Of course.  She pictured his sneering face on the tree, and her blood boiled with rage.  She chucked the kunai forward as hard as she could, and gasped when it hit the tree with a thunk.  She still hadn’t hit the center, but it was close.  

Excitement coursed through her as she yanked the kunai free and tried again, concentrating on the space between “Suoh’s” eyes.  The kunai shot forward again, this time landing right beside the center and she gritted her teeth.  

A few minutes later, after trying and trying with the same results she dropped the weapon, frustrated.  What was she doing wrong?!  

“Aww, poor wittle Kubota demon. Should’ve guessed you’d suck at this.  After all, you fail at everything.”

Nozomi gasped sharply as the boy on the tree taunted her, and a low growl rumbled in her chest.  She knew that it had to be her imagination, but that didn’t stop his last words to her from echoing in her mind.  

“Your parents’ death is all your fault.  None of this would have happened if it weren't for you.”

‘Shut up, you jerk!’  Rage consumed her, and she thrust the kunai at the boy that her imagination had convinced her was really there.

Naruto, who’d been watching quietly perked up as the kunai embedded deep into the center of the target, and he cheered loudly.  “Yeah!  You did it!”  She failed to answer and he frowned, noticing the murderous look she was giving the target.  “Nozomi-chan?”

Suddenly, a furious snarl ripped from the brunette’s throat.  “You--you bastard!  I’ll kill you!!”

Without warning, Nozomi lunged for the tree and he sweat dropped, dashing forward to catch her before she could hurt herself.  “What’s the matter with you?!  It’s just a tree!” He barreled into her, knocking her off her footing and grabbed her shoulders to keep her from falling.  “Snap out of it already!”

Still too blinded with rage to realize what was going on, she swiped at him and he gritted his teeth as her claws raked across his face.  “Gaahhh!”

The brunette stopped abruptly, gasping as the scent of blood reached her nose.   “Naruto-kun?!” Her eyes widened, taking in the jagged claw marks on his face.  “I did that to you..?”

Naruto touched the scratches gingerly, wincing slightly as he forced a grin.  “What, this?  It’s just a scratch, don’t worry!”  

Ignoring his attempt to brush it off, she stepped away, glaring down at her claws, which were stained with a sprinkle of blood.  “Naruto-kun, I….” When she finally looked back at him, a lump formed in her throat, making it impossible to speak, and she turned on her heel and ran.  

“What the-?!” Bewildered, Naruto picked up the forgotten kunai and hurried in the direction she’d gone.   When he finally found her, she was kneeling in front of a small lake, and he took a seat beside her quietly.

“I hate these stupid claws!” She lamented as she washed her hands in the water.  “All they do is cause trouble for me!”

When she refused to acknowledge the boy beside her, he scowled at her.  “Hello?!” He flailed his arms, trying to get her attention.  “Why’d you run off like that?”

There was a long pause as the brunette glanced at him from the corner of her eye.  “Because I hurt you.  That’s why.”

Naruto frowned and grabbed her shoulder, turning her to face him.  “Hey, it was an accident!  It’ll heal!  Don’t beat yourself up over it!”

Her shoulders sagged and she glanced at him sadly.  “I guess so...I still feel bad, though.  I can’t even blame it on Kumoraku for once..” She reached out hesitantly to touch his face.  

He winced when she brushed over the claw marks and she withdrew her hand quickly, apologizing.  “It’s okay.” The blond tried not to cringe at the pain in his face as he smiled reassuringly at his friend.

“If only we had a bandage or something to clean those cuts!” Nozomi sighed exasperatedly, racking her brain for a solution.  Her eyes trailed back to the water in front of them, and her eyes lit up. “I’ve got an idea.”

Naruto watched, startled as she tore off part of her shirt sleeve and wadded it up, dipping it into the water.  Once she’d wrung it out, she turned back to him and smiled softly.  “I’m going to clean those cuts.  I’ll try to be gentle but it might be uncomfortable.”

Nodding his understanding, the boy braced himself as she leaned in and raised the black cloth to his face.   The cool water felt good, and he closed his eyes, letting himself relax.  The feel of her scrubbing the dried blood was a little uncomfortable, but he could tell she was trying to be gentle, so he tried not to complain.  After a few minutes, she pulled back and looked him over.  

“I’m afraid that’s the best I can do.”  Her voice was laced with regret, and he beamed at her, ignoring the sting of the air on his wet face.

“Hey, that’s fine.  You didn’t even have to do that.” He hoped she could see how grateful he was, even so.  Most girls he knew were always so vain when it came to their outfits, so it really touched him that Nozomi had willingly torn hers to help him out.

“Yes I did,” The brunette insisted, moving to sit beside him again.  “It’s my fault you’re hurt.  I just hope it heals up quickly because I’m going to feel bad everytime I look at you until it does..”

“Don’t worry, you won’t even be able to see these marks by tomorrow!” Naruto assured her cheekily.   After a few minutes, he asked the question that had been bothering him since she ran off. “So...who was on the tree anyway?” Her head whipped around to look at him,surprised, and he gave a weak smile.  “It had to be someone really bad to make you snap like that, right?”

Nozomi nodded reluctantly.  He was the last person she wanted to think about, but after what had happened, she knew she owed Naruto an explanation.  “It was Suoh-kun.” She mumbled.

That name was familiar.  Naruto’s eyes narrowed as he remembered where he’d heard it, and his smile vanished.  “Who is he?”

The brunette suddenly looked uncomfortable as she saw his reaction, and she looked away, pinning her ears.  “He was...the boy I loved...” She replied after a lengthy silence.

“You still love him...don’t you?”  

The pain in his face was forgotten as a familiar burning sensation settled in the pit of his stomach.  He only ever got this way when Sakura ignored him and fawned over Sasuke.  This had nothing to do with Sakura!  So...why did it eat him up inside to think that Nozomi might care for some guy he didn’t know?  

The idea that he maybe had feelings for her crossed his mind, and Naruto was tempted to dismiss it immediately, but...When was the last time he’d asked Sakura out, or even gone to see her?  This was his opportunity to woo her before he brought Mr. Cranky Pants home, so why hadn’t he made his move?  

“...No.  I hate what he did.”

Nozomi’s reply brought him back down to earth, and he listened intently, resisting the urge to cheer at her answer.  Before he could wonder why he’d reacted that way, the rest of what she’d said sunk in, and he tilted his head in confusion.  “What did he do?”

“....He tried to kill me.” The brunette finally responded, and Naruto’s jaw went slack.  

“What?!  I don’t understand!  I thought you said you loved him!  Why would he do something like that?!  I’m confused!” His entire body tensed up as he fought back the growl rising in his throat. ‘If I ever meet that guy…!’  

“I never said he loved me back.” Nozomi gave a harsh laugh and shook her head.  “He played me, did everything it took to earn my trust and then shattered me in the worst way possible.”  She looked away, giving a heavy sigh.  “The whole thing really messed me up, and I don’t know how to trust anyone now.”

Naruto’s eyes widened at the implication behind her words, and she sweat dropped, realizing her mistake.  “I trust you!  It’s others I have trouble with.” She corrected herself quickly.

“Oh…” The boy relaxed, a relieved smile blossoming on his face. “Well, it’s good that you live here now, because everyone is trustworthy once you get to know them!” He paused, noticing the hesitance in her eyes.  “Of course, there’s no rush.  Do it when you’re ready!”  He added quickly.

They stood up then, looking up at the sky, and Nozomi sighed.  “It’s getting late.  I guess that means practice is over.” She frowned.  “I never knew I could get so mad over something that’s not even there..I don’t think I’m gonna be able to use that method.”

“Don’t worry!  We’ll just figure something else out -ttebayo!” Naruto grinned, reaching into his weapon pouch and producing the kunai from earlier.  “You can keep this in the meantime!”

“What--really?”  Nozomi sputtered as he held the kunai out to her, caught off guard.  “Don’t you need it?”

Naruto gave her a cheeky grin and forced the knife into her hands.  “There’s plenty more where that came from, so just take it!  Maybe we can try again tomorrow?”

“Well..I don’t see why not, since I don’t have class.”

“Perfect!” The blond gave her a toothy grin.  “That means we’ll have all day to figure out a training tactic for you!  Maybe we can work on some of your other subjects too!  Okay?”

“Okay.” A warm smile spread across the brunette’s face, softening her features as she nodded slowly.  “I really don’t know what to say, but...this means a lot.  Thank you.”

The boy simply nodded, feeling his heartbeat speed up.  Why did she have this effect on him?  

“If there’s any way I can repay you for all this, please let me know.”

“Hmm…” Naruto rested his chin against his hand, thinking.  “How about letting me walk you home?” He suggested.

Nozomi’s brows knit together in confusion, and she tilted her head to the side.  “How is that repaying you?” She asked.

“I guess it’s not really,” Naruto admitted, smiling sheepishly, “But still!  It’d be nice to know where you live so I can come see you -ttebayo!”  When she didn’t respond, he grinned mischievously. “If not that, well...I wouldn’t turn down another kiss like that last one.”

Nozomi’s jaw nearly dropped open as she stared at him in disbelief.  ‘I’m never going to live that down, am I?’  she thought unhappily, wishing the burning in her cheeks would stop.

“N-no, that’s fine.” She said quickly before he decided to actually ask for that instead. “You can walk me home, I don’t mind!”

Naruto almost pouted but he stopped himself in time and smiled, nodding.  “Okay!”

For some reason he was feeling let down, which made him think that he’d actually wanted the kiss, and not just to make her blush!  A chill raced up his spine when the brunette took his hand to lead him, and he found himself wondering again what exactly she was to him.  He was going to have to figure it out, and soon, before he drove himself crazy.

……..

“Wait, this is where you live?” Naruto exclaimed as Nozomi led him down a street that was all too familiar to him.

“Uh yeah. Why?”  She glanced at him from the corner of her eye, and he snickered with giddiness.

“This isn’t that far from where I live!”

“What?  No way!” The brunette’s eyes lit up, and she gave him a curious look.  “Where do you live?”

The boy was about to answer when he had an idea, and a sneaky grin stretched over his face.  “Well, you’ll just have to wait and find out tomorrow, after kunai practice.”

“You’re gonna make me walk you home to find out, aren’t you?” Nozomi deadpanned, and he shrugged.

“Hmm...Maaaybe.” He sing songed, and she crossed her arms over her chest, pouting slightly.

“Why can’t you just tell me?”

This prompted a snicker from Naruto as he replied.  “Well, I need some way to ensure that you’re gonna come see me!”

The brunette frowned at his tone and rolled her eyes.  “You make it sound like I’d avoid you if I didn’t.” She retorted.

“Isn’t that what you were doing until I found you this morning?” Blond eyebrows arched upward, and she shrank back under his challenging look.

“I...I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Nozomi defended herself, averting her gaze to the side with a slight huff.  “I’ve been busy studying, you know that!”

“Nozomi-chan, don’t lie.  I saw you the other day.”  Naruto smirked as it dawned on her that she’d been caught, her eyes widening.  “When you came to see me but stayed outside the door, I knew you were there.  I watched you leave.”  Nozomi looked very much like the cornered cat that she was, and he bit his lip to keep from laughing.

“Oh.  I...well..” Her ears pressed back as she gave him an apologetic smile, fidgeting nervously.   “S-sorry.  I was still..umm...” She trailed off as her face began to heat up and turned away quickly, starting up the stairs to her apartment.  

Naruto chuckled at her skittishness.  “It’s okay, I know what you mean.” He sighed when they reached the second floor, and she pulled out her key.  “I guess I should get going now.”

Nozomi turned to him and smiled, nodding.  “Yeah...I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?”

There was a teasing note in the boy’s voice as he answered. “You’d better.”  His heart did another one of those annoying flips when she laughed, and he clicked his tongue in annoyance.  ‘Okay, that’s it.  I don’t know why she keeps making me feel like this, but I’m gonna figure it out!’

With determination in his eyes, he stepped closer to the brunette, ignoring the questioning look this earned him.  

“Naruto-kun..?  What is it?”  

Instead of answering, Naruto leaned in and pressed a kiss to her cheek, nearly falling over at the current of static that shot through him in the process.  His heart beat wildly as he began to understand why he’d really asked her to kiss him so often.  He enjoyed being so close to her.  The blond stepped back, feeling his face heat up.  If he’d felt all that from just a peck on the cheek, what would happen if he kissed her for real?

“N-Naruto-kun..?” Nozomi’s eyes were twice their normal size as she stared at him, touching where he’d kissed her, and he beamed at her.

“Good night, Nozomi-chan!”  

With a wave of his hand, he was gone, leaving a very confused cat girl behind.

……..

Naruto stepped into his apartment and looked around, grimacing at the mess it was in before falling into his regular routine.  After opening his instant ramen and adding water he set the timer for the three, long minutes he always hated to wait out.

This time, rather than hovering impatiently over his food, he went around the room, picking up discarded clothes and putting them away, and throwing away empty ramen cups.  Nozomi didn’t know it yet, but he planned on inviting her over for dinner, and the last thing he needed was for her to think he was a slob!  

When he finished, he plopped onto his bed, picking up the photo from his nightstand and gazing at it nostalgically.  The faces of Team 7 stared up at him; a memento of simpler times.  He snickered at the various expressions on everyone’s faces, pausing when his eyes landed on Sakura, and he slowly set the picture back down. Now he knew why he wasn’t trying to win her over anymore.

Because..

He closed his eyes, recalling the rush of feelings he’d experienced, and the bewildered face of the girl who’d caused them.  He vaguely heard the timer go off as he relived that moment in front of Nozomi’s apartment, a goofy grin spreading across his face.  There was no denying it.  He was falling for her.  

His eyes fluttered open, and he groaned as he remembered their plans for the next day.  “Aw man!  How am I gonna act normal around her now?!”

[fineillsignup]

In your opinion, what ninjas career would each of the K12 excel in? Like who would go into ANBU, the Interrogation Unit, etc.? And why? (This is all assuming that they each got the character development they deserved.)

I love this question so much that I’m letting it jump straight to the head of the line, because I’m going to answer self-indulgently according to my Your Most Important Person universe headcanons. Hope this doesn’t bug you Anon.

Edit: Oh, these could be considered spoilers for my fic I guess? I honestly don’t think they have much to do with the plot of YMIP itself, which derives its narrative tension elsewhere.

Naruto became Hokage. His birthday, once a horrible day for him where he was alone and everyone was remembering the fox attack, is now an international day of celebration of the end of the Fourth Ninja War. He spends the holiday with family and friends. He’s an unconventional Hokage because he does very little actual bureaucratic work; that’s left to others who are better at it. Instead, Naruto applies his idiosyncratic problem solving to old issues and uses his charisma and charm (and sometimes fists) to make people work together.

Sakura is head of the Konoha Hospital, which quickly becomes the pioneer of medical research in the ninja world. Ninja and civilian medical students from all over come to Konoha to learn medicine, as well as patients. Sakura relies on Shizune to run the bureaucratic side of the hospital. Tsunade comes by and helps when she’s not on vacation and/or laying low from debt collectors.

Hinata married Kankurou in this universe. She blossoms in Suna, where as Sabaku no Hinata she is free from the oppressive expectations of being “Hinata-sama the Hyuuga heiress”. She balances a full family life with discreet diplomatic actions to ease lingering tensions between Suna and Konoha. She also consults at the hospital where her Byakugan is very useful for diagnosing and treating various conditions.

Kiba is the guy who wonders why everyone else is settling down. He continues to be an active ninja. He becomes a tokubetsu jounin specializing in search and rescue with Akamaru, who remains a vital and energetic dog for many many many years, like Kiba’s mother’s dog did, so why the hell wouldn’t Akamaru, other than to make me, personally, pissed off? Argh. Ahem.

Shino married Karin in this universe. THEY ARE THE FUCKING SCARIEST SENSOR TEAM IMAGINABLE. They both become Leaf jounin. When they are not on missions, they pursue their hobbies of collecting exotic insects and perfumes. Shino also becomes head of his clan eventually. Their children, with Uzumaki chakra reserves for the insects to feed on, are nicknamed the “Million Mini-Tailed Beasts jinchuuriki” because the amount and power of the insects they are able to host are jinchuuriki-level scary.

Ino has some difficulty in her twenties trying to do too much. She’s helping integrate ROOT and analyze ANBU, she has young kids, she’s running the flower shop, she’s running the clan, she’s at the hospital, she’s at T&I–this girl NEVER STOPS. It’s too much for any one person but it’s really hard because she genuinely wants to do all of those things. Eventually her loved ones make her see reason and she pares back greatly, letting her mother and some other kin take over the flower shop and only doing hospital work when called in for issues that need Yamanaka mind jutsu. She works up from tokujo to jounin. There is a shake-up of Konoha’s internal organization when Naruto is Hokage, Torture and Interrogation is closed down (among other old units) and Ino is named head of the new Internal Affairs bureau, which is kind of like the FBI.

Chouji requests early retirement and opens up a shinobi-focused restaurant, in addition to heading up his clan. His kids, however, are more energetic personalities that take after their mother Anko, so this isn’t the end of InoShikaCho.

Shikamaru is Naruto’s right-hand man and chief advisor, spearheading the bureaucratic side of the office and making sure every task is delegated to the right person. Eventually when Naruto retires Shikamaru becomes head of the External Affairs bureau (like the CIA).

Tenten in this universe lost a leg in the Fourth Ninja War but she has it replaced with a prosthetic that soon becomes her signature weapon. She ends up inventing a slew of prosthetic-related jutsus, using her summoning prowess to swap legs on the fly, then expands it to mechanical enhancements of her other limbs and basically eventually Tenten is able to transform into a mecha ok. She becomes fully as famous as Tsunade and a jounin, eventually becoming a jounin sensei as well.

Rock Lee wanted to become a jounin sensei but faced the limitation that most of his students would need to learn ninjutsu and genjutsu but couldn’t do so from him. So instead he regularly teaches taijutsu lessons at the academy and develops a Youth Club, which is open to both shinobi and civilian children. More non-chakra users become inspired to learn taijutsu from his example.

Neji didn’t die and he becomes the leader of the Hyuuga clan. His passion becomes political activism. He is behind the constitutional reformations in Konoha and he is responsible also, under Naruto’s term as Hokage, integrating Konoha with the Land of Fire de jure rather than just de facto (eg spelling out how tax support of Konoha shinobi works and how ordinary people can access needed shinobi services and so on). Naruto strongarms him into becoming a jounin sensei for a while to remind him to be… a little more youthful. (If you hear something, that’s Guy-sensei crying gentle tears of joy.)

Sasuke died due to injuries received in his battle with Naruto. Sorry Sasuke. In my defense, I did it for the plot.

Now if any artists out there want to draw me mecha Tenten I will be forever grateful.

[nozocentric]

More images related to the Nozomi storyline.  Spoilers and other goodies, some are old and some are new. ^-^

[nozocentric]

Nozomi: Chapter 1

1.

One week later

The sun dipped down and the reddish pink sky faded into navy blue.  Within moments, it was filled with millions of tiny, twinkling lights, and the moon came out, signaling the end of another day.  Its pale light illuminated everything below and all was quiet, aside from the chirp of crickets and other night time creatures.  

A crunch sounded nearby, and all sounds of nature ceased as a young girl stumbled through the forest.  A hooded, black cloak concealed her, and enabled her to blend into the shadows.  Her gold eyes darted back and forth as she dropped her hood, shaking her medium length brown hair free and exposing her fuzzy, black cat ears.  Making her way to one of the many trees in the area, she lowered herself onto the ground, leaning against its trunk as she closed her eyes.  

“What do you think you’re doing, stopping here?” A low voice growled in her mind.

The brunette’s eyes fluttered open slowly, and she clicked her tongue in annoyance.  “Kumoraku, I just need a minute.”

“I don’t care if you’re on your DEATHBED, Kubota.  We can’t stay here.  Even with all these trees surrounding us, we’re still out in the open!”

“But I don’t think I can walk anymore...and how many times do I have to tell you?  My name is Nozomi!”

“You know very well it makes no difference to me what you’re called.  You’re just a thorn in my side.” A throaty growl erupted from Kumoraku before she sighed deeply.  “There’s a village up ahead.  Rest there until you feel well enough to continue.”

Nozomi exhaled heavily in defeat.  She’d been on the run for...probably a week now, and the journey had been rough.  Nobody cared for a stranger like her, especially once they got a good look at her and saw how strange she really was.  More often than not, once people saw her ears, they assumed she was some sort of demon and ran her out of the village.  

‘Not that I can really blame them.  After what I did, I might as well be considered one.’  Nozomi bit her lip as images of her clan’s final moments surfaced and did a double take, trying to clear her head.  She was tired of crying over things that she couldn’t change.

All she wanted right now was a safe place to rest, and maybe some food.  It had been so long since she last ate, and she knew she looked as bad as she felt, if not worse.  Maybe someone would take pity on her and give her something to eat.  With this in mind, the brunette slowly got back up, her legs trembling with protest.  She could see the village gates, just ahead, and she pulled the hood back up, concealing her ears once more.  

‘I can do this.’ She chanted the phrase as a mantra silently as she began to walk again.  Gradually the village gates came closer, and the hope of getting a meal began to feel like a possibility.  

Suddenly, Nozomi began to feel lightheaded, and she stumbled, pitching forward onto the ground.  She lifted her head to spit out a mouthful of dirt, grimacing as pain shot through the faded bruises on her face.  

The entire world was spinning, and she knew she wouldn’t be able to go much farther, but she still forced herself back up.  She’d rest soon; the village was just a couple feet away now.  She’d only taken two steps, however when her knees buckled, and she threw her hands out in front of her as she fell again.  

Try as she might, Nozomi couldn’t muster up enough energy to get back up.  Her vision began to blur, and she closed her eyes, willing away the dizziness that threatened to overwhelm her, but it was no use.  She knew she wouldn’t be able to get up again.  

She cried out in frustration as she realized how close she’d been.  Just a few more steps and she’d have been inside the village, if not for her stupid body deciding to up and quit on her.

"I’m afraid there’s no helping it, Kumoraku.  I’m gonna have to stay here."

The demon growled, berating Nozomi and calling her weak until the girl slipped into unconsciousness.

…….

“See you later, old man!” Naruto waved to Teuchi as he stepped outside of Ichiraku, looking around.  ‘I hope Sakura-chan found her way home okay.  It’s pretty dark tonight.’  Just moments ago, the kunoichi had left, and though he’d offered to walk her home, she’d declined, saying that she wanted to be alone.  It was obvious she was worried about Sasuke.

Sasuke.

His blue eyes dimmed slightly as his thoughts shifted to his other teammate.  He had assured Sakura that the raven haired ninja would never give in to Orochimaru’s curse mark, because he was already strong enough.  

Only, he privately wondered just how true that was.  The Uchiha, whose skills outclassed him, (though Naruto would never believe such lies) seemed to be growing paranoid, especially where Naruto’s progress as a ninja was concerned.  

Earlier that day, Sasuke had challenged him to battle, and Naruto had agreed, expecting a competition between two rivals.  Only, for some reason, the Uchiha had come at him with a killer’s intent!    It had all happened so fast, and no matter how the blond tried to rationalize his friend’s sudden change in behavior, it just didn’t make sense.  If Kakashi hadn’t intervened...He didn’t even want to think about what could have happened.

It had been hours since, but the incident was still fresh in his mind.  Naruto doubted he’d be able to sleep, so he decided to take a walk to try to clear his mind.   He stuffed his hands in his pockets as he wandered about, noting how empty the streets were.  It was as if everyone had vanished, and he was the only one left in Konoha.  

The thought made him feel a little lonely, although he was used to such things, having nobody to wait for him to come home.  Aside from Iruka, few people cared about him, as long as he wasn’t getting into trouble.  

A few moments later, the blond stopped, realizing how far he’d gone.  Somehow, while he’d been lost in thought, he’d ended up at the entrance to the village.  Ahead loomed the massive gates, and beyond them lie the outskirts of the village.  

Naruto stood there, thinking back to all of the missions he’d departed for with Team 7 out these very gates.  The corners of his mouth twitched.  Things hadn’t always gone according to plan, but together he and Sasuke had grown strong, and he liked to believe that he’d proven himself worthy of being the Uchiha’s rival.

A thud nearby broke him out of his thoughts, and Naruto approached the village’s entrance, looking around.  

“Who’s there?” He demanded, trying to sound intimidating.  “Show yourself, you coward!”

When he heard a muffled noise near the gates, the boy hesitated. The idea of capturing an intruder all by himself unnerved him a little, but… Naruto clenched his fists tightly, bracing himself.  He was a ninja, and it was his responsibility to keep the village safe.

With a deep breath, Naruto steeled himself and stepped out of the village, but he couldn’t sense anything unusual.  Still, he knew he’d heard something.  He looked to his left and his right, and when he still saw nothing he decided to do a perimeter check.

Just as Naruto turned to run, his foot connected with something solid and he lurched forward.  His hands shot out and he fell into an awkward hand stand before somehow managing to land unsteadily on his feet.  

‘Phew, that was close!’  The boy sighed as he regained his footing and turned to see what had tripped him up.  At first glance he didn’t see anything, but as he looked again, he could just make out the outline of somebody sprawled out on the ground.

‘What’s going on here?’  Quickly Naruto knelt beside the person, relieved to see that whoever they were, they were still breathing.  

“Hello..?”  The only answer he got was a soft groan, but he was able to determine that the person was a girl at least.  Naruto decided to try again.

“Hello, can you hear me?”  This time he was met with nothing but silence from the girl, and he clicked his tongue.   “C’mon, say something!”  He urged, shaking her shoulder.  

The girl moaned, slowly shifting so she was on her back and Naruto retracted his hand.  In the process, her hood slipped off, and Naruto leaned in to get a better look at her.

“Hello?” He carefully brushed away the hair that had fallen in her face.  His hand froze as he touched something soft, and he traced it with his index finger, gawking.    

“These are...cat ears?!”

……..

Nozomi’s parents had escaped the assassins and together, the three of them were running for their lives.  Nozomi’s legs felt like they were on fire, but she pushed onward, motivated by the angry shouts in the distance as the Kubotas pursued them.  

Her mother turned to her and mouthed “I love you”, and before Nozomi knew what had happened she was standing alone in a forest of dead trees.

“Kaa-san?  Tou-san?  Where are you?!”  She called as she ran, searching for her parents.  

Suddenly a blur of black and blond tackled her onto her back, and she stared up from the ground, wide eyed.   “S-Suoh-kun..!”  

As Suoh held her down he gave her a curious grin, asking why she was running and the brunette quickly explained the situation. “I have to find my parents so we can get away!”

Suddenly Suoh’s face morphed into a smirk, and he laughed menacingly. “It’s too late for that.”  

He motioned over to their left, and Nozomi’s eyes filled with horror as they landed on the mutilated bodies of her parents.  “NO!”  Their blank eyes stared accusingly at her, and Nozomi shut her eyes, trying to block out the voices in her head that screamed it was her fault.  

“And now,” Suoh smirked, producing a kunai, “it’s your turn.”

Nozomi barely had time to scream before he plunged the blade into her heart and everything went black.

…

Nozomi’s eyes flew open and she glanced around wildly.  It had all been a dream, she realized.  Slowly her heartbeat returned to its normal speed, and she let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding, relieved.  It had all felt so real...

“Finally, you’re awake!”

Nozomi’s body tensed, and she cursed herself for not realizing sooner that she wasn’t alone as she slowly looked up.  Gold collided with blue and she gasped, using her elbows to prop herself up as she tried to get to her feet.  

“S-Suoh...k-kun..?”  To her dismay, she still felt too weak to move, and the brunette reluctantly sank back, trembling.  “I...I thought you were dead.”  Maybe it hadn’t all been a dream.  

“Man, you really must have hit your head hard!” The boy extended a hand toward her.  “Need a hand?”  

Memories of her last encounter with Suoh flashed through her mind, and Nozomi scrambled to her feet, narrowing her eyes at him.  “G-get back..!”  She stood as tall as she could, trying in vain to appear intimidating, but the world began to spin again, and she began to fall backwards.  

Her downward descent was stopped as the boy grabbed her hand, and she stared up as tears filled her eyes.  “Please, let me go!”

The blond tilted his head, shrugging his shoulders as he released the brunette’s hand, and she fell back, quickly pulling herself into a sitting position,   “Are you sure you're okay?  You’re acting really weird..”

In her panic, Nozomi heard none of his questions as she lowered her head to hide her tears.  “Haven’t you hurt me enough yet?  I already know you hate me.  Just leave!”

“How can I hate you if I don’t even know you?  Are you sick or something?”  

The spiky haired boy crouched beside her and leaned in, and Nozomi squinted her eyes shut, bracing herself.  He pressed his palm to her forehead and frowned.  “You are a little warm, but I don’t think you’re actually sick..”

Nozomi opened her eyes, looking at him with uncertainty.  When she finally got to see him close up, she realized he was not who she’d thought he was.  At a distance he looked similar to Suoh, but there were many differences.  

This boy had light blond hair, and bright blue eyes.  She could also see three whisker like marks on each side of his face.  What had really convinced her that this wasn’t Suoh, however was the strange power she felt emanating from this stranger.  It was similar to her own demonic power, except much stronger, and she shivered slightly before turning a curious look to the boy.  

Seeing that she was calm now, the blond sat back and smiled.  “Are you okay, now?”

With a soft sigh, Nozomi nodded her head.  “Yeah, sorry. I..thought you were someone else.” She replied, unable to hide the relief in her voice.  

The blond’s lips twitched into a smirk.  “Obviously.” He snickered, and Nozomi mentally smacked herself for mistaking this kid for that guy.  He was the exact opposite.  While Suoh had come off as cool and unapproachable, there was a warmth about this boy that just made her feel comfortable even though she had no clue who he was.  

She groaned inwardly, feeling her face heat up as she realized what a fool she’d made of herself in front of him and she facepalmed.  “Well, just forget all that stuff I said, okay?”  Not giving the boy a chance to respond she glanced around, blinking rapidly to clear the remaining tears that blurred her vision.  “Um, can you please tell me where I am?”

The blond seemed hesitant to drop the subject, but his eyes lit up at her question and he gave a wide grin.  “Oh yeah!  Where are my manners?  You’re right outside of Konoha, the greatest village in the Land of Fire!”  Then without missing a beat, he pointed to himself.  “My name is Uzumaki Naruto, ninja of the Leaf -ttebayo!”  

He proudly motioned to the headband on his forehead, and Nozomi raised an eyebrow, grinning at his over the top introduction. ‘He doesn’t seem like the ninja type...he’s too cheery.  Aren’t ninja supposed to be quiet and withdrawn?’  The brunette broke out of her thoughts as she noticed the intense look he was giving her, and she gulped.  “Wh-what?”

Naruto grinned widely, leaning forward.  “I just asked what your name was!”

“Ah..” Nozomi smiled sheepishly and looked away.  Naruto seemed like a nice person, but...

“Hello..?”  A hand waved in her face and Nozomi sighed, casting her eyes to her lap.  

“...Kubota Nozomi.”  Just hearing her family name made her guilt rise and she grimaced, tensing her shoulders.

“Nice to meet you, Nozomi-chan!” Naruto beamed.  When the brunette didn’t answer he changed the subject.  “So, uh...what are you doing out here, anyway?  Isn’t it kinda late to be out alone?”

Nozomi sweat dropped, looking down at the dirt.  “Well...I’m traveling, and because of how I...um..look, it’s easier for me to cover ground at night.  I'm less likely to run into anybody that way.”

“How you look?” Naruto’s gaze shifted to her ears, and she flattened them self consciously, nodding wordlessly.  “Oh...What about your family?  Won’t they be worried about you?”

A dull pain echoed in the brunette’s chest at his words and she hung her head, shadows casting over her eyes.  “What family?” She finally murmured after a long pause.

Understanding bloomed in Naruto’s eyes and he gave her a sympathetic look.  “I get it...I’m alone too.”

When Nozomi saw no traces of dishonesty on his face, she gave him a sad smile.  “That’s too bad.”  

With a sigh she forced herself to her feet, turning her back on him.  “I should probably go now.  It’s only a matter of time before I’m captured for intruding or something, right?”  She paused, narrowing her eyes at him briefly.  “Or maybe that’s what you’re here for right now.”

Before Naruto could say anything, the brunette began to walk away, and he scrambled to his feet, reaching out and grabbing her shoulder. “Wait!”

Nozomi jerked out of his reach, wincing and he stared at her, forgetting what he’d been about to say.  Now that she’d stepped out of the shadows, he could see her face clearly.  His eyes widened as he noticed the faded bruises that lined her jaw, and he gingerly touched one, frowning when she flinched away.  “Nozomi-chan, who did that to you?”

The brunette began to answer, but at that moment a sharp pain coursed through her, and she dropped to her knees, hiding her face in her hands.

Concerned, Naruto knelt in front of her, asking her what had happened.

Nozomi’s body trembled as she lowered her hand and looked at him, wincing.  Now not only was everything starting to spin again, but she felt a headache coming on.  What was going on with her?  ‘Is this because I’m so run down?’

As he realized she wasn’t going to answer him, Naruto decided to take matters into his own hands.  “Get on my back.  I’m taking you to the hospital.”

Somehow, in the midst of the pain the girl managed to shake her head, and she raised her eyes to meet his, speaking through clenched teeth.  “No, I’m fine. Just leave me here.”

‘This feels bad, but it’s what I deserve, after all..’

Unable to believe what he was hearing, Naruto fixed her with an incredulous look.  “You are not fine!  You need to see a doctor now!”

“No really.  I just need to rest and I’ll be fine.”  Nozomi insisted, even though she knew he didn’t believe her words.  Heck, she didn’t even believe her.

“Why are you being so stubborn?!” The blond threw his hands in the air frustratedly and she decided to change the subject.  

“Really, if there’s anything I need, it’s food.  Do you know anywhere I could get a bite to eat?”

Naruto pouted at the obvious subject change, but he perked up slightly at her question, nodding.  “Do I!  I know the best place in the whole village!” He paused, watching as the girl’s mouth watered and grinned mischievously.  “I’ll take you, but only if you’re absolutely sure you’re okay.”

“I already told you I’m fine!” The brunette mumbled as she got to her feet, trying to ignore the dizziness that hit her in the process. The look Naruto gave her said that he wasn’t buying her act, and she scoffed, turning toward the village.  “Alright, let’s go then, if you really don’t mind.”

Naruto crossed his arms and opened his mouth to say something, but his words were suddenly drowned out by a loud rumble, and he looked over at the girl, bewildered.  “Nozomi-chan, was that..?”

Nozomi blushed in embarrassment as her stomach let out another rumble, confirming his suspicions.  

Naruto’s eyebrows rose, and he gave her a teasing grin.  “Geez, when’s the last time you ate?”

Abruptly her gaze dropped to the ground, and she coughed uncomfortably.  “I, uh..can’t really remember.  It’s been a while.”  

‘She can’t remember?’ Naruto’s eyes bulged, and he stared at her in shock.

An awkward silence settled between them, and Nozomi bit her lip, frowning as she glanced at the boy.  He was regarding her with something akin to horror, and she laughed sheepishly.  “Um..hello?  Was it something I said?”

Naruto snapped out of his stunned stupor and did a double take before grabbing her wrist, and she stumbled forward as he took off running into the village.  “Whoa--!  Slow down!”  

……..

‘There’s no way I can afford any of this.’  Nozomi sighed inwardly as she scanned the Ichiraku menu.  Naruto had insisted this was the best place to eat in the entire village, and while she was eager to try it, she knew deep down that the only way she’d be able to was if the old man would let her wash dishes or something in return for her meal.

Naruto grinned as he finished explaining the reason for his second visit in an hour to Teuchi and turned to the brunette.  He could tell even without her saying anything that she was worried, and he had a feeling he knew what about.

“Hey, go ahead and order whatever you like.  It’s on me.” He held up his toad shaped wallet, Gama-chan, and Nozomi stared at him in stunned silence.

“Why would you go that far for a perfect stranger, Naruto-kun?” she finally asked after a moment, pinning her ears back as she looked down at the counter top.  

Naruto just grinned in response.  “Do I really need a reason to do something nice for somebody?”

The brunette glanced at him from the corner of her eye.  “I guess not...but you don’t even know me...”

“So what?” The blond continued to smile as he answered.  “That doesn’t matter to me!  A ninja is supposed to help people out no matter what, dattebayo!”

The small smile that had crept onto Nozomi’s face faded and she shrugged.  “Well...people normally wouldn’t want to help someone like me.” She mumbled, turning her attention back to the menu.

“What do you mean by that?” Naruto’s brows knit together in confusion and he frowned at her.  “You seem like a nice enough person to me.  Maybe a little tense, but not enough to keep me from liking and wanting to help you.”

Nozomi turned and gave him a weak smile, turning away again before she could blurt out the answer he wanted.  ‘He says he likes me now, but if he knew what happened he’d probably hate me too.'

The silence was broken finally when Teuchi came and asked for their order, and Naruto nudged her gently.  “Do you know what you want yet?”

Nozomi quickly turned her attention to the old man and gave her order, and he walked away to go prepare it.  It was then that she realized Naruto hadn’t ordered anything, and she frowned at him.  “You’re not getting anything?”

“Of course I am!” The spiky haired boy gave her a toothy grin.  “I’m their most frequent customer, so they already know what I want.”

“..Oh, okay.”  The brunette looked away, and the awkward silence fell over them again.  

This time, Naruto wasn’t going to let it stay, as he cleared his throat to get her attention.  “So, listen...about earlier.” He paused, checking to make sure nobody else was listening before leaning closer and speaking in a hushed tone.  “What happened to you?” When the girl looked at him strangely he motioned to the bruises on her face and she bit her lip, turning away.

“Ah..that.” Nozomi closed her eyes as she relived the memories of that day and breathed out softly.  “Somebody I really cared about betrayed and hurt me.”

Whatever kind of answer he’d been expecting, this was clearly not one of them as Naruto sat back on his stool, looking shocked.  “That’s terrible.  I’m really sorry..”

“Don’t be.” Gold eyes locked with his and Naruto flinched as he saw the coldness behind them.  “It just showed me what a fool I was for trusting him to begin with.”  She broke off, averting her eyes.  “I doubt I’ll ever trust anybody again.”

Naruto’s heart clenched at her words, and he regarded her with sad eyes for a moment.  “You’re a jinchuuriki, aren’t you.”

It was a statement, not a question, but the brunette still answered him.  “So what if I am?” she huffed, folding her arms defensively.

The blond winced at her change in behavior and tried again.  “Well..I’m the jinchuuriki of the Nine tailed fox.” He paused, watching her reaction.  She didn’t seem too surprised, which told him that she must’ve sensed his demon just as he’d sensed hers.  “I just...wanted you to know.  I understand your pain.”

‘Does he really think I’m gonna want to tell him my life story just because he’s a jinchuuriki?’ Nozomi opened her mouth to make a retort but at that moment Teuchi returned and placed their bowls before them.  

“Oh yeah!”

The old man laughed as Naruto broke his chopsticks with gusto and shook his head.  “You act like you weren’t here just an hour ago!”

The blond flashed him a toothy grin, insisting that he was never not hungry for ramen and Nozomi giggled softly as she broke her own chopsticks.  

Almost immediately Naruto turned to look at her in astonishment and she sweat dropped, feeling unnerved.  “What?”

“You actually laughed.” He commented.  Slowly the surprise on his face faded, and he beamed at her.  “You look pretty when you laugh...you should do it more often.”  

Taken aback by the compliment, Nozomi could only stare as he turned his attention back to his ramen, and she huffed softly, turning her attention to her food.  “Yeah, whatever you say.”

Despite her reservations about letting him pay for her, she had to admit she was bursting with excitement.  It looked and smelled amazing.  

“Itadakimasu!” She chimed, plunging the chopsticks into the bowl and slurping more noodles than she could take in at once.  Her eyes closed contentedly as the various flavors invaded her mouth, and she was filled with bliss.  She wouldn’t have been surprised if she actually purred, she was so happy!  

As she sat there, eating like she hadn’t in days, Nozomi became acutely aware that she was being watched.  Swallowing her mouthful of noodles, she glanced to her right and gave a sheepish grin.  Naruto had already finished his food, and now sat watching her, an amused smirk tugging at his lips.  Didn’t he realize that she didn’t like being watched like that?

“I, uh...it’s good.” She mumbled, and his smirk only grew, unnerving her more.  “What?”

The blond turned away, stretching his arms behind his head contently.  “Nothing.  I was just thinking I should probably order another.  One’s probably not gonna be enough.”

“Um...if you say so.  I’m grateful for just the one bowl.” The brunette turned back to her ramen and resumed eating while Naruto ordered another bowl for her.  

‘Naruto-kun’s a pretty nice guy.’  She thought as she slurped her noodles.  ‘Maybe I can trust him.’

“That’s what you thought about that pretty boy, but things didn’t go the way you were expecting, did they?”

Nozomi choked on her food as Kumoraku’s voice filled her head, and she put the chopsticks down, gasping.  

“What did you say?” She demanded, and the cat flashed her a toothy smirk.

“You heard me, Kubota.  Don’t let your guard down just because this one says he’s a jinchuuriki.  You know he’d NEVER accept you after all you’ve done!”

“I’m not, Kumoraku.  I just think he might be somebody I could eventually talk to about what happened.’

A growl emitted from the demon, and she bared her fangs angrily.  “What does that mean?  Are you telling me that you’re actually considering staying here?!”

Nozomi chewed her lip uncertainly, clearly hesitant to answer and Kumoraku roared angrily.

“Fine!  If you want to stay and be subjected to the same thing as before, be my guest.  Just don’t expect me to make it any easier!”

Nozomi’s eyes widened as a pounding pain pulsated through her body, and she inhaled sharply.  “What did you just do?!”

Kumoraku gave a devilish smirk, snickering darkly.  “I’ve relinquished my healing powers for now.  We’ll see just how well you fare recovering like an average human.”  When the brunette didn’t respond, she gave a harsh laugh. “You didn’t really think you were almost fully healed, did you?  I’ve been holding back the worst of the pain up until now, you fool!”

Nozomi cried out as another stab of pain shot through her body, and her hands flew to her head as her surroundings began to spin uncontrollably.

A startled Naruto turned to face her, worry etched into his features.  “Hey, are you okay?!” He waved a hand in her face, but she was too consumed in her pain to notice.  After several seconds that felt to her like hours of agony, she passed out, falling face first into her bowl of ramen.

To say the blond was surprised would be putting it mildly.  Naruto waited, watching her with wide eyes.  When a minute went by and she didn’t budge, he lifted her head, moving the bowl away.  

After trying and failing to wake the brunette, he paid for the food and with some difficulty, he lifted her onto his back.  He hurried out of Ichiraku and took off running, his brows furrowed in frustration.

‘I told her she needed to see a doctor!’

……..

Kumoraku scowled as she watched the orange clad ninja barge into the hospital with Nozomi in tow.  She’d have to break this up, before he instilled new hope into the young Kubota and convinced her to stop hating herself.  

The feline scowled at the girl who lay in a heap at her feet and thrummed her claws against the ground agitatedly.  This Naruto had the potential to undo everything she’d been working for since the Kubota clan’s massacre, and that was something she could not allow.

[nozocentric]

Nozomi: Prologue

The End of the Kubota Clan

“Keep looking, I know I saw that monster!”

Nozomi glanced up as distant shouting reached her ears and inhaled sharply as a trio of teenage boys appeared.  Kohaku, the redhead and self designated leader, along with the identical twins Ichirou and Noburu, who could only be told apart by their eyes (Ichirou’s were green and Noburu’s a deep blue).  

Nozomi knew the three of them more than she'd like to admit, having spent many an outing on the run from them.  She tried to hide but her efforts were futile.  Kohaku had already spotted her, and he wasted no time pointing her out to his friends. “There she is! ”  

Her gold eyes grew large with fear as the rowdy gang raced toward her, and she snatched up the bag containing her purchase hurriedly.  “Please!  Just leave me alone!” She cried, turning on her heel and bolting as the three boys gave chase.  

‘What was Kaa-san thinking, sending me out when it’s still this bright out?’  

The brunette took one turn after another, trying to lose them, and a ray of hope surged through her as the scrape of sandals behind her grew fainter.  Heaving a sigh of relief, she turned another corner, only to find herself staring at a wall and she cursed her luck.

“Dead end.”  

Shadows fell over her, and the brunette glanced back to see Kohaku and the twins stalking toward her, leering menacingly.  

Her brain screamed for her to do something, and in a moment of desperation she leapt up, scrambling to find a hold in the wall. ‘Please!’  As she silently begged Kami for help, she gripped onto a groove in the wall, and she began to climb carefully, drawing nearer to the top.  

Her joy was short lived as a sharp pain shot through her spine.  “You won’t escape!”  

The brunette cried out in pain as she glanced down, where Ichirou had grabbed her tail and was trying to pull her down.  “Let me go!”

Reaching the top, Nozomi grabbed the edge of the wall with both hands and tried to pull herself up.  Luck wasn’t on her side, it turned out, as the other boys joined in, and the three of them gave a firm tug.  “I told you we weren’t letting you get away, didn’t I?  Not until you pay!”  

The brunette grit her teeth as her chin scraped against the wall, drawing blood and she landed in a heap on the ground at their feet.  “Ha!  How unlucky.  A cat that can’t evenclimb!”  

Nozomi glared up at them, her canines glinting dangerously in the light.  “I was doing FINE until you pulled me down!”  

“Don’t you dare show your fangs, demon!”  Noburu pushed her head into the ground with his foot, and she grunted under the pressure.

“Stop it!  That hurts!”  

“That’s the point, stupid!”

Nozomi’s arm thrust out in desperation, and Noburu yelled in pain as her claws grazed his shin, leaving five thin, red lines on his skin.

‘I didn’t mean to do that...but he deserved it.’ Scrambling back to her feet, the brunette glanced around, her eyes filled with fear.  She may have gotten free, but unless something happened to distract her captors, there was no way she’d escape them all.  

“Make her pay, Kohaku!”  

Their leader stepped forward cracking his knuckles, hatred burning in his auburn eyes. “You’ve got a lot of nerve, attacking my friend!  You’re really gonna get it now.”  

Nozomi pressed into the wall, praying in vain that by some miracle she could disappear into it, though she knew it was only wishful thinking.  There was only one thing she could do, and as much as the brunette hated the idea, if it could spare her any pain she would.  

Bowing her head, she pinned her ears back submissively.  “Please, Kohaku-san.  I’m sorry.  I swear I didn’t mean to hurt your friend… Honest.”  

Kohaku and the twins laughed harshly in response, and her vision clouded over with tears.   “Nice try, but the word of a monster is worthless!”  

A tear slid down Nozomi’s cheek as his words sunk in and she raised her head, the hurt plain on her face.  “But I’m not a monster..”

Her words were soft, but she knew they’d been heard because Kohaku’s fist paused.  “As long as you house that demon that makes you one!”  Kohaku’s fist slammed into her gut, effectively knocking the wind out of her, and she gasped with pain, struggling to stay standing.  

“You’re going to be feeling a lot worse by the time we’re finished with you, demon!” Noburu snarled as he and Ichirou joined in; Ichirou punched her in the chest while Noburu socked her left eye, and her vision blurred as she crumbled to the ground, crying in pain.  

'I...can barely see.  Are they going to kill me?’  

As Nozomi braced herself, resigned to her fate, she heard a voice call out her name, and she forced her eyes open painfully.  A gasp escaped her as she saw a boy with dirty blond spiked hair...three of them. One for each attacker.  “Suoh-kun?!”

The spiky haired boy grit his teeth as he held Kohaku back.  “Nozomi-chan.  My clones won't last long.  Go, now!”  He glanced over his shoulder, grey eyes conveying his urgency and Nozomi’s eyes teared up again as she nodded.  

“Thank you.”  Gathering up her spilled belongings, the brunette carefully weaved her way out of the alley and took off running as hard and as fast as she could.  

The wind whipped her eyes, making them tear up and she grimaced, knowing she’d likely have a black eye- it was already beginning to swell.  Though it could’ve been a lot worse, she reminded herself.  'Bless you, Suoh-kun.  I owe you one for coming to my rescue…’  

The brunette nearly cried out with relief when her home came into view, and she raced to the door, barging inside and shutting it behind her, as if afraid that her tormentors were behind her.  Safe at last, Nozomi leaned forward, hands on her knees as she caught her breath.  

“I’m home.” She choked out, still too winded to speak and she grimaced.  No matter what, it was always like this anytime she went out.  It was just a part of being the clan’s jinchuuriki.  Her parents had explained this when she was younger, adding that no matter who she was they loved her, and that had soothed the sobbing child.   Now she was 12, and convinced that couldn’t be all it was.  Surely the clan couldn’t harbor so much ill will toward her over something she’d had no control over to begin with.  There had to be another reason!  

Sighing, Nozomi kicked off her shoes and took off her cloak, hanging it up as she made her way into the living room.  “Kaa-san? Tou-san? I’m home-”  

Her voice broke off and she dropped her bag.  A strangled cry escaped her as she spotted both her parents on the floor, lying in a pool of their own blood.  “No!  This can’t be-- it’s not real!”  

The brunette knelt beside her mother’s body, fighting back her tears as she looked at her face.  Her warm, chocolate brown eyes were dull and lifeless, seeming to pierce right through her, and her mouth hung open, as if stuck in an eternal scream.  

“Kaa-san...Tou-san…”  As much as she wanted this to be a nightmare, it became glaringly clear that it was real, and her disbelief melted into anguish as she screamed.  “Who DID this to you?!”  

Slowly she rose to her feet and backed away, deeply unsettled by her parents’ blank stares. ‘Why did I ever go out?!  I should have been here!  I left them here to die!’  

A deep, velvety voice in her mind reminded her that she was only a useless child, and would’ve burdened the adults, but Nozomi ignored it, unable to tear her eyes from the gruesome scene.  She gagged as the smell of death and blood invaded her nose and fled the room, only stopping to put on her shoes and grab her cloak before thrusting the door open and taking off.  

Her sandals scraped loudly against the ground, but Nozomi could care less.  She was too numb to even worry about attracting attention to herself right now.  All she could think about was the fact that her parents were both gone, and she was completely alone.  The image of her family, soaked in their blood as they stared up lifelessly at her haunted her, and she shook her head to clear the mental image.  ‘I don’t want to remember them that way!’  

Fresh tears sprang to her eyes, and she squinted as it became harder to see.  ‘What am I going to do?!’  

After a few minutes of prolonged running, Nozomi’s legs were ready to give out, and she turned down an alley.  Her cloak enabled her to blend in perfectly with its shadows, and she hunched over, panting hard as tears streamed down her face of their own accord.  

Her ears rotated back at the sudden sound of footsteps behind her, but before she could run, a heavy weight slammed into her from behind, sending her face first into the dirt.

“I’ve finally found you.”

A chill ran up Nozomi’s spine at the voice she easily recognized, and she lifted her face from the ground, glancing back. “Wh-why?  What are you..?” She broke off, crying out in pain as the boy who’d rescued her earlier suddenly jerked her arm backward, forcing her up on her knees.  “Suoh-kun, you’re hurting me!”  

Ignoring the girl’s cries, he roughly turned her to face him.  His face was void of emotion as he pulled out a thick, black ribbon with a medium sized bell attached at its center.

“What’s that for..?”

Suoh smirked at the question, pushing the hood of her cloak down before he leaned in and wound the ribbon around her neck, tying it almost tight enough to choke her.  

“The elders have decided that your ability to hide in the shadows is a danger to us all.  Not knowing where you are makes the clan uneasy since you could just attack at any moment.  This bell will put an end to those fears.”

The brunette just nodded weakly, sobbing as she gazed up at him with tear stained cheeks, struggling to form a coherent sentence.   “M-my parents.  They’re…” Unable to finish, her ears pressed flat as her shoulders shook violently, and she slowly got up from the ground, wiping her tears.  “Why did they have to die like that?!  I just don’t understand!”  

An unreadable look flashed across Suoh’s features before he smirked, and suddenly Nozomi found herself pinned to the wall by him, her hands restrained above her head.  “Well then, I’ll make you understand.”

Nozomi’s face fell as she began to put two and two together, and her heart clenched painfully as she looked at him, stunned.  “You-you were in on this?!”

Suoh’s facial expression morphed into a cruel grin as he nodded. “I knew it was going to happen a long time ago, actually.  If your parents had just complied with the clan’s wishes, this whole mess would have been avoided.  See, the elders are not happy with you, Nozomi-chan.  Your demonic powers are growing too strong, so they wanted to extract that monster out of you and put it in a younger host.”

Nozomi’s eyes narrowed, her tears slowing as she glared up at the boy.  “So my parents had to die in order for such a thing to happen?!  They couldn’t have been spared?!”

“They were always getting in the way, doing everything they could to keep you away from the clan.  Finally the elders had enough and decided to have them eliminated.”  He paused, letting his harsh words sink in before adding, “From what I’ve seen you weren’t allowed outside unless it was night.  Didn’t you think it was odd they’d send you out in broad daylight?  They KNEW what was coming, and tried to protect you one last time!”

Nozomi narrowed her eyes at the boy, feeling another painful throb in her chest as another piece of her heart was trampled on and she inhaled deeply, trying to calm herself.  “So then if you knew all this time….why did you even bother helping me earlier?!”

To her surprise, Suoh’s eyes softened and a hand came to rest on her cheek.  He leaned in close, and the brunette’s eyes widened as he whispered in her ear.  “All part of the plan, sweetheart.”

“What?!”  The brunette shot him a bewildered look, trying to calm her heart.  She knew now that it was wrong, but the truth stood that she’d found him attractive, and having him so close so suddenly had really freaked her out.

The boy smirked as he saw the emotions in her eyes and stroked her jaw gently, whispering again.  “It’s true.  They told me to get close to you, and get you to let your guard down.”  

Pain etched itself into Nozomi’s face as she realized she’d been betrayed, and she felt as if a knife were in her chest, carving out what remained of her heart.  

“It took forever, but now that this whole thing is finally over I can tell you how I really feel about you.”. His face twisted into a sneer as he leaned in again.  “I hate you.”

Before Nozomi could even react, he backhanded her across the face and thrust her onto the ground.  Then he kicked her, again and again, and she covered her face with her arms, whimpering brokenly as he threw rocks at her.   When the assaults came to a stop, she uncovered her face cautiously, and Suoh's fist slammed into her cheek as he pounded her mercilessly.  

Throughout the entire thing, the brunette just stared up at him, as the truth of everything he’d just said came crashing down upon her, numbing her to his assaults.  Suoh kept going until the girl was barely conscious, and he stepped back, staring down at her coldly. Nozomi was nearly unrecognizable; not only was her face swollen, she now sported two black eyes, and was bleeding from both her nose and mouth.  

A heavy silence hung over them for a moment before he spoke, grinning maliciously.  “Your parents’ death is all your fault.  None of this would have happened if it weren't for you.”  He paused, watching the pain flit through her damaged face, laughing.  “Don’t worry, though.  The elders are preparing for your demon’s extraction as we speak; you’ll be joining your parents very soon.”

Something inside of Nozomi snapped at his words, and her eyes dilated as she let out a roar neither of them knew she was capable of.  “And you guys call ME a monster?!”   She began to tremble as purple chakra bubbled out of her body, and Suoh stepped away, looking nervous as it completely engulfed her.  Suddenly, she vanished in an explosion of smoke that knocked Suoh into the wall.  Covering his mouth, he squinted as the smoke dissipated and cried out in shock as two glowing, red orbs peered down at him.  “Th-this can’t be--”

The massive blackish purple cat gave a devious smile that showed off its long, jagged fangs before proceeding to level the buildings around them with one swipe of its powerful forelegs.  

In the midst of the chaos, Suoh began to sneak away, but no amount of dust could hide him from the demon’s eyes. “Don’t think you can hide from me.”  Slowly her tail wound around the boy, squeezing tight as she lifted him off the ground, and he barely had time to shout for help before she tossed him high into the sky as if he were merely a toy.  

“It’s Kumoraku!  She’s loose!”  

Her attention was taken off her prize in the sky as other clan members had been alerted to her presence, and began attacking her.  

“You really think you are enough to stop ME?” Kumoraku smirked devilishly as she flung them into the buildings until their bodies were too broken to move.  The less fortunate were stabbed by her long claws, or crushed under her paws.

A yowl of pain tore through her as one of the villagers shoved a long blade into her paw and she scowled at the aforementioned person, shoving him away as she continued her rampage.  

The Kubota clan fought bravely, but they were no match for the demon cat, and in moments the entire village had been reduced to rubble, burying the remains of those who’d dared stand in her way.  

Looking over the destruction she caused, Kumoraku smirked and sat back on her haunches, running her rough tongue over the more serious injuries she’d sustained.  “Well, that’s enough for one day.”

In another puff of smoke, the cat had vanished, leaving a barely conscious Nozomi laying in her place.  Slowly she got to her feet, her eyes widening at the sight before her.  “What...what happened…?”  

Even though she already knew the answer, the brunette hurried through the ruins, searching for any survivors, but as she’d expected, there were none.  Tears filled her eyes again as she surveyed the damage, horror on her face.

“I..I did all of this..?”  The brunette dropped to her knees, staring in disbelief at the ruins she’d once called home.  

She hadn’t really expected an answer, but the voice of Kumoraku graced her with one, purring with satisfaction.   “Who else but a monster is capable of such destruction?”    

“..A-and Suoh-kun..?”  

“That pretty boy?  He made a great toy.”  Kumoraku purred again, sounding quite satisfied and Nozomi’s heart clenched.  

“What about-”

“They're all gone, brat.  Just shut up and be grateful.  I did you a favor.”

‘Even if Suoh-kun DID lie to me...he didn’t deserve to die..none of them did.’  Guilt clawed at her heart as she realized maybe she was the monster she’d been called all her life, and the brunette pulled her cloak’s hood over her ears before turning away from the ruins.  “I’m so sorry, everyone...please, forgive me.”  

Without another glance back, Nozomi turned on her heel and took off running, even though she had no idea where she’d end up. Anywhere was better than here.

[nozocentric]

Random sketches from over the years of Nozomi, her demon, Kumoraku, and her sensei, Saera, who belongs to @mewinukags​

More can be found at stargazingkitten.deviantart.com