Juugo Uzumaki - Chapter 23

Juugo dressed for the day, choosing shorts yet again as he slipped them on. The morning was bright, cool and dry as he straightened his appearance.

He'd need a mirror, according to Miss Suzi; especially if he was planning another dinner with the Hyuuga Lords, which she would of course be invited to as well as he left for breakfast, trying not to recall how ecstatic she'd been.

The Hyuuga she'd said, such an honour and privilege. Lord Hizashi and his wife, such wonderful people.

Juugo didn't completely agree, finding the experience uncomfortable as he flicked the door behind him, letting it bang absently.

There had been something amiss during dinner, something with them both that he couldn't quite put his finger on as he walked the corridors.

They'd both been polite, cordial and most of all, forgiving. Which seemed off to Juugo, since he had actually knocked their son unconscious, yet they seemed more interested in him.

Why.

He was a nobody, an orphan with a lonely name.

"Juugo!"

Hana waved at him from a table as he entered the cafeteria. She'd been waiting for him as he waved back, heading quickly to the queue for food.

A boy in front glanced behind, wanting to see this 'Juugo' he'd of. "You're Juugo?" he asked, turning fully when Juugo found his gaze

"Yes," said Juugo simply, not sensing a threat. "Do you need something?"

The other boy shook his head, offering an amused smile. "Nah, just curious," before turning back as the line moved.

Juugo stepped too, now curious himself. "About what?" he queried, watching for a moment before the boy glanced back.

He seemed indifferent, uncaring. "You're at the Academy."

"Yes," affirmed Juugo quickly. "So what?"

The line moved again, forcing the boy around to retrieve his bowl. "It's cool," he commented, glancing back to the yellow eyed boy. "Not many of us get in. None, really."

He mused for a moment, accepting the truth as the line shifted.

It was just life, as Juugo retrieved his own bowl as well. Having thought little on the actually numbers. "Does anyone else here attend the Academy?"

The boy shook his head. "Not for a while," he said. "Before my time, and I've been here 8 years now."

…

"Who?"

Juugo would like to know, as he waited for the boy to pour his soup, humming absently in thought. "A boy. I don't know his name," he said, feeling sure he'd never heard it as he retrieved his spoon. "He died though, from what I heard."

"Oh."

The boy nodded, agreeing with the sentiment as he walked away. "See ya."

"Bye."

…

Juugo retrieved his spoon, thinking as he walked towards an impatient Hana. "Took you long enough," she snipped, though not really meaning it. "You spoke to Kazuya?"

She knew the boy. The quiet sort.

"Yeah, if that's his name," replied Juugo, sitting comfortably as he began to eat.

Hana watched him for a moment, smiling at his dignified manners. Juugo had quickly improved after her innocent comment, and now used the spoon with careful grace.

She'd shown him how, and the rest as she watched him settle his spoon between sips. "What did he say?" she asked, not demanding as Juugo looked thoughtful.

He set his spoon down.

"He said there was a boy," he began, feeling drawn to her warm gaze. "One that had attended the Academy. Then died."

Juugo noticed her frown, looking concernedly back at him. He grinned. "Don't worry, I'll be fine," he assured, believing it as Hana tutted.

"Don't jinx it," she whispered, already upset at the thought of Juugo dying. "L-luck is important, you know."

She referred to a previous discussion between them, where she'd declared how important luck really was. "You're lucky, Juugo."

He gave her an 'oh really' look, glancing up as he resumed eating. "How so?" he said, in a way that indicated their orphaned status.

Hana sighed, not this again. "Never mind that," she growled, pouting at him. "Think about it this way. Take all the good things that have happened to you, all the things you've achieved."

Juugo did, thinking of his escape; of his Sealing, Sensing and general physical prowess.

Who did he owe these to. Surely it couldn't be… "…luck?"

Hana looked pleased.

"Luck. At the root of all our success, before anything you actually do comes into it. Is luck."

…

"You're lucky too," said Juugo, meaning it as Hana seemed confused. "You're here after all, with me. The next Hokage."

Hana deadpanned, flicking his leg with her foot. "You'll need more than luck to become Hokage," she warned. "Do you actually know any jutsu yet?"

He hadn't mentioned any, as she saw his expression fade. "You do?" she said excitedly. "Can you show me?"

Juugo looked away, annoyed. "They're not so amazing," he muttered, leaning over his bowl. "I'll show you when I know something cool."

Hana wanted to argue, but decided not to as Juugo leaned away. "What do they do?" she whispered, leaning across the table. "Please."

Juugo sighed, glancing up as he noticed Hana's hands which palmed the table. He frowned. "What happened to your hand?" he asked, as Hana swiped them back and beneath the table. "Did you hit something?"

It was bruised between the knuckles, fresh and a little swollen as Juugo felt her stiff posture.

"Hana."

He reached forward, opening his hand gently towards her. "Please, let me see."

…

"It's nothing Juugo," she said, trying to smile as he stared at her eyes. "I just caught it on my door, it gets stuck sometimes."

"Mine doesn't."

She looked at Juugo, huffing as she rose to leave. "I'll see you later," she whispered, leaving quickly through the chattering tables.

Juugo didn't turn, yet still he watched as she seemed to fumble round the tables.

Her leg. Had she fallen?

But.

Juugo turned around, glimpsing as she walked out the door.

He got up, following as he too left his bowl.

Something wasn't right, as he swerved around the tables, finding his path littered with leaning children.

"Move."

He pushed a boy aside, who'd been hanging from the bench like monkey. "Idiot."

Juugo kept on, ignoring the ruffled boy and his friends as they jeered his way.

"Juugo?"

Miss Suzi appeared, just as he was about to leave.

He turned with a fierce scowl. "Yes?" he snapped, his eyes narrowed at the woman.

She stepped back, blinking. "Are you alright?" she asked, concerned for his wellbeing. "Wha-"

He turned back, dismissing her as he walked out the door.

Where was Hana.

Who was hurting her. It had to be someone as he followed after her, feeling as she arrived at her first class.

Miss Suzi had followed, dogging his steps that had quickened considerably. "Juugo?" she tried, wanting him to stop as he turned a bend. "What's going on?"

Suzi heard nothing, only his shoes on the floor as he prowled along.

She felt uneasy.

"Please Juugo. Stop."

…

He did, huffing as she appeared with expectant eyes.

Juugo rubbed his arm.

"Hana," he blurted. "She's been hurt, there are bruises on her hand and her leg's not right," he said, finding his head itch with sudden need.

He felt warm.

"Hana?" asked Suzi with a confused frown. "She's hurt? How - what happened?"

Juugo shook his head, then his body as he felt it shiver with energy… he stilled.

"I need to go."

He ran, fleeing as Suzi called his name.

Juugo needed to calm down, let off some steam as soon as possible as he headed for the front door.

The Academy would be open now, even if he was slightly early.

He knew just the spot.

Break

Juugo arrived in a sweat, dripping with the stuff as he hopped by the bench he'd been shown before.

He was restless, tingling with energy as he tried to sit like before, yearning for the calm he'd felt.

There no one here as he crossed his legs on the bench, the Academy all but empty of students while the teachers prepared for the day.

The lake felt chilly too, the air crisp with mist as Juugo watched it drift across the lake. It reminded him, like so many things did of his home in Kiri.

He still missed it as he closed his eyes, letting his mind drift in the nature around.

The time began to pass, the tingling fading with every calming breath he took, then the small shivers of energy as people arrived at the Academy.

Juugo hadn't felt like this for a long time, as he opened his eyes, seeing the sun and lake glittering ahead.

He knew why, and it didn't please him. "I need to find somewhere to train…" he muttered, chewing his lip in thought.

His body was upset with him, whining about its lack of use.

The Sage Transformation.

Juugo sighed, forming a plan that could have merit as he tapped his chin.

He'd need to test it. Today.

There was no other way as he hopped to his feet, feeling the time and the classes that had already begun… he glanced down, staring at the water as it ebbed against the bank.

He grinned, diving in with a powerful jump.

Splosh.

Juugo held his breath, keeping below the water as he opened his eyes.

The lake was dark, thick with algae and plants, which seemed to have formed forests within the water.

They were all colours of green, light and dark as sunlight filtered down from the surface.

Looming.

That's what Juugo thought as he adjusted, moving to a swim as he travelled down, following the plants as the darkness grew.

His breath was running out as his neck warmed, brightening as gills appeared on either side, letting him breath as bubbles escaped him.

Juugo sealed his face next, then his eyes with a film of transparent skin, shielding against the pressure as he sunk further still.

The lake was deep, much deeper than he'd realised when sensing those 600 fish the day before, which he still wasn't convinced of by the way.

Fumiko was mischievous, giggly like that fat bird of hers as Juugo finally saw the sandy bottom.

This was the deepest he'd ever been, at least 100 metres as his sandals touched the bottom. He'd not changed his limbs, not seeing the need since really. He was just sinking, as he looked around the lake bed.

Was this the deepest point?

He felt around, creating a map of the bed and the terrain around. This wasn't the deepest, far from it as he swam between the plants, using their thick stems to tug and push himself between them.

It was quite fun actually, as he came to an edge and cliff that sunk to the abyss below.

It was dark, different from the dwindling light he'd enjoyed in the plant forests as he peered below, sensing nothing but sheer rock.

Perfect.

Juugo jumped off, streaming across before turning down through the inky darkness. He looked around as he went, left to right as his eyes changed.

The cliffs around were shards of stone, jutting out in sections as his eyes scanned further down.

It was as if, as Juugo looked directly down. It was as if a giant had pulled a mountain from the earth, tossed it aside and across the village, before forgoting they'd done it and walking off.

…

Juugo really needed to stop reading those books, where giants roamed and fair maidens reigned.

He touched the button, feeling the pressure increase as his body changed, transforming entirely like so many times before. This was what he needed, the feeling as chakra roared inside him, as it pushed against the very water that crushed around him.

Nothing lived down here, not a speck of life that hadn't long crumbled to dust.

Juugo jumped, exploding from the rock as pieces rocketing out from underneath his rising body. He travelled up, up and up before slowing towards the middle of the cavern.

There was something he'd wanted to try, ever since he'd used it to kill those men in what seemed so long ago.

He opened his hand, holding it down as his fingers clawed, before trembling as a bright chakra bulged within.

It was yellow, burning with the sun's light as it touched the darkest parts of the cavern. The orb formed, hotter and more powerful that before as burned the water around.

Juugo held it, then released in an agonising push as the energy burst – filling the cavern below as the water exploded in a shockwave of pressure.

He was sent up, caught in the displacement as his little body rocketed away with the wave of energy.

Juugo could still see, could still glimpse with glee as his magnificent creation collapsed the walls of cavern, sending rock and stone tumbling down with a deafening bang.

He closed his eyes, feeling as he continued to move, being sent every which way as the water tried to settle. He'd passed the cliff now, beginning to slow as he caught in the swaying plants.

A few ripped, unable to slow him as the rest caught his body in their tangled hands.

…

Juugo slipped into unconscious. What a trip.

AN

What did you think? Beginning of the first arc, lots of things coming up. We got Kakashi action. Hokage action. Ramen action.

And.

Wait for it.

Some Orochimaru action. Or more accurately, his leave behinds.

'Give me your body Sasukeeeeee.'

…

Lol.

Also a big thanks to those who've followed and donated. It really keeps me motivated :)

Link below where you can read ahead.

www. Pa treon com/ bactum (no spaces and a dot before com)

Till next time!