Juugo Uzumaki - Chapter 2

Juugo squinted from afar as he peered between the grass, feeling something terrible just up ahead.

There was fighting, screams and general despair as the voices forced him down again. Juugo wanted to hide, his mind aching as he thought of the carnage he'd only just escaped.

That was, until he saw who it was, fighting with all they had.

The Leaf. The Spiral.

Konoha.

Juugo's teeth grit, knowing as indecision gnawed within him. He wasn't a fighter, not yet.

He could run, sure, what child couldn't.

But fight?

He flinched, hearing another scream as yet another shinobi died.

There was only one left, the man scrambling back towards a rocky outcropping.

The enemy shinobi surrounded him, at least half a dozen as Juugo glanced again.

It was now or never, he thought. Thinking quickly as he transformed as quietly as possible, sucking back the chakra that threatened to blast behind h-

Wait, thought Juugo as he peered behind, a plan forming.

He could feel the ninja ahead, taunting the remaining Leaf Nin as they edged towards him.

They were together, standing with a nice grouping.

Juugo grinned, he was directly to their side, leaving the Leaf Nin just out of harm's way.

Now or never, as Juugo knelt. Raising his arm as the other braced it, holding it firm as his fingers bared their teeth.

The yellow orb pulsed, forming from the hole that appeared within his palm.

Juugo didn't know exactly what he was doing, but kept up as something egged him on.

This was right, as the shining orb reached the size of his head.

Now.

He let go, pushing with all his might as the attack scorched ahead. It was like nothing he'd ever seen before, shooting like lava as it smashed through the enemy shinobi.

Enemy.

There was nothing left as the light dissipated, the grass already burning with angry flames.

Juugo let his arm drop, surprised as his strength held.

He glanced ahead, trying to see past the flames as they spread throughout the grass. The field was burning, not what he'd intended as he searched for the survivor.

There. He leapt, ripping his feet from the ground as he ran towards him.

He was collapsed, having been knocked away and into the rocks behind.

Juugo felt guilty already, hurrying to his side as he began checking the man over. His head was cut, the blood probably worse than it really was. The rest seemed fine as Juugo hauled the man up, dragging him away.

He wasn't tall enough to truly carry him, yet his legs never slowed as he ran from the fire.

It was still spreading, the heat already strong as Juugo glanced back.

An inferno.

He should have never looked back as he pickd up the pace, all but sprinting away. The man on his back jostled terribly, affecting Juugo's balance as he thought which way to go.

This way, he'd tried to flee this way, as Juugo altered his course… the hours rolled by, the grass unending.

Juugo felt the grass change, now with shorter blades as his feet bounced across them. It was different from the knee-high grass, which probably still burned behind him.

Different still, from the jungle near the beach.

It was a beautiful place, so different from the mist and sea he'd left behind.

Juugo ran for a while longer, noticing as the grass began to dwindle. Giving way to forest that put any he'd seen before to shame.

These trees were huge. Utterly absurd as Juugo slowed to a stop, unable to resist as he gazed upon them… his eyes drew high, tilting his head as he squinted towards the tops.

"I've never seen trees like these…" they sung with nature, filling him with strength as his fatigue disappeared.

The man groaned, jolting Juugo as he shrugged the man away.

"Uh, my head."

Yes, Juugo quite agreed as he felt his bloody clothes. The man trying to sit, yet failing as he slumped back, touching his head with a pained wince.

"Do you need help?" asked Juugo, a safe distance away.

The man flinched, his eyes snapping towar-

He blinked. "What on earth."

Juugo backed away, having seen that reaction before.

The man hastily corrected. "Sorry," he said, blinking as blood began to trickle towards his eyes. "Please, I need to cover this wound. My pack-" he tried reaching for it, howling in pain as his arm returned limply.

"I can't reach it!"

Juugo could see, as he approached cautiously, watching with narrowed eyes as the man twitched his head. "In the left one," he said, almost breathless. "Use the bottle, put it on my c-cut-"

The man was fading, slumping to the floor as Juugo moved. He reached for the pack, rummaging quickly as he found the Anti-Septic.

He hopped towards the man's head, rolling his head so he could see the wound.

It wasn't so bad, but the blood… Juugo poured the bottle out, using it all before retrieving the bandage.

Like the old man had taught him, he wrapped it tightly, using knots that wouldn't budge.

Yet still, the man faded as Juugo felt his pulse weaken.

He panicked, fumbling as he rolled the man on his back, trying to think.

Maybe.

No. How could it?

But, as he opened the man's jacket, shifting the heavy material aside before lifting his shirt.

Juugo raised his hand. It would either work, or kill him as he placed it down.

His hand glowed, flowing like magma through the man's chest… Juugo closed his eyes, focusing on the blood as chakra poured inside.

The man jolted, as if shocked.

Juugo didn't stop, giving more as the man's breath strengthened.

He gasped, his eyes flashing open as he glanced quickly down… before feinting, his eyes rolling back as Juugo withdrew his hand.

…

The flesh was marred, an off grey as Juugo touched with a pale hand.

Amazing, he could do that?

Juugo felt fine, if a little tired as he and the man sat beside one of the large trees. He'd dragged him here, choosing the shaded spot as cooling air wafted over them.

The sun was blistering today, as Juugo thumbed through the man's things. It wasn't much, as he arranged the kunai into neat rows. The steal feeling light as it fumbled between his hands.

He set it down, that last cut had been deep.

Next came the shuriken, displayed in much the same way. With neat rows just beside the kunai.

He picked one up, trying to spin it… he set it down, wincing as the wound closed.

Perhaps, he should ignore the weapons. For now at least; as his attention turned to a little book.

It had been tucked within the man's jacket, hidden skilfully.

Juugo had felt it as he carried them both towards the tree, the more subdued journey letting him do so.

Juugo looked at the cover, struggling a little. He could read, just about. The books from his mother helping greatly, even if he didn't fully understand all the words.

It hadn't stopped him, having learned much of what was written.

Sealing Scrolls.

Suppression Seals.

Barrier Seals.

He laughed, well. Sort of.

The first he'd figured out, yet the rest were a little more difficult. He hadn't the supplies to actually create them, even the ink for his scroll a rarity among his travelling clan.

It hadn't helped either, given his illegitimate status as he read the title.

"Bingo Book, 92nd edition."

Hmm, a gambling man?

Juugo had seen it many times, knowing it was folly. They may win today, yet would surely lose tomorrow.

He opened it anyway, for lack of anything else to do. The man shouldn't be moved, nor could Juugo be bothered to in this heat.

This book was much more interesting as he read the first page, frowning down at a man's picture.

He was young, with a rank too.

Juugo glanced at his skills, the section listing just a few.

Genjustu was listed at the top, evidently his most skilled pursuit.

Juugo had heard of it, the old man saying he'd once been tricked by it.

A pretty woman, amazing. Juugo tried to imagine creating such an illusion, eager to try it someday as he turned the page.

A woman this time, with the same rank. He turned the next, seeing pages and pages of just the same.

Lot's of Genjustu, he noted. Until he turned another, seeing a different rank.

Ninjustu: Water Style.

Juugo read with interest, the time passing as the pages turned, not noticing as the sun began to set.

He eyes squinted, finally noticing the fading light as Juugo looked up in confusion.

Oh, he thought. Looking across to see if the man was still there.

He was, as Juugo closed the book, collecting the items as he stowed them again in the small pack.

Juugo should check on his condition, as he moved towards him. The man's chest was opened loosely, rising evenly as Juugo placed a hand upon it, closing his eyes.

He could feel his pulse, strong and rhythmic as air filled his lungs. Juugo nodded, pleased as he moved onto his chakra, depleted to be sure-

He eyes opened, frowning as he moved his hand, seeing the mark he'd left. It had lessened, the grey almost gone as Juugo sat back, wondering what this could mean.

He'd given him his chakra? How?

Juugo nibbled his lip, looking out across the grassy fields. He could feel the sun behind him, having already dimmed below the tree tops as light flickered through, letting Juugo see as if by warm candle light.

The chakra must have stayed, circling in the man's system long after Juugo had withdrawn his hand, clumsy in his first attempt. He'd heard the stories, about those who turned to stone. Natural Energy wasn't to be trifled with, not by far as Juugo looked at the man's face.

His headband was still in place, held across his forehead by a bandana, of which the fabric wrapped backwards over his head. It was odd, as Juugo looked at the man's eyes. He could have sworn he'd worn glasses, tinted as looked around for them. He searched the man's things again, yet found nothing.

Lost.

Juugo rubbed his hair, feeling it stay as his fingers ran through it. It was often like that, standing with a strength of its own. That's why he grew it long, letting its own weight pull it down and across his eyes.

He flattened it with his hand, sitting quietly as he tried to decide what he should do.

…

It was dark, when he finally stood, reaching for the pack just beside him. He opened it, letting the flap hang loosely in the wind. It was picking up, as he turned to block it, before reaching behind to his lower back.

The scroll was undamaged as he tugged it from his skin, feeling it in his hands before sliding it neatly within the pack.

Perfect, as he placed the pack behind, concentrating as his skin received it. It wasn't theft, not really as he turned to survey their little camp.

The man was still asleep, tucked as he was between the roots of the enormous tree. Juugo didn't need to stay, nor wanted to as he set off through the forest, his eyes changing as he did.

It was another trick he'd discovered, along with the gills he'd spent so long practicing. They were excellent for fishing, as he increased his pace, jogging softly against the wind. It funnelled through the trees, brushing his toes as they chewed the soft soil, moist from the shade.

Juugo liked Konoha already, their trees even more as he passed them by. One by one, minute by minutes and hour by hour.

Still he ran, using his sense before finally, a light flickered just ahead. Juugo slowed, touching a tree as he eased around it. He frowned, tilting his head as he tried to interpret what his mind was seeing.

People?

He inched away, feeling as his hand gripped the tree's bark. It was rough, yet beautiful as Juugo walked ahead, following a trail left by animals.

It was ill-advised, since predators hunted on them, yet Juugo wasn't worried as he felt something just ahead.

Like water, tall and round. It covered the village like a dome. Juugo could almost see it, as he came within feet of it, his eyes glinting from the lights beyond.

Juugo felt it shimmer, stopping quickly.

It could sense him? As he leaned further, feeling it twitch towards him… he leaned back, thinking about how a wall could possibly sense him.

The answer came easily, as Juugo squashed his chakra, covering its light so others wouldn't see as he edged forwards again.

It stilled, not moving at all as he almost touched it… he looked around, plunging his arm through before waiting for something to happen.

No one came. The barrier hadn't moved as he stepped cautiously through.

He blinked, feeling the grass and the fences around.

They were people, feeling them clearly as hustled here and everywhere. Even ahead, as he glanced towards the spartan houses.

Ah, it was a barrier then. He should have known as he looked around, having not seen anything of the sort before.

He could see the village clearly, see its roads and buildings, so different from the one's he'd known.

It was the biggest place he'd ever seen, thousands of people.

Juugo wanted to go and see, yet as the chill touched his skin, he knew he shouldn't. He needed rest, proper rest as he turned around, heading back as he passed the barrier.

The trees were high, tall and wide. He'd sleep there, plenty of room for a boy his size, knowing he'd enter tomorrow.

Smiling, he jogged away, deciding to look further along for a place to sleep.