Demon's Path

Disclaimer: Me don't own Naruto... me own Kaishi... you no bother me!

Chapter 3: Family and Love


Five years passed, and Naruto grew. The villagers, although commanded never to speak of his status as the vessel of the Kyuubi, shunned the poor child. They forbade their children from playing with him, they would whisper monster or demon behind his back. The child was in a state of despair and he didn't know why.

He was on his way home from school, walking down the streets with his head hanging down. The villagers thought he didn't hear them, but he did. Why would they call him a bakemono? He hadn't done anything to them.

"Oi! Naruto-kun!" a voice called out.

Naruto lifted his head at the sound of her voice, a smile crossing his lips. "Kaishi-neechan!" he greeted loudly.

The raven haired girl seemed to be the only one that cared about him, aside from the Sodiame. She had always been there, giving him a home at her apartment and taking him out to get ramen every time she wasn't on a mission. She wasn't wearing her Chunin vest today, dressed in just her usual tank top and short pants. The bandages that covered her arms reached the middle of her upper arms now, and she wore cuffs of red fabric on her wrists. Naruto grinned at the sight of a black spiral that circled her navel, peeking from beneath her shirt.

He smiled widely to his neechan and laughed. "You're back from the mission?"

Her crimson eyes smiled to him, her face mostly hidden behind her dark red scarf. "Hai, outo."

"How was it? Tell me everything!" Naruto insisted.

Kaishi nodded as she placed a hand on his head. "It wasn't much of anything. Although, the Sodaime told me that I'm being given the rank of Jounin now."

Naruto's face grew slack with shock before his huge grin returned. "Alright! Neechan, that's awesome!" he cheered.

Kaishi chuckled softly as she rubbed the small blondes head, tousling his spiky hair. "It is pretty cool. Ramen?" she offered.

Naruto's grin grew even bigger. "Hai!"

As they walked through the village towards the Ramen stand, she could hear the whispers of the villagers, and feel their eyes upon her and the young boy that was clutching her hand tighter than usual. Her crimson eyes narrowed, he could hear them.

She was about to do something when the youngest Uchiha appeared from the crowds. "Naruto-san!" he called.

Both Naruto and Kaishi paused and turned to the young, dark-haired boy. "Sasuke-kun?" Naruto questioned.

Kaishi looked to the older boy behind Sasuke and cast a small nod. "Itachi," she greeted.

"Kaishi-chan," Itachi returned.

"What brings you here?" Kaishi asked the older Uchiha.

"Sasuke wanted to spend some time with Naruto. Our parents insisted I come along to make sure they don't end up killing each other."

Kaishi snorted. "Fat chance of that not happening."

"I heard about your promotion to Jounin, congratulations," Itachi changed the subject with a grin.

Kaishi's eyes smiled out from over her scarf. "Arigato."

"Kaishi-neechan is going to take me for Ramen in celebration!" Naruto declared.

"You're both welcome to join us, my treat," Kaishi offered.

Sasuke looked to his brother. "Aniki?"

Itachi nodded. "Sounds like a good idea to me."

The two boys smiled widely and cheered before rushing off towards the Iraichu stand, leaving Itachi and Kaishi to follow. Kaishi chuckled to herself before starting after Naruto and Sasuke. "They're very enthusiastic today."

"Hai," Itachi agreed as they caught up with the grinning pair.

The two boys filled themselves well that evening, both Naruto and Sasuke having a race to see who could eat the most ramen, the fastest. It had ended with four and a half bowls each, neither winning due to the pair passing out halfway through their fifth bowl. Kaishi had chuckled and Itachi had rolled his eyes. After paying and making sure neither of the boys would drown in their food, the two older ninja picked up their respected sibling and headed off home.

Naruto had slept all through the walk home, even through Kaishi dressing him in his pajamas and sleeping cap, only to wake as she tucked him into bed.

"Ano, neechan," he mumbled.

"Hai, outo?" she answered. She had removed her scarf, bandages, and head protector. She cast a soft smile to the blonde staring sleepily at her and sat beside him.

"Why do they call me that?" he asked. "Why do the villagers call me bakemono?"

Kaishi's face fell, her eyes growing saddened. "So, you do hear them."

Naruto nodded. "They don't think I do."

"Naruto, your life is never going to be an easy one. People are going to hate you for no reason, hurt you just because of who you are and who you could be. They're idiots, Naruto. They'll never be anything more than that, because they'll never see how special you really are. I know that one day, you'll show them all."

"If I become Hokage, will I show them?" he asked.

She smiled and nodded. "Hai! And show them big time too."

"I'll become Hokage, and I'll be better than all those before me," Naruto declared as he yawned widely.

Kaishi's smile softened as she pressed a kiss to his forehead. "And I'll be right there, cheering you on."

"Always, neechan?" he asked.

Kaishi's eyes grew saddened slightly. "I'll try, outo," she said before smiling cheerily to him again. "But that's a long time from now. First, you have to get through the Academy, and to do that, you have to get a good amount of sleep. Konbonwa, outo," she bid as she kissed his whiskered cheek and stopped in the doorway to his room, her fingers lingering on the light switch. "Pleasant dreams."

~*~*~*~

Naruto cried out in pain as the man kicked him into a wall, blood blossoming from his mouth as his head slammed against the brick. He had been trying to bring some last minute groceries home so he could make his neechan a special dinner tonight. He should have known better not to leave the apartment on his birthday. Should have known not to go out on the day of the festival for the day the Kyuubi was defeated. He should have known, but he wanted so bad to show Kaishi he could be strong.

A scream erupted from his throat as he felt a heavy boot slam onto his hand, crushing many of those tiny bones and dislocating fingers. His voice grew hoarse as he felt himself being lifted up by his shirt and being thrown into the end of the alley, his head cracking against the wall with a sickening sound.

"Damned demon!" one man hissed as he kicked at Naruto's ribs viciously.

"Stupid beast!" another growled as he used something to smash the young boy's knees.

"Step away from the boy," a dark, deadpan voice ordered as Kaishi appeared from the shadows like a ghost.

"Well, well, if it ain't little miss demon herself," the first chuckled.

"Yeah, you bend over for the fox, demon bitch?" the second sneered.

Kaishi merely moved to stand between the bloody and beaten six year old and the cruel men wearing jounin vests before her. "You have acted foolishly. The Sondaime will hear of this."

"Bet she takes it from him too," one snickered.

"I hear she's been panting after Uchiha Itachi lately," the second taunted.

Kaishi seemed unfazed. "Angering tactics will not work."

The two jounin suddenly attacked, Kaishi dodged. Both would double team her, getting shots in every once in a while. Naruto watched with glassy eyes as Kaishi countered moves of one, only to be tossed into the wall by another. "Neechan!" he shouted hoarsely.

The men ignored him and proceeded to kick and punch the younger woman. Finally, one grabbed her by the hair and tossed her at Naruto. With an ease that only Kaishi possessed, she made herself miss slamming into the prone boy by veering into another wall.

"Must be a masochist, ne?" the first chuckled.

"Demons flock together," the second added.

Kaishi laughed darkly as she slowly climbed to her feet. "You boys want to see a demon? A real demon? I'll show you a demon."

Suddenly, she was engulfed by a flare of deep red chakra, her body turning to the men slowly, showing them as her eyes glowed unnaturally, her corneas turned black. Her hands, curled into a strange hand jutsu, now sported vicious claws.

"Fuck! She really is a demon!" the second jounin cried out.

"Makes it all the more fun to play with, then we can kill her," the first snickered.

Kaishi merely grinned, flashing fangs that indented her bottom lip. "You think you can?"

Naruto felt a sense of dread deep within his belly as Kaishi darted at the men, her movements faster than even her normally insane speed. The two jounin fought back hard, their movements of experienced ninja that had gone on many missions. Kaishi still seemed superior to them as she weaved and darted between them, her strength incredible as she threw one into a wall, causing the stone to crater deeply. The first jounin fought her back with all his might as well, countering some of her moves with jutsus of his own until he was able to throw her back towards Naruto.

"Gonna have to try better than that, demon girl," the jounin snickered.

Kaishi smiled viciously as the chakra flared again, her hands in a different position this time. "Stage two," she snarled as five horns appeared along her hairline and she leapt at the jounin again, her speed even more incredible than the last time.

The second jounin peeled himself from the wall, stumbling blindly and disoriented for a while before he joined in the fight again. This time, he was slammed into the wall/crater face first, deeper this time. Naruto could tell that the jounin wouldn't be getting up from that, he was dead.

Kaishi still fought as one possessed , her movements quicker and exponentially stronger than that of the jounin she fought. Soon, the man was dead too, his blood washing over the ground as rain started to fall, drenching the bodies, Naruto, and the unnaturally still Kaishi.

Naruto tried to stand, only to screech as his shattered legs protested. Kaishi's glowing eyes were suddenly on Naruto and the chakra turned her back into his neechan. She was immediately at his side, her scarf loose enough around her neck to show her face as she gathered Naruto into her arms and she rushed him to the hospital and Nariko.

~*~*~

Naruto woke to a warm bed in a white room. Kaishi had brought him to the Konhoa Hospital, and as soon as he was secured, had promptly collapsed. It had taken three days to heal the blonde boy, his abilities, thanks to the Kyuubi, helping out.

Nariko entered the room with a tray in hand and a blur of black named Sasuke at her heels. "Naruto!" Sasuke greeted. "Did you really get beat up by two jounins?" he asked.

Naruto nodded. "Kaishi got 'em, though."

Sasuke seemed in awe. "Wow, she's like my aniki. Can you get up yet?"

Naruto looked to his brunette, kind hearted doctor and let loose a yelp of joy at the woman's nod. "Yosh!"

Nariko smiled to Naruto and Sasuke kindly. "First, though. You have to eat and then go see Kaishi. She's still pretty tired from the fight."

Naruto nodded enthusiastically and inhaled the food so fast he never even knew what it was. Soon, the boys were racing down the halls to where Kaishi was being held. When they entered the room, they froze at the sight of Itachi sitting at her side.

"The two jounin have been identified. They were not of Konhoa, but they were jounin level," Itachi informed the reclining woman.

Kaishi frowned. "K'so! That means they went after outo on purpose."

"Did you have to use it?" Itachi asked softly.

Kaishi looked away from the Uchiha boy and nodded. "Hai. I very nearly used stage three."

Itachi seemed surprised. "Are you insane? You could have killed yourself!"

Kaishi snapped her head back to the dark haired young man. "I know that, Itachi! Doesn't matter, though. I would have died ten time if it meant protecting Naruto!"

"Iie, neechan!" Naruto interrupted as he entered the room in a rush.

Kaishi and Itachi looked up at the two boys. Sasuke entering after Naruto. "Outo, Sasuke-kun," Kaishi gasped.

"Onegai, neechan. Don't do that technique again! Not if it can kill you! I don't want you to die... I would die if you did!" the blonde haired boy wept into her shirt as he climbed on her bed and embraced her.

Kaishi wrapped her arms about the little boy in her arms, a look of sadness in her eyes. "Naruto..."

"Promise me you won't ever need to do that jutsu again!" Naruto begged.

Kaishi cast a sad smile to the blonde haired boy and wiped away his tears with her thumbs. "I promise, outo. I'll never use that jutsu again unless there is no other option. Is that okay?"

Naruto sniffled and nodded. "Hai."

Kaishi smiled again to the little boy and then looked to Itachi. "Why don't you get dressed, outo. Itachi-kun and Sasuke-kun promised me they would take you out today. Then they'll be taking you to see Iruka-sensei, who's gonna be your roommate until I can leave this place."

"Iruka-sensei? But he's weird," Naruto grumbled.

Kaishi giggled and poked the blonde on the nose. "Weird or not, he's willing to take you for ramen for dinner tonight."

Naruto's face lit up. "Really? Ramen?"

Kaishi nodded. "Hai. Now, go with Sasuke to get ready."

The two boys were soon off and running down the hall, eliciting a shout from someone in the hallway. Kaishi shook her head as she recognized the voice. Within a moment there was a grinning Kakashi standing with an agitated Ryuo.

"Ohayo, Kai-chan!" Kakashi greeted.

"She doesn't look so beaten up," Ryuo grumbled.

Kaishi rolled her eyes at Ryuo before smiling to Kakashi. "Ohayo, Kaka-kun!"

Kakashi then noticed Itachi. "Yo, Itachi."

"Kakashi. Ryuo," the Uchiha greeted tersely before turning to Kaishi. "See you later?"

Kaishi nodded. "Ja ne. Make sure he doesn't get into too much trouble before you hand him off to Iruka-kun!"

Itachi cast a gentle smile to the red eyed young woman before turning to leave, not speaking to either of the other men as he left in search for his brother and Naruto.

~*~*~*~