Uzumaki – Final

Ok, so in interest of actually finishing things, I am going to attempt to explain where this story was going to the best of my shitty memory. This is some 15+ years hence, so some details are either fuzzy, or gone entirely from my memory. Thus, I cannot say for sure these ideas were going to make it into the story, or be superceded by better ones. I’m not a writer that plots out every detail beforehand, in fact, I tend to fly by the seat of my pants when I can be motivated to write at all. My friends can attest to this I’m sure. I’ve been blue-balling them with a Marvel D10 RPG for several months to a year now. Not something I’m proud of, but it’s my brain, that’s how it works. I am attempting to remedy this fact, which I am certain will be a long and arduous process for me.

In the year’s sine I started this project, a lot has changed for me. When I started writing Uzumaki; for instace, I could walk without assistance. I nearly died of an illness that to this day has not been diagnosed to this day. I *walked* into the hospital, they put me on propofol intending to put me under for a few hours. When I awoke, I find myself paralyzed, two WEEKS later, having had my kidneys shut down on me, and more than a few procedures done to me to figure out what was causing my malady. Obviously, I got better, but it left me in and out of various medical facilities for the next few years. I still can’t walk without assistance, my father died, and I find myself stuck at a crossroads where I can sit here and let life pass me by or I can do something to change things. Hopefully, this will be last birthday period like this. All journeys start with a single step, so here I am taking it. Not finishing a story, but at least getting the story out there to be observed for the most part.

Ok, I’m done being dramatic…

When I started this story Naruto as a manga was still on a slight break was still in its first few seasons, following the first big fight between him and Sasuke. The anime had just started filler hell, and no one had an inkling when the new stories would pick up. I can’t remember what specifically I was watching at the time, but it occurred to me that all that was ever brought up was Naruto’s dad. Fourth Hokage this, fourth Hokage that… I don’t think I ever saw that much conjecture on his mother. Naruto was “alive” so he had one, but all the conjecture I ever saw was about his father. I wasn’t sure Kishimoto would ever go into that part of the story, or if he did it would get as much coverage as I hoped it would. As a kid raised primarily by his mother, sister, and grandmother, that just didn’t sit right with me. Around this time I was learning a whole host of new facts about my own grandmother. Not to sell my dad short mind you, he was awesome, but I seized on the apparent lack of storytelling from that corner of the lore. We eventually got it, to understate it, but that death of content eased me. There were a few fanfics from the day that I enjoyed, see if you can track down one called “Two Halves” by a writer named Dame Wren. But, much as I enjoyed them; I had this idea germinating in my head.

I made up my mind, that I was going to do *my* idea, no matter what Kishimoto wrote.

So, to start off, who was the woman in the first chapter? That should be readily apparent, it’s Naruto’s mom. This was years before the first utterance of Kushina’s name, so my Naruto’s mom was named Noriko Uzumaki. Well, almost. See, I never bought the idea that no one else in the damn village went by that name. Uzumaki was an assumed name she used when she was admitted to the hospital. I’d love to say I dreamt up a reason for the name, but I never really got that far in the narrative in my head. Or maybe I did, but this has been nearly 20 years.

I was trying to be clever, and throw off readers from what I was afraid was blatantly fucking obvious. The backstory I constructed was that Noriko was the daughter of the true third Hokage. There would have been three men who created Konoha, the first two Hokages, and a close friend who was up for the leadership of the village when they would have stepped down. At the time I had no idea the first two Hokages were brothers, and I think the tight lineage between the clans had yet to be established. But, I was also not completely up on the lore at the time. I think in the first chapter I said that there were something like 23 or so so teams of Genin… I never claimed to be smart or observant. This third Hokage was very knowledgeable about dark and frightening jutsu. The clans were going to have been the problem in fact. The loss of life from the ninja wars was going to be the motivating factor for the establishment of the hidden villages. The people thought too much power resided in the clans, thus a method was put forward to limit their power.

When Sarutobi was made the third over my guy, he was going to be upset, and take his clan and leave the village. That, and he was essentially the Skeletor of the ninja world. He was backing the hidden villages in an attempt to make Konoha the most powerful of them, but he had shit that could make Orochimaru turn white and steady himself on the furniture. Well, whiter… His clan was banished, and all mention of them was cleansed from the history books, or whatever Konoha used for record keeping. From then history proceeded as canon… But, with this clan plotting revenge against Konoha.

I originally had loved being a central through-line of the story. Pure love, Noriko and Arashi (Minato’s name in my continuity). A mother’s love, Noriko and her children. Yes, you read that right. And corrupted love. The “True” third and his desire to see Konoha elevated above all other villages. And what love drives others too.

To return to my story, a young ninja making his way up the ladder of the village. Arashi/Minato was also voraciously hungry for knowledge. Like Orochimaru, but he sought it out to learn that shit for the defense of Konoha. And, keep the knowledge in case it was needed one day. So, Arashi comes to the location the “Third’s” clan settled after leaving Konoha. He hides his identity and asks to study their knowledge as he just thinks it’s lost knowledge from the really old days. During his studies, he meets Noriko. Love blossoms, and somewhere in the course of events. They wind up leaving for Konoha to settle down marry, and have a family as you do… This estranges Noriko from her father, but he decides to let it be for now. His motivation escapes my memory at the moment, but he was content to let them be for a while. Then, episode one happens… Grandpa is not about to let his daughter die to Kyuubi. He sends shinobi to collect her from the hospital, which Kyuubi proceeds to destroy. All Noriko knows is her husband is dead, and the fox took her baby’s life. This plants the desire for revenge in Noriko’s mind. She has no idea that Naruto is in fact alive and well in Konoha, and only now does Grandpa tell her their family’s history. I can’t remember if he found out about Naruto or not, but I think I remember him not liking Arashi for some reason.

The Third Hokage and Jiraiya know of the connection, but say nothing to Naruto because its law (A peace treaty I think) keeps both parties out of each other’s affairs. Again, nearly 20 years.

This hatred festers for years in Noriko, who has started hitting targets in the land of fire by the time part two starts. The event that sets it off is the attack on the ship the Genin are on. They’re three random Genin based on characters from Kamen Rider Ryuki, who are taught by Hamato Yoshi… Sue me I like my easter eggs. There likely would have been more if the story had continued.

Now, I’m just going to cover plot events that I never got to in the story. The note was notifying Tsunade about the attack, since she’s Hokage now, she knows about the treaty, but not Naruto’s parentage. Hence the Jiraiya choking on his tea gag whenever the subject is brought up.

Naruto and Sakura would have gone out on a date. Gone back to his place and ended up making out. They would realize they don’t have those feelings for each other.

A makeshift team is assembled to investigate the attack on the ship. The team would consist of Kakshi as a senior Jounin, Naruto, and Sakura since they’re on his team. Hinata, as I like pairing mind you, I’d have asspulled for a reason to get her on the team if I had to. I think Shikamaru, as an excuse to get him some more field experience, and if I had anyone else, I’ve long since forgotten who they are. On the journey, Naruto and Hinata would have gotten closer because as I stated above, I just like the pairing.

They would be heading to a place called Freeport, which specializes in freaky/powerful jutsu, which is why it would be a place to send a larger team. It would be a place the other countries can’t touch overtly, so the team being sent there would have to be discreet.

Along the way, more characters in league with Noriko would be introduced. Particularly her daughter and Naruto’s sister, Inori. I never got around to designing her, but she would look more like her mother than Naruto, and be a good deal smarter than him, though hopefully realistically. A close servant of Noriko based highly off Bill Mumy’s character from Babylon 5, though not in love with her. He (I can’t remember his name to save my life) would be from a family very loyal to Grandpa, and fiercely devoted to Noriko. There would have been a team of kunoichi from Noriko’s clan going by the Japanese equivalents of Faith, Hope, and Grace. Not deep characters, more there for the southern connection because of their names. A friend got the wrong idea when I explained them to her, she thought I was going to have a real religious bent to the story. Though, the imagery I meant to invoke was more along the lines of redemption, especially for Noriko…

At some point, the team was going to be discovered to be from Konoha and the lot of them would be taken before Noriko. They would be interrogated for breaking the treaty, and their names were given to learn who broke the agreement. Naruto would be asked last (contrived, I know) and upon giving his surname would severely enrage Noriko, who would proceed to beat him when she did not believe it was his actual surname. As in this continuity, there is no Uzumaki clan. She would start out stating that a Konoha that would be so brazen as to break the treaty, would totally throw her dead baby in her face. Eventually, she would see the resemblance, break down and embrace him. Yes, I know she broke the treaty first, and they were always planning to, but nothing has to make sense to a mother in pain.

From here, all I remember is main thrust of the story would begin. I think I came up with the notion that Orochimaru would have perhaps been after Grandpa’s jutsu collection, and egged the war on. Noriko would unveil her nuclear option she was going to use on the Hokage, a black katana that ate up the user’s life whenever it’s drawn. I think it was like one year for every second the blade was drawn. I can’t remember why but Norikowould end up having to draw the blade to save Naruto. This would have led to Noriko dying by the end of the story, but Naruto refuses to walk her path because he now has the family he always wanted. Inori moves to Konoha to live with her brother, but Noriko would remain in exile but moving near Konoha to be near her children with the little time she has left. So, all in all, it would have been a happy ending.

At the time this was being written Boruto wasn’t even a twinkle in anyone’s eye, so I didn’t plan anything out past this for an epilogue or anything. I’m assuming Naruto would have made Hokage, married Hinata, and had his spawn. No reason to think it wouldn’t have turned out like Boruto in the end… Although you never know, getting a mother and finding peace might have killed Naruto’s need to become Hokage in the end. Who knows. Hope you enjoyed this if you’re still reading. I will be writing again soon, but not this story. This story just isn’t in me anymore. So, I hope I’ve entertained you even a little.