Chapter 4: Dream

Yo my kunoichi miraculers!

What’s up?! It’s time for another chapter of :sparkles: ezzie :sparkles: ‘s and mine’s Naruto AU collaboration!

Credits to the fabulous artist shann for the miraculous cover art, her instagram is @shannanigans_and_such so be sure to check it out! I have permission to use it, and the screenshots for proof are at the bottom of the blog.

Warning: Viewer discretion is advised. This story is rated PG-13 due to violence and harsh language, but we will try to keep it as mild as possible.

As for this chapter’s fantastic music, we have the second ending of Naruto, “Harmonia”, (Harumonia) performed by Rythem!

Happy reading my miraculers,

dattebayo!

Word Count: 4141

(Yeesh another 4K one :joy: )

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Edit: When did this get featured, omg thanks so much! :two_hearts:

***

Chapter 4: Dream

Marinette kicked the grey, speckled pebbles in front of her, scattering the clustered minerals. She watched again and again as the rocks soared above the ground before hitting the solid earth.

As she headed back down the path that lead to her home, the bluenette peered up at the colored horizon, signifying that dusk was approaching. The glittering sky and clouds were a mixed color of both orange and light pink while the nearby houses stood adjacently around the village square, they were also overlaid in the sanguine sundown rays except for the dark shadowy alleys.

Marinette loved this time of day. Due to the late hour, she could wander throughout her home village without any fears of too many distrustful people still walking about, cautiously distancing themselves from her. These precarious situations were ones she typically tended to avoid.

“I wonder if Papa’s worried...” Marinette muttered, but she immediately scolded herself after. “Oh what I am saying; he’s gonna kill me...” She wallowed in self-despair.

The bluenette had promised her father that she would be home before evening, but hours had already ed, and Marinette knew that he would be angry again.

The last time she stayed out past curfew, he had grounded her for a week without so much as hearing her reasoning for why she was out so late (she never did get a chance to tell him that it was because she had spent her entire day studying and reading shinobi history at the village library). It was the farthest from being a happy seven days. She was not looking forward to facing him.

As she continued to leisurely stroll down the village streets, she felt the same pair of eyes from earlier, inconspicuously watching her every move. Marinette couldn’t prove it however since every time she glanced behind her, the elderly Hokage would always seem to be mesmerized by the decorative, varying flowerpots at each home.

Why the heck was this guy following her home for again?

After the shocking visit at the hospital from the two elders Matthias and Cerisae ended, the Hokage had came up to her, and asked with no shame whatsoever if she could take him to her home. He claimed that he purely wished to see his old friend Tom again after such a long time. Though suspicious of his true intentions as to why he really wanted to see her father, the seven-year-old agreed. Although his actions seemed out of the blue, Marinette was curious.

Not that this was anything new; for a child she was unusually more curious than other children. Living a life with close to zero friends led her yearning to rather spend her days carelessly exploring the outside world. She was always attached to nature itself and could sit for hours on end, watching nature doing what it does best, thrive with life.

So in the end, she simply ignored the uncomfortable feeling he was giving off. She was use to the stares for so long that it no longer bothered her. Feeling bored, the azure-eyed girl gazed back once again at the rather casually dressed leader of Konohagakure.

On the outside he appeared to be nothing more than an old man with a strange sense of fashion (and a weird wooden cane) what with his coral red button-down shirt, tan khakis, and wooden clogs. But what Marinette was drawn to wasn’t anything like his clothing of any sort but this peculiar aura his presence was giving off. If she could describe it in any color, it would have to be a calming and soothing jade green. She didn’t know if she was imagining it or not, but her gut wouldn’t leave the matter alone. Just what was that she saw?

When she first met him, she didn’t know what to expect. It’s not everyday you’d meet one of the most powerful shinobi of all time. Marinette had heard stories of course from her father from what little his academy days had to offer. According to her father, years before becoming the Hokage, Fu worked as his instructor for a year.

“He was an idealistic fool,” her father had said with a kindhearted chuckle. “Always looking for adventure, seeing the good in everyone and everything. He started out as a nobody you see. Just an ordinary instructor, barely a chuunin, but like the persistent person he is, he climbed the ranks and somehow became one of the most strongest ninja in the entire shinobi world. Well, if I had to say what was strangest about him, it’d have to be that he always looked as though he was scheming something.”

After meeting him in person, Marinette saw what her father had saw. She could imagine him as a child with a zest for adventure and a boundless curiosity, like herself. A young man with a mischievous light in his eyes whenever something right came his way. An elderly man radiating with a lifelong amount of wisdom to along. However, she didn’t know what he meant by his last statement.

Marinette couldn’t understand what she was feeling but what she could see was who he was as a person from one simple act of kindness. The desire to help others. A sense of iration oozed out of her from realizing how warm this man’s heart and soul was.

As the seven-year-old lost focus on the person staring daggers at her from behind, her mind kept drifting back to that painfully awkward moment in the hospital.

***

“Matthias! Cerisae! W-What a-are you two doing here?” Fu asked a he spun his cane round in round out of habit, his lips quivering with obvious discomfort at their sudden arrival.

One of the figures stepped forward. He was a tall, balding man with a floppy goatee and a grey robe. The male Elder had a stern frown etched across his face as if it was sculpted onto him. But what caught Marinette’s attention was his eyes. They were as grey as cloudy thunderstorms, hardened by visions of past hardships. But she thought she saw a glimpse of sadness and regret in them.

“Cerisae and I were hoping that you’d actually get some work done but I guess we wished for too much. To think we’d catch you in the act again, fooling around while mistreating your title as Hokage.” Matthias said coldly, his eyebrows . The Hokage furiously blushed as red as a tomato at the Elder’s words.

The female Elder gently squeezed her companion’s arm. “Now, now. Let Fu have his fun. After all, we know better than anyone how tiring it is staying coped up in that stuffy office all day, isn’t that right Fu?” She smiled sincerely. Fu smiled back at her gratefully.

Compared to her fellow Elder, Cerisae was a just as tall woman with the same grey robes and wrinkles as Matthias, but that was about all they had in common. Unlike Matthias who wore a scowl as his daily accessory, she chose to wear a warm smile instead.

Her long moonlight silver hair was twined into a braid that cascaded down her side and was pinned by a simple barrette. To Marinette, her hair was like a spider’s web spun into silk with droplets of sparkling rain.

The older woman mouthed a hello at the young girl, surprise evident on her face at the extra guest, and Marinette timidly waved back while staring at the floor.

“Fu,” Matthias stepped in, hindering their quiet interaction, “why is this child here?” His mouth twisted into a harsh sneer at the bluenette.

Scared, Marinette leaped backwards and hid behind the Hokage’s back. She peaked her head out over his shoulder (since he was so short) and refused to make any eye with the Elder.

“Matthias,” Cerisae said to him soothingly, “she’s just a little girl. She means no harm-“

“She’s more than just a little girl, Cerisae. Much, much more,” the male Elder scowled. He leaned in close, his stormy eyes piercing into her own cerulean ones. “You disgusting beast.” He spat in her face.

Marinette recoiled at his actions, but it felt quite off. It felt as though he wasn’t even talking to Marinette herself, but to someone or something inside of her.

“Matthias! That’s enough!” Fu snapped, roughly pushing the male Elder away from Marinette.

“Tsk, you,” turning away, Matthias directed his sharp as knives words at Nonna. “Sedate the boy and get out. Take the girl with you.”

At first, it appeared as though Nonna was about to stand her ground and argue with the Elder but thought better of it. Grabbing the glass of water on the bedside table, she placed the drug inside of it and carefully tipped the water into Adrien’s mouth. Feeling too weak to fight against it, the blond drank every last drop before his eyelids started feeling heavy.

Nonna lowered her head before the Elders and the Hokage (who mouthed an apology) and motioned to the raven-haired girl that they were leaving. Marinette pursed her lips as she glanced back and forth from the nurse and the boy she saved; she didn’t want to leave.

Just as Marinette was about to leave the patient’s room, a rough hand shot out and gripped her wrist feebly. The young girl swerved her head back where she found half-lidded summer green eyes.

“M-Marinette,” He said her name like it was a foreign language to him, “don’t go...”

Her heart thumped at his slurring words. The drug was quickly kicking in; he probably didn’t know what he was saying anymore. Within seconds, his handgrip loosened and numbly fell to his bedside. His eyelids dropped and his breathing slowed to a steady rhythm.

In sudden shock at the boy’s words, Marinette was dragged out of the hospital room and into the vacant, colorless corridors. His sleeping face grew smaller and smaller as she was being pulled away by the unknown force until the door closed the distance between them.

“Ah stars, that old jerk of a geezer,” Nonna’s angry voice shocked Marinette back to reality. “He’s such a-“ The medic stopped her foul mouth once she ed that a child was present beside her.

Once she saw her, the nurse’s hazel eyes softened. She bent down and affectionately ruffled the bluenette’s hair. “I’m sorry you had to see him like that,” Nonna sighed exasperatedly. “If I could just...I’m so sorry...” She apologized again.

“...It’s okay,” Marinette said with a forced smile. She was still trembling from her uncomfortable encounter with the male Elder. “It wasn’t your fault.”

The medic sadly smiled back. “Perhaps not, but Matthias...please forgive him. He’s always been like that, but while it may seem harsh to you, he’s just doing what he thinks is best for the village. And sometimes, he doesn’t realize that there more better ways to resolve things,” The brunette suddenly laughed lightly. “Oh what am I saying now? Don’t mind me, I’m just an old woman with an old fashioned mind. But you understand right?” The seven-year-old nodded.

Nonna glanced right and left of the white as snow hospital hallways. “Will you be okay heading home by yourself?” She inquired, her crinkled features expressed a very distinct feeling of worry.

The young girl nodded again; she curved her lips upwards in a tight grin to show that she’d be alright.

“Alright,” With a final pat on Marinette’s head, the kind nurse headed on to her next patient (while looking for the doctors to give them a piece of her mind) and waved her final goodbyes. Just as the onyx-haired girl was about to head toward the hospital’s exit doors, Nonna called out to her. “If you ever get the chance, feel more than welcome to stop by and say hello! I could show you a few tricks!”

Happily, Marinette yelled back with a wave of her own. “Okay! I will!”

Beaming like sunshine, the bluebell-eyed girl whirled around towards home sweet home, and probably a very grumpy papa. However, before she could leave, she heard an enraged shout come from the Adrien’s hospital chambers.

Pressing her ear against the metal, the first thing her brain could decipher was a long string of curses exploding out of the male Elder’s mouth.

“-hell with it! I don’t care if the beast is inside of a baby or an old man! That brat and her bastard of a father deserve to be locked up in prison for the crimes they’ve committed!”

Beasts? Papa? Crimes? What the heck was Grand Elder Matthias talking about? The man’s cruel words triggered her heart, shriveling it up into ashes. She may have heard these words associated with her on a daily basis, but it didn’t mean it hurt any less every time she heard them.

“Matthias!” Came the Hokage’s firm voice. “I have already pardoned Tom for his actions. While what he did was unwarranted to say the least, as a fellow shinobi he merely did what he thought was best to protect not only his daughter but the village as well. Tell me, what would you have done if you were in his shoes?”

“Do not compare me to the likes to him! That damn bastard is nothing more than a foolhardy coward; he probably planned this all to save his own skin and gain possession of the beast himself!”

“You’re telling me that Tom would go to such extreme lengths just to protect himself? That’s utter nonsense Matthias and you know it.” Cerisae’s calming voice entered the heated dispute.

“You should know better than anyone Cerisae how dangerous that monster is! Those demons killed your parents and countless others! Just imagine the catastrophic disasters that could happen if any of the kwamis were to be let loose accidentally; it could bring the shinobi world to an end as we know it! It’s hazardously sealed inside the earrings on a mere child for god’s sake!” Matthias shouted.

“Do not misguide yourself Matthias,” Fu stood his ground. “If you think that making a choice in the spur of the moment was easy for Tom then you are gravely mistaken! He practically sacrificed his daughter’s future to save her life and the village! You could never understand what pain he’s been through! As his former teacher and his friend, I already burdened Tom enough as it is. I cannot force him to go through that kind of hell ever again, especially now that he has a child to take care of.”

“The only thing I do not understand is how you can defend those barbarians! The Feudal Lord should have never instituted you as the Hokage, not with how weak you really are; it should have been me who-“

“Enough!” Marinette’s body flinched at the tone the female Elder was directing at the two men. She was not jealous in the slightest of being the receiving end of Cerisae’s acrimony. “Please, let us remain civil gentlemen, we are still in a hospital after all. Not to mention, but we have much more important matters to discuss than the past. Like how are we going to help this poor child?”

Child? Is she talking about Adrien?

“Do not worry Cerisae,” Fu answered. “I have a plan. I can assure you both that he will be well taken care of until we find his family.”

“His family...they must be worried sick to death.”

“I feel like you know more than you’re letting on Fu. Do you this boy? Better yet, do you know who his real family is?” Matthias snarked.

There was a pause as if a sonorous wave of silence sounded throughout the room.

“...I do not,” came Fu’s response. “...But I have a hunch.” He sighed. “I have no evidence to prove it at the moment, but my hunches usually come true in the end. I ask you both for permission for myself to take responsibility for the boy and leave the jurisdiction of his future in my hands. Please, I ask you both grant me this favor.”

“I have no qualms with it.” Cerisae replied.

“Tsk, very well. I will allow it this once. With the power given to us by the Feudal Lord, we appoint you as the sole guardian of this boy. Do not disappoint me again Fu.”

“Understood.”

Thundering footsteps like the stomping of giants smashed against the tiles, coming closer and closer to the sliding entryway. Realizing that she was short on time, the midnight-haired girl held her breath, to not alert them that she was secretly eavesdropping and just in the nick of time, Marinette scrambled backwards from the door to the opposite wall just as Matthias slid it open. She breathed a quick sign of relief before flashing an innocent smile at the male Elder.

Matthias merely sent her a ferocious scowl and stormed off in a hurry. Following close behind him was none other than the silvery-haired female Elder who avoided her gaze as she ambled past.

As the bluenette watched their retreating backs, she didn’t notice the person beside her, stiffly coughing on purpose to grab her attention.

“Hello there.”

“Ah!” She shrieked, doubling over for what felt like the thousandth time today. She exhaled the breath she had been holding in. “Lord Hokage...How can I help you, sir?” She inquired casually as if that embarrassing moment had never happened.

“May I ask for a small favor, Marinette?”

The seven-year-old tilted her head in curiosity before grinning cheekily, opting to be as helpful as possible. “Sure!”

“Can you take me to your house?”

“Eh?”

***

Fu watched the young girl as she skipped on the rocky road leading to the dark green forest-filled outskirts of the stone village walls.

I should have expected Tom to pick a place all the way out here to live after all that has happened. Less people to bother him, I’d guess.

Fu thought.

“Lord Hokage?” A meek voice rang out, snapping him out of his thoughts.

“Oh, yes?” He responded to the jet-haired girl, feeling a bit out of the loop. It had been a long day.

“Um, I was curious...” Her face flushed as she kept staring at the bumpy pavement, “about your job as a Kage? Well, you see I know what my papa does as a baker, but I didn’t really get what your job was, sir...” With each sentence, her cheeks just kept flaming a new crimson shade of red each time.

He couldn’t help it. Her awkward personality just sent him into a fit of chortles. In the background, he heard her ing him, her laugh was as light as silver bells.

Fu wiped a tear of joy from his ochre eyes. “My my, forgive me, but I just couldn’t help myself. I haven’t laughed that hard in such a long time,” He gazed almost wistfully at the floating clouds in the firmament above, recalling memories as old as time when he was young and carefree.

“Now as for your question, there’s many definitions for what a Kage should be. One you’ll hear often is that a Kage’s job is be the strongest shinobi of all. They must be fearless, a warrior, a fighter. They must be strong to lead a village and win all their battles through brute strength or power. But while some of that may be true, I think that to be a Kage, you must completely dedicate yourself to your village.” He stated, his resolve strong.

“Dedicate yourself?” Marinette inquired, walking backwards.

He laughed. “Well, you are a bit young to understand, but I will try my best to explain. You see, I think to truly earn the title as a Kage you must be willing to do anything to protect your village. Not because it’s a priority but because to me, this village is my home. And the people, every single one of them are a part of my family. That is what I think Kages should be acknowledged for. Not for being the strongest, but for being the one who sacrifices everything to protect us, their irreplaceable treasure.”

The child’s sapphire eyes seemed to light up like stars at his words, in wonder or delight, he didn’t know. He smiled warmly at the girl’s exuberant happiness.

“Wow! That’s incredible, Lord Hokage! It must be super duper hard to become a Kage, huh?”

“You have no idea...” He mumbled, as his soul silently cried inside at the reminder. “Now if it’s alright with you, may I have the honor of asking you a question Marinette?” He winked.

She grinned back. “Sure!”

“Do you also have a dream, Marinette? Perhaps a goal in mind you wish to achieve in the future?”

After hearing his innocent question, the bluenette slinked away, almost guiltily like she was ashamed to say anything. “I-I...I want...”

“Yes?” He queried politely, patiently waiting for her to answer on her own.

She took a deep breath, facing him straight in the eye although her obsidian black pupils shook from what looked like...fear?

“I want to become a shinobi just like you, Lord Hokage.” She responded, clasping her hands into determined fists. Her resolve was fierce. Fu could easily see it from the wildfire burning in her contrasting blue irises and confident posture.

“Why is that?” He had to be sure. He just had to make sure that she was the one. Her answer would decide everything. And depending on what she says, it could change her life forever.

Her orbs turned sorrowful for a second like experiencing another lifetime of pain. “My whole life, my papa and I have been treated as nobodies. Like the world would’ve been better without us in it. I don’t really know why it’s like that, but I don’t want to be known as someone who was hated their whole life. I want to be acknowledged for something good like protecting our home like you said Lord Hokage. I want to help others like you do, and by becoming a ninja I can work my way towards that dream. But...”

“But?” Fu whispered, awestruck by this little girl. For her age, she was already starting to discover her true calling. But why so hesitant?

“I don’t think Papa will feel the same way,” she sighed in defeat. “He hasn’t exactly been too happy with me lately. These days, I always feel like I doing something wrong...”

Her crestfallen face was more than enough to melt Fu’s emotional heart. He wanted nothing more in that moment than to give her a hug and tell her she did nothing wrong.

“Marinette-“ he began to speak.

“We’re here.” She interrupted almost sullenly.

“We are-oh.” Fu said, surprise evident in his voice. He definitely was not expecting this.

Behind the onyx black thorny brambles, a pebbly path lead up to a drafty marble building. It was a milky white color, almost like quartz with a slate grey tower roof. Outside of the black stained glass windows with scratches of gold script lettering that read , was the faded golden rim. The whole house was old without a doubt; Fu was astounded that it was still standing in the condition it was in. Do they even make any business all the way out here?

“C’mon!” Marinette called, grasping his wrinkly hand with her small one as she pulled him like a magnet toward the front entrance.

Skidding to stop at the door, she knocked, rapping her tiny knuckles in a particular pattern.

As the door creaked open, she spoke to the darkness. “Papa? Are you-mhm!” A pair of large, beefy arms enveloped her in a tight embrace. It was so tight, it was like she was suffocating in the person’s arms, but it was as heated as a furnace.

As the silhouette came into the remaining light, his face was shown. He was a burly middle-aged man with a round face, sorrel brown hair, and matching orbs. With his broad shoulders and towering height of six feet, he could easily be mistaken for a troll. But if one were to take a look at his messy white powdered t-shirt and capris and unkempt mustache, one could see he was no more than an ordinary baker. It was hard to believe that he was once a well respected shinobi.

After releasing her from the bear hug, Tom cupped his daughter’s cheeks as if he hadn’t seen her for years. “Geez, Marinette where have you been?! I was so worried...” His fast-paced shouting decrescendo to a piano’s whisper as he scrutinized the peculiarly familiar short man behind his child. “Mr. Fu?” His voice went up an octave, in question and in bewilderment.

Fu just grinned mischievously back at his former student, a sparkling glint in his maroon eyes. “Hello Tom, it’s been a while.”

***

Okay, this chapter might have to be my favorite chapter so far, actually maybe tied with the first one hehe. So it’s been a couple of months since I ed another chapter of this series, I deeply apologize for my never ceasing absence :sweat_smile:

Just know that it wasn’t anything major preventing me from writing this time, it was just me being slow (and lacking any inspiration whatsoever) :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:

This chapter actually wasn’t too bad to write unlike last chapter since this one isn’t as technical with super crazy details on how it fits with the show and the AU although next chapter might be like that. So yay me! :joy:

Lemme know what you guys think of the story so far, any recommendations you may have, theories you wanna share, and any of my OCs thoughts! Can’t wait to see them from you kitties!

Until next time! Queen Out!

- :crown: PrettyQueen :crown:

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