An Assassin's Legacy

Drastic Measures

Naruto stood in the darkness. His 'family' stood against him. Wearing scowls and hurling insults at him.

Is this how a family is supposed to be?  Or is it just for me?

Naruto felt like he was drowning.

He opened his eyes to stare at his bland white ceiling. It was then he registered the arms wound around his stomach. The distinctly feminine arms holding him in a tight embrace. His back pressed into the soft body of the woman behind him and Naruto blinked in shock.

A strand of long red hair, obviously belonging to his companion fell over his shoulder.

Naruto blinked owlishly at the red hair.

'Mom? What's she doing here?'

Taking a hold of the strand gently he marveled at how soft it was. Not knowing what to do he played with it absentmindedly.

"Mmmm Naru?"

That voice!

"Nagin?!" Naruto gasped as he jumped out of bed and turned around to face the figure that he had assumed was his mother.

His heart ached a little when he saw that it was not his mother.

The figure had red hair like his mother's and had warm green eyes that gazed at him with relief. The shape of the face was different too. Whereas his mother had a rounded face, this woman had a heart-shaped face. She looked as old as his mother did.

Nagin sat up rubbing her eyes and then looking at Naruto in relief, "You're awake! I was so worried Naru."

She jumped out of the bed and glomped the still stunned Naruto.

"Nagin... You're human now?" Of course, it made sense seeing as she was a shapeshifter. Surely she had just shapeshifted into a human.

Nagin didn't bother acknowledging his words instead began shaking as she held him. Now Naruto was worried,

"Hey, Nagin? Hey, are you alright? Why are you shaking?"

When he heard the first sob, Naruto was stunned.

"Nagin?" He tentatively asked when the shapeshifter continued to sob into the crook of his neck. He awkwardly patted her back.

"I am so sorry Naru..." She sobbed out.

"For what?" He had no idea what was going on right now.

"I... I had seen you so many times outside... And I always knew you were supposed to be my summoner... But- but I was so scared that I left you alone here... With- with the-these..." She just kept on sobbing.

"What are you saying? Hey, Nagin please stop crying. Just tell me what's going on. Please."

Nagin pulled back and she looked down ashamed. She should've been there for him since the beginning. Yet she abandoned him. She wondered if he'd ever forgiven her.

Naruto sighed, "Nagin stop being over dramatic and tell me the matter. Now."

"My... My mother always used to say that each shifter had a specific partner. It is decided when we're born. It is bond that is made in the soul itself. And our entire soul sings when we meet our destined partner. And it was our duty as a shifter to protect our partners and always be there for them. I... I knew the moment I first saw you that you were my destined partner... And that was two years ago."

Naruto was startled, "Two years ago?"

Nagin nodded ashamed, "I saw you at the park, standing alone... You were so lonely even back then."