The author makes no claims to the ownership of the story Naruto...Though I really wish I could, this is just a fanfiction.
Binding Seal
Bonds of Hatred, Bonds of Love
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The winds howled and screamed in an unearthly manner. Wisps of red chakra flickered and twisted in the air as they cast an unnatural glow upon the beleaguered village. In the distance there was a brilliant white flash of light then, a muted cheer.
Dark shadows flitted through darkened forest, leapt upon the crowns of trees, standing upon them like thrones. They were men and woman, ninja all and staring off into the distance, they looked upon a sight rarely seen even in their fantastic world.
The sky was overcast. The potent chakra that yet lingered in the air condensed atmospheric water into a sooty black, stinging hot rain. The heated air drove monsoon force winds and twisted dark clouds upon themselves into a writhing, tormented mass.
The world was silent, the world was still…
A young scarred youth sobbed angrily demanding to see his parents. His voice was startlingly loud in the now silent world. A white haired youth wept quietly, these were his first tears in years. Clutched in his arms were the bloody remains of a brunette kunoichi.
"I failed, Obito…"
Shinobi Rule number 25: "You must make the mission your top priority and you must possess a heart that never shows tears. No matter what the situation, a shinobi must keep emotions on the inside."
What bullshit…
All about, standing within the forest, and upon the massive walls of earth and wood and kinjutsu, men and woman stared disbelieving. They were amazed to have survived the ordeal.
There was the rumbling of thunder in the distance….
One by one, the inhabitants of the village cautiously began to make their way from the shelters as the news of the battle's conclusion spread. Men and women wept unabashedly, "Thank Goodness." They said, "Thank goodness for the Hokage."
And off in the middle of the forest a man lay gasping upon the head of a kaijuu.
Beams of light broke through the now swiftly dissipating clouds. The pillars of moonlight shone down upon the earth.
A full moon…
The titan shifted, it was a toad six stories tall. "Hmmm?!" He grunted. "Gaki…?!!"
"He's in a bad way…" The Boss toad, Gamabunta thought. "…Had better take him there."
With a prodigious leap, the giant soared into the air, the wake of his passage ripping nearby trees from their already tenuous grip on the soil. Thousands of eyes followed the passage of the creature, some were ordinary; others glowed silver, or red with spinning designs.
A man muttered unsurely, "I think something was wrong with the Hokage…"
Bonds of Hatred…
Bonds of Love…
Each the face of a coin… The existence of one beggars the possibility of the other.
After all, both are merely different names for the same thing.
Passion…
Without such a thing, what would drive one to the illogic of self-sacrifice?
What other binding could possibly hold such diverse individuals together to form the great tree?
What other than the deepest hatred…or love?
These questions filtered through the hazy mind of a dying man. His body disconnected even as doctors and nurses rushed out of a hospital to treat their leader. A man who now lay within the depression of a giant toad-print. A balding doctor with glasses and a long goatee yelled for his colleagues to "Bring the damn equipment outside!"
Passion…
As his vision darkens, he hopes for the best for his son. Even as he does so the memories of his kage bunshin come to him. A room full of cold-eyed advisors gathered about his predecessor, and by his will, the reinstated Third Hokage.
He had hoped for love, but hatred would do…
He murmurs "Grow strong, Naruto. I'm…so…"
The Yondaime passed on, his thoughts on his legacy.
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In a Council Chamber lit by candles.
They watched the final wisps of smoke dissipate
Bonds of Hatred…
"Kill it."
Bonds of Love…
"Don't be stupid, think rationally!"
Bonds of Hatred…
"I agree, this child can be our greatest weapon in the troubled times ahead. Give the demon fox to me, Sarutobi."
Bonds of Love…
"The will of the Fourth was clear! This child is Uzumaki Naruto! A proud new member of the Leaf!"
Bonds of Hatred…
"That is not what Danzo meant Sarutobi…"
"Yes it wa…"
"Hush, Danzo!"
"There were already reports that foreign observers were headed here. Trust that the Daimyo will inquire after our stability. We've lost more than a quarter of our forces to injury and death!"
"He will not be made into a mindless weapon I will not allow it!"
"Allow?! Who do…"
"Complete that sentence…I dare you!"
"…"
"Not as a weapon Sarutobi, but as an intimation of power, a deterrent."
"Yes! A deterrent! They need not know who, they will know we have the Kyuubi and be wary."
Bonds of Love…
"He will be hidden among the populace."
"Sarutobi!"
"We will use the plan I suggested, the knowledge will be treated as an S-Class secret!"
"As you wish."
"I agree."
"You ask me to protect Konoha then you tie my hand behind my back…very well… Hokage-sama."
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Converted Ninja Meeting Chamber
Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded as the protests died down. He fingered the red and white, tri-cornered hat bearing the symbol for fire. At his sides Homura and Koharu sat having informed those assembled of the Yondaime's death, the Third's reinstatement and given their explanation for why the Kyuubi vessel would be kept unharmed. They had also outlined the laws that would be instituted to maintain the secrecy of Naruto's existence.
Even in this stressful time it had been enough for the assembled jounin to know that the Third had ordered that Naruto be kept a secret. They were after all aware that the Leaf would need every advantage when other countries began probing Konoha for weaknesses in the wake of the disaster. They hadn't needed an explanation for that.
What had caused the uproar was the revelation that not only were they required to not reveal the secret of Naruto's existence but that there would be no special restrictions placed upon him beyond what was normal for any other orphan. Namely the fact that when the time came, if he so wished, Naruto would be able to join the ranks of ninja.
Koharu and Homura had spoken their piece about his existence being a deterrent against enemies in the future but many of the ninja in the room, with less than a day since the Kyuubi attack, felt apprehension at the thought of such power in the hands of a trained ninja.
Sarutobi was certain they would follow orders however. What really worried him was the response he would get when this information was disseminated to the lower ranks of chuunin, gennin and adult civilians.
As the room settled down the Third Hokage sighed.
"That's all for today, an official announcement of my reinstatement and the new law will be passed out later today. The funeral service for those who have fallen will be held tomorrow…" His weary gaze sharpened. "I don't need to tell you that this has been a tremendous blow to our village but those who have given up their lives did so that we could carry on. The Fourth, believed this when he went into battle against the Fox. There will be harsh times ahead of us but…"
He leaned back into his chair at the apex of the semi-circular conference table and looked into the eyes of the assembled ninja before him. Finally he said. "I believe in you, dismissed!"
Danzo was waiting for him outside of his, the Hokage's, office. A pair of nervous chuunin were carrying the last of the Yondaime's things out of the room. They awkwardly bowed and hurried on their way leaving Sarutobi, his two advisors and the Anbu commander alone in the anteroom.
Sarutobi acknowledged the man's presence with a grunt and nothing more. He made no comment as the others followed him into the room. The old Hokage walked past his desk and stood beside his chair looking out the windows and the village repairs that were underway. It wasn't that much as the Demon Fox hadn't even breached the walls but the storm had damaged some roofs and windows.
His eyes lingered on the fourth face on the monument. "What is it?" He asked.
"Sarutobi…" Homura began, only to be interrupted by Danzo.
"Don't be coy." Was what he said. "It should have occurred to you as well by now."
"Yes." Spoke Koharu. "You were always insistent on hearing the old stories from Tobimaru-sensei."
"The Kyuubi attacking Konoha for a second time, it cannot be coincidence. What are you going to do?" Danzo queried with a narrowed gaze.
"About." Koharu chimed in.
"The Uchiha." Homura growled.
Sarutobi said nothing; his eyes lingered on the fourth, in his own way pondering.
Bonds of hatred, bonds of love…
Alone in a crib, a sleeping baby lay, his older brother watched, red eyes entranced, drifted slowly closed.
Alone in a crib, a sleeping baby lay, a demon fox watched, red eyes enraged, reluctantly drifted closed.
Bonds of Hatred, Bonds of Love…
And the binding will of fate.
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The Alley next to Matehara's Fine Selections
What happened was inexcusable but understandable. It was unexpected in a hidden village that purported that all members were family, leaves on the great tree named Konohagakure; a family of soldiers bound by bonds of love.
When the Third's law was passed there was discontent but obedience. The ninja of Konoha followed orders and the civilians, family of ninja, followed the letter of the law as well. It wasn't too difficult as the ninja were busy trying to keep up with the mission load now that so many of their comrades were dead of injured. The civilians were busy trying to regain some normalcy in their lives or supplementing their incomes in the cases where a family had lost a shinobi father or mother.
The first four years of Naruto's life were peaceful if not especially happy.
This is not to say that he was mistreated. His elderly caretaker held very little personal affection for him but did her job diligently and showed no outward sign of hatred toward the boy. He was guarded by hidden Anbu under orders to watch and protect discreetly. He was very rarely brought into public as his caretaker was elderly, a problem as he grew older and more excitable.
Strangely the little boy seemed not to mind. But perhaps this was that as strange, seeing as the lonely child seemed to have acquired an invisible friend.
The report that detailed this fact lead to the first of many uproars related to Naruto.
After some rather frantic questioning of the bemused boy along with, as Naruto termed a, 'ticklish', but thorough examination of the seal it was concluded by a relieved Sandaime that; Naruto's assertions aside, his invisible friend did not speak back to him.
A year later, due to worsening health problems, Naruto's caretaker retired much to his dismay. Five years may have seemed an awfully young age to allow a child to live on his own, no matter how self-sufficient, may even have been criminally negligent. The Anbu guard remained ever vigilant, gennin teams were assigned missions to clean and shop for Naruto and the Third used what little free time he could set aside during the day to visit the child and take him for walks so as to familiarize the boy with the village and see how well he dealt with living alone.
It was a world after all, where children as young as twelve or even younger were trained as ninja and expected to be able kill.
And so Naruto lived, most of the residents of Konoha disliked him because of the memories that he evoked and showed it, but otherwise left the child alone. The older ninja, especially those who hade lost someone to the Kyuubi (nearly everyone), looked upon him coldly but did their best to either avoid or studiously ignore him.
There were no beatings by drunken mobs, when people cursed him there was no mention of the demon fox. What belittling remarks that came his way seemed justified, if only a little harsh. Actually much of the trouble that Naruto encountered along the way was brought upon the boy by his own actions.
He had grown slightly needy for attention and acted out occasionally. Sarutobi worried over the fact that his invisible friend persisted. Still, times were peaceful for Naruto.
Until…
It was late in the evening when the report came in and the shadow cast by the village was long. The Hokage stepped into the alley, noting the blood stains that streaked along its sides. He paused for a second and looked behind him. The ground was slightly furrowed as if something broad had been dragged along it. The alley opposite was also a mess.
"Report."
The Anbu officer, one who had been conferring with a military police officer moments earlier addressed the Hokage promptly. "Hokage-sama, a disturbance was reported by the owner of the tea shop next to this clothing store. The description claimed that a scuffle had occurred between two ninja ending in the use of a C-Rank Fuuton ninjutsu." The man gestured to his side at the disinterested-looking military police officer. "Officers who were sent to investigate and subdue the offenders determined that the incident involved one Uzumaki Naruto and followed the protocol outlined for such disturbances by signaling the Anbu."
"What happened?" The Third asked.
"Matehara-san, the owner of the clothes store is still unconscious but there were numerous customers who witnessed the event." The masked man said. "From what we have gathered Uzumaki-san was engaged in an argument with the store owner earlier in the day regarding the cost of a pair of goggles. He claimed that Matehara-san had marked up the price several times the item's stated value and in response the shop owner had Uzumaki-san thrown out of the store."
The man continued after a brief pause. "It seems that later on someone released stink-bombs containing a pink dye in Matehara-san's rear storeroom and changing-rooms, contaminating his entire stock and affecting several customers. Uzumaki-san was caught walking out of this alley." The man huffed. "Matehara-san was most…distraught, he and a number of others decided take matters into their own hands and…discipline the boy. Sometime after this point was when the disturbance occurred."
Sarutobi watched as the man pointed to a spot at the end of the alleyway. "That was where Uzumaki-san was found, bruised and unconscious. We had him brought to the hospital for treatment." The man paused before continuing in a strange tone of voice. "It's also the point of origin for the blast."
Sarutobi sighed as he looked at the point where all the streaks seemed to originate. A number of Konoha civilians injured by an unknown jutsu with Naruto involved, he knew that he was going to get a headache over this.
"Naruto, what am I going to do with you."
It was the turning point in young Uzumaki Naruto's life…
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Konoha General Hospital.
The boy lay alone in a hospital room, a wet towel over his forehead. At the foot of his bed, invisible to all save one there was a white-furred fox. It sat in silent vigil as the boy slept. A single eye open as its nose lay tucked into its tail.
The creature wasn't aware of it but it had been born of a bond.
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AN: I've been busy and and my other stories won't be out for a few weeks, though there are quite a few updates coming. I just thought that I'd put out the intro for another story that;s more in the short chapter style.