Disclaimer: I (sadly) Do Not Own Naruto
Summary: It's October Tenth, the legendary night of nightmarish horror. The night the Kyuubi no Yoko attacked Konohagakure. But what if something was changed that night?
AN: Hey all! First fanfic here. I have read a few stories on here for the past few years and thought I outta try my hand at it. I always had this idea of a slight switch in the Character. So I thought I would try my luck out. I would greatly appreciate any kind of criticism or review. It helps me grow as a writer so thanks in advance! Sorry for rambling on. Let's move to the story shall we?
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Today was like any other for the multitude of citizens currently residing in Konoha. The Sun rose and set like it always did. The moon followed swiftly behind the sun, illuminating the city in its pale glow. The citizens of the vast village looked up to the moon and smiled at its beauty and soft brilliance. It was a full moon tonight and the village was basking in it. Well most of the village anyway. A few people in an underground and hidden location did not have the chance to view the illustrious moon.
[Somewhere on the outskirts of Konoha]
"Push Kushina, I can see the little boy now!" Kushina simply gripped his hand tighter in response. Her body was in far to much pain to offer up anything other than that. With a grunt she pushed using up the very last reserves of her energy. A few moments of antagonizing pain went by before she was rewarded with the sound of a crying baby boy.
The nurse quickly went to work cleaning up the baby and making sure the rest of the unsavory details were taken care of. Once she was done she turned around with a smile on her face. She gingerly walked over to Kushina, careful as to not wake up the now silenced baby, and handed him over.
Kushina had a look of pure joy on her face despite the obvious signs of exhaustion. Her forehead had a sheen of sweat that paired with her slightly matted down hair from the aforementioned sweat. Minato, The Fourth Hokage, was to her right and looked equally as joyous and exhausted. Sure he wasn't the one to give the birth but after watching everything and all the waiting he felt as though he had. The two looked to each other and shared a chaste kiss before looking to the baby.
"He looks just like you Minato." Kushina smiled at her husband. Minato ran his hand through his hair.
"Yeah I guess he kinda does. This means we might have to worry about fangirls." Minato nervously chuckled. Kushina frowned deeply.
"Oh no. Not as long as I am around! Our Naruto will most certainly not be any of the useless Kunoichi fangirls!" Kushina began to fume silently. Minato laughed heartily at his wife. Until they both felt an a presence enter the room. It was one of the Anbu guards from outside and he appeared to be in bad shape.
"Lord Hokage! A large demon is attacking the Village!" Minato instantly snapped into combat mode and hardened the expression on his face. He turned his body and his attention to the Anbu.
"What is the damage thus far?" The Anbu straightened up at the tone Minato was using.
"So far it has only entered the merchants section of the city. The Sandaime has taken command of the ninja force and plans to hold it off until you can get there." The Anbu reported. This gave Minato pause. How was he planning to beat a demon? Well first he had to learn of the type of demon this thing was.
"Boar." Minato called the animal masked Anbu. "What is the type demon causing harm?" The Anbu seemed puzzled at the question.
"I..I don't know Lord Hokage. The Beast is huge and lumbering and slow. It appears to made of sand. During some of it's attacks it seems to inhale a large amount of air before expelling it at a high speed. The sand has several kinds of markings all over it and one giant tail." Minato took in the information and began to ponder. ' Huge and slow? Made of sand with markings? One tail? That can only make it one thing. Shukaku, the One Tailed beast.'
Kushina noticed her Husband's look and decided to ask "What is it Minato?" Minato turned to his wife with a grim look on his face.
"It's one of the Tailed beast. The Ichibi, Shukaku. A demon composed of sand." Minato walked over to his jonin vest and threw it on followed up by zipping it up. "I am sorry Kushina I have to go handle this. I will be back though." He walked over and gave his wife a loving kiss before turning to the Anbu. "Boar, I want you to stay here with the nurse and tend to them. Do what you can to help." He smiled at the Anbu and his wife before vanishing in a flash of yellow light.
Kushina smiled widely before breaking out into a fit of coughs. The nurse rushed over to Kushina with a white towel in her hand. She handed it over to Kushina who grabbed it with haste and proceeded to cough into the towel. After several more violent coughs Kushina pulled the towel away from her mouth to breathe. The nurse gasped when she looked upon the towel. It was covered in blood.
"Oh my we must get you help. Anbu please go and get a-" The nurse was cut off.
"No! Everyone is going to be busy with the healing of those who were fighting. Plus I have already been checked out by Lady Tsunade. I...I knew it would end like this." She looked down at the baby in her arms and smiled. She would at least have company for her final moments.
[Meanwhile, at the Namikaze Compound.]
A bright yellow flash of light illuminated the dark halls of the vast mansion. Standing in it's wake was Minato Namikaze. The Fourth Hokage and student of Jiraiya, the Legendary Toad Sannin, and right now he was preparing for one hell of a fight. He grabbed small container of ink and a few brushes of varying size and shape. He donned his Hokage robe and grabbed a few more tri-pronged kunai for his signature jutsu, the Hiraishin. A loud howl broke the Hokage from his thoughts as he turned to look out the window.
In his vision he watched as the massive demon moved about in the village. His village. His hand clutched tighter on his kunai as he watched the shinobi of his village attack the Tanuki. Within moments the air was filled with hundreds of fireballs and explosive tags. The Ichibi simply raised up one of it's massive arms and blocked all the projectiles with ease. The next moment the air was filled with the insane laughter of the Sand Demon. Another moment later and there was a large staff smashing into Shukaku's head causing it to roar with displeasure. The beast then spoke, it's loud voice booming all through the village.
"Oi old man! That kin'a hurt! I'll make ye pay for that!" Next thing that happened was a loud crashing sound as a massive sand fist crushed the building the previous Hokage was on. Minato decided that enough time as passed and now was the time to act. With a heavy sigh he focused his chakra and vanished in a flash of light.
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The Sandaime really hated his age right about now. It wasn't that he was exactly very old. No, it was just the fact that he was indeed an older shinobi. Hiruzen cursed as he threw his battered old body out of the way of another sand shower of shuriken heading towards him. And just like before, the creature laughed.
"Was that all ye got? A boink on me head?" Shukaku laughed loudly and wildly before sucking in a belly full of air and launching back out and at the Sandaime. Who in return used his more nimble speed and agility to get out of the way safely. The old Hokage prepped himself with chakra and jumped high in the air. He brought down the staff that was in his hand and watched as it grew to the size needed to hit Shukaku.
Whack!
First came a thundering crack as the staff hit the beast directly on his head. Shukaku tipped forward ever so slightly due to the hit. Without wasting a moment Hiruzen changed his grip on the staff and swung it around to his right.
"Another one?! Ye need to do better than that!"
Whack!
The result was another loud crack across Shukaku's face, sending the beast slightly off balance. The Third took in a deep breath and shifted grips to the other side. With a big heft he swung it around to hit the other side of the Sand Demon's face.
Whack!
Shukaku was even more unbalanced now as the force from that blow nearly wiped him off his feet. Hiruzen knew this had to be his last move as he was using far too much chakra enhancing his moves like this. With one mighty heave he swung the elongated staff around again.
WHACK!
The effect was instantaneous. Hiruzen watched as the massive beast was sent to the ground following that blast. The resounding impact could be heard all throughout Konoha when the beast hit the ground. The Sandaime landed on the building below him and began panting for air. He kept his trusty staff close but was in hardly any shape to use it. Shukaku was beginning to get up, albeit slowly. Hiruzen sighed loudly before preparing to fight again. Lucky for him that wouldn't be needed.
Just as Shukaku was about halfway up a large gold flash of light lit up the sky and out of it came a toad nearly the size of Shukaku and the legendary Fourth riding atop his head. A few seconds later the duo came crashing down and landed on top of Shukaku and smashed him back into the ground. The Fourth hopped off of him and went to go and check up on the Sandaime.
"Hey how are ya holding up?" Minato asked the previous Hokage who managed a smile.
"Been better. Wish I was a bit younger. My old body could barely keep this fight up." They both shared a weak and tired laugh.
"Well then you just sit here and rest up. Ill handle this one." Minato said with a hint of pride evident in his voice.
"Oh and how is that?" The Sandaime inquired to his younger counter-part. Minato knelt down and unveiled the bundle of cloth in his arm. The Sandaime looked over to see a newborn child in his arms. His eyes widened considerably.
"Minato is this your-"
"Yes." Minato answered.
"Then you must be planning to-"
"Yes I do." Minato said a bit more sadly this time.
"I see. Well you better get going. No telling when that thing will-" Hiruzen was cut off as a loud roar cut through the conversation.
"Oi! Toad! Get ye ass off of me!" Shukaku bellowed out as he threw the toad off his body and proceeded to get up. Gamabunta gave a look to Minato before landing several miles away. Minato wasted no time after that and made his move. With a mighty toss he threw his tri-pronged kunai at the large beast. He was still too far away for it to hit and he knew that. He just needed to get closer to him. With a large flash he vanished and moved to the kunai that was currently sailing through the air.
"Oh pretty light!" Shukaku made an attempt to grab at the light when Minato reappeared and quickly grabbed it an threw it again. This time though it landed and stuck into Shukaku's skin.
"Oi there it is again!" Shukaku made another attempt to grab at it.
Minato smirked in victory when he noticed the kunai stick to his skin. It was most likely far too small for Shukaku to even care about it, much less notice it. He disappeared in a flash of gold and the next instance was upon the beast of sand. Minato quickly placed his hand on the belly of this beast and applied the seal to him. Victory it would seem belonged to Minato. With one final glance to the Sandaime, Minato and Shukaku vanished.
'Good job Minato. You truly are worthy of the title, Hokage.'
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One large flash and several good miles worth of teleporting later the duo arrived. Shukaku, being the clumsy beast that he is, almost immediately fell over from the surprise. His heavy body smashing straight into the ground and destroying a vast amount of trees near him.
Minato, sensing the beast was going to fall before it did, jumped off and landed next to an altar like setting with a child in the middle. Minato smiled down at the sleeping child and remembered the conversation he had with his wife about it.
[Flashback]
Minato arrived in the hidden location where his wife was to find her sleeping and the Anbu and nurse carefully monitoring her health. He smiled when he noticed the steady pulse his wife was giving off. It turned out she would be okay. The Anbu stood up instantly and bowed when Minato arrived. He simply put a finger to his mouth, silently telling the Anbu to be quiet. He nodded in respect and sat back down. Minato carefully walked to where the baby and Kushina laid. He smiled at the scene.
"Mmm Minato what are you doing here?" Kushina asked as she was beginning to wake up. Minato jumped at his wife's voice startling him.
"Oh! Uhh When..When did you wake up?" Minato asked while sheepishly rubbing the back of his head. Kushina raised an eyebrow at her husband.
"Well your entrance isn't exactly subtle." Kushina stated bluntly making her Husband even more nervous.
"Ye-yeah I guess so." Kushina looked at him seriously for a moment. Minato did his best to avoid to avoid his wife's gaze but after some time realized it was futile.
"I came for Naruto." Minato stated bluntly and Kushina's eyes widened. She immediately switch from shocked to angry.
"Why exactly do you need our son?" Minato frowned. He knew this wasn't going to be easy.
"I intend to seal Shukaku inside of Naruto." Kushina's face instantly became red with fury.
"No! I won't let you! Why does it have to be our baby? Why can't you ask for someone el-"
"Kushina! Do you hear yourself? You have us, who have a newborn child of our own, to ask another family to make this sacrifice?" Minato stated firmly, which caused his wife to become quiet. After a few long moments of silence.
"I know it's what needs to happen. I...I just..." Kushina began to tear up at her own words and thoughts. Minato placed a hand on his wife's shoulder with a warm smile.
"It's just hard. I wish we didn't have to but we must. Our son will be a hero due to this. I promise."
"Promise?" Kushina looked at her husband with a hopeful look.
"I promise. He will be one of Konoha's greatest heroes!" Minato proclaimed loudly. Kushina smiled for a moment then quickly frowned.
"I want a few more minutes with him." Minato opened his mouth to speak but one glare from his wife told him that this topic was NOT up for debate. Sighing mentally he to looked upon Naruto and admired him.
After a few minutes spent with the child, the moment arrived. Minato carefully took Naruto into his arms and gave his wife another kiss and smile before flashing away again. Kushina watched the two vanish before her vision began to become blurry and her eye lids heavy.
'Hurry Minato...I may not be able to last...much longer.'
[Flashback End]
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Minato smiled again warmly at the memory and at his wife. That is, until a giant sand Tanuki decided to make his voice heard.
"Aye! That wasn't very nice! Got me all dizzy like!" Shukaku roared in confusing and dizziness. Slowly the lumbering beast made it's best effort to get up. Despite his demeanor and marking as a Demon Shukaku seemed to be laughing and enjoying himself. Minato found this quite odd. Shukaku seemed to act like any other animal in nature.
Minato knew this beast would not be able to be fully sealed unless he weakened him first. Lucky for him he had plenty of his own chakra to keep this fight up. Minato quickly bit his thumb and summoned Gamabunta over to where he was.
"Eh Minato?" The toad asked to be certain as he looked up to notice the blonde man standing atop his head. Minato nodded and smiled. Gamabunta noticed the ground shaking and looked forward. There stood Shukaku slowly moving towards Minato and him. The toad boss turned around and noticed little Naruto exposed and in the open. He now understood his mission. "Hold on!"
The toad crouched down then jumped several hundred feet up in the air and ran through hand seals. Shukaku saw this and refused to let it happen. He sucked up a vast amount of air and shot it out at full speed.
Gamabunta was getting worried. The air blast was close now and he was about to be hit. Just then he moved. Or rather he was moved. He looked up and Minato was smiling. Smirking to himself he shot out a large ball of water out and at Shukaku.
Sadly for Shukaku, being the large beast that he is, could not dodge the ball of water and took it straight on. Shukaku shook his head to clear it. He drew in air and fired out again.
The duo in the air knew that there was little they could do to stop it. But Minato wasn't a kage level seal expert for nothing! With a face of determination he push chakra into a re-direction seal. The air bullet came close to them and as per the name, the blast was instantly re-directed. His own air blast pelted Shukaku and knocked him over.
The two landed on the ground and needed to finish this fight. Gamabunta made the same hand seals as before but loaded the rest of his chakra into it. With one powerful heave he shot the water ball out. Once it hit, the water soaked Shukaku and made him extremely sluggish. The toad boss took out his sword and dashed towards the lumbering melting sand mass.
Shukaku raised one of his arms to defend himself, It was easily cut off due to the softness of his now soaked sand. Shukaku growled in anger and swung his tail and knocked the toad back. Minato jumped off the toad and dismissed him. He pondered a way to solve this.
He opened his eyes and turned to face the beast "Hey! How do you feel about being liked?" He yelled up to the massive sand beast. He was going to try and apply to his more childish and animal like side. Shukaku simply angled his head and looked down at him.
"ME?! LIKED?! HA!" He broke into a fit of loud laughs but stopped when he noticed Minato wasn't laughing. "Eh? Your bein' serious?" Shukaku asked, genuinely amazed and curious.
"I am." Minato said with firm resolution. Shukaku eyed him intensely.
"How do ya plan on me bein' liked eh? I kinda 'recked ya home. Why should I even listen to ya?" Minato smiled at the beast causing Shukaku to wonder just what he was going on about.
"True but I have a proposition for you, that's why." Minato paused when he noticed Shukaku's confused look. "Er a deal." Shukaku decided to get closer by laying down, his head merely a few feet away from Minato. Shukaku's thought process was 'Might as well hear him out. I could always kill him later!'
"You see. I am the Yondaime Hokage of this village." He pointed to Naruto "That over there is my son. If you agree to being sealed in him I promise you will be liked through him. I promise." Shukaku seemed to actually consider this.
"Be sealed in the kid eh?" Shukaku looked over to the boy. He stared for an extensively long amount of attention which was surprising to Minato considering who this was. He then spoke in a low tone that almost sounded like he was scared. "How did I know you won't lie?" Shukaku shifted his intense gaze to the Yondaime, who shivered from slight fear at the look.
"You have my word and promise as a Hokage." Minato placed his hand on his heart.
"And if I refuse and kill ye anyway?" Shukaku asked as to gauge to the strength on this particularly interesting man. Minato chuckled for a bit before looked him dead in the eye.
"There is a lake deep enough and close enough to us. I have enough chakra. I will simply teleport us there and drop you in it. I am sure you will live but when you get out you will have one heck of a time fighting back. I will forcefully seal you into Naruto after that." Minato stated with confidence. The beast glared into his eye. Minato knew this was the moment of truth. If he showed any signs of weakness he would have to fight this one out.
Shukaku really didn't want to have to fight his way back out of this. He decided then he might as well kill this guy and walk away, maybe go visit that place in the desert next. He shifted his gaze over to the child. Shukaku's eyes widened for a moment. He saw his father's ghost smiling with his hand on Naruto's head. 'Father.'
Minato looked over to Naruto confused as to why Shukaku was so stunned.
"Shukaku, my son." Shukaku looked at the ghost of sage and felt a wave of sadness creep over him. "This child has my blessing. Promise me you will protect him?" Shukaku was response was instant as he nodded his large head quickly. He turned back to Minato.
"I'll do it!" Shukaku bellowed so loud that Minato had to apply chakra to his feet to ensure he didn't go flying away. Minato smiled at the beast.
"Very well then. Let's begin!" Minato shouted as he released the chakra he had built up. Within moment Shukaku was peacefully pulled into Naruto, his seal burning brightly in an orange hue. Minato decided to sit down for a moment, overly exhausted from sealing a tailed beast away. He looked over to Naruto and noticed the seal was holding up perfectly. In fact Naruto seemed to gain thick black that surrounded his eyes. Minato guessed this must have been due to his new partner. This is about the time Minato remembered something. Something rather important.
"Kushina!" Minato shouted as he sat up quickly. Panicking he carefully picked up Naruto and went to meet back up with Kushina via Hiraishin.
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Kushina was dying and dying fast. She knew she didn't have more than a few minutes and by the sound of the calm and eerie night Minato had sealed the beast. Kushina smiled to herself seeing as how her husband was successful. Oh how she would love to sleep right about now. Just to close her eyes and drift off...
"Kushina!" Minato said as he arrived from his jutsu with baby Naruto in his arm. The Anbu and nurse, who were sleeping rather soundly, were so startled that the both fell out of their respective chairs and right onto each other. Minato eyed the scene as the two quickly separated. He turned back to his wife who had a very 'loving' look on his face. It was sickly sweet to Minato.
"Oh hello. Finally decided to come and visit me now?" Kushina asked her husband. She most certainly not pleased with him.
"Oh come on Kushina. It was hard to do!" Minato pleaded. Kushina just crossed her arms.
"Uh huh. I'm sure." Minato cried anime tears.
"But dear it was a Tailed Beast!" Kushina rolled her eyes at his statement.
"And I am your wife! I am far more important that any tailed thingy!" Minato sighed, there was no getting to his wife in this state. "Now let me see my baby!" Kushina made grabby hands as she reached for her child. Minato walked over and carefully handed her the boy.
Kushina cradled her child and soon tears began to run down her smooth cheeks. Minato saw this and pondered why.
"Kushina, why are you crying?" He asked his wife in earnest. Kushina's only response was to cry harder and hold her child closer to her body. Minato placed a hand on her shoulder and looked at her seriously.
"M-Minato, the delivery t-took too m-much from me." She spoke in a low tone, in between sobs. Minato grew more and more worried with each word she spoke.
"Wha...What are trying to say Kushina?" Minato looked his wife directly in the eyes. This was all he needed to understand what she was trying say.
After this one moment the couple spent the rest of their remaining time together in silence.
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[Naruto's Mindscape]
Shukaku awoke in his dark cage. His golden eyes blazing in the dimly lit corridors of his cell. He sat up and looked around, getting accustomed to the new home which would be his for a rather long duration. He walked over to the large gate that was in front of him. Carefully he reached out and touched it. Instantly he was met with an electric shock that sent him several feet back.
"Hehehe! I guess that guy knew his stuff! This seal is nuts!" Shukaku began laughing loudly and wildly. "I hope Father was right about this boy..."
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AN: That is all to this chapter. Please let me know how it went and what you enjoyed. Till next time!
