A/N: A new story! Yes, everybody does it. And Danzo might appear out of character at first, don't worry, it's only for a while; he's every bit as evil as in the canon.
There lay waste in the aftermath of the Kyuubi's assault. It was very much unexpected and the whole village had been hit by the suddenness of the disaster.
Even with two Hokage and several high class ninjas present in the village, October 10th remained a date where there exist new entries in the history of Konohagakure, an unfortunate day which will forever be detested, a day that ruined thousands, orphaned countless and traumatized a handful. October 10th birthed a new kind of hate deep within the psyche of Konahagakure citizens, a feeling that will forever shadow the fabled will of fire for years to come.
However, as the saying goes: With every disaster come two sides to a story.
In a decisive attempt to contain another upheaval that could plunge Konoha into an even greater misfortune should a Jinchuuriki ever be created, the high echelons in Konoha devised an alternative.
To majorities, Minato was the hero who sacrificed his own soul to kill the Kyuubi, courtesy of a powerful death god: Shinigami. But to a selected few, well, tailed beasts are impossible to kill…..
"You retired Hiruzen, retaking responsibility is not something you are supposed to worry yourself with"
"I am aware" the thought of a bandaged man flashed through Hiruzen's mind and he became more resolved to immediately step in. "I retired, but Konoha cannot be afforded to remain another without an acting leader, so I'm willing to withdraw from retirement for the time being." A little petition should be able to get me reinstated Hiruzen reasoned to himself.
"Hiruzen, I really admired that you could resolve the situation when no other solution was forthcoming, and that you are willing to be once again responsible for the village. But Minato is dead, and as per the policies that govern this village, electing a temporary leader is right now within our jurisdiction. You retired Hiruzen, and as such you no longer have any say in this matter. Discussing this with you is already giving you enough face. The way I see it, we should just wait for Danzo to come back to properly discuss this, then you can hand over the control of the facility to him" Hamura said already feeling like the situation was completely within his grasp
"You are wrong!"
"Excuse me?... Don't be stubborn old monkey; you know this is best possible proposal you are going to get" Koharu supported
"You are wrong…" Hiruzen said again, "…only Lord Daimyo is privileged in making such a decision. And right now he is already on his way over. He should arrive in two days"
"WHAT! You..." She quickly heaved a strained sigh
Seeing the approach crashed again, the two foxes were beginning to get frustrated, would such a long awaited opportunity be overruled again. "You of all people should know this as a former Kage, You cannot allow your love for the father to blind you. He is dangerous and not just because of the Kyuubi. We've had Jinchuuriki before him but his is a different case, I believe you understand why we cannot immediately make any rash decision."
Hiruzen said no more, it was useless to continue arguing. The hideous deed was already done but he wasn't going to hand the facility over to someone even more repulsive.
"You should just hand over his control to us for the time being, eh?"
Suddenly, as if in support of the two elders, there came a massive drain in the supply of electricity causing a temporal blackout. Seconds later light was immediately re-installed in the whole village.
"See Hiruzen, we are only after what's good for the village"
"And its individuals" the old lady contributed
"Do we still not have any clue on the whereabouts of Danzo?" Hiruzen asked, now as a reinstated Hokage. He had only been Hokage for the past ten minutes but he wanted to assume full control without further delay.
"Hai Hokage-Sama" was the reply of the squad captain, he and several other squads had been instructed five weeks ago to commence an S-rank priority search party; they had to be fast and of cause keep a low profile.
One week into the search brought them to two conclusions; Either the root leader does not want to be found, or was one of the many victims of the Kyuubi's onslaught. This was the fifth week and there was still no clue on his whereabouts, it was almost believed the Kyuubi killed him but no one dared voiced their thoughts. There was afterall a vicious faction under his command which were still spell bound by his forbidden Jutsu.
Just as he was about to clear the room; A swift Shushin by the side of the room cleared to reveal a stoic Anbu.
"Report" Hiruzen ordered
"Lord Danzo just stepped through the gate"
Hiruzen was already on his feet before he realized it, Danzo being back meant a lot of things were liable to unfold. He paused just short of exiting his office, "You are dismissed, all of you" Contrary to whatever the rumors might have been, Only he and a few others who were there that night knew why and how Danzo had gone missing.
Hiruzen arrived at the gate with a quick Shushin, but soon realized so were his two former teammates. With the way they quickly got wind of things, he really wouldn't be surprised if it turned out that they had people in Raikage's army.
However, with the reunion came a new wave of tension and any keen observing eyes would notice a certain robe and red hat being the source. Luckily the not many people were aware of Danzo's predicament, so there was only a handful present.
Aside the fact that Danzo was a little disheveled, he was also very exhausted, it was a fact that he had expended a lot of energy to quickly return to the village, as to what reason? Only a few would know.
"I see you became Hokage, Ho-ka-ge" Danzo said almost through gritted teeth.
After what seemed like a lifetime of staring between the two powerhouses the group dispersed only to reappear in the re-builded office
The four regrouped inside the Hokage's office. Hiruzen signaled his Anbu guards to vacate the scene as it was a very important meeting. Even danzo could not deny the fact that Kage offices were always one of the most secured in hidden villages. The privacy seal eventually went up and the room went eerily quiet. It was time to start.
"I like what you've done with the situation" Danzo complemented, referring to how the village still managed to remain in order, even though he was every bit displeased in his heart.
"What did you do to him?" was the edgy reply that instead came out of Hiruzen. He fervently fought this position just so he could totally dominate the situations, and right now he planned to put his position into full effect. After he's had a whole tenure to put the village first, Hiruzen now wanted family to be his own first priority. "He's been this way since you…"
"Since I?" now Danzo was surprised, he's only been back for like…what? two minutes? but already has accusation on himself "You think I did this? I really have been claiming credits for things beyond me."
"Don't play games with me Danzo" Hiruzen spat, his demeanor taking a complete U-turn as he fixed Danzo with a steely gaze, of cause Danzo undeterred
"That wasn't me Hiruzen, he's been this way Immediately Kyuubi got sealed in him. How did you think his body got transported so far away from that of his parents? If I had been able to touch him then this wouldn't be the conversation we would be having. Although I'd like to claim responsibilities, even I am currently ignorant as to why he would exhibit such outstanding traits. I think we all understand the effect of his deterrence defense." Danzo explained coolly, nort in any bit of hurry. "Though I'm really curious as to how you could accomplish something even I could not"
Hiruzen had never really thought it through, he just readily assumed it was Danzo, the man had a knack for complicated situations, just like Orochimaru.
"You really expect me to just believe you?"
"Then are you insinuating that I, even under the scrutinizing gazes of two village elders and a Hokage who was strong enough to run two tenures, tried to harm the village Jichuuriki yet succeeded. You see why I said my reputation precedes me." Danzo mocked
"You!…"
"Stop it Hiruzen, it's happened already, and we have better things to discuss" that was Koharu
Homura cleared his throat in preparation, "Where were you sent Danzo?"
"Land of Water, Ame to be exact"
"So far, why Nami of all places?"
"He must think it's the most dangerous place on earth" replied Danzo before even thinking.
"Explains why every affected person found their way back already, except for some really unlucky ones." Koharu contributed, barely registering what Danzo said. "Haha, he must really hate you"
Hiruzen was making no sense of the situation, "Aside the fact that he should have no knowledge of the existence of such places, why would Amegakure be the most dangerous?"
"That is a subject for another day. Where is he?"
Hiruzen immediately got angry; "don't try to change the subject Danzo" he especially exaggerated his own reaction even though he too was trying to swerve the sudden question.
"Relax Hiruzen, it really isn't a subject for right now. More importantly, where is the baby?"
"So you can brand him your slave again?" Hiruzen countered with a hint of venom
"Since I failed once, now makes no difference"
With this Hiruzen calmed visibly, something that in turn alarmed Danzo. "So where is he?" he couldn't help but ask again
The two elders could sense the abrupt change and couldn't help but feel for Danzo. Only they could better understand how secured the location was.
Koharu cleared her throat, "He's contained"
"Contained where?"
"In a much secured Location" Hiruzen was more rational in his decision now.
"Take me to him; I need to see for myself"
It was evident that Hiruzen was very reluctant but danzo's importance to the village eventually won out and Hiruzen dropped the seal. It was truly as Danzo said and the place was truly secured, if he failed once, he would fail again. Now that there were even precautions put in place.
Noise filtered back into the room as the four took turns in executing their various transporting techniques. Hiruzen was last to depart.
The team again found themselves inside a dark corridor, with only a single door at the end of the hallway. The place had the look and feel of a dungeon.
"It's a dungeon this time" said Homura, "she's really genius"
"No" Koharu disagreed, "just a seal master"
The four advanced forward cautiously as there was no telling what might happen. Hiruzen finally pushed a door open after passing tens of similarly designed ones, with even a greater amount ahead. A bright fluorescent light washed into the dark hallway. The room behind was a complete contrast to the dark corridor, heavily lightened, a clinical layout and a one way mirror leading into an also bright cell room. The room was designed for two purposes only, an interrogation room and a holding cell, but has never seen any use; no one deserved it, until now.
Immediately the last of them stepped through the door, it slammed shut sealing them inside. Danzo wasted no time in walking up to the mirror; he was after all here for that sole reason. Inside the cell room was a makeshift crib, made entirely from conjoined and interlocking mini chains. The small crib was held in the air by chains rooted into the eight angles of the room, the crib was no more than a feet n half length with its content hidden except for bob of blonde hair
"These chains…"
"That's right Danzo, they are Kushina's" replied Homura to the unasked question
A bombard of visible electricity charged through the chains straight into the crib, exposing whatever was in it to insane amounts of voltage, all the while roaring like an angry lion, and causing even Danzo to feel an invisible shiver
Homura gave a nervous laugh, "the Uzumaki would never have created such a place if she knew what purpose it would later serve"
"I'm surprised you consented to such a method" Danzo was power hungry warmonger, but those voltages just now, a nip would fry a full grown human.
"Don't play comparison with me Danzo, if it keeps him in the village and away from the wrong people, then it's the best method."
Danzo decided not to continue with accusations, if this were before his…trip to Ame, he couldn't have cared less, but now, after all what he's seen, he decided, Naruto was an in-expendable asset, to be controlled at all cost. But he's got to be alive for that to come to fruition.
Another round of sizzling electricity came through to rescue the silence
"Is he awake?" Questioned Danzo, everything was much too quiet. Electricity strong enough to kill would at least make new born child wail.
"No he's not" replied Koharu "Hasn't been since the sealing, we believe"
"How does this place work?" Danzo inquired, he needed to be updated
Hiruzen went to start but was interrupted
"Allow me the pleasure Hokage-sama, it's my job after all"
"Thank you" Hiruzen returned honorably
"Who are you?" Danzo demanded, even in such proximity he could not feel any fluctuation from the man, a man of his appearance should at least have an aura, a heartbeat or any form of presence but there was nothing. Danzo immediately came to two conclusions: either he was really strong beyond compare or was an in-animated object, even the dead has a presence
"Call me Uzumaki Kenji, I am his uncle" He explained while pointing towards the crib.
Danzo could now understand the red hair, but wasn't Kushina the last of the Uzumaki?
"And I'm a part of this seal" Kenji added, well aware that the Uzumakis were no more.
"Seal?"
"Yes, this entire place is inside a seal and the surges of electricity you have been seeing are how frequent his power is unstable. It's been incorporated into these chains to detect when chakra is about to be utilized and to successfully stop the process by frying the cell with passable efforts."
Danzo immediately sweated bullets; he wondered what the child would be capable of in the near future if voltages so high were just passable amounts.
"This seal could intelligently mark a victim and with time continue to adjust by improvising in term of strength and size. Outside of the cell room, as you can see, are sets of interface that monitor the condition of the prisoner and in this case: Patient"
Danzo knew, to an Uzumaki only, would a jumble of seals mean an interface. "Is it the Kyuubi?" asked Danzo, this was their most important concern.
"No" Kenji replied, understanding what the question entailed. "The seal has a whole different set of protocols for dealing with Bijuu chakra" he further elaborated
"How is he surviving if the surges fry the cell?" A chance like this might not present itself again for Danzo, it was better to understand the full mechanism right now.
"About that Hokage-sama, there's something else the seal is exhibiting outside of program"
"What is it?" Asked Hiruzen
"These chains do not only help keep him immobile, they also execute actions even I do not understand. Luckily Naruto has monstrous regenerative ability that seemed to perfectly counter the situation" Kenji explained, sustaining a prisoner was never a function of the seal, and in Naruto's case, was a greater disadvantage because Naruto could not be approached without getting whisked away.
"If the surges were just keeping him for longer sessions, how do we differentiate which surge stops him from making himself and things disappear and which one prolongs the torture?" In Hiruzen's eye the seal was not sustaining Naruto but instead pronlonging the time for torture. He really had never seen a situation so complicated.
"With how frequent the surges occur, even without threats detected close by, I don't think it's all the seal. I think Naruto has been feeding of the electricity, siphoning its energy to sustain and mould himself"
"Is that a good thing?" asked Homura, speaking again in a while.
"Definitely" Kenju ascertained, "it means, like me he has no need for food or other bodily requirements, besides, I can't imagine feeding him without reaching him" Even greatly hindered, external bodies gets affected by the power, it was just too strong to be fully contained.
Hiruzen was again about to discard a beautiful piece of puzzle but couldn't anymore. "Can you also provide information on how a child became so aware of the world in no more than a day?"
Kenju had been expecting someone to present the question, which was why he had been preparing the best explanation he could come up with. "Naruto is no more conscious of this than any other infant, his body or rather power is just acting in accordance to the first set of memories he received"
"Memories, Whose?"
"The Kyuubi's, they aren't intact memories as per se, just fragments and feelings reflecting off of him, and I'd say, with the Kyuubi, everything is something to suspect, which is why nothing has ever gotten close to Naruto, even a non living, like me."
"From the sounds of it, even the Kyuubi was a victim. If Kyuubi was not responsible, then where did his power come from? Whose power are they? I don't remember any of his parents being this ….Dangerous" Danzo voiced all his thoughts
"Our most like scenario was that this ability was birthed in an unforeseen outcome where Kyuubi's vile chakra triggered something dormant in his genes. Of cause it's still all theories. Nothing is too sure for now."
"So in any case Naruto might grow to hate humans with a passion" Danzo inquired beginning to see the bright sides.
"Most likely, yes"
'Perfect' thought Danzo, even without his interference, the child was already building himself to be a weapon.
Hiruzen on the other hand was not in the least pleased with the turnout of events. "We are leaving; we've spent way too long in here"
"How many people know about this?" this was Danzo again
"Just the four of you as I've been led to believe, I don't count as I only exist inside this seal."
"Don't worry Danzo, this is a piece of seal designed to appear only when I wish it to, AS HOKAGE" Hiruzen added for added effect
'Even more reason to be suspicious' thought Danzo, sharing a heated glare with Hiruzen
The team of four came to and realized they were back in their previous spots inside the Hokage's office
"So how many people truly know about this?" Danzo asked again, if bad came to worse, root could always take over
"Only a few people know there is a child and even less aware of his Jinchuuriki status, it's perfectly under control"
"How less?" now it was Homura, afraid Hiruzen was being careless with the village's most guarded secret.
"Just us four"
Danzo pushed to his feet, he heard enough and couldn't be happier even if he tried. He only needed to tend to one more such important matter.
The next minute saw Hiruzen as the last occupant of his office, and the picture of Minato suddenly a new artifact lacking admiration.
"Minato, Kushina, your child might not grow into the childhood you wished for him, but I will make sure he grows to be the kind of persons you both were"
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
"Kukukukukukukuku, Lord Danzo, we really should not be seen meeting like this, rumors might spread" taunted a pale skinned ninja.
"I'm in no mood for your jaunty attitude Orochimaru, I need you to fix these" said Danzo, baring two white eyes bored into his left arm.
"And what do I get for my cooperation?" Orochimaru demanded, he had no care for why Danzo used the Izanagi, but he wasn't going to offer free service.
"What do you want?" Asked Danzo, ready to do whatever was necessary, what could be worse than a few Uchiha sacrifice.
"Get me the Edo-tensei scroll" came the demand of Orochimaru
"You can't have that"
Orochimaru Immediately pivoted on his feet but Danzo's next utterance stopped him in his tracks.
"Instead" started Danzo, "I can provide you with information on someone with an ocular prowess even greater than the Sharingan. He calls himself Pain". Danzo had a close encounter with the man, and an even closer encounter with death while in Amegakure, he only managed to escape death because he activated Izanagi, twice. It was a good thing a child like Naruto was conceived, he'd be the perfect weapon against such a man."
"Where?"
"Fix these, then we will talk."
"Deal"
R&R
Next chapter review
"What is that supposed to mean?" questioned an irritated Tsunade.
"It means you cannot be fully trusted with the village's secrets" Homura returned heatedly, taking over for Koharu
'So I was right' thought Tsunade, there indeed was a secret.