A Ninja's Lullaby
I DO NOT OWN ANY NARUTO CHARACTERS
By: Brittany Serrano
"To my beloved son Naruto, I am so sorry that I won't be able to see you grow up into a great ninja and I'm sorry I have to hurt you this way my son. I understand if you hate me for the pain that I caused you. One day I can see you and you can say "Father" without hatred in your voice. And on that day, you will be with me and your mother and we can be a big happy family again like we planned. And you can tell me about your adventures and what you were or wanted to be. I'm sorry I won't be able to see you graduate from the Ninja Academy or see you have lots of friends. I'm sorry I won't know what your favorite color will be or what or favorite color is. Please forgive me for that. Always remember, I am always here with you but I am in your heart.
Naruto, grow up strong and make friends. Take care of your mother and tell you love her every day. Protect her because I won't be able to. Always remember, I love you Naruto and be good. Listen to your sensei and train daily. Never let go of your dreams, follow your heart and I'll see you soon, my precious son. You are the hero Naruto, you saved the village. And remember to take care of your mom no matter what happens. I love you Naruto
With Love my son,
Minato"
Was the last thing that Minato wrote before the Kyuubi strikes. Minato was leaving behind his beautiful Kushina and his new beautiful son Naruto. And not only does he leave his son behind he is practically sacrificing his own son, his own flesh and blood to save his village. 'Is it worth it he thought? Is it worth the hatred of his wife and his son? Will his son survive the sealing?' Minato had to be strong for himself, his village and his family he and just created. For his team and everything he had worked so hard to protect and now he's destroying what he loves the most. Could he even call himself a father? He's giving up his child. Does that make his a….. a monster? A horrible monster worse than the Kyuubi? Does that make him flakey like Kushina used to say? This would be his last few hours on his earth and he can even bear to look his love, his life, his world Kushina, in the face without feeling hurt or regret. Kushina made him who is was and is. The reason he became Hokage is because of his wife Kushina and she gave him the most precious gift that no one else can even imagine and he's giving it away. Naruto, his most precious creation, his most precious thing to his heart and Kushina had to bear for nine months and not even be on this planet for a year. 'Can Kushina look at her baby when I'm gone? Will she resent him because he looks like me? No, Kushina is a beautiful and kind and forgiving person. She wouldn't turn down he son.' Minato thought to himself. This is the end and she can't even look at his wife and soul, not even to say goodbye. Tears stream down his face as he picks up his son. His pride. His Joy. Something he won't be able to see. Only an hour left before he leaves.
"Dada?..." Naruto whimpered being awaken from his sleep.
"Yes Naruto, it's Daddy…. And Daddy loves you." Minato sobbed, "Daddy loves him little boy very very much. I'm so sorry Naruto."
He held Naruto close in his arms and began to approach the master bedroom here his wife sob and cried her eyes knows he's never coming back. 'Why did she have to go through my paper work? She didn't have to find out this way.´ Minato thought to himself and he open the bed room door. In the room, Kushina sat on the bed, her knees curled up to her chest and he hands covering her eyes as tears flood out of her hands. She sobs and gasps for air because of how violent she had been crying. No one will ever know her pain, not even I will. Days like these he would just want to hold her close in her arms and tell her everything is going to get better but how can he? How can he hold her and tell her that it's going to get better when he's the one who's hurting her and causing her to cry this way. Pain filled his heart at the sight of Kushina. As he looks down at his sleeping son resting so peacefully in his arms, it was enough to make him collapse on the ground and cry and hold Naruto close and never let go. But He knows he has to be strong now. Now is the time to save his family and his village that so many hokages have done in the time before him. He can't back out now. He regained his composure and walked into the room. He sat softly on the bed next her Kushina. Kushina didn't budge, not even a single look in his directing. She stayed still with her hands covering her radius deep blue eyes. Her vibrate red hair was a mess and covered her hands and the rest of her face that wasn't already hidden by her hands. Minto gently set the sleeping Naruto on the bed in front of his curled up mother. He embraced Kushina into a tight hug hut she continued to sob. He wished he could take away all her pain but how could he when he's the reason she sits and sobs as if it was the end of the world. And it was for Kushina. She was losing her village, she already had lost her mother and father at a young age, and now she's losing her husband and maybe even her child.
Minato looked around the room. He will never forget the times they spent cuddling on the bed or the when Minato would rub Kushina's belly when she was pregnant. He glanced at the open window where he could hear the shinobi ninjas running towards the battlefield. Time is becoming short and there is still so much to do and to remember. He looked out the open bedroom door and across from the bedroom was the bathroom. Minato smiled at the bathroom because that had been where her water had broke and she screamed like bloody murder which scared the shit out of him when he had been sleeping. He could remember rushing Kushina hospital as she squeezes his hand for dear life as Naruto tries to come out to greet the world. He could remember seeing Naruto for the first time when he came out of Kushina. Tears cascaded down Minato's at everything that has happen in this house. He held Kushina so tight hopping that she will understand that he still loves her and needs her to be strong to. The sound tears were ceased when Kushina spoke. Her angelic voice was now cracked and low.
"Minato, I love you so much." Kushina sobbed. She removed her hands from her eyes. They were all red and swollen from all the tears that she had been spilling. Her soft lips trembled and her eyes searched Minato's waiting for the same response. Minato hesitated at first. How could she still say she loves him after all she had found out? Minto pulled her into an even tighter embrace.
"I love you too Kushina, I'm so so sorry." Minato sobbed to her.
"Minato, Please," Kushina began, "isn't there any other way around defeating this beast?" Minato remained silent knowing there is no other way or any options.
"MINATO?" Kushina shrieked.
"No Kushina, no these not… I-" Minato was cut off.
"So you are going to sacrifice our son? And kill yourself for this village?"
"Kushina, I don't want to, but I am hokage, this is my job. I must protect the vil-"
"Protect the village? What about your family? Your son?" Minato remained silent for a few moments. Minato glanced to the window and could hear the warriors asking "Where is the 4th Hokage?" and "We're getting massacred out here." That meant it was time for him to finish the battle leave behind his family. He stood up from the bed and picked up Naruto who was still peacefully sleeping on the bed. Minato began to cry again knowing what pain he is causing his family and began to walk towards the door. Suddenly another shriek came from the now angered and sobbing Kushina.
"NOOOOO! YOU CAN'T TAKE HIM!" Kushina launched from the bed and made a desperate attempt to grab her sleeping son.
"Kushina! Get a hold of yourself! I know you're in pain and so am I but this is for OUR son." Minato snapped. Kushina stared blankly at the man she was in love with now wondering who this man is taking away her baby. Nothing came from her mother as Minato headed towards the door. As Minato reached the front door Kushina yelled at the top of her lungs not only making sure he heard it but everyone who was by the door could hear "YOU MONSTER!" Minato closed the door behind him and began to run to the battlefield carrying his baby to his first and hopefully only war. Minato could see the demon's nine tails slashing and throwing trees and ninjas towards the village. This was it, time to defeat this demon once and for all. He looked back at his house where he could see Kushina at the living room window watching him. She mouthed "I'm sorry my love" and blew him a single kiss. He smiled and bit into each tip of his fingers and gathered all his chakra into his hand as he slammed his finger tips on the ground. His blood fled from his hands and created a circle on the ground where his hand had been touching and within that circle formed a summoning seal from his blood. The ground began to shake and stood up. A giant toad stood behind Minato and grabbed him placing Minato and Naruto safely on top of his head.
"About time you came Yondaime, what took you so long?" the toad asked in a deep voice.
"I had to say goodbye to Kushina." Minato replied simply, no need to go into details to remember himself that the person he loves the most is a monster. The toad said nothing and began running towards the outsides of the village where the demon was coming closer. Minato held his son close to him as they approached the Kyuubi. The toad set Minato on a high cliff end closest to the Kyuubi. Minato sent jutsus out towards the nine tail demon to get him down. Nothing seemed to hold him down. Finally he sent one last jutsu out. This jutsu was supposed to me unbreakable chakra chains that nothing could escape. And it was right. The demon fox could not move. Minato when to a tree stump and unwrapped the sleeping from his blanket. He laid the blanket down on the stump and gently set Naruto back onto the blanket making sure he doesn't wake. Minto took a few steps back from the sleeping baby and began rummaging through his bag to grab a kunai. He felt something sleek in the bag and pulled it out. 'Kushina's music box?' Minato thought to himself. He remembered Kushina playing it's lullaby in Naruto's room to make sure he stays asleep and would only have to go in there every few hours to wind up the magical music box back up to play its spell bounding melody. He smiled at the surprise and opened the box. It was already winded up and playing its spell binding melody. He placed the magical box by the slipping boy and went back to looking for his kunai. He pulled out one out and turned to look at the chained beast. The beast was thrashing to get free of the chains and Minato didn't know how much longer those chains would hold. Minto rolled up his sleeve and sliced a deep cut into his arm. Blood rushed down his arm like a crimson waterfall.
Minato began to draw the cursing seal around the stump where his precious son lied; still sleeping not knows what is happening to his father. Minato finished the seal and slid his thumb across the deep wound. He then drew the same seal that had been down on the down onto Naruto's stomach forever sealing this beast inside his own son forever. 'Why do all these rituals need so much blood? A red marker would work just as well.' Minato thought to himself with a small chuckle. Minato's body began to tremble at the thought. Minato began performing the hand signs for a forbidden jutsu that could kill anyone in an instant. He knew this because he had created the horrible jutsu and he was now ready to die for his son and his village. When Minato had finished the hand signs a giant white ghost demon appeared behind him. The demon carried a sword in his mouth and scrolls in his hands. The ghost demon looked upon Minato with his vibrant purple eyes.
"You plan to seal me in that child?" a deep demonic voice call and it echoed through the forest.
"Yes, I do." Minato replied as he turned to the red-eyed demon fox. All the demon fox do was laugh. Minato turn back towards his baby Naruto as the ghost demon followed behind.
"You Minato have called upon the demon of hell to seal a beast within that child. I am the dead demon seal and since you have summoned me I shall rant your request but in return I shall take your soul and the kyuubi's soul. On your request let me know when you are ready. The demon stood tall behind Minato. Minato walked his final time to the sleeping child and placed his hand on Naruto's small head feeling the soft blond hair and gently stroking his baby smooth cheek. Minato took a few steps back and held his arms out. "Seal" he said and with that the dead demon sent a transparent hand through Minatos heart and another hand through the demon fox. The dead demon was pulling Minato's soul straight out of him but the hand that had gone through Minato's heart also when into the baby's stomach where the seal had been drawn. Blood came pouring from Minato's mouth because of the demon tearing him apart. Baby Naruto open his eyes due to the uncomfortable feeling and saw the dead demon and the fox staring straight at him. Then the pain of having the demon's power being forced into struck. Naruto whaled and cried in pain. "Dada! Dada! Mama Mama!" The baby cried but no one came to his aid. As the dead demon finished filling the baby with the demon fox's power and spirit and his father's spirit, Minato let one more final cry of pain out and the dead demon released him. The fox was gone and nothing but the sound of Naruto's crying filled the dark and fiery night sky. The Music box never stopped playing though. It still played the lullaby as Minato, weak, bloody, and in major pain began to stand up. Minato forced himself to walk up to the crying child and when he reached the stump, he collapsed in pain. He pulled himself up on the stump and stroked the baby's smooth tearstained face. The blood that had been drawn on Naruto's stomach has turned into a heavy black inked tattoo. Three lines crossed his cheeks on each side showing he is now the new host of the kyuubi but Naruto being only a baby saved his village and is already on his way of being a great ninja.
"Shhh Naruto, daddy's here." Minato said coughing up blood, "Daddy love you Naruto, very much. So please shhh for daddy?" Minato's vision was being coming blurry and it was becoming had to breathe. But Naruto did finally stop crying. Minato picked up the sobbing baby and held him close.
"Minato Sensei! Hang on Sensei!" a voice call coming from the forest. Minato turned his head slightly and saw his student Kakashi and his beautiful wife Kushina. The both ran up to hm. Kakashi grabbed the baby and Kushina collapsed at the sight of her husband.
"Hang on Honey, I'm going to help you, but you have keep your eyes open." She sobbed
"C'mon Minato Sensei! You'll be okay, Help is coming. You can't leave us!" his student shouted. Minato was falling in and out of consciousness but he could still hear the magical melody of the musical box playing Naruto's lullaby but now his death lullaby.
"Kushina, never stop…. Playing this song, it's his … ninja lulla-" Minato coughed up more blood, "its Naruto's ninja lullaby." Kushina hugged her bleeding husband.
" I won't, I won't stop playing that song. Minato Please don't do! I love you, I need you here!" Kushina cried.
" I… I love you too… Kushina…" He gasped
"Sensei…" Kakashi began to crying.
" Don't worry Kakashi, you know what to do now." He gasped again " Naruto… I love you… and I'm… sorry."
"Stay with me Minato please!"
" I … love… you…. Ku…."
"Minato no!" Kushina cried. He was gone and that musical box played his death away. Everyone cried for him especially Naruto. Minato was gone and Kushina had to raise Naruto on her now now. 'Goodbye my love' Kushina whispered.