AN: Same People. Different Take. What changes?
I'm back I guess.
…..
"We can't allow him to be one."
Sarutobi took a drag from his pipe and looked out the window. It was a futile gesture, because it wasn't even bright enough to see outside. Thankfully the moon had been covered by the dark clouds, both figuratively and literally, that hung over Konoha. But the Sandaime did not need light to know what the village looked like outside of his office. He could close his eyes and picture the homes and shops of the people that lived in his village. A village that he had been charged with keeping safe.
But that mental image was quickly replaced by another.
One of death and destruction, wrought by one of the most dangerous chakra creatures that he had ever seen. Sarutobi had led a long life and there was very little that he had seen. But this fox… This fox was something knew. It towered over trees and the tallest buildings. It had a reddish tinge to its fur which rolled off of its skin in waves of smoke, that seemed to curl before dissipating into the air. Wherever the beast went, the hateful chakra acted as a mist of poison, dissolving and corruption whatever he touched. His eyes were single slits filled with hatred and agony that seemed to wish nothing but death to all those before him.
It was something that cost many lives to stop.
No… to contain.
Sarutobi looked at the baby in his arms.
"Sandaime?"
Sarutobi looked up, waking himself from his own thoughts and looked at the man who had called him.
Long flowing black hair that usually hung to his back. Usually. Today it was tied u into a neat bun at the top of his head. He usually wore a plain robe of black, brown and white but today he wore his battle uniform, the Chuunin Flak Jacket and the Konoha Hiate. His rough calloused hands had seen little battle after his retirement but today was a special day for all shinobi, both active and retired. Every able bodied man and woman had been called to serve… and to give their all. Despite being covered in dirt and grime Hiashi Hyuuga was no less regal than his usual self.
It was the way the man carried himself, Sandaime concluded.
"So what are you proposing instead Hiashi?" Sandaime asked as he used one withered finger to sweep one of those golden locks out of the baby's face.
Hiashi paused knowing that what he said next could very well mark him as one of the cruelest man in this room. The other elder shinobis were here, all leaders of there respective clans. The Ino-Shika-Chou trio were here as well as the Inuzaka Matriarch. The Aburames who were known for their insect controlling techniques as well as the Hyuuga's very own cursed rivals, the Uchiha Clan's leader was here. There were atleast a dozen other members and senior ranking jounin present for the meeting.
Hiashi swallowed.
He had to say it so he opened his mouth and-
"I hope you're not going to propose we kill it." A melodious voice interjected before Hiashi could finish. "It'd be such a waste."
Hiashi glared at the owner of the voice.
Yuuhi Saiko smirked at Hiashi. Normally she would have added in a wink as well but the day weighed heavily even in the most lighthearted warriors.
"A waste of what?" Hiashi's voice dripped with sarcastic care. "You propose turning this boy into a weapon like the other villages do?"
"Hiashi… we all know you simply want to save the boy from a life of blood and… death." Saiko sighed knowing this would hit Hiashi hard. It wasn't because the man did not know it… it was because he refused to acknowledge it.
"It'd be a waste of Minato and Kushina's sacrifice."
Saiko immediately regretted what she said when Hiashi's snow-white eyes filled with tears and grief.
"I know that." He whispered and he quickly turned his head.
"You're just looking out for your friends son… by saving him from a certain future." Saiko appealed to the rest of the people. "But it doesn't have to be that way. There are more choices, he doesn't have to be the weapon of the village he could-"
"And it would still be a waste of the Yondaime's sacrifice." Fugaku spoke this time, shooting a stern look at Saiko. "Both Kushina and Minato were extremely talented Shinobi… even without being a jinchuuriki this boy has great potential. If we do not utilize it in the… proper way it would be a horrible loss for the village."
"So what are you suggesting?" Saiko snapped back. "That it's somehow the boy's fault that the village lost its large force of shinobi and that he has to make up for it somehow? Some kind of sick atonement?"
Fugaku shrugged. "If that's what it takes for Konoha to survive this disaster… and rather crudely put I might add."
"I thought you and Minato were friends Fugaku."
"I too have a son, Saiko." Fugaku muttered. "And we all do here. My firstborn, Itachi, is only slightly younger than your own daughter." Fugaku's soft and articulate voice began to gain an edge. "I don't want to leave the burden of reconstruction to the future generation… this attack is sure to bring attention to Konoha's weakness. We all lived through the war. Do we want another one? Something that our children, barely old enough to take the chuunin exams, to experience?"
All the other shinobi hesitated. They had all lived through the War and had seen the atrocities that had happened… some caused by other Shinobi and some by their own hands.
Not using Naruto as a weapon…
Especially in a time like this would be a critical weakness.
"No other village will so easily start a war Fugaku." The Aburame leader, Shibi, interjected from underneath his collar. "Not this soon… we won the war thanks to Minato. And he bought us precious years where we can be ahead of other villages."
"And that's exactly why they'll strike." Fugaku replied. "To reverse the roles… isn't this the perfect time?" He turned to Sarutobi and pointed at the baby. "That child has to live for the village…"
"So you want him to be in the Ninja Program?" Saiko asked.
"Ninja Program? With our kids?" Fugaku shook his head. "He needs special training to…" He spat. "To leash that demon inside of him."
"At least you know that he isn't a demon himself." Saiko whispered.
Nara Shikaku spoke up.
"It would be rude to not consider all that Minato and Kushina had done for this village… as well as the possible asset that he can offer to the village." He looked at the Sarutobi. "Hokage-sama… it's your decision. It's very obvious that we are split on this. You have the final say…"
"It shouldn't be me." Sarutobi whispered, stroking the sleeping boy's cheek. "Jiraiya is his godfather… and now his caretaker by right."
"He will visit, no doubt." Shikaku answered. "But we don't know how many months or even years that may be. You need to make a decision Sarutobi."
Sarutobi hesitated.
All those sacrifices that Minato made for Konoha…
Kushina as she was cursed for holding the demon within her…
Minato talking to himself and Jiraiya with tears in his eyes over the pain that Kushina held in her heart… just because she was protecting the village from the demon…
Kushina hated being a Jinchuuriki.
Would she want her son to be one?
"From now on Naruto Uzumaki is no longer the son of Minato or Kushina." Sarutobi muttered.
"What?"
"He's not a shinobi and he will never have affiliation with shinobi." Sarutobi's voice gained confidence as he spoke, believing it was the right decision. "He will be given up for adoption and he will live his life as a normal child… and as a normal citizen of Konoha."
"Today Naruto Uzumaki has died. His name is simply… Naruto… and he will take the last name of the parents that he decides to live with."
The jounins and the elders all looked at each other and nodded.
"Yes… as you will, Sandaime."
So our young hero was placed in the orphanage. But as much as Sarutobi would have liked to, not all lips can be sealed tight with coin and intimidation. Sarutobi was counting on two of the greatest emotions man can experience, greed and fear. But as old as Sarutobi was… he had underestimated the one other emotion that could overcome everything else.
Hatred.
Our of hatred the rumors of the blonde child named 'Naruto' spread, the rumors of how he was a demon child, he had been bathed in the blood of the fox, he was found in the eye socket of the fox, when the fox died it cried like a female human and it had placed a curse upon the village itself… and the curse was a child made to resemble a human baby. But no one would be tricked, this baby was a curse and a demon and a monster and a murdered and a thousand other cruel names that someone could muster up to its infamy.
But we all know he was just a boy.
But no one else knew that.
And it was up to the boy to change that.
And so our story begins…
…