Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

The Boy with the Red Eyes

Prologue:

The day was over but the work was far from done. He had come out of retirement to don the cloak once again. Telling his people what exactly had taken place as he knew it and the terrible price that had ended it. He chose to honor the last wish of his predecessor and reveal how an infant had been the savior to them all.

But his people were angry and it was a simple conclusion for them to make, no matter how misinformed they were. Their terror and sadness had transformed into hate and rage, with no direction it had been pointed towards an innocent babe not a day old with no parents left to love him. So he created the law, made the knowledge secret and forbidding its spread. Merely a scant few hours later had found it necessary to enforce the law's deadly consequences.

He wished that there was more he could do for them to aid the ache in their hearts, because he too understood their pain. His dear wife was gone due to the destruction, and he had such high hopes for the young Hokage and his wife but they too were dead.

In the midst of restoring the village infrastructure, healing the wounded, laying the dead to rest, and thwarting spies from informing other villages of how weak they currently were; there was a crying, hungry infant orphaned the day he was born laying in a cradle next to his desk. One who needed safeguarding from those who would cause him harm or use him for the dreadful power sealed within his frail body.

He had gotten too old for this job years ago and has long since past his prime. It left him wishing he had the support of his three prized students but knew it was just the wistful dream of a nostalgic old man. God only knew where they were now. Tsunade, no longer able to handle the life of a shinobi took her apprentice with her when she quit. Orochimaru, he betrayed the village and escaped with a promise of revenge. And Jiraiya…with no time to mourn the man he treated like a son. Had taken a good look at the seal on his godson and proclaimed it to be holding. He called it a masterpiece of fuinjustu performed by the child's parents. After holding the boy for a short time he left with a heavy heart to continue his work as Konoha's spy master.

While trying to come to terms with the events of the day an overworked secretary came to inform him that his councilors Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane along with his Jonin Commander Shikaku Nara are requesting his presence. Letting out a long sigh to voice how very old and tired he felt at that moment, his thoughts turned to what to do with the boy now that he was finally asleep. He couldn't bring him and nor would he leave him alone, so he needed a sitter. One that could deal with any threats should they arise, one of the ANBU would do.

Thinking for a moment he thought of who was available and summoned them. Having decided on Tenzo who was now standing at attention before him he ordered him to protect the infant while he attended to the other concerns of the village and quickly left; for the moment leaving the boy's care in Tenzo's capable hands.

For a short time the only sound within the Hokage's office was the soft breathing of a sleeping newborn. Though every now and then he would make fitful sounds and Tenzo would gently place his hand on the babe's back to calm him down then return to continuously scan the room for any perceived threats of danger. There were none to be found.

Time passed like this until he heard a frantic knocking come from the door as another ANBU came in. After checking that the ANBU was indeed who he said he was and not a fake. He was informed that the remnants of the beast's foul chakra were causing a great disturbance around the village and that the Hokage had orders for him to make use of his mokuton abilities. Being relieved of his current duty by the ANBU that had updated him of his new orders Tenzo used the shunshin no jutsu to swiftly get to the area he was needed.

After making sure the guardian had truly left the ANBU secured the room and signaled his master. Mere moments later Danzo Shimura, Konoha's old war hawk, entered the room and began to immediately go over the vessel's seal; he didn't have much to enact his plans. Homura and Koharu were trying to get the old bleeding heart to understand that with the power it would eventually wield that it was in the it's best interest and that of the village that it be properly raised and trained for the betterment of the village. And that putting its care into his capable hands would achieve this.

But he knew how much the light had softened the old fool's heart and he would never allow it. So he had taken it upon himself to sow the seeds that would take root unnoticed within their village's new jinchuricki, it's a shame that he never had the chance to do the same with it's now deceased mother.

Having a greater familiarity with the Hakke no Fuin Shiki but not wanting to tamper with it and accidently release the Kyubi no Yoko he decided that he would attempt to tweak the Shiki Fujin and place within it his own obedience seal, the one all his Ne operatives had to ensure submission to only himself. It was still dangerous but considerably less so than the alternative since it only contained the beast's chakra. As well this was his only opportunity to do so since the seal was fresh and the child had yet to become fully acclimated to it.

He only just finished unraveling a small portion of the Shiki Fujin when the child started wailing and so far has not placed his curse seal when his subordinate standing unobtrusively in the corner notified him that a number of people were heading to this room very quickly. Knowing he would not finish the delicate sealing process he instructed his agent to attempt to complete the procedure and terminate himself if discovered while he himself made a subtle and hasty escape.

He had no name but Danzo most often gave him the codename Gin, and Gin knew what he was ordered to do but had no experience with fuinjutsu. Someone like Fu would have been better. As he tried to complete the curse seal it only seemed like he was making it worse and the child screaming bloody murder didn't help much either.

He could feel the Hokage and his ANBU coming down the hall, they were nearly at the door. Gin performed a single unique handseal and bit down on the capsule in his back molar. His last view of the world was the shocked face of the Hokage as the seal on the back of his tongue scrambled his brain and the death pill speedily carried him to his demise.

The man was dead before he hit the floor as the Hokage rushed in with two ANBU, Homura, Koharu, and Shikaku Nara. The one in the inu mask quickly inspected the body as the Hokage checked on the screaming baby.

Shikaku was quick to take in the scene,

"Kakashi, what of the man."

"He's dead, it was cyanide."

He could smell it coming off the man; it was a common item for suicide missions. Tenzo stepped up to take responsibility for his failure.

"This is my fault Hokage-sama, he checked out as one of our own and I foolishly left him alone with the child."

"It wasn't your fault Tenzo that he was as traitor, what I am concerned about it what he has done to little Naruto."

It was true, the newborn was still belting out an ear-piercing cry but was slowly calming down from the Hokage's expert skill at child rearing he learned from taking care of his own sons. Placing the now quite infant Naruto back in his cradle Sarutobi began to inspect the boy for harm. When looking over his shoulder Homura a kunoichi with decades of experience let out a terrified yelp.

"My god, what happened to him?"

Everyone in the room circled around the small child; those whose faces could be seen betrayed their shock and horror. Because the baby they had all seen at one point or another that day with the sun kissed hair, small whisker-like birthmarks, and big bright innocent blue eyes that made you want to smile was very, very different then when they saw him last. It seemed that everyone but Shikaku was shocked speechless.

"The boy has red slit eyes, just like the fox."