Konoha's Red Wind
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto
Chapter 1
The full moon was high in the night heavens when he arrived at the battlefield. Bodies of dead shinobi, his soldiers, littered the ground in a massive circle. An ominous silence filled the clearing; the only sound being that of tree leaves swaying in the wind. It sent chills down his spine.
There were two bodies that weren't consumed by death, however. Both stood in the center of the clearing, and he could see from their postures that they were both stricken with grief. The smaller one, a boy, no older than fourteen, was on his knees, his head turned downward. His companion, a man somewhere in his thirties, stood next to him. Both of their backs were turned toward him. The man seemed to sense his approach and turned to face him. The boy didn't notice, sitting shock still next to the body of his mentor.
What really got his attention, though, was the small bundle in his student's arms. It squirmed a little when he took it, but a few moments later it relaxed in his hold.
"So this is him?" He slowly rocked the child back and forth, much like he had done with his own children.
"Yeah, sensei. This is Naruto Uzumaki." His head nodded in approval. His mother's name would attract less attention, and it fit anyways, considering the red hair he sported on his scalp.
"I'm assuming the sealing was a success then?" His student took a moment to collect himself before nodding.
"And Kushina?" His silence was all the answer he needed.
The old man sighed resignedly, still holding the babe in his arms. They had lost many good shinobi that night. But the village was safe; for now. And for now, that was all that mattered.
Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed as he sat behind his old desk. Twenty jonin. Thirty chunin. Fifty casualties. Seventeen wounded. The Nine Tailed Fox left a trail of devastation in its wake. In a time of war, these numbers would mean nothing. But in an era of peace, such as the one they were experiencing now, those fifty meant everything.
He looked over to his right, where Jiraiya was still holding Naruto. Despite the tragedy that had befallen them, it felt right watching the two of them together. Godfather and godson. He knew that they would make a great team together someday.
Naruto's face was relaxed in slumber. They all should be asleep by now, considering how late it was. But there was still too much to do after the attack, and too many things to sort out.
"He looks so much like his mother,' he said. It was true: he had his mother's coloring. The bright red hair that made his head seem like it was on fire, the blue eyes that watched everything progress earlier with a monstrous curiosity (He got that from his father's own thirst for knowledge.). Since he was just a baby, it was a little hard to tell where his bone structure originated, but from the look of things, Jiraiya was willing to bet he got it from his mother.
"What do we do now?" Jiraiya asked. A note of uncertainty that wasn't there since he was a genin rang in his voice. He was glad that he wasn't Hokage: in a situation like this, he knew absolutely nothing about what they were going to do.
"Tomorrow," his sensei began, "we'll have a funeral for the lives lost." He paused again before crushing him with his next statement.
"You can't take him with you, Jiraiya."
That single sentence left a painful feeling in his gut, like someone had just punched him in his abdomen. No. Sarutobi-sensei wouldn't do this to him. He had just lost his favorite student, his son if not by blood, then by heart. Now, sensei expected him to give Naruto up? Who would take care of him? Who would tell him about his mother and father? Who would teach him about the great leader and ninja Minato was, or the fearsome kunoichi Kushina grew to be? He needed to be there: he needed someone to always be there for him. He was Naruto's godfather, damn it!
"Sensei, I'm his godfather! I'm the only family he has left!" He could barely stop a sob from escaping his throat. "He's my godson – you can't take him away from me!" He held on to Naruto possessively, like a mother bear trying to protect her cubs. His sensei wouldn't hurt Naruto, he knew that, subconsciously, but all that ran through his mind was the fact that Naruto and he would be separated. His sensei looked at him sadly.
"You know that wouldn't be wise, Jiraiya."
"But I can take care of him, sensei! I can make sure that he's safe," he pleaded. "With Minato and Kushina gone, who will take care of him? The Council will throw a fit if you try to take him. With the fox sealed inside, he'll turn into the village pariah!"
A small crying sound distracted Jiraiya from his ranting. He soothed Naruto, whispering soft words of comfort to the child, until he fell back asleep. The Hokage chose that moment to interrupt, knowing that if he waited longer, he probably wouldn't get a word in edgewise.
"Jiraiya, I know that you would be a great guardian for Naruto." He angled his head back at his sensei.
"Then what's the problem?" he asked. "I can take care of him." The old man sighed for the umpteenth time that day.
"Jiraiya, as much as I think you would be great for the boy, you can't take him outside of the village-"
"And why not?" he protested. The Hokage raised his hand in front of him.
"Let me finish. You would be a great guardian. But Naruto needs a more stable environment to grow up in. what about your research network? Having a child that can't even walk by himself would prevent you from getting to places only adults can.
"And what of his safety? Can you honestly give me a hone hundred percent guarantee that Naruto would be safer out there, than in these village walls?" Jiraiya wanted to say yes, that he would protect him from anything – but he knew that he couldn't. A ninja's life is dangerous. And with all of the enemies he's made, anyone could easily target him through Naruto. Or worse: if an enemy were to discover the truth, that Naruto was a jinchuuriki, on top of being the Fourth Hokage's son, he would be in grave danger.
"Jiraiya. I don't want to separate you and Naruto. But if you leave, Naruto needs to stay." Jiraiya looked down at Naruto again. His red hair was slightly tilted to his left, showing the beginnings of a cowlick.
"It's for his own good, Jiraiya." He knew that he wouldn't be able to take Naruto. He'd be at risk outside of the village. Here, at least, he would be safe. But could he bring himself to leave, so soon after Minato's death, when his godson needed him the most?
He stood, slowly walking to where the Third Hokage was sitting. He handed Naruto over quietly and carefully, making sure to support his small head. After Minato and Kushina's child was safely in the arms of his mentor, Jiraiya turned around, and left, making sure not to shut the door too loudly behind him.
To Kakashi, the funeral took an excruciating long amount of time. It took place out in the middle of the street, where everybody could see, right in front of the Hokage Tower. The Hokage spoke into a microphone at the front. Jiraiya and all of the Hokage's advisors stood in a line behind him. The Minato's and Kushina's coffin were situated side by side on the right. Everyone else's body would be cremated: such was the life of a shinobi. "Ashes to ashes, and dust to dust," was the ninja's policy on the dead. Only the Hokage and their closest loved ones, were to have their bodies buried; it was the shinobi way. Though the crowd was a mixture of ninja and civilian alike, both groups understood that this was the way.
The longest part of the ceremony was the reading of all the names. He could hear several of the people in the crowd sobbing; others, like him, only stood silently, with their heads down in respect. But no matter what a person was doing, all of them kept their attention on the Hokage standing at the front. He kept reading the names aloud, and though Kakashi knew that it was a shinobi's duty to live and die for the village, he felt a measure of relief knowing that no one in his generation was having their names called today.
Hearing the last two names was the most painful part.
"…Uzumaki Kushina. Namikaze Minato." At his name, almost everyone in the audience started crying. The Hokage gathered himself before speaking again.
"The Nine Tailed Fox appeared at the outskirts of the village last night, at approximately eighteen hundred hours. The Fourth Hokage managed to seal the monstrous beast into the body of a newborn infant. The sealing was successful, but the strain was too much for him. Minato gave his life to protect the village, but that does not undermine the sacrifice of all the others who fought and died yesterday. These shinobi gave their lives to protect the safety of this village, to prevent the fox from coming any closer to our home.
"Let us honor their memories by living not for the past, mourning the loss of loved ones for all eternity. We all must eventually move on; for that is the nature of life itself. Life moves on, and in order for us to keep living, we must move on as well." He paused.
"From this day onward, any and all discussion about the sealing about the Nine Tailed Fox in the presence of citizens born during and after last year is forbidden."
The decree sent murmurs throughout the crowd. Kakashi looked at the Hokage in disbelief. Forbidden? Why was it forbidden? Angry shouts came from the villagers, all directed towards the Hokage.
"What do you mean forbidden?"
"You don't have the right to do that!
"Don't we have the right to say what we want to say?"
Many of these questions ran through Kakashi's head as well. What reason would Lord Hokage have to be so controlling with his citizens? The Hokage waited for the crowd's angry shouts to die down before speaking again. That was one thing Kakashi admired about him: his everlasting patience.
"This new law is to be effective immediately. All perpetrators violating this decree will be detained indefinitely." That shut most of the crowd up. "The sealing of the Nine Tailed Fox, and who it was sealed into, will be from now on treated as an S class secret until further notice. Anyone that is asked about what happened to the fox will respond that the Fourth Hokage defeated it in battle."
Kakashi could feel the growing uncertainty within the mob. They were unsure: why was this, the true outcome of an attack on the village, warranted to be an S class secret? Some of the horde began to disperse, but the Hokage wasn't finished speaking.
"I assure you, this is done to ensure the welfare of our village, namely, the newest generation of citizens in Konoha." And with that, the ceremony was over. The villagers, a little bit more at ease after the Hokage's last sentence, started to leave. A few of the more muscular ninja moved forward, to carry the bodies to the only cemetery in the village – the one designed for the Hokages.
"Lord Hokage!" The older man stopped in the middle of his stride. Kakashi used his momentary pause to run up to him. "Lord Hokage, would it be an appropriate time to seek an audience with you?" The Hokage gave him a haunted smile, and for the first time, Kakashi noticed exactly how old the Hokage was. His wrinkles stuck out a lot more now than ever before.
"Of course, Kakashi. Come, follow me into my office." He bowed in respect.
"Yes, sir." Kakashi remembered to keep a respectful distance as they strode through the halls of the Hokage Tower. There was an odd silence in the building, as if no one dared to speak after the Hokage's decree.
He closed the door behind him when they got to the Hokage's office. The Hokage slowly walked over behind his desk, and sat down. He folded his hands together on the desk in front of him.
"What is it you would like to discuss, Kakashi?" Kakashi fidgeted with his hands nervously. He took a deep breath, and dropped to his knees, touching his forehead protector on the carpet.
"I wish to apply for a position within the ANBU." He waited an eternity for his answer.
"No."
"Lord Hokage, please," he was almost begging.
"No, Kakashi. You have the skill, but you're too young. And with the recent attack on the village, we need all the shinobi that we can get." The fourteen year old shook his head.
"But that's why I need to be in ANBU! Lord Hokage, with Minato-sensei gone, we can't afford to lose another Hokage so soon! The village would be devastated if another disaster occurred. If the number of ANBU members increased, we'd be able to take more secure measures within the village."
The Hokage didn't reply an answer. Kakashi could feel the Hokage's eyes, scrutinizing him. Piercing him. Searching for any hesitation, any uncertainty in his decision. He found none.
"Are you sure you want to do this, Kakashi?" The Hokage asked.
"Yes, Lord Hokage."
"Normally, ANBU members must be recruited into the program for their skill," the Hokage paused for dramatic effect, "but I think, considering your impressive record, we can forgo that process. Boar!"
A masked ANBU dropped from the ceiling. Kakashi was surprised that he didn't notice he was there. Oh well, he supposed. This was one of the things that he still needed to learn.
"Take Kakashi down to ANBU headquarters. Introduce him to the program."
"Yes, Lord Hokage." Was it just him, or did Kakashi hear a hint of smugness in that little exchange?
Hiruzen chuckled as the ANBU led the silver haired teen out of the room. It seemed that even in the face of tragedy, Kakashi still had the will of fire within him.
"Minato taught him well," he said to no one in particular.
A voice answered from the doorway, "He was the best of the best."
He was surprised: he had thought Jiraiya would have left already. It seemed like he was about to though. He was dressed in his normal travel clothes, and the giant scroll he carried was strapped to his back. A smaller pack was slung carelessly over his shoulder.
"I take it you're leaving then?" he asked.
"Yeah. If I don't talk to my contacts once in a while, they'll think I'm dead." Jiraiya lifted a hand to scratch his cheek and smiled sheepishly. "Besides, I was born a traveler, sensei. I can't stay in one place too long. I get restless." He dropped the casualties.
"I won't be back for a while, Sensei. If I stay…" he trailed off, but the Hokage was able to pick up the unspoken thought.
I won't be able to leave. He understood. "You're always welcome to visit, Jiraiya. I'm sure that Naruto would be happy to see you."
"With all due respect, I don't think he'll remember me then next time I see him," he said. "Kids grow up fast."
"You never know. He may surprise you, considering his parents, and all," he laughed.
"Right, Sensei." An awkward silence passed, before Jiraiya started to leave the room.
"Do you want to say goodbye? He seemed quite attached to you." Jiraiya didn't turn around.
"No, I don't think that would be such a great idea. I'd probably lose my nerve." Hiruzen watched sadly as his student all but ran out of the room.
"Don't turn around," he said to himself. "If you go back, you won't leave."
Jiraiya struggled not to turn around and run to his godson. He was only three miles away from the village, if he ran-
"NO!" He could barely manage to keep his hands from tearing his hair out.
"No. Naruto is safe there." All he had to do was convince himself that he would be fine.
"You can't take him, and you can't stay. Deal with it, Jiraiya!" Sarutobi-sensei would handle things. He can take care of Naruto. The spawn of Minato and Kushina could handle itself…even though he was just a baby.
"Stop it. You're a member of the Sannin," he assured himself. "The Legendary Three. The Toad Hermit. You don't need Naruto dragging you down!"
And Naruto doesn't need you, said the more cynical part of his mind. The darker side, that part of his psyche that held all of his bad memories. All of his failures.
Naruto doesn't need you. Why would he need you, the great Perverted Hermit Jiraiya? If anything, you'd screw up his life by being in it. You couldn't even protect your other students, so why would you be able to protect him? It was right. Naruto didn't need him. He'd already ruined the lives of those kids from Rain Country, and he arrived at the battlefield too late to help Minato. Who was to say that he wouldn't make a mess of Naruto's life?
"No," he said. "Naruto will be different." Jiraiya turned to face the village walls in the distance.
"I'll come back, Naruto. I'll come back, and this time, I won't screw up. I'll protect you. I promise."
A/N: Here's an attempt at another story. I've been feeling a bit in the Naruto mood lately, and so I watched that Shippuden episode where Naruto talks to his mom. When I got to the part where she says that she hoped that he didn't inherit her verbal tic, I started thinking, what would Naruto's life be like, if instead of getting Kushina's personality, he got Minato's?
Then I thought that he would be too much like his dad. The similarities would be too obvious, and everybody would be able to pull together an S class secret. So boom! Naruto gets his mom's hair! Well, he gets her hair and her eye color. That was, conveniently, in the episode too. But, I don't really like the way they drew his hair when it's red, and having it the same as Minato's feels weird to me. So, instead of that, he has short, spiky-ish red hair. Imagine Alphonse Elric's (from Fullmetal Alchemist) hair on Naruto, but color it red. But if you don't like it that way, whatever. Just imagine his hair a different style. His hairstyle isn't really as important as the whole red factor.
I'm not sure if Jiraiya was actually there during the Kyuubi attack, but for the sake of this chapter, he was. I know that I'm not the only one who's thought of or used the "Jiraiya wasn't there for Naruto because of his research (legitimate, not perverted)" storyline. I don't know if that was actually canon or not. I remember hearing of it somewhere before, but I honestly can't remember where/from who. Sorry for the lack of originality there, but that just happened to make the most sense to me, and I don't see very many people expanding on that aspect of Naruto's life that much. Everything else in the story should be all mine though (Yes, I understand that almost every single idea out there has been used once or twice, but bear with me please.).
Because overuse of Japanese in English annoys me, I'm trying to write many of the phrases that we are used to seeing/hearing in Japanese, in English. So, I'm sorry if I get a little repetitive, especially with people like the Hokage (It definitely felt like I was using that word too much…is that being contradictory to the first sentence in the paragraph?). Don't get me wrong, I feel that there are certain words and phrases that just sound better when said in Japanese, but after seeing so many fan fiction authors overuse some of the more common words in Japanese, I think I'd rather just go with how it sounds. I don't speak or read Japanese, so if I have a wrong translation or word somewhere, feel free to correct me. Expect to read this about the same as you would hear a dubbed over anime, with just a few Japanese words where necessary, like jutsu, or shuriken, and the occational village name, such as Konoha.
Wow, this is actually kind of a long Author's note. Anyways, I'd love some feedback, so drop by and review, please. Don't expect regular updates. I'm not a fairly regular person, and usually it takes me a while. But since this is one of those long-term-smaller-goal stories (At least, I like to think if it as one of those. It might be somewhere in the middle), not a super-fast-super-godly-power-in-five-chapters story (no offence to readers or writers of that category, it's just not my thing), a lot of this story will still mirror canon. I have no idea how long I plan to carry this story on for.
Did I mention that this is a REALLY long AN? Please leave some feedback, I'd love to hear where I need to improve, what you thought was good, etc. And from now on, I'll try to keep the Author notes down to a minimum. And sorry if I sound repetitive, or cynical, or uncaring, it's just that it's in the wee hours of the morning, and I feel like I should be asleep. For anyone who has read to the end of the Author's Note, CONGRATULATIONS. I imagine that it must sound a bit boring. Like the TERMS AND CONDITIONS of a software or company that you want to sign up for.
Anyways, thanks for reading, please leave some feedback, any and all people who read this far is so awesome, thanks!