Years ago I had a previous account on this site under another name. However due to my computer crashing I lost all my account info and haven't been able to find it again. So I opened an new account and started submitting. Since I previously submitted my own fictions and am unable to recover them I've had to resubmit, but the fiction is different. Now it's an Naruto one. So characters are in an alternate world with different histories and lives.
Itachi and Sasuke aren't brothers but father and son. Kisame and Suigetsu are father and son. Obito is an Uchiha, but not an direct relation. The Akatsuki and ANBU are good guys. Kushina is alive (well for a while at least) as is Minato. So on.
I don't own Naruto or the associated characters or make money from them, but this fic is MINE!
P.S.-don't dob me in for 'stealing' this fic if you've read my other version, it's mine and I give myself permission to use it!
*********************Start Story**************************
Minato Namikaze opened his eyes and looked lovingly into the face of his wife Kushina. Slowly she opened her own eyes, the enchanting green that had first drew in him and made him fall head-over-heels with love doing again so now. "Hi" she smiled, her accent smiling along with her eyes.
"Hi yourself" he smiled back. He leant over and, unable to help himself, kissed her on the lips "How are you feeling this morning?" Kushina stretched her long and lean body on the bed, her sexy body dragging his eyes from her face for an instant "Warm, warm and comfy. I don't want to get up yet."
"Well you don't, all the chores would be done by now."
"Naruto?" She smirked, referring to their eleven-year old son and Minato smiled back "Yeah. He's up doing his chores happily at a time of day I'd still be snoring away."
"You don't snore!" Kushina started to laugh when the door downstairs slammed open and there came an urgent cry of "DAD! MOM!" from the bottom of the staircase. Usually Naruto called his parents Mother and Father, Mom and Dad were used only when it was important. So, Minato grabbing boxer shorts and Kushina a robe they pulled them on and rushed to the stairs, meeting the boy halfway.
Naruto their son was tall and muscular for his age. His mothers supple body, but his fathers blondeness. His mother's intense eyes, but in his father's blue as well as his muscles. Years of chores on the farm and working out in the school gym had built up the boy's arms and legs. However like his father he had a way of looking strong, but not more so than usual. He looked muscular, but only enough so people knew he could handle himself if forced. He bore three thin slashes across each cheek, coming from an 'Incident' when he was a child.
Their sons' urgent eyes met theirs, signs of higher intelligence in them they had held since birth, which had lead to tests to discover Naruto was one of the ever increasing number of abnormally gifted humans, now referred to as Nin.
His abilities as an nin were starting to show closer to puberty, and the Namikaze's' family Doctor told them once that happened there was no telling what the boy would be able to do. But for now all he showed was a higher intelligence, a genius with architect and technical equipment-such as programming computers and an immunity to a drug once exposed to it.
"What is it, Naruto?" Kushina asked urgently and the boy spoke between gasps for breath "There're people in the bean field, Mother! I went to pick the ripe ones for dinner tonight before I got ready for school and found them! There's this big burnt hole in the ground like an meteor hit and they're lying in there!"
"How many and what are they doing?" she asked curiously and he replied "Two men, a boy my age and a baby. They're unconscious but dressed weirdly."
"Who cares how they are dressed, they need our help! Minato, take the trailer up to the field and get them down here while I call Doctor Shizune and get some stuff ready." Minato nodded and steered Naruto down the stairs. The last thing Kushina heard before the door slammed shut was "I still say they're dressed weirdly."
"You're right, Naruto, they ARE dressed weirdly. Help me with this one" Minato said ten minutes later and Naruto aided his father in getting the heavy man in white and grey into the back of the trailer, followed by the boy Narutos age. "Maybe they're actors" Naruto suggested "and something happened to them."
"Like what?" Minato asked. "What could have possibly caused this burn?"
"I don't know" Naruto said honestly. They suddenly started in surprise as the man already in the back opened brown eyes and reached an arm out towards the other man, whispering weakly "Itachi" in fear before fainting from the obvious pain his wounds would have been causing him.
Minato frowned at the man already on the trailer before getting Narutos' help to place the other and more seriously hurt man into the back next to him. Then, with Naruto nursing the baby, they drove back down the front of the farmhouse.
Kushina and Doctor Shizune met them at door, watching them carry the four inside. Kushina took the baby from Naruto and changed it into a nappy and one of Obitos' spare singles. First the Doctor examined the baby, stating it was safe and healthy, only sleeping. Kushina put into the crib next to Obito, the boy they were fostering, and they turned to the more serious other three.
The boy Narutos' age was only suffering minor cuts and bruises and a concussion so was placed on Naruto's spare bed after being patched up and cleaned. After changing the two men's' clothes they were placed in the spare room so the Doctor could examine them properly.
First she examined the man who had been in the grey and white, stating this one was injured but not too badly and should be up and around soon. They would just have to make sure to change his bandages regularly and check the wounds didn't become infected.
Next she moved to the other one, the one whom had been in the heavy black cloak with strange clouds. He was handsome in a thin and skinny way despite his many injuries, but extremely pale and still. As she examined him she frowned in concern and fear.
"What is it, Doctor?" Kushina asked in fear. She was a gentle and kind soul and her look concerned her.
"His injuries are more sever, I'm not sure he'll live. His blood loss is massive and his body seems to have suffered what I can only describe as an animal attack. Teeth marks on the arms and claw marks on the chest. The left leg and right arm and hand almost torn apart plus burned flesh on the hands with god knows what else. However we can't move him or we risk killing him or causing more damage. We'll just have to leave them here."
"We'll take care of them Doctor Shizune" Kushina promised. "You can count on us."
The first to awaken a few days later was the boy Naruto's age. Minato and Kushina were awoken that morning by the sound of crashes and cries from Narutos' room. They ran to find the door locked and Minato only hesitated seconds before trying to force it in.
Just as he got it open they found Naruto flipping the boy over his shoulder, thank god for his karate lessons. The other landed heavily on his butt, not knowing how to land properly and Naruto stood over him silently and tense, waiting for the boys next move. But he only looked up at him, face awed by Narutos' speed and strength and considering the other's muscles and bulk that was saying a lot.
For long minutes they only stared at each other, then slowly Naruto held out his hand. He recognised he had won the boys respect and wondered if he would accept the promise in his hand too. At first they thought the fear would win out but then he reached out and took it, grasping it firmly and climbing to his feet with Narutos' help.
The other smiled and laid a hand over his heart, saying softly "Suigetsu" as he did.
Naruto copied the gesture and said his own name, the other smiling and nodded. Then suddenly he saw Minato and Kushina in the doorway, face and body tense ready for attack. But Naruto shook his head and went to his parents' side, laying a hand on their arms and saying softly "Father- Minato," and "Mother-Kushina" as he did.
The boy seemed to understand and nodded. Relaxing slightly and frowning in fear he motioned around him and asked, "Father?" They understood this time and Naruto motioned him to follow as the parents lead him to the men's room. The boy frowned again and went to the muscular mans' side while Kushina went over to check the other mans bandages.
He reached out and gently touched one of his father's cuts, his other hand rising to touch his own bandaged head. Then he grasped his shoulder and repeated one word over and over again until the man stirred for the first time in three days and opened those piercing blue eyes, the same black as his sons'.
As the eyes opened Suigetsu smiled down at him in relief. The man managed a weak smile back and spoke a language they had never heard before. The boy shrugged, answering in the same language. The man then asked something else in a concerned voice, repeating that word he had used three days before "Itachi?"
The boy pointed to the other man and answered, voice filled with concern. The man's head turned to look at his friend, frowning in concern when he saw all the bandages. He looked back briefly at his son, who shrugged again and said something else. The man looked back at his friend and continued to frown until he closed his eyes and slept.
For the next few days Suigetsu followed Naruto around the farm before and after school, learning all he had to teach him. He seemed hungry for new things to learn, new words. Minato was surprised about how much Naruto was enjoying teaching his new friend. Then he realised it was simple why. All his life Naruto had been different to others, no matter how much he tried to fit in and only Inari from the farm down the road had any interest in the boy as a friend.
Now Naruto had found someone as unusual as him and so had taken the boy under his wing and treating him as a brother, as he would like other boys to treat him.
In return Suigetsu became a protective companion, he knew Naruto was lonely and that he was different and sensed a kinship. He also knew that despite the Karate lessons Naruto was an pacifist and wouldn't fight unless threatened, and so took it on himself to be his new friends defender. In fact one day when Naruto had come home with an black eye from an bullies lucky punch both Minato and his nearly fully recovered father had to physically hold him back from storming out, hunting down the bully and beating him to a pulp.
By now he had picked up quiet a few words from Naruto, a few even that Minato didn't approve of. Yet Naruto didn't swear-so where did he get them? He got his answer one day. He was in the backfield, ploughing, when the machine got stuck. As he fought to free it and swearing to himself a blue streak all the time, he heard a small imitating voice close by and two sets of boyish laughter.
He looked up to find Naruto and Suigetsu by the trees surrounding the farm and watching him, both eyes alight with laughter at him. It was the first time Minato had ever seen Naruto outside playing like a normal boy and he realised that it was Suigetsu's influence, the boy was encouraging his son to try new things.
That was all Naruto needed, someone his age who he trusted encouraging him to try other things.
Minato gave them both a talking to about laughing at people. "Yes father" Naruto said obediently, although that didn't stop the laughter spilling out of his eyes. "Good. Now off with you both or you'll get in my way."
"Yes father" Naruto repeated and the two moved off, but a certain distance Minato could hear them both start to chortle. He shook his head and smiled. It was good to hear Naruto laugh, before Suigetsu turned up the boy had been too serious. Now he sounded like a real kid.
Except the Father and Mother part. "Ah well" Minato laughed to himself "nobodies' perfect."
One day something happened to help improve the thin mans' still dangerous condition. Naruto and Suigetsu were milking the cows in the barn and talking about the man. "Itachi hurt very badly" the boy was saying. "Correct" Naruto smiled "Your fathers friend is hurt seriously. I don't know if he'll heal or just die."
"Correct" Suigetsu copied, shaking his head "Itachi heal." Naruto looked at him long and hard "How do you know he'll be all right?" Not knowing the right word Suigetsu leant over and drew a katana-like sword with a jewel in the pommel in the sawdust on the floor, repeating "Sharingan" over and over again.
"Sword? What sword? There wasn't any sword with you or in your belongings." After a thoughtful pause a sudden idea struck him and he motioned Suigetsu to follow him. Taking the milk up to the house they then headed down to the bean felids where Naruto had first found them. After watching the boy nin look around for a few minutes the boy warrior joined in, or at least copied.
Naruto found something about ten minutes later in the middle of the rose bushes surrounding the field. Calling the other boy over to his side he pointed to a long dark red sword with a strange crystal topping it. "That it?" he asked.
"That is it" Suigetsu mimicked and nodded, reaching for it. But Naruto grabbed his arm and stopped him, pointing to the thorns "Sharp, hurt."
Suigetsu nodded and followed him to Minato who was again in the field, ploughing, minus a shirt as he worked in the hot sun. His muscles rippled as he strained to pull out a stubborn weed, his back; chest; and face glistening with sweat and wearing a black bandana to keep his blonde hair from his eyes. He wore only tight white denim shorts and sneakers.
Naruto went straight up to him and explained the situation, then waited to see what his father had to say. "So Suigetsu says this thing can help Itachi heal quicker?" Minato asked as he stood straight and mopped the sweat from his face and chest with his shirt. "Yes father. Even if it doesn't, it belongs to the man. If he dies he should at least have all his things with him."
"True" the man nodded "Meet me there, I'll just tell your mother and get the shears." He grinned suddenly "Your mother won't be happy, they're her prized bushes." Naruto nodded and the boys went back to the field, Minato stopping momentarily at the well to splash some cold water over his face before heading up to the house.
"There Naruto. Can you reach it?" Minato asked a few minutes later.
Naruto reached in, straining to get closer without being scratched. "No, I just need a few more feet." He pulled out and Minato was about to raise the shears again when Suigetsu shoved his hand in, grabbing the sword and pulling it out he smiled triumphantly at them, although his hand was cut from the contact with the thorns.
He let them have a good look at it.
It was a long and dark red katana with strange gold writing etched down it vertically. The strangest crystal they had ever seen topped the pommel. It was red as well, although a slightly lighter shade. Inside the crystal was a strange design, almost an eye, but with three tiny commas sideways, one at the top and the other two either side.
Afterwards he turned and lead the way back to the house, taking it directly up to the spare room, to the man and Suigetsu's father, who had barely moved from his friends side since recovering.
The man turned when they entered, his face lighting up as soon as he saw it. Launching to his feet and into a string of the other language but Suigetsu just shrugged. Minato, Kushina and Naruto watched as the boy brought it over to the bed as the man gently shook his friend awake. Slowly, very slowly, the eyes opened. They gasped in shock and surprise. Red, red eyes just like the crystal. Not bbown like Suigetsu or Kisame, or even Kushina's green and Naruto and Minato's blue. Or black or even hazel-but red.
The strange eyes slowly set on his friend and gently Kisame took the sword from his son and laid on the bed beside the hurt man, who frowned, reaching out with one bandaged hand and stroking it. His free fingertips over the writing they ran over the gold letters almost lovingly, reassuring himself it was his.
As he touched it the crystal lit up, reacting to him as if knowing whom now touched it. Sensing its owner the red centre glowed, the three symbols starting to spin inside, the stange commas appearing in his eyes as well and also starting to spin. This only reassured the man more and he smiled weakly, his eyes slowly closing. The crystal continued to glow as long as his fingers touched it. Kisame turned to them and smiled with total relief and joy, to him everything would now be all right.
The next afternoon Kisame sawMinato and Kushinas' expressions when he walked in to the kitchen, frowned asking haltingly "What is wrong?" Minato said nothing, continuing to try and work something out on the calculator, frowning in worry. So Kushina explained, "We need money Kisame, and a lot, too pay off our debts and the mortgage on the house. Our fields aren't producing."
"Money. This is bad?"
"Very bad, Kisame. If we don't pay up we'll loose the farm, people will take it from us and we won't have anywhere to live." Kisame's expression showed he would let NO ONE take his new friends' home from them.
"No, Kisame" Kushina said softly "Even you couldn't stop them, and we wouldn't want you to try. If only we had some money we could pay." Kisame murmured "Money" and disappeared upstairs for a minute or so. When he returned he was carrying a small leather drawstring pouch, handing it to Kushina. Minato looked up when she gasped, looking at least twenty strange gold coins. Kushina looked back up at Kisame "We can't take these, they're yours."
The man just shook his head and closed her fingers over them, pushing them closer to her as if to say "No, they're yours now." Minato spoke reluctantly "Well if we get them melted down the gold should be worth something. Thank you Kisame." The man nodded and smiled at them, pleased to help his new friends.
The next day Doctor Shizune returned to check over the four, Kisame only letting her because Kushina wanted, Suigetsu when Naruto asked. But Itachi seemed to sense the woman was there to help, watching her critically and with genuine and vast interest. When Kisame went to strike her when she made his son wince as she probed the healing cut on his head, Itachi wrapped the fingers of one of his bandaged hands around his wrist, restraining him, although there was no doubt the man was still in an incredibly weak and frail condition.
He spoke for the first time, his voice soft and melodic. His gentle words in their language seemed to affect the man when Suigetsu 's protests weren't. He calmed and sat on the bed next to his friend, although he now watched the Doctor closely. After her examination Itachi took up what he had been doing before the woman arrived, reading the English dictionary. Doctor Shizune took them aside and spoke, voice amazed.
"I've never seen anything like this before. The boy and baby will heal; I know this because they weren't really injured. But both men are healing faster than I've ever seen before, than I expected."
"Well Kisame because of his obvious physical strength and resilience-I mean look at the guy, he makes male Mister Universe Body builder 2012 look like a skinny nerd. I kind of suspected he was going to survive. But Itachi, well, I wasn't sure about him." Minato spoke "I mean the guy's thin and skinny, not to mention pale, even if he is obviously muscular some. I was sure the blood-loss would kill him. But now look at him."
They looked towards the man who was sitting up in bed, one hand touching the sword and the other gripping the dictionary as he silently mouthed the words. "He's already more than half-way through and has learnt way more words from us in two days then Kisame and Suigetsu could in little less in a week!"
"The only way I can explain it is the man is a nin, like your son." Both parents looked surprised "Really? You think so?"
"I do" the Doctor nodded seriously "If this keeps up, he'll be up and around in a few days. Meanwhile keep him seated and give him plenty of water and food. I'll be back next week to check on the man's progress, but other than that, there's nothing else I can do. He seems to have his pain and healing pretty much under control."
Days later Naruto found the skinny man on his way to the toilet. He frowned "Should you be up?" The man smiled gently at him and said softly "It is fine, my friend. I only wish to take what your father calls an whiz." Naruto laughed at this and said, "You mean a toilet break." And the man smiled again "of course. I cannot stay in bed and continue to expect your parents to wait on me all the time. I wish to start doing things for myself."
"And you want to see your son" Naruto said, correctly reading the rest of his unspoken words. The man nodded "yes. Where is he? Kisame says he is fine, but I wish to see for myself."
"I understand" Naruto smiled "he's in mother and fathers' room with Obito."
"Obito. Is he your...um..."
"Brother" Naruto supplied and shook his head "No. He's just someone we're looking after, for a friend until he comes back" Something unreadable came into the boys' eyes as the other asked "And when will this friend return?"
"I don't know" Naruto admitted "he's been gone a year. I don't think he'll come back." Although Itachi could see that the boy didn't want to continue to talk about it, he had to ask "And is he the father?"
"No" Naruto said bluntly "He couldn't have kids, he was an loner and being hunted by someone. Giving Obito to us was his only way of saving him from his life, to give him a full and safe life. He MIGHT come back when he's finally safe, but I doubt it."
Itachi said nothing else, so after an uncomfortable pause Naruto asked him softly "Where are you all from? Father and mother and I have been wondering, but we couldn't figure it out, why you are so strangely dressed and couldn't speak English, well, until now. I thought you were all actors, but you can't be."
"We did not know how to explain before, but if you find your father while I check on Sasuke, I will try to." Naruto nodded and they separated. Itachi found Kushina in their room, bottle-feeding his son with formula and rocking him slowly while she hummed a lullaby her now crippled father had taught her. She in turn had taught it to Naruto and was now teaching the two babies.
As Itachi limped in she looked up and smiled, gaining a smile back and nodding to the bed beside her. He sat, hurt leg stretched out and sheathed sword leaning against his good leg. Gently Kushina handed the feeding baby over to its father while not disturbing the boy, bottle and all. Itachi took his son, not looking up from his child's suckling mouth and closed eyes. His red eyes widened slightly when one of the babies hands curled around his finger and held it.
"He is strong," he said softly and Kushina spoke as she picked up Obito and another bottle "Most healthy babies are. You should have seen Naruto at this age, eyrh. I would feed him and put him down, but instead of crying if he didn't want me to leave he'd just grip me and not let go. Now that I think of it, Naruto never cried as a baby."
"Is that normal?"
"No, it's not. But Narutos' a nin, he was born smarter and more intelligent than some people. Even then he just didn't want to cry, even though he cooed and laughed and gurgled like most babies. I think I only saw him cry twice, when Kakashi left and again only recently."
"When?" Itachi asked curiously.
"About six months ago there was an huge earth quake, It changed this world as we know it. Many were killed, countries sank, new once raised, so on. My mother and father were in a car when this happened. My mother was killed instantly, my father crippled. My father lived for my mother and ONLY for her, so when he found out he many times tried to kill himself to be with her after life.
After her funeral, Naruto spent ten minutes alone with him and then disappeared. When we went in to see father he was crying brokenly, but no longer wanted to kill himself. I found Naruto in here, over there" she nodded at a dark corner near the bed "hiding his face in his knees and curled up, crying brokenly. I knew he was close to my mother and it was the last time I've seen him cry. He disappears every day for an hour or so and even though I don't know what he does, I know he doesn't cry."
I understand," he said softly. Kushina watched him with his son for a few minutes and then asked him gently "You've lost her, haven't you? You're wife I mean."
"Yes," he nodded sadly, not looking up "How could you tell?"
"The way you look at your son, as if you're seeing her in him. Father used to look at me like that sometimes. When I asked him why he'd say `you look so much like your mother'. It's called melancholy. Tell me about her." Itachi spoke softly, gold eyes watering "I had known Rin since we were children, we were in love since we first met and she was the only one I could ever love like that." He sniffed and told her what happened.
"We were ambushed in a clearing and my love and Karin-that is Kisame's wife-were overpowered. They grabbed our sons, and took off. I wanted to stay with her, but Kisame started to drag me away, saying the boys were more important then. Although part of me knew he was right I fought him. I shall never forgive myself for leaving her there, alone, to die." He sniffed again and tears slid unbidden down his cheeks "I know Kisame is as grieved as I. I do not think Suigetsu realises what it means yet."
"You mean he's in shock?"
"No, I think he thinks she is alive and waiting for us to return. That she will be there, waiting, with open arms. I do not think it has sunk in yet that we are stuck here with no way back and she will not be there waiting for us. I do not think he believes even his father when he says she is dead."
"Denial" Kushina nodded "I went through it when mother died. It'll hit him soon. As for your wife you shouldn't blame yourself for leaving her. You couldn't have helped her and the boys' WERE more important, there was no telling what those people could have done to them. Any delay and the trail could have gone cold."
"I COULD have helped her" he said softly "I have Justu's..."
"Jutsu's" Kushina looked at him funny "You mean you ARE a nin?" A sudden thought hit her "Of course! It explains everything, especially where you're from and how you learn so fast! The Doctor thinks you're a nin like Naruto, but it explains your existence and the existence of all things like Wizards. Medieval Nins!' Although Itachi didn't understand he nodded and Kushina went on "What's your name? I mean other than Itachi? And what about your son?"
"I am Itachi Uchiha, and my sons is Sasuke. Kisame and Suigetsu's are Hoshigaki. Rin was Abrahume and Karin's was Matio."
"Maiden name?" she asked curiously and he looked startled at her with a "what?" to which she explained "When we marry here we share the mans' last name. Like my maiden name was Uzamaki, and now I've married Minato it's Namikaze."
"We did not do that" he shook his head. "Then how could you tell someone was married? Anyone could wear rings" and she nodded to the gold engraved band around one of the thin fingers on his good hand. "You have a point." Kushina changed the subject then "how old is Sasuke?"
"Twelve months old" he answered to which she said softly "Like Obito." Itachi hesisted before he asked the next question, as if unsure he should ask at all "Naruto told me about you minding him for a friend but he seemed reluctant to say to much, why?"
"Because Kakashi, that's the friend, was Narutos' first real adult friend and they were incredibly close. When Kakashi left to protect Naruto he was hurt more than he'll admit. Also the not hearing from him and not knowing if he's alive or dead makes it all the more terrible." Itachi nodded slowly and said in a gentle and sympathetic voice "I understand."
"Have you ever held your own son before?" Kushina asked him curiously when he shifted him awkwardly in his arm and he answered her "No. That is a woman's job where we come from, raising a child." Kushina smiled at this "I understand. Especially if I'm right about your origan."
"Where?" he asked curiously and Kushina frowned at him "We call it medieval times, our past. History. Way; way; way back." Itachi looked at her "You mean we have been teleported forward into the future?"
"Looks like it," she answered softly.
"Where Naruto?" Suigetsu asked later on, interrupting a sparse conversation between his father and Minato. "You mean where IS Naruto, Suigetsu. I wouldn't know where he is. He always disappears about this time of day, or haven't you noticed?"
"Naruto might hurt..." Suigetsu started, but Minato interrupted with "Might BE hurt. You're forgetting your is and bes'. My son can take care of himself, Suigetsu. He's been doing so long before you arrived. He's off meditating, or whatever it is he does." Suigetsu frowned and Minato could tell the boy didn't believe him. Before he could speak again the boy had spun on his heel to go and seek out his new friend.
Not fifteen minutes later Kushina, Minato and Kisame were in the parent's room, watching the two babies sleep when Suigetsu called them urgently from downstairs. Curious the three came down to find him with an unconscious Naruto, attempting to carry him through the doorway, his face beaten and blood specked him.
Minato and Kushina gasped in horror, the man took his son from the boy, and they headed for the boys' room. Suigetsu and Kisame followed and conversed in their language, which Itachi had told them was called Kohona, after their birth world and time.
As the worried man laid his son on the bed, Kushina examined and patched cuts and rubbing cream on already forming bruises Kisame spoke to them in halting English, explaining. "Suigetsu say he find Naruto bound to tree and two men beating him. He stopped them and fights them off. They flee and he bring him back."
"Thank god he did, there's no telling what could have happened." Kushina sighed and Kisame frowned at her "You know who these men are?" Kushina nodded seriously "we have an idea, Kisame. We borrowed money off a Loan Shark, a man who loans money. But we weren't able to pay him back when he wanted-and still can't. So he's hired men to scare us." Her eyes were wide as she gently looked up at them "But we had no idea they'd do this to us. They would have killed Naruto just to warn us if Suigetsu hadn't have stopped them."
"Naruto be all right?" Suigetsu asked in concern "They hurt him, even though he fight well." Kushina answered him, frowning in fear and concern, "They don't fight like you or us Suigetsu. They play dirty."
"In mud?" the boy frowned in confusion but she shook her head "No. It means they are sneaky. They probably snuck up behind him and knocked him out before he could fight back and tied him up. They then waited until he woke up and then started to beat him."
When Naruto came too later he confirmed it. "They said they were going to kill me to punish you for not paying them back the money." Itachi spoke softly to him "You do not seem horrified or scared at this thought."
"I was once attacked by a guy and attacked in a way you can't imagine" Naruto said to him. "And what he did to me is terrifying compared to that. A beating then quick death, that's merciful."
"You are brave and mature for your age" Itachi said. "When I was your age I was just beginning to see my own mortality." Naruto just shrugged "We all die, only the how and when is different. No one can live forever and a few can only try to draw it out."
A few days later the Loan Shark struck again. Someone drove into their property, throwing a flaming bottle of alcohol into the barn where Suigetsu was teaching Naruto a few of his moves and Naruto was teaching him some of his karate moves. The straw quickly caught fire along with one wall.
As the two boys started shooing the animals out Naruto was struck on the shoulder by a piece of flaming wood and falling. Suigetsu grabbed his friends' arm and practically dragged him with him. Minato and Kushina were outside and attempting to put out the fire with water from the well, but one look at Itachi's concentrated frozen face and Kisame shooed them away.
They protested of course, confused, but obeying because they sensed something strange going on. A look came into Itachi's eyes, a look of power as his red eyes starting to glow. So did his swords cyrstal.
The man's thin lips started to move, silent words in another language and the look of power increasing. He suddenly flashed through hand positions and slowly the water rose from the well, inside an invisible globe of power. It hovered above the barn and suddenly dropped, dousing the flames.
The power faded and Kushina and Naruto cheered, the boy gripping his shoulder in pain. Itachi; Kisame and Suigetsu all smiled, glad to help their friends. But Minato was the first to calm them when he said seriously "Look at the barn, it's ruined."
"Can't you fix it, Minato?" Kushina asked. "Not with what money we have left. We have barely enough to feed the animals and ourselves as it is. To pay for petrol for the car and tractor, let alone the wood; nails; excreta needed for this job."
"What about Kisame's coins? Have you taken them to the antique evaluator yet? If they're really from the time I think, they should be worth quiet a bit as collectors items." Minato sighed "I go back to the guy tomorrow. Just pray it's enough, or we'll loose everything." To which Kushina nodded seriously.
Kisame; Suigetsu; Minato and Naruto spent the rest of the afternoon cleaning up what was left of the barn, while Kushina cooked Itachi read fore he was still not fully recovered.
"Kushina, you're not going to believe me, but that money Kisame gave us? Well it's so old and so rare they're giving us at least one thousand per coin for it! That's at least two hundred thousand dollars! Those guys are a blessing in disguise!" Kushina threw herself into her husband's arms in joy and relief with "That's great, Minato!" and for a long minute they just kissed, long and hard.
Suddenly they were interrupted by a young voice "Eyew, gross" and Suigetsu's sniggers. The two parents separated slightly, Minato smiling playfully "Of you go, Naruto, don't sticky-beak."
"Yes sir" Naruto grinned and the two boys left the room. When they were gone Minato looked at Kushina "That's means six thousand to pay off the loan shark, four thousand to do repairs and fix the fields so they produce, and one ninety still to spare!"
"You're right, Minato! Although I think we should use the rest on our new friends, after all it was THEIR money. They need identities and clothes and proper training, maybe their own place later. So on." She smiled at him "See what happens when you show someone kindness, you get it back tenfold! We have new friends who solved our problems for us and Naruto has a new and true friend! Someone to share his soul and all his little secrets with, someone as unusual as him and can treat as a brother. All this from helping someone in need." Minato smiled and nodded "I should listen to you more often."
"I know" Kushina nodded playfully " I keep telling you that for years." She grew serious "When are you getting the money and then paying off the Loan Shark?" Minato refused to be serious "I'll pick it up tomorrow and go straight there afterwards" continuing as he grinned at her "But right now I feel like celebrating."
"What do you mean?" Minato didn't answer, just sweeping her up in his arms and starting upstairs to their room. "Oh" Kushina blushed and smiled almost shyly in understanding "Don't Minato, not with everyone home. What if they hear us?"
"They're adults, they'll guess what we're doing and avoid the bedroom. Besides, they're busy. Naruto and Suigetsu are outside and Itachi and Kisame are playing with Obito and Sasuke." Kushina was intensely embarrassed about the thought of Itachi and Kisame hearing them making out, blushing deeper as they reached the door. "Not now Minato, later. When everyone's asleep."
"Now" he opened the door, closed it with his foot and laid her on the bed gently, his mouth lowering to her before she could protest again. His hand wandered under her loose blouse as his kiss deepened. Soon Kushinas' moans of pleasure floated down the hallway.
The next day, as he was about to leave, Itachi appeared behind Kushina and stopped him. "Wait my friend, I will come. These men are dangerous."
"Yes, too dangerous for you in your still hurt condition Itachi. Thanks anyway." Itachi slowly shook his head "I am healed and able to defend myself easily, my friend. It is YOU whom need the protection. I have faced more danger in my short life than anything you could imagine. I am coming."
Minato opened his mouth to protest, but Kushina looked at him pleadingly "Please Minato. Let him come." So the man sighed and said "All right. Just don't say I didn't warn you."
"Never."
About three hours later they reached the building where the Loan Shark worked. Minato grabbed the case of money from the car and Minato glanced nervously at the guards, with Itachi close to his side he entered the building. Somehow the man\Nins' presence made him feel a little bit better.
Minato noticed as they walked the man was gripping his sword tightly, parted lips moving slightly as he readied a jutsu. Just in case. They found the man Minato wanted seated behind a desk, which stood and glared at him. "What do YOU want?"
Minato handed him the case "Here's the money I owe you plus five hundred dollars interest to stay away from us. Take it and leave us alone."
"Where did you get all this?" the man's eyes narrowed in suspicion as he took it from him. "None of your Damned business! Just take it and leave us alone!" With that Minato turned to go, but the man said softly "You owe us ten thousand, not six." He spun back and spluttered "WHAT! "
"Interest. You're seven months overdue. We want Ten thousand, not six. If you don't like it I may just have to call my guys out to your farm again, only THIS time they will have fun with your wife instead of your son." And Minato was so stuck at that point between fury and anger he was speechless.
"I thought so" Itachi said softly "No matter the century, these people are all the same." He stepped forward and caught the man's attention, his red eyes locking to the other hypnotically. The Loan Shark only managed "Who are yo..." before Itachi had clamped control over his mind.
"You will take the money" he said sternly "You shall take it happily and it shall prove enough for you. No longer shall you bother this family, or any of their members or decadents. You were just happy to help them and will never even CONSIDER doing anything to hurt them or endanger them again. Break." He blinked and looked away.
The mans' blank face immediately became friendly and happy, smiling at Minato and saying, "That's it, all done. You'll hear nothing more from us." Forcing his surprise and shock away Minato spoke "Good. Can we go now?" The man nodded, but then asked softly "Who's your friend?"
"Itachi. He and his warrior friend are staying with us a while. If you ever return or endanger us again, Kisame and he will stop you. Believe me when I say that'll cost you a lot of men and money."
You'll hear nothing more of us."
"Good." They headed for the car, the rest of the money safely hidden inside the boot. Minato asked Itachi softly as they walked "How'd you do that?"
"I do not know" Itachi shrugged "I have been able to do so since I was very young, even BEFORE I discovered my chakra."
So, for the next three years they stayed on the farm helping out with crops and excreta. The Namikaze's all taught their new friends about the strange and weird and wonderful world around them and how to act and appear as normal as everyone else.
When the four finally brought their own farm down the road from them they still stayed friends and close, even coming over to baby-sit Obito occasionally when the Namikaze's went out. That's how one day when Naruto was fifteen they came home from his school concert to find the place ransacked, all but Obito gone-hidden under a overturned chair-and blood on the floor.
While Kushina took Obito over to Haku's next door to sit, just in case, Minato and Naruto searched the place for intruders or clues. "Dad" Naruto said softly a few minutes later, standing up from behind the couch "This was under here." He held a map and return ticket to Leaf, Formally Africa.