Unexpected Happenings
Chapter: 1 Prologue
A handsome blonde man was holding an equally blonde newborn who had three distinctive facial markings that were just finishing spreading across his tiny face. As Kakashi ran to them catching his sensai he got a good look at the tiny face with it's triad of markings, stiffening in shock he murmured, "Sensai, what?"
Minato had enough time to kiss the baby's forehead whispering, "I love you, my son." As the baby began to cry the markings faded aw-ay to be replaced by three whisker-like marks on each cheek. Minato reaches out a trembling hand to touch Kakashi's face, whose visible eye goes blank for a moment as Minato manages to gasp, "Forget until you need to remember Kakashi." Namikaze Minato's gaze remained locked on his son as his body relaxed in death. After a moment Kakashi gave himself a little shake before reaching for the baby, gently taking him from the Yondaime's arms he hears a crinkling of paper. Shifting the baby into a more secure hold Kakashi sees a folded piece of paper, he carefully retrieved what turned out to be a note just as four ANBU (Boar, Tiger, Rooster, Badger) showed up, as the Badger masked one squatted beside him his fellows prepared to remove the fallen Hokage's body to be readied for burial. "What does it say Inu-san?" Came the question from beside him.
Kakashi took a deep breath before beginning to read, "Uzumake Naruto is the boy's name. He is to be protected and treated as a hero for his service to Konoha. I have left two scrolls that will open at a preset time some years from now with additional instructions, Sarutobi has one, Jiraiya the other. Namikaze Minato, Yondaime Hokage." Kakashi sighed causing the Badger masked ANBU to shake his head. "They will not honor his request." He stated. Kakashi looked over at him, "I will." He stated quietly.
Almost ten years later:
October Eighth: Two days West of Konoha.
Orochimaru looked at his long time friend with a raised eyebrow. "Jiraiya, would you care to tell me why your scroll pouch is glowing?"
Jiraiya frowned in puzzlement opening the pouch and sorting through it's contents before he pulled out the offending scroll. Seeing exactly which scroll it was his eyes widened, "Minato's scroll." He whispered. As he prepared to open it he cocked his head at his oldest friend, inviting him silently to read it with him. Orochimaru moved to his side putting a hand on his shoulder as Jiraiya broke the seal to read the last message of his favorite student. Both of their eyes widened in shock at the contents of the scroll, the last two sentences especially caught their attention, 'If you and Orochimaru are on a mission together BOTH of you are to return to Konoha as quickly as you can manage. Naruto and very likely Sarutobi will need your help and support. Namikaze Minato.' Orochimaru gave a low whistle, "Lets go Jiraiya." They turned around, heading home at top speed.
October Ninth 1:30 P.M.: Hokage's Office.
Sarutobi Hiruzen was doing the mountain of paperwork required to run a Hidden Village when the scroll Minato left for him suddenly began to glow brightly. His head jerked up and his eyes widened as he saw exactly which scroll was causing the glow. He quickly rose, going to the he snatched it up as the locking seal dissolved. Hiruzen returned to his chair, unfurling the last message of the deceased Yondaime, after reading it twice to make sure he had read it correctly the first time he pulled the bell rope to summon a Chunin. As his assistant appeared he barked, "Bring me Morino Ibiki, immediately!" The Chunin bowed and shunshined away. Less than five minutes later Morino Ibiki burst in at a run, pausing to close the door behind him. "Here Hokage-sama."
"Minato's scroll finally opened Ibiki." Sarutobi handed it to Ibiki to read. 'Hiruzen I have two surprises for you, I hope you are sitting down. Uzumaki Naruto is my son, his Birth Certificate is included within this scroll. I gave him his mother's family name because of my enemies both foreign and in the village. The second surprise is that the seal I put on him is designed to absorb the Kyuubi's chakra, converting it into his own. This conversion has been happening since the seal was put on him, giving him massive reserves by now and not so incidentally banishing the Kyuubi back to Makai for at least a thousand years. As it is, unfortunately, impossible to kill it. It is very important that you isolate Naruto for his tenth birthday and the day after in a room with the strongest chakra containment seals available as I am unsure if there will be any physical manifestations or if the Kyuubi will have enough power to fight this part of the seal. This means you can't use the hospital unfortunately, I suggest asking whoever is in charge of T&I for the use of a room in their section of ANBU Headquarters. The scroll Jiraiya - sensai has explains the same things as this one and tells him to return to the village as soon as he finishes reading it. If you have him doing something important I apologize Hiruzen, but my son's life is more important. Keep him safe Hiruzen, and tell him I love him. Namikaze Minato.' Ibiki hissed in shock as Sarutobi, holding Naruto's Birth Certificate nodded. "Exactly. You are to set up a room with as many chakra containment seals as you think you will need, have Kakashi help with the seals, make it habitable for a ten year old boy for a day or two. Naruto is fond of Kakashi's ANBU identity as well as his Academy teacher Umino Iruka, I would advise you to get one or both to help monitor him and keep him as calm as possible for this stressful time. I will be there later this afternoon to explain why this is necessary to Naruto." Sarutobi's eyes narrowed, blazing with a determination also felt by the head of his Torture & Interrogation division. "I refuse to lose another person to that damned Fox, especially Minato's only child, Ibiki."
"Immediately, Hokage-sama." Ibiki bowed then shunshined back to the building that housed T & I in the ANBU complex. He barked at his second, "I want Kakashi here, five minutes ago! No excuses!"
A very short amount of time later the silver-haired ANBU was standing before him with his head cocked inquisitively at him. "What can I do for you, Ibiki-san?" Came the slightly confused question, T & I wasn't his speciality.
"I need you to cover an observation room, one with a bathroom, with as many chakra containment seals as you dare use, haul a bed in than come with me to pick up Uzumaki Naruto and Umino Iruka." Ibiki saw Kakashi's shoulders stiffen. "Before you get upset, no, young Uzumaki isn't in any sort of trouble. Hokage-sama will explain everything later when he gets here. What I can say is that the scroll Minato-san left him opened earlier today and this is a precaution Minato-san required of us. Lets get to work, the sooner this is done the sooner young Naruto will be safely tucked away." Ibiki finished grimly.
Two very busy hours later, just as the Academy was about to let out Ibiki and an Inu-masked Kakashi shunshined to just outside Umino Iruka's classroom as it was the only place where the two ANBU could snatch both at one go. Leaning against the corridor wall directly opposite the door both men henged to blend with the wall and expertly masked their chakra just in time as the classroom door opened and young ninja hopefuls streamed out, the last being Naruto. Kakashi reached out grasping his wrist lightly, while whispering for Naruto to go back into the room. Iruka looked up, surprised to see Naruto re-enter his classroom, a worried frown appeared between his brows that only became more worried as he noticed the door closing by itself. Ibiki and Kakashi dropped their henges as Iruka was about to speak. "Umino-san we need you two to come with us. We need to get both of you to a safe, secure place and then we will explain why this is being done. You two are not in any trouble." Ibiki stated quickly. Iruka snapped his mouth closed, nodding almost in synch with Naruto.
Kakashi beckoned to Naruto, who quickly moved to stand before him to have Kakashi pull him into a loose embrace and shunshin to another location followed immediately by Ibiki with Iruka. They were now in a largish room with two couches, chairs and a table looking at a huge window that showed a smaller room with a bed that had an odd 'muffled' feel to it.
"Naruto-kun, please sit." Kakashi said motioning to a chair. "Do you remember a few years ago when you asked me about the 'angry voice' and the seal on your stomach?" Naruto nodded. "I told you to ask Ojii-san about it. I need to know what he told you alright?"
"He said it was the Kyuubi, that Yondaime-sama had picked me to be its prison and the older people have trouble seeing that I'm not him because they're still angry and hurt about their loved ones who died." Replied Naruto as Sarutobi smiled at him having arrived at the start of his answer.
"Very good, Naruto-kun. I am glad you remembered." The aged Hokage praised him approvingly. Naruto ran to him for a hug while Sarutobi handed the scroll to Kakashi beckoning Iruka over to read it as well. Kakashi's hands tightening on the scroll and the widening of Iruka's eyes was the only sign of their shock at its contents. "Now Naruto, I need you to do your very best to think about what I am about to tell you before getting upset, alright?" At Naruto's soft 'ok' he explained everything, Minato being his father the purpose of the seal and needing to be isolated for the next night or two. Watching Naruto's reactions to all of the startling revelations.
A brief flash of anger, quickly turning to a thoughtful look followed by understanding and determination. "I think I understand. He wouldn't have been a very good Hokage if he had asked someone else to do something he was unwilling to do himself. I'm kinda proud that he had that much faith in me even when I was a baby." He smiled as the adults relaxed, relieved he had understood so quickly. Naruto looked at Sarutobi. "What do we do?"
Sarutobi smiled, "We feed you and watch to make sure everything goes as your father believed it would." He sent Iruka and Kakashi for ramen and tempura for all of them. "Naruto your father also wanted me to tell you he loved you very much." Sarutobi's heart warmed at the happy smile that lit Naruto's face.
When Kakashi and Iruka returned with supper everyone sat at the table eating and talking. The other adults were amused at Iruka's surprise when Naruto continually showed he was extremely intelligent. Iruka gave him a suspicious look. "You," Iruka began in an accusing tone, "Have been failing your tests at the Academy on purpose, haven't you?" Naruto looked both guilty and proud as the others in the room snickered.
"Sorry Iruka-sensai, but all of my caretakers got together and suggested that I not let anyone else know that I wasn't dumb. You see they were worried about what would happen if the villagers and some shinobi found out that I'm smart. Things are bad enough when they think I'm stupid, how much worse would they be if they knew just how smart I am?"
"And the 'oh-kill-me-now' jumpsuit?" Came the amused question.
Naruto just shrugged his shoulder. "I do like orange, but I like blues and deep reds better, I won't be sorry to see the jumpsuit go. Especially as it's the only thing the clothes shops will sell me without me wearing a henge because no one else will buy them." He laughed, eyes dancing. "That is way more orange than anyone ever needs to wear." He waved off Iruka's protest. "It's perfect. They were helping with my disguise and didn't even know it!" He snickered. "It didn't keep me from pulling my pranks without being seen, did it?"
It was shockingly early when Naruto began to get sleepy, nearly nodding off in his chair before he was shooed to his temporary room to get some sleep. Shortly after Naruto went to sleep Sarutobi was called away to a late Council meeting. "Ibiki, if something un-forseen happens I wish to be informed of it immediately. You are one of the few people who can get to me even in a Council meeting. Do not hesitate to do so." A few minutes after he left the seal on Naruto's stomach began to glow as Naruto started to toss restlessly in his sleep as a severely weakened Kyuubi began to fight being banished back to Makai. A circular seal array appeared halfway between the now wide awake Naruto and the ceiling as Kyuubi was being drawn from him to the glowing circle he made one last lunge at Naruto. "Human filth! I have seen to it that you will die shortly after I am gone!" He screamed, snapping his jaws as the last part of the seal on Naruto activated shunting the boy out of the room to land standing behind his three watchers, leaving the massive jaws to close on air. The Gateway was drawing a transparent snarling Kyuubi into it, just as the raging Fox demon was drawn all the way inside, a massive amount of demonic chakra surged out blowing the ceiling off the room and lighting up the evening.
The moisture level in the room was swiftly rising as Ibiki, Iruka and Kakashi turned quickly, Iruka's hand sliding slickly over the newly dew covered table. He turned his hand to look at it. "Water? How did..." He was cut off by a gasp of pain from Naruto as he bent over clutching just below his heart with his left hand while crumpling the rest of the way to his knees, then his face turned toward them with a pleading look. All three were stunned to see the 'whisker marks' fade away to be replaced by the equally distinctive markings he had had as a baby before Kyuubi had been sealed into him. As their jaws dropped Naruto panted in pain, his right hand that was resting on the floor sparked once, twice, then on the third erupted with electricity that surged toward the three stunned and gaping adults. Seeing the people he cared about in danger and not knowing how to re-absorb or disperse the lightning an untrained Naruto did the only thing he could think to do."NO!" He cried, pulling the lightening back to himself, taking the damage that would have been inflicted on them. Screaming, his clothing already smoldering, as Kakashi dove for him with a handful of his own lightning to draw the out of control power away from Naruto. "Ibiki, do you have any suppressor tags here?" He shouted.
Ibiki slammed open a hidden compartment, pulling out the two bundles that was all that was there instead of the eight that was ANBU policy to have on hand. "Not nearly enough." He growled, handing one to Iruka as both instantly dove to Naruto, Iruka to his upper body while Ibiki took his legs they started applying the tags all over the injured boy without any obvious effect. As Iruks's hand passed under Naruto's face he felt a few warm droplets hit his hand, looking down he saw blood. "He's bleeding." Iruka calmly alerted the other two as he gently lifted Naruto's head to find the source of the bleeding. When he could see Naruto's face there was a thin stream of blood coming from his nose as well as a thicker stream from his mouth.
"You two get him to the hospital, they have a restricted access wing just for shinobi with the best chakra suppressors in the village on the beds. I'll get the Hokage." Ibiki ordered.
"Meet me in Emergency, Umino-san." Kakashi said. Then he shunshined away to reappear in Konoha Hospital's Emergency room, followed a second later by the worried Chunin. "I need a Medic NOW!!" Kakashi barked. "This boy will need a bed with the best chakra suppressors you have." The nurse gaped at him for a bare moment at the sight of him still siphoning away the dangerous levels of lightning from Naruto that his body was still producing in seemingly limitless supply. To her credit it took her less than a second to recover, consulting a chart to see which rooms in the shinobi wing were empty and closest, she marked off a room then turned back to Kakashi. "Follow me Inu-san. The Medic we want is on our way to the room." She led them quickly down a hallway and through a set of double doors with large signs reading 'Warning Restricted Access - Shinobi Wing'. Less than six feet from the door two ANBU were standing guard that were very familiar to Kakashi. "Badger-san, Tiger-san." He nodded as he paused when the nurse opened a door,poked her head in and called, "Nakamura-sama, I have a patient that needs your skills." Kakashi heard a muffled 'Hai' then the nurse was escorting him to a room on the other side of the hall about ten feet further than the door she had knocked on. Pushing the door open she stood aside for him and Iruka, calling to the middle-aged man who had walked out of the door she had knocked on. "Here, Nakamura-sama."
When Kakashi saw the man's I.D. Badge he felt mixed emotions, glad that Naruto was being seen to by someone so skilled, but disturbed that the nurse's judgment told her Naruto was in bad enough shape to need THE Head Medic of the Hospital. Nakamura Yojiro looked at him with calm eyes. "Please put him on the bed, Inu-san. The sooner we get the suppression seals activated the better. Then you can tell me what happened as I examine him." All of them were more then a little disturbed when they got Naruto on the bed, activated the seals and, while it lowered the intensity of the lightning, they didn't stop it like they were supposed to. Kakashi began his explanation after he had been assured that nothing they heard would be repeated unless the Hokage required it of them, as he explained the Head Medic was examining Naruto with the nurse's assistance, neither had cared when he told them who they were working on. When Kakashi finished the Medic sighed. "So we have a boy who is coming into his heritage abruptly and his body hasn't been allowed to make the necessary subtle alterations it would have made if not for the Fox. Add in the damage from when he kept you three from being hurt and we have a hell of a mess." He said ruefully. Turning to the nurse he listed off some names for her to bring here to help him. When she had left to find the people he requested Head Medic Nakamura turned to Kakashi. "If the moisture in the air is anything to go by we will soon need a water user so the equipment we will bring in doesn't get damaged. I don't suppose you know one who can work with you and hasn't got anything against young Naruto do you?"
Kakashi thought for a moment, then sighed shaking his head. To his great surprise Iruka stepped forward clearing his throat, "I can Nakamura-san, I have a water affinity." The Medic and Kakashi blinked once then Medic Nakamura waved him over to start working.