A True Godfather
Ch 1 A promise kept.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, that honour belongs to Kishimoto-Sensei. I do however own the plot (I hope :D)
"Naruto!" Normal speech
'What is he doing?!' Thought
"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Techniques
"KILL,KILL,KILL!" Demons
You're wrong, that's not what makes a shinobi. You never did get it, a real ninja is one who endures no matter what gets thrown at him… Let me explain something to you, there is only one thing that matters if you are a shinobi, and it isn't the number of techniques you possess. All you do need, is the guts to never give up.": Jiraiya
Jiraiya knew, as soon as he felt his students chakra signature disappear, exactly what he had done. 'That fool!' Jiraiya just knew that his foolish student had used the Shiki Fūjin to seal away the Kyūbi no Kitsune. As tears started to fall from his face, the toad sage increased his speed as he travelled to the sight of the sealing. All to soon, Jiraiya was confronted by his worst fears. Their, lying in a puddle of there own cooling blood, lay Namikaze Minato and his wife, Uzumaki Kushina. Both had large holes in the centre of there bodies, proving once and for all, that they were dead, and that there was nothing the toad sage or his teammate, the legendary healer Tsunade, could do about it. Suddenly a cry broke the silence that had suddenly enveloped the night, and the lone sannin turned to see a little boy child laying in the centre of an advanced sealing setup. The newborn child had small tufts of blond hair, reminiscent of his students own spiky blond hair, three small whisker like marks on each cheek, a mark of being born to a Jinchuriki and on his stomach, still pulsing with the remnant chakra from the sealing, was the Shiki Fūjin.
Picking the boy up, Jiraiya did his best to sooth the mourning child, even as his own tears fell down his cheeks like waterfalls. "There there, little Naruto. Jiraiya's here. Shhhh its ok, everything's gonna be fine." Even as he said this, he knew that it truly wouldn't be, not for a long time. Not long after this, three ANBU arrived, escorting the previous Hokage.
The retired Third Hokage looked at the carnage and at Jiraiya and the small child in his arms. Knowing what the old man wanted, but was too ashamed to ask, Jiraiya began to speak. "While a wasn't here at the time, I can easily guess what happened. After teleporting the Kyūbi, Minato must have used the Shiki Fūjin to seal it into the child. Looking at the position of the bodies and the damage taken, I can assume that the Kyūbi attempted to kill the child before it could be sealed away and that they managed to stop it before it could do so." To his credit, Jiraiya was able to speak even through his pain.
As Jiraiya spoke, the older shinobi visibly hunched from the news, knowing that Jiraiya had just lost someone who was the equivalent to a son. Soon enough though, Jiraiya finished his report. Sighing, the Sandaime Hokage spoke."Thank you, Jiraiya. I am truly sorry for your loss" At this point the aged shinobi looked at his former student, trying to show just how much he felt. Placing his hands on his shoulders, the man continued. "Come, the council will need to be informed of these events and I'll need your help in controlling them." With an almost emotionless voice the sage replied. "Hai, sensei."
It was an hour later that the village council gathered together. The council was formed by the Sandaime Hokage to help run the village after the third great ninja war. The council consist of the heads of each clan, Shimura Danzo, Mitokada Homura and Utatane Koharu, along with representatives of the Merchant, Banking and Farmer's Guilds.
At first there was much talk, as each member discussed the Kyūbi's attack on their home. However, the moment the Sandaime entered the secret chamber, all was quite. "Fellow council members, we gather here tonight to discuss the disaster that befell us not two hours ago. The attack of the Kyūbi was, unexpected to say the least. However I am proud at the speed at which our shinobi acted to protect our precious village, and there sacrifice will not go unnoticed. Sadly, amongst those casualties was Namikaze Minato, our Yondaime Hokage, who sacrificed his life in sealing the greatest of Bijus."
At this the council instantly focused onto Jiraiya, or to be more accurate, the tiny, wriggling bundle in his hands. One of the members spoke up. "That child contains the demon?! We should kill it before it grows strong enough to finish its job!" at this, the rest of the room broke out into shouting, with some calling for the child's death and others calling for him to be seen as a hero. Sadly this was only the older Hokage and Jiraiya. Shimura Danzo spoke up, quieting the more loud members.
"Hiruzen, I believe the best course of action would be to train the child, to get control of the beast. Allow me to take him." "Danzo, you would turn him into little more then a weapon, one which you would solely wield. I will not allow it." "And who are you to make such a decision, that is for the Hokage to decide, and as you mentioned, he is dead!"
At this Jiraiya glared heatedly at the old war hawk, however before he could speak, Hiruzen replied. "As the Yondaime did not have a successor, I as his predecessor shall retake the roll of Hokage, until such a time as I see fit to once again hand down the role to the next generation. Does anyone here disagree?" The only hand that was raised was that of Danzo, and so it came to be that Sarutobi Hiruzen once again took on the roll of Hokage.
After discussing what courses of action should be taken to repair the village and prevent any leakages of the disaster until such a time as they could defend themselves once again, the council was dismissed. Once all of the members had left, Jiraiya moved towards Hiruzen.
"Sensei, what are you gonna do with Naruto? I promised Minato that I would protect him, and I plan on keeping my word." Sighing, the returned Hokage spoke to him. "I believe the best course of action would be to put the child in the Konoha Orphanage under Kushina's Clan name. As he doesn't have the classic red hair, most will just assume he was named in recognition of our fallen allies. I know you would want him recognised as Minato's son, but he just had to many enemies that would attempt to kill the child."
"Why not let me take him then, I have a responsibility to him sensei, and i could train him. I hate to admit it, but Danzo had a point, Naruto needs to be trained." Once again Hiruzen sighed. "You know as well as I do that you are needed more outside of the village with your network, and besides, you have just as many enemies as Minato. Naruto can also still be trained in the Academy"
Jiraiya had to admit that the Hokage had a point, however that still didn't mean he had to like it. Sighing Jiraiya turned towards his sensei. "I'll think about it sensei, but if anything happens to him, then I'll take him with me, damn the consequences." With that he turned and jumped onto the nearest roof and disappeared into the night, leaving the old man to his thoughts. 'Don't worry Jiraiya, I believe in this villages' "Will of Fire!"'
Within two days, news about Naruto's Jinchuriki status was common knowledge. While most shinobi knew the difference between the demon and its container, many of the younger shinobi who had lost loved ones, and almost all of the civilians saw him only as the demon that he carried. Many came everyday to the Hokage Tower to demand the child's death. Soon, Hiruzen realised he had made a mistake in allowing all to know of young Naruto's status, and declared from that point on, Naruto's status as a Jinchuriki became an S-ranked secret, punishable by death. At first, no one believed the kind Hokage capable of executing his own people for a demon brat, but after the first few public executions, they soon learnt that it was no idle threat. Soon, it was no longer mentioned in public, and with this, the Sarutobi patriarch believed they would all put it behind them.
Three months later, young Naruto was entered into the Konoha Orphanage. At first, the Hokage would check up on the child everyday, but as his responsibilities to the village increased, his visits decreased, until he could only manage this once a month. It did not take the Matrons of the Orphanage long to realised that the old Hokage would come at the same time, on the first day of every month to see the 'demon'.
At first, they left the child alone, avoiding him at all costs. The only thing that kept them feeding him was the fact that the Hokage would notice. They kept the child locked in a room for most of the month, only letting him out on the day of the Hokage's visit. This went on for about a 7 months, before one of the nurses assigned to feed him, 'accidently' dropped him, leaving a large bruise on his face. At first, all of the nurses panicked, thinking of excuses to tell the Hokage, but it was the one that dropped the child noticed that the bruise had suddenly disappeared.
"Mikasa-san, look! The bruise on its face, it's gone!" "What!?" screamed the nurse known as Mikasa. "Setsuna, bring him here! Let me see!" And sure enough, where once was a bruise the size of a fist, was nothing but unmarred skin. This frightened the nurses at first, but soon the realized they could use this to there advantage. They could harm the 'demon' and get away with it.
And so began four long months of experimentation, in which each of the nurses would try more and more ways at harming the boy. At first it was just dropping him, then that turned into smacking the child if he made a noise, and then one of the more psychopathic nurses decided to cut the child with a piece of glass. It was only a small cut on his arm, but when they saw that the wound had healed within 5 minutes, everything escalated.
Soon all sorts of accidents occurred. As the accidents became more and more dangerous, most of the nurses became afraid and guilt ridden. The came to realise that what they were doing was wrong and soon stopped. But three of the nurses, emboldened by there success, continued to harm the child, until one fateful day.
Unohana Mikasa, Mori Setsuna and Ishiyama Koaru were incredibly pleased with themselves. They were once again 'punishing' the 'demon' for attacking there home. As each woman took turns cutting the toddler with all sorts of sharp objects, they spoke "For my brother!" "For my husband!" "For Konoha!"
It was as the lost woman had just spoken, slicing a deep gash into the child's chest, that the door burst down and an incredibly powerful killing intent froze the three women. Standing in the now open archway where once a door to the basement stood, was the 'Shinobi no Kami' and the Sandaime Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen.
He spoke so softly, they barely heard. "You monsters! How could you do such things to a defenceless baby!" At this, Mikasa spoke up. "Hokage-Sama! We were just teaching the demon what happens when you mess with Kono - ahg!" The women was stopped. Not because she chose to, but because the Killing intent that the older man had just released had made her.
The old Hokage looked at the three cowering women in front of him and had to force his anger down, less he kill these three on the spot. He turned around and spoke to the two shadows that had appeared behind him, causing the three to pale at the implications. "Anko, Ibiki, take them out of my sight, and find out what you can. I don't care what needs to be done, just do it." With that, the old man snatched up the no longer bleeding but still covered in blood child, and left. The two T&I co workers grinned manically at each other then turned to face the three. They were a bit put out however when the saw that the three had feinted. Shrugging, they left the orphanage with the three victi- criminals hung over there shoulders,
The Hokage sat in his office, face in his hands. Minato's legacy lay in a small cot that once belonged to his son, Asuma. The old man did not know what to do. He had believed that Konoha's 'Will of Fire' would win out in the end, but he had been wrong, and young Naruto was the one to pay for his mistake.
Looking up at a portrait of his successor, Hiruzen wondered if Minato would ever forgive him. He knew he would never be able to forgive himself. Suddenly one of the windows opened and a blur dove inside. Already knowing who it was, the once retired Hokage sighed. "Jiraiya, there is a door for a reason." When Jiraiya didn't respond, the Hokage flinched
"I'm Sor-" "Don't!" Jiraiya glared at his old sensei. "You told me he would be safe here, but you were wrong!" "Jirai-" No sensei! You know the deal! I swore I would protect him, and already I have failed! He is coming with me, and that is final!" Once again, the old man sighed. "I understand, Jiraiya. I already have the papers here, allowing you to take full custardy over Naruto." As he said this, he slid a folder to Jiraiya. "I just ask one favour, please Jiraiya, raise him here, in Konoha." At this, the toad sages eyes widened in shock. "And why would I do that, why would I raise the child of my student in a place that only hates him!?" At this the old Hokage looked down, feeling older then ever before. Standing up, he looked straight into his students eyes. "Because whether they like it or not, this is as much his home as theirs! Please Jiraiya, I know I have failed you, Minato and Naruto, but please let me redeem myself!" As soon as he said this, The esteemed Hokage, the highest ranking power in the village, fell to the floor in the dogeza position.
Jiraiya was shocked beyond words. Here was the Hokage, his sensei, bowing and begging him. It was just so wrong! "sensei please! Stand up!" when Hiruzen didn't move, Jiraiya moved to forcibly lift the old man, but each time he did so, the Hokage fell back to his knees.
Eventually Jiraiya relented. "Fine! Fine! I'll stay! Just please, stop!" At this, the old Hokage stood back up and faced Jiraiya with tears in his eyes. "Thank you, Jiraiya. I promise you, I will do all that is in my power to help protect Naruto! Thank you!"
With that, Jiraiya left the Hokage tower, a small bundle in his arms. Once Jiraiya had gotten 100 meters from the Tower however, he realised some very important things.
'Oh shit! How the hell do you even raise a child!" followed by, "And where the hell am I gonna stay!"
Fortunately, some of those problems were easily solved. After spending the night in a hotel, Jiraiya awoke the next day to find an envelope on his bedside table. In it was a pair of keys and a map showing the directions to a house just outside of the village centre.
Following the map, Jiraiya couldn't help but feel as if he'd come here before. It was only as the house came into view that he realised why he felt this was. As he crossed the gate and moved towards the entrance, he couldn't help but notice the sign. The sign that said...
-END CH 1-
AN
Few, first chapter, done! And wow! I've been reading on FF for a few years now and thought I'd try my hand at writing an actual story, but geez, all these other guys make it look so easy! A wrote just under 3000 words and man, that was crazy, I wonder if it gets easier with time. If not, then my respect for other authors' just sky rocketed! Anyway, if you enjoyed it, leave a review. If not, tell me what was wrong and how I could solve it (Just remember that I may not change things if I feel it would be detrimental to the plot :D) and please, no flames. Constructive criticism is fine! :D