Shiro no Kitsune
By Os Kitsune
Chapter 1, Snow
Disclaimer-I don't own Naruto, Kishimoto does.
Legend:
'...Human or Lesser Summon Thinking/Small A/N...'
'...Demon or Summon Boss Thinking...'
"...Human or Lesser Summon Talking..."
"...Demon or Summon Boss Talking..."
"...SHOUTING/TWO OR MORE PEOPLE SAYING THE SAME THING/CASTING THE SAME JUTSU..."
It was snowing.
If you asked Uchiha Kitsune years later what he remembered about that day, he would tell you that was what stuck out in his memory.
It was snowing.
The fact that snow was falling in the Fire Country was an odd occurrence that had not occurred in nearly a century. Such an occurrence was made possible by the fact that large amounts of chakra have the ability to disrupt weather patterns in the surrounding area for years after it's usage. The last time snow had fallen over Konoha, Uchiha Madara and Hashirama Senju had had their final confrontation at what is now know as the Valley of the End. The current weather distrotion, however, could be traced back to five years previously. On a crisp October night, The Kyuubi no Yoko, for reasons unknown, had begun to lay waste to the hidden village of Konohagakure. In an act of absolute selflessness, the Yondaime, Minato Namikaze, sacrificed himself to seal the bijuu within his own son; a fact unknown to almost all of the civilian and shinobi population.
Despite the fact that the demon was sealed away, the huge concentration of youkai and chakra had ensured that the weather of the surrounding area for miles would be altered for decades, if not centuries.
It was on this unusual day that Sarutobi Hiruzen found himself walking towards a meeting that for some inexplicable reason, filled his stomach with an unshakable feeling of uneasiness. As he neared the park that, despite the fact was a commmon place for parents, both civilan and shinobi, not only to bring their children, but to spread the latest gossip, held his destination.
He sent silent thanks to whatever gods might be litsening for the unusual weather. Despite the fact that most of the population brought their children to this particular park, the fact that Konoha was located in the nearly tropical fire country, and its lack of wintertime precipratation , left many parents lacking the ability to properly clothe their children for such weather, resulting in said children being kept indoors.
However, as he came closer to the playground, he noticed that one child was among the various playground equitment, laughing as a older boy chased him around. Hiruzen's eyes traveled towards the park benches, where parents usually sat to watch after their children. The mother of the child was there. She glacned in Hiruzen' direction, having sensed his chakra, and smiled.
Uchiha Tsukihana was considered to be among the most powerful Kunoichi since the inception of Konoha. Despite being orphaned as a result of the second ninja war, and having the weight of taking care of two younger siblings on her shoulders, even from a young age, she had shown prodigious skill in all forms of shinobi combat, but none moreso than an unparralled mastery in genjutsu. By the age of seven, she had not only activated her sharingan, but had graduated from the academy with top scores, surpassing even her future teammate and rival, Minato Namikaze. A meteroic rise through the shinobi ranks brought with it whispers of a possible canidacy for Hokage and the possibilty that she had replaced her brother Fugaku as the heir apparent to the Uchiha clan. But all good things must come to an end, and in an instant, her world came crashing down around her.
In the last year of the third shinobi war, Tsukihana's younger brother had been killed. To make matters worse, Minato had been the boy's sensei, and she blamed him for his death. They never spoke again before his untimely death six years later. As a result of her brother's death, Tsukihana entered a severe bout of depression that lated almost two years, resulting in a severe drop in her skills, so much so that she finally chose to retire as a shinobi. Because of the drop in her skills, Fugaku was able to claim the position of head of the Uchiha clan. After his accession, Tsukihana requested a leave of absence from Konoha, which was quickly granted to her by Hiruzen. She finally returned a year before the Kyuubi attack, pregnant, of all things, and gave birth to a healthy baby boy, whom she named Kitsune.
Hiruzen turned his attention back to the child.
Even when he was born, Uchiha Kitsune had proven to be a most unusual child. Unlike most human children, who are born into the world blind and screaming, Kitsune emerged from his mother's womb quielty and with his eyes wide open. Also, unlike most babies, who are born bald, Kitsune arrived into the world with a head full of downy white hair. Naturally because of his odd apperance relative to those of his family members, Kitsune's paternity had been called into question many times. Light hair is extremely rare among members of the Uchiha clan, much less hair that is pure ivory in color. Also the three whisker marks that adorned the child's cheeks were the subject of constant debate amongst his family. His most astounding feature, however, were the sharp, violet eyes that he inherited from his mother.
Even despite the urging from elders of his clan, Tsukihana had been quite adamant about not enrolling the child into the shinobi academy, stating that she would not let her child suffer the pain of a ninja's life.
Hiruzen was shaken by his thoughs by a voice.
"Shisui-kun, would you mind taking Kitsune for some ramen?" Tsukihana said to the boy playing with her son.
The teen glanced in her direction, and did a double take when he noticed Hiruzen, bowing quickly.
"Hokage-sama, what are you doing here on such a day?"
Chuckling warmly at the youth's overeagerness, Hiruzen waved a hand in his direction.
"Don't mind me Shisui-kun, I just have something to discuss with Tukihana-san."
At the sound of the voices, Kitsune turned, and a large grin broke across his face when he saw Hiruzen.
"Hey! Sarutobi-jii sama! Sarutobi-jii sama! What are you doing here?" the child happily cried, running up to Hiruzen and giving his leg a hug.
A warm smile crossed Hiruzen's face as he bent down to the boy's eyes level. While Tsukihana was still a genin, she had been placed on Jiraiya's team. Hiruzen was one of the few people for whom Tsukihana held absolute trust in, and therefore was one of the few people that she allowed near her son. Over the years, Kitsune had come to view Hiruzen as a grandfather figure, something which he did nothing to discourage.
"Why hello there Kitsune-kun! How have you been?"
If possible, the child's grin grew even wider.
"Great, Sarutobi-jii sama. I want to show you something!"
A suprised look crossed Hiruzen's face.
"Oh? What do you want to show me?"
The little boy's face suddenly turned serious.
"First you have to promise something!"
"And what's that?"
Kitsune glanced over Hiruzen's shoulder to where his mother was sitting, and then behind him where Shisui was two were engaged in small talk.
"You can't tell Momma or Shisui nee-san, okay?"
Hiruzen chuckled lighty while chewing on the end of his pipe.
"Okay."
"Promise?"
"I promise."
Kitsune's eyes squinted shut and his eyebrows furrowed for a moment. Suddenly, his hand shot out toward Hiruzen's face, the small finger extended.
"Pinky swear?"
Hiruzen smiled warmly at the boy, then extended his own hand towrads the child's and interlaced his pinky with Kitsune's
"Yes, yes, I pinky swear."
The child's mood brightened considerably.
"Okay! Watch this Sarutobi-jii sama."
Kitsune made a cross with the index and middle fingers of both his hands, which some part of hiruzen's brain classifed as the "ram" seal. A smile played across his face as he watched Kitsune's eyes close in concentration and his faced turned beet red with effort. Finally a small cloud of smoke erupted from beside the boy, Sarutobi's mouth made a small "o" as he looked at the two perfectly identical children standing in front of him. Both Kitsune and the Kage bushin glanced up at Sarutobi, smiled at his expression, looked at each other and high-fived before the clone dispelled.
To say he was stunned would be an understatement. Hiruzen looked down at the boy in disbelief.
"It should be impossible" he thought "for him to be able to use any ninjutsu at his age, much less a kage bushin. His chakra cannals haven't fully developed yet."
"K-Kitsune-kun" he stuttered "Where did you learn to do that?"
Suddenly the boy looked worried, he knew he wasnt suppossed to try and do any of the cool ninja stuff that Shisui-nee san and Itachi-nee san always did, but evrybody else was allowed to do it, so why couldn't he?
"Kitsune?"
He looked up worriedly at Hiruzen
"Itachi-nee san."
"Itachi?"
The little boy shook his head.
"Am I in trouble?"
Hiruzen looked down at the boy, suprised
"Trouble? No, why would you be in-" he cut off as he saw the boy looking nervously at his mother.
"Kitsune."
The boy looked up at Sarutobi.
"How about we make this our little secret?"
The child's gloomy mood instantly brightened.
"You mean it?" he whispered happily
Sarutobi nodded
"Thanks Sarutobi-jii sama!"
The boy gave him a hug, and then turned and ran back towards Shisui, who bowed towards Hiruzen.
"It was nice seeing you Hokage-Sama."
Sarutobi nodded.
"Take care, Shisui-kun."
"Bye Sarutobi-Jii sama!"
"Bye Bitsune-Kun, behave yourself."
"K"
Hiruzen smiled as he watched the two walk off toward the residential district, chuckling softly when he heard cries of 'ramen' coming from Kitsune.
"Sarutobi-sensei."
Hiruzen turned back towards Tuskihana, who smiled up at him and gestured for him to take a seat next to her. He obliged.
"He's getting so big."
A soft smile crossed her face.
"I know."
He glanced at her,and was startled to see that she looked rather pale.
"Tsukihana-"
"I'm alright,"she quickly replied "I've just been under the weather."
They stared at each other for a moment, before Hiruzen looked away, chewing on his pipe thoughtfully.
"If you insist."
"Now, I'm sure your wondering why I asked you to meet me here."
"The thought crossed my mind, yes."
"I need to leave the village."
Hiruzen's eyes widened by a fraction
"What?"
Tsukihana took a breath
"I need you to grant me a permanent leave of absence from the village, along with Kitsune."
"But,why?"
She looked away, unable to look into his eyes.
"I can't say."
"Tsukihana, you know I can't-"
Her head whipped up.
"But your the Hokage!"
"Fugaku and the council would never allow it."
Her eyes widened,and her voice grew panicy.
"Sarutobi-sensei, please, you don't understand!"
He stared into her violet eyes.
"Then explain."
She looked at the ground, her bangs shadowing her eyes from view for a moment.
"I-I can't."
Hiruzen sighed, then stood up.
"Then, I'm truly sorry."
As he made to leave, he felt a hand grip his sleeve. He looked back to see Tsukihana her eyes brimming with tears, short, quiet sobs escaping her throat.
"Okay, I'll tell you. It has to do with his father."
"Kitsune's?"
"Yes"
AN- Sorry for the wait. And sorry if the chapter was confusing.I looked back at The White Fox I realized that there was no explanation or backstory at all, I just sort of threw it out there and hoped for the best. This is my attempt to alleviate that issue. Dont worry, you wont have to wait 2 years for another update. Please review, if you want an update I need reviews.