Anything is Better than One

Prologue

Naruto Uzumaki formerly known as Namikaze Naruto. He was vibrant and lively, loving and caring. He was the epitome of the will of fire, something no one but a select few had the priveledge of seeing. But soon the whole village will acknowledge him.

Long ago the four nations lived together in harmony but everything changed when the fire- whoops! Wrong story.

There exists five great nations, and one in particular contained the will of fire. The passion and love to protect all of those precious to them. The Village Hidden in the Leaves was a wonderful place for everyone to live.

The village having been ravaged by the Kyuubi, resulting in a devastating loss of life. During the confusion of the assault one man personified the will the villagers hold so dear. The Yondaime Hokage Namikaze Minato, Konoha's Yellow Flash. He stood by his wife's side as the light faded from her eyes. Her red hair matted in sweat to her face, temple and nape of her neck.

But in those final moments, Minato never saw a more beautiful and damning sight. With one final exhaustive, deathly push, a child was born.

"Naruto." Minato held his child in his arms, while his eyes never left the sight of his lifeless wife. Her eyes open, resting on the child she longed to hold, with a peaceful smile gracing her porcelein features. Silent tears fell from the young Hokage's eyes. Falling to the suprisingly quiet baby.

Minato held the child in his right arm while his left lay above the newly born childs chest. The destruction of his village was immenent, and yet the pain he felt now seemed unsubstantial. He wanted to collapse, to hide, to crawl in a corner and cry.

"Minato." He turned his grief stricken eyes to that of his mother. A woman with long flowy blond hair, and a gem in the center of her forehead. Her piercing blue eyes, shone with uncried tears. Each one trying furiously to rain down on her composure. "There's nothing I can do." Her son stared at her as his fears were confirmed. She removed her hands and slumped from the loss of chakra. Her back falling into the chest of her best friend, lover and Minato's father.

"I'm so sorry." The man slumped with Tsunade against him. His eyes focused on his son's face as he gazed at nothing in particular, not even the son in his arms. He tried to comfort Minato but found his efforts in vain. Silent tears continued to cascade from Minato, as an everlasting rain enveloped him while grief encassed his heart. "This shouldn't have happened." Jaraiya continued to look at his son.

Minato was thinking, his brain whirring, trying to comprehend. Forcing his brain to create a contingency plan, and then he remembered. His hand continued to caress the frailty of his son. When his forefinger was enveloped in a tight fist. The strength was suprising. He lowered his gaze away from his wife and landed on the son in his arms.

The childs porcelein features rivaled that of his mothers. His blond hair held a tinge of red. Minato's eyes roved the features of his beautiful son. His mothers nose, his strong jaw, his mothers cheeks, and finally his wonderfully sky blue eyes. The child however was not watching his father as Minato was watching him, rather his gaze seemed frightened and utterly transfixed on the sight of Kushina, his now dead mother.

Minato didn't comprehend the level of intelligence in his son's eyes and he felt his tears run dry as his son's grip on his finger never-once loosened. It was then that Minato remembered everything his wife had told him. Should the Kyuubi attack, the only option of survival.

He stood quickly with his child in his arms. Pulling a scroll out and tossing it to Tsunade, and Jiraiya, as the Sandaime watched. His face passive while his eyes surged in pain. Minato was determined. "It shouldn't have happened but we planned for it." With those last words the Yellow Flash dissappeared with his child.

Tsunade opened the scroll quickly, and read silently the details of their will. They sat in silence as the Kyuubi shrieked in pain. 'Dead demon consuming seal.' They couldn't look at the letter, all the could do was wait, as the words of their son and Kushina ran rampant through their minds. 'It is the Uzumaki duty to hold the nine tailed fox. We are Jinchuriki.' 'If I should die, than only one option remains. Take Naruto away, come back when he can protect himself, tell him we love him.' The screams dissapeared and a light blinded all present as a child lay in the center of the room. A dark seal dissappearing from the childs stomach. 'Protect him.' Tsunade crawled to the child wrapped in a white jacket, with orange flames. His eyes tinged red for a moment before returning to the sky blue of her son.

She wrapped her arms around the child as Jiraiya placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. They turned to the Sandaime Hokage, both pleading. "Leave and I will tell no one. He is Minat and Kushina's legacy. A legacy I will protect. All I ask is that when you return..." He walked closer to the new family of three. Placing his hand against Naruto's cheek. "That I'm alive to see it."

"Thank you Sensei." The three left in a swirl of leaves. As Anbu swarmed the room.

"Sandaime Hokage! Your presence is requested before the council. The Kyuubi has been defeated, but the Yondaime has fallen." He spoke quickly as his voice fell solemnly.

"Do not let anyone see this room. I want this dealt with quietly." Sandaime left in a clap of thunder. The Anbu remaining peered around the room, his one eye fell on the corpse of a young woman. 'Who's she?' He peered closer and recognized the once Jinchuuriki and secret wife of the Yondaime. His eyes roved her cold form as he quickly draped a sheet over her body. His stomach convusing at the sight of his beloved sensei's wife.

As he covered her, his eyes followed a trail of blood and noticed a serated blade, and amniotic fluid. He whirrled around the room, searching for the second corpse. Sweat beaded across his forehead, matting his silver hair to his head. Hope swelled in his chest, as he found none. Soon the words of the Sandaime fell once more upon his ears. He placed a gengutsu around the house, as he quietly rid it of any evidence of child birth. 'The Yondaime's child survived.' Tears trickled from his eyes, his dark blue mask darkening and lifting, crinkling as he smiled in pure hope.

A/N- Let me know what you think oh! and whoever follows my stories...I'll have them all uploaded at least twice by wednesday. I hope you enjoy this story. It's something I have had in my head for a while now, and thought I should write it down. XD