Chapter 1: Not Supposed to Exist
"There's two?", Hiruzen asked, eyes narrowed on another bundle of newborn that was found on the day of the Kyuubi attack.
One of the Anbu who saw the event replied, "While the Kyuubi was effectively sealed away, this one came out of her stomach after she was dead".
"That's impossible. A dead woman shouldn't even give birth. I saw it with my own eyes, the beast stabbed her along with Yondaime-sama. When they were dead, he just crawled out. He shouldn't even exist". The Anbu carried the mysterious bundle of a newborn who just opened his eyes without blinking.
He doesn't look anything like his parents, Minato and Kushina. He had jet black hair and jet black eyes, more reminiscent of an Uchiha. One thing that unnerved them was that his eyes were open, only blinking occasionally and not displaying a single hint of emotion on his face. He was in fact the exact opposite of his twin brother who was crying nonstop, carried by another Anbu in the room.
The twins Naruto and the other one they named Menma were put on the same crib. Hiruzen took one last look at the mysterious child, not seeing him in another couple of years.
Meanwhile in Sunagakure, the successful sealing of Shukaku resulted in Karura's death but another anomaly has been presented. A child born from Karura's dead body with dark skin, blue hair and green eyes adored with mysterious markings on his skin has crawled out of her womb. He looked nothing like the Kazekage. Rasa, baffled by this decided to conduct a DNA test to prove this child's identity, only to find out it was his own and his existence wasn't discovered when Karura was pregnant with Gaara.
The lives of these two aren't supposed to exist, and yet there were born into this world with another purpose to achieve.
Five years passed in Konohagakure, the Kyuubi incident seems to have vanished from the surface of the land but the animosity of the townspeople towards one Uzumaki Naruto is undoubted. Glares filled him as he continued to walk in the streets, envying children with their parents. One day, he asked Hiruzen if he knew of his parents, only to be answered that the dead shouldn't be talked about. The only thing that he ever had was his brother Menma.
Menma was at Naruto's back, carrying a book and ignored the intense glares directed at him by the townspeople. Both children haven't started the Academy yet and Naruto found solace on his strange twin despite the silence he radiates.
Naruto was once unnerved by Menma's behavior but got used to it. He had never seen Menma cry, get angry or even sleep. His brother would always stay up at night, drawing mysterious symbols on a piece of paper he never encountered before. He would also talk about life and death in general, of what the true purpose of life is. The blonde found this strange considering his brother wasn't anything childish but thought of like an adult and is disturbingly morbid.
His own internal thoughts were cut short when his stomach rumbled, only for Menma to glance at him. Naruto looked saddened when he saw a Ramen shop with various chunin eating the hot broth of noodles and enjoying it. Another rumble of Naruto's stomach and he ran away, only to be followed by his twin brother.
"Why do they hate us?". Now alone and into the nearby woods of Konoha, Naruto asked his brother. He sat near the bank of river in the wooded forest alongside the setting sun with birds flying overhead for their seasonal migration.
"Everything that happens always has a reason". Menma sat at his side observing the beautiful sunset, ignoring their hunger pangs.
"I have no reason to exist, Naruto". This made Naruto mad once again and pushed his brother at the ground, making the jet black haired boy to fall face front on the ground. He immediately stood out and looked at Naruto's teary face.
"You keep saying things like that. You're the only one I have and I don't want you to disappear!".
Menma only looked on towards the ground , and then looked back on his twin.
"I'm not supposed to exist in this world", he repeated, looking at his hand once again. "I felt I committed so many sins that I shouldn't even be forgiven. Or perhaps….I don't know. I know I'm different and I….". He stopped in his dialog, he was embraced by Naruto.
"Look, you're the only one I have", the blond said through muffled tears. "We don't know who our parents are and that old man wouldn't even tell me. You're not the only one whose different but also me, so no matter what happens we should always stay together". Breaking the hug, he stared into Menma's abyss orbs intensely.
Smiling at this gesture of affection by Naruto, he finally said, "Let's visit the cemetery".
"Again?", asked by a laughing Naruto who wiped his tears after crying.
"I feel like I'm in peace if I look at those graves. Maybe we can find clues to our parents' whereabouts. Who knows?".
Rumbles of their stomachs eventually followed suit. "I think we must get food first Naruto".
"But I don't have any money with me", replied Naruto sadly.
"I have my own ways. Go home and I'll take care of the rest".
"You sure of that?", answered the blonde, giving his brother a disbelieving look.
He was only greeted by a Menma's smile. Knowing what to do, Menma dashed off hoping for his plan to work.
Kakashi stood in front of the memorial stone, staring in at the names of the deceased, especially of his friend Uchiha Obito, who never had the chance of fulfilling his dreams.
"They have never showed teamwork so far. I used to think the rules only matter but abandoning friends are worse than trash, isn't it? I failed them once again. My day's always the same Obito, running around and having rival contests with Guy. Our current score is a 47-46 match because I technically won the eating contest that he orchestrated".
The sunset and the oncoming darkness added more to the gloomy atmosphere that the place presented, a notable place of the deceased.
"You are disturbed". Catching his attention, Kakashi turned to see a child behind him.
"So you talk to the dead here? I'm sure they could hear you", Menma said, ignoring Kakashi's widened eyes on him.
"This place is where we will rest eventually when we grow old. If not of old age, we rest when someone puts an end to us. It's the natural cycle of life. It was created that way. The balance between life and death is necessary to ensure we people grow from grief and hopefully thwart it more effectively in the future. It's not wrong to talk to a deceased person, but having those memories control you is some sort of a sacrilege to the dead". Menma said, eyes affixed on the memorial stone.
Kakashi was unnerved by this child's strange behavior. He observed the child, clothed in all black and having an apathetic expression on his face. Somewhat morbid which an ordinary child shouldn't consider talking.
"Aren't you a bit too young talking about those things?", he asked.
"Am I not normal?", a question that Kakashi was once again surprised.
"Maa, maa, I'm not saying that you're a monster or what", Kakashi said hoping to lighten up the atmosphere. Before he could ask anything, he was interrupted by Menma.
"I did not experience grief because I've never known my parents. But that doesn't mean I will stop looking for clues. There must be a reason why they hid their existence away, the animosity of the townspeople and being a pariah in this village". With a sigh, he continued. "I think that you should continue living for the sake of tomorrow, and find a reason why you should exist. I haven't found my reason yet, but if it is for his sake, then I will gladly throw away my life just to protect him. See you".
Menma ran, leaving a stunned Kakashi behind.
Menma got home, with a half awake Naruto slumping on a chair. They were hungry and Menma managed to buy ramen from the shop to which Naruto was looking at earlier.
"I brought food", Menma smiled.
"How did you…"
"Naruto, we must eat. I'll tell you the details later, okay?".
The twins ate their food in silence, with the blonde laughing at his brother's exploits.
"So then that man in this Memorial monument found you creepy. I can't imagine the look in his face". Naruto said between laughs.
"I stole his wallet while he was talking to that Uchiha Obito", he replied, taking pride on his accomplishment.
Naruto snatched at the wallet that Menma was holding and looked inside. 20,000 ryo of cash filled it.
"He must be rich", the blonde said in awe.
"It's normal for shinobi. But seeing as we're still children, I have no choice. Stealing is necessary as shinobi is to killing".
"But it's wrong to kill", Naruto replied.
"I know. But in order to protect you, I'd be willing to kill anyone who stands in our way". Remembering the story of the Kyuubi attack, he said. "Naruto, they said that the Yondaime killed the Kyuubi".
"Yeah".
"But don't you notice anything strange?", Menma said, observing Naruto's sudden change in expression.
"Menma, what are you trying to say?"
"Have you made the connection as to why the majority of Konoha hated our existence? I know this may sound ridiculous but come to think of it, why do they look at us with so much disdain, especially you when you just happen to pass around and not doing your pranks?"
The blonde seem to contemplate something about this before Menma continued. "Do you remember the day when you asked the Sandaime Hokage of who were our parents and he didn't reveal any of it? If I recall perfectly, he said the dead mustn't be disturbed. Relate this well. The Yondaime killed the Kyuubi, the glares of the villagers and their projected hate, the anonymity of our parents' identities…"
"What are you trying to say? Do you know who our parents are", Naruto asked, his hands shivered under on his thigh.
"This is merely a speculation but I believe that the Kyuubi hasn't been killed".
"But the Yondaime killed it!", insisted the blonde.
"Then if it was truly dead, then the villagers should rejoice but they seem to look at you in a disgusting way. Another big secrecy as to where the beast came from. Any types of monsters have consciousness and they wouldn't destroy anything. Naruto…", Menma trailed off.
"Wh-what?". Naruto was now trembling and seem to connect the dots.
"Then I'm the Kyuubi?", Naruto whispered, horrified.
"No!", Menma shouted.
"If they look at me in such way, then I must be the beast!"
"No!", the black haired boy shouted before calming down. "Monsters aren't easily killed. The fourth isn't a god to do so. Think of it this way. If you've read some comics about seals, then you must understand. The fourth sealed the Kyuubi inside of you then".
"But why me?". Naruto wept furiously, his blue eyes filled with tears brimming down on his face.
"The fourth sacrificed his life in the village then that means…". Another dawn of realization hit Menma's features, with Naruto seeming to catch on.
"Our father", he whispered. "He won't sacrifice other children in the village and sacrificed me instead, his own son! I hate him!".
The blonde ran off at his room and continued to weep. Menma was left alone in the dining room with an unfinished bowl of ramen by his brother and a spilt wallet he stole from Kakashi earlier.
'Do we have a reason to exist?', an unanswered question greeted him in the silence of the night.